Dennis Wheatley - The White Witch of the South Seas

`Next moment I was out of his bure and running hell for leather through the village to save myself. I need not recount what happened after that. You, dear friend, saved me from being killed or captured and we reached this boat together.'

For a few moments Gregory was silent; then he said, `What has happened tonight has created an entirely new situation. That, through entirely unforeseen circumstances, you failed to secure the help of Roboumo's warriors for an attack on the Pigalle is most unfortunate. But a new factor has emerged that just might turn the tide in our favour. If the White Witch is Roboumo's prisoner, and is being used by him under hypnotism as a helpless stooge, we now have a chance to prove him a fraud and discredit him with his followers. I can't yet see how this can be used against Lacost; but I am sure there is a way that it can, if only we can think of it.'

By then the dinghy was nearing the anchorage outside the harbour at which the Boa Viagem lay. James had the little boat go alongside, so that he could board the yacht, and let Olinda know that he had returned safely from his visit to Roboumo's island. As he went up the ladder to the deck of the yacht, Gregory called after him

`Just tell her that you are all right, James; then come down to the boat again. Tonight is the night when we play the final hand against Lacost. Don't you dare linger with her. I'm not yet clear in my mind about what we ought to do; but we've got to take some sort of action, and without your authority I can do nothing.'

Impressed by Gregory's earnestness, James remained for only five minutes with Olinda, then returned to the boat. Ten minutes later it put them ashore, and a quarter of an hour's walk up the hill brought them to the Royal bure.

The aged doorman had long since gone to his bed, all the able bodied servants were members of the body guard and were still a quarter of an hour's march away. It did not surprise them to see that the paraffin lamps had been left burning in the main bure, but as they entered they were taken aback to see Hamie Baker sitting in an armchair with a glass of rum clasped in his horny hand.

`What the devil are you doing here?' Gregory asked.

Hamie gave a sheepish grin, got to his feet and replied, `I bin left here, baas, as a sort o' go between. Mr. Lacost, he got to know somehow that when I reported sick and slipped ashore I'd spilled the beans to you what were goin' on; so he thought I'd serve as a good sort o' mouth piece.'

That,' replied Gregory, `was quite a sound decision. Well, what has he told you to tell us?'

`You got him worried,' Hamie said, solemnly nodding his head. `He's got friends in the town he pays to let him know what goes on. 'S'evening he learned that a gunboat was being sent from Noumea to collar him an' his pals. The Frenchies wouldn't have had much on him 'bout gettin' up the treasure, provided he'd paid their tax. But you an' the Ratu attackin' the Pigalle lars' evenin' made things very different. Ter keep the stuff he's got he had ter shoot a lot of the islanders an' maybe one or two gendarmes. That 'ull have made the Frenchies mad as hatters. So for him there's only way out. He's got to have that licence wot Mrs. de Carvalho holds transferred to him, and pre dated. Then he could claim that he'd done no more than fight off pirates who were tryin' ter rob him of his legitimate gains. See?

'Yes, I see,' Gregory agreed. `He has let himself and his friends in for the death penalty if they are caught. And, believe me, he will be. You'll be for it, too, since you failed to take my advice, and rejoined him.'

`No: Hamie gave a twisted grin. `Not me, baas. I were still malingering' at the hospital when the attack on the Pigalle took place… I rejoined her only this mornin' ter claim the money wot they owed me. And my! You should see wot they got up. Gold is worth sixteen pounds an ounce these days, an' they've salvaged half a ton of it, not ter mention crosses, crooks, mitres an' whatnot, stuck all over with jewels like plums in a Christmas puddin'. But no one's got anything on me. That's why Mr. Lacost left me here to be his mouthpiece.'

'O.K., then; you are in the clear. But why should Lacost suppose that we would persuade the Senhora de Carvalho to make the licence over to him?'

Hamie's mouth twisted into a toothsome grin. `Because, baas, he's kidnapped your missus. He an' his pals come here an' took Mrs. Sallust off to their yacht. I bin left ter tell yer that unless yer goes aboard the Pigalle by two o'clock this mornin' an' hands him that licence dated three days back, he's goin' ter pull her toenails out an' slice off them pretty ears she's got. You still has two hours ter work in, but you'd better get on wi' this job.'

`The swine,' James burst out. `My God, if I could only get my hands on him! And as for you, I'll…' Breaking off, he strode towards Hamie, obviously intending to seize him by the throat.

Whipping a pistol from his hip pocket, Hamie snarled, `Keep off, Ratu! Another step an' I'll drill yer full o' holes.'

As James halted, Gregory said to him, `There is nothing to be gained by trying to take it out on Baker. He is simply a go between. Lacost left him here to deliver his ultimatum only because if he had set it down on paper it would have incriminated him. Of course he is right that, had the licence really been transferred to him three days ago, he would have had fair reason to assume that our attack on the Pigalle was an attempted act of piracy; and that, somehow, we had managed to fool the gendarmes into putting up a front for us. After all, anyone who thought he was about to be robbed of

many thousands of pounds' worth of treasure and had only a handful of men to protect it against a force of three score armed natives could plead justification in firing to drive them off before giving them a chance to come alongside and swarm aboard.'

`Perhaps you are right,' James agreed reluctantly. `But when the gunboat from Noumea arrives and we tell our story, with Elboeuf to support us, the warship will give chase.'

`If we do let Lacost have a pre dated transfer of the licence how can we prove that we did not make a secret deal with him without Elboeuf knowledge? Lacost, too, is quite shrewd enough to leave a letter for Elboeuf, giving a guarantee that he will pay up the ten per cent tax to the French Government as soon as he has had time to dispose of the treasure.'

`In any case, the gunboat will pursue the Pigalle. The Government in New Caledonia could not ignore the killing of a gendarme and a number of my people. They will regard it as essential to hold a full inquiry, and that could not be held without the interrogation of the men responsible.'

Gregory nodded. `About that I 'entirely agree. But you have to catch your hare before you can cook it. If Lacost sails tonight he may disappear for good. Even if he and his pals are caught such an inquiry would take weeks. If he has said that he will pay the tax and he holds the licence I think the odds are against the Colons being convicted.'

`I suppose they are.' James gave a heavy sigh. `The question is, what do we do now? We can't possibly leave Manon to be subjected to hideous tortures. As I think I told you, Olinda made the licence over to me two nights ago. So we can go off to the Pigalle right away and ransom Manon with it. On the other hand, to attack the ship during the hours of darkness would be very different from exposing ourselves again in daylight. So I feel sure my body guard would jump at the chance to avenge their comrades. When they get back we could set off with them at once and, with luck, both rescue Manon and capture these filthy Colons. But there is the risk that if we attack they may kill Manon before we can get her. So it is for you to say. My feeling is that we must throw in our hand and let Lacost have this accursed licence: