She Painted her Face by Dornford Yates Page B

Between us, we saw the whole thing; We saw Percy meet his bullies to lead them off to the ride. There, of course, he told them exactly what they were to do, watched them fix the wire and placed them in the positions which they were to occupy— the chauffeur at the end of the ride to watch for my lady's approach and the woman to show him his place as soon as he'd seen her go by And when Percy had posted them he went back to the house. That’s not guesswork. I saw him. Two minutes after you'd left me he whipped through the fields below me, up to the house, and in by the door at the foot of a staircase-turret. Back to bed, of course— and there's his alibi. Nobody saw him go out and nobody saw him come in.
    "My lady must have appeared Just after I'd made up my mind to return to the Rolls, Anyway, I didn't see her. But I saw the closed car, as you did; and, as you did, I crawled up to have a good look Before I was through I heard that unfortunate dog, and, without thinking what I was doing, I started along the track. Then the dog stopped screaming and I re-entered the bracken just about ten paces in rear of the car.
    "I was wondering where you were and whether to follow the track or go back to the Rolls," said Herrick, "when I saw the woman approaching between the trees. She was blowzed and out of breath and went by at a shambling run, and when she got to the car she swung the door wide open and then stood biting her nails and staring the way she had come.
    "Presently along comes the chauffeur, sweating great drops, with a coil of rebellious wire, and going as fast as he knew.
    " 'Where is she?' he cries. 'Have you got her?'
    "The woman lets out a gasp.
    " 'Me?' she bleats. "Max has got her. He sent me on.'
    " 'Max hasn't got her,' cries the chauffeur, and the woman goes white as a sheet.
    "The next moment, up comes Max, with his eyes bulging out of his head.
    "When they told him she wasn't there he threw the best part of a fit before my eyes. Then they all ran back in a bunch, like so many frantic beasts, to where she ought to have been. Less than two minutes elapsed before they came stumbling back, all three disputing hoarsely and, naturally, blaming each other for what had occurred.
    Bang opposite where I was lying the woman fell upon Max and scratched his face to glory before the chauffeur was able to pull her off. Then she fell down in a heap and burst into tears, and Max did his best to kick her till the chauffeur landed a good one and knocked him down. But for him they'd have been there now, for he was the only one that wasn't beside himself.
    " 'D'you want to be taken?' he hissed. 'That cursed horse is back in the stables by now, and in two minutes' time the hue and cry will be raised. And if we're to be found, we're done. That Jew will show us no mercy— he'll lead the pack, and he'll hound us into prison for twenty years.'
    "That brought the others up to their feet and into the car, and thirty seconds later the latter was out of my sight.
    "Well, there you are. We know the whole truth of the matter from first to last, and, thanks to your enterprise, we have in our hands the remarkably beautiful subject of their activities. As I said two days ago, you're one of Fortune's pets; but you know how to use your luck— I'll give you that. It would never have entered my head to carry the lady off."
    "Of course it would," said I.
    "No, it wouldn't," said Herrick. "I might have rescued her, but after that I should have taken her home." He glanced at his watch. "It's eight o'clock now, and she'll probably sleep till lunch. D'you propose to tell her the truth this afternoon?"
    "About her father? Why not?"
    "Very good," said Herrick. "And then?"
    I got to my feet.
    "I'm going to suggest that she stays here. It's clear that Brief isn't safe. If she is to come by her rights, we've got to get Percy down. And we've stolen a march on him— if she doesn't go back. You see, he'll think that his bullies carried her off. There's nothing