Dennison turned upon the manager. He wanted to be alone with Cunningham.
"Go down and make inquiries, and take this Chinaman with you. I'll be with
you shortly." As soon as the two were out of the way Dennison said:
"Cunningham, the lady who wore those beads at dinner to-night has gone out
alone, wearing them. If I find that you are anywhere back of this
venture--if she does not return shortly--I will break you as I would a
churchwarden pipe."
Cunningham appeared genuinely taken aback.
"She went out alone?"
"Yes."
"Have you notified the police?"
"Not yet. I'm giving her until one; then I shall start something."
"Something tells me," said Cunningham, easily, "that Miss Norman is in no
danger. But she would never have gone out if I had been in the lobby. If
she has not returned by one call me. Any assistance I can give will be
given gladly. Women ought never to be mixed up in affairs such as this
one, on this side of the world. Tell your father that he ought to know by
this time that he is no match for me."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Innocent! You know very well what I mean. If you hadn't a suspicion of
what has happened you would be roaring up and down the corridors with the
police. You run true to the breed. It's a good one, I'll admit. But your
father will regret this night's work."
"Perhaps. Here, read this."
Dennison extended the note. Cunningham, his brows bent, ran through the
missive.
MISS NORMAN: Will you do me the honour to meet me at the bridgehead
at half-past nine--practically at once? My son and I are not on
friendly terms. Still, I am his father, and I'd like to hear what he
has been doing over here. I will have a limousine, and we can ride
out on the Bubbling Well Road while we talk.
ANTHONY CLEIGH.
"Didn't know," said Cunningham, returning the note, "that you two were at
odds. But this is a devil of a mix-up, if it's what I think."
"What do you think?"
"That he's abducted her--carried her off to the yacht."
"He's no fool," was the son's defense.
"He isn't, eh? Lord love you, sonny, your father and I are the two biggest
fools on all God's earth!"
The door closed sharply in Dennison's face and the key rasped in the
lock.