The Devil's Cocktail (32 page)

He smiled at the important-looking Chinaman, who bent his head in acknowledgement.

‘The big noise in Southern China,' commented Miles.

‘As you know,' Novar continued, ‘airships, each capable of carrying a hundred troops are being built at express speed in Bokhara and Samarkand for the invasion of India. Others specially fitted to carry guns and ammunition are also being constructed as well as a fleet of airplanes consisting of both bombing and fighting machines. An army, thoroughly trained and equipped is being gathered secretly in Turkestan and another is gradually collecting in the district of Khorasan in Persia, where a Persian army is already mobilised and training hard. So much for Russia. Persia, besides training the army I have just mentioned, is collecting as many ships as she can which will act as transports to convey the armies in Persia to India. Most of the ships – they are of all sizes – are being gathered in Jask, Bandar
Abbas and Mohammerh. Turkey, with the assistance of Germany and Russia, is building airships near Isparta. An army is being gathered together, drilled and equipped in the same district. Austria is doing the same near Maria Zell. Germany has already built an enormous number of airships and airplanes. A great army, almost if not quite equal to the one she put in the field in 1914, is ready now, and it is at present spread over the country in various guises which have so successfully hidden it that its existence is entirely unsuspected; but in the course of a few days it can be united and on the move—'

Oppenheimer nodded his head with great satisfaction.

‘Now, gentlemen,' said Novar, ‘we come to Afghanistan. Here again an army is being quietly mobilised up in the mountains near Ghazni and Russia is supplying guns, ammunition, and airplanes in order that this army may be as thoroughly equipped as all others. Last, but not least, there is China, and here, gentlemen, a most startling advance is being made. While the whole world is quite assured that nothing but chaos rules in that country; while a small general here and another there is fighting against his neighbour with ill-clad, undisciplined levees and antiquated rifles; while a British fleet and a British army keeps watch and ward from Shanghai to Hankow, and from Peking to Tien-tsing; while the eyes of the world are turned to Eastern China – while all this is happening, a great army drilled on the most modern lines, equipped with up-todate rifles and machine guns and all the modern appliances of war is being mobilised in the Province of Yun-nan. There is also another great fleet of airships and airplanes being built with the help of German and Russian experts.

‘Gentlemen I have given you the outlines of our preparations, which, of course, have been going on for years. On the great day all the allies will strike at practically the same time. Russian airships
with troops and airplanes from Samarkand and Bokhara will invade India by way of Afghanistan. One section will land near Lahore, the other in Delhi. Another great army will come by air from China via Burma and, landing in Bengal, will advance to meet the Russian army at Delhi, while a second Chinese force will invade Hong Kong and keep the British troops in the Far East busy. The Afghan army will invade the North-West Province and the Punjab as far as Rawal Pindi. Persia will confiscate all British ships in her ports, and the combined Persian and Russian armies will sail in the transports to invade India on the western side. Turkey will invade Mesopotamia and Egypt, while the Austrian force will enter Italy and Yugo-Slavia. At the same time Germany with her army, navy, and air force will invade England and France.

‘Gentlemen, we cannot fail – it is impossible. But I am convinced that now is the time to strike, or, at least, during the course of the next month. No hint of suspicion or danger has reached our enemies as yet, and that is because we have been flooding the world with Communist propaganda, organising strikes and doing things of that nature to blind England to our real doings. We have succeeded beyond our dreams, but can it go on until September next without the movements of our vast armies becoming known? There is another factor: we have our allies in this country to consider, who are tired of the British rule. Numbers of Indian troops are ready to mutiny, people to rise, but the delay may break their spirit. Am I not right, my friends?'

He looked at the four Indians. One of them nodded.

‘The waiting is tedious,' he said. ‘Our people are anxiously looking for the deliverance.'

‘I knew it,' said Novar; ‘therefore, gentlemen, I counsel expediency. A stroke now and the world will shake to its very foundations – a
delay until September may make our success infinitely more difficult to obtain.'

He sat down and Bukharin rose. He carefully took a small leather bound book from an inner pocket and laid it open before him.

‘Before we discuss the very important date of the commencement of our invasions – which we shall have to do with great consideration and care, before we part tonight – I have figures here which I must put before you. In China there are five hundred thousand men under training; four hundred airships and a thousand airplanes are already built and others are on the way. Afghanistan has an army of twenty thousand men. In Turkestan, Russia has an army waiting of two million, there are six hundred airships and two thousand five hundred airplanes complete – of course you will understand that the airships will have to make several journeys to convey such a large body of troops to India. In Persia there is gathering an army of three hundred thousand Russians and forty thousand Persians. Turkey will put one hundred and fifty thousand men into the field and two hundred airships will be complete early in January. Austria already possesses three hundred and forty airships ready to fly and twelve hundred airplanes and – my figures in this case are not quite complete – the Austrian army now stands at three hundred thousand troops—'

‘Tree hondred an' feefty-five tousand,' interrupted the fussy little man.

‘Thank you!' said Bukharin. ‘Three hundred and fifty-five thousand, gentlemen! As for Germany – it will amaze you to know that four million men and a thousand airships are ready, besides fifty thousand airplanes. Gentlemen, these figures speak very eloquently for themselves!'

There was a pause while he allowed his information to sink in, then:

‘What position will America and France take in the coming struggle?' asked the important Chinaman in perfect English.

‘France will be crippled at once by the German invasion. America is too far off to be dangerous, and she will probably keep quiet as soon as she sees what is happening.'

‘I'm darned if she will,' muttered Miles. ‘I guess you've got another thing coming, my son.'

‘And now, gentlemen,' went on the Soviet Foreign Minister, ‘it is hardly necessary for me to repeat the various rewards which each of our countries will obtain as the result of the operations, but if you desire it I will do so?'

‘No harm in rebeating it there is,' said Oppenheimer.

‘Well, Germany will take Alsace and Lorraine, Belgium, and a part of France on a line from Lille, through Rheims and Troyes to Dijon and Besançon, as well as all colonies which she lost in the last war, and a certain number of Britain's to be decided later on. What other terms she will force on England also remains till later. Austria will recover the Trentino, the whole of Czecho Slovakia, Crotia and Bosnia, and possibly Hungary. Turkey will have Iraq, Syria, and Palestine; Persia – Baluchistan and Sind; and Afghanistan, the North-West Province and the Punjab as far as Rawal Pindi. China will receive—'

He stopped and looked upwards, a startled expression on his face, and everyone in the room followed his example, their faces also expressing uneasy surprise. For a moment Hugh and Miles were unable to understand what had caused this strange conduct, but then they too heard the sound of a muffled struggle going on, apparently above the room.

‘Good Lord!' exclaimed Hugh. ‘Kamper has discovered Cousins, and I believe they are fighting among the rafters.'

The two men held their breath and listened. In the room everyone sat as though rooted to his seat, with the exception of Bukharin who was standing, his hands clutching the edge of the table. Rahtz and Novar had gone deadly white. Suddenly there was a tearing, cracking sound and showers of plaster fell into the room, hitting some of the men beneath. It seemed to bring them to their senses for they sprang away from the table and crowded together still looking upwards with horror-struck eyes. A second later a leg came clean through the ceiling. Hugh and Miles could not see it, but they saw what happened directly afterwards. There was a great rending, a shout of alarm, and a man's body hurtled through the air and fell with a sickening thud right in the centre of the table where it moved spasmodically for a moment or two, then lay still.

‘God grant it's not Jerry!' groaned Miles with white lips.

Hugh closed his eyes involuntarily – a feeling of deadly nausea coming over him. Then he compelled himself to look. The conspirators were still crowded together clutching each other in absolute panic, and apparently almost paralysed by the suddenness of the tragedy. Hugh saw, and a feeling of wonderful relief came over him.

‘Thank God!' he cried. ‘It's not Jerry – it's Kamper!'

At the same moment Rahtz recovered himself.

‘There is someone on the roof,' he cried. ‘We've got to get them or—'

He dashed to the door.

‘Come on, Oscar!' said Hugh. ‘Now's the time!'

He squeezed between the beams and hanging at arms' length, dropped to the floor, followed immediately by Miles. The door was flung open, and Rahtz appeared on the threshold with the rest of the conspirators crowding behind him. As they saw Hugh the whole lot
of them stopped dead and a look of malevolent fury and dread came over the Russian's face.

‘The last act, Rahtz,' said Hugh quietly. ‘Get back all of you!' he added; and they saw the revolvers in the two men's hands.

Hugh blew three blasts on a whistle and from the distance came the sound of running feet. Suddenly with a terrible oath Rahtz threw himself forward, a long knife in his hand. The attack was so sudden that it caught Hugh and Miles unprepared, but there was the sound of a revolver shot from somewhere in the room, the knife dropped from the Russian's uplifted hand, and he groaned with the pain of a bullet through his wrist. Everyone turned with fresh dismay, Hugh and the American looking with the rest in the direction from which the shot had come.

The door of the cupboard was open and standing in the aperture was Abdul Rahim with a grim smile on his lips. His left hand was in the pocket of his coat as usual; in his right was a still smoking revolver.

Cries of horror and dismay came from some of the nineteen men, who had conspired together to throw the world into a holocaust of bloodshed, a few – of whom the Chinamen. were prominent – stood sullenly silent; Bukharin's face was livid and he was crying execrations upon Novar who had collapsed into a chair. All knew that their game was up; that they had been caught in the very act. Hugh and Miles stood grimly facing them, their revolvers held steadily in their hands. On the other side of the room Abdul Rahim lounged carelessly, but no less watchfully, by the door of the cupboard.

Suddenly with shouts of rage some of the bolder spirits among the plotters made an ugly rush at the door. With a grin of delight Hugh pushed his revolver into his companion's left hand and met them with closed fists.

‘Back, you bloodthirsty devils!' he roared.

In a moment he was in amongst them striking to right and left with terrific force. Rainer joined Miles at the door; behind him was
a crowd of policemen. He stopped in amazement and watched the extraordinary spectacle. Hugh was having some of his own back now, and enjoying himself thoroughly. Man after man went crashing to the floor before his tremendous blows and, in a remarkably short space of time, those who had dared to face him were strewn about the room until it bore the appearance in miniature of a battlefield. Several – and among them Oppenheimer and the little Austrian – had not the courage to stand up to him and these were crushed together in a corner by the bookcase. Bukharin, with a snarl, drew a revolver as he saw the large Englishman bearing down upon him, but Abdul Rahim sent it spinning out of his hand with a well-directed kick, and the next moment the Soviet Foreign Minister felt that a pile-driver had struck him, as a perfect, full-blooded upper-cut caught him on the point of the jaw. The world appeared to whirl round him, he saw more stars than he had ever noticed in the heavens, then he, too, measured his length on the floor.

Hugh stopped and regarded his handiwork with a smile of satisfaction. Novar still sat in a state of collapse, Rahtz was crouching by the wall, holding his wounded wrist in his other hand. But within a few feet of Shannon, standing tall and dignified with his arms folded, and watching him malevolently, was the Chinaman, Sun Chien Lung.

‘What is the meaning of this outrage, sir?' he hissed, rather than spoke. ‘By what right do you interrupt a meeting in this murderous fashion?'

‘By the right of an Englishman who has discovered the whole of your plot against Great Britain.'

The Chinaman's eyes narrowed.

‘What plot is that?' he inquired softly.

Hugh was reminded of a serpent hissing and knew this man to be
dangerous. He watched him closely, therefore, as he replied.

‘The gigantic plot which has been engineered by Russia, and supported by China, Germany, Austria, Persia, Turkey and Afghanistan, against the peace of the world.'

Bukharin staggered to his feet, and clung dizzily to the back of a chair.

‘Sir,' he said shakily, ‘you are hopelessly mistaken. We were not here on any warlike mission, but were merely in conference over a matter of commercial interest to us all.'

‘You lie!' said Hugh sternly. ‘My friend and I were concealed on the rafters beneath the roof of the passage outside this room, and heard everything that was said through the open fan-light.'

All eyes were turned to the large square of glass over the door, which was seen to be open several inches. Rahtz swore viciously.

‘I also heard every word,' said Abdul Rahim, ‘from my position in the cupboard.'

Hugh looked at him curiously, and felt rather piqued. Why had this individual interfered, and how did he know anything about their activities! The secret agent suspected Rainer of divulging more than he had admitted, and resolved to have a few words with that gentleman later on. He turned back to Bukharin.

‘We have known what game was going on for a very long time Mr Bukharin, Minister of Russian Foreign Affairs,' he said.

The bearded man went even paler than before, and in his eyes was the gleam of a great fear. Perhaps he thought that he would have been able to keep his name secret.

‘I understood you to say that you would have the pleasure of shaking these gentlemen's hands later on,' continued Shannon remorselessly. ‘That opportunity may come when you bid them farewell after your trial.'

‘Who are you?' gasped Bukharin.

‘I am Captain Shannon of the British Intelligence Department and my friend standing by the door' – he did not look round, for he was keeping a careful watch upon the Chinaman – ‘is Mr Oscar Miles of the same service of the United States. We, with another member of my department – the gentleman who was probably the cause of your being interrupted' – he nodded at the body of Kamper lying in a grotesque attitude on the table – ‘have kept a careful watch for three months, with the result that the British, American and French Governments have known of your activities for some time. In fact, they are only waiting for the result of this meeting to move.'

‘How could they know?' asked Novar almost in a whisper.

‘From our reports of course. It may be a surprise to you, Novar, to hear that two letters written to you by Bukharin were taken from the safe in your room nearly four weeks ago and sent at one to the Chief of the Intelligence Department!'

With a cry of hopeless anguish Novar fell back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. A shout of fury burst from Bukharin and if he had not been so weak he would probably have attacked his trusted emissary.

Hugh stepped back.

‘Come on, Rainer!' he said. ‘Collect the bunch!'

Then suddenly Sun Chien Lung drew a vicious-looking knife from under his left arm, and dived forward with incredible swiftness. But Hugh had been expecting something of this nature. He stooped swiftly and catching the Chinaman by the waist put all his power into a heave. The fellow flew over his shoulders and landed on the floor in front of Miles with a crash that shook the room. He lay quite still.

‘Another Hercules come to light!' said a quiet voice, and Cousins poked his head between Miles and Rainer.

There was no further attempt at resistance and the Deputy Commissioner entered the room with his men and arrested all the conspirators. Bukharin indeed protested, but he was marched away with the rest. Sun Chien Lung, and two or three others whom Hugh had knocked down, were carried out. Kamper was quite dead, his neck having been broken by the fall, and two policemen removed his body. Presently Hugh, Miles, Rainer, Cousins, and Abdul Rahim were left in the room.

‘Say, Jerry,' said the American, ‘what happened?'

‘I was lying in my little cubby hole trying to hear what was being said below,' replied Cousins, ‘when Kamper discovered me and crawled in. We had rather a lengthy argument, and he tried to demonstrate his point of view with a knife. We were right at the height of our little affair, when he slipped from the rafter and as he put his foot through the plaster, I thought it would be as well if he joined his friends below. Were they pleased to see him?'

‘Not much,' grinned Hugh. ‘And now look here, Rainer, and you too, Rahim, I've a few questions to ask. What was—'

He got no further, for an English police sergeant rushed into the room.

‘That man with the wounded hand has got away!' he cried.

‘Rahtz!' exclaimed Shannon. ‘Damn!'

‘I think I know where to find him,' said Abdul Rahim. ‘Come with me!'

Gone was the sibilant inflection from his voice and he spoke so commandingly that Hugh and his companions gazed at him curiously and perhaps a trifle resentfully. However, Hugh prepared to follow him.

‘Search Rahtz's bungalow, Rainer,' he said; ‘perhaps he has gone there!'

They all ran from the room and made their way out of the building, past the gymnasium, to the small gate. Hugh found that his car had been brought there by the sergeant of police in whose care he had left it. He jumped in and Rahim got in beside him, while Cousins and Miles sprang into the tonneau. With the Mahommedan directing him, Hugh drove to The Retreat and stopped outside the big gates.

‘I think you had better go a little farther along and leave the car in a turning I know of,' said Abdul Rahim. ‘Probably Rahtz has not arrived here yet, and we may have to wait for him; in that case you don't want to make him suspicious.'

Hugh agreed, and drove the car to the place indicated.

Returning, the four found the gate locked, and were compelled to climb over it. The Indian led them to the house by careful stages. The front door was fastened, but circling round the building they eventually found a small window which had been left open and one by one they squeezed through. With Abdul Rahim still leading the way, carrying an electric torch, they went along a passage whence they turned into another, and stopped by the open door of a room.

‘This is where your sister made her heroic fight,' said the Mahommedan to Hugh.

The latter and his companions gazed into the disorderly‑looking apartment with very deep emotions, then Hugh turned to Rahim rather abruptly.

‘Lead on!' he said curtly.

They came to a small, bare room.

‘This is where Rahtz will come, if he hasn't already arrived,' said the smiling Indian. ‘Keep away from the centre of the floor!'

He crossed to the wall and pressed hard against a portion which appeared somewhat irregular. At once a trapdoor rose in the centre of
the room and they could dimly make out a flight of steps.

‘You had better hold your revolvers ready,' said Rahim, and shone his torch on the steps. ‘I watched them go down there the night I came for your sister. I returned to see exactly what they would do and was just in time to find out. I'll go first with the light – follow as carefully as you can!'

They reached the bottom without accident and looked round them with interest. They were standing in a small, square chamber containing four chairs and a table on which were a few eating utensils. Opposite them was a door through which they presently passed into another room containing two charpoys (native beds), a chair covered with clothes, and three suitcases. There was another room beyond – this contained one charpoy on which were more clothes, a suitcase and a large worn leather bag. A camp washstand also occupied one corner.

‘Well, he's not here yet,' remarked Rahim. ‘We'll wait until he does come.'

‘How do you know he will?' asked Cousins.

‘Because this must be the safest hiding place he possesses. You see he does not know that I have discovered it. Probably he'll take some time to get here as he will approach the house warily for fear that it is being watched. Now let us discover how to shut the trapdoor from below.'

Somehow the Indian seemed to have fallen quite naturally into the position of leader and, rather to his surprise, Shannon found himself accepting the situation. They returned to the first room and quickly discovered a lever at the bottom of the steps which manipulated the trapdoor. Rahim next searched for an electric-light switch. He discovered two; one apparently controlled the lights upstairs, the other lit all the lamps in the underground rooms.

‘That's better,' said Hugh. ‘I wonder how long we shall have to wait?'

He had hardly spoken when they heard the sound of stealthy footsteps overhead. In a moment Rahim had switched out the lights again and they were in darkness.

‘Back into the next room!' he whispered.

With the aid of his torch, they retreated to the first bedroom and waited in silence. Presently there was a slight creak and they knew that the trapdoor had been raised. Then footsteps were heard descending the steps; a moment later there was a dull boom, followed almost at once by a click as the lights were put on. After that there was silence. A minute or two went by and Hugh cautiously looked into the other room. Rahtz was sitting at the table with his back to him. Nodding to his companions, the young Englishman strode to the Russian's side and taped him on the shoulder. The latter leapt to his feet with such suddenness that he overturned his chair. In a state of absolute amazement he looked at Shannon.

‘You!' he gasped. ‘You!'

‘Yes,' said Hugh, ‘and my friends!'

He indicated his three companions, who had followed him. Rahtz shrugged his shoulders and, picking up his chair, sat on it.

‘It would appear that I am caught after all,' he said with the utmost coolness.

‘You are!' replied Hugh.

‘So you even discovered this last refuge,' went on the Russian. ‘If I had a hat on I would take it off to you, Shannon. Really you are positively brilliant, and our mistake all along has been in underrating you.'

‘It was my friend here who discovered your last refuge, as you call it.' Hugh indicated Abdul Rahim.

‘Ah! The person who shot me!' Rahtz held up his right hand,
round the wrist of which was a bloodstained handkerchief. ‘It was rather undignified to be shot by an Indian,' he added insolently, ‘though I must admit it was a good shot.'

‘Since you appear to regard Indians with such disdain,' said Hugh hotly, ‘it may interest you to know that this gentleman also rescued my sister from your infernal clutches.'

‘Indeed!' Rahtz looked at Abdul Rahim with an appearance of bland curiosity. ‘But please don't suggest that she was in my – er – clutches. It was Hudson who wanted her so badly. Poor fellow, he died rather suddenly.'

‘How?' demanded Hugh.

‘I shot him,' was the calm reply.

They stared at him in horror.

‘You see,' he went on, ‘the poor man went mad, and tried to kill Novar and myself – he very nearly did too, but during the struggle he dropped his revolver; I picked it up and managed to shoot him just as he was strangling Novar. He is buried in the garden somewhere.'