“CHER COMERADE:
There is something which weighs on me and of which I have been trying to write to you since several days.
You have heard me speak of Florent Garnier. Twice has he asked me in marriage, and a week ago he sought me out and demand me for the third time.
He is more prosperous than ever. He has a grand auto, and a villa near the forest of St. Germain. On Sunday with Jeanne we drive out to see it, and it is truly charming. Only he says he is so lonely there all by himself....
What am I to do? I think I am the most unhappy girl in all Paris. It is a great chance for me, and Madame Folette, Jeanne and the girls tell me I am crazy to refuse. Which is quite true because I am all alone in the life....
I do not ask your advice because I know you will tell me to take him too, and I don’t like when you do that. All the same I thing you are right, and this time it is for the best that I shall tell him.... Yes.
I hope you are well, and happy, and think of you very, very often.
Votre petite soeur adoptée,
MARGOT.
Florent wishes we marry on the seventeenth September so that in that day you must think of me and wish me happiness.”
It was quarter past one when Hugh received this letter; it was half past when he jumped into the carmine car and told the chauffeur to drive him to Vulning’s villa.
“Keep to the blind side of that chap and he’ll never know you,” Bob Bender had said. “What with Vulning’s coat and hat and them yellow glasses he’s wearin’ lately any one would take you for his twin brother. The chauffeur’s had one or two drinks too much anyway,—we’ve seen to that. ’E’ll ’ave all ’is time taken up lookin’ after ’is car.”
“And Vulning?”
“We’ve got ’im safe. You see there’s a little girl he’s been after for some time. Mrs. Emslie’s daughter wot committed suicide. She’s workin’ as a nurse girl; but she won’t ’ave anything to do with ’im. Well, we got ’er to send ’im a note sayin’ she’d meet ’im at one o’clock in a room in a certain ’otel that’s a bit out of the way. ’E came all right; and, while he waited for her, we simply locked ’im in. ’E’s there now, ’ammerin’ at the door and ragin’ like a madman. We won’t let ’im out till you get back.”
“I’m feeling nervous.”
“Don’t be afraid. With that touch of make-up you’re as like ’im as two peas. You’ll fool ’em all right. ’Ere’s a key to the front door. Now run and jump into the car as if you were in a ’urry. Take this. It will steady you.”
Hugh took the small flask of brandy that Bender handed to him, walked quickly to the car and leaped in. The chauffeur did not even look at him. He touched the button that started the motor, moved into gear and the car shot forward.
As Hugh left the town below him his uneasiness increased. His excitement seemed to mount with the mounting road, his heart pounded like the straining motor of the car that bore him on. He took a pull at the brandy flask, and felt better.
They were now among the olive trees and still climbing. A sleepy quiet brooded around them. When they drew near the solitary house Hugh wanted to leap out and make for safety, but it was too late to draw back.
As the chauffeur drove the car around to the garage, Hugh mounted the front steps and opened the door. A rush of stale air met him. The hallway was dark and dirty. Vulning did not seem to have a caretaker and probably only slept there once in a while. The rooms leading off the hall were shuttered and dark. Hugh went into the library, threw back the shutters and unclasped the window. The light leaped in like a wild thing. He looked carefully out of the window. It gave on the terrace with a balustrade about three feet high. Below was the road leading to the garage, and beyond that dense shrubbery. He closed the window without clasping it, then drew the heavy curtains, plunging the room in mysterious gloom.
Once more he went out into the unlighted hall. How quiet and dark the house was! His footsteps awakened echoes everywhere. He went upstairs to where a door, slightly open, showed a chink of light. It appeared to be Vulning’s bedroom. The bed was unmade, the room untidy. He took off his overcoat and drew on a dressing-gown he found lying over a chair. On the tiny table at the head of the bed was a small automatic pistol. Seeing that it was loaded, he put it into his pocket.
He felt horribly “funky,” but a glance in the mirror reassured him. His sunburnt skin had been made up to resemble Vulning’s sallow one; little crowsfeet were round his eyes, and cynical lines about his mouth. His hair was parted in the middle and brushed back like Vulning’s. When he put on Vulning’s yellow glasses it would have taken a very clever man indeed to detect the substitution. If only his confounded nervousness would not give him away! He wound a silk muffler around his neck, noting as he did so how his hands trembled. That would never do! He took another big swig at the brandy flask. Courage glowed in him, even to the point of recklessness. He was ready to go down and face them.
As he descended the stairway somewhat unsteadily he saw that his guests were already awaiting him. How quietly they had come in! He had not heard them. Golaz and Gamba were in the hall and glowered at him with fierce and restless eyes as he passed. In the darkened library Castelli and the doctor were talking in low tones, bending over the table on which lay a large plan. They turned as he entered.
Hugh shivered as he shook the large hairy hand of Doctor Bergius. How he hated this man. Those deep set eyes were profound with cruelty; that dense blue-black beard concealed a face that might be that of a fiend incarnate; his large fleshy lips of a bright unnatural red, set in that black beard, gave a singularly repulsive impression. When he smiled it was with a grin, callous, relentless, orientally cruel.
He smiled now, and Hugh was glad of his yellow goggles. They concealed the fact that his eyes were black instead of blue. He was glad, too, of the drawn heavy curtain. It seemed to him that even with all his precautions Doctor Bergius was regarding him with a curious fixity.
“Ah, young man,” he said in his metallic voice, “you have kept us waiting. There is so much to be done and we have so little time. Castelli, close that door.”
Hugh nodded sullenly. He dared not trust himself to speak. Once again Doctor Bergius regarded him curiously. He did not seem satisfied. He went up to Hugh and stared at him very hard. Hugh’s heart began to thump.
“I am discovered,” he thought, and his hand went to his pistol.
But the Doctor turned away with an expression of contempt. “Pah!” he said. “You’ve been drinking again. I hope you’re not off on one of your bouts.”
Hugh shook his head. He affected a certain surly stupidity. “No, no, doctor,” he said thickly, “only a touch of brandy. Got sore throat. Caught a chill on the golf course. Felt shaky. Took it to steady me, clear my head.”
“Well, it must be the last until to-morrow evening. After that you can go to the devil your own way. Promise me that now,—the last.”
Hugh nodded sulkily.
“That is understood. Your part in the programme is a small one, but important. You must have all your wits about you. If you fail you may throw out the whole plan.”
“All right. I’ll keep off the stuff.”
“Good. Now to business. Look!... Here’s a plan of the Casino.”
Hugh showed an eager interest. In order to see it better he edged round to the side of the table nearest the window. He had Doctor Bergius on his right, on his left Castelli. The plan showed the entire ground floor of the Casino, the different rooms, the entrances, the windows, even the tables. Here and there were traced lines and figures in red, with names in Italian.
“You already have an idea,” went on Doctor Bergius, “of what the great plan is. It is something unheard of, unthought of, magnificent in its audacity. Only a man of genius could have imagined it, perfected it in all its detail. Only one man living could have done it. That man is myself. It is what the Americans call a ‘hold-up.’ We propose to hold-up the Casino.”
Here the doctor paused to give effect to his words, then continued:
“To do that, you realize, is a project of the greatest gravity. But I have arranged everything; and it should go like clockwork. In the first place we need lots of men. I have a band of about sixty, all desperate characters, recruited from the slums of Genoa. They are supposed to be a touring athletic club, all wear the same caps and ties. You may have noticed some of them already. They have been here for some days and have visited the Casino in the morning when it is open to all visitors. Besides this we have secured admission cards for about a score of them. They know the ground. Every man has his part and is drilled in it. Each is of proved and desperate courage, will carry two six-chambered revolvers, and know how to use them. Ah, my friend, it is a marvellous conception. You should have been present at our rehearsals.”
“What is my part?”
“Your part, my dear Vulning, is very simple. We have got a day ticket for you in the name of a Swedish gentleman. You will wear a heavy blonde beard and be completely disguised. This is for your sake. You see with what consideration we treat you. At six o’clock in the evening you will enter the Casino. That is the hour of affluence when all the tables are working, and the visitors have left their money behind. There should be several million francs in sight.”
Here the doctor paused and rubbed his hands crisply.
“But before going any further, I will explain my ideas as to the division of the spoil. Each of our men has been promised five thousand francs. For that they would risk their lives a dozen times. Golaz and Gamba are to have a hundred thousand francs each. You and Castelli will have five hundred thousand. I will be modestly contented with whatever is left. Is that understood?”
Castelli nodded. Hugh followed suit.
“Agreed. Now, Vulning, for your rôle! You enter the Casino, I say, at six o’clock precisely, disguised as a Swede. You go straight to the table next to the refreshment room. It has been arranged that a man will rise and give you a place. You will sit for a few minutes, then suddenly, ...” the doctor paused, and took from his pocket a revolver, “you will rise to your feet. You will take this from your pocket, and, holding it to your head, you will fire.... Ah! my friend Vulning, don’t start. It will only be loaded with a blank cartridge. It will do you no harm. Then having fired you will collapse and slip under the table. That’s all you have to do for five hundred thousand francs. Easy, isn’t it?”
“And what happens then?”
“What happens then?...” Doctor Bergius raised both hands exultantly. “Ha! I will tell you. That is the signal. Every one in the rooms will hear the shot and rush to the table. You know them. They will crowd around and push and jostle. They will want to get a glimpse of the suicide. There will be a mob. The attendants will be making frantic efforts to get out the body. Every one’s attention will be distracted.... Then it is that things will begin to happen.”
Doctor Bergius grew more and more impressive.
“We will have a dozen of our own men in the small room with the Opium Dream on the ceiling. Behold! it will be empty but for them. Every one else will have run to see the suicide. Only the croupiers will have remained at their posts. Everything will be easy. Six of our men will hold up the croupiers while the others throw open the windows. If you remember, there are four windows giving on the terrace near the band-stand. My men will be waiting down below. They will swarm up. To protect them I will have a cordon of men running down to the sea. There I will have waiting also two very fast steam launches.”
The doctor seemed to see it all. He spoke as a man inspired.
“After that it will be easy. A rush, a great drive. We will sweep them all before us. They will be like frightened sheep. Think of it! There will be forty of us all armed to the teeth. Can’t you see them flying before us? We will herd them all into the refreshment room. Castelli with twenty men will control the main rooms; Golaz with ten men will take the long room that gives on the terrace; Gamba with another ten will attend to the salon privé. We will shoot down any one that shows the least sign of resistance. There will be panic, confusion, terror. We will pen the croupiers in corners at the revolver’s point. Castelli, Golaz and Gamba will run to the tables and scoop the big notes into bags. We only want the big bills.”
“Hold on!” said Hugh. “What about the mechanism that automatically locks the coffers?”
“We’ve seen to that. An electrician in our pay has put it out of action. Everything has been thought of. In five minutes it will all be over. We will then gather in a band under the big dome, fire a final volley over the heads of the crowd and beat a retreat. Then we will drop from the windows, run to the beach, tumble into the waiting launches and ho! for Italy. It will all be over before any one realizes what has happened. Magnificent, isn’t it?”
“And what about me?”
“Ah, my dear Monsieur Vulning, do not worry about your precious self. Yours is the easiest part to play. You will, of course, beat a retreat with us. We will put you ashore at St. Remo if you wish. You can then remove your disguise and return here. No one will even suspect you....” Again Doctor Bergius looked at him curiously.
“I believe you are a coward, Vulning. Look here, Castelli will go through your part just to show you. I have here some blank cartridges. See! I charge the revolver. Now, Castelli....”
Castelli stood up by the table. He held the revolver about three feet from his head and fired. Then he dropped to the floor and remained there, grinning up at Hugh.
“Voila,” said the doctor. “That’s all. No risk for you. You lie snug under the table and watch events. Easy, isn’t it? Ah, the whole conception is superb, the work of a man of genius.... Listen!...” The doctor stopped suddenly, grew tense, alert. “What’s that? Who’s out there with Golaz and Gamba?”
Hugh, too, was listening. He heard excited voices and steps coming down the hall. He trembled and as he reached out for support his hand touched an inkwell made out of the fuse of an old German shell. The next instant the door was flung violently open and a man entered.
It was Paul Vulning.