Storm Music (1934) Read Free Page A

my tale."
    "One moment— where shall I take you?"
    "If you please, to the church of St Jacques."
    As the car moved off—
    "I'm Helena Yorick," said the girl, "and Yorick is the name of my home, seven miles off."
    I gave her my name at once and then, without waiting longer, plunged into my tale.
    When I had done—
    "Are you sure you weren't followed?' she said. "I mean, if you were, they now know you're in touch with me."
    "I'm sure I wasn't," said I.
    With my words the car stopped at the church.
    "Well, you can't get out here," said the girl. "We must find a much quieter place. Besides, you must hear my story. Sit back in the car and don't move. It's only a quarter to nine."
    She gave some direction to the chauffeur and then sat back in her seat.
    "My father died last November, leaving my brother and me. We're Austrian, you know: but my mother taught me my English— she was American. My brother is younger than I am, and he's away just now: so I rather run the castle, although, of course, he's the Count. This duty takes me to Salzburg once a month. I made the journey by car four days ago. On the way an attempt was made to waylay me, and when I got through— I was driving— they chased me for thirty miles. I had a man with me called Florin ... Three generations of Florins have served our house. His father's my warden— has charge of all the keys. Well, six men act as night-watchmen, taking the duty by turns. Old Florin chooses the men, and his son was one of the six. He was on duty last night, and this morning he couldn't be found." Her voice began to quaver, and I heard her smother a sob. "He was the finest fellow, and in his sight I think I could do no wrong. If I'd asked for his eyes, he'd have plucked them out of his head. I don't know how to tell old Florin, and that's the truth."
    To see her so near to weeping must have wrung anyone's heart.
    "I'm most dreadfully sorry." I said. "And if you'll let me help you, we'll bring the blackguards to book. But you see my cousin was right. Florin was nothing to them, but he got in their way."
    "Yes." said the girl, "that's clear. The night-watchman got in their way." With a sudden movement she turned. "But you must keep out of this. Can't you go home?"
    "I'm not going home," said I, "till I've seen this through."
    The girl laid a hand on my arm.
    "Don't be foolish," she said. "This quarrel is mine— not yours. Young Florin was not your man. Besides, you can do no good because they've got your number; lift a finger against them and they won't do another thing till they've put you out."
    "The point is this," said I. "That you don't want to fight them with me is natural enough. I fancy you're shy of strangers and you know nothing of me. But if I like to take on the brutes, that's my affair. I've given you information which it was right you should have, and that, I frankly admit, is the end of my duty to you; but I owe that dead man a duty, and, by God, I'm going to do it. If you'd seen him dead, as I did, you'd feel the same. I tell you, he called upon me. . . . Why, if I cleared out to England. I'd never sleep sound again." I broke off to mop my face. "My cousin's with me," I added "and so is his man."
    There was a little silence.
    Then—
    "I wish," said the girl, "I could have a word with your cousin. Do you think he could meet me this evening at— at a farm that I know?"
    "I'll bring him with me," said I, "wherever you please."
    Lady Helena looked away.
    "You can come, if you like," she said. "But I want to see him."
    Then she took up a large-scale map and showed me the farm. This went by the name of "Plumage" and lay some four miles away, quite by itself.
    "At five o'clock then?" says she.
    I nodded.
    "We shall be there."
    "And now," she said, "I must drop you. Do you know where you are?"
    I glanced about me.
    "Yes," said I; "we're five minutes' walk from St. Jacques'."
    "That's right." She peered at the street. "And it seems quiet enough about here." She touched a switch,