The Lost Ambassador written by E. Phillips Oppenheim

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Late that evening I sat with a whiskey and soda and final cigar in the
smoking-room. The evening papers had just arrived, brought by
motor-bicycle from Norwich. I found nothing to interest me in them,
but, glancing down the columns, my attention was attracted by some
mention of Brazil. I looked to see what the paragraph might be. It
concerned some new battleships, and was headed,--

LARGEST BATTLESHIPS IN THE WORLD!

It is not generally known, that there will be launched from the
works of Messrs. Halliday & Co. on the Tyne, within the next three
or four weeks, two of the most powerful battleships of the
"Dreadnought" type, which have yet been built.

There followed some specifications, in which I was not particularly
interested, an account of their armament, and a final remark,--

One is tempted to ask how a country, in the financial position of
Brazil, can possibly reconcile it with her ideas of national
economy, to spend something like three millions in battleships,
which there does not seem to be the slightest chance of her ever
being called upon to use!

Somehow or other this paragraph fascinated me. I read it over and over
again. I could see no connection between it and the visit of Delora to
Newcastle, especially accompanied as he was by the Chinese ambassador.
Yet the more I thought of it, the more I felt convinced that in some
way the two were connected. I put down the paper at last, and called
out of the room to a motoring friend.

"How far is it to Newcastle from here, Jacky?"

Jacky Dalton, a fair-haired young giant, one of the keenest sportsmen
whom I had ever met, and whose mind and soul was now entirely
dominated by the craze for motoring, told me with only a few moments'
hesitation.

"Between two hundred and two hundred and twenty miles, Austen," he
said, "and a magnificent road. With my new Napier, I reckon that I
could get there in six hours, or less at night, with this moon."

I walked to the window. Across the park the outline of the trees and
even the bracken stood out with extraordinary distinctness in the
brilliant moonlight. There was not a breath of air, although every
window in the house was open. We were having a few days of record
heat.

"Jove, what a gorgeous run it would be to-night!" Dalton said, with a
little sigh, looking out over my shoulder. "Empty roads, as light as
day, and a breeze like midsummer! You don't want to go, do you,
Austen?"

"Will you take me?" I asked.

"Like a shot!" he answered. "I only wish you were in earnest!"

"But I am," I declared. "If you don't mind missing the day's shooting
to-morrow I'd love to run up there. It's impossible to sleep with this
heat."

"It's a great idea," Dalton declared enthusiastically. "I'd love a day
off from shooting."

I turned to a younger cousin of mine, who had just come in from the
billiard-room.

"Dick," I said, "will you run things to-morrow if I go off motoring
with Dalton?"

"Of course I will," he answered. "It's only home shooting, anyway. I'd
rather like a day off because of the cricket match in the afternoon."

"Jacky, I'm your man!" I declared.

"We'll have Ferris in at once," he declared. "Bet you what you like
he's ready to start in a quarter of an hour. I always have her kept
ready tuned right up."

I rang the bell and sent for Jacky's chauffeur. He appeared after a
few minutes' delay,--a short, hard-faced young man, who before Jacky
had engaged him had driven a racing car.

"Ferris," his master said, "we want to start for Newcastle in half an
hour."

"To-night, sir?" the man asked.

"Certainly," Dalton answered. "I shall drive some of the way
myself. Everything is in order, I suppose?"

"Everything, sir," the man answered. "You can start in ten minutes if
you wish."

"Any trouble about petrol?" I asked.

"We carry enough for the whole journey, sir," the man answered. "I'll
have the car round at the front, sir, in a few minutes."

"Let's go up and change our clothes," Dalton said. "Remember we are
going to travel, Austen, especially up the north road. You will want
some thickish tweeds and an overcoat, although it seems so stifling
here."

I nodded.

"Right, Jacky!" I answered. "I'll be down in a quarter of an hour, or
twenty minutes at the most."

In less than half an hour we were off. It was only when the great car
swung from the avenue into the country lane that Jacky, who was
driving, turned toward me.

"By the bye," he asked, "what the devil are we going to Newcastle
for?"

I laughed.

"We are going to look at those new battleships, Jacky," I answered.

He stared at me.

"Are you in earnest?"

"Partly," I answered. "Let's say we are going for the ride. It's worth
it."

Dalton drew a long breath. We were rushing now through the silent
night, with a delicious wind, strong and cool, blowing in our faces.

"By Jove, it is!" he assented.

CHAPTER XXXI

AN INTERESTING DAY

It was a little after seven o'clock the next morning when we turned
into the courtyard of the County Hotel in Newcastle. Immediately in
front of us was the car in which we had seen Delora on the previous
afternoon. The chauffeur was at work upon it, and although he looked
up at our entrance, he paid no particular attention to us.

I blew through the whistle to Ferris.

"Back out of the yard at once," I said, "and go to another hotel."

Dalton looked at me in surprise.

"Forgive my ordering your chauffeur about," I said, as we glided
backwards into the street. "That's the car we've come up after, and I
don't want the people who travelled in it to know that we are on their
heels."

Dalton whistled softly.

"So we are on a chase, are we?" he asked. "You might tell me about it,
Austen."

"I can't," I answered. "It's altogether too indefinite. I shouldn't
tell you anything which would sound like common sense except
this,--that I am exceedingly curious, for several reasons, to know
what those two men who came up in that car have to do in Newcastle."

"Who are they?" Dalton asked.

"One is a rich Brazilian named Delora, and the other the Chinese
ambassador," I answered.

The names seemed to convey nothing to my companion, who merely
nodded. We had now arrived at the other hotel, and the prospects of
breakfast were already claiming our attention. We sat down in the
coffee-room and attacked our bacon and eggs and coffee with zest.

"How long do you want to stay here?" Dalton asked.

"I am not quite sure," I answered. "Look here, Jacky," I continued,
"supposing I wanted to stay all day and to go back to-night, so that
we got home to breakfast to-morrow morning, would that be too long for
you?"

"That would do me splendidly," Dalton declared. "I have never been in
this part of the world, and I should like to look round. We must be
back for to-morrow morning, you know, because all those fellows are
coming to shoot from Horington's."

I nodded.

"We will make that the latest," I said.

Jacky left me, a few minutes later, to visit the local garage. Without
any clear idea as to what was best to be done, I still felt that I was
justified in making a few inquiries as to the cause of Delora's
presence in Newcastle with that particular companion. I went to the
telephone, therefore, and rang up the County Hotel. I asked to speak
to the manager, who came at once to the instrument.

"I understand," I said, "that the Chinese ambassador has just arrived
at your hotel. Would you be so kind as to ask him whether he would
consent to be interviewed as to the reasons of his visit?"

I waited several minutes for a reply. When it came it was at least
emphatic. The visit of the ambassador, the manager told me, was
entirely a private one. He was simply on a motor tour with a friend,
and they had called at Newcastle as it was an interesting city which
the ambassador had never seen. He declined most firmly to have
anything to do with any interviewer.

The reply being exactly what I had expected, I was not in the least
disappointed.

"Perhaps," I said to the manager, "you can tell me how long he is
staying."

"I have no idea, sir," the manager answered. "They have just ordered a
carriage to make a call in the town."

I thanked him, and left the hotel at once on foot. When I arrived near
the County Hotel a four-wheel cab was drawn up at the entrance. From a
safe distance I stood watching it, and in a few minutes I saw the
ambassador and Delora come swiftly out of the hotel and step inside.
I waited till they had driven off, and then crossed the road to where
the hall-porter was still standing on the pavement. I put five
shillings into his hand.

"I am a reporter," I said. "Can you tell me where the ambassador has
gone to?"

He smiled, and touched his hat.

"They are going to the offices of Messrs. Halliday & Co., the great
shipbuilders, in Corporation Street," he answered.

I thanked him, and walked slowly away. I found plenty of material for
thought, but it seemed to me that there was nothing more which I could
do. Nevertheless, I walked along towards the address which the porter
had given me, and found, as I had expected, that the cab was standing
empty outside. Opposite was a small public-house. I went in, ordered
a whiskey and soda, and lit a cigarette. Then I sat down facing the
window. Half an hour passed, and then an hour. It was one o'clock
before the two men reappeared. They were accompanied by a third
person, whom I judged to be a member of the firm, and who entered the
cab with them. On the pavement they were accosted by a young man in
spectacles, who look off his hat and said a few words to the
ambassador. The latter, however, shaking his head, stepped into the
cab. The young man pushed forward once more, but the cab drove off. As
soon as it had turned the corner I hurried out and addressed him.

"His Excellency does not care to be spoken to," I remarked.

The reporter--his profession was quite obvious--shook his head.

"I only wanted a word or two," he said, "but he would not have
anything to say to me."

"I wonder if he is going to look over any of the ships that are
building," I remarked.

"There is nothing much in the yards," the young man said, "except the
two Brazilian battleships. I don't think that Hallidays are allowed to
show any one over them unless they have a special permit from the
Brazilian Government."

I nodded.

"Fine ships, aren't they?" I asked.

"The finest that have ever left the Tyne," the young man answered
enthusiastically. "What a little country like Brazil can possibly want
with the most powerful warships in the world no one can guess. Are you
on a London paper?" he asked me.

I nodded.

"I have followed them all the way down here," I said, "but they have
not a word to say. By the bye," I added, "did you know that the
gentleman with the Chinese ambassador was a very prominent Brazilian?"

The reporter whistled softly.

"I wonder what that means!" he said. "It sounds interesting, somehow."

"Come and have a drink," I said.

He accepted at once.

"What paper are you on?" he asked, as we crossed the street.

"To be honest with you," I replied, "I am not on a paper at all. I am
not even a reporter. I am interested in the visit of these two men to
Newcastle for more serious reasons."

The young man looked at me thoughtfully. He slipped his arm through
mine as though he intended never to let me go. Evidently he scented a
story.

"I suppose," he said, "you mean that you are a detective?"

"No!" I answered, "scarcely that. I can only tell you that it is my
business to watch the movements of those two men."

I could see from his manner that he believed me to be a government
spy, or something of the sort. We ordered our drinks and then turned,
as though by common consent, once more to the window. A motor-car was
drawn up in front of the place, and an elderly man was descending
hurriedly.

"Hullo!" the reporter exclaimed. "That's Mr. Halliday, the head of the
firm! They must have telephoned for him. He never comes down except on
a Thursday. Let's watch and see what happens."

The shipbuilder entered his offices, and was gone for about a quarter
of an hour. When he reappeared he was followed by two clerks, one of
whom was carrying a great padlocked portfolio under each arm, and the
other a huge roll of plans. They entered the motor-car and drove off.

"Come on," I said, finishing my drink hurriedly, "they are off to the
County Hotel."

We took a hansom at the corner of the street, and, sure enough, when
we arrived at the hotel Mr. Halliday's motor-car was waiting outside.
We went at once into the office, where my companion was quite at home.

"Who's with the Chinaman?" he asked the manager, who greeted him
cordially.

"A whole crowd," he answered. "First of all, Dickinson--Halliday's
manager--came back with him, and the old man himself has just arrived
with a couple of clerks."

"What's the game, do you suppose?" the reporter asked.

The hotel manager shrugged his shoulders.

"We're hoping it means orders," he said. "We can do with
them. Hallidays could put on another twelve hundred men and not be
crowded, and China's about the most likely customer they could get
hold of just now."

"Which sitting-room are they in?" my friend asked.

"Number 12," the manager answered. "I can't do anything for you,
though, Charlie," he added. "I'd do anything I could, but they have
given special orders that no one is to interrupt them, and they
decline to be interviewed by or communicate with any strangers."

"I shall see the thing out, nevertheless," my friend announced.

"And I," I answered. "Let's have lunch together. Is there a smart boy
in the place who could let us know directly any one leaves the
sitting-room?"

The manager smiled.

"Mr. Sinclair knows all about that, sir," he said, pointing to my
friend. "I have nothing to say about it, of course."

Sinclair left the room for a minute or two. When he came back he
nodded confidentially.

"I have a boy watching the door," he said. "The moment any one leaves
we shall hear of it."

We went into the restaurant and ordered lunch. In about half an hour a
small boy came hastily in and addressed Sinclair.

"They have ordered luncheon up in the sitting-room, sir," he said. "I
thought I'd better let you know."

"For how many?" Sinclair asked quickly.

"For four, sir," he answered. "I fancy the two clerks are coming
out. The door opened once, and they had their hats on."

"Run along," Sinclair said, "and let us know again directly anything
happens."

The boy returned almost at once.

"The clerks have left," he said. "The other four are going to lunch
together."

"Did the clerks take the plans with them?" I asked.

"Not all," the boy answered. "They left two portfolios behind."

We finished our luncheon and returned to the bar. It was more than two
hours before anything else happened. Then the boy entered a little
hurriedly.

"Mr. Halliday has telephoned for his car, and is just leaving, sir,"
he said. "The two gentlemen from London have just ordered theirs, and
I believe it looks as though Mr. Dickinson were going with them. He
has telephoned for a bag from his house."

I shook hands with my friend the reporter, and we parted company. I
left the hotel quickly and returned to the King's Arms, where we were
staying. I was lucky enough to find Jack just finishing lunch.

"I say, old man," I exclaimed, "I wish you'd start for home at once!"

"Right away!" he answered. "We'll ring for Ferris."

The chauffeur came in and received his orders. We got into our coats
and walked out toward the front door. Suddenly I drew Jacky back and
stood behind a pillar. A great touring car had turned the corner and
was passing down the street. In it were three men,--the Chinese
ambassador, Delora, and the man who had left the offices of
Messrs. Halliday with them.

"Is that the road to London?" I asked the porter.

"It is the way into the main road, sir," he answered,--"two hundred
and sixty-five miles."

They swung round the corner and disappeared. Our own car was just
drawing up. I turned to Jacky.

"We'd better wait a few minutes," I said, "and tell your man not to
overtake that car!"

Jacky looked at me in surprise. He was by no means a curious person,
but he was obviously puzzled.

"What a mysterious person you have become, Austen!" he said. "What's
it all about?"

"You will know some day," I answered, as we made ourselves
comfortable,--"perhaps before many hours are past!"

CHAPTER XXXII

A PROPOSAL

We arrived at Feltham at a few minutes past ten o'clock, having seen
nothing of the car which had left Newcastle a few minutes before
ours. Several times we asked on the road and heard news of it, but we
could find no sign of it having stopped even for a moment. Apparently
it had been driven, without pause for rest or refreshment, at top
speed, and we learned that two summonses would probably be issued
against its owners. Jacky, who was delighted with the whole
expedition, sat with his watch in his hands for the last few miles,
and made elaborate calculations as to our average speed, the distance
we had traversed, and other matters interesting to the owner of a
powerful car.

We were greeted, when we arrived, with all sorts of inquiries as to
our expedition, but we declined to say a word until we had dined. We
had scarcely commenced our meal before the butler came hurrying in.

"His Lordship is ringing up from London, sir," he said. "He wishes to
speak to you particularly. The telephone is through into the library."

I made my way there and took up the receiver without any special
interest. Ralph was fidgety these days, and I had no doubt that he had
something to say to me about the shooting. His first words, however,
riveted my attention.

"Is that you, Austen?" he asked.

"I am here," I answered. "How are you, Ralph?"

"I am all right," he said. "Rather better than usual, in fact. Where
on earth have you been to all day? I have rung up four times."

"I have been motoring with Jacky," I told him. "We have been for
rather a long run. Have you been wanting me?"

"Yes!" he answered. "I have had a very curious cable from Dicky which
I can't understand. I am sorry to bother you, but I think you had
better come up to town by the first train in the morning. It's
something to do with these Deloras."

"The devil it is!" I exclaimed. "I'll come, Ralph. I shall motor to
Norwich, and catch the eight o'clock. Could you give me an idea of
what it is?"

"I think I'd rather not over the telephone," Ralph declared, after a
moment's hesitation.

"Don't be an idiot!" I answered. "I am really very much interested."

"It's a queer business," Ralph said, "but it will keep until
to-morrow. I shall send the car for you to Liverpool Street, and you
had better come straight to me."

"Dicky is all right, I hope?" I asked.

"Dicky's all right," Ralph answered. "What sort of sport are you
having there?"

"Very fair," I answered. "Heggs sends you the figures every day, I
suppose?"

"Yes!" Ralph answered. "You seem to have done very well at the
birds. Till to-morrow, Austen!"

"Till to-morrow," I replied. "Good night, old chap!"

"Goodnight!"

I put down the receiver and went back to my dinner more than ever
puzzled. Ralph's summons, I felt, absolved me from any promise I might
have made to Delora, and I was looking eagerly forward to the morrow,
when I should be once more in London. What puzzled me, however, more
even than Dicky's message, was the extreme interest Ralph's tone
seemed to denote. His voice sounded quite like his old self.

"Jacky," I said, as we finished dinner, "will you lend me your car to
take me into Norwich to-morrow? I have to catch the eight o'clock
train to town."

"I'll lend it you with pleasure," Jacky said, looking at me in
amazement, "but what on earth's up?"

"Nothing," I answered. "Simply Ralph wants to see me. He isn't
particularly communicative himself, but he is very anxious that I
should go to town to-morrow. Somehow or other I have more confidence
in your Napier than in either of our cars when it comes to catching a
train at that time in the morning."

"I'll run you up to town, if you like," Jacky declared, in a burst of
good-nature.

"It isn't necessary," I answered. "I shall get up quicker by train,
and Ralph's going to meet me at Liverpool Street. Thanks, all the
same!"

Jacky lit a cigar.

"I'll go out and tell Ferris myself," he said.

Once more Jacky's car did not fail me. Punctually at a quarter to
eight we drove into Norwich Station yard. I breakfasted on the train,
and reached Liverpool Street a few minutes after eleven. I found
Ralph's big Panhard there, but Ralph himself had not come.

"His Lordship is expecting you at the hotel, sir," the chauffeur told
me. "He would have come down himself, but he was expecting a caller."

In less than half an hour I was in my brother's sitting-room. Ralph
greeted me cordially.

"Austen," he said, "I am not at all sure that I have not brought you
up on rather a fool's errand, but you seemed rather mystified yourself
about these Deloras. Here's the cable from Dicky. What do you make of
it? Must have cost him something, extravagant young beggar!"

He passed it across to me. I read it out aloud.

DELORA HERE PUZZLED NOT HEARING FROM BROTHER
SHOULD BE IN LONDON IMPORTANT BUSINESS FEARS
SOMETHING WRONG ALL CODED CABLES REMAIN UNANSWERED
INQUIRE MILAN HOTEL IF POSSIBLE FIND
DELORA BEG HIM CABLE AT ONCE IN CHALDEAN CODE.

I read the cable through three times.

"May I take this, Ralph?" I said. "I will go round to the Milan at
once."

"Certainly," Ralph answered. "I will leave the matter entirely in your
hands. It seems as though there were something queer about it."

"There is something queer going on, Ralph," I assured him. "I have
found out as much as that myself. Exactly what it means I can't
fathom. To tell you the truth, it has been taking a lot of my time
lately, and I know very little more than when I started."

"It's the young lady, I suppose," Ralph remarked thoughtfully.

I nodded.

"I am not over keen about interfering in other people's concerns,
Ralph," I said. "You know that. It's the girl, of course, and I am
afraid, I am very much afraid, that there is something wrong."

"Anyhow," Ralph said, "it doesn't follow that the girl's in it."

"I am jolly certain she isn't!" I said. "What bothers me, of course,
is that I hate to think of her being mixed up with anything shady. The
Deloras may be great people in their own country, but I'll swear that
our friend here is a wrong 'un."

"I suppose you are sure," Ralph said thoughtfully, "that he is
Delora--that he is not an impostor, I mean?"

"I thought of that," I answered, "but you see there's the girl. She'd
know her own uncle, wouldn't she? And she told me that she had seen
him on and off for years. No, he is Delora right enough! One can't
tell," I continued. "Perhaps the whole thing's crooked. Perhaps the
Deloras who seem to Dicky such charming people in their own country
are a different sort of people on this side. At any rate, I'm off,
Ralph, with that cable. I'll look you up as soon as I have found out
anything."

Ralph smiled.

"I don't believe," he said, "you are sorry to have an excuse for
having another turn at this affair."

"Perhaps not," I answered.

"Take the car," Ralph called out after me. "You may find it useful."

I drove first to the small hotel where I had last seen Delora. Here,
however, I was confronted with a certain difficulty. The name of
Delora was quite unknown to the people. I described him carefully,
however, to the landlady, and she appeared to recognize him.

"The gentleman you mean was, I think, a Mr. Henriquois. He left us the
day before yesterday."

"You know where he went to?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"He asked for a Continental time-table," she said, "but he gave no
address, nor did he tell any one of his intentions. He was a
gentleman that kept himself to himself," she remarked, looking at me a
little curiously.

I thanked the woman and departed. Delora was scarcely likely to have
left behind any reliable details of his intentions at such a place. I
drove on to the Milan, and entered the Court with a curious little
thrill of interest. The hall-porter welcomed me with a smile.

"Glad to see you back again, Captain Rotherby," he said. "Have you any
luggage?"

"None," I answered. "I am not sure whether I shall be staying."

"This morning's letters are in your room, sir," he announced.

I nodded. I was not particularly interested in my letters! I drew
Ashley a little on one side.

"Tell me," I said, "is Miss Delora still here?"

"She is still here, sir," Ashley announced.

"The companion also?" I asked.

"Yes, sir!" he answered. "I am not sure whether they are in, sir, but
they are still staying here."

"And Mr. Delora?" I asked,--"has he ever turned up yet?"

"Not yet, sir. The young lady said that they were expecting him now
every day."

"Telephone up and see if Miss Delora is in, Ashley," I asked.

He disappeared for a moment into his office.

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