The Classic Mystery Collection - Arthur Conan Doyle [4613]
In the darkness, Walter put out his hand and took Dunn's and held it for a moment.
"I have been anxious about you," he said. Dunn returned the pressure warmly.
"I know," he said. "Jove, old chap, it's good to see you again. You don't know what it's like after all this long time, feeling that every step was a step in the dark, to be at last with a real friend again."
"I think I can guess," Walter said softly.
Dunn shook his head.
"No one could," he said. "I tell you I've doubted, distrusted, suspected till I wasn't sure of my own shadow. Well, that's all over now. Tomorrow we can act."
"Tell me what I'm to do," Walter Dunsmore said.
"There's a whole lot I don't understand yet," Dunn continued slowly. "I suppose it was that that was making me feel so jolly down before you came. I don't feel sure somehow--not sure. Deede Dawson is such a cunning brute. He seems to have laid his whole hand bare, and yet there may be cards up his sleeve still. Besides, his plan he told me about seems so bald. And I don't understand why he should think he is so sure of what I--I mean, of what Rupert --it's a bit confusing to have a double identity--is going to do. He says he is sure Rupert Dunsmore is to be at the Brook Bourne Spring tomorrow at four. He says his information is certain, and that he has full knowledge of what Rupert Dunsmore is going to do, which is more than I have. But what can it be that's making him so sure?"
"That's probably simple enough," said Walter. "You said you suspected there was a leakage from Burns & Swift's office, and you told Burns to make misleading statements about your movements occasionally when he was dictating his letters. Well, I expect this is one."
"That may be; only Deede Dawson seems so very sure," answered Dunn. "But what's specially important is his saying that his employer, whoever it is, who is behind all this, will be there too."
"A meeting? Is that it?" exclaimed Walter.
"No, that's not the idea," answered Dunn. "You see, the idea is that Rupert Dunsmore will be there at four, and that I'm to be there in ambush to murder myself. Whoever is behind all this will be there too--to see I carry out my work properly. And that gives us our chance."
"Oh, that's good," exclaimed Walter. "We shall have him for certain."
"That's what I want you to see to," said Dunn. "I want you to have men you can trust well hidden all round, ready to collar him. And I want you to have all the roads leading to Ottam's Wood well watched and every one going along them noted. You understand?"
"That's quite easy," declared Walter. "I can promise not a soul will get into Ottam's Wood without being seen, and I'll make very sure indeed of getting hold of any one hiding anywhere near Brook Bourne Spring. And once we've done that--once we know who it is--"
"Yes," agreed Dunn. "We shall be all right then. That is the one thing necessary to know--the key move to the problem--the identity of who it is pulling the strings. He must be a clever beggar; anyhow, I mean to see him hang for it yet."
"I daresay he's clever," agreed Walter. "He is playing for big stakes. Anyhow, we'll have him tomorrow all right; that seems certain--at last."
"At last," agreed Dunn, with a long-drawn sigh. "Ugh! it's all been such a nightmare. It's been pretty awful, knowing there was some one--not able to guess who. Ever since you discovered that first attempt, ever since we became certain there was a plot going on to clear out every one in succession to the Chobham estates-- and that was jolly plain, though the fools of police did babble about no evidence, as if pistol bullets come from nowhere and poisoned cups of tea--"
"Ah, I was to blame there, that was my fault," said Walter. "You see, we had no proof about the shooting, and when I had spilt that