THE RED LODGE
A Mystery of Campden Hill
BY
VICTOR BRIDGES
GARDEN CITY NEW YORK
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
1924
COPYRIGHT, 1924, BY
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES
AT
THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.
First Edition
TO
MARGARET
BOOKS BY
VICTOR BRIDGES
Another Man's Shoes
Greensea Island: A Mystery of the Essex Coast
Mr. Lyndon at Liberty
Rogue by Compulsion
The Cruise of the Scandal and Other Stories
The Lady from Long Acre
The Man from Nowhere
The Red Lodge
THE RED LODGE
A Mystery of Campden Hill
CHAPTER ONE
A dark green Rolls-Royce limousine slid round thecorner of Sydney Place and, proceeding a few hundredyards along the Fulham Road, drew up in front ofSt. Christopher's Hospital. It had scarcely stoppedbefore the door opened and its solitary occupant—atall, well-dressed man of about fifty—stepped out onto the pavement.
"You can wait here, Simmons," he said, addressingthe chauffeur. "I shan't be more than a few minutes."
The porter on duty, who was talking to a friend inthe hall, touched his cap respectfully as the newcomerhurried past him in the direction of the main staircase.
"See that bloke, Fred?" he whispered, jerking histhumb after the retreating figure. "That's Sir GeorgeOnslow, that is. Some pore beggar's for it, you cantake my word."
"Well, thank Gawd 'e ain't a-goin' to 'ack meabout," returned the other. "Pack o' butchers, all thelot of 'em, if they gets 'alf a chance."
Unconscious of having been the cause of this somewhatdrastic criticism of his profession, the famoussurgeon mounted rapidly to the second landing, wherea long, bare, distempered corridor stretched away ineither direction. Choosing the one on the left, hecame to a halt in front of a white door, on which thetwo words "House Surgeon" were neatly painted inblack letters, and, without troubling to knock, turnedthe handle and walked in.
A broad-shouldered, cheerful-looking young man,who was sitting at the table reading a medical book,glanced up carelessly at his entrance. On seeing whothe visitor was his expression changed, and with acertain air of surprise he rose quickly to his feet.
"Hullo, Sir George," he exclaimed. "We weren'texpecting you this morning."
The elder man stepped forward and offered hishand.
"Sorry to interrupt your studies, Gray," he said,smiling. "This isn't an official visit. I've just lookedin on a little private and personal matter."
The young house surgeon pulled forward a tatteredarmchair.
"Well, I'm delighted to see you, sir," he saidheartily. "Won't you take a pew?"
Sir George sat down, and, leaning forward, helpedhimself to a cigarette from the box which hiscompanion offered him.
"You were telling me about your plans a week ortwo ago," he said. "Have you come to any decisionyet?"
Gray, who was standing with his back to thefireplace, n