The crimson circle
“What do you think of this?” asked Jack, looking round as the
detective came in. “We found half a dozen of these posters pasted or
tacked on to the trees of the drive, and this one was stuck up under
my window!”
The detective read:
“_Your father’s debt is still unpaid. It will remain unpaid if you
persuade your friends Derrick Yale and Parr to cease their activity._”
Underneath was written in smaller characters, and evidently added as
an afterthought:
“_We shall make no further demands upon private individuals._”
“So he was bill-posting,” said Parr thoughtfully. “I wondered why he
came and left so early.”
“Did you see him?” asked Jack in surprise.
“I just glimpsed him. In fact, I knew he would call, though I expected
a more startling consequence,” said the detective.
He sat through breakfast without saying a word, except to answer the
questions that Jack put to him, and then only in the briefest fashion,
and it was not until they were walking across the meadows that Parr
asked:
“I wonder if he knows you’re fond of Thalia Drummond?”
Jack went red.
“Why do you ask that?” he said a little anxiously. “You don’t think
they will take their vengeance on Thalia, do you?”
“If it would serve his purpose, he would wipe out Thalia Drummond like
that.” The detective snapped his fingers.
He put an end to further conversation by stopping and turning about in
his tracks.
“This will do,” he said.
“I thought you wanted to go to the station gate--the way Marl came to
the house that morning?”
Parr shook his head.
“No, I wished to be sure how he approached the house. Can you point
out the spot where he suddenly became so agitated?”
“Why, of course,” said Jack readily, but wondering what it was all
about. “It was much nearer the house; in fact, I can give you the
exact spot, because I particularly remember his stepping aside from
the path and ruining a young rose tree on which he put his foot. There
is the tree--or one the gardener has put in its place.”
He pointed, and Parr nodded his large head several times.
“This is very important,” he said. He walked to where the ruined tree
had been. “I knew he was lying,” he said half to himself. “You cannot
see the terrace from here at all. Marl told me that he saw your father
standing on the terrace at the very moment he had his seizure, and my
first impression was that it was the sight of your father which was
responsible for his scare.”
He gave Jack details of the conversation he had had with Felix Marl
before his death.
“I could have corrected that,” said Jack. “My father was in the
library all the morning, and he did not come out of the house until we
were ascending the steps of the terrace.”
Parr, note-book in hand, was making a rough sketch. On his left front
was the solid block of Sedgwood House, immediately before him were the
gardens, enclosed by light iron railings to prevent the cattle
straying on to the flower beds, and broken by the gate through which
Marl must have passed. On the right was a patch of bushes, in the
midst of which showed the gay top of a garden umbrella.
“Dad was very fond of the shrubbery,” explained Jack. “We get high
winds here even on the warmest days, and the shrubbery affords
shelter. Dad used to sit there for hours reading.”
Parr was slowly turning on his heel, taking in every detail of the
view. Presently he nodded.
“I think I have seen all there is to be seen,” he said.
As they were walking back to the house he reverted to the midnight
bill-poster, and to Jack’s surprise:
“That was the only false move that the Crimson Circle have made, and I
think it was very much an afterthought. That was not their original
intention, I’ll swear.”
He sat down on the steps of the terrace and stared out over the
landscape. Jack could not but think that a more uninspiring figure
than Mr. Parr he had never met. His lack of inches, his rotundity, his
large placid face, did not somehow fit in with Jack’s conception of a
shrewd criminal investigator.
“I’ve got it,” said Parr at last. “My first idea was right. He was
coming down to blackmail you for the money your father did not pay. On
his way he conceived this new idea, which is hinted at in the
postscript of his message. He has decided upon some big coup, so that
the reference to myself and Yale may be genuine; and he really does
want us out of the game, though he’d be a fool if he did not know that
the likelihood of his wishes being fulfilled in that respect are
pretty remote. Let me see the poster again.”
Jack brought it and the inspector spread it upon the pavement of the
terrace.
“Yes, this has been written in a hurry; probably written in his car,
and it is a substitute for the poster he originally intended.” He
rubbed his chin impatiently. “Now, what is the new scheme?”
He was to learn almost immediately, for the butler came hurrying out
to say that the telephone bell had been ringing in Jack’s study for
five minutes.
“It is you they want,” said Jack, handing the receiver to the
detective.
Mr. Parr took the instrument in his hands, and recognised immediately
Colonel Morton’s voice.
“Come back to London at once, Parr; you are to attend a meeting of the
Cabinet this afternoon.”
Mr. Parr put down the receiver, and a smile spread over his big face.
“What is it?” asked Jack.
“I’m joining the Cabinet,” said Mr. Parr, and laughed as Jack had
never seen him laugh before.
Chapter XXXIV.
Blackmailing a Government
When they reached London the evening newspapers were filled with the
new sensation.
The Crimson Circle had indeed decided upon an ambitious programme.
Briefly the story, as related in an official communique to the Press,
was as follows:
That morning every member of the Government had received a
type-written document, bearing no address and no other indication of
its origin save a Crimson Circle stamped on every page. The document
ran:
“Every effort of your police, both official and private, the genius of
Mr. Derrick Yale, and the plodding efforts of Chief Inspector Parr,
have failed to check Our activity. The full story of Our success is
not known. It has been unfortunately Our unpleasant duty to remove a
number of people from life, not so much in a spirit of vengeance, as
to serve as a salutary warning to others, and only this morning it has
been Our unhappy duty to remove Mr. Samuel Heggitt, a lawyer, who was
engaged by the late Harvey Froyant on particular work, in the course
of which he came unpleasantly close to Our identity.
“Fortunately for the other members of his firm, he undertook that task
personally. His body will be found by the side of the railway between
Brixton and Marsden.
“Since the police are unable to hold Us, and since We are in complete
agreement with those in authority who say that We are the most
dangerous menace to society that exists, We have agreed to forego Our
activities on condition that the sum of a million pounds sterling is
placed at Our disposal. The method by which this money shall be
transferred will be detailed later. This must be accompanied by a free
pardon in blank, so that We may, if occasion necessitates, or
hereinafter Our identity is disclosed, avail Ourselves of that
document.
“Refusal to agree to Our terms will have unpleasant consequences. We
name hereunder twelve eminent Parliamentarians, who must stand as
hostages for the fulfilment of Our desire. If, at the end of the week,
the Government have not agreed to Our terms, one of these gentlemen
will be removed.”
The first person that Parr met on his arrival at Whitehall was Derrick
Yale, and for once the famous detective looked worried.
“I was afraid of this development,” he said, “and the queer thing is
that it has come at a moment when I thought I was in a position to lay
my hand on the chief offender.”
He took Parr’s hand in his, and walked him along the gloomy corridor.
“This spoils my day’s fishing,” he said, and Inspector Parr
remembered.
“Of course, to-day is the day you die! But I suppose you are reprieved
under the general amnesty which the Crimson Circle have issued,” he
said drily, and his companion laughed.
“I want to tell you, before we go into this meeting, that I am willing
to place myself unreservedly at your disposal,” he said quietly. “I
think you ought to know, Parr, that the present wishes of the Cabinet
are to give me an official status and place the whole of the
investigations in my charge. I have been sounded on the matter, and
have given them point-blank refusal. I am convinced that you are the
best man for the job, and I will serve under no other chief.”
“Thank you,” said Parr simply. “Perhaps the Cabinet will take another
view.”
The Cabinet meeting was held in the Secretary of State’s office; all
the recipients of the Crimson Circle’s memo. were present from the
beginning, but it was some time before outsiders were called in.
Yale was summoned first, and a quarter of an hour later the messenger
beckoned the inspector.
Inspector Parr knew most of the illustrious gathering by sight, and
being on the opposite side in politics, had no particular respect for
any. He felt an air of hostility as he came into the big room, and the
chilly nod which the white-bearded Prime Minister gave him in response
to his bow, confirmed this impression.
“Mr. Parr,” said the Prime Minister icily, “we are discussing the
question of the Crimson Circle, which, as you must realise, has become
almost a national problem. Their dangerous character has been
emphasised by a memorandum which has been addressed to the various
members of the Cabinet by this infamous association, and which, I have
no doubt, you have read in the newspapers.”
“Yes, sir,” said the inspector.
“I will not disguise from you the fact that we are profoundly
dissatisfied with the course which your investigations have taken.
Although you have had every facility and every power granted you,
including,” he consulted a paper before him, but Parr interrupted him.
“I should not like you to tell the meeting what powers I have
received, Prime Minister,” he said firmly, “or what particular
privileges have been granted me by the Secretary of State.”
The Prime Minister was taken aback.
“Very well,” he said. “I will add that, although you have had
extraordinary privileges, and opportunities, and you have even been
present when the outrages have taken place, you have not succeeded in
bringing the criminal to justice.”
The inspector nodded.
“It was our original wish to place the matter in the hands of Mr.
Derrick Yale, who has been especially successful in tracing two of the
murderers, without, however, being able to bring the prime culprit to
justice. Mr. Yale, however, refuses to accept the commission unless
you are in control. He has kindly expressed his willingness to serve
under you, and in this course we are agreed. I understand that your
resignation is already before the Commissioners, and that it has been
formally accepted. That acceptance, for the time being, is reserved.
Now remember, Mr. Parr,” the Prime Minister leant forward and spoke
very earnestly and emphatically: “It is absolutely impossible that we
can accede to the Crimson Circle’s demands: such a course would be the
negation of all law, and the surrender of all authority. We rely upon
you to afford to every member of the Government who is threatened,
that protection which is his right as a citizen. Your whole career is
in the balance.”
The inspector, thus dismissed, rose slowly.
“If the Crimson Circle keeps its word,” he said, “I guarantee that not
a hair of one member of your Government shall be harmed in London.
Whether I can capture the man who describes himself as the Crimson