06 Alias the Saint

Raxel and Marring came in again, followed by Basher Tope, and Simon heard Raxel and Marring go through into the dining room. He banged hopefully on the bell, and felt that luck was with him when Duncarry answered the summons.

"Another half-pint, Dun," said Simon, and tendered a pound note.

Duncarry was back in a moment with the replenished tankard and the change. There was some silver, and a ten-shilling note. When Duncarry had gone Simon pocketed the silver and unfolded the note. Inside the note was a slip of paper, and on it was written one word.

"Megantic."

The Megantic, Simon knew, was on the quick run from Southampton to New York, and he guessed that Duncarry must have been called in to help carry the trunks downstairs, and had noticed the inscription on the labels. But that wasn't particularly helpful, and Simon went in to his lunch a very worried and puzzled man. Theoretically, of course, there was no reason why Raxel should not take a consignment of xylyl bromide to New York if he had to take it somewhere, but on the other hand there was also no earthly reason that the Saint could see why he should.

8

"And now, my dear Marring," said Raxel, "there is very little more to delay us."

Marring moved a couple of Bunsen burners to one side and sat down on the edge of the table.

"There is Smith," he said.

"I will attend to Smith," said Raxel. "Fortunately for us, he arrived on the scene a little too late. The boxes have already been despatched, and once Crantor has returned with his crew, we can embark on his ship and disappear. The police will not hurry--I know their methods. They will see no reason to make any special effort, and I shall not expect anything to happen before this evening. By that time we shall be on the high seas, and Smith will be--disposed of. Now that this place's period of usefulness is over, there is no reason for us to move cautiously in fear of a police raid."

"That's all very well," said Marring. "But what about the girl? Do you think she's as safe as you make out?"

Raxel frowned.

"Once, I was certain," he said. "Unfortunately, the arrival of Smith has rather shaken that certain ty. I do not profess to be a psychologist, but I consider my intuition is fairly keen. The girl is now debating in her mind whether she can trust Smith s with her secret. It may seem ridiculous to you that a girl could confess to a detective that she had committed a murder, and hope that he would help her. But she is fascinated by him, and that will have altered her outlook."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"That also has been arranged--I think, very neatly. We will deal with it at once."

He led the way out of the laboratory and across the corridor. After unlocking Betty Tregarth's door he knocked, and they went in.

Betty Tregarth was sitting in the chair by the fire, reading, but she looked up listlessly at their entrance.

"Oh, it's you," she said dully.

Raxel came over and stood in front of the fire. "I have come to tell you that you have now served your purpose, Miss Tregarth," he said, "and there is nothing to stop your departure as soon as you choose to go. I promised you one thousand pounds for your services, and I'll write you a check for that amount now."

He did so, sitting down at the table. She took the check and looked at it without interest.

"Now," he said, replacing the cap on his fountain pen, "I wonder what your plans are?"

"I haven't made any," said the girl, in a tired 1 voice. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"1 understand," said the Professor sympathetically. "That was a difficulty in your path which occurred to me shortly after you'd started work, and I have given it a good deal of thought. In fact, I have prepared a solution which I should like to offer you. You may accept or reject it, as you please, but I beg you to give it your consideration." She shrugged.

"You can tell me what it is."

"I suggest that you should leave the country, and start life afresh," said Raxel. "The thousand pounds which I have given you will provide you with enough capital to last you for several months, and that should give you plenty of time to find fresh employment. With your qualifications that should be fairly easy."

"But where am I to go?"

"I suggest that you go to America. In fact, I have taken the liberty of booking a first-class passage for you on the Megantic, which sails from Southampton early to-morrow morning. You may, of course, decline to go, but I think you would be wise to take it."

The girl spread out her hands in a weary gesture.

"America's as good as any other place," she said. "But I haven't got my passport down here, and there isn't time to go back to London for it. Besides, I haven't a visa."

That also I have taken the liberty of arranging," said Raxel.