Читать книгу The Unlawul Adventure - Aidan de Brune - Страница 4

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FOR some moments Beringer stood just within the doorway staring at Ray with narrowed eyes. The girl's heart missed a beat. Would he identify, denounce her or, as the others had done, accept her as the owner of the apartment?

Ray hardly dared to move her eyes from the man. Oscar Beringer a crook! She had been introduced to him as one of the leading men of his profession in the city. She had thought him wealthy, influential. Yet, there had always been a doubt. He had money she knew that. He was generous, in some ways, but—

"Miss Allerson!" The man advanced until he stood before her. "Jove, the likeness is wonderful!'

"You mean—" Ray varied the tones of her voice slightly.

"There is a girl where I live," The crook spoke slowly, "who is your very double. For the moment I thought you were her."

"And now?"

"Your voices are not alike," Beringer declared finally. "You have—What shall I say—an accent—no, an intonation, that is far different."

"Thank you." Ray laughed, slightly accentuating the nasal twang she had assumed. "Perhaps I acquired that during the years I spent in the States."

"Well, Oscar?" Maude broke in, impatiently. "That's all you've got to say to our new chief?"

A slight flush of anger came on the man's cheeks. Ray suddenly remembered that Maude had spoken of him as the head of the Sydney gang. With a light laugh she turned to the girl.

"Still head, Maude. I am only a visitor in this city."

"Very pretty," Dutton broke in. "Miss Allerson abdicates her authority. But—there are others who may have something to say to that."

Maude turned, suddenly. Ray looked up at the two men and caught the challenge that silently passed between them. For a brief moment she saw the truth looking out of Maude's eyes.

Her heart bounded gaily. Beringer might be chief of this city's gang of crooks, but his authority was not unquestioned. Dutton was jealous of him. And Dutton held Maude. The woman would follow his lead. Ray was elated she hardly knew why. She knew that she had usurped the place and authority of some woman who bore her name and a remarkable physical resemblance to her. She knew that this unknown woman—this R. S. Allerson—who like herself had come from Melbourne, was a crook. She knew that Maude Penlop and Freddie Dutton were crooks.

What would they say when they knew that she was an imposter? A shiver shook her. She had read much fiction. She knew that these men and woman who stood without the pale of the law, had no mercy for those who trespassed on their secrets.

She had drifted into an impossible position. Soon the real R. S. Allerson, the owner of the apartment, would arrive and denounce her. What would happen then? She looked up at Beringer, suddenly. His eyes were on her face; a slight cruel smile curving his lips. Did he truly suspect her?

"Well?" she challenged.

"That's right, Miss Allerson," Maude applauded. "These men will talk all night, if you let them. Freddie can't help it—it's his stock in trade, Oscar, well, he's so used to telling his patients that it won't hurt that he thinks he can put it over everyone."

Beringer' laughed, lightly. His eyes were still on the girl, as if trying to pierce down to her soul. Ray knew that he still harboured doubts; that back of his mind lingered suspicions waiting for an incautious word from her to bring into open hostility.

She wanted to get way, out into the clean open air. Why had she allowed herself to become mixed up in this riddle of crime? A word would have saved her, when the man and woman had discovered her asleep.

But their acceptance of her as their leader; their knowledge that line for line, feature for feature, she was the living image of the woman who reigned over this gang of crooks, had intrigued her. She had waited, to learn more—and had allowed herself to become too far entangled to withdraw in safety. For the present she must go on, penetrating their secrets, until she found an opportunity to escape—or denounce them.

And, somewhere near at hand—to be discovered or discover at any moment—lurked the woman she was impersonating.

"This leads nowhere," Ray spoke impatiently, daringly. "I wanted to see you to-night, for a certain purpose; I am tired, very weary, after my journey. Mr. Beringer, wont you sit down?"

Her assumption of leadership tensed her companions. Seated, they leaned towards her, expectantly.

"I have not been, satisfied." The girl continued, coldly. "Affairs in Sydney have not progressed as I expected, wished." She paused. So far she had spoken of what she had learned from the woman crook! Now she must venture.

"Will Mr. Beringer explain?"

"Is explanation necessary?" The man spoke cynically. "We know why Miss—er—Allerson is here. She says that she is not satisfied. What does she expect?"

"Action," Ray retorted, quickly. She saw the trap into which the man was trying to lead her to expose her ignorance. "Mr. Beringer, I ask you to explain."

The man bowed. For a full minute he was silent. "So far we have failed in our endeavours," His lips straightened as he spoke. "Of course, we have not had much time. Perhaps in a few days—"

"What have you done?"

"Amy Warren has been removed from her position," he answered tersely. "That leaves the way open."

"Amy Warren?"

"I beg your pardon. I forgot." Beringer laughed. "Miss Warren was personal secretary to Matthew Chalmers, managing director of the States Finance Company."

Ray tensed. What was the man leading to?

"Well?"

"That leaves the way open to placing one of our operators in a confidential position with the company."

"You have a plan?" A slight smile parted Ray's lips.

"We have distinct hopes—in fact, I may say we are assured of success."

"Have you seen your operator lately?"

"I left her but an hour ago. She is very confident."

"Unwisely so." Ray laughed. "Mr. Beringer, I am afraid you have missed badly. Mr. Chalmers engaged a personal secretary some days ago."

"What?" The exclamation came from Maude.

"I know." Again Ray laughed. "The position is filled. What now, Mr. Beringer?"

The man bit his lip.

"Who is the woman?"

"That is for you to discover."

The girl's derision stung the crook to anger.

"She must be removed." Beringer sprang, to his feet and paced the room. "As for that little fool—"

"Another—fool, Mr. Beringer?" Ray's voice was dangerously sweet. Maude giggled.

"There will be no strong-arm business." The girl stated, emphatically. "You have failed, Mr. Beringer, on that point. Have you more to report?"

The man shook his head.

"We awaited your arrival before taking further steps," he added.

"And your instructions?"

"You know them." Beringer answered defiantly. "Why ask me to go through them again? I must have time to consider what steps I can take to carry out our plans."

"Our plans, Mr. Beringer?" Ray was daring much; "Will you inform me what part you had in framing those plans?"

"Miss Allerson's right." Dutton struck his hand, heavily, on the arm of his chair. "The scheme comes from Melbourne. All we've 'got to do is carry out our instructions. That's the agreement."'

"Freddie's right!" Maude laughed. "Fact is, Miss Allerson, Oscar's too fond of his own way. All we've—"

"That's enough." Beringer spoke angrily. "I'll answer Miss Penlop and Dutton in another place."

"With your strong arm bunch to support you," Maude sneered. "No, Oscar, now Miss Allerson's here we can do without you and your Chi methods."'

Beringer turned on his heel and strode to the door. "That's enough from you," he snarled. "We'll see what the gang has to say. Listen, there's a meeting tomorrow night. I'll answer then. The crowd'll decide if we run our own show or are we to be run from Melbourne?"

"Sit down." Ray spoke softly. To her surprise the man obeyed. "You have fallen down on your instructions, Mr. Beringer." She paraphrased the information she had gathered. "Melbourne frames a scheme and calls on Sydney for help, under our definite agreement. You want time to revise the scheme to meet your own particular ideas. Is that in our agreement?"

"No." Dutton answered. "Melbourne leads, we obey orders and get one-third of the loot. If Sydney had framed the scheme then Melbourne would have followed our instructions and taken one-third of the proceeds."

"And because our instructions have not been followed I have had to come here?"

"That's so." Maude nodded. "Tough isn't it? Oscar's messed it up, considerably.

"Do you know the full scheme?" Ray turned to Dutton.

"No." The crook glanced, uneasily, at Beringer. "Y'see, your letter was addressed to Beringer. He told us of it and gave us instructions."

"But not the full details?"

"No."

"Have you my letter, Mr. Beringer?"

"What's the use of it, when you are here and can explain?" The man's bold eyes were full of suspicion.

For the moment Ray was nonplussed. She could not explain the details of a scheme of which she was almost entirely ignorant.

"Cut it out, Oscar!" Unconsciously, Maude came to the girl's aid. "Look here, Miss Allerson, I'll tell you what I know. If Freddie knows more he'll add his bit. That'll be better than you giving us a lot of old stuff."

She waited a few seconds, frowning thoughtfully; then continued:

"About a week ago your letter came. Asked us to get someone placed with the States Finance Company. You wrote there was a good thing on. Something between half and a whole million of good honest-to-God sovereigns—"

Ray was startled. She flashed a glance at Beringer. He was sitting back in his chair, his eyes fixed on her face, questioningly.

"Well?" she asked, breathlessly.

"Oscar said the States Finance Company had to remit that sum to London. Melbourne was planning to intercept the shipment," Maude continued. "You claimed our aid and we agreed to give it to you."

"That all?"

"Yes."

"Anything to add, Mr. Dutton?" Ray turned to the crook.

"Not a bean." Freddy waved an airy hand.

"There was more than that in my letter, Mr. Beringer," The girl spoke confidently.

"You know that." The master crook spoke gruffly. "I don't know what you do in Melbourne, but I don't trust my crowd with all the details."

"No?" Ray laughed. "Perhaps I am more confiding than you. Let it pass. Now, what have you done?"

"I told you. I got that girl, Warren, away from her job. Planned to put my girl in her place.

"And failed."

Beringer sat up, leaning forward, intently.

"Failed in a queer way," he replied after a pause. "There's a girl where I live who's the living image of you, Miss Allerson. Comes from Melbourne too. Was personal secretary to the managing director of the Rayonon Hosiery Company. Out of a job, and I thought she might fill the bill—"

"And did she? No, you told me that she did not get the position."

"She never even heard of it. I tested her out and found that she was goody-goody—even though damned hard-up. Tried to bring her to heel and—"

"How?"

"Offered to lend her money."

"And yourself?"

A dull flush mounted to the man's brow, He glowered at the girl angrily.

"What's that to do with anyone but myself?" He raised his voice "She was attractive—"

"To you; not you to her." Ray laughed. "Will your crowd, Mr. Beringer, stand for your placing your amours before your business?"

"That's one for you old sport." Dutton chortled. "I'll answer that, we don't, Miss Allerson. Now you're here, you give the orders. See?"

Ray nodded.

"I'm tired," she said. "Will you please excuse me, Mr. Beringer, I will see you tomorrow. Mr. Dutton, I am going to keep Miss Penlop—Maude—with me for half-an-hour. I hope I am not intruding on any plans you have made?"

The crook rose and picked up his hat.

"See you at the old place, Maude, in half-an-hour," he remarked gaily. "Good-night, Miss Allerson. Good of you to see us so soon after your journey. Come on, Oscar, old sport."

He took the man's arm and urged him out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Ray sprang to her feet and went into the bed-room, followed by Maude. As the door closed she touched the spring working the panel, then turned and placed her hands on the woman's shoulders.

"Maude, can I trust you?"

"Course, old dear." The woman flushed.

"I must get away from here without that—without anyone knowing." Ray spoke quickly. "Will you wait here for half-an-hour and then join Mr. Dutton? Tell him I am tired and have gone to bed." She hesitated. "Must I go out at the front door?"

"There's another exit." The woman laughed. "I see the joke. You're going to watch Oscar."

Ray nodded. "Another exit?" she questioned. "How do I find it?"

"In the corridor go to the right. At the end of the corridor is an automatic elevator. On the ground floor you'll see a door opening into a court. From there, is a way into a passage, leading into Phillip Street. That do?"

"Excellent." Ray was changing rapidly into her own clothes. As she picked up her hand-bag, she paused. "Maude have you any money? Someone picked my bag in a store to-day!"

"Lifted your sugar!" The woman laughed. "Twenty do? Good! I haven't much on me, tonight. Ta-ta, dearie. See you tomorrow."

"As early as you like." Ray's finger was on the button working the panel concealing the door. "Alone, please, Maude."

Ray closed the door behind her and heard the panel slide into place. She sped down the corridor to the elevator. In Phillip Street she jumped into a cruising taxi, giving, the name of her hotel.

HALF-AN-HOUR later Oscar Beringer entered the lounge of the Occidental Hotel. For a brief moment he stood in the doorway then sauntered over to where Ray sat.

"Evening, Miss Allerson. Any luck today?"

"Yes." The girl looked up smiling. "My luck has turned. I have a job."

"Good." Beringer held out his hand and Ray shivered, slightly, as she placed hers on his palm, "Congratulations! Do you know, Miss Allerson, I met a girl today, who is the very image of you."

"Really! How embarrassing!" Ray laughed. "I hope she will have better luck in Sydney than I have had, up to today."

And while she was speaking Ray was wondering at her own words. What had induced her to tell him she had work? Had it been the strange, glinting challenge in his eyes that had suddenly decided her to go on with the unlawful adventure into which Fate had plunged her?