The Trail of Fear Read Online Free PDF

your eyes, and… Go on; you know how to disguise yourself! Harrap, take this lot. Viv, you’d better take off those clothes and get into these breeches and things. Quick now! There’s a screen there, if you’re shy.” For the next few minutes there was silence as the four hurriedly dressed, broken only by exclamations of surprise from Sam and Harrap as they watched the transformation of Robinson into Carlyle.
    â€œDo you mean to tell me,” said Sam, a new note of respect in his voice, “that you’ve been disguised the whole time we knew you and that now, while we’re dolled up trying to look like someone else, you’ve only got to be yourself?”
    â€œThat’s the way of it,” replied Rezaire shortly, slipping an automatic into his pocket, his brain busy with schemes for getting out of the house, which, despite his confidence, he knew would be difficult. There would most certainly be men in the next garden watching the house they had left. Were he alone, he could probably walk out of the front door, even speaking to the policeman, it being his custom always to take the boldest and therefore the most unexpected line of action, but with these three hanging to him like lumps of lead on a float, everything was different.
    Vivienne, already dressed and looking like a handsome boy, was nervously playing with the machine fixed on the typewriter switching it on and off. She alone had not expressed surprise at the transformation of James Robinson, for she alone knew the real Jimmie Rezaire. Harrap was looking in admiration at the headless Warwickshire Regiment. Sam was putting the last swift touches to his disguise. The whole affair had taken only a few minutes. Out in the street they could hear shouting and a noise of tramping in the next house.
    â€œSo this is how the stuff came in,” murmured Harrap. “Gee, you’re a wonder. Don’t you want to hide this?”
    â€œNo, that’s all done with now. Let ’em find it if they like. Are we all ready?”
    â€œNow, listen to me,” said Long Sam, once more aggressively suspicious. He walked up to Rezaire. “We’re in your hands entirely. If you think you’re just going to get us out of the house and then push off yourself, you’re bloody well mistaken. You’ve got to see us through.”
    â€œYes, yes,” chimed in Harrap eagerly, closing up like a jackal behind Sam.
    â€œThat’s all right, Sam,” said Rezaire hurriedly, the old fear creeping over him. “I’ll do my best for you and I haven’t been beaten yet. I’ve got a plan of escape fixed, right away to the continent. If I get through I’ll take you with me.”
    â€œTell us where it is,” said Harrap, “in case we get separated.”
    â€œNo,” said Rezaire in determined fashion, “I won’t.”
    â€œBut you may get caught and not us?”
    â€œIn that case, you’ll never know what my plan was. See here,” he went on swiftly, perceiving a way of stopping treachery on their part at any rate. “I’m going to insure that you play straight with me.” He suddenly pulled the all important letter from his pocket. “This is my plan written down in this letter, and I’m going to keep it. You’ve got to guard it—and me too.”
    â€œWell of all the…” began Sam.
    â€œYou’ll come on my terms or not at all. This is my plan and if I get caught and can’t use it, you won’t either. On the other hand, if you’re caught, you’re not going to have the chance of betraying me.”
    There was a tense silence in the room. In the next house noise could be faintly heard.
    â€œWell,” said Sam at last, who saw that he was in earnest, “I suppose we’ll have to. But just you listen to me. As I’ve said before, if you try to double-cross me I’ll cut you up with this knife till your own