Eye For A Tooth by Dornford Yates Read Free Book Online Page B

unsealed.
    Mansel flicked this open and drew out the sheet it held, and I looked over his shoulder, to see what it said.
    I saw the heading, and that was enough for us both.
    Solicitors head their letters with the name of their firm. And this particular letter was headed WORSTED & CO.
     
    An ample supper was laid, awaiting our coming in, and the servants heated and served some excellent, soup.
    As we took our seats—
    “And very nice too,” said George. “Better than the picnic in progress by the side of the Salzburg road. But I shall always be sorry we didn’t hear Forecast wake up.”
    I laughed.
    “He’d better save something for Latchet. He’ll feel the need of expression when he finds his papers have gone.”
    Mansel nodded.
    “Till then, he won’t be quite sure. Almost, but not quite. But then all doubt will vanish. More. The theft of the papers and passports will hit him over the heart. Of course he’s played into our hands; but we’ve had a good night out.”
    “It’s a rotten position,” said George. “I’d hate to be in it myself. Up against someone who knows and who’s out for blood: line of retreat gone; and three bloody-minded wash-outs round your neck. If I were Forecast, I’m damned if I wouldn’t clear out.”
    “And leave them to it?” said Mansel. “He daren’t. Those men are fools. Supposing they went to the Consul, to try and get home. No tale they could tell would wash. They’d find themselves in deep water almost at once: and then they’d let Forecast in. At least, that’s how I see it. I think he’s stuck good and proper, and I think he’ll call for help. And that was why I let the brutes go tonight. I was more than tempted to blot out Gulf and Boney as soon as they’d said their piece. It would have been perfectly safe. But Forecast and China would have panicked. They wouldn’t have called for help: they’d have faded away. But I want to know who’s behind this. I think the papers will give us a good idea. But we’ve earned our supper tonight, and we’ll eat that first.”
    George looked very hard at Mansel.
    “You know who’s behind this,” he said. “You always have. But you want to get them out here – under your hand.”
    Mansel smiled.
    “One of the truest things ever said is a jingle. This is how it runs. ‘Oh, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive.’ In other words, criminals get involved. Say Gulf struck the fatal blow. But Forecast daren’t let him down, because he is involved. And someone bigger than Forecast won’t dare to let Forecast down, because he is involved. If we were to force the pace, all concerned would sit tight and do nothing but watch and pray. But so long as we leave a fair loophole – well, it’s human nature to try and save the game. Oh, and by the way, did either of you see the swine? I had a good look at Forecast, but I couldn’t swear to anyone else.”
    “I saw Boney,” said I. “Gulf put the torch on his face. Clean-shaven and thin, with a nose a bit to one side.”
    “Forecast is ruddy and has a jovial face. You wouldn’t think that, would you? But so it is. Bland to order, I’d say. Thick hair, and a hell of a jaw. A little bit under-hung. Quite decently dressed. Clean-shaven. Mouth turns up a little at either end. China, I imagine, has cheek-bones – hence his name. Oh, and what about his gift of tongues? I’d love to have heard him trying his Flemish on the hostess of Latchet’s inn. Which shows that Forecast is a man of no education. And yet he looks one. You find astonishing fish in the waters of crime.”
    It was when we had finished our meal that we returned to the papers which we had found.
    First we read through the letter from Worsted and Co.
     
    HH Duke Saul of Varvic,
    Schloss Varvic,
    by Villach,
    Austria.
    YOUR HIGHNESS,
    This letter is to introduce Mr Forecast, who has all our confidence.
    We are anxious to trace the whereabouts of our client, Major J D Bowshot, who was