“It is not the police, which is what makes it so much more serious,”
answered Zaboleff quietly, and Flash Jim breathed a sigh of relief.
“It is easy to keep within the law, but if our information is correct
we are up against a body of men who are not within the law themselves.
A body of men who are absolutely unscrupulous and utterly ruthless; a
body of men who appear to know our secret plans as well as we do
ourselves. And the difficulty of it is, gentlemen, that though,
legally speaking, on account of the absurd legislation in this country
we may keep within the law ourselves, we are hardly in a position to
appeal to the police for protection. Our activities, though allowed
officially, are hardly such as would appeal even to the English
authorities. And on this occasion particularly that is the case. You
may remember that the part I played in stirring up bloodshed at
Cowdenheath a few months ago, under the name of MacTavish, caused me to
be deported. So though our cause is legal–my presence in this country
is not. Which was why to-night it was particularly essential that we
should not be disturbed. Not only are we all up against this unknown
gang of men, but I, in addition, am up against the police.”
“Have you any information with regard to this gang?” It was the Jew
who had closed the chink in the shutters speaking for the first time.
“None of any use–save that they are masked in black, and cloaked in
long black cloaks.” He paused a moment as if to collect his thoughts.
“They are all armed, and Petrovitch–he was one of the men allowed to
escape–was very insistent on one point. It concerned the leader of
the gang, whom he affirmed was a man of the most gigantic physical
strength; a giant powerful as two ordinary strong men. He said, …
Ach! Mein Gott—-!”
His voice rose to a scream as he cowered back, while the others, with
terror on their faces, rose hurriedly from their seats on the floor and
huddled together in the corners of the room.
In the doorway stood a huge man covered from head to foot in black. In
each hand he held a revolver, with which he covered the eight occupants
during the second or two which it took for half a dozen similarly
disguised men to file past him, and take up their positions round the
walls. And Waldock, a little more educated than the remainder of his
friends, found himself thinking of old tales of the Spanish Inquisition
and the Doges of Venice even as he huddled a little nearer to the table.
“Stand by the table, all of you.”
It was the man at the door who spoke in a curiously deep voice, and
like sheep they obeyed him–all save Flash Jim. For that worthy, crook
though he was, was not without physical courage. The police he knew
better than to play the fool with, but these were not the police.
“Wot the—-” he snarled, and got no further.
Something hit him behind the head, a thousand stars danced before his
eyes, and with a strangled grunt he crashed forward on his face.
For a moment or two there was silence, and then once again the man at
the door spoke.
“Arrange the specimens in a row.”
In a second the seven remaining men were marshalled in a line, while
behind them stood six motionless black figures. And then the big man
walked slowly down in front of them, peering into each man’s face. He
spoke no word until he reached the end of the line, and then, his
inspection concluded, he stepped back and leaned against the wall
facing them.
“A nauseating collection,” he remarked thoughtfully. “A loathsome
brood. What are the three undersized and shivering insects on the
right?”
“Those are three of my clerks,” said Waldock with an assumption of
angry bravado. “And I would like to know—-“
“In good time you will,” answered the deep voice. “Three of your
clerks, are they; imbued with your rotten ideas, I suppose, and
yearning to follow in father’s footsteps? Have we anything particular
against them?”
There was no answer from the masked men, and the leader made a sign.
Instantly the three terrified clerks were seized from behind and
brought up to him, where they stood trembling and shaking in every limb.
“Listen to me, you three little worms.” With an effort they pulled
themselves together; a ray of hope was dawning in their minds–perhaps
they were going to be let off easy. “My friends and I do not like you
or your type. You meet in secret places and in your slimy minds you
concoct foul schemes which, incredible though it may seem, have so far
had more than a fair measure of success in this country. But your main
idea is not the schemes, but the money you are paid to carry them out.
This is your first and last warning. Another time you will be treated
differently. Get out of here. And see you don’t stop.”
The door closed behind them and two of the masked men; there was the
sound as of a boot being used with skill and strength, and cries of
pain; then the door reopened and the masked men returned.
“They are gone,” announced one of them. “We helped them on their way.”
“Good,” said the leader. “Let us continue the inspection. What are
these two Hebrews?”
A man from behind stepped forward and examined them slowly; then he
came up to the leader and whispered in his ear.
“Is that so?” A new and terrible note had crept into the deep voice.
“My friends and I do not like your trade, you swine. It is well that
we have come provided with the necessary implement for such a case.
Fetch the cat.”
In silence one of the men left the room, and as his full meaning came
home to the two Jews they flung themselves grovelling on the floor,
screaming for mercy.
“Gag them.”
The order came out sharp and clear, and in an instant the two writhing
men were seized and gagged. Only their rolling eyes and trembling
hands showed the terror they felt as they dragged themselves on their
knees towards the impassive leader.
“The cat for cases of this sort is used legally,” he remarked. “We
merely anticipate the law.”
With a fresh outburst of moans the two Jews watched the door open and
the inexorable black figure come in, holding in his hand a short stick
from which nine lashes hung down.
“Heavens!” gasped Waldock, starting forward. “What are you going to
do?”
“Flog them to within an inch of their lives,” said the deep voice. “It
is the punishment for their method of livelihood. Five and six–take
charge. After you have finished remove them in Number 3 car, and drop
them in London.”
Struggling impotently, the Jews were led away, and the leader passed on
to the remaining two men.
“So, Zaboleff, you came after all. Unwise, surely, in view of the
police?”
“Who are you?” muttered Zaboleff, his lips trembling.
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