8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
1/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
2/797
The Project
Gutenberg eBook,The Second
Latchkey, byCharles Norris
Williamson andAlice Muriel
Williamson,
Illustrated by
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
3/797
Rudolph Tandler
This eBook is for the use of anyone
anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You ma
copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project
Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Second Latchkey
Author: Charles Norris Williamson and
Alice Muriel Williamson
Release Date: May 29, 2006 [eBoo#18470]
Language: English
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
4/797
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT
GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECONDLATCHKEY***
E-text prepared by Suzanne
Shell, Mary Meehan,
and the Project GutenbergOnline Distributed
Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net/)
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
5/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
6/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
7/797
THE SECONDLATCHKEY
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
8/797
BY C. N. & A. M.
WILLIAMSON
FRONTISPIECE
BY RUDOLPH TANDLER
GARDEN CITY NEW YORK
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
9/797
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
1920
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
10/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
11/797
"'Stop! He's my lover!'
she cried. 'Don'tshoot!'"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
12/797
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. A White Rose
CHAPTER II. Smiths and Smiths
CHAPTER III. Why She Came
CHAPTER IV. The Great Moment
CHAPTER V. The Second Latchkey
CHAPTER VI. The Beginningor th
End?CHAPTER VII. The Countess de Santiago
CHAPTER VIII. The Blue Diamond Ring
CHAPTER IX. The Thing Knight Wanted
CHAPTER X. Beginning of the SeriesCHAPTER XI. Annesley Remembers
CHAPTER XII. The Crystal
CHAPTER XIII. The Series Goes On
CHAPTER XIV. The Test
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
13/797
CHAPTER XV. Nelson Smith at Home
CHAPTER XVI. Why Ruthven Smith Wen
CHAPTER XVII. Ruthven Smith'
EyeglassesCHAPTER XVIII. The Star Sapphire
CHAPTER XIX. The Secret
CHAPTER XX. The Plan
CHAPTER XXI. The Devil's RosaryCHAPTER XXII. Destiny and the Waldos
CHAPTER XXIII. The Thin Wall
CHAPTER XXIV. The Anniversary
CHAPTER XXV. The Allegory
CHAPTER XXVI. The Three Words
Books By The Same Author
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
14/797
THE SECOND
LATCHKEY
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
15/797
CHAPTER I
A WHITE ROSE
Even when Annesley Grayle turned out ohe Strand toward the Savoy she wa
uncertain whether she would have courag
o walk into the hotel. With each step th
hing, the dreadful thing, that she had como do, loomed blacker. It was monstrous
mpossible, like opening the door of th
ions' cage at the Zoo and stepping inside.
There was time still to change her mind
She had only to turn now ... jump into a
omnibus ... jump out again at the familia
corner, and everything would be as it had
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
16/797
been. Life for the next five, ten, mayb
wenty years, would be what the last fiv
had been.
At the thought of the Savoy and th
adventure waiting there, the girl's skin ha
ingled and grown hot, as if a wind lade
with grains of heated sand had blown oveher. But at the thought of turning back, o
going "home"oh, misused word!
eaden coldness shut her spirit into
omb.
She had walked fast, after descending a
Bedford Street from a fierce motor-bu
with a party of comfortable people, bounfor the Adelphi Theatre. Never before had
she been in a motor-omnibus, and she wa
not sure whether the great hurtling thin
would deign to stop, except at trysting
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
17/797
places of its own; so it had seemed wis
o bundle out rather than risk a snub fro
he conductor, who looked like pictures o
he Duke of Wellington.
But in the lighted Strand she had bee
stared at as well as jostled: a girl alone a
eight o'clock on a winter evening, bareheaded, conspicuously tall if conspicuou
n no other way; dressed for dinner or th
heatre in a pale gray, sequined gow
under a mauve chiffon cloak meant fowarm nights of summer.
Of course, as Mrs. Ellsworth (giver o
dress and wrap) often pointed out"beggars mustn't be choosers"; an
Annesley Grayle was worse off than
beggar, because beggars needn't keep up
appearances. She should have thanke
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
18/797
Heaven for good clothes, and so she did i
chastened moods; but it was a costume t
make a girl hurry through the Strand, an
ust for an instant she had been glad to turfrom the white glare into comparativ
dimness.
That was because offensive eyes hamade her forget the almost immediat
future in the quite immediate present. Bu
he hotel, with light-hearted taxis tearin
up to it, brought remembrance with shock. She envied everyone else who wa
bound for the Savoy, even old women, an
fat gentlemen with large noses. They wer
going there because they wanted to go, foheir pleasure. Nobody in the world coul
be in such an appalling situation as sh
was.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
19/797
t was then that Annesley's feet began to
drag, and she slowed her steps to gai
more time to think. Could shecould sh
do the thing?
For days her soul had been rushing towar
his moment with thousand-horsepowe
speed, like a lonely comet tearing througspace. But then it had been distant, th
errible goal. She had not had to gas
among her heart-throbs: "Now! It is now!
Creep as she might, three minutes' brough
her from the turning out of the Strand clos
o the welcoming entrance wher
revolving doors of glass received radianvisions dazzling as moonlight on snow.
"No, I can't!" the girl told herself
desperately. She wheeled more quickl
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
20/797
han the whirling door, hoping that no on
would think her mad. "All the same, I wa
mad," she admitted, "to fancy I could do it
ought to have known I couldn't, when thime came. I'm the last person towel
'm sane again now, anyway!"
A few long steps carried the girl in thsparkling dress and transparent cloak int
he Strand again. But something queer wa
happening there. People were shoutin
and running. A man with a raucousalcoholic voice, yelled words Annesle
could not catch. A woman gave a
squeaking scream that sounded bot
ridiculous and dreadful. Breaking glascrashed. A growl of human anger mingled
with the roar of motor-omnibuses, an
Miss Grayle fell back from it as from
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
21/797
slammed door in a high wall.
As she stood hesitating what to do an
wondering if there were a fire or murder, two women, laughing hysterically
rushed past into the hotel court.
"Hurry up," panted one of them. "They'l
hink we belong to the gang. Let's go int
he hotel and stay until it's over."
"Oh, what is it?" Annesley entreated
running after the couple.
"Burglars at a jeweller's window close b
there are womenthey're bein
arrested," one of the pair flung over heshoulder, as both hurried on.
"'Women ... being arrested ...'" That mean
hat if she plunged into the fray she migh
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
22/797
be mistaken for a woman burglar, and
arrested with the guilty. Even if she lurked
where she was, a prowling policema
might suppose she sought concealmenand bag her as a militant.
magine what Mrs. Ellsworth would say
and doif she were taken off to jail!
Annesley's heart seemed to drop out of it
place, to go "crossways," as her old Iris
nurse used to say a million years ago.
Without stopping to think again, or even to
breathe, she flew back to the hote
entrance, as a migrating bird follows it
eader, and slipped through the revolvin
door behind the fugitives.
"It's fate," she thought. "This must be
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
23/797
sign coming just when I'd made up m
mind."
Suddenly she was no longer afraid, thougher heart was pounding under the thi
cloak. Fragrance of hot-house flowers an
expensive perfume from women's dresse
ntoxicated the girl as a glass ochampagne forced upon one who ha
never tasted wine flies to the head. Sh
felt herself on the tide of adventure
moving because she must; the soul whicwould have fled, to return to Mrs
Ellsworth, was a coward not worthy t
ive in her body.
She had room in her crowded mind t
hink how queer it wasand how queer i
would seem all the rest of her life i
ooking backthat she should have th
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
24/797
course of her existence changed becaus
burglars had broken some panes of glas
n the Strand.
"Just because of themcreatures I'l
never meetI'm going to see this throug
o the end," she said, flinging up her chi
and looking entirely unlike the AnnesleGrayle Mrs. Ellsworth knew. "To the
end!"
She thrilled at the word, which had amuch of the unknown in it as though i
were the world's end she referred to, an
she were jumping off.
"Will you please tell me where to leav
my wrap?" she heard herself inquiring of
footman as magnificent as, and far bette
dressed than, the Apollo Belvedere. He
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
25/797
voice sounded natural. She was glad. Thi
added to her courage. It was wonderful t
feel brave. Life was so deadly, worse
sostuffyat Mrs. Ellsworth's, that if shhad ever been normally brave like othe
girls, she had had the young splendour o
her courage crushed out.
The statue in gray plush and dark blu
cloth came to life, and showed her th
cloak-room.
Other women were there, taking last
affectionate peeps at themselves in th
ong mirrors. Annesley took a last peep a
herself also, not an affectionate but aanxious one. Compared with thes
visions, was she (in Mrs. Ellsworth'
cast-off clothes, made over in od
moments by the wearer) so dowdy an
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
26/797
second-hand thatthata stranger woul
be ashamed to?
The question feared to finish itself." I do look like a lady, anyhow," the gir
hought with defiance. "That's what he
hat seems to be the test."
ow she was in a hurry to get the ordea
over. Instead of hanging back she walked
briskly out of the cloak-room before thos
who had entered ahead of her finishe
patting their hair or putting powder o
heir noses.
t was worse in the large vestibule, whermen sat or stood, waiting for thei
feminine belongings; and she was the onl
woman alone. But her boat was launche
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
27/797
on the wild sea. There was no returning.
The rendezvous arranged was in what h
had called in his letter "the foyer."Annesley went slowly down the steps
rying not to look aimless. She decided t
steer for one of the high-back brocade
chairs which had little satellite tables
Better settle on one in the middle of th
hall.
This would give him a chance to see an
recognize her from the description she ha
written of the dress she would wear (sh
had not mentioned that she'd be spared al
rouble in choosing, as it was her onl
realevening frock), and to notice that sh
wore, according to arrangement, a whit
rose tucked into the neck of her bodice.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
28/797
She felt conscious of her hands, an
especially of her feet and ankles, for sh
had not been able to make Mrs
Ellsworth's dress quite long enoughLuckily it was the fashion of the momen
o wear the skirt short, and she ha
painted her old white suede slipper
silver.
She believed that she had pretty feet. Bu
oh! what if the darn running up the heel o
he pearl-gray silk stocking should showor have burst again into a hole as sh
umped out of the omnibus? She coul
have laughed hysterically, as the escapin
women had laughed, when she realizehat the fear of such a catastrophe wa
overcoming graver horrors.
Perhaps it was well to have a counter
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
29/797
rritant.
Though Annesley Grayle was the onl
manless woman in the foyer, the peoplwho sat therewith one exceptiondi
not stare. Though she had five feet eigh
nches of height, and was graceful despit
self-consciousness, her appearance wadistinguished rather than striking. Yes
"distinguished" was the word for it
decided the one exception who gazed wit
particular interest at that tall, slight figurn gray-sequined chiffon too old-lookin
for the young face.
He was sitting in a corner against thwall, and had in his hands a copy of th
Sphere, which was so large when hel
high and wide open that the reader coul
hide behind it. He had been in his corne
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
30/797
for fifteen or twenty minutes whe
Annesley Grayle arrived, glancing ove
he top of his paper with a sort of jaunt
carelessness every few minutes at thcrowd moving toward the restaurant
picking out some individual, the
dropping his eyes to the Sphere.
For the girl in gray he had a long
appraising look, studying her every point
but he did the thing so well that, even ha
she turned her head his way, she need nohave been embarrassed. All she would
have seen was a man's forehead and a ri
of smooth black hair showing over the to
of an illustrated paper.
What he saw was a clear profile with
delicate nose slightly tilting upward in
proud rather than impertinent way; an arc
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
31/797
of eyebrow daintily sketched; a large ey
which might be gray or violet; a droopin
mouth with a short upper lip; a reall
charming chin, and a long white throatskin softly pale, like white velvet; thick
ash-blond hair parted in the middle an
worn Madonna fashionthere seemed t
be a lot of it in the coil at the nape of heneck.
The creature looked too simple, toono
dowdy, but too unsophisticated, to havanything false about her. Figure too thin
hardly to be called a "figure" at all, bu
agreeably girlish; and its owner might b
anywhere from twenty to five or six yearolder. Not beautiful: just an average, lady
ike English girlor perhaps more o
rish type; but certainly with possibilities
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
32/797
f she were a princess or a millionairess
she might be glorified by newspapers as
beauty.
Annesley forced her nervous limbs t
slow movement, because she hoped, o
dreadedanyhow, expectedthat one o
he dozen or so unattached men woulspring up and say, constrainedly, "Mis
Grayle, I believe?erhow do you do?
f only he might not be fat or very bald
headed!
He had not described himself at al
Everything was to depend on her gra
dress and the white rose. That seemednow one came face to face with the fear
rather ominous.
But no one sprang up. No one wanted t
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
33/797
know if she were Miss Grayle; and this
although she was ten minutes late.
Her instructions as to what to do at thSavoy were clear. If she were not met i
he foyer, she was to go into the restauran
and ask for a table reserved for Mr. N
Smith. There she was to sit and wait to boined by him. She had neve
contemplated having to carry out the latte
clause, however; and when she ha
oitered for a few seconds, the thoughrushed over her that here was a loop-hol
hrough which to slip, if she wanted
oop-hole.
One side of her did want it: the side sh
knew best and longest as herself
Annesley Grayle, a timid girl brought up
conventionally, and taught that to rely on
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
34/797
others older and wiser than she was th
right way for a well-born, sheltere
woman to go through life. The other side
he new, desperate side that MrsEllsworth's "stuffiness" had developed
was not looking for any means of escape
and this side had seized the upper han
since the alarm of the burglars in thStrand.
Annesley marched into the restaurant wit
he air of a soldier facing his first battleand asked a waiter where was Mr. Smith'
able.
The youth dashed off and produced duke-like personage, his chief. A list wa
consulted with care; and Annesley wa
respectfully informed that no table ha
been engaged by a Mr. N. Smith for dinne
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
35/797
hat evening.
"Are you sure?" persisted Annesley
bewildered and disappointed."Yes, missmadame, I am sure we have
not the name on our list," said the head
waiter.
The blankness of the girl's disappointmen
ooked out appealingly from wistfu
wide-apart eyes. The man was sorry.
"There may be some misunderstanding,
he consoled her. "Perhaps Mr. Smith ha
elephoned, and we have not received th
message. I hope it is not the fault of thhotel. We do not often make mistakes; ye
t is possible. We have had a few early
dinners before the theatre and there is on
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
36/797
small table disengaged. Would madame
care to take itit is here, close to th
doorand watch for the gentleman whe
he comes?"
"When he comes!" The head-waite
comfortably took it for granted that Mr
Smith had been delayed, that he woulcome, and that it would be a pity to mis
him. The polite person might be right
hough with a sinking heart Annesle
began to suspect herself played withabandoned, as she deserved, for he
dreadful boldness.
Perhaps Mr. Smith had been icommunication with someone else mor
suitable than she, and had thrown over th
appointment without troubling to let he
know. Or perhaps he had been waiting i
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
37/797
he foyer, had inspected her as she passed
and hadn't liked her looks.
This latter supposition seemed probablebut the head-waiter was so confident o
what she ought to do that the girl coul
hink of no excuse. After all, it would do
ittle harm to wait and "see whahappened." As Mr. Smith was apparently
not living at the Savoy (he had merel
asked her to meet him there), he migh
have had an accident in train or taxAnnesley had made her plans to be awa
from home for two hours, so she coul
give him the benefit of the doubt.
A moment of hesitation, and she wa
seating herself in a chair offered by th
head-waiter. It was one of a couple draw
up at a small table for two. Sitting thus
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
38/797
Annesley could see everybody who cam
n, andwhat was more important
could be seen. By what struck her as a
odd coincidence, the table was decoratewith a vase of white roses whose heart
blushed faintly in the light of a pink
shaded electric lamp.
A quarter of an hour, twenty minutes
dragged along, and no Mr. Smith
Annesley could follow the passin
moments on her wrist-watch in its silvebracelet, the only present Mrs. Ellswort
had ever given her, with the exception o
cast-off clothes, and a pocket handkerchie
each Christmas.
Every nerve in the girl's body seemed t
prickle with embarrassment. She playe
with a dinner roll, changed the places o
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
39/797
he flowers and the lamp, trying to appea
at ease, and not daring to look up lest sh
should meet eyes curious or pitying.
"What if they make me pay for dinner afte
've kept the table so long?" she thought i
her ignorance of hotel customs. "And I'v
got only a shilling!"
Half an hour now, all but two minutes
There was nothing more to hope or fear
But there was the ordeal of getting away.
"I'll sit out the two minutes," she tol
herself. "Then I'll go. Ought I to tip th
waiter?" Horrible doubt! And she mus
have been dreaming to touch that roll
Better sneak away while the waiter wa
busy at a distance.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
40/797
Frightened, miserable, she was countin
her chances when a man, whose comin
nto the room her dilemma had caused he
o miss, marched unhesitatingly to heable.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
41/797
CHAPTER II
SMITHS AND SMITHS
Annesley glanced up, her face aflame, lika fanned coal. The man was tall, dark
ean, square-jawed, handsome in just tha
hrilling way which magazine illustrator
and women love; the ideal story-hero took at, even to the clothes which an
female serial writer would certainly hav
described as "immaculate evening dress."
t was too goodoh, far too wonderfull
good!to be true that this man should b
Mr. Smith. Yet if he were not Mr. Smith
why should heAnnesley got no farthe
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
42/797
n the thought, though it flashed through he
mind quick as light. Before she had time t
seek an answer for her question the man
who was young, or youngish, not morhan thirty-three or fourhad bent ove
her as if greeting a friend, and had begu
o speak in a low voice blurred by hast
or some excitement.
"You will do me an immense service," he
said, "if you'll pretend to know me and le
me sit down here. You sha'n't regret it, ant may save my life."
"Sit down," answered something i
Annesley that was newly awake. Shfound her hand being warmly shaken. The
he man took the chair reserved for Mr
Smith, just as she realized fully that h
wasn't Mr. Smith. Her heart was beatin
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
43/797
fast, her eyesfixed on the man's face
waiting for some explanationwer
dilated.
"Thank you," he said, leaning toward her
n his hand a menu which the waiter ha
placed before the girl while she was stil
alone. She noticed that the hand wabrown and nervous-looking, the hand of
man who might be a musician or an artis
He was pretending to read the menu, an
o consult her about it. "You're a truewoman, the right sortbrave. I swear I'
not here for any impertinence. Now, wil
you go on helping me? Can you keep you
wits and not give me away, whatevehappens?"
"I think so," answered the new Annesley
"What do you want me to do?" She too
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
44/797
he pitch of her tone from his, speakin
quietly, and wondering if she would no
wake up in her ugly brown bedroom a
Mrs. Ellsworth's, as she had done a dozeimes when dreaming in advance of he
rendezvous at the Savoy.
"It will be a shock when I tell you," hanswered. "But for Heaven's sake, don
misunderstand. I shouldn't ask this if i
weren't absolutely necessary. In case
man comes to this table and questions youyou must let him suppose that you are m
wife."
"Oh!" gasped Annesley. Her eyes met theeyes that seemed to have been waiting fo
her look, and they answered with a
appeal which she could not refuse.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
45/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
46/797
woman out of ten thousand would have th
nerve and presence of mind and th
humanity to do what you're doing. When
came into this room and saw your face counted on you."
Annesley blushed again in a rush o
happiness. She had always longed to dsomething which would really matter t
another soul. She had even prayed for it
ow the moment seemed to have come
God would not let her be the victim of agnoble trick!
"I'm glad," she said, her face lit by a ligh
from within. And at that moment, bendinoward each other, they were a beautifu
couple. A seeker of romance would have
aken them for lovers.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
47/797
"Tell me what you want me to do,
Annesley said once more.
"The worst of it is, I can't tell you exactlyTwo men may come into this restauran
ooking for me. One or both will speak t
me. They'll call me a certain name, and
shall say they've made a mistake. Youmust say so, too. You must tell them I'm
your husband, and stick to that no matte
what the man, or men, may tell you abou
me. The principal thing now is to choose name. Butby JoveI forgot it in m
hurry! Are you expecting any one to join
you? If you are, it's awkward."
"I was expecting someone, but I've give
him up."
"Was this table taken in his name o
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
48/797
yours? Or, perhapsbut no, I'm sur
you're not!"
"Sure I'm not what?""Married. You're a girl. Your eyes haven't
got any experience of life in them."
Annesley looked down; and when shooked down her face was very sweet
She had long, curved brown lashes
shade or two darker than her hair.
"I'm not married," she said, rather stiffly
"I thought a table had been engaged in th
name of Mr. Smith, but there was
misunderstanding. The head waiter put mat this table in case Mr. Smith should
come. I've given him up now, and wa
going away when"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
49/797
"When you took pity on a nameless man
But it seems indicated that he should b
Mr. Smith, unless you have an
objection!"
"No, I have none. You'd better take the
name, as I mentioned it to the waiter."
"And the first name?"
"I don't know. The initial I gave was N."
"Very well, I choose Nelson. Where dowe live?"
Annesley stared, frightened.
"Forgive me," the man said. "I ought t
have explained what I meant before askin
you that, or put the question another way
Will you go on as you've begun, and trus
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
50/797
me farther, by letting me drive with you to
your home, if necessary, in case of bein
followed? At worst, I'll need to beg no
more than to stand inside your front doofor a few minutes if we're watched, and
but I see that this time I have passed th
imit. I'm expecting too much! How do yo
know but I may be a thief or a murderer?"
"I hadn't thought of such a thing," Annesle
stammered. "I was only thinkingit isn
my house. It doesn't even belong to mpeople. I live with an old lady, Mrs
Ellsworth. I hope she'll be in bed when
get back, and the servants, too. I have
key becausebecause I told a fib abouhe place where I was going, an
consequently Mrs. Ellsworth approved. I
she hadn't approved, I shouldn't have bee
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
51/797
allowed out. I could let you stand insid
he door. But if any one followed us to th
house, and saw the number, he could loo
n the directory, and find out that ibelonged to Mrs. Ellsworth, not Mr
Smith."
"He couldn't have a directory in hipocket! By the time he got hold of one an
could make any use of his knowledge, I'
be far away."
"Yes, I suppose you would," Annesley
hought aloud, and a little voice seemed t
add sharply in her ear: "Far away out o
my life."
This brought to her memory what she ha
n her excitement forgotten: the adventur
she had come out to meet had faded int
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
52/797
hin air! The unexpected one which had s
startlingly taken its place would end to
night, and she would be left to the drear
existence from which she had tried tbreak free.
She was like a pebble that had succeede
n riding out to sea on a wave, only to bwashed back into its old place on th
shore. The thought that, after all, she ha
no change to look forward to, gave the gir
a passionate desire to make the most ohis one living hour among many that wer
born dead.
"Mrs. Ellsworth's house," she said, "is 22A, Torrington Square."
"Thank you." Only these two words h
spoke, but the eager dark eyes seemed t
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
53/797
add praise and blessings for he
confidence.
"My name is Annesley Grayle," shvolunteered, as if to prove to the man an
o herself how far she trusted him; als
perhaps as a bid for his name in paymen
of that trust. So at least he must havunderstood, for he said: "If I don't tell yo
mine, it's for your own protection. I'm no
ashamed of it; but it's better that yo
shouldn't knowthat if you heard isuddenly, it should be strange to you, jus
ike any other name. Don't you see I'
right?"
"I dare say you are."
"Then we'll leave it at that. But we can
go on pretending to study this menu fo
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
54/797
ever! You came to dine with Mr. Smith
You'll dine with his understudy instead
You'll let me order dinner? It's part of the
programme."
"Very well," Annesley agreed.
The man nodded to the head-waiter, who
had been interested in the little dram
ndirectly stage-managed by him. Instea
of sending a subordinate, he came himsel
o take the order. With wonderfupromptness, considering that Mr. Smith'
houghts had not been near the menu unde
his eyes, several dishes were chosen an
a wine selected.
"Madame is glad now that I persuaded he
not to go?" the waiter could not resist, an
Annesley replied that she was glad. As th
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
55/797
man turned away, "Mr. Smith" raised hi
eyebrows with rather a wistful smile.
"I'm afraid you're sorry, really," he said"If I'd come a minute later than I did, you'
have been safe and happy at home by thi
ime."
"Not happy," amended the girl. "Becaus
t isn't home. If it were, I shouldn't hav
old fibs to Mrs. Ellsworth to-night."
"That sounds interesting," remarked he
companion.
"It's not interesting!" she assured him
"Nothing in my life is. I don't want to boryou by talking about my affairs, but if yo
hink we may beinterrupted, perhaps, I'
better explain one or two things whil
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
56/797
here's time. I wanted to come here thi
evening to keep an engagement I'd made
but it's difficult for me to get out alone
Mrs. Ellsworth doesn't like to be left, anshe never lets me go anywhere without he
except to the house of some friends o
mine, the only real friends I have. It's odd
but theirname is Smith, and that saved melling a direct lie. Not that a half-lie isn
worse, it's so cowardly!
"Mrs. Ellsworth likes me to go tArchdeacon and Mrs. Smith's because
'm afraid because she thinks they'r
swells.' Mrs. Smith has a duke for a
uncle! Mrs. Ellsworth said 'yes' at oncewhen I asked, and gave me her key an
permission to stop out till half-past ten
hough everyone in the house is suppose
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
57/797
o be in bed by ten. She's almost sure to b
n bed herself, but if she gets interested i
one of the books I brought from the librar
o-day, it's possible she may be sitting upo read, and to ask about my evening.
"Our bedrooms are on the ground floor a
he back of an addition to the house. Whaf she should hear the latchkey (it's ol
fashioned and hard to work), and what i
she should come to the swing door at th
end of the corridor where she'd see yowith me? What would you say or do?"
"H'm! It would be awkward. Butisn
here ayoungSmith in your Archdeacon'family?"
"There is one, but I haven't seen him sinc
was a little girl. He's a sailor. He's awa
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
58/797
now on an Arctic expedition."
"Then it wasn't that Mr. Smith you cam
o meet at the Savoy?""No. They're not related." As Annesley
returned in thought to the Mr. Smith who
had thrown her over, she took from he
bodice the white rose which was to hav
dentified her for him, and found it a plac
n the vase with the other white roses. Sh
had a special reason for doing this. Threal Mr. Smith, if by any chance h
appeared now, would be a complication
Without the rose he could not claim he
acquaintance.
"Why do you do that?" her companio
broke the thread of his questioning to ask.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
59/797
The girl was tempted to tell some easy fi
hat the rose was faded, or too fragrant
but somehow she could not. They bot
seemed so close to the deep-down thingof life at this moment that to speak th
ruth was the one possible thing.
"I arranged to wear a white rose for MrSmith to recognize me. Wehave neve
seen each other," she confessed.
"Yet you say there's nothing interesting inyour life!"
"It's true! Thisthing waswas dreadful. I
could happen only to a girl whose life wa
not interesting."
"Now I understand why you put away th
rosefor my sake, in case Mr. Smit
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
60/797
should turn up, after all. Will you give i
o me? I won't flaunt it in my buttonhole
'll hide it sacredly, in memory of thi
eveningand of you. Not that I shall neeo be reminded of anything whic
concerns this nightyou especially, and
your generosity, your courage. But it ma
be that the men I spoke of won't find mhere. If they don't, the worst of your ordea
s over. It will only be to finish dinner
and let me put you into a taxi. To-morrow
you can think that you dreamed the wretc
who appealed to you, and be glad that yo
will never see him again."
Annesley selected her white rose from itfellows, dried its stem daintily with he
napkin, and gave the flower to "Mr
Smith." Already it looked refreshed, a
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
61/797
she herself felt refreshed, after five year
of "stuffiness," by these few throbbin
moments.
Their hands touched, and throug
Annesley's darted a little tingle o
electricity that flashed up her arm to he
heart, where it caught like a hooked wireShe was surprised, almost frightened b
he sensation, and ashamed because sh
didn't find it disagreeable.
"It must be that people who're really alive
as he is, give out magnetism," she thought
And the thrill lingered as the man thanke
her with eyes and voice.
When he had looked at the rose curiously
as if expecting to learn from it the secre
of its wearer, he put the flower away in
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
62/797
etter-case in an inner breast pocket of hi
coat.
For once Annesley was face to face witromance, and even though she woul
presently go back to the old round (sinc
he adventure she came out to meet ha
failed), she was stirred to a wild gladnesn this other adventure. The hor
d'oeuvresappeared; then soup, and wine
which Mr. Smith begged her to taste.
"Drink luck for me," he insisted. "You and
you alone can bring it."
Annesley drank. And the champagn
filliped colour to her cheeks.
"Now we'll go on and think out th
problem of what may happen at your doo
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
63/797
if Fate takes me there," the man said
"Your old friend's sailor son is no use to
me. He can't be whisked back from th
orth Pole to London for my benefitPerhaps I may be an acquaintance o
Archdeacon Smith's, mayn't I, if wors
comes to worst? I've been dining there
and brought you back in a taxi. Will thado? If there are fibs to tell, I'll tell the
myself and spare you if possible."
"After all I've told to-night, one or twmore can't matter," said Annesley. "They
won't hurt Mrs. Ellsworth. It's the othe
danger that's more worryingthe dange
from those men. I've thought of somethinhat may help if they follow us t
Torrington Square. They may ask a
policeman whose house we've gone into
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
64/797
and find out it's Mrs. Ellsworth's, befor
you can get away. So it will be better no
o tell them it'syours. You can be visiting
There is a Mr. Smith who comesometimes from America, where he lives
hough he's not American. Even th
policemen who have that beat may hav
heard of him from Mrs. Ellsworth'servants. There's a room kept alway
ready for him, and called 'Mr. Smith'
room.'"
"That does help," said the man. "It's cleve
and kind of you to rack your brains for me
A Mr. Smith from America! It's easy fo
me to play that part, I'm from AmericaPerhaps you've guessed that?"
"But you're very different from Mrs
Ellsworth's Mr. Smith," Annesley warned
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
65/797
him, hastily. "He's middle-aged, eccentric
and not good-looking. He comes t
England for his 'nerves' when he ha
worked too hard and tired himself out. hink he's rich; and once he was robbed i
some big hotel, so he likes to stay at
plain sort of house where there's n
danger. He has a horror of burglars, andwon't even stop at the Archdeacon's sinc
hey had a burglary a few years ago. H
pays Mrs. Ellsworth for his room,
believe. A funny arrangement!it came
about through me. But that's not o
mportance to you."
"It may be. We can't tell. Better let meknow as much as possible about thes
Smiths. There's Mrs. Ellsworth's Smith
and the Smith you came to meet"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
66/797
"We needn't talk of him, anyway!"
There was a hint of anger in the girl'
protest; but her resentment was for thman who had humiliated her by breakin
his appointmentsuchan appointment!
She hurried on, trying to hide all signs o
agitation. "You see, Mrs. Ellsworth once
hoped to have Archdeacon Smith and hi
wife for friends. They didn't care for her
but they loved my fatheroh, long ago ihe country, where we lived. When h
died and I hadn't any money or training fo
work, they were nice to Mrs. Ellswort
for my sakeor, rather, for my father'sakeand persuaded her to take me as he
companion. She was glad to do it t
please them; but soon she realized tha
hey didn't mean to reward her by bein
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
67/797
ntimate.
"Poor woman, I was almost sorry for he
disappointment! You see, she's a snob aheart, and though 'Smith' sounds a commo
name, both the Archdeacon and his wif
have titled relations. So have Iand tha
was another reason for taking me. Shadores a title. Doesn't that sound pitiful
But she has few interests and no rea
friends, so she's never given up hope o
collecting' the Smiths.
"That's why she lets me visit them. And
when I happened to mention, fo
something to say, that the Archdeacon hadan eccentric cousin in America who wa
afraid of hotels and even of visiting a
heir house because of a fad abou
burglars, she offered to give him the bette
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
68/797
of her two spare rooms whenever he cam
o England. I never thought he'd accept
but he did, only he would insist on paying
"That's the story, if you can call it a story
for Mr. Ruthven Smith isn't a bit excitin
nor interesting. When he appears
generally quite suddenlyhe finds hiroom ready. He has his breakfast sent up
and lunches out at his club or somewhere
He mostly dines out, too, but he has
standing invitation to dine with MrsEllsworth, and we always have goo
dinners when he is staying, to be ready i
case of the worst."
The man smiled, rather a charming smile
Annesley could not help noticing.
"In case of the worst!" he repeated. "H
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
69/797
must be deadly if his society bores yo
more than that of an old lady on whom,
suppose, you dance attendance morning
noon, and night. Now, my situation is soerpeculiar that I ought to be thankful t
exchange identities with any man. But
wouldn't with Mr. Ruthven Smith for al
his money and jewels."
Annesley opened her eyes. "Did I sa
anything about jewels?" she asked.
"No, you didn't," the man assured her
"except in mentioning the name of Ruthve
Smith. Anybody who has lived in America
as long as I have, associates jewels withe name of Ruthven Smith. His 'Ruthven
ifts him far above the ruck of a mer
Smithlike myself, for instance"; and h
smiled again.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
70/797
Annesley began curiously to feel as if sh
knew him well. This made her mor
anxious to give him helpfor it would no
be helping a stranger: it would be helpina friend.
"I've heard, of course, that he's somethin
I'm not sure whatin a firm oewellers," she said. "But I'd no idea o
his being so important."
"He's third partner with Van Vreck &Co.," her companion explained. "I'v
heard he joined at first because of hi
great knowledge of jewels and becaus
he's been able to revive the lost art omaking certain transparent enamels. Th
Van Vrecks sent for him from England
years ago. He buys jewels for the fir
now, I believe. No doubt that's why he's i
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
71/797
such a funk about burglars."
"Fancy your knowing more about Mr
Smith than I know! Perhaps more thaMrs. Ellsworth knows!" exclaime
Annesley, forgetting the strain o
expectationthe dread that a pair o
mysterious, nightmare men might break uphe dreamlike dinner-party for two.
"I don't know more about him than hal
America and Europe knows," laughed thman. "It's lucky I do know something
hough, as I may have to be mistaken fo
Ruthven Smith, and add an 'N' to hi
nitials. I suppose he's not in England nowby any chance?"
"No. It must be six or seven months sinc
he was here last," said Annesley. "I don
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
72/797
hink Mrs. Ellsworth has heard from him
She hardly ever does until a day or tw
before he's due to arrive; neither do hi
cousins."
"A peculiar fellow, it would seem,
remarked her companion. And then, out o
a plunge into thought, "You say you'venever seen the Mr. Smith you came to
meet at the Savoy? How can you be sure i
sn't old 'R. S.' as they call him at Van
Vreck's, wanting to play you a trickgivyou a surprise?"
Annesley shook her head. "If you knew
Mr. Ruthven Smith, you'd know that woulbe impossible. Why, I don't believe h
remembers when I'm out of sight that
exist."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
73/797
"Still more peculiar! Miss Grayle,
haven't any right to ask you questions. Bu
shouldn't be a man if I weren't forgettin
my own affairsinin curiosity, if yowant to call it that (I don't!), about yours
o! I won't let it pass for ordinar
curiosity. Can't you understand you'r
doing for me more than any woman evehas done, or any man would do? That doe
make a bond between us. You can't deny
t. Tell me about this Mr. Smith whom you
don't know and never saw, yet came to th
Savoy Hotel to meet."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
74/797
CHAPTER III
WHY SHE CAME
Surprised by the abruptness of hiquestion, Annesley's eyes dropped fro
he eyes of her host, which tried to hol
hem. She felt that she ought to be angr
with him for taking advantage of hegenerosityfor it amounted to that! Ye
anger would not come, only shame and th
desire to hide a thing which would chang
his gratitude to contempt.
"Don't let's waste time talking about me,
she said. "We haven't arranged"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
75/797
"We've arranged everything as well as we
can. For the rest, I must trust to luckan
you. Do tell me why you came here, wh
you thought you came here, I mean; fo'm convinced you were sent for my sak
by any higher powers there may be. I fel
hat, the minute I saw you. I feel it te
imes more strongly now. I know thawhatever your reason was, it's nothing t
be ashamed of."
"I am ashamed," Annesley was led on toconfess. "You'd despise me if I told you
for you can't realize what my life's bee
for five years. And that's my one excuse."
"Only a fool would want a woman lik
you to excuse herself for anything. I swea
wouldn't despise you. I couldn't. If yo
should tell meknowing you as little, o
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
76/797
as well, as I do, that you'd been plotting
murder, I'd be certain you were justified
and my first thought would be to save you
as you're saving me now."
Annesley felt again the man's intens
magnetism. Suddenly she wanted to tel
him everything. It would be a relief. Shwould watch his face and see how i
changed. It would be like having th
verdict of the world on what she had don
or meant to do.
"I saw an advertisement in the Morning
ost," she said with a kind of breathles
violence, "from a man whowho wanteo meet a girl witha 'view to marriage.'
The words brought a blush so painful tha
he mounting blood forced tears to he
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
77/797
eyes. But she looked her vis--vi
unwaveringly in the face.
That did not change at all, unless thnterest in his eyes grew warmer. Th
sympathy she saw there gave Annesley
new and passionate desire to defen
herself. If he had shown disgust, shwould not have cared to try, she thought.
"I told you it was horrid, and no
nteresting or romantic," she dashed on"But I was desperate. Mrs. Ellsworth i
awful! I don't suppose you ever met such
woman. She's not cruel about starving m
body. It's only my soul she starves. Whabusiness haveI with a soul, except i
church, where it's proper to think abou
such things? But she nagsnags! Sh
makes my hair feel as if it were turnin
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
78/797
gray at the roots, and my face drying up
ike an apple.
"I wasn't nineteen when I came to her. I'wenty-three now, and I feel old
desiccated, thanks to those piling-u
hundreds of days with her. They've killed
my spirit. I used to be different. I can feet. I can see it in the mirror. It isn't only th
passing days, but having nothing better t
ook forward to. I'm too cowardlyor to
religious or something, to kill myselfeven if I knew how to, decently. But th
deadliness of it all, the airlessness of he
house and her heart!
"A man couldn't imagine it. She's made m
forget not only my own youth, but tha
here's youth in the world. Why, at first
was so wild I should have loved to sa
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
79/797
dreadful things, or strike her. But now
haven't the spirit left to feel like that. M
blood's turning white. The other day whe
was reading aloud to Mrs. Ellsworth (read a lot: the stupidest parts of the paper
and the silliest books, that turn my brain t
fluff) I caught sight of an advertisement i
he Personal Column.
"I stopped just in time and didn't read i
out. Only a glimpse I had, for I was in th
midst of something else when my eyewandered. But when Mrs. Ellsworth wa
aking her nap after luncheon I got thePos
again and read the advertisement throug
carefully. The reason I was interested wabecause even the glance I took showe
hat the girl who was 'wanted' seemed i
some ways rather like me. Th
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
80/797
advertisement said she must be fro
wenty-one to twenty-six; needn't be
beauty, but of pleasant appearance; mone
no object; the essentials were that shmust have a fair education and be of goo
birth and manners, so as to command
certain position in society.
"I believe those were the very words. And
t didn't seem too conceited to think that
answered the description. I'm not bad
ooking, and my mother's father was aearlan Irish one. I couldn't get th
advertisement out of my head. It fascinate
me."
"No wonder!" exclaimed Mr. Smith. H
had been listening intently, and though sh
had paused, panting a little, more tha
once, he had not broken in with a word.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
81/797
"Do you honestly think it no wonder?
Annesley flashed at him.
"It was like a prisoner seeing a kesticking in a door that has always bee
ocked," he said.
"How strange you should think of that!
she cried. "It was the thought which cam
nto my mind, and seemed to excuse me i
anything could." Annesley felt grateful to
he man. She was sure she could nevehave explained herself in this way o
pleaded her own cause with the real Mr
Smith. A man cold-blooded enough to
advertise for a wife "well-born and ablo command a certain position in society
would have frozen her into an ice-block o
reserve.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
82/797
She might possibly have accepted hi
"proposition" (one couldn't speak of it i
he ordinary way as a "proposal")
provided that, on seeing her, he hadudged her suitable for the place; but sh
could never have talked her heart out t
him as she was led on to do by this othe
man, equally a stranger, yet sympathetibecause of his own trouble and th
mystery which made of him a figure o
romance.
"It isn't strange I should think of the priso
door and the key," her companion said
"That was the situation. 'N. Smith' wa
rather clever in his way. There must bmany girls of good family and good look
who are in prison, pining to escape. H
must have had a lot of answers, tha
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
83/797
fellow; but none of the girls could hav
come within a mile of you. I'm selfish!
bless my lucky stars he didn't turn u
here."
"I dare say it's the best thing that coul
happen," Annesley agreed with a sigh
"Probably he's horrible. But there was onhing: I thought, though he must be a snob
and vulgar, advertising as he did for
wife of good birth, that very thing looke
as if he were no worsethan a snob. Not villain, I mean. Otherwise, I shouldn
have dared answer. But I did answer th
same day, while I had the courage.
posted a letter with some of MrsEllsworth's, which she sent me out to drop
nto the box. His address was 'N. S., th
Morning Post'; and I told him to send
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
84/797
reply, if he wrote, to the stationery shop
and library where Mrs. Ellsworth make
me go every day to change her books."
"And the answer? What was it like? Wha
mpression did it give you?" questione
he man who sat in Mr. Smith's place.
"Oh, it was written in a good hand. But i
was a stiff, commonplace sort of letter
except that it asked me to wear a whit
rose. White roses happen to be the ones ike best."
"So do I," said Mr. Smith. "Did he tell yo
o come to a table here and wait for him?"
"Not exactly. He was to meet me in th
foyer. But if he did not, I was to
understand he'd been delayed; and in tha
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
85/797
case I must come to the restaurant an
nquire for a table engaged by Mr. N
Smith. Lots of times I decided not to d
anything. But you see I came, and this imy reward."
"A poor one," her companion finished.
"I don't mean that! I mean he hasn't com
at all. Maybe he never meant to. Maybe h
got some letter he liked better than mine
and arranged to meet the girl somewherelse. A man of that sort wouldn't write to
ell the straight truth in time, and save th
unwanted one from humiliation."
"Are you very sorry he didn't?"
"No," Annesley said, frankly. "I'm no
sorry. It's good to be able to help
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
86/797
someone. I'm glad I came."
"So am I," Mr. Smith answered with
sudden change in his voice from calm texcitement. "And now the moment isn't fa
off, I think, for the help to be given. Th
men I spoke of are here. They're in th
restaurant. You can't see them withouurning your head, which would not b
wise. They're speaking to a waiter. The
haven't seen me yet, but they're sure t
ook soon. They're pointing to a table neaus. It's free. The waiter's leading them t
t. In an instant you'll have a better view o
hem than I shall. Now ... but don't look up
yet."
From under her lashes Annesley sawi
he way women do see without seeming t
use their eyestwo men conducted to
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
87/797
able directly in front of her. As she sat on
her host's right, at the end of the table, no
opposite to him, this gave her th
advantageor disadvantageof facinhe newcomers fully, while Mr. Smith
who had faced them as they entered
would have his profile turned toward thei
able.
The pair seated themselves in the sam
way that Annesley and her companio
were placed, one at the right hand of thother. This caused the first man to face th
girl fully and gave her the second i
profile. One table only intervene
between Mr. Smith's and that selected bhe late arrivals, and the latter had hardl
sat down when the party of four at th
ntermediate table rose to go.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
88/797
Under cover of their departure, bowing o
waiters and readjustment of ladies' sabl
or ermine stoles, Annesley ventured
ightning glance at the men. She saw thaboth were black-haired and black
bearded, with dark skins and long noses
There was a slight suggestion o
resemblance between them. They might bbrothers. They were in evening dress, bu
did not look, Annesley thought, lik
gentlemen.
Mr. Smith was eating blennes au cavia
apparently with enjoyment. He called
waiter and told him to put more whippe
cream on the caviare as yet untouched ihe middle of Annesley's pancake.
"That's better, I think," he said, genially
And as the waiter went away, "What ar
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
89/797
hey doing now?"
Annesley lifted her champagne glass as a
excuse to raise her eyes. "I'm afraihey've seen us and are talking about you
Can't wehadn't we better go?"
"Certainly not," replied Mr. Smith. "A
east,Ican't. But if you repent"
"I don't," Annesley broke in. "I wa
hinking of you, of course."
"Bless you!" said her host. His tone wa
suddenly gay. She glanced at him and saw
hat his face was gay also, his eyes brigh
and challenging, his look almost boyishShe had taken him for thirty-three or four
now she would have guessed him younger
Annesley could not help admiring hi
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
90/797
pluck, for he had said that the arrival o
hese men meant danger. She ought to b
sorry as well as frightened because the
had come, but at that moment she waneither. Her companion's example wa
contagious. Her spirits rose. And th
hought flashed through her head, "Thi
adventure won't end here!" If she had haime she would have been ashamed of he
gladness; but there was no time. Smit
was talking again in a suppressed ye
cheerful tone.
"You won't forget that we're Mr. and Mrs
elson Smith?"
"Nono. I sha'n't forget."
"You may have to call me Nelson, and I
o call you Annesley. It's a pretty name
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
91/797
odd for a woman to have. How did yo
get it?"
"Oh, you don't want to hear that now!""Why not?unless you'd rather not tel
me. We can't do anything more till the
blow falls, except enjoy ourselves and g
on with our dinner. How did you come to
be Annesley?"
"It was part of my mother's maiden name
She was an Annesley-Seton."
"There's a Lord Annesley-Seton, isn
here?"
"Yes."
"Related to you?"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
92/797
"A cousin. But Grayle isn't a name in thei
set. He and his wife have forgotten m
existence. I'm not likely to remind them o
t."
"His wife was an American girl, wasn
she?"
"How odd that you should know!"
"Not very. I remember there being a lot i
he papers about the wedding six or seve
years ago. The girl was very richa Mis
Haverstall. Her father's lost his mone
since then."
"How can you keep such uninterestinhings in your mindjust now?"
"They're not uninteresting. They concer
you!"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
93/797
"Lord Annesley-Seton's affairs don
concern me, and never will."
"I wonder?" said Smith, lookinhoughtful; and the girl wondered, too: no
about her future or her relatives, but wha
he next few minutes would do with thi
strange young man, and how at such a timhe could bear to talk commonplaces.
"If you're trying to keep me from bein
nervous," she whispered, "it's not a bit ouse! I can't think of anything or any on
except those men. They've stoppe
whispering. But they're looking at you
owthey're getting up. They're cominoward us!"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
94/797
CHAPTER IV
THE GREAT MOMENT
The men were staring so keenly at "Mr. NSmith" that it seemed to Annesley he mus
feel the stab of eyes, sharp as pin-pricks
n his back. He had the self-contro
however, not to look round, not even tochange expression. No man in th
restaurant appeared more calmly at eas
han he.
The couple had accompanied their star
with eager whisperings. Then, as if o
some hasty decision, they pushed bac
heir chairs and got up. Taking a few step
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
95/797
hey separated, approaching Smith on righ
and left. One, therefore, stood betwee
him and Annesley as if to prevent an
exchange of words or glances. There wasomething Eastern and oddly alien abou
hem in spite of their conventional clothes
"Mr. Michael Varcoe!" said the biggeand older, he who stood on the left o
Smith. The other kept in the background
not to crowd with conspicuous rudenes
between Annesley and her host. The mawho spoke had a thick voice and a curiou
accent which the girl, with her smal
experience, was unable to place.
"No," answered "Smith," in a puzzle
one. "You mistake me for someone else."
"I think not," insisted the bearded man, i
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
96/797
a hostile drawl. "I thinknot!"
"I'msurenot," echoed the other. "You are
Michael Varcoe. There's no getting awayfrom that."
The emphasis seemed to add, "And n
getting away from us."
Excitement stirred Annesley to courage
"Why, how horrid!" she exclaimed
bending past the human obstacle; "peopl
aking you for someforeigner! I'm sur
you can't be like a man with such a nam
asMichael Varcoe! Tell them who we
are."
"My name is Nelson Smith," said he
official husband. "My wife is not"
"Your wife!" repeated the man standing
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
97/797
opposite Annesley. He stared with
nsolent incredulity. "'Mr. and Mrs
elson Smith.' A good name to take."
"It happens to have been given me." Sligh
sharpness broke the tolerance of Smith'
one.
"I don't believe you!" exclaimed the other
Smith's black brows drew together. "I
doesn't matter whether you believe o
not," he said. "What does matter is tha
you should annoy us. I tell you I'm no
Michael Varcoe, and never heard the
name. If you're not satisfied, and if yo
don't go back to your dinner and let u
finish ours in peace, I'll appeal to th
management."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
98/797
"Well!" grumbled the taller of the pair. "I
you're not the man I want, you're his imag
minus moustache and beard. You mus
be Varcoe!"
"Of course he's Varcoe," insisted the
other.
"Of course he's not!" said Annesley, with
ust the right amount of irritation. "Ou
name is Smith. Nelson, do tell this
person to ask the head-waiter whengaged the table, and not stay her
making a fuss."
"Anybody can engage a table in the nam
of Smith!" sneered the first speaker. "Tha
s nothing. We go by something more
convincing than a name. There ar
countries where men have been arreste
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
99/797
on less resemblanceor put out of th
way."
"Oh, Nelson, he's frightening me," faltereAnnesley. "He must have lost his senses."
"You think that, do you?" The fierce eye
fixed her with a stare. "You tell meyou
madame, that you are this man's wife?"
"I do tell you so," the girl replied, firmly
"though I don't see that it's your affair
ow go away."
"Very well, we take your word," returned
he man, in a tone which said that he di
nothing of the sort. "And we goback tour table, to let you finish your meal, Mr
and Mrs. Smith."
His black glance sprang like a tarantul
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
100/797
from her face to her companion's, then t
his friend's. The latter accepted th
ultimatum and followed in sulky silence
but when the pair were seated at their owable, though they ordered food and wine
heir attention was still for the alleged Mr
and Mrs. Smith.
Annesley tried to ignore the fact that the
stared without ceasing, but she could no
help being aware of their eyes. She fel
faint, and everything in the room whirlegiddily.
"Drink some champagne," said Smith'
quiet voice.
The girl obeyed, and the ice-cold win
cooled the fire in blood and nerves.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
101/797
"You have been splendid," Smith
encouraged her. "I know you won't fail m
now."
"I promise you I will not!" returne
Annesley. "The worst is over. I feel ready
for anything."
"How can I thank you?" he murmured. "If
had all the rest of my life to do it in
nstead of a few minutes, it wouldn't b
oo much. You were perfect in yourmanner, not anxious, only annoyed; just th
right air for a self-respecting Mrs. Smith."
They both laughed, and Annesley wa
surprised that she could laugh naturall
and gaily. Presently she laughed again
when Mr. Smith remarked that she had
missed her vocation in not being a
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
102/797
actressshe, the country mouse, who ha
hardly been inside a theatre.
The two lingered over their dinnerwatched with impatience by the men at th
other table, who had ordered only on
dish and paid for it immediately, that they
might be ready for anything at an instant'notice. They had also a small bottle o
wine, which they sipped abstemiously a
an excuse to remain after their food ha
been eaten.
When at last Mr. and Mrs. Smith had
finished their bombe surprise, and trifle
with some fruit, Annesley said: "Evidentlhey don't care how long they have t
wait! I suppose there's nothing for us to d
but to go?"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
103/797
"Oh, yes, there's still something," sai
Smith. "We'll have coffee in the foyer, and
see what the enemy's next move is. I
would be a mistake to let the brutebelieve they're frightening us."
Annesley agreed in silence; but in he
heart she was glad to lengthen out thadventure. Soon she would have to cree
back to her dull modern substitute for
moated grange, and after thatnot "th
deluge"; nothing so exciting: extinction.
As they walked out of the restauran
ogether the girl glanced up at the dar
profile, mysterious as a stranger's, yefamiliar as a friend's. The man had tol
her nothing about himself except that h
was in danger, and had given no hint as to
what that danger was; but the girl's hear
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
104/797
was warm with belief in him. If ther
were a question of crime, the crime wa
not his. His superiority over thos
creatures must be moral as well aphysical and social.
By an odd coincidence, Mr. Smith steered
for the sofa in the corner whence a mahad stared from behind an ope
newspaper at a tall, lonely girl in gray
earlier in the evening. Annesley knew
nothing of this coincidence, because shhad not noticed the man; but even if sh
had, she would have forgotten him. Sh
had been thinking of herself when she firs
railed her gray dress over the red carpeof the foyer; now, returning, she thought o
he man who was with her and the tw
who were certain to follow.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
105/797
Scarcely were she and Smith seate
before the others appeared. The men sa
down in chairs drawn up at a little table
and not only must those in the corner pasby them in escaping, but every wor
spoken above a whisper must b
overheard.
This fact did not embarrass Smith. H
ordered coffee and cigarettes, and talke
o Annesley in an ordinary tone about
motor trip which it would be pleasant take. The watchers also demanded coffee
But the waiter they summoned was slow
n fulfilling their order. When it wa
obeyed, before the pair had time to lift cuo lip, Mr. Smith took impish pleasure i
getting to his feet.
"Come, dear," he said, "we'd better b
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
106/797
off."
He laid on the table money for the coffe
and cigarettes, with a satisfactory tipThen without looking at their neighbour
he and Annesley passed, walking shoulde
o shoulder with a leisurely step towar
he entrance.
"I suppose there's no chance of shakin
hem off?" the girl whispered.
"None whatever," said Smith. "But we'v
had the fun of cheating them out of thei
coffee, because they won't chance ou
stopping to pick up our wraps. They'll b
on our heels till the end of the journey, so
here's nothing for it except to stick to th
original plan of my going home with you.
hope you don't mind? I hope you're no
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
107/797
afraid of me now?"
"I'm not at all afraid," said Annesley.
"Thank you for that. If our taxi outrunheirs, I sha'n't need to trespass on you
kindness beyond the doorstep. But if the
overtake us, and are on the spot befor
you can vanish into the house and I ca
disappear in some other direction, are yo
still game to keep your promiseth
promise to let me go indoors with you?"
"Yes, I am 'game' to the endwhateve
he end may be," the girl answered; an
she wondered at herself, because her hear
was as brave as her words.
Five minutes later Annesley, wrapped in
her thin cloak, was stepping into a taxi. A
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
108/797
Smith followed and told the chauffeu
where to drive, the two watchers sho
hrough the revolving door in time t
overhear, and also to order a taxi.
Annesley wondered for one dismaye
nstant why her companion should hav
given the real address. He might havmentioned some other street, and thus hav
gained time; but a second thought told he
hat, with the pursuing taxi so close upo
heir heels, an attempt to deceive woulhave been useless. The policy of defianc
was the only one.
For a few moments neither the girl nor thman spoke, although Annesley felt tha
here were a thousand things to say. Ever
second was taking them nearer t
Torrington Square; and their parting mus
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
109/797
come soon. After that, all would b
blankness for her, as before thi
wonderful night.
Such thoughts made the girl a prisoner o
silence; and "Mr. Smith" was also tongue
ied. Was he concentrating his mind upon
some plan of escape from thesmysterious enemies? She told herself thi
must be so; yet his first words proved tha
he had been thinking of the risk she ran.
"If the dragon comes out of her den an
catches us at the door, will that mean
catastrophe for you, or can I be explaine
away?" he inquired.
"I don't know," said Annesley. "And
somehow I don't care!"
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
110/797
"I care," the man replied. "I can't hav
harm come to you through me. But tell me
before we go fartherdoes it matter t
you, Miss Grayle, that in a little while yoand I may see the last of each other? I fee
have a sort of right to ask that question
because it matters such a lot to me. I'v
got to know you better in this one eveninhan I could in a year in a commonplac
way. I don't want you to go out of my life
because you're the best thing that eve
came into it. And if I dared hope that
might mean to you some day half wha
you've begun to mean for me already, why
wouldn't letyou go!"Annesley clasped her hands under he
cloak. They were cold yet tingling. He
blood was leaping; but she could no
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
111/797
speak. She was afraid of saying too much
"Can't you give me a grain of hope?" h
went on. His voice was wistful. "We haveso little time."
"Whatdo you want me to say?
Annesley stammered.
"I want you to saythat you don't wish t
see the last of me to-night."
"I shouldn't be human if I couldwish that!he words seemed to speak themselves
and she, who had been taught to repres
and hide emotion as if it were a vice, wa
glad that the truth was out. After all theyhad gone through together she couldn
send this man away believing he
ndifferent. "Iit doesn't seem as if w
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
112/797
were strangers," she faltered on.
"Strangers! I should think not," he echoed
"We mayn't know much about each other'astes, but we do know about each other'
souls, which is more than can be said o
most men and women acquainted for half
ifetime. As for our pasts, you haven't hadone, and Iwell, if I swear to you tha
've never murdered anybody, or been i
prison, or committed an unforgivabl
crime, will you take my word?"
"If you told me you were a murderer, o
had committed some unforgivable crime,
I don't feel as if I could believe it,Annesley assured him. "Itwould hurt m
o think evil of you. I'm sure it isn't yo
who are evil, but these men."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
113/797
"You're an angel to feel like that and
speak like that!" exclaimed Smith. "I don
deserve your goodness, but I appreciate it
'd like to take your hand and kiss it whethank you, but I won't, because you'r
alone with me, under my protection. To
save me from trouble you've risked dange
and put yourself in my power. I may bbad in some waysmost men are, o
would be in women's eyes if women saw
hem as they are; but I'm not a brute. Th
worst I've ever done is to try to pay back
great injury, an eye for an eye, a tooth fo
a tooth. Do you blame me for that?"
"I have no rightI don't know what thnjury was," said the girl; and, hesitating
ittle, "stillI don't thinkI could fin
happiness in revenge."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
114/797
"I could, or anyhow, satisfaction:
confess that. About 'happiness,' I don
know much. But you could teach me."
"I?"
"Yes. Do you believe there can be such a
hing as love at first sight?"
"I can't tell. Books say so. Perhaps"
"There's no 'perhaps.' I've found that ou
o-night. I believe love that comes at sighmust be the only real lovea sort o
electric call from soul to soul. The thin
hat's happened is just this: I've met th
one womanmy help-mate. If I come ouof this trouble, and can ask a girl like yo
o give herself to me, will you do it?"
"Oh, you say this because you think yo
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
115/797
ought to be grateful!" cried Annesley. "Bu
don't want gratitude. This is the first tim
've ever lived. I owe that to you. And it'
more than you can owe to me."
The man laughed, a happy laugh, as thoug
danger were miles away instead of on hi
heels. "You know almost as much aboumen as a child knows, Miss Grayle," h
said, "if you think I'm one of the sorti
here is such a sortwho would ti
himself to a woman for gratitude. I've jusone motive in wanting you to marry me.
ove you and need you. I couldn't fee
more if I'd known you months instead o
hours."
The wonder of it swept over Annesley i
a flood. Even in her dreamsand she ha
had wild dreams sometimesshe ha
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
116/797
never pictured a man such as this lovin
her and wanting her. To the girl's mind he
was so attractive that it seeme
mpossible his choice of her could bfrom the heart. She would wake up to
stale, flat to-morrow and find that none o
hese things had really happened.
Still, she might as well live up to th
dream while it lasted, and have the mor
o remember.
"It's a fairy story, surely!" she said, tryin
o laugh. "There are so many beautifu
girls in the world for a man like you, that
"
"A man like me! What amI like?"
"Oh, it's hard to put into words. But
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
117/797
well, you're brave; I'm sure of that."
"I hope I'm not a coward. All normal men
are brave. That's nothing. What else am to you?"
"Interesting. More interesting thantha
any one I ever saw."
"If you feel that, you don't want to send m
out of your life, do you?after you'v
stood by and sheltered me from danger?"
"No-o. I don't want to send you out of m
ife. But"
"There's only one way in which you cakeep me and I can keep you
circumstanced as we are. We must be
husband and wife."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
118/797
"Oh!" The girl covered her face with bot
hands. The world was on fire around her.
"I frighten you. Yet you might haveconsented to marry that other Smith. You
went to meet him, to decide whether h
was possible."
"I know. But I see now, if he'd kept hi
appointment, it would have ended i
nothing, even ifif he had been please
with me. I couldn't have brought myself tsay 'yes'."
"How can you be certain?"
"Because"Annesley spoke almost in whisper"because he wasn'tyou."
Smith snatched her clasped hands an
kissed them. The warm touch of the man'
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
119/797
ips gave the girl a new, mysteriou
sensation. No man had ever kissed eve
her hands. Suddenly she felt sure that wha
she felt must be lovelove at first sightwhich, according to him, was an electri
call from soul to soul. His kiss told he
hat they belonged to each other for goo
or evil.
"Darling!" he said. "You are mine. I sha'n
et you go. For love of you I'll free mysel
from this temporary trouble I'm in, ancome back to claim you soon. When I as
you to be my wife you'll say to me wha
y o u wouldn't have said to the othe
Smith?"
"If I can escape to hear you. Butyo
don't know Mrs. Ellsworth."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
120/797
"St. George rescued the princess from th
dragon: so will I, though I've warned yo
'm no saint. When we meet again I'll tel
you what I am, and perhaps my real namewhich is better than Smith, though it mayn
be as safe. Now, there are other things to
say"
But there was no time to say them, for th
axi stopped. The time seemed so shor
since the Savoy that Annesley couldn
believe they were in Torrington SquarePerhaps the chauffeur had made
mistake? She looked out, hoping that i
might be so; but before her were th
darkened windows of the dull, familiahouse, 22-A. The great moment was upo
hem.
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
121/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
122/797
CHAPTER V
THE SECOND LATCHKEY
Without another word Smith opened thdoor and sprang out. As Annesley put he
hand into his to descend she gave him th
atchkey. It had been inside the neck of he
dress, and the metal was warm from thwarmth of her heart.
"Take this," she whispered. "If they ar
watching, it will be best for you to havhe key."
Mr. Smith bestowed a generous tip on th
driver, and was rewarded with a loud
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
123/797
cheerful "Thank you, sir!" which mus
have reached the ears of a chauffeur in th
act of stopping before a house near by
Annesley, glancing sidewise at the otheaxi, thought that it drew up wit
suspicious suddenness, as if it ha
awaited a "cue."
There was little doubt in her mind as t
who the occupants were, and her hear
beat fast, though she controlled herself t
walk with calmness across the strip opavement. On the doorstep she turned t
wait for her companion, and, withou
seeming to look past him, saw that no on
got out from the neighbouring taxi.
"They don't care whether we guess wh
hey are or not," was her thought. "The
mean to find out whether we have
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
124/797
atchkey and can let ourselves into a hous
n this square. When they see us go in
will they believe the story and driv
away, orwill they stay on?"
What would happen if the watcher
persisted Annesley dared not think; bu
she knew that she would sacrifice herseln any way rather than send the man sh
oved (yes, she did love him!) out to fac
peril.
Having paid the chauffeur, Mr. N. Smith
oined the figure on the doorstep, an
fitted into the lock Annesley's latchkey
Then he opened the door for the girl, anfollowed her in with a cool air o
proprietorship which ought to hav
mpressed the watchers. A minute later, i
another proof had been needed that Mr
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
125/797
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
126/797
n sprawling gilt frames, the heavy plus
curtains, the furniture with its "saddle
bag" upholstery, the common Turkish
carpet, and the mantel mirror witasteless, tasselled draperies, "Nelso
Smith" seemed to comprehend the deadl
"stuffiness" of Annesley Grayle'
existence.
The look of Mrs. Ellsworth's middle-clas
dining room, and the atmosphere whenc
oxygen had been excluded, were enough tell him, if he had not realized already
why the lady's companion had gone out t
meet a strange man "with a view t
marriage."
To Annesley, however, for the first time
his room was neither hideous no
depressing. It seemed years since she ha
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
127/797
seen it. She was a different girl from th
spiritless slave who had crept out afte
uncheon, in the wake of her mistress: tha
short, shapeless form with a large head seon a short neck, and a trailing, old
fashioned dress of black.
ow, with a man holding her hands andcalling her an angela "dear, brav
angel!"it looked to the girl a beautifu
room. There was glamour upon it, an
upon the rest of the world. Surely lifcould never seem commonplace again!
"Ssh!" Annesley whispered. "We mustn'
wake Mrs. Ellsworth, or she'll run to thfront door in her dressing gown and cal
Police!' She's old, but her ears are sharp
as a cat's. She can almost hear on
hinking. But I'm glad she can't quite
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
128/797
How frightful if she could!"
"Nothing about her need be frightful to yo
any more," said the man. "You have savedme. Soon it will be my turn to rescue you.
"I haven't saved you yet," the gir
reminded him. "They are sure to b
waiting to see whether you come out. Bu
've thought of one more thing to mak
hem believe that you live here. I can stea
softly upstairs to the front room on thsecond floor, above the drawing room
he one we call 'Mr. Smith's'to turn on
he lights, and then those hateful creature
will think". She hesitated, and thcolour sprang to her cheeks.
"That Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Smith hav
gone to their room," the man finished he
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
129/797
sentence. His eyes beamed love an
gratitude, a glorious reward. "You're
wonderful! You forget nothing that can
help. Do you know, your trust, your faithn me, in spite of appearances, are the bes
hings that have come into my life? You
call those fellows 'hateful creatures
because they're my enemies. Yet, for alyou know, they may be injured innocent
and I the 'hateful' one. This may be m
way of getting into a rich old woman'
house to steal her jewels and money
making you a cat's paw."
"Don't!" Annesley cut him short. "I can
bear to hear you say such things. I trusyou becausesurely a woman can tell b
nstinct which men to trust. I don't nee
proof."
8/12/2019 Williamson a M - The Second Latchkey
130/797
"By Jove!" he exclaimed, his eyes fixe
upon her face. "You are the kind of gir
whose faith could turn Lucifer back fro
devil into archangel. Iyou're a millioimes too good for