"Though, I must say, my dear chap, I don't think I should trouble much about that young lady.But it can be easily managed, in fact everything you want me to do is easy enough; I only wish some of it was a bit difficult or dangerous.""You're a good chap, Walter," said Dunn, putting his hand on the other's shoulder again."Well, I think it's all settled now.Itell you I'm looking forward a good deal to four o'clock tomorrow afternoon.I feel as if I would give all I possess to know who it is.""Don't make that offer," Waiter said with a smile, "or the fates may accept it.""I feel as though there's only one thing in the world I want one half so much," Dunn said."As to know who this - devil is.""Devil?" repeated Walter."Well, yes, devil's a word like any other.""I think it's justified in this case," said Dunn sternly."Poor Charley Wright dead! One thing I can't understand about that is how they got him back here when you saw him in London when you did.
But they're a cunning lot.They must have worked it somehow.Then Clive.I feel to blame for Clive's death - as if I ought to have managed better and saved him.Now there's this other devilry they are planning.I tell you, Walter, I feel the whole world will be a sweeter place after four o'clock tomorrow afternoon.""At any rate," said Walter, "I think we may be sure of one thing - after four o'clock tomorrow afternoon you will know all - all."He paused and repeated, slightly varying the phrase: "Yes, after four o'clock tomorrow afternoon you will know everything - everything."He added in a brisker tone: "There's nothing else to arrange?""No," said Dunn, "I don't think so, and I had better go now or Deede Dawson will be suspecting something.He'll want to know what I've been stopping out so late for.Good-bye, old chap, and good luck."They shook hands.
"Good-bye and good luck, Rupert, old man," Walter said."You may depend on me - you know that.""Yes, I do know that," Dunn answered.
They shook hands again, and Dunn said: "You've hurt your hand.It's tied up.Is it anything much?""No, no," answered Walter with a little laugh."A mere scratch.Iscratched it on a bit of wood, a lid that didn't fit properly.""Well, good-bye and good luck," Dunn said again, and they parted, Walter disappearing into the darkness and Dunn returning to the house.
Deede Dawson heard him enter, and he came to the door of the room in which he had been sitting.
"Oh, there you are," he said."Been enjoying the night air or what? You've been a long time.""I've been thinking," Dunn muttered in the heavy, sulky manner he always assumed at Bittermeads.
"Not weakening, eh?" asked Deede Dawson.
"No," answered Dunn."I'm not."
"Good," Deede Dawson exclaimed."There's a lot to win, and no fear of failure.I don't see that failure's possible.Do you?""No," answered Dunn."I suppose not."
"The mate's sure this time," Deede Dawson declared."It's our turn to move, and whatever reply the other side makes, we're sure of our mate next move.By the way, did you ever solve that problem I showed you the other day?""Yes, I think so," answered Dunn."It was a long time before Icould hit on the right move, but I managed it at last, I think.""Come and show me, then," said Deede Dawson, bustling back into his room and beginning to set up the pieces on his travelling chess-board."This was the position, wasn't it? Now, what's your move?"Dunn showed him, and Deede Dawson burst into a laugh that had in it for once a touch of honest enjoyment.
"Yes, that would do it, but for one thing you haven't noticed," he said."Black can push the pawn at KB7 and make it, not a queen, but a knight, giving check to your king and no mate for you next move.""Yes, that's so," agreed Dunn."I hadn't thought of that.""Unexpected, eh? Making the pawn a knight?" smiled Deede Dawson.
"But in chess, and in life, it's the unexpected you have to look out for.""That's quite an aphorism," said Dunn."It's true, too."He went up to bed, but did not sleep well, and when at last he fell into a troubled slumber, it seemed to him that Charley Wright and John Clive were there, one on each side of him, and that they had come, not because they sought for vengeance, but because they wished to warn him of a doom like their own that they could see approaching but he could not.
Toward's morning he got an hour's sound rest, and he was down stairs in good time.He did not see Ella, but he heard her moving about, so knew that she was safe as yet; and Deede Dawson gave him some elaborate parting instructions, a little money, and a loaded revolver.
"I don't know that I want that," said Dunn."My hands will be all I need once I'm face to face with Rupert Dunsmore.""That's the right spirit," said Deede Dawson approvingly."But the pistol may be useful too.You needn't use it if you can manage without, but you may as well have it.Good-bye, and the best of luck.Take care of yourself, and don't lose your head or do anything foolish.""Oh, you can trust me," said Dunn.
"I think I can," smiled Deede Dawson."I think I can.Good-bye.
Be careful, avoid noise and fuss, don't be seen any more than you can help, and if you shoot, aim low.""There's a vade mecum for the intending assassin," Dunn thought grimly to himself, but he said nothing, gave the other a sullen nod, and started off on his strange and weird mission of murdering himself.He found himself wondering if any one else had ever been in such a situation.He did not suppose so.
