Van Teyl was drinking steadily now, but every mouthful
of food seemed almost to choke him. Red-eyed
and defiant, he faced his torturer.
“You’re talking rot!” he declared.
“Pamela wouldn’t marry you if you were
the last man on earth, and if she’s got anything
she wants to keep, she’ll keep it.”
“And see her brother disgraced,” Fischer
reminded him, “tried at the Criminal Court for
theft and sent to Sing Sing? It’s a good
name in New York, yours, you know. The Van Teyls
have held up their heads high for more than one generation.
Your sister will not fancy seeing it dragged down
into the mire.”
For a single moment the young man seemed about to
throw himself upon his companion, Fischer, perfectly
unmoved, watched him, nevertheless, like a cat.
“Better sit tight,” he enjoined.
“Drop it now or people will be watching us.
I have ordered some of the old brandy. A liqueur
or two will steady you, perhaps. Afterwards we
will go upstairs and take your sister into our confidence.”
Van Teyl nodded.
“Very well,” he agreed hoarsely.
“We’ll hear what Pamela has to say.”
Nikasti, with a low bow, watched the disappearance
of the lift into which his two new masters, James
Van Teyl and Oscar Fischer, had stepped. He waited
until the indicator registered its safe arrival on
the ground floor. Then he slowly retraced his
steps along the corridor, entered the sitting-room,
and took up the telephone receiver, which was still
lying upon the table.
“Will you give me number 77,” he asked—“Miss
Van Teyl’s suite?”
There was a moment’s silence—then
a voice at the other end to which he made obeisance.
“It is Miss Van Teyl who speaks? I am Mr.
Van Teyl’s valet. Mr. Van Teyl is here
now and will be glad if you will come in.”
He replaced the receiver, listened and waited.
In a few moments there was the sound of a light footstep
outside. The door was opened and Pamela entered.
She was still wearing the grey tailor-made costume
in which she had left the steamer.
“Why, where is Mr. Van Teyl?” she asked,
looking around the room. “I have been ringing
up for the last ten minutes and couldn’t get
any answer. I did not realise that it was the
next suite.”
“Mr. Van Teyl is close at hand, madam,”
Nikasti replied. “If you will kindly be
seated, I will fetch him.”
“How long have you been valet here?” Pamela
asked curiously.
“For a few hours only, madam,” was the
grave reply. “If you will be so good as
to wait.”
