"But the driver, from the first, was suspicious of the box.His suspicions were increased when, upon returning to my apartment hotel, where I now decided to keep the box until I could think out a coherent plan of action, the manager of the hotel made inquiries.The manager had seen the box brought in, and taken out again, before.Its return struck him as odd.He offered to store it for me in the basement.I took alarm at once.Naturally, he questioned me more closely.I was unready in my answers.His inquiries excited and alarmed me.I felt that any instant I might do something to betray myself.I cut the manager short, paid my bill, got my luggage, and ordered the chauffeur to drive to the Grand Central Station.But when we had gone three or four blocks, I said to him: 'Stop!--I do not wish to go to the Grand Central Station.Drive me to Poughkeepsie!'I wished a chance to think.I knewPoughkeepsie was not far from New York City, but I supposed it was far enough to give me a chance to determine what to do next by the time we arrived there.
"But I could not think coherently.I could only feel and fear.The drive was longer than I had expected, but when we arrived at Poughkeepsie and the chauffeur asked me again what disposition to make of the box, I was unable to answer him.Thereupon he insolently demanded an enormous fare.
"I could not choose but pay it.For four days we went from place to place, in and about New York City's suburbs--now in town and now in the country--crossing rivers again and again on ferryboats--stopping at hotels, road houses and all manner of places--dashing through Brooklyn and out among the villages of Long Island--and with the fear on me that we were being followed.
"Elmer and I were continually on the lookout for some way to dispose of the box, but nothing presented itself.The driver, who had become more and more impudent in his attitude and outrageous in his charges, was now practically a spy upon us.The necessity for ice made frequent stops imperative; at the same time the increasing fear of pursuit made it agony for me to stop anywhere.
"Today, at a road house thirty or forty miles from here, I made certain that I was pursued.The very man from whom I had claimed the box at the railway goods station in Newark confronted me.It appears, from what Elmer says, that he is taking a holiday and is visiting his brother, who is the proprietor of the road house.
"And the person who is pursuing me is--a Miss Genevieve Pringle! "As fate would have it, there lives in Newark a person who reallyowns that name which I thought I had invented.It seems that she had been expecting a shipment, and had called to inquire for it; upon learning that a box had been delivered to a person in her name she had taken up the trail at once.Having somehow traced me to Long Island, she had actually made inquiries at this very road house some hours earlier.Therailway employee, I am certain, would have denounced me at once--he would have accused me of theft, and would have endeavored to have me held until he could get into communication with Miss Pringle or with the authorities--but I bought from him a promise of silence.It cost me another large sum.
"A few hours ago the chauffeur, divining from a conversation between Elmer and me that I was running short of ready money, deserted me here.You know the rest."Her voice trailed off into a tired whisper as she finished, and with her elbows on the table Lady Agatha wearily supported her head in her hands.Her attitude acknowledged defeat.She was despairingly certain that she would never see the last of the box which she believed to contain Reginald Maltravers.
