The Lost Ambassador written by E. Phillips Oppenheim

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A private room! Well, that was something, at any rate!

"You do not know his name or where he comes from?" I asked.

The man shook his head, glancing nervously towards the interior of the
restaurant.

"The other gentleman?" I asked.

"I do not know his name, sir," the man declared with emphasis. "He has
been here once or twice, but always alone."

I put the half-sovereign in my pocket and drew out a sovereign. The
man stretched out an eager hand which he suddenly dropped. He pointed
down the street. The swing door of the restaurant remained closed, but
over the soiled white curtain I also could see the face of the
proprietor peering out.

"It is the second turn to the left," the man said to me.

"And if you want that sovereign made into five," I said carelessly,
"my name is Captain Rotherby, and I am going from here to Claridge's
Hotel."

I walked down the street and left him looking after me. At the corner
I glanced around. The proprietor and the _commissionnaire_ were
talking together on the pavement.

CHAPTER XXV

PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC

The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him,
in an unusually cheerful frame of mind. He talked with more interest
of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any
rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home. Toward the
end of dinner I asked him a question.

"Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"

He stared at me for a moment.

"Why, at any of the diplomatic receptions, I suppose," he said, seeing
that I was in earnest. "He is rather a pal of Freddy's. Why don't you
ring up and ask him?"

"I will, the moment after dinner," I answered.

"Why this sudden interest in Orientalism?" Ralph asked curiously.

"Curiously enough, it is apropos of these Deloras," I answered. "I
called to-day, but only found the girl in. The man I saw later with a
Chinaman whom I believe to be the ambassador."

"What is the girl like?" my brother asked.

"Charming!" I answered. "I am writing Aunt Mary to invite her down to
Feltham. The difficulty seems to be to get hold of Delora."

"So you've written Aunt Mary, eh?" Ralph remarked, looking up at
me. "Austen, I believe you're gone on the girl!"

"I believe I am," I admitted equably. "So would you be if you saw
her."

Ralph half closed his eyes for a moment. It was a clumsy speech of
mine!

"Seriously, Austen," he continued, a few moments later, "have you ever
thought of marrying?"

"Equally seriously, Ralph," I answered, "not until I met Felicia
Delora."

"Felicia Delora!" my brother repeated. "It's a pretty name, at any
rate. I suppose I must go and see her myself."

"Wait for a day or two, Ralph," I begged. "She is a little upset just
now. Her uncle seems to be neglecting her for some precious scheme of
his."

"I wonder if, by any chance, you are in earnest, Austen?" my brother
asked.

"I should not be surprised," I admitted.

"It's an interesting subject, you know," Ralph continued gravely.
"Considering my accident, and other things which we need not allude
to, I think we may take it for granted that there's no chance of my
ever having an heir. It's our duty to look ahead a little, you know,
Austen. There isn't any manner of doubt that some time between now and
the next ten years you will have to take up my place. I only hope you
won't make such a hash of it."

"Don't talk rubbish, Ralph!" I answered.

"It isn't rubbish," he said firmly. "You go and talk to my doctor if
you don't believe me. However, I hadn't meant to say anything about
this to-night. Your mentioning the girl put it into my head.
I want you, of course, to know that I am not forgetful of my
responsibilities. Your two thousand a year may do you very well as a
bachelor, but you are heir apparent to the title now, and if you
should think of marrying, the Fakenham estates are yours, and the
house. They bring in between six and seven thousand a year, I
think,--never less."

"It's very good of you, Ralph,--" I began.

"It's nothing of the sort," he answered. "It's your rightful position.
The Fakenham estates have been held by the heir apparent for
generations. Tell me a little about this Miss Delora."

"I'll bring her to see you presently, Ralph," I answered.

"You are in earnest, then?" he remarked, with a smile.

"I believe so," I answered.

He looked at me once more, searchingly.

"There is something on your mind, Austen," he said,--"something
bothering you. I believe it is about these Deloras, too. Is there
something about them which you can't understand, eh?"

"There is, Ralph," I admitted. "You saw what Dicky said. They are
people of consequence in their own country, at any rate, yet over here
the man seems to behave like a hunted criminal."

"Dicky also said," Ralph remarked, "that the man was intrusted with
some business over here for his government. Nasty underhand lot, those
republics of the Southern Hemisphere. I dare say he is driven to be a
bit mysterious to carry the thing through."

"I shall know more about it soon, I hope," I answered. "I'll go and
ring Freddy up, if you don't mind, now."

Ralph nodded.

"I'm off to my room, at any rate, old chap," he said. "Groves is going
abroad for a month's holiday, and he has brought some papers for me to
look through. See you some time to-morrow."

I made my way into the little sitting-room which belonged to the suite
of rooms my brother had placed at my disposal. There I rang up Lord
Frederic Maynard, my first cousin, and a junior member of the
government. The butler told me that Lord Frederic was dining, but
would doubtless speak to me for a moment. In a minute or two I heard
his familiar voice.

"Freddy," I said, "I want to meet the Chinese ambassador."

"Eleven till one to-night here," he answered. "What the devil do you
want with him?"

"Do you mean that he is coming to your house to-night?" I asked.

"Exactly," Freddy answered. "We've a political reception,
semi-diplomatic. I saw our old friend only yesterday, and he reminded
me that he was coming."

"You're a brick, Freddy!" I answered. "I'll be round."

"You have not answered my question," he reminded me.

"I'll tell you later," I answered, and rang off.

I was at Maynard House very soon after eleven, and, after chatting for
a little while with my hostess, I hung around near the entrance,
watching the arrivals. About midnight His Excellency the Chinese
ambassador was announced, and I felt a little thrill of exultation. I
was right! The tall, powerful-looking man whom I saw bowing over my
cousin's hand was indeed the person whom I had seen with Delora a few
hours ago. I ran Freddy to ground, and presently I found myself also
bowing before His Excellency. He regarded me through his horn-rimmed
spectacles with a benign and pleasant expression. I had been in the
East, and I talked for a few moments upon the subjects which I thought
would interest him.

"Your Excellency, I dare say, is well acquainted with London," I
remarked, apropos of something he said.

"I know your great city only indifferently," he answered. "I am
always anxious to take the opportunity of seeing more of it."

"Last evening, for instance," I remarked, "Your Excellency was, I
think, exploring a very interesting neighborhood."

"Last evening," he repeated. "Let me think. No, not last evening,
Captain Rotherby! I was giving a little dinner at my own house."

I looked at him for a moment in silence. There was nothing to be
learned from his expression.

"I thought," I said, "that I saw your Excellency in a street near
Shaftesbury Avenue, leaving a small foreign restaurant,--the Cafe
Universel. Your Excellency was with a man named Delora."

Very slowly the ambassador shook his head.

"Not me!" he said. "Not me! I did dine with the younger members of the
Legation in Langham Place. What name did you say?"

"A man named Delora," I repeated.

Once more the ambassador shook his head, slowly and thoughtfully.

"Delora!" he repeated. "The name is unknown to me. There are many
others of my race in London now," he continued. "The costume, perhaps,
makes one seem like another to those who look and pass by."

I bowed very low. It was the most magnificently told lie to which I
had ever listened in my life! His Excellency smiled at me graciously
as I made my adieux, and passed on. Despite my disappointment, I felt
that I was now becoming profoundly interested in my quest. The
evidence, too, was all in favor of Delora. It seemed, indeed, as
though this undertaking in which he was involved might, after all, be
connected with other things than crime!

CHAPTER XXVI

NEARLY

It was past one o'clock in the morning when I returned to the hotel,
yet the porter who admitted me pointed toward the figure of a man who
stood waiting in the dimly lit hall.

"There is a person here who has been waiting to see you for some
hours, sir," he said. "His name is Fritz."

"To see me?" I repeated.

The man came a step forward and saluted. I recognized him at once. It
was the _commissionnaire_ at the Cafe Universel.

"It is quite right," I told the porter. "You had better come up to my
rooms," I added, turning to Fritz.

I led the way to the lift and on to my sitting-room. There I turned up
the electric lights and threw myself into an easy-chair.

"Well, Fritz," said I, "I hope that you have brought me some news."

"I have lost my job, sir," the man answered, a little sullenly.

"How much was it worth to you?" I asked.

"It was worth nearly two pounds a week with tips," he declared,
speaking with a strong foreign accent.

"Then I take you into my service at two pounds ten a week from
to-night," I said. "The engagement will not be a long one, but you may
find it lucrative."

The man fingered his hat and looked at me stolidly.

"I am not a valet, sir," he replied.

"If you were I should not employ you," I answered. "You can make
yourself very useful to me in another direction, if you care to."

"I am very willing, sir," the man declared,--"very willing indeed. I
have a wife and children, and I cannot afford to be out of
employment."

"Come, then," I said. "The long and short of it is this. I want to
discover the whereabouts of the man who was with the Chinaman at your
restaurant last evening."

The man looked at me with something like surprise in his face.

"You do not know that?" he said.

"I do not," I admitted. "Your business will be to find out."

"And what do I get," the man asked, "if I do discover the staying
place of that gentleman?"

"A ten-pound note," I answered, "down on the nail."

A slow smile suffused Fritz's face.

"I will tell you now," he said. "You have the ten pounds, so?"

"I have it ready," I answered, rising to my feet. "Come on, Fritz, you
are a brave fellow, and I promise you it shall not end at ten pounds."

"You are serious?" Fritz persisted. "This is not a joke?"

"Not in the least," I assured him. "Why should you think so?"

The smile on the man's face broadened.

"Because," he said, "that gentleman--he is staying here, in this very
hotel."

For a moment I was silent. The thing seemed impossible!

"How on earth do you know that, Fritz?" I asked.

"I will tell you," Fritz answered. "There was a night, not long ago,
when he did come to the restaurant with the Chinese gentleman. They
talked for a long time, and then I was sent for into the private room
where they were taking dinner. The gentleman he wrote a note and he
gave it to me. He said, 'You will take a hansom cab and you will drive
to Claridge's Hotel. You will give this to the cashier, and he will
hand you a small parcel which you will bring here.' I told him that I
could not leave my post, but he had already seen the proprietor. So I
came to this very hotel with that note, and I did take back to the
restaurant a small parcel wrapped in brown paper."

"Fritz," I said, "sit down in that easy-chair and help yourself to
whiskey and soda. I am sorry that I have not beer, but you must do the
best you can with our own national drink. Take a cigar, too. Make
yourself quite comfortable. I am going downstairs to the reception
office. If I find that what you have told me is true, there will be
two five-pound notes in my hand for you when I come back."

"So!" Fritz declared, accepting my hospitality with calm satisfaction.

I descended into the hall of the hotel and made my way to the
reception office. The one clerk on duty was reading a novel, which he
promptly laid aside at my approach. It occurred to me that my task,
perhaps, might not prove so easy, as Delora would scarcely be staying
here under his own name.

"I wanted to ask you," I said, "if you have a gentleman here named
Delora."

The man shook his head.

"There is no one of that name in the hotel, sir," he answered.

"I scarcely expected that there would be," I remarked. "The fact is,
the gentleman whom I want to find, and whom I know is or was staying
here, is using another name which I have not heard. You know who I
am?"

"Certainly, Captain Rotherby!" the man replied. "You are Lord
Welmington's brother."

"You will understand, then," I said, "that if I ask questions which
seem to you impertinent, I do so because the matter is important, and
not from any idle curiosity."

"Quite so, sir," the man answered. "I shall be pleased to tell you
anything I can."

"This gentleman of whom I am in search, then," I answered, "he would
have arrived probably last Wednesday evening from the Continent. I do
not know what name he would give, but it would probably not be the
name of Delora. He is rather tall, pale, thin, and of distinctly
foreign appearance. He has black eyes, black imperial, and looks like
a South American, which, by the bye, I think he is. Does that
description help you to recognize him?"

"I think so, sir," the man answered. "Do you happen to know whether,
by any chance, he would be a friend of the Chinese ambassador?"

"I should think it very likely," I answered. "He is staying here,
then?"

"He was staying here until a few hours ago, sir," the man answered.
"He came in about ten o'clock and went at once to his rooms, sent for
his bill, and left the hotel in a great hurry. I remember the
circumstance particularly, because he had said nothing about his
going, and from the manner of his return and his hasty departure it is
quite clear that he had not expected to leave so soon himself."

I was a little staggered. It seemed hard luck to have so nearly
succeeded in my search, only to have failed at the last moment. It was
maddening, too, to think that for all these hours I had been in the
same hotel as the man whom I so greatly desired to find!

"Tell me, did he leave any address?" I asked.

"None whatever, sir," the man answered. "Our junior clerk here asked
him where he would wish letters to be forwarded, and he replied that
there would not be any. I think he said that he was leaving for abroad
almost at once, but would call before he sailed in case there were any
letters or messages for him."

"Tell me under what name he stayed here?" I asked.

"Mr. Vanderpoel," the man told me.

"He was quite alone, I suppose?" I asked.

"Absolutely," the man answered. "He had a few callers at different
times, but he spent most of his time in his rooms. If you are
particularly anxious to discover his whereabouts," the clerk
continued, "the night porter who would have started him off is still
on duty."

"I should like very much to speak to him," I said.

The clerk touched a bell, and the porter came in from outside.

"You remember Mr. Vanderpoel leaving this evening?" the clerk asked.

"Certainly, sir," the man answered. "He went at about eleven o'clock."

"Did he go in a cab?" the clerk asked.

"In a four-wheeler, sir," the porter answered.

"Do you remember what address he gave?"

The porter looked dubious for a moment.

"I don't absolutely remember, sir," he said, "but I know that it was
one of the big railway stations."

The clerk turned to me.

"Is there anything else you would like to ask?" he inquired.

I shook my head.

"No, thanks!" I answered. "I am afraid there is nothing more to be
learned."

The porter went back to his duties, and I bade the clerk good
night. Up in my room Fritz was waiting anxiously.

"You were right and wrong," I announced. "Mr. Delora has been staying
here and left to-night."

"He has gone!" Fritz exclaimed.

"He left at eleven o'clock," I answered. "He saw me, and I suppose he
knew that I was looking for him. Here's half your money, anyhow," I
continued, giving him a five-pound note. "The next thing to do is to
find out where he has gone to. I think you could help here, Fritz."

"What must I do?" the man asked.

"First of all," I said, "go to the big railway hotels and try and find
out from one of the porters--you Germans all stick together--whether
any one arrived in a four-wheel cab at between eleven and twelve this
evening, whose description coincides with that of Mr. Delora. I reckon
that will take you most of to-morrow. When you have finished come to
me at the Milan Court, and let me know how you have got on."

"So!" the man remarked, rising from his seat. "To-morrow morning I will
do that. They will tell me, these fellows. I know many of them."

"Good night, Fritz, then!" I said. "Good luck!"

CHAPTER XXVII

WAR

Early on the following morning I moved back to my rooms in the Milan
Court. Curiously enough I entered the building with a sense of
depression for which I could not account. I went first to my own rooms
and glanced at my letters. There was nothing there of importance. In
other words, there was nothing from Felicia. I descended to the fifth
floor and knocked at the door of her room. As I stood there waiting I
was absolutely certain that somehow or other a change had occurred in
the situation, that the freeness of my intercourse with Felicia was
about to be interfered with. I was not in the least surprised when the
door was at last cautiously opened, and a woman who was a perfect
stranger to me stood on the threshold, with the handle of the door
still in her hand.

"I should like to see Miss Delora," I said. "My name is Captain
Rotherby."

The woman shook her head. She was apparently French, and of the
middle-class. She was dressed in black, her eyes and eyebrows were
black, she had even the shadow of a moustache upon her upper lip. To
me her appearance was singularly forbidding.

"Miss Delora cannot see you," she answered, with a strong foreign
accent.

"Will you be so good as to inquire if that is so?" I answered. "I
have an appointment with Miss Delora for this morning, and a motor-car
waiting to take her out."

"Miss Delora cannot receive you," answered the woman, almost as though
she had not heard, and closed the door in my face.

There was nothing left for me but to go down and interview my friend
the hall-porter. I commenced my inquiries with the usual question.

"Any news of Mr. Delora, Ashley?" I asked.

"None at all, sir," the man replied. "A companion has arrived for Miss
Delora."

"So I have discovered for myself," I answered. "Do you know anything
about her, Ashley?"

The man shook his head.

"She arrived here yesterday afternoon," he said, "with a trunk. She
went straight up to Miss Delora's room, and I have not seen them apart
since."

"Do they come down to the cafe?" I asked.

"So far, sir," the man answered, "they have had everything served in
their sitting-room."

I went back to my room and rang up number 157. The voice which
answered me was the voice of the woman who had denied me admission to
the room.

"I wish to speak to Miss Delora," I said.

"Miss Delora is engaged," was the abrupt answer.

"Nonsense!" I answered. "I insist upon speaking to her. Tell her that
it is Captain Rotherby, and she will come to the telephone."

There was a little whirr, but no answer. The person at the other end
had rung off. By this time I was getting angry. In five minutes time I
rang up again. The same voice answered me.

"Look here," I said, "if you do not let me speak to Miss Delora, I
shall ring up every five minutes during the day!"

"Monsieur can do as he pleases," was the answer. "I shall lay the
receiver upon the table. It will not be possible to get connected."

"Do, if you like," I answered, "but how about when Mr. Delora rings
you up?"

The woman muttered something which I did not catch. A moment
afterwards, however, her voice grew clear.

"That is not your business," she said sharply.

I tried to continue the conversation, but in vain. Nothing came from
the other end but silence. I busied myself for a time glancing at a
few unimportant letters, and afterwards descended to lunch in the
cafe. I fancied, for a moment, that Louis' self-possession was less
perfect than usual. He certainly showed some surprise when he saw me,
and he came to my table with a little less alacrity.

"Louis," I said, "I shall order my lunch from some one else, not from
you."

"Monsieur has lost confidence?" he asked.

"Not in your judgment, Louis," I answered.

Louis looked me straight in the eyes. It was not a practice which he
often indulged in.

"Captain Rotherby," he said, "you should be on our side. It would not
be necessary then to interfere with any of your plans."

He looked at me meaningly, and I understood.

"It is you, Louis, I presume, whom I have to thank for the lady
upstairs?" I remarked.

Louis shrugged his shoulders.

"Why do you seek the man Delora?" he asked. "What concern is it of
yours? If you persist, the consequences are inevitable."

"If you will take the trouble to convince me, Louis,--" I said.

Louis interrupted me; it was unlike him. His little gesture showed
that he was very nearly angry.

"Monsieur," he said, "sometimes you fail to realize that at a word
from us the hand of the gendarme is upon your shoulder. We would make
use of your aid gladly, but it must be on our terms--not yours."

"State them, Louis," I said.

"We will tell you the truth," Louis answered slowly. "You shall
understand the whole business. You shall understand why Delora is
forced to lie hidden here in London, what it is that he is aiming
at. When you know everything, you can be an ally if you will. On the
other hand, if you disapprove, you swear upon your honor as a
gentleman--an English gentleman--that no word of the knowledge which
you have gained shall pass your lips!"

"Louis," I said, "I will have my lunch and think about this."

Louis departed with his customary smile and bow. I ordered something
cold from the sideboard within sight, and a bottle of wine which was
opened before me. There scarcely remained any doubt in my mind now but
that some part of Delora's business, at any rate, in this country, was
criminal. Louis' manner, his emphatic stipulation, made it a matter of
certainty. Again I found myself confronted by the torturing thought
that if this were so Felicia could scarcely be altogether innocent.
Once when Louis passed me I stopped him.

"Louis," I said, "let me ask you this. Presuming things remain as they
are, and I act independently, do you intend to prevent my seeing Miss
Delora?"

"It is nothing to do with me," Louis lied. "It is the wish of her
uncle."

"Thank you!" I answered. "I wanted to know."

I finished my luncheon. Louis saw me preparing to depart and came up
to me. My table was set in a somewhat obscure corner, and we were
practically alone.

"I will ask you a question, Louis," I said. "There is no reason why
you should not answer it. There are laws from a legal point of view,
and laws from a moral point. From the former, I realize that I am, at
this moment, a criminal--possibly, as you say, in your power. Let that
pass. What I want you to tell me is this,--the undertaking in which
Mr. Delora is now engaged, is it from a legal point of view a criminal
one, or is it merely a matter needing secrecy from other reasons?"

Louis stood thoughtfully silent for some few moments.

"Monsieur," he said at last, "I will not hide the truth from you.
According to the law in this country Mr. Delora is engaged in a
conspiracy."

"Political?" I asked.

"No!" Louis answered. "A conspiracy which is to make him and all
others who are concerned in it wealthy for life."

"But the Deloras are already rich," I remarked.

"Our friend," Louis said, "has speculated. He has lost large sums.
Besides, he loves adventures. What shall you answer, Captain
Rotherby?"

"It is war, Louis," I said. "You should know that. If I have to pay
the penalty for taking the law into my hands over the man Tapilow, I
am ready to answer at any time. As for you and Delora, and the others
of you, whoever they may be, it will be war with you also, if you
will. I intend, for the sake of the little girl upstairs, to solve all
this mystery, to take her away from it if I can."

Louis' eyes had narrowed. The look in his face was almost enough to
make one afraid.

"It is a pity," he said. "Even if you had chosen to remain neutral--"

"I should not do that unless I could see as much of Miss Delora as I
chose," I interrupted.

"If that were arranged," Louis said slowly,--"mind, I make no
promises,--but I say if that were arranged, would it be understood
between us that you stopped your search for Mr. Delora, and abandoned
all your inquiries?"

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