The Talisman Ring

“Pulling the—” Words failed Sir Hugh. He rose, flinging down his napkin, and strolled from the parlour towards the taproom and the cellar stairs.

Fifteen minutes later Miss Thane, entering the room, was mildly surprised to find her brother’s chair empty, and inquired of Nye what had become of him.

“It was on account of them Runners, ma’am,” said Nye.

“What! are they here again?” exclaimed Miss Thane.

“Ay, they’re here, ma’am, a-hunting for the way into my hidden cellar. Oh, Mr Ludovic’s safe enough! But on account of my mentioning to Sir Hugh how them Runners was disturbing the wine downstairs, he got up, leaving his breakfast like you see, and went off in a rare taking to see what was happening.”

Miss Thane cast one glance at Nye’s wooden countenance, and said: “You were certainly born to be hanged, Nye. What was happening?”

“Well, ma’am, by what I heard in the taproom they had pulled my kegs about a thought roughly, and what with that and Sir Hugh getting it into his head they was wishful to tap the Nantes brandy, there was a trifle of a to-do. Clem tells me it was rare to hear Sir Hugh handle them. By what I understand, he’s laid it on them not to move my kegs by so much as an inch, and what he told them about wilful damage frightened them fair silly—that and the high tone he took with them.”

“They didn’t ask him what he knew of Lord Lavenham, did they?” said Miss Thane anxiously.

“They didn’t have no chance to ask him, ma’am. He told them they might look for all the criminals they chose, so long as they didn’t tamper with the liquor, nor go nosing round his bedchamber.”

“But, Nye, what if they find your hidden cellar?” said Miss Thane.

He smiled dourly. “They won’t do that—not while they keep to the open cellars. In fact, while Sir Hugh was telling them what their duty was, and what it wasn’t, I was able to take Mr Ludovic his breakfast.”

“Where is your secret cellar, Nye?”

He looked at her for a moment, and then replied: “You’ll be the ruin of me yet, ma’am. It’s under the floor of my storeroom.”

Sir Hugh came back into the room presently. He gave it as his opinion that the Runners were either drunk or half-witted, and said that he fancied they would have no more trouble with them. Upon his sister’s inquiring hopefully whether he had contrived to get rid of them, he replied somewhat severely that he had made no such attempt. He had merely defined their duties to them and warned them of the consequences of overstepping the limits of the law.

Both Nye and Miss Thane were dissatisfied, but there was no doubt that the irruption of Sir Hugh into the cellars had done much to damp the Runners’ ardour. His air of unquestionable authority, his knowledge of the law, and the fact of his being acquainted, apparently, with the magistrate in charge at Bow Street made them conscious of a great disinclination to fall foul of him again. Nor could they feel, when they had discussed the point between themselves, that a house which held so rigid a legal precisian was the place in which to look for a hardened criminal. They had failed on two occasions to find the least trace of Ludovic Lavenham; the landlord, who should be most nearly concerned, seemed to look upon their search with indifference; and had it not been for the suspicious circumstance of the abigail’s disappearance, they would have been much inclined to have returned to London. The valet’s words, however, had been explicit. They decided to prosecute a further search for a hidden cellar, and to keep the inn under observation in the hope of surprising Ludovic in an attempt to escape.

While this search, which entailed a patient tapping of the walls and floor of the other cellars, was in progress, Nye seized the opportunity to visit Ludovic. He returned presently and reported that his lordship wouldn’t stay patient for long; in fact, was already threatening to come out of hiding and deal with the Runners in his own fashion.

“Really, one cannot blame him,” said Miss Thane judicially. “It is most tiresome of these people to continue to haunt us. It quite puts an end to our adventures.”

“Yes, it does,” agreed Eustacie. “Besides, I am afraid that Ludovic will catch cold in the cellar.”

“Very true,” said Miss Thane. “There is nothing for it: since Hugh has been so useless in the matter, we must get rid of the Runners ourselves.”

“ You

have not seen them,” said Eustacie bitterly. “They are the kind of men who stay, and stay, and stay.”

“Yes, they seem to be a dogged couple, I must say. I am afraid it is your abigail who is at the root of their obstinacy.” She broke off, and suddenly stood up. “My love, I believe I have hit upon a notion! Would you—now, would you say I was a strapping wench?”

“Of a certainty I should not say anything of the kind!” replied Eustacie, indignant at the implication that she could be capable of such discourtesy. “You are very tall, bien entendu, but—”

“Say no more!” commanded Miss Thane. “I have a Plan!”

Chapter Ten