The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea Read Online Free Page B

girls for his show, the artistes, everything. Rambeau,” added Rollison, “is a good friend of mine. He agreed to let me represent him. So I’ve spread the word that I’m looking for girls for the greatest cabaret in France, and—”
    â€œHope this girl you seek will apply?” boomed Simon.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd no?”
    â€œShe hasn’t. A lot of girls have, though. There have been times when it’s hardly been safe to go out alone,” continued Rollison, smiling faintly. “I think I’ve seen every would-be leg-show all-show girl in Nice, Cannes, Menton, Monte Carlo, and a surprising lot of other places. I’ve seen them from the age of fifteen to four-score and fifteen. I swear one was nearer a hundred than ninety, yet still able to dance. I’ve seen hundreds upon hundreds, Simon, and the girl wasn’t among them.”
    Simon considered all this, and then declared: “It is sad, but you will never find her.”
    â€œI’m not so sure about that,” said Rollison very softly. “I’m not at all sure, Simon Leclair. I’ve asked for her by name, just casually—I asked some of the girls if they’d ever met her, saying that if they had it would be worth their while to tell me. No one told me, but” – he tapped the letter – “I had this message—and someone tried to run me down. And I came across a beggar who says that he saw her near here, only last week.”
    â€œLast week?”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Rollison. “I don’t say that I’d vouch for the beggar in a court of law, but he looks honest, and his eyes are always open for the main chance. He says that the girl whose photograph I showed him was at the far end of the promenade, alone, last week. He was there, he has a niche where he sleeps, and was going to it. The girl was frightened—”
    â€œFrightened?” interjected Simon.
    â€œYes. He says that he asked her if he could be of any help, and she just stared at him, then burst into tears. Then a car drew up, a man jumped out, flung him a thousand francs, and told him the girl was having boy-friend trouble. This man drove the girl away.” Rollison paused; then picked up another cigarette and lit it. “The beggar and I together have seen the three bodies which have been washed up this week within the boundaries of Nice, Cannes, and Monte Carlo. The girl wasn’t among them.”
    â€œYou pay this beggar?” asked Simon abruptly.
    â€œA little.”
    â€œTo a beggar, your little may be a fortune,” said Simon wisely. “He might tell you all this so that you would keep on paying him. Let me deal with this beggar. I shall be able to tell you whether he is telling the truth.”
    â€œLater, perhaps,” promised Rollison. “Simon, there were two girls this morning. I’d seen them both when they came for an audition. Very nice,” he added, almost as an aside; and there was a reminiscent smile at his lips. “Very nice indeed; quite ready to show off their charms to Rambeau’s agent, when their beauty of figure could speak for itself. They were on the promenade. They wanted to speak to me. They didn’t because they dared not. I wish I knew why.”
    â€œWhy do you think?” demanded Simon.
    â€œYou mean, what do I guess?” Rollison hesitated, and said firmly: “I think they’re being watched. I think that one of them sent me the note saying she’d be here at twelve and stayed away because she was afraid to keep the appointment. Or else she was prevented. I don’t like anything that’s going on.”
    â€œBut—” began the clown, and stopped.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œThe attempt to run you down suggests that you are beginning to learn,” declared Simon, rubbing his great hands together and making a noise that was peculiarly his own; it could sound through a packed