Wallace at Bay by Alexander Wilson Read Free Book Online

Eventually he was compelled to give up any hope of opening the window. With his handkerchief he wiped away some of the accumulation of dirt on the glass, and was able to look out. He could not see much, however. The room below possessed a bow window, the roof of which completely cut off his view of the road and, in fact, of the pavement on the other side. Carter was very disappointed. He had hoped to have been able to get into communication with Cartright. There was only one thing left to do. That was to endeavour to get out of the house as soon as possible. Jimmy, he decided, would be getting anxious. He turned to begin his stealthy creep across the unstable floor. Then suddenly a blinding flash of light shone full in his eyes, and he started back with a cry.
    ‘Ah!’ came a low, guttural voice, sounding more sinister toCarter’s ears, since he was unable to see the speaker. ‘So mine friendt a fool vas not. He zinks that zomeone very quiet in zis room is, and tell me zo. Your hands put up, or shot you will get.’ Carter’s hands had been promptly raised at the order. The German, in his own tongue, called down to his companions, who quickly ran up the stairs to his assistance. Their exclamations were more forcible than polite when they saw Carter. ‘Take him by his arms and go with him in front of me,’ directed Haeckel. ‘We will take him to our room, and ask him some questions before we kill him.’
    The two entered the attic. Carter’s arms were gripped roughly, and he was led down to the apartment below. On the threshold he made a fierce attempt to wrench himself free, risking a bullet from the gun carried by the German behind, but he was held too tightly. They hustled him into the room with brutal force. The door closed on them.

CHAPTER FOUR
The Raid in Shirland Road
    Cartright had hoped that he would have been able to give his colleague warning of the coming of the anarchists in ample time to enable him to escape. He had watched them from the saloon bar, to which he had returned when Carter left him and, directly they showed signs of moving, had hurried out and made his way towards the house. Unfortunately, however, the four foreigners seemed to be in great haste also. They had left the public house soon after him, but instead of slouching along home, had walked rapidly. The result was that when Cartright passed the front gate, they had not been more than thirty yards behind him, and he had had no recourse but to advise his colleague to go back. Had Carter attempted to descend the steps, he could not have avoided being seen.
    Knowing his friend to be in a house with four men who would not hesitate to murder him, if they discovered him,Cartright was distinctly worried. For some time he considered the idea of entering in order to be able to go to Carter’s assistance if necessary, but eventually decided against it. The chances were that he would do more harm than good. He had no idea how the rooms inside were situated, or, in fact, very much about the house. If he broke his way in, he might quite possibly blunder right into the anarchists, and thus give the whole business away. Carter, he knew was a young man of infinite resource and, in that knowledge he took a good deal of comfort. As time passed, however, and his friend did not appear he became definitely anxious. He dared not leave his post, otherwise he would have gone to the telephone and rung up for assistance. The driver of the car in which he had travelled from Whitehall was waiting out of sight in Sutherland Avenue. If he could only get hold of him! But the risk of walking even that short distance away was too great. The anarchists might emerge while he was up the road and depart for a fresh address, leaving Carter’s dead body behind to testify to their desperation and contempt for the authorities. If they escaped, Sir Leonard Wallace would never forgive him. Cartright decided to remain where he was, every now and again casting glances along the