The Albert Gate Mystery | Page 2

ill-cleaned my boots, and bungled
over the studs in my shirts. This morning a letter came with the crest
and the Northallerton postmark. Really, Smith, considering that you
have now breathed the same air as myself for eight long years, I did not
expect to be called on for an explanation. Besides, you have destroyed
a masterpiece."
"Sir----" began Smith.

"Oh, I understand; there is nothing broken but your reputation. Don't
you see that the mere placing of the newspaper at a distance, so that
you might have a chance to speak before I opened it, was a subtle
stroke, worthy of Lecocq. Yet you demand feeble words. What a pity!
Know, Smith, that true genius is dumb. Speech may be silvern, but
silence is surely golden."
The barrister solemnly unfolded the paper, and Smith faded from the
room. On a page usually devoted to important announcements, the
following paragraphs stood forth in the boldness of leaded type:--
"MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE IN THE WEST END.
"An affair of some magnitude--perhaps a remarkable crime--has taken
place in an Albert Gate mansion.
"Owing to the reticence of the authorities, it is at present impossible to
arrive at a definite conclusion as to the nature or extent of the incident,
but it is quite certain that public interest will be much excited when
details are forthcoming. All sorts of rumours attain credence in the
locality, the murder of several prominent persons being not the least
persistent of these. Without, however, giving currency to idly
speculation, several authentic statements may be grouped into a
connected form.
"Four weeks ago a party of Turkish gentlemen of high rank in
Constantinople, arrived in London and took up their abode in the house
in question, after some structural alterations, pointing at great security
within and without, had been planned and executed.
"Attending these Turkish gentlemen, or officials, was a numerous suite
of Moslem guards and servants, whilst, immediately following their
arrival, came from Amsterdam some dozen noted experts in the
diamond-cutting industry. These were lodged in a neighbouring private
hotel, where they were extremely uncommunicative as to their business
in London. They were employed during the day at the Albert Gate
house. The presence in the mansion, both day and night, of a strong
force of Metropolitan police, tended to excite local curiosity to an

intense degree, but no clear conception of the business of the occupants
was allowed to reach the public.
"Whatever it was that took place, the full particulars were not only well
known to the authorities--the presence of the police hints even at
Governmental sanction--but matters proceeded on normal lines until
yesterday morning.
"Then it became clear that a remarkable development must have
occurred during the preceding night, as the whole of the Dutch
workmen and the Turkish attendants were taken off in cabs by the
police, not to Morton Street Police Station, but to Scotland Yard; this in
itself being a most unusual course to adopt. They are unquestionably
detained in custody, but they have not yet been charged before a
magistrate.
"The police, later in the day, carried off some of these men's personal
belongings, from both hotel and mansion.
"A sinister aspect was given to the foregoing mysterious proceedings
by the presence at Albert Gate, early in the day, of two police surgeons,
who were followed, about twelve o'clock, by Dr. Tennyson Coke, the
greatest living authority on toxicology.
"Dr. Coke and the other medical gentlemen subsequently refused to
impart the slightest information as to the reasons that led the police to
seek their services, and the Scotland Yard authorities are adamant in
the matter.
"The representative of a news agency was threatened with arrest for
trespass when he endeavoured to gain admission to the Albert Gate
house, and it is quite evident that the police are determined to prevent
the facts from leaking out at present--if they can by any means
accomplish their wishes."
Brett read this interesting statement twice slowly. It fascinated him. Its
very vagueness, its admissions of inability to tell what had really
happened, its adroit use of such phrases as "Turkish gentlemen of high

rank," "Noted experts in the diamond-cutting industry," "The greatest
living authority on toxicology," betrayed the hand of the disappointed
journalistic artist.
"Excellent!" he murmured aloud. "It is the breath of battle to my
nostrils. I ought to tip Smith for my breakfast. Had I read this earlier, I
would not have eaten a morsel."
He carefully examined the page at the back. It contained matter of no
consequence--a London County Council debate--so he took a pair of
scissors from his pocket and cut out the complete item, placing the slip
as a votive offering in front of a finely-executed bust of Edgar Allen
Poe, that stood on a bookcase behind him.
Within three minutes the