The Black Box | Page 9

here, sir," Macdougal replied, "and my
attendance is not required early in the morning. I have made some

friends in the city and I usually go out to a restaurant and have some
supper."
"Quite natural," Mr. Quest agreed. "That will do, thanks."
Macdougal turned towards the door. Lenora was about to follow him
but Quest signed to her to remain.
"I should like to have a little conversation with you about your
mistress," he said to her pleasantly. "If you don't mind, I will ask you to
accompany me in my car. I will send the man back with you."
For a moment the girl stood quite still. Her face was already ghastly
pale. Her eyes alone seemed to indicate some fresh fear.
"I will go to my rooms and put on my hat," she said.
Quest pointed through the half-open door.
"That will be your hat and coat upon the bed there, won't it?" he
remarked. "I am sorry to hurry you off but I have another appointment.
You will send, of course, for the young lady's friends," he added,
turning to Mr. Marsham, "and cable her people."
"There is nothing more you can do, Mr. Quest?" the hotel manager
asked, a little querulously. "This affair must be cleared up for the credit
of my hotel."
Quest shrugged his shoulders. He glanced through the open door to
where Lenora was arranging her coat with trembling fingers.
"There will be very little difficulty about that," he said calmly. "If you
are quite ready, Miss Lenora. Is that your name?"
"Lenora is my name, sir," the girl replied.
They descended in the elevator together and Quest handed the girl into
his car. They drove quickly through the silent streets. The snow had
ceased to fall and the stars were shining brightly. Lenora shivered as

she leaned back in her corner.
"You are cold, I am afraid," Quest remarked. "Never mind, there will
be a good fire in my study. I shall only keep you for a few moments. I
dare not be away long just now, as I have a very important case on."
"There is nothing more that I can tell you," Lenora ventured, a little
fearfully. "Can't you ask me what you want to, now, as we go along?"
"We have already arrived," Quest told her. "Do you mind following
me?"
She crossed the pavement and passed through the front door, which
Quest was holding open for her. They stepped into the little elevator,
and a moment or two later Lenora was installed in an easy-chair in
Quest's sitting-room, in front of a roaring fire.
"Lean back and make yourself comfortable," Quest invited, as he took a
chair opposite to her. "I must just look through these papers."
The girl did as she was told. She opened her coat. The room was
delightfully warm, almost overheated. A sense of rest crept over her.
For the first moment since the awful shock, her nerves seemed quieter.
Gradually she began to feel almost as though she were passing into
sleep. She started up, but sank back again almost immediately. She was
conscious that Quest had laid down the letters which he had been
pretending to read. His eyes were fixed upon her. There was a queer
new look in them, a strange new feeling creeping through her veins.
Was she going to sleep?...
Quest's voice broke an unnatural silence.
"You are anxious to telephone some one," he said.
"You looked at both of the booths as we came through the hotel. Then
you remembered, I think, that he would not be there yet. Telephone
now. The telephone is at your right hand. You know the number."

She obeyed almost at once. She took the receiver from the instrument
by her side.
"Number 700, New York City."
"You will ask," Quest continued, "whether he is all right, whether the
jewels are safe."
There was a brief silence, then the girl's voice.
"Are you there, James?... Yes, I am Lenora. Are you safe? Have you
the jewels?... Where?... You are sure that you are safe.... No, nothing
fresh has happened."
"You are at the hotel," Quest said softly. "You are going to him."
"I cannot sleep," she continued. "I am coming to you."
She set down the receiver. Quest leaned a little more closely over her.
"You know where the jewels are hidden," he said. "Tell me where?"
Her lips quivered. She made no answer. She turned uneasily in her
chair.
"Tell me the place?" Quest persisted.
There was still no response from the girl. There were drops of
perspiration on her forehead. Quest shrugged his shoulders slightly.
"Very good," he concluded. "You need not tell me. Only remember this!
At nine o'clock to-morrow morning you will bring those jewels to this
apartment.... Rest quietly