The Albert Gate Mystery | Page 7

examination, although the police were at first disinclined to meet
his wishes in the matter, he being, so to speak, their direct superior for
the time. Beneath the entrance-hall were rooms occupied by several
Turkish and other servants. Mehemet Ali himself, in the presence of his
secretaries, used to open the door leading to the suite of apartments in
which the diamond cutters worked, and two of the Turkish gentlemen
would remain there all day until the men left in the evening. The Envoy
and both secretaries used to meet Jack when he visited the place, and
for the last three weeks he had nothing to do but see the diamonds,
count them, drink an excellent cup of coffee, and smoke a wonderful
cigarette, made of some special Turkish tobacco, cultivated and
prepared only for the Imperial household."
"Ah!" sighed Brett, with a note of almost unconscious envy in his voice.
He knew exactly what that coffee and those cigarettes would be like. "I
beg your pardon," he went on, perceiving that Miss Talbot did not
understand his exclamation. "Will you tell me as nearly as you can the
occurrences of Monday evening?"
"They were simple enough," said the girl. "My brother dined at home.
We had one or two guests, and were all in the drawing room about 10
15, when a note came for him from Mehemet Ali. I know exactly what
was in it. I looked over his shoulder whilst he read it. The words were:
'I wish to see you to-night on important business. Come, if possible, at
once.' I have to tell you that it was in French, but this is an exact

translation."
"Your brother was quite sure that it was from Mehemet Ali himself?"
said Brett.
"Quite sure," was the reply. "He knew his handwriting well, having had
several communications from him during the progress of the business."
"Did your brother leave the house immediately?" asked Brett.
"That instant. He went downstairs, put on his overcoat and hat, and got
into a cab with the messenger who brought the note."
"Do you know who this messenger was?"
"One of the policemen on duty in the house itself."
A slight pause ensued, and Brett was about to take his departure,
having no further questions to ask at the moment, when some one was
heard hastily ascending the stairs, talking to a companion as he
advanced.
"This is my uncle," exclaimed Miss Talbot, rising to go to the door.
Before she could reach it an elderly gentleman entered, bearing upon
him all those distinguishing tokens that stamp a man as a retired
major-general.
He exclaimed impetuously--
"I have brought a gentleman from Scotland Yard, my dear." Then he
caught sight of Brett. "Who is this?"
Edith was about to explain, when another man entered--a strongly-built,
bullet-headed man, with keen eyes and firm mouth, and a curious
suggestion in his appearance of having combined pugilism with
process-serving as a professional means of existence. His face extended
into a smile when his eyes fell upon the barrister.
"Ah, Mr. Brett," he cried. "Now we have something to do that is up to

your mark. You are on the spot first, as usual, but this time I can
honestly say that I am glad to see you."
Sir Hubert Fitzjames glanced in astonishment from his niece to the
barrister. He could find nothing better to say than--
"This, my dear, is Mr. Winter, of Scotland Yard."
CHAPTER III
WHAT THE POLICE SAW
Brett promptly cleared the situation by explaining to Sir Hubert, in a
few words, the reason for his unexpected presence, and when the
Major-General learnt the name of the distinguished personage who had
sent Lord Fairholme to the barrister he expressed a ready acquiescence
in the desire to utilise his services. Nor was the effect of such a notable
introduction lost on Mr. Winter, whose earlier knowledge of the
barrister's remarkable achievements in unravelling the tangled skein of
criminal investigation was now supplemented by a certain amount of
awe for a man who commanded the confidence of His Majesty's
Government.
"Well," said Sir Hubert Fitzjames, with the brisk animation of one
accustomed to utter commands that must be instantly obeyed, "we will
now proceed to business."
For the moment no one spoke. The Scotland Yard detective evidently
wished his distinguished colleague to take the lead. No sooner did Brett
perceive this than he rose, bowed politely to Miss Talbot and her uncle,
and said--
"The first thing to do is to trace the whereabouts of Mr. Talbot, and this
should be a comparatively easy task. The other features of this strange
occurrence impress me as highly complex, but it is far too early a stage
in the investigation to permit any definite opinion being expressed at
this moment."

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