By Wit of Woman Read online

  CHAPTER II

  A CHESS OPENING

  "If your Excellency makes that move I must mate in three moves."

  His Excellency's long white fingers were fluttering indecisively abovethe bishop and were about to close upon it, when I was guilty of sopresumptuous a breach of etiquette as to warn him.

  He was appropriately shocked. He fidgeted, frowned at me, and thensmiled. It was one of those indulgent smiles with which a great man iswont to favour a young woman in his employment.

  "Really, I don't think so," he replied; and having been warned by onewhose counsel he could not condescend to rank very high, he did whatmost men would do under the circumstances. He made the move out ofdoggedness.

  I smiled, taking care that he should see it.

  The mate was perfectly apparent, but I was in no hurry to move. I hadmuch more in view just then than the mere winning of the game. Thetime had arrived when I thought the Minister and I ought to come to anunderstanding.

  "Your Excellency does not set enough store by my advice," I saidslowly. "But there are reasons this evening. Your thoughts are not onthe game."

  "Really, Miss Gilmore! I am sorry if I have appeared preoccupied." Heaccompanied the apology with a graceful, deprecatory wave of his whitehand. He was very proud of the whiteness of his hands and the grace ofmany of his gestures. He studied such things.

  "I am not surprised," I said. "The solution of the mystery of thoselost ducal jewels must naturally be disturbing."

  His involuntary start was sufficiently energetic to shake the table onwhich the board was placed, and to disturb one or two of the pieces.He looked intently at me, and during the stare I put the pieces upontheir squares with unnecessary deliberation. Then I lifted my eyes andreturned his look with one equally intent.

  Some of the family jewels of the Duke Ladislas of Kremnitz had beenstolen a few days before, and the theft had completely baffled theofficials of the Government from His Excellency, General von Erlanger,downwards. It had been kept absolutely secret, but--well, I had madeit my business to know things.

  "It has been a very awkward affair," I added, when he did not speak.

  "Shall we resume our game, Miss Gilmore?" The tone was stiff. Heintended me to understand that such matters were not for me to discuss.

  I made the first move toward the mate and then said--

  "Chess is a very tell-tale game, your Excellency. The theft occurredseven days ago, and for six of them you have been so preoccupied that Ihave won every game. To-night you have been alternately smiling anddepressed; it is an easy inference, therefore, that the solution of themystery is even more troublesome than the mystery itself. In point offact, I was sure it would be."

  Instead of studying his move, he began to fidget again; and presentlylooked across the board at me with another of his condescending,patronizing smiles.

  "The loss you may have heard spoken of, but you cannot know anythingmore. What, pray, do you think the solution is?" It never entered hisclever head that I could possibly know anything about it.

  "I think you have been an unconscionable time in discovering what waspalpably obvious from the outset."

  He frowned. He liked this reply no better than I intended. Then thefrown changed to a sneer, masked with a bantering smile, but all thesame unmistakable.

  "It is a serious matter for our Government to fall under your censure,Miss Gilmore."

  "I don't think it is more stupid than other Governments," I retortedwith intentional flippancy. I was not in the least awed by his eminentposition, while he himself was, and found it difficult therefore tounderstand me. This was as I wished.

  "Americans are very shrewd, I know, especially American ladies, who arealso beautiful. But such matters as this----" and he waved his whitehand again loftily; as though the problem would have baffled the wisdomof the world--any wisdom, indeed, but his.

  Now this was just the opening I was seeking. I had only becomegoverness to his two girls in order to make an opportunity for myself.I used the opening promptly.

  "Will your Excellency send for your daughter, Charlotte?"

  He started as if I had stuck a pin in him. If you wish to interest aman, you must of course mystify him.

  "For what purpose?"

  "That you may see there is no collusion."

  "I don't understand you," he replied. I knew that as clearly as I sawhe was now interested enough to wish me to do so. I let my fingersdawdle among the chessmen during a pause intended to whet hiscuriosity, and then replied:

  "I wish you to ask her to bring you a sealed envelope which I gave hersix days ago, the day after the jewels disappeared."

  "It is very unusual," he murmured, wrinkling his brows and pursing hislips.

  "I am perhaps, not quite a usual person," I admitted, with a shrug.

  He sat thinking, and presently I saw he would humour me. His browsstraightened out, and his pursed lips relaxed into the indulgent smileonce more.

  "You are a charming woman, Miss Gilmore, if a little unusual, as yousay;" and he rang the bell.

  "You have not moved, I think," I reminded him; but he sat back, notlooking at the board and not speaking until his daughter came. Iunderstood this to signify that I was on my trial.

  "Miss Gilmore gave you a sealed envelope some days ago, Charlotte," hesaid to her. "She wishes you to bring it to me. Has it really anyconnexion with this case?" he asked, as soon as she had left to fetchit.

  I laughed.

  "How could it, your Excellency? What could a girl in my position, hereonly a few weeks, possibly know about such a thing?"

  As this was the thought obviously running in his own mind, he had nodifficulty in assenting to it politely.

  "Then what does this mean?" he asked, with a little fretful frown ofinquisitiveness.

  "I am only proving my self-diagnosis as a somewhat unusual person.Will you move now?"

  He bent forward and scanned the pieces; but his thoughts were notfollowing his eyes, and with an impatient gesture he leaned back again.I continued to study the board as though the game were all in all to me.

  "You are pleased to be mysterious, Miss Gilmore;" he said, his tone amingling of severity, sarcasm and irritation. I was to understand thata man of his exalted importance was not to be trifled with. "Iappreciate greatly your valuable services, but I do not like mysteries."

  I raised my eyes from the board as if reluctantly.

  "I am unlike your Excellency in that. They have a distinct attractionfor me. This has." I indicated the mate problem with my hand, but myeyes contradicted the gesture. He believed the eyes, and again moveduneasily in his chair. "It is naturally an attractive problem. I havemoved, you know."

  He was a very legible man for all his diplomatic experience; and thelittle struggle between his sense of dignity and piqued curiosity wasquite amusing. But I was careful not to show my amusement. Nothingmore was said until the envelope had been brought and Charlotte sentaway again.

  He toyed with it, trying to appear as if it were part of some sillychildish game to which he had been induced to condescend in order toplease me.

  "What shall I do with this?"

  "Suppose you open it?" I said, blandly.

  He shrugged his shoulders, waved his white hand, lifted his eyebrowsand smiled, obviously excusing himself to himself for his participationin anything so puerile; and then opened it slowly.

  But the moment he read the contents his manner changed completely. Hisclear-cut features set, his expression grew suddenly tense withastonishment, his lips were pressed close together to check theexclamation of surprise that rose to them; even his colour changedslightly, and his eyes were like two steel flints for hardness as helooked up from the paper and across the chessmen at me.

  I enjoyed my moment of triumph.

  "It is your Excellency's move," I said again, lightly. "It is a mostinteresting position. This knight----"

  He waved the game out of consideration im
patiently.

  "What does this mean?" he asked, almost sternly.

  "Oh, that!" I said, with a note of disappointment, which I changed toone of somewhat simpering stupidity. "I was trying my hand at adaptingthe French proverb. I think I put it '_Cherchez le Comte Karl el laComtesse d'Artelle_,' didn't I?"

  "Miss Gilmore!" he exclaimed, very sharply.

  I made a carefully calculated pause and then replied, choosing my wordswith deliberation: "It is the answer to your Excellency's question asto my opinion of the solution. If you have followed my formula, youhave of course found the jewels. The Count was the thief."

  "In God's name!" he cried, glancing round as though the very furnituremust not hear such a word so applied.

  "It was so obvious," I observed, with a carelessness more affected thanreal.

  He sat in silence for some moments as he fingered the paper, and thenstriking a match burnt it with great deliberation, watching itjealously until every stroke of my writing was consumed.

  "You say Charlotte has had this nearly a week?"

  "The date was on it. I am always methodical," I replied, slowly. "Imeant to prove to you that I can read things."

  His eyes were even harder than before and his face very stern as hepaused before replying with well-weighed significance:

  "I fear you are too clever a young woman to have further charge of mytwo daughters, Miss Gilmore. I will consider and speak to you later."

  "I agree with you, of course. But why later? Why not now? My objectin coming here was not to be governess to your children, but to enterthe service of the Government. This is the evidence of my capacity;and it is all part of my purpose. I am not a good teacher, I know; butI can do better than teach."

  He listened to me attentively, his white finger-tips pressed together,and his lips pursed; and when I finished he frowned--not in anger butin thought. Presently a slight smile, very slight and rather grim,drew down the corners of his mouth. And then I knew that I hadmatriculated as an agent of the Government.

  "Shall we finish the game, your Excellency?"

  "Which?" he asked laconically, a twinkle in the hard eyes.

  "It is of course for your Excellency to decide."

  "You are a good player, Miss Gilmore. Where did you learn?"

  "I have always been fond of problems."

  "And good at guessing?"

  "It is not all guessing--at chess," I replied, meaningly. "One has tosee two or three moves ahead and to anticipate your opponent's moves."

  A short laugh slipped out. "Let us play this out. You may have made amiscalculation," he said, and bent over the board.

  "Not in this game, your Excellency."

  "You are very confident."

  "Because I am sure of winning."

  He grunted another laugh and after studying the position, made a move.

  "I foresaw your Excellency's move. It is my chance. Check now, ofcourse, and mate, next move."

  "I know when I am outplayed," he said, with a glance. "I resign. Andnow we will talk. You play a good game and a bold one, Miss Gilmore,but chess is not politics."

  "True. Politics require less brains, the stakes are worth winning, andmen bar women from competing."

  "It is rare to find girls of your age wishing to compete."

  "I am twenty-three," I interjected.

  "Still, only a girl: and a girl at your age is generally looking for alover instead of nursing ambitions."

  "I have known men of your Excellency's age busy at the same sport,"said I. "Besides, I may have been a girl," I added, demurely; takingcare to infuse the suggestion with sufficient sentiment.

  "And now?" he asked, bluntly.

  "I am still a girl, I hope--but with a difference."

  "You are not thinking of making a confidant of an old widower like me,are you?"

  "No, I am merely laying before you my qualifications."

  "You know there is no room for heart in political intrigue? Tell me,then, plainly, what do you wish to do?"

  "To lend my woman's wit to your Excellency's Government for a fairrecompense."

  "What _could_ you do?"

  There was a return to his former indulgent superiority in the questionwhich nettled me.

  "I could use opportunities as your agents cannot."

  "How? By other clever guesses?"

  "It was no guess. I have seen the jewels in Madame d'Artelle'spossession."

  He tried not to appear surprised, but the effort was a failure.

  "I have been entertaining a somewhat dangerous young woman in my house,it seems," he said.

  "It was ridiculously easy, of course."

  "Perhaps you will explain it to me."

  "A conjuror does not usually give away his methods, your Excellency.But I will tell this one. Feeling confident that Count Karl had stolenthe jewels, and that his object would only be to give them to theCountess, I had only to gain access to her house to find them. I founda pretext therefore, and went to her, and--but you can probably guessthe rest."

  "Indeed, I cannot."

  It was my turn now to indulge in a smile of superiority.

  "I am surprised; but I will make it plainer. I succeeded ininteresting her so that she kept me in the house some hours. I wasable to amuse her; and when I had discovered where she kept her chieftreasures, the rest was easy."

  "You looked for yourself?"

  "You do me less than justice. I am not so crude and inartistic in mymethods. She showed them to me herself."

  "Miss Gilmore!" Disbelief of the statement cried aloud in hisexclamation.

  "Why not say outright that you find that impossible of credence? Yetit is true. I mean that I led her to speak of matters whichnecessitated her going to that hiding-place, and interested her untilshe forgot that I had eyes in my head, so that, in searching forsomething else, she let me see the jewels themselves."

  "Could you get them back?" he asked, eagerly.

  I drew myself up and answered very coldly.

  "I have failed to make your Excellency understand me or my motives, Ifear. I could do so, of course, if I were also--a thief!"

  "I beg your pardon, Miss Gilmore," he exclaimed quickly, adding with atouch of malice. "But you so interested me that I forgot who you were."

  "It was only an experiment on my part; and so far successful that I wonthe Countess' confidence and she has pressed me to go to her."

  "You didn't refer her to me for your credentials, I suppose?" he said,his eyes lighting with sly enjoyment.

  "She asked for no credentials."

  "Do you mean that you talked her into wanting you so badly as to takeyou into her house without knowing anything about you?"

  "May I remind your Excellency that I was honoured by even yourconfidence in giving me my present position without any credentials."

  He threw up his hands.

  "You have made me forget that in the excellent discretion with whichyou have since justified my confidence. I have indeed done you lessthan justice."

  "The Countess thinks that, together, we should make a strongcombination."

  "You must not go to her, Miss Gilmore--unless at least----"

  He paused, but I had no difficulty in completing his sentence.

  "That is my view, also--unless at least I come to an understanding withyou beforehand. It will help that understanding if I tell you that Iam in no way dependent upon my work for my living. I am an American,as I have told you, but not a poor one; and my motive in all this hasno sort of connexion with money. As money is reckoned here, I amalready a sufficiently rich woman."

  "You continue to surprise me. Yet you spoke of--of a recompense foryour services?"

  "I am a volunteer--for the present. I shall no doubt seek a returnsome time; but as yet, it will be enough for me to work for yourGovernment; to go my own way, to use my own methods, and to rely onlyupon you where I may need the machinery at your disposal. My successshall be my own. If I succeed, the benefit
s will be yours; if I fail,you will be at liberty to disavow all connexion between us."

  He sat thinking over these unusual terms so long that I had to dig inthe spur.

  "The Countess d'Artelle is a more dangerous woman than you seem atpresent to appreciate. She is the secret agent of her Government. Shehas not told me that, or I should not tell it to you; but I know it.Should I serve your Government or hers? The choice is open to me."

  He drew a deep breath.

  "I have half suspected it," he murmured; then bluntly: "You must notserve hers."

  "That is the decision I was sure you would make, General. We will takeit as final."

  "You are a very remarkable young woman, Miss Gilmore."

  "And now, a somewhat fatigued one. I will bid you good-night. I am nolonger your daughter's governess, but will remain until you have foundmy successor."

  "You will always be a welcome guest in my house," and he bade megood-night with such new consideration as showed me I had impressed himquite as deeply as I could have wished. Perhaps rather too deeply, Ithought afterwards, when I recalled his glances as we parted.