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You're off for Vienna, I see. Sit down, Rox. Won't you have another egg and a cup of coffee? Do!" "Thanks and no to everything you suggest. Wot you doing for the next half-hour or so? I'm in a deuce of a dilemma and you've got to help me out of it." The Englishman looked at his watch and fumbled it nervously as he replaced it in his upper coat pocket. "That's a good fellow, Brock.
He merely stared in a preoccupied, determined manner at the succeeding étages as they slipped downward. At the fourth floor they disembarked, and Brock led the way to his rooms, overlooking the inner court. Once inside, with the door closed, he turned upon the Englishman. "Now, what's up, Rox? Are you in trouble?" he demanded. "Are we quite alone?"
The wide-axled dog-cart had just sufficient room on either hand, and Lloyd, too good a whip to take chances with so nervous a horse as Rox, drew him down to a walk as she approached it. But of a sudden her eyes were arrested by a curious sight. She halted the cart. At the roadside, some fifty yards from the plank bridge, were two dogs. Evidently there had just been a dreadful fight.
"What's that?" demanded Brock. "I say, Brock, can't we go up to your rooms? Dead secret, you know. Really, old chap, I mean it. No one must get a breath of it. That's why I'm whispering. I'm not a lunatic, so don't stare like that. I'd do as much for you if the conditions were reversed." "I dare say you would, Rox, but what the devil is it you want me to do?" "Do I appear to be agitated?"
In spite of possible unpleasant consequences, there were the elements of a rare lark in the enterprise; he felt himself being skilfully guided past the pitfalls and dangers. "I shall insist upon talking it over thoroughly with Mrs. Medcroft before consenting," he said in the end. "If she's being bluffed into the game, I'll revoke like a flash. If she's keen for the adventure, I'll go, Rox.
"Keep it here for me until I see how long I'm to be away," answered Lloyd, her hand upon the knob. "I'll let you know." Lewis had put Rox in the shafts, and while the coupé spun over the asphalt at a smart clip Lloyd tried to remember where she had heard of the address before. Suddenly she snapped her fingers; she knew the case, had even been assigned to it some eight months before.
"He feels his oats some this morning, and if he gets his lower jaw agin' his chest there's no holding of him, Miss no holding of him in the world." Lloyd gathered up the reins and spoke to the horse, and Lewis stood aside. Rox promptly went up into the air on his hind legs, shaking his head with a great snort. "Steady, you old pig," said Lloyd, calmly. "Soh, soh, who's trying to kill you?"
Don't worry about the cart; I will see that it is sent back." "And that Rox is buried somewhere? I don't want him left out there for the crows." In spite of Bennett's injunction she looked over her shoulder for a moment as they started off down the road. "I only hope you were sure there was nothing else to do, Mr. Bennett," she said.
"Dear old Rox, I must look him up at once," mused Brock. "The Rodneys of Seattle? Never heard of 'em." He looked at his watch, signed his check, deposited the usual franc, acknowledged Charles's well-practised smile of thanks, and pushed back his chair, his gaze travelling involuntarily toward the portals of the American bar across the court, just beyond the concierge's quarters.
He lived on the South Side, and the distance between his home and that of the Cresslers was very considerable. It was seldom, however, that Jadwin did not drive over. He came in his double-seated buggy, his negro coachman beside him the two coach dogs, "Rex" and "Rox," trotting under the rear axle.
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