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diff --git a/9297-8.txt b/9297-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e438bf7 --- /dev/null +++ b/9297-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9429 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Orange-Yellow Diamond, by J. S. Fletcher + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Orange-Yellow Diamond + +Author: J. S. Fletcher + +Posting Date: August 31, 2012 [EBook #9297] + +Release Date: November, 2005 + +First Posted: September 17, 2003 + +[Last updated: February 16, 2015] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ORANGE-YELLOW DIAMOND *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard Prairie and PG +Distributed Proofreaders. + + + + + + + + + + + + THE + + ORANGE-YELLOW + + DIAMOND + + BY + + J. S. FLETCHER + + + 1921 + + + + +CONTENTS + + I THE PRETTY PAWNBROKER + + II MRS. GOLDMARK'S EATING-HOUSE + + III THE DEAD MAN + + IV THE PLATINUM SOLITAIRE + + V THE TWO LETTERS + + VI THE SPANISH MANUSCRIPT + + VII THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT + + VIII THE INQUEST + + IX WHOSE WERE THOSE RINGS? + + X MELKY INTERVENES + + XI THE BACK DOOR + + XII THE FRIEND FROM PEEBLES + + XIII THE CALL FOR HELP + + XIV THE PRIVATE LABORATORY + + XV CONFERENCE + + XVI THE DETECTIVE CALLS + + XVII WHAT THE LAMPS SHONE ON + + XVIII MR. STUYVESANT GUYLER + + XIX PURDIE STANDS FIRM + + XX THE PARSLETT AFFAIR + + XXI WHAT MANNER OF DEATH? + + XXII MR. KILLICK GOES BACK + + XXIII MR. KILLICK'S OPINION + + XXIV THE ORANGE-YELLOW DIAMOND + + XXV THE DEAD MAN'S PROPERTY + + XXVI THE RAT + + XXVII THE EMPTY HOUSE + + XXVIII THE £500 BANK NOTE + + XXIX MR. MORI YADA + + XXX THE MORTUARY + + XXXI THE MIRANDOLET THEORY + + XXXII ONE O'CLOCK MIDNIGHT + + XXXIII SECRET WORK + + XXXIV BAFFLED + + XXXV YADA TAKES CHARGE + + XXXVI PILMANSEY'S TEA ROOMS + + XXXVII CHANG LI + + XXXVIII THE JEW AND THE JAP + + XXXIX THE DIAMOND NECKLACE + + +THE ORANGE-YELLOW DIAMOND + + +CHAPTER ONE + + +THE PRETTY PAWNBROKER + +On the southern edge of the populous parish of Paddington, in a +parallelogram bounded by Oxford and Cambridge Terrace on the south, +Praed Street on the north, and by Edgware Road on the east and Spring +Street on the west, lies an assemblage of mean streets, the drab +dulness of which forms a remarkable contrast to the pretentious +architectural grandeurs of Sussex Square and Lancaster Gate, close by. +In these streets the observant will always find all those evidences of +depressing semi-poverty which are more evident in London than in any +other English city. The houses look as if laughter was never heard +within them. Where the window blinds are not torn, they are dirty; the +folk who come out of the doors wear anxious and depressed faces. Such +shops as are there are mainly kept for the sale of food of poor +quality: the taverns at the corners are destitute of attraction or +pretension. Whoever wanders into these streets finds their sordid +shabbiness communicating itself: he escapes, cast down, wondering who +the folk are who live in those grey, lifeless cages; what they do, what +they think; how life strikes them. Even the very sparrows which fight +in the gutters for garbage are less lively than London sparrows usually +are; as for the children who sit about the doorsteps, they look as if +the grass, the trees, the flowers, and the sunlight of the adjacent +Kensington Gardens were as far away as the Desert of Gobi. Within this +slice of the town, indeed, life is lived, as it were, in a stagnant +backwash, which nothing and nobody can stir. + +In an upper room of one of the more respectable houses in one of the +somewhat superior streets of this neighbourhood, a young man stood +looking out of the window one November afternoon. It was then five +o'clock, and the darkness was coming: all day a gentle, never-ceasing +rain had been bringing the soot down from the dark skies upon the +already dingy roofs. It was a dismal and miserable prospect upon which +the watcher looked out, but not so miserable nor so dismal as the +situation in which he just then found himself. The mean street beneath +him was not more empty of cheerfulness than his pockets were empty of +money and his stomach of food. He had spent his last penny on the +previous day: it, and two other coppers, had gone on a mere mouthful of +food and drink: since their disappearance he had eaten nothing. And he +was now growing faint with hunger--and to add to his pains, some one, +downstairs, was cooking herrings. The smell of the frying-pan nearly +drove him ravenous. + +He turned from the window presently and looked round at the small room +behind him. It was a poor, ill-furnished place--cleanliness, though of +a dingy sort, its only recommendation. There was a bed, and a +washstand, and a chest of drawers, and a couple of chairs--a few +shillings would have purchased the lot at any second-hand dealer's. In +a corner stood the occupant's trunk--all the property he had in the +world was in it, save a few books which were carefully ranged on the +chimney-piece, and certain writing materials that lay on a small table. +A sharp eye, glancing at the books and the writing materials, and at a +few sheets of manuscript scattered on the blotting-pad, would have been +quick to see that here was the old tale, once more being lived out, of +the literary aspirant who, at the very beginning of his career, was +finding, by bitter experience, that, of all callings, that of +literature is the most precarious. + +A half-hesitating tap at the door prefaced the entrance of a woman--the +sort of woman who is seen in those streets by the score--a tallish, +thinnish woman, old before her time, perpetually harassed, always +anxious, always looking as if she expected misfortune. Her face was +full of anxiety now as she glanced at her lodger--who, on his part, +flushed all over his handsome young face with conscious embarrassment. +He knew very well what the woman wanted--and he was powerless to +respond to her appeal. + +"Mr. Lauriston," she said in a half whisper, "when do you think you'll +be able to let me have a bit of money? It's going on for six weeks now, +you know, and I'm that put to it, what with the rent, and the rates--" + +Andrew Lauriston shook his head--not in denial, but in sheer perplexity. + +"Mrs. Flitwick," he answered, "I'll give you your money the very minute +I get hold of it! I told you the other day I'd sold two stories--well, +I've asked to be paid for them at once, and the cheque might be here by +any post. And I'm expecting another cheque, too--I'm surprised they +aren't both here by this time. The minute they arrive, I'll settle with +you. I'm wanting money myself--as badly as you are!" + +"I know that, Mr. Lauriston," assented Mrs. Flitwick, "and I wouldn't +bother you if I wasn't right pressed, myself. But there's the landlord +at me--he wants money tonight. And--you'll excuse me for mentioning +it--but, till you get your cheques, Mr. Lauriston, why don't you raise +a bit of ready money?" + +Lauriston looked round at his landlady with an air of surprised enquiry. + +"And how would I do that?" he asked. + +"You've a right good gold watch, Mr. Lauriston," she answered. "Any +pawnbroker--and there's plenty of 'em, I'm sure!--'ud lend you a few +pounds on that. Perhaps you've never had occasion to go to a pawnbroker +before? No?--well, and I hadn't once upon a time, but I've had to, +whether or no, since I came to letting lodgings, and if I'd as good a +watch as yours is, I wouldn't go without money in my pocket! If you've +money coming in, you can always get your goods back--and I should be +thankful for something, Mr. Lauriston, if it was but a couple o' +pounds. My landlord's that hard--" + +Lauriston turned and picked up his hat. + +"All right, Mrs. Flitwick," he said quietly. "I'll see what I can do. +I--I'd never even thought of it." + +When the woman had gone away, closing the door behind her, he pulled +the watch out of his pocket and looked at it--an old-fashioned, good, +gold watch, which had been his father's. No doubt a pawnbroker would +lend money on it. But until then he had never had occasion to think of +pawnbrokers. He had come to London nearly two years before, intending +to make name, fame, and fortune by his pen. He had a little money to be +going on with--when he came. It had dwindled steadily, and it had been +harder to replace it than he had calculated for. And at last there he +was, in that cheap lodging, and at the end of his resources, and the +cheque for his first two accepted stories had not arrived. Neither had +a loan which, sorely against his will, he had been driven to request +from the only man he could think of--an old schoolmate, far away in +Scotland. He had listened for the postman's knock, hoping it would +bring relief, for four long days--and not one letter had come, and he +was despairing and heartsick. But--there was the watch! + +He went out presently, and on the stair, feebly lighted by a jet of +gas, he ran up against a fellow-lodger--a young Jew, whom he knew by +the name of Mr. Melchior Rubinstein, who occupied the rooms immediately +beneath his own. He was a quiet, affable little person, with whom +Lauriston sometimes exchanged a word or two--and the fact that he +sported rings on his fingers, a large pin in his tie, and a heavy +watch-chain, which was either real gold or a very good imitation, made +Lauriston think that he would give him some advice. He stopped +him--with a shy look, and an awkward blush. + +"I say!" he said. "I--the fact is, I'm a bit hard up--temporarily, you +know--and I want to borrow some money on my watch. Could you tell me +where there's a respectable pawnbroker's?" + +Melky--known to every one in the house by that familiar substitute for +his more pretentious name--turned up the gas-jet and then held out a +slender, long-fingered hand. "Let's look at the watch," he said curtly, +in a soft, lisping voice. "I know more than a bit about watches, +mister." + +Lauriston handed the watch over and watched Melky inquisitively as he +looked at it, inside and out, in a very knowing and professional way. +Melky suddenly glanced at him. "Now, you wouldn't like to sell this +here bit of property, would you, Mr. Lauriston?" he enquired, almost +wheedlingly. "I'll give you three quid for it--cash down." + +"Thank you--but I wouldn't sell it for worlds," replied Lauriston. + +"Say four quid, then," urged Melky. "Here!--between friends, I'll give +you four-ten! Spot cash, mind you!" + +"No!" said Lauriston. "It belonged to my father. I don't want to +sell--I want to borrow." + +Melky pushed the watch back into its owner's hand. + +"You go round into Praed Street, mister," he said, in business-like +fashion. "You'll see a shop there with Daniel Multenius over it. He's a +relation o' mine--he'll do what you want. Mention my name, if you like. +He'll deal fair with you. And if you ever want to sell, don't forget +me." + +Lauriston laughed, and went down the stairs, and out into the dismal +evening. It was only a step round to Praed Street, and within five +minutes of leaving Melky he was looking into Daniel Multenius's window. +He remembered now that he had often looked into it, without noticing +the odd name above it. It was a window in which there were all sorts of +curious things, behind a grille of iron bars, from diamonds and pearls +to old ivory and odds and ends of bric-à-brac. A collector of +curiosities would have found material in that window to delay him for +half-an-hour--but Lauriston only gave one glance at it before hastening +down a dark side-passage to a door, over which was a +faintly-illuminated sign, showing the words: PLEDGE OFFICE. + +He pushed open that door and found himself before several small, +boxed-off compartments, each just big enough to contain one person. +They were all empty at that moment; he entered one, and seeing nobody +about, tapped gently on the counter. He expected to see some ancient +and Hebraic figure present itself--instead, light steps came from some +recess of the shop, and Lauriston found himself gazing in surprise at a +young and eminently pretty girl, who carried some fancy needle-work in +her hand, and looked over it at him out of a pair of large, black eyes. +For a moment the two gazed at each other, in silence. + +"Yes?" said the girl at last. "What can I do for you?" + +Lauriston found his tongue. + +"Er--is Mr. Multenius in?" he asked. "I--the fact is, I want to see +him." + +"Mr. Multenius is out," answered the girl. "But I'm in charge--if it's +business." + +She was quietly eyeing Lauriston over, and she saw his +fresh-complexioned face colour vividly. + +"I do my grandfather's business when he's out," she continued. "Do you +want to borrow some money?" + +Lauriston pulled out the watch, with more blushes, and pushed it +towards her. + +"That's just it," he answered. "I want to borrow money on that. A +friend of mine--fellow-lodger--Mr. Melky Rubinstein--said I could +borrow something here. That's a real good watch, you know." + +The girl glanced at her customer with a swift and almost whimsical +recognition of his innocence, and almost carelessly picked up the watch. + +"Oh, Melky sent you here, did he?" she said, with a smile. "I see!" She +looked the watch over, and snapped open the case. Then she glanced at +Lauriston. "How much do you want on this?" she asked. + + + +CHAPTER TWO + + +MRS. GOLDMARK'S EATING-HOUSE + +Lauriston thrust his hands in his pockets and looked at the girl in +sheer perplexity. She was a very pretty, dark girl, nearly as tall as +himself, slender and lissom of figure, and decidedly attractive. There +was evident sense of fun and humour in her eyes, and about the corners +of her lips: he suddenly got an idea that she was amused at his +embarrassment. + +"How much can you lend me?" he asked. "What--what's it worth?" + +"No, that's not it!" she answered. "It's--what do you want to borrow? +You're not used to pledging things, are you?" + +"No," replied Lauriston. "This is the first time. Can--can you lend me +a few pounds?" + +The girl picked up the watch again, and again, examined it. + +"I'll lend you three pounds fifteen on it," she said suddenly, in +business-like tones. "That do?" + +"Thank you," replied Lauriston. "That'll do very well--I'm much +obliged. I suppose I can have it back any time." + +"Any time you bring the money, and pay the interest," replied the girl. +"Within twelve calendar months and seven days." She picked up a pen and +began to fill out a ticket. "Got any copper?" she asked presently. + +"Copper?" exclaimed Lauriston. "What for?" + +"The ticket," she answered. Then she gave him a quick glance and just +as quickly looked down again. "Never mind!" she said. "I'll take it out +of the loan. Your name and address, please." + +Lauriston presently took the ticket and the little pile of gold, +silver, and copper which she handed him. And he lingered. + +"You'll take care of that watch," he said, suddenly. "It was my +father's, you see." + +The girl smiled, reassuringly, and pointed to a heavily-built safe in +the rear. + +"We've all sorts of family heirlooms in there," she observed. "Make +yourself easy." + +Lauriston thanked her, raised his hat, and turned away--unwillingly. He +would have liked an excuse to stop longer--and he did not quite know +why. But he could think of none, so he went--with a backward look when +he got to the door. The pretty pawnbroker smiled and nodded. And the +next moment he was out in the street, with money in his pocket, and a +strange sense of relief, which was mingled with one of surprise. For he +had lived for the previous four days on a two-shilling piece--and +there, all the time, close by him, had been a place where you could +borrow money, easily and very pleasantly. + +His first thought was to hurry to his lodgings and pay his landlady. He +owed her six weeks' rent, at ten shillings a week--that would take +three pounds out of the money he had just received. But he would still +have over fourteen shillings to be going on with--and surely those +expected letters would come within the next few postal deliveries. He +had asked the editor who had taken two short stories from him to let +him have a cheque for them, and in his inexperience had expected to see +it arrive by return of post. Also he had put his pride in his pocket, +and had written a long letter to his old schoolmate, John Purdie, in +far-away Scotland, explaining his present circumstances, and asking +him, for old times' sake, to lend him some money until he had finished +and sold a novel, which, he was sure, would turn out to be a small +gold-mine. John Purdie, he knew, was now a wealthy young man--successor +to his father in a fine business; Lauriston felt no doubt that he would +respond. And meantime, till the expected letters came, he had +money--and when you have lived for four days on two shillings, fourteen +shillings seems a small fortune. Certainly, within the last half-hour, +life had taken on a roseate tinge--all due to a visit to the pawnshop. + +Hurrying back along Praed Street, Lauriston's steps were suddenly +arrested. He found himself unconsciously hurrying by an old-fashioned +eating-house, from whence came an appetizing odour of cooking food. He +remembered then that he had eaten nothing for four-and-twenty hours. +His landlady supplied him with nothing: ever since he had gone to her +he had done his own catering, going out for his meals. The last meal, +on the previous evening, had been a glass of milk and a stale, though +sizable bun, and now he felt literally ravenous. It was only by an +effort that he could force himself to pass the eating-house; once +beyond its door, he ran, ran until he reached his lodgings and slipped +three sovereigns into Mrs. Flitwick's hands. + +"That'll make us right to this week end, Mrs. Flitwick," he said. "Put +the receipt in my room." + +"And greatly obliged I am to you, Mr. Lauriston," answered the +landlady. "And sorry, indeed, you should have had to put yourself to +the trouble, but--" + +"All right, all right--no trouble--no trouble at all," exclaimed +Lauriston. "Quite easy, I assure you!" + +He ran out of the house again and back to where he knew there was food. +He was only one-and-twenty, a well-built lad, with a healthy appetite, +which, until very recently, had always been satisfied, and just then he +was feeling that unless he ate and drank, something--he knew not +what--would happen. He was even conscious that his voice was weakening, +when, having entered the eating-house and dropped into a seat in one of +the little boxes into which the place was divided, he asked the +waitress for the food and drink which he was now positively aching for. +And he had eaten a plateful of fish and two boiled eggs and several +thick slices of bread and butter, and drunk the entire contents of a +pot of tea before he even lifted his eyes to look round him. But by +that time he was conscious of satisfaction, and he sat up and inspected +the place to which he had hurried so eagerly. And in the same moment he +once more saw Melky. + +Melky had evidently just entered the little eating-house. Evidently, +too, he was in no hurry for food or drink. He had paused, just within +the entrance, at a desk which stood there, whereat sat Mrs. Goldmark, +the proprietress, a plump, pretty young woman, whose dark, flashing +eyes turned alternately from watching her waitresses to smiling on her +customers as they came to the desk to pay their bills. Melky, his smart +billy-cock hat cocked to one side, his sporting-looking overcoat +adorned with a flower, was evidently paying compliments to Mrs. +Goldmark as he leaned over her desk: she gave him a playful push and +called to a waitress to order Mr. Rubinstein a nice steak. And Melky, +turning from her with a well satisfied smile, caught sight of +Lauriston, and sauntered down to the table at which he sat. + +"Get your bit of business done all right?" he asked, confidentially, as +he took a seat opposite his fellow-lodger and bent towards him. "Find +the old gent accommodating?" + +"I didn't see him," answered Lauriston. "I saw a young lady." + +"My cousin Zillah," said Melky. "Smart girl, that, mister--worth a pile +o' money to the old man--she knows as much about the business as what +he does! You wouldn't think, mister," he went on in his soft, lisping +tones, "but that girl's had a college education--fact! Old Daniel, he +took her to live with him when her father and mother died, she being a +little 'un then, and he give her--ah, such an education as I wish I'd +had--see? She's quite the lady--is Zillah--but sticks to the old +shop--not half, neither!" + +"She seems very business-like," remarked Lauriston, secretly pleased +that he had now learned the pretty pawnbroker's name. "She soon did +what I wanted." + +"In the blood," said Melky, laconically. "We're all of us in that sort +o' business, one way or another. Now, between you and me, mister, what +did she lend you on that bit o' stuff?" + +"Three pounds fifteen," replied Lauriston. + +"That's about it," assented Melky, with a nod. He leaned a little +nearer. "You don't want to sell the ticket?" he suggested. "Give you a +couple o' quid for it, if you do." + +"You seem very anxious to buy that watch," said Lauriston, laughing. +"No--I don't want to sell the ticket--not I! I wouldn't part with that +watch for worlds." + +"Well, if you don't, you don't," remarked Melky. "And as to wanting to +buy--that's my trade. I ain't no reg'lar business--I buy and sell, +anything that comes handy, in the gold and silver line. And as you +ain't going to part with that ticket on no consideration, I'll tell you +what it's worth, old as it is. Fifteen quid!" + +"That's worth knowing, any way," said Lauriston. "I shall always have +something by me then, while I have that. You'd have made a profit of a +nice bit, then, if I'd sold it to you?" + +"It 'ud be a poor world, mister, if you didn't get no profit, wouldn't +it?" assented Melky calmly. "We're all of us out to make profit. Look +here!--between you and me--you're a lit'ry gent, ain't you? Write a +bit, what? Do you want to earn a fiver--comfortable?" + +"I should be very glad," replied Lauriston. + +"There's a friend o' mine," continued Melky, "wholesale jeweller, down +Shoreditch way, wants to get out a catalogue. He ain't no lit'ry +powers, d'you see? Now, he'd run to a fiver--cash down--if some writing +feller 'ud touch things up a bit for him, like. Lor' bless you!--it +wouldn't take you more'n a day's work! What d'ye say to it?" + +"I wouldn't mind earning five pounds at that," answered Lauriston. + +"Right-oh!" said Melky. "Then some day next week, I'll take you down to +see him--he's away till then. And--you'll pay me ten per cent. on the +bit o' business, won't you, mister? Business is business, ain't it?" + +"All right!" agreed Lauriston. "That's a bargain, of course." + +Melky nodded and turned to his steak, and Lauriston presently left him +and went away. The plump lady at the desk gave him a smile as she +handed him his change. + +"Hope to see you again, sir," she said. + +Lauriston went back to his room, feeling that the world had changed. He +had paid his landlady, he had silver and copper in his pocket, he had +the chance of earning five pounds during the coming week--and he +expected a cheque for his two stories by every post. And if John Purdie +made him the loan he had asked for, he would be able to devote a whole +month to finishing his novel--and then, perhaps, there would be fame +and riches. The dismal November evening disappeared in a dream of hope. + +But by the end of the week hope was dropping to zero again with +Lauriston. No letters had arrived--either from John Purdie or the +editor. On the Sunday morning he was again face to face with the last +half-crown. He laid out his money very cautiously that day, but when he +had paid for a frugal dinner at a cheap coffee-shop, he had only a +shilling left. He wandered into Kensington Gardens that Sunday +afternoon, wondering what he had best do next. And as he stood by the +railings of the ornamental water, watching the water-fowls' doings, +somebody bade him good-day, and he turned to find the pretty girl of +the pawnshop standing at his side and smiling shyly at him. + + + +CHAPTER THREE + + +THE DEAD MAN + +Lauriston was thinking about Zillah at the very moment in which she +spoke to him: the memory of her dark eyes and the friendly smile that +she had given him as he left the pawnshop had come as a relief in the +midst of his speculations as to his immediate future. And now, as he +saw her real self, close to him, evidently disposed to be friendly, he +blushed like any girl, being yet at that age when shyness was still a +part of his character. Zillah blushed too--but she was more +self-possessed than Lauriston. + +"I've been talking to my Cousin Melky about you," she said quickly. +"Or, rather, he's been talking to me. He says he's going to introduce +you to a man who wants his catalogue put in shape--for five pounds. +Don't you do it for five pounds! I know that man--charge him ten!" + +Lauriston moved away with her down the walk. + +"Oh, but I couldn't do that, now!" he said eagerly. "You see I promised +I'd do it for five." + +Zillah gave him a quick glance. + +"Don't you be silly!" she said. "When anybody like Melky offers you +five pounds for anything, ask them double. They'll give it. You don't +know much about money matters, do you?" + +Lauriston laughed, and gaining confidence, gave the girl a knowing look. + +"Not much," he admitted, "else I wouldn't have had to do that bit of +business with you the other day." + +"Oh--that!" she said indifferently. "That's nothing. You'd be +astonished if you knew what sort of people just have to run round to +us, now and then--I could tell you some secrets! But--I guessed you +weren't very well up in money matters, all the same. Writing people +seldom are." + +"I suppose you are?" suggested Lauriston. + +"I've been mixed up in them all my life, more or less," she answered. +"Couldn't help being, with my surroundings. You won't think me +inquisitive if I ask you something? Were you--hard up--when you came +round the other night?" + +"Hard up's a mild term," replied Lauriston, frankly. "I hadn't a penny!" + +"Excepting a gold watch worth twelve or fifteen pounds," remarked +Zillah, drily. "And how long had you been like that?" + +"Two or three days--more or less," answered Lauriston. "You see, I've +been expecting money for more than a week--that was it." + +"Has it come?" she asked. + +"No--it hasn't," he replied, with a candid blush. "That's a fact!" + +"Will it come--soon?" she demanded. + +"By George!--I hope so!" he exclaimed. "I'll be hard up again, if it +doesn't." + +"And then you offer to do for five what you might easily get ten for!" +she said, almost reproachfully. "Let me give you a bit of advice--never +accept a first offer. Stand out for a bit more--especially from anybody +like my cousin Melky." + +"Is Melky a keen one, then?" enquired Lauriston. + +"Melky's a young Jew," said Zillah, calmly. "I'm not--I'm +half-and-half--a mixture. My mother was Jew--my father wasn't. Well--if +you want money to be going on with, and you've got any more gold +watches, you know where to come. Don't you ever go with empty pockets +in London while you've got a bit of property to pledge! You're not a +Londoner, of course?" + +"I'm a Scotsman!" said Lauriston. + +"To be sure--I knew it by your tongue," asserted Zillah. "And trying to +make a living by writing! Well, you'll want courage--and money. Have +you had any luck?" + +"I've sold two stories," answered Lauriston, who by that time was +feeling as if the girl was an old friend. "They come to twenty pounds +for the two, at the rate that magazine pays, and I've asked for a +cheque--it's that I'm waiting for. It ought to come--any time." + +"Oh, but I know that game!" said Zillah. "I've two friends--girls--who +write. I know how they have to wait--till publication, or till next +pay-day. What a pity that some of you writers don't follow some other +profession that would bring in a good income--then you could do your +writing to please yourselves, and not be dependent on it. Haven't you +thought of that?" + +"Often!" answered Lauriston. "And it wouldn't do--for me, anyway. I've +made my choice. I'll stick to my pen--and swim or sink with it. And I'm +not going to sink!" + +"That's the way to talk--to be sure!" said the girl. "But--keep +yourself in money, if you can. Don't go without money for three days +when you've anything you can raise money on. You see how practical I +am! But you've got to be in this world. Will you tell me something?" + +"It strikes me," answered Lauriston, looking at her narrowly and +bringing the colour to her cheeks, "that I'm just about getting to +this--that I'd tell you anything! And so--what is it?" + +"How much money have you left?" she asked softly. + +"Precisely a shilling--and a copper or two," he answered. + +"And--if that cheque doesn't arrive?" she suggested. + +"Maybe I'll be walking round to Praed Street again," he said, laughing. +"I've a bit of what you call property, yet." + +The girl nodded, and turned towards a side-walk that led across the +Gardens. + +"All right," she said. "Don't think me inquisitive--I don't like to +think of--of people like you being hard up: I'm not wrapped up in +business as much as all that. Let's talk of something else--tell me +what you write about." + +Lauriston spent the rest of that afternoon with Zillah, strolling about +Kensington Gardens. He had lived a very lonely life since coming to +London, and it was a new and pleasant experience to him to have an +intelligent companion to talk to. There was a decided sense of +exhilaration within him when he finally left her; as for Zillah, she +went homewards in a very thoughtful mood, already conscious that she +was more than half in love with this good-looking lad who had come so +strangely into her life. And at the corner of Praed Street she ran up +against Mr. Melky Rubinstein, and button-holed him, and for ten minutes +talked seriously to him. Melky, who had good reasons of his own for +keeping in his cousin's favour, listened like a lamb to all she had to +say, and went off promising implicit obedience to her commandments. + +"Zillah ain't half gone on that chap!" mused Melky, as he pursued his +way. "Now, ain't it extraordinary that a girl who'll come into a +perfect fortune should go and fall head over ears in love with a +red-headed young feller what ain't got a penny to bless hisself with! +Not but what he ain't got good looks--and brains. And brains is brains, +when all's said!" + +That night, as Lauriston sat writing in his shabby little room, a knock +came at his door--the door opened, and Melky slid in, laying his finger +to the side of his large nose in token of confidence. + +"Hope I ain't interrupting," said Melky. "I say, mister, I been +thinking about that catalogue business. Now I come to sort of reflect +on it, I think my friend'll go to ten pound. So we'll say ten +pound--what? And I'll take you to see him next Friday. And I say, +mister--if a pound or two on account 'ud be of any service--say the +word, d'ye see?" + +With this friendly assurance, Melky plunged his hand into a hip-pocket, +and drew out some gold, which he held towards Lauriston on his open +palm. + +"Two or three pound on account, now, mister?" he said, ingratiatingly. +"You're welcome as the flowers in May!" + +But Lauriston shook his head; he had already decided on a plan of his +own, if the expected remittance did not arrive next morning. + +"No, thank you," he answered. "It's uncommonly good of you--but I can +manage very well indeed--I can, really! Next Friday, then--I'll go with +you. I'm very much obliged to you." + +Melky slipped his money into his pocket--conscious of having done his +part. "Just as you like, mister," he said. "But you was welcome, you +know. Next Friday, then--and you can reckon on cash down for this job." + +The Monday morning brought neither of the expected letters to +Lauriston. But he had not spoken without reason when he said to Zillah +that he had a bit of property to fall back upon--now that he knew how +ready money could easily be raised. He had some pledgeable property in +his trunk--and when the remittances failed to arrive, he determined to +avail himself of it. Deep down in a corner of the trunk he had two +valuable rings--all that his mother had left him, with the exception of +two hundred pounds, with which he had ventured to London, and on which +he had lived up to then. He got the rings out towards the end of Monday +afternoon, determining to take them round to Daniel Multenius and raise +sufficient funds on them to last him for, at any rate, another month or +two. He had little idea of the real value of such articles, and he had +reasons of his own for not showing the rings to Melky Rubinstein; his +notion was to wait until evening, when he would go to the pawnshop at +about the same time as on his previous visit, in the hope of finding +Zillah in charge again. After their meeting and talk of the afternoon +before, he felt that she would do business with him in a sympathetic +spirit--and if he could raise twenty pounds on the rings he would be +free of all monetary anxiety for many a long week to come. + +It was half-past five o'clock of that Monday evening when Lauriston, +for the second time, turned into the narrow passage which led to the +pawnshop door. He had already looked carefully through the street +window, in the hope of seeing Zillah inside the front shop. But there +was no Zillah to be seen; the front shop was empty. Nor did Zillah +confront him when he stepped into the little boxed-in compartment in +the pawnshop. There was a curious silence in the place--broken only by +the quiet, regular ticking of a clock. That ticking grew oppressive +during the minute or two that he waited expecting somebody to step +forward. He rapped on the counter at last--gently at first, then more +insistently. But nobody came. The clock--hidden from his sight--went on +ticking. + +Lauriston bent over the counter at last and craned his neck to look +into the open door of a little parlour which lay behind the shop. The +next instant, with no thought but of the exigencies of the moment, he +had leapt over the partition and darted into the room. There, stretched +out across the floor, his head lying on the hearthrug, his hands lying +inert and nerveless at his sides, lay an old man, grey-bearded, +venerable--Daniel Multenius, no doubt. He lay very still, very +statuesque--and Lauriston, bending over and placing a trembling hand on +the high, white forehead, knew that he was dead. + +He started up--his only idea that of seeking help. The whole place was +so still that he knew he was alone with the dead in it. Instinctively, +he ran through the front shop to the street door--and into the arms of +a man who was just entering. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR + + +THE PLATINUM SOLITAIRE + +The newcomer, an elderly, thick-set man, who, in spite of his plain +clothes, looked as if he were an official of some sort and carried some +documents in his hand, at which he was glancing as he entered, started +and exclaimed as Lauriston, in his haste, ran up against him. "Hullo!" +he said. "What's the matter? You seem in a hurry, young fellow!" + +Lauriston, almost out of breath with excitement, turned and pointed to +the open door of the little parlour. + +"There's an old man--lying in there--dead!" he whispered. "A +grey-bearded old man--is it the pawn-broker--Mr. Multenius?" + +The man stared, craned his neck to glance in the direction which +Lauriston's shaking finger indicated, and then started forward. But he +suddenly paused, and motioned Lauriston to go first--and before +following him he closed the street door. + +"Now then, where?" he said. "Dead, do you say?" He followed Lauriston +into the parlour, uttered a sharp exclamation as he caught sight of the +recumbent figure, and, bending down, laid a hand on the forehead. +"Dead, right enough, my lad!" he muttered. "Been dead some minutes, +too. But--where's the girl--the grand-daughter? Have you seen anybody?" + +"Not a soul!" answered Lauriston. "Since I came in, the whole place has +been as still as--as it is now!" + +The man stared at him for a second or two, silently; then, as if he +knew the ins and outs of the establishment, he strode to an inner door, +threw it open and revealed a staircase. + +"Hullo there!" he called loudly. "Hullo! Miss Wildrose! Are you there?" + +This was the first time Lauriston had heard Zillah's surname: even in +the midst of that startling discovery, it struck him as a very poetical +one. But he had no time to reflect on it--the man turned back into the +parlour. + +"She must be out," he said. "Do you say you found him?" + +"Yes--I found him," answered Lauriston. "Just now." + +"And what were you doing here?" asked the man. "Who are you?" + +Lauriston fancied he detected a faint note of suspicion in these +questions, and he drew himself up, with a flush on his face. + +"My name's Andrew Lauriston," he answered. "I live close by. I came in +on--business. Who are you?" + +"Well, if it comes to that, my lad," said the man, "I'm +Detective-Sergeant Ayscough--known well enough around these parts! I +came to see the old gentleman about these papers. Now--what was your +business, then?" + +He was watching Lauriston very keenly, and Lauriston, suddenly +realizing that he was in an awkward position, determined on candour. + +"Well, if you really want to know," he said, "I came to borrow some +money--on these rings." + +And he opened his left hand and showed the detective the two rings +which he had taken from his trunk--not half-an-hour before. + +"Your property?" asked Ayscough. + +"Of course they're my property!" exclaimed Lauriston. "Whose else +should they be?" + +Ayscough's glance wandered from the rings to a table which stood, a +little to one side, in the middle of the parlour. Lauriston turned in +that direction, also. Two objects immediately met his eye. On the table +stood a small tray, full of rings--not dissimilar in style and +appearance to those which he held in his hand: old-fashioned rings. The +light from the gas-brackets above the mantel-piece caught the facets of +the diamonds in those rings and made little points of fire; here and +there he saw the shimmer of pearls. But there was another object. Close +by the tray of old rings lay a book--a beautifully bound book, a small +quarto in size, with much elaborate gold ornament on the back and side, +and gilt clasps holding the heavy leather binding together. It looked +as if some hand had recently thrown this book carelessly on the table. + +But Ayscough gave little, if any, attention to the book: his eyes were +fixed on the rings in the tray--and he glanced from them to Lauriston's +rings. + +"Um!" he said presently. "Odd that you have a couple of rings, young +man, just like--those! Isn't it?" + +"What do you mean?" demanded Lauriston, flushing scarlet. "You don't +suggest--" + +"Don't suggest anything--just now," answered the detective, quietly. +"But you must stop here with me, until I find out more. Come to the +door--we must have help here." + +Lauriston saw there was nothing to do but to obey, and he followed +Ayscough to the street door. The detective opened it, looked out, and +waiting a few minutes, beckoned to a policeman who presently strolled +along. After a whispered word or two, the policeman went away, and +Ayscough beckoned Lauriston back into the shop. + +"Now," he said, "there'll be some of our people and a surgeon along in +a few minutes--before they come, just tell me your story. You're an +honest-looking young chap--but you must admit that it looks a bit queer +that I should find you running out of this shop, old Multenius dead +inside his parlour, and you with a couple of rings in your possession +which look uncommonly like his property! Just tell me how it came +about." + +Lauriston told him the plain truth--from the pawning of the watch to +the present visit. Ayscough watched him narrowly--and at the end nodded +his head. + +"That sounds like a straight tale, Mr. Lauriston," he said. "I'm +inclined to believe every word you say. But I shall have to report it, +and all the circumstances, and you'll have to prove that these two +rings were your mother's, and all that--and you must stay here till the +doctor comes with our people. Queer that the old man should be alone! I +wonder where his grand-daughter is?" + +But just then the street door opened and Zillah came in, a big bunch of +flowers under one arm, some small parcels in the other. At the sight of +the two men she started; crimsoned as she saw Lauriston; paled again as +she noticed that Ayscough was evidently keeping an eye on him. + +"Mr. Ayscough!" she exclaimed. "What's this?--is something the matter? +What are you doing here?" she went on hurriedly, turning to Lauriston. +"Inside the shop! What's happened?--tell me, one of you?" + +The detective purposely kept himself and Lauriston between Zillah and +the open door at the rear of the shop. He made a kindly motion of his +head towards her. + +"Now, my dear!" he said. "Don't get upset--your grandfather was getting +a very old man, you know--and we can't expect old gentlemen to live for +ever. Take it quietly, now!" + +The girl turned and laid her flowers and parcels on the counter. +Lauriston, watching her anxiously, saw that she was nerving herself to +be brave. + +"That means--he's dead?" she said. "I am quiet--you see I'm quiet. Tell +me what's happened--you tell me," she added, glancing at Lauriston. +"Tell me--now!" + +"I came in and found no one here, and I looked round through the door +into the parlour there," answered Lauriston, "and I saw your +grandfather lying on the floor. So I jumped over the counter and went +to him." + +Zillah moved forward as if to go into the parlour. But the detective +stopped her, glancing from her to Lauriston. + +"You know this young man, Miss Wildrose?" he asked. "You've met him +before?" + +"Yes," replied Zillah, confidently. "He's Mr. Lauriston. Let me go in +there, please. Can nothing be done?" + +But Ayscough only shook his head. There was nothing to be done--but to +await the arrival of the doctor. They followed the girl into the +parlour and stood by while she bent over the dead man. She made no +demonstration of grief, and when Ayscough presently suggested that she +should go upstairs until the doctor had come, she went quietly away. + +"Hadn't we better lift him on that sofa?" suggested Lauriston. + +"Not till our people and the police-surgeon have seen him," answered +Ayscough, shaking his head. "I want to know all about this--he may have +died a natural death--a seizure of some sort--and again, he +mayn't--They'll be here in a minute." + +Lauriston presently found himself a passive spectator while a +police-inspector, another man in plain clothes, and the doctor examined +the body, after hearing Ayscough's account of what had just happened. +He was aware that he was regarded with suspicion--the inspector +somewhat brusquely bade him stay where he was: it would, indeed, have +been impossible to leave, for there was a policeman at the door, in +which, by his superior's orders, he had turned the key. And there was a +general, uncomfortable sort of silence in the place while the doctor +busied himself about the body. + +"This man has been assaulted!" said the doctor, suddenly turning to the +inspector. "Look here!--he's not only been violently gripped by the +right arm--look at that bruise--but taken savagely by the throat. +There's no doubt of that. Old and evidently feeble as he was, the shock +would be quite enough to kill him. But--that's how it's been done, +without a doubt." + +The inspector turned, looking hard at Lauriston. + +"Did you see anybody leaving the place when you entered?" he asked. + +"There was no one about here when I came in--either at the street door +or at the side door," replied Lauriston, readily. "The whole place was +quiet--deserted--except for him. And--he was dead when I found him." + +The inspector drew Ayscough aside and they talked in whispers for a few +minutes, eyeing Lauriston now and then; eventually they approached him. + +"I understand you're known here, and that you live in the +neighbourhood," said the inspector. "You'll not object if the sergeant +goes round with you to your lodgings--you'll no doubt be able to +satisfy him about your respectability, and so on. I don't want to +suggest anything--but--you understand?" + +"I understand," replied Lauriston. "I'll show or tell him anything he +likes. I've told you the plain truth." + +"Go with him now," directed the inspector; "you know what to do, +Ayscough!" + +Half an hour later, when the dead man had been carried to his room, and +the shop and house had been closed, Melky Rubinstein, who had come in +while the police were still there, and had remained when they had gone, +stood talking to Zillah in the upstairs sitting-room. Melky was +unusually grave: Zillah had already gathered that the police had some +suspicion about Lauriston. + +"I'll go round there and see what the detective fellow's doing with +him," said Melky. "I ain't got no suspicion about him--not me! +But--it's an awkward position--and them rings, too! Now, if he'd only +ha' shown 'em to me, first, Zillah--see?" + +"Do go, Melky!" urged Zillah tearfully. "Of course, he'd nothing to do +with it. Oh!--I wish I'd never gone out!" + +Melky went downstairs. He paused for a moment in the little parlour, +glancing meditatively at the place where the old man had been found +dead. And suddenly his keen eyes saw an object which lay close to the +fender, half hidden by a tassel of the hearthrug, and he stooped and +picked it up--a solitaire stud, made of platinum, and ornamented with a +curious device. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE + + +THE TWO LETTERS + +Once outside the shop, Lauriston turned sharply on the detective. + +"Look here!" he said. "I wish you'd just tell me the truth. Am I +suspected? Am I--in some way or other--in custody?" + +Ayscough laughed quietly, wagging his head. + +"Certainly not in custody," he answered. "And as to the other--well, +you know, Mr. Lauriston, supposing we put it in this way?--suppose +you'd been me, and I'd been you, half-an-hour ago? What would you have +thought if you'd found me in the situation and under the circumstances +in which I found you? Come, now!" + +"Yes," replied Lauriston, after a moment's reflection. "I suppose it's +natural that you should suspect me--finding me there, alone with the +old man. But--" + +"It's not so much suspicion in a case of this sort, as a wish to +satisfy one's self," interrupted the detective. "You seem a +gentleman-like young fellow, and you may be all right. I want to know +that you are--I'd like to know that you are! It would be no +satisfaction to me to fasten this business on you, I can assure you. +And if you like to tell me about yourself, and how you came to go to +Multenius's--why, it would be as well." + +"There's not much to tell," answered Lauriston. "I came from Scotland +to London, two years ago or thereabouts, to earn my living by writing. +I'd a bit of money when I came--I've lived on it till now. I've just +begun to earn something. I've been expecting a cheque for some work for +these last ten or twelve days, but I was running short last week--so I +went to that place to pawn my watch--I saw the young lady there. As my +cheque hadn't arrived today, I went there again to pawn those rings I +told you about and showed you. And--that's all. Except this--I was +advised to go to Multenius's by a relation of theirs, Mr. Rubinstein, +who lodges where I do. He knows me." + +"Oh, Melky Rubinstein!" said Ayscough. "I know Melky--sharp chap he is. +He sold me this pin I'm wearing. Well, that seems quite a +straightforward tale, Mr. Lauriston. I've no doubt all will be +satisfactory. You've friends in London, of course?" + +"No--none," replied Lauriston. "And scarcely an acquaintance. I've kept +to myself--working hard: I've had no time--nor inclination, either--to +make friends. Here's the house where I lodge--it's not much of a place, +but come in." + +They had reached Mrs. Flitwick's house by that time, and Mrs. Flitwick +herself was in the narrow, shabby passage as they entered. She +immediately produced two letters. + +"Here's two letters for you, Mr. Lauriston," she said, with a sharp +glance at Ayscough. "One of 'em's a registered--I did sign for it. So I +kept 'em myself, instead of sending 'em up to your room." + +"Thank you, Mrs. Flitwick," said Lauriston. He took the letters, saw +that the writing on the registered envelope was his old friend John +Purdie's, and that the other letter was from the magazine to which he +had sold his stories, and turned to Ayscough. "Come up to my room," he +continued. "We'll talk up there." + +Ayscough followed him up to his room--once inside, and the door shut, +Lauriston tore open the letter from the magazine, and extracted a +printed form and a cheque for twenty guineas. He took one look at them +and thrust them into the detective's hands. + +"There!" he said, with a sigh of mingled relief and triumph. "There's a +proof of the truth of one statement I made to you! That's the expected +cheque I told you of. Excuse me while I look at the other letter." + +Out of the registered letter came a bank-note--for twenty pounds--and a +hastily scribbled note which Lauriston eagerly read. "Dear old Andie," +it ran, "I've only just got your letter, for I've been from home for a +fortnight, and had no letters sent on to me. Of course you'll make me +your banker until your book's finished--and afterwards, too, if need +be. Here's something to be going on with--but I'm coming to London in a +day or two, as it happens, and will go into the matter--I'll call on +you as soon as I arrive. Excuse this scrawl--post time. Always yours, +John Purdie." + +Lauriston thrust that letter, too, into Ayscough's hands. + +"If I've no friends in London, there's proof of having one in my own +country!" he exclaimed. "Ah!--if those letters had only come before I +went off to Praed Street!" + +"Just so!" agreed the detective, glancing the letters and their +accompaniments over. "Well, I'm glad you're able to show me these, Mr. +Lauriston, anyway. But now, about those rings--between you and me, I +wish they hadn't been so much like those that were lying in that tray +on the old man's table. It's an unfortunate coincidence!--because some +folks might think, you know, that you'd just grabbed a couple of those +as you left the place. Eh?" + +"My rings have been in that trunk for two or three years," asserted +Lauriston. "They were my mother's, and I believe she'd had them for +many a year before she died. They may resemble those that we saw in +that tray, but--" + +"Well, I suppose you can bring somebody--if necessary, that is--to +prove that they were your mother's, can't you?" asked Ayscough. +"That'll make matters all right--on that point. And as for the +rest--it's very lucky you know Melky Rubinstein, and that the girl knew +you as a customer. But, my faith!--I wish you'd caught a glimpse of +somebody leaving that shop! For there's no doubt the old man met his +death by violence." + +"I know nothing of it," said Lauriston, "I saw no one." + +Just then Melky came in. He glanced at the cheque and the bank-notes +lying on the table, and nodded to Lauriston as if he understood their +presence. Then he turned to Ayscough, almost anxiously. + +"I say, Mr. Ayscough!" he said, deprecatingly. "You ain't going to be +so unkind as to mix up this here young fellow in what's happened. S'elp +me, Mr. Ayscough, I couldn't believe anything o' that sort about him, +nohow--nor would my cousin, Zillah, what you know well enough, neither; +he's as quiet as a lamb, Mr. Ayscough, is Mr. Lauriston--ain't I known +him, lodging here as he does, this many a month? I'll give my word for +him, anyway, Mr. Ayscough! And you police gentlemen know me. Don't you +now, Mr. Ayscough?" + +"Very well indeed, my boy!" agreed the detective, heartily. "And I'll +tell you what--I shall have to trouble Mr. Lauriston to go round with +me to the station, just to give a formal account of what happened, and +a bit of explanation, you know--I'm satisfied myself about him, and so, +no doubt, will our people be, but you come with us, Melky, and say a +word or two--say you've known him for some time, d'ye see--it'll help." + +"Anything to oblige a friend, Mr. Ayscough," said Melky. He motioned to +Lauriston to put his money in his pocket. "Glad to see your letters +turned up," he whispered as they went downstairs. "I say!--a word in +your ear--don't you tell these here police chaps any more than you +need--I'll stand up for you." + +The detective's report, a little questioning of Lauriston, and Melky's +fervent protestations on Lauriston's behalf, served to satisfy the +authorities at the police-station, and Lauriston was allowed to +go--admonished by the inspector that he'd be wanted at the inquest, as +the most important witness. He went out into the street with Melky. + +"Come and have a bit o' supper at Mrs. Goldmark's," suggested Melky. "I +shall have my hands full tonight at the poor old man's, but I ain't had +nothing since dinner." + +Lauriston, however, excused himself. He wanted to go home and write +letters--at once. But he promised to look round at the pawnshop later +in the evening, to see if he could be of any use, and to give Melky a +full account of his finding of the old pawnbroker. + +"Ah!" remarked Melky, as they pushed at the door of the eating-house. +"And ain't it going to be a nice job to find the man that scragged +him?--I don't think! But I'm going to take a hand at that game, +mister!--let alone the police." + +Mrs. Goldmark was out. She had heard the news, said the waitress who +was left in charge, and had gone round to do what she could for Miss +Zillah. So Melky, deprived of the immediate opportunity of talk with +Mrs. Goldmark, ordered his supper, and while he ate and drank, +cogitated and reflected. And his thoughts ran chiefly on the platinum +solitaire stud which he had carefully bestowed in his vest pocket. + +It was Melky's firm belief--already--that the stud had been dropped in +Daniel Multenius's back parlour by some person who had no business +there--in other words by the old man's assailant. And ever since he had +found the stud, Melky had been wondering and speculating on his chances +of finding its owner. Of one thing he was already certain: that the +owner, whoever he was, was no ordinary person. Ordinary, everyday +persons do not wear studs or tie-pins on chains made of platinum--the +most valuable of all the metals. How came a solitaire stud, made of a +metal far more valuable than gold, and designed and ornamented in a +peculiar fashion, to be lying on the hearthrug of old Daniel +Multenius's room? It was not to be believed that the old man had +dropped it there--no, affirmed Melky to himself, with conviction, that +bit of personal property had been dropped there, out of a loose +shirt-cuff by some man who had called on Daniel not long before Andie +Lauriston had gone in, and who for some mysterious reason had scragged +the old fellow. And now the question was--who was that man? + +"Got to find that out, somehow!" mused Melky. "Else that poor chap'll +be in a nice fix--s'elp me, he will! And that 'ud never do!" + +Melky, in spite of his keenness as a business man, and the fact that +from boyhood he had had to fight the world by himself, had a peculiarly +soft heart--he tended altogether to verge on the sentimental. He had +watched Lauriston narrowly, and had developed a decided feeling for +him--moreover, he now knew that his cousin Zillah, hitherto adamant to +many admirers, had fallen in love with Lauriston: clearly, Lauriston +must be saved. Melky knew police ways and methods, and he felt sure +that whatever Ayscough, a good-natured man, might think, the superior +authorities would view Lauriston's presence in the pawnshop with strong +suspicion. Therefore--the real culprit must be found. And he, Melky +Rubinstein--he must have a go at that game. + +He finished his supper, thinking hard all the time he ate and drank; +finally he approached the desk to pay his bill. The young woman whom +Mrs. Goldmark had left in charge lifted the lid of the desk to get some +change--and Melky's astonished eyes immediately fell on an object which +lay on top of a little pile of papers. That object was the duplicate of +the platinum solitaire which Melky had in his pocket. Without +ceremony--being well known there--he at once picked it up. + +"What's this bit of jewellery?" he demanded. + +"That?" said the waitress, indifferently. "Oh, one of the girls picked +it up the other day off a table where a stranger had been sitting--we +think he'd dropped it. Mrs. Goldmark says it's valuable, so she put it +away, in case he comes again. But we haven't seen him since." + +Melky took a good look at the second stud. Then he put it back in the +desk, picked up his change, and went away--in significant silence. + + + +CHAPTER SIX + + +THE SPANISH MANUSCRIPT + +Lauriston, walking back to his room after leaving Melky at the door of +the eating-house, faced the situation in which an unfortunate +combination of circumstances had placed him. Ayscough had been placable +enough; the authorities at the police-station had heard his own version +of things with attention--but he was still conscious that he was under +a certain amount of suspicion. More than that, he felt convinced that +the police would keep an eye on him that night. Ayscough, indeed, had +more than hinted that that would probably be done. For anything he +knew, some plain-clothes man might be shadowing him even then--anyway, +there had been no mistaking the almost peremptory request of the +inspector that he should report himself at the police station in the +morning. It was no use denying the fact--he was suspected, in some +degree. + +He knew where the grounds of suspicion lay--in his possession of two +rings, which were undoubtedly very similar to the rings which lay in +the tray that he and the detective had found on the table in the +back-parlour of the pawnshop. It needed no effort on the part of one +who had already had considerable experience in the construction of +plots for stories, to see how the police would build up a theory of +their own. Here, they would say, is a young fellow, who on his own +confession, is so hard up, so penniless, indeed, that he has had to +pawn his watch. He has got to know something of this particular +pawnshop, and of its keepers--he watches the girl leave; he ascertains +that the old man is alone; he enters, probably he sees that tray of +rings lying about; he grabs a couple of the rings; the old man +interrupts him in the act; he seizes the old man, to silence his +outcries; the old man, feeble enough at any time, dies under the shock. +A clear, an unmistakable case! + +What was he, Lauriston, to urge against the acceptance of such a +theory? He thought over everything that could be said on his behalf. +The friendliness of Zillah and her cousin Melky towards him could be +dismissed--that, when it came to it, would weigh little against the +cold marshalling of facts which a keen legal mind would put into the +opposite scale. His own contention that it was scarcely probable that +he should have gone to the pawnshop except to pledge something, and +that that something was the rings, would also be swept aside, easily +enough: his real object, the other side would say, had been robbery +when the old man was alone: what evidence had he that the two rings +which he had in his hand when Ayscough found him hurrying out of the +shop were really his? + +Here, Lauriston knew he was in a difficulty. He had kept these two +rings safely hidden in his old-fashioned trunk ever since coming to +London, and had never shown them to a single person--he had, indeed, +never seen them himself for a long time until he took them out that +afternoon. But where was his proof of that! He had no relations to whom +he could appeal. His mother had possessed an annuity; just sufficient +to maintain her and her son, and to give Lauriston a good education: it +had died with her, and all that she had left him, to start life on, was +about two hundred pounds and some small personal belongings, of which +the rings and his father's watch and chain were a part. And he +remembered now that his mother had kept those rings as securely put +away as he had kept them since her death--until they came into his +hands at her death he had only once seen them; she had shown them to +him when he was a boy and had said they were very valuable. Was it +possible that there was any one, far away in Scotland, who had known +his mother and who would come forward--if need arose--and prove that +those rings had been her property? But when he had put this question to +himself, he had to answer it with a direct negative--he knew of no one. + +There was one gleam of hope in this critical situation. John Purdie was +coming to London. Lauriston had always felt that he could rely on John +Purdie, and he had just received proof of the value of his faith in his +old schoolmate. John Purdie would tell him what to do: he might even +suggest the names of some of Mrs. Lauriston's old friends. And perhaps +the need might not arise--there must surely be some clue to the old +pawnbroker's assailant; surely the police would go deeper into the +matter. He cheered up at these thoughts, and having written replies to +the two welcome letters and asked John Purdie to see him immediately on +his arrival in town, he went out again to the post-office and to fulfil +his promise to Melky to call at the pawnshop. + +Lauriston was naturally of quick observation. He noticed now, as he +stepped out into the ill-lighted, gloomy street that a man was pacing +up and down in front of the house. This man took no notice of him as he +passed, but before he had reached Praed Street, he glanced around, and +saw that he was following him. He followed him to Spring Street +post-office; he was in his rear when Lauriston reached the pawnshop. +Idly and perfunctorily as the man seemed to be strolling about, +Lauriston was sure that he was shadowing him--and he told Melky of the +fact when Melky admitted him to the shop by the private door. + +"Likely enough, mister," remarked Melky. "But I shouldn't bother myself +about it if I were you. There'll be more known about this affair before +long. Now, look here," he continued, leading the way into the little +back-parlour where Lauriston had found Daniel Multenius lying dead, +"here's you and me alone--Zillah, she's upstairs, and Mrs. Goldmark is +with her. Just you tell me what you saw when you came in here, d'you +see, Mr. Lauriston--never mind the police--just give me the facts. I +ain't no fool, you know, and I'm going to work this thing out." + +Lauriston gave Melky a complete account of his connection with the +matter: Melky checked off all the points on his long fingers. At the +end he turned to the table and indicated the finely-bound book which +Lauriston had noticed when he and the detective had first looked round. + +"The police," said Melky, "made Zillah lock up that tray o' rings that +was there in a drawer what she had to clear out for 'em, and they've +put a seal on it till tomorrow. They've got those rings of yours, too, +mister, haven't they?" + +"They said it would be best for me to leave them with them," answered +Lauriston. "Ayscough advised it. They gave me a receipt for them, you +know." + +"All right," remarked Melky. "But there's something they ain't had the +sense to see the importance of--that fine book there. Mister!--that +there book wasn't in this parlour, nor in this shop, nor in this house, +at a quarter to five o'clock this afternoon, when my cousin Zillah went +out, leaving the poor old man alone. She'll swear to that. Now then, +who brought it here--who left it here? Between the time Zillah went +out, mister, and the time you come in, and found what you did find, +somebody--somebody!--had been in here and left that book behind him! +And--mark you!--it wasn't pawned, neither. That's a fact! And--it's no +common book, that. Look at it, Mr. Lauriston--you'd ought to know +something about books. Look at it!--s'elp me if I don't feel there's a +clue in that there volume, whoever it belongs to!" + +Lauriston took the book in his hands. He had only glanced at it +casually before; now he examined it carefully, while Melky stood at his +elbow, watching. The mysterious volume was certainly worthy of close +inspection--a small quarto, wonderfully bound in old dark crimson +morocco leather, and ornamented on sides and back with curious gold +arabesque work: a heavy clasp, also intricately wrought, held the +boards together. Lauriston, something of a book lover, whose natural +inclination was to spend his last shilling on a book rather than on +beef and bread, looked admiringly at this fine specimen of the binder's +art as he turned it over. + +"That's solid gold, isn't it?" he asked as he unfastened the clasp. +"You know." + +"Solid gold it is, mister--and no error," assented Melky. "Now, what's +inside? It ain't no blooming account-book, I'll bet!" + +Lauriston opened the volume, to reveal leaves of old vellum, covered +with beautiful fine writing. He had sufficient knowledge of foreign +languages to know what he was looking at. + +"That's Spanish!" he said. "An old Spanish manuscript--and I should say +it's worth a rare lot of money. How could it have come here?" + +Melky took the old volume out of Lauriston's hands, and put it away in +a corner cupboard. + +"Ah, just so, mister!" he said. "But we'll keep that question to +ourselves--for awhile. Don't you say nothing to the police about that +there old book--I'll give Zillah the tip. More hangs round that than we +know of yet. Now look here!--there'll be the opening of the inquest +tomorrow. You be careful! Take my tip and don't let 'em get more out of +you than's necessary. I'll go along with you. I'm going to stop here +tonight--watch-dog, you know. Mrs. Goldmark and another friend's going +to be here as well, so Zillah'll have company. And I say, Zillah wants +a word with you--stop here, and I'll send her down." + +Lauriston presently found himself alone with Zillah in the little +parlour. She looked at him silently, with eyes full of anxiety: he +suddenly realized that the anxiety was for himself. + +"Don't!" he said, moving close to her and laying his hand on her arm. +"I'm not afraid!" + +Zillah lifted her large dark eyes to his. + +"Those rings?" she said. "You'll be able to account for them? The +police, oh, I'm so anxious about you!" + +"The rings are mine!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't matter what the police +say or think, or do, either--at least, it shan't matter. And--you're +not to be anxious I've got a good friend coming from Scotland--Melky +told you I'd had two lots of good news tonight, didn't he?" + +A moment later Lauriston was in the street--conscious that, without a +word spoken between them, he and Zillah had kissed each other. He went +away with a feeling of exaltation--and he only laughed when he saw a +man detach himself from a group on the opposite side of the street and +saunter slowly after him. Let the police shadow him--watch his lodgings +all night, if they pleased--he had something else to think of. And +presently, not even troubling to look out of his window to see if there +was a watcher there, he went to bed, to dream of Zillah's dark eyes. + +But when morning came, and Lauriston realized that a fateful day was +before him, his thoughts were not quite so rosy. He drew up his +blind--there, certainly was a man pacing the opposite sidewalk. +Evidently, he was not to escape surveillance; the official eye was on +him! Supposing, before the day was out, the official hand was on him, +too? + +He turned from the window as he heard his newspaper thrust under his +door. He had only one luxury--a copy of the _Times_ every morning. It +was a three-penny _Times_ in those days, but he had always managed to +find his weekly eighteen pence for it. He picked it up now, and +carelessly glanced at its front page as he was about to lay it aside. +The next moment he was eagerly reading a prominent advertisement: + +"Lost in a Holborn to Chapel Street Omnibus, about 4 o'clock yesterday +afternoon, a Spanish manuscript, bound in old crimson morocco. Whoever +has found the same will be most handsomely rewarded on bringing it to +Spencer Levendale, Esq., M.P., 591, Sussex Square, W." + +Lauriston read this twice over--and putting the paper in his pocket, +finished his dressing and went straight to the police-station. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN + + +THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT + +Melky Rubinstein came out of the side-passage by Multenius's shop as +Lauriston neared it; he, too, had a newspaper bulging from his coat +pocket, and at sight of Lauriston he pulled it out and waved it +excitedly. + +"What'd I tell you, mister?" exclaimed Melky, as Lauriston joined him, +the shadowing plain-clothes man in his rear. "D'ye see this?" He +pointed to an advertisement in his own paper, which he had marked with +blue pencil. "There y'are, Mr. Lauriston!--that identical old book +what's inside the parlour--advertised for--handsome reward, too, in the +_Daily Telegraph_! Didn't I say we'd hear more of it?" + +Lauriston pulled out the _Times_ and indicated the Personal Column. + +"It's there, too," he said. "This man, Mr. Levendale, is evidently very +anxious to recover his book. And he's lost no time in advertising for +it, either! But--however did it get to Multenius's? + +"Mister!" said Melky, solemnly. "We'll have to speak to the +police--now. There's going to be a fine clue in that there book. I +didn't mean to say nothing to the police about it, just yet, but after +this here advertisement, t'ain't no use keeping the thing to ourselves. +Come on round to the police-station." + +"That's just where I was going," replied Lauriston. "Let's get hold of +Ayscough." + +Ayscough was standing just inside the police-station when they went up +the steps; he, too, had a newspaper in his hands, and at sight of them +he beckoned them to follow him into an office in which two or three +other police officials were talking. He led Lauriston and Melky aside. + +"I say!" he said. "Here's a curious thing! That book we noticed on the +table in Multenius's back room last night--that finely bound book--it's +advertised for in the _Daily Mail_--handsome reward offered." + +"Yes, and in the _Times_, too--and in the _Daily Telegraph_," said +Lauriston. "Here you are--just the same advertisement. It's very +evident the owner's pretty keen about getting it back." + +Ayscough glanced at the two newspapers, and then beckoned to a +constable who was standing near the door. + +"Jim!" he said, as the man came up. "Just slip across to the +newsagent's over there and get me the _News_, the _Chronicle_, the +_Standard_, the _Morning Post_. If the owner's as keen as all that," he +added, turning back to Lauriston, "he'll have put that advertisement in +all the morning papers, and I'd like to make sure. What's known about +that book at the shop?" he asked, glancing at Melky. "Does your cousin +know anything?" + +Melky's face assumed its most solemn expression. + +"Mister!" he said earnestly. "There ain't nothing known at the shop +about that there book, except this here. It wasn't there when my cousin +Zillah left the old man alone at a quarter to five yesterday afternoon. +It was there when this here gentleman found the old man. But it hadn't +been pledged, nor yet sold, Mr. Ayscough--There'd ha' been an entry in +the books if it had been taken in pawn, or bought across the +counter--and there's no entry. Now then--who'd left it there?" + +Another official had come up to the group--one of the men who had +questioned Lauriston the night before. He turned to Lauriston as Melky +finished. + +"You don't know anything about this book?" he asked. + +"Nothing--except that Mr. Ayscough and I saw it lying on the table in +the back room, close by that tray of rings," replied Lauriston. "I was +attracted by the binding, of course." + +"Where's the book, now?" asked the official. + +"Put safe away, mister," replied Melky. "It's all right. But this here +gentleman what's advertising for it--" + +Just then the constable returned with several newspapers and handed +them over to Ayscough, who immediately laid them on a desk and turned +to the advertisements, while the others crowded round him. + +"In every one of 'em," exclaimed Ayscough, a moment later. "Word for +word, in every morning newspaper in London! He must have sent that +advertisement round to all the offices last night. And you'll notice," +he added, turning to the other official, "that this Mr. Levendale only +lost this book about four o'clock yesterday afternoon: therefore, it +must have been taken to Multenius's shop between then and when we saw +it there." + +"The old man may have found it in the 'bus," suggested a third police +officer who had come up. "Looks as if he had." + +"No, mister," said Melky firmly. "Mr. Multenius wasn't out of the shop +at all yesterday afternoon--I've made sure o' that fact from my cousin. +He didn't find no book, gentlemen. It was brought there." + +Ayscough picked up one of the papers and turned to Melky and Lauriston. + +"Here!" he said. "We'll soon get some light on this. You two come with +me--we'll step round to Mr. Levendale." + +Ten minutes later, the three found themselves at the door of one of the +biggest houses in Sussex Square; a moment more and they were being +ushered within by a footman who looked at them with stolid curiosity. +Lauriston gained a general impression of great wealth and luxury, soft +carpets, fine pictures, all the belongings of a very rich man's +house--then he and his companions were ushered into a large room, half +study, half library, wherein, at a massive, handsomely carved desk, +littered with books and papers, sat a middle-aged, keen-eyed man, who +looked quietly up from his writing-pad at his visitors. + +"S'elp me!--one of ourselves!" whispered Melky Rubinstein at +Lauriston's elbow. "Twig him!" + +Lauriston was quick enough of comprehension and observation to know +what Melky meant. Mr. Spencer Levendale was certainly a Jew. His dark +hair and beard, his large dark eyes, the olive tint of his complexion, +the lines of his nose and lips all betrayed his Semitic origin. He was +evidently a man of position and of character; a quiet-mannered, +self-possessed man of business, not given to wasting words. He glanced +at the card which Ayscough had sent in, and turned to him with one word. + +"Well?" + +Ayscough went straight to the point. + +"I called, Mr. Levendale, about that advertisement of yours which +appears in all this morning's newspapers," he said. "I may as well tell +you that that book of yours was found yesterday afternoon, under +strange circumstances. Mr. Daniel Multenius, the jeweller and +pawnbroker, of Praed Street--perhaps you know him, sir?" + +"Not at all!" answered Levendale. "Never heard of him." + +"He was well known in this part of the town," remarked Ayscough, +quietly. "Well, sir--Mr. Multenius was found dead in his back-parlour +yesterday afternoon, about five-thirty, by this young man, Mr. +Lauriston, who happened to look in there, and I myself was on the spot +a few minutes later. Your book--for it's certainly the same--was lying +on the table in the parlour. Now, this other young man, Mr. Rubinstein, +is a relation of Mr. Multenius's--from enquiries he's made, Mr. +Levendale, it's a fact that the book was neither pawned nor sold at +Multenius's, though it must certainly have been brought there between +the time you lost it and the time we found the old gentleman lying +dead. Now, we--the police--want to know how it came there. And so--I've +come round to you. What can you tell me, sir?" + +Levendale, who had listened to Ayscough with great--and, as it seemed +to Lauriston, with very watchful--attention, pushed aside a letter he +was writing, and looked from one to the other of his callers. + +"Where is my book?" he asked. + +"It's all right--all safe, mister," said Melky. "It's locked up in a +cupboard, in the parlour where it was found, and the key's in my +pocket." + +Levendale turned to the detective, glancing again at Ayscough's card. + +"All I can tell you, sergeant," he said, "is--practically--what I've +told the public in my advertisement. Of course, I can supplement it a +bit. The book is a very valuable one--you see," he went on, with a +careless wave of his hand towards his book-shelves. "I'm something of a +collector of rare books. I bought this particular book yesterday +afternoon, at a well-known dealer's in High Holborn. Soon after buying +it, I got into a Cricklewood omnibus, which I left at Chapel Street--at +the corner of Praed Street, as a matter of fact: I wished to make a +call at the Great Western Hotel. It was not till I made that call that +I found I'd left the book in the 'bus--I was thinking hard about a +business matter--I'd placed the book in a corner behind me--and, of +course, I'd forgotten it, valuable though it is. And so, later on, +after telephoning to the omnibus people, who'd heard nothing, I sent +that advertisement round to all the morning papers. I'm very glad to +hear of it--and I shall be pleased to reward you," he concluded, +turning to Melky. "Handsomely!--as I promised." + +But Melky made no sign of gratitude or pleasure. He was eyeing the rich +man before him in inquisitive fashion. + +"Mister!" he said suddenly. "I'd like to ask you a question." + +Levendale frowned a little. + +"Well?" he asked brusquely. "What is it?" + +"This here," replied Melky. "Was that there book wrapped up? Was it +brown-papered, now, when you left it?" + +It seemed to Lauriston that Levendale was somewhat taken aback. But if +he was, it was only for a second: his answer, then, came promptly +enough. + +"No, it was not," he said. "I carried it away from the shop where I +bought it--just as it was. Why do you ask?" + +"It's a very fine-bound book," remarked Melky. "I should ha' thought, +now, that if it had been left in a 'bus, the conductor would ha' +noticed it, quick." + +"So should I," said Levendale. "Anything else?" he added, glancing at +Ayscough. + +"Well, no, Mr. Levendale, thank you," replied the detective. "At least +not just now. But--the fact is, Mr. Multenius appears to have come to +his death by violence--and I want to know if whoever took your book +into his shop had anything to do with it." + +"Ah!--however, I can't tell you any more," said Levendale. "Please see +that my book's taken great care of and returned to me, sergeant. +Good-morning." + +Outside, Ayscough consulted his watch and looked at his companions. + +"Time we were going on to the inquest," he remarked. "Come on--we'll +step round there together. You're both wanted, you know." + +"I'll join you at the Coroner's court, Mr. Ayscough," said Melky. "I've +got a few minutes' business--shan't be long." + +He hurried away by a short cut to Praed Street and turned into Mrs. +Goldmark's establishment. + +Mrs. Goldmark herself was still ministering to Zillah, but the young +woman whom Melky had seen the night before was in charge. Melky drew +her aside. + +"I say!" he said, with an air of great mystery. "A word with you, +miss!--private, between you and me. Can you tell me what like was that +fellow what you believed to ha' lost that there cuff stud you showed me +in Mrs. Goldmark's desk?--you know?" + +"Yes!" answered the young woman promptly. +"Tall--dark--clean-shaved--very brown--looked like one of those +Colonials that you see sometimes--wore a slouch hat." + +"Not a word to nobody!" warned Melky, more mysteriously than ever. And +nodding his head with great solemnity, he left the eating-house, and +hurried away to the Coroner's Court. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT + + +THE INQUEST + +Until he and Ayscough walked into this particular one, Lauriston had +never been in a Coroner's Court in his life. He knew very little about +what went on in such places. He was aware that the office of Coroner is +of exceeding antiquity; that when any person meets his or her death +under suspicious circumstances an enquiry into those circumstances is +held by a Coroner, who has a jury of twelve men to assist him in his +duties: but what Coroner and jury did, what the procedure of these +courts was, he did not know. It surprised him, accordingly, to find +himself in a hall which had all the outward appearance of a court of +justice--a raised seat, on a sort of dais, for the Coroner; a box for +the jury; a table for officials and legal gentlemen; a stand for +witnesses, and accommodation for the general public. Clearly, it was +evident that when any one died as poor old Daniel Multenius had died, +the law took good care that everybody should know everything about it, +and that whatever mystery there was should be thoroughly investigated. + +The general public, however, had not as yet come to be greatly +interested in the death of Daniel Multenius. Up to that moment the +affair was known to few people beyond the police, the relations of the +dead man, and his immediate neighbours in Praed Street. Consequently, +beyond the interested few, there was no great assemblage in the court +that morning. A reporter or two, each with his note-book, lounged at +the end of the table on the chance of getting some good copy out of +whatever might turn up; some of the police officials whom Lauriston had +already seen stood chatting with the police surgeon and a sharp-eyed +legal looking man, who was attended by a clerk; outside the open door, +a group of men, evidently tradesmen and householders of the district, +hung about, looking as if they would be glad to get back to their +businesses and occupations. Melky, coming in a few minutes after +Lauriston had arrived, and sitting down by him, nudged his elbow as he +pointed to these individuals. + +"There's the fellows what sits on the jury, mister!" whispered Melky. +"Half-a-crown each they gets for the job--and a nice mess they makes of +it, sometimes. They've the power to send a man for trial for his life, +has them chaps--all depends on their verdict. But lor' bless yer!--they +takes their tip from the Coroner--he's the fellow what you've got to +watch." + +Then Melky looked around more narrowly, and suddenly espied the +legal-looking man who was talking to the police. He dug his elbow into +Lauriston. + +"Mister!" he whispered. "You be careful what you say when you get into +that there witness-box. See that man there, a-talking to the +detectives?--him with the gold nippers on his blooming sharp nose? +That's Mr. Parminter!--I knows him, well enough. He's a lawyer chap, +what the police gets when there's a case o' this sort, to ask questions +of the witnesses, d'ye see? Watch him, Mr. Lauriston, if he starts +a-questioning you!--he's the sort that can get a tale out of a dead +cod-fish--s'elp me, he is! He's a terror, he is!--the Coroner ain't in +it with him--he's a good sort, the Coroner, but Parminter--Lord love +us! ain't I heard him turn witnesses inside out--not half! And here is +the Coroner." + +Lauriston almost forgot that he was an important witness, and was +tempted to consider himself nothing but a spectator as he sat and +witnessed the formal opening of the Court, the swearing-in of the +twelve jurymen, all looking intensely bored, and the preliminaries +which prefaced the actual setting-to-work of the morning's business. +But at last, after some opening remarks from the Coroner, who said that +the late Mr. Daniel Multenius was a well-known and much respected +tradesman of the neighbourhood, that they were all sorry to hear of his +sudden death, and that there were circumstances about it which +necessitated a careful investigation, the business began--and +Lauriston, who, for professional purposes, had heard a good many legal +cases, saw, almost at once, that the police, through the redoubtable +Mr. Parminter, now seated with his clerk at the table, had carefully +arranged the presenting of evidence on a plan and system of their own, +all of which, so it became apparent to him, was intended to either +incriminate himself, or throw considerable suspicion upon him. His +interest began to assume a personal complexion. + +The story of the circumstances of Daniel Multenius's death, as unfolded +in the witness-box into which one person went after another, appeared +to be the fairly plain one--looked at from one point of view: there was +a certain fascination in its unfolding. It began with Melky, who was +first called--to identify the deceased, to answer a few general +questions about him, and to state that when he last saw him, a few +hours before his death, he was in his usual good health: as good, at +any rate, as a man of his years--seventy-five--who was certainly +growing feeble, could expect to be in. Nothing much was asked of Melky, +and nothing beyond bare facts volunteered by him: the astute Mr. +Parminter left him alone. A more important witness was the +police-surgeon, who testified that the deceased had been dead twenty +minutes when he was called to him, that he had without doubt been +violently assaulted, having been savagely seized by the throat and by +the left arm, on both of which significant marks were plainly visible, +and that the cause of death was shock following immediately on this +undoubted violence. It was evident, said this witness, that the old man +was feeble, and that he suffered from a weak heart: such an attack as +that which he had described would be sufficient to cause death, almost +instantly. + +"So it is a case of murder!" muttered Melky, who had gone back to sit +by Lauriston. "That's what the police is leading up to. Be careful, +mister!" + +But there were three witnesses to call before Lauriston was called +upon. It was becoming a mystery to him that his evidence was kept back +so long--he had been the first person to find the old man's dead body, +and it seemed, to his thinking, that he ought to have been called at a +very early stage of the proceedings. He was about to whisper his +convictions on this point to Melky, when a door was opened and Zillah +was escorted in by Ayscough, and led to the witness-box. + +Zillah had already assumed the garments of mourning for her +grandfather. She was obviously distressed at being called to give +evidence, and the Coroner made her task as brief as possible. It +was--at that stage--little that he wanted to know. And Zillah told +little. She had gone out to do some shopping, at half-past-four on the +previous afternoon. She left her grandfather alone. He was then quite +well. He was in the front shop, doing nothing in particular. She was +away about an hour, when she returned to find Detective-Sergeant +Ayscough, whom she knew, and Mr. Lauriston, whom she also knew, in the +shop, and her grandfather dead in the parlour behind. At this stage of +her evidence, the Coroner remarked that he did not wish to ask Zillah +any further questions just then, but he asked her to remain in court. +Mrs. Goldmark had followed her, and she and Zillah sat down near Melky +and Lauriston--and Lauriston half believed that his own turn would now +come. + +But Ayscough was next called--to give a brief, bald, matter-of-fact +statement of what he knew. He had gone to see Mr. Multenius on a +business affair--he was making enquiries about a stolen article which +was believed to have been pledged in the Edgware Road district. He told +how Lauriston ran into him as he entered the shop; what Lauriston said +to him; what he himself saw and observed; what happened afterwards. It +was a plain and practical account, with no indication of surprise, +bias, or theory--and nobody asked the detective any questions arising +out of it. + +"Ain't nobody but you to call, now, mister," whispered Melky. "Mind +your p's and q's about them blooming rings--and watch that Parminter!" + +But Melky was mistaken--the official eye did not turn upon Lauriston +but, upon the public benches of the court, as if it were seeking some +person there. + +"There is a witness who has volunteered a statement to the police," +said the Coroner. "I understand it is highly important. We had better +hear him at this point. Benjamin Hollinshaw!" + +Melky uttered a curious groan, and glanced at Lauriston. + +"Fellow what has a shop right opposite!" he whispered. "S'elp +me!--what's he got to say about it?" + +Benjamin Hollinshaw came forward. He was a rather young, rather +self-confident, self-important sort of person, who strode up to the +witness-box as if he had been doing things of importance and moment all +his life, and was taking it quite as a matter of course that he should +do another. He took the oath and faced the court with something of an +air, as much as to imply that upon what he was about to say more +depended than any one could conceive. Invited to tell what he knew, he +told his story, obviously enjoying the telling of it. He was a +tradesman in Praed Street: a dealer in second-hand clothing, to be +exact; been there many years, in succession to his father. He +remembered yesterday afternoon, of course. About half-past-five o'clock +he was standing at the door of his shop. It was directly facing Daniel +Multenius's shop door. The darkness had already come on, and there was +also a bit of a fog in the street: not much, but hazy, as it were. +Daniel Multenius's window was lighted, but the light was confined to a +couple of gas-jets. There was a light in the projecting sign over the +side entrance to the pawnshop, down the passage. For the first few +minutes while he stood at his door, looking across to Multenius's, he +did not see any one enter or leave that establishment. But he then saw +a young man come along, from the Edgware Road direction, whose conduct +rather struck him. The young man, after sauntering past Multenius's +shop, paused, turned, and proceeded to peer in through the top panel of +the front door. He looked in once or twice in that way. Then he went to +the far end of the window and looked inside in the same prying fashion, +as if he wanted to find out who was within. He went to various parts of +the window, as if endeavouring to look inside. Finally, he stepped down +the side-passage and entered the door which led to the compartments +into which people turned who took things to pledge. He, Hollinshaw, +remained at his shop door for some minutes after that--in fact, until +the last witness came along. He saw Ayscough enter Multenius's front +door and immediately pause--then the door was shut, and he himself went +back into his own shop, his wife just then calling him to tea. + +"You saw the young man you speak of quite clearly?" asked the Coroner. + +"As clearly as I see you, sir," replied the witness. + +"Do you see him here?" + +Hollinshaw turned instantly and pointed to Lauriston. + +"That's the young man, sir," he answered, with confidence. + +Amidst a general craning of necks, Melky whispered to Lauriston. + +"You'd ought to ha' had a lawyer, mister!" he said. "S'elp me, I'm a +blooming fool for not thinking of it! Be careful--the Coroner's +a-looking at you!" + +As a matter of fact, every person in the court was staring at +Lauriston, and presently the Coroner addressed him. + +"Do you wish to ask this witness any questions?" he enquired. + +Lauriston rose to his feet. + +"No!" he replied. "What he says is quite correct. That is, as regards +myself." + +The Coroner hesitated a moment; then he motioned to Hollinshaw to leave +the box, and once more turned to Lauriston. + +"We will have your evidence now," he said. "And--let me warn you that +there is no obligation on you to say anything which would seem to +incriminate you." + + + +CHAPTER NINE + + +WHOSE WERE THOSE RINGS? + +Paying no attention to another attempted murmur of advice from Melky, +who seemed to be on pins and needles, Lauriston at once jumped to his +feet and strode to the witness-box. The women in the public seats +glanced at him with admiring interest--such a fine-looking young +fellow, whispered one sentimental lady to another, to have set about a +poor old gentleman like Mr. Multenius! And everybody else, from the +Coroner to the newspaper reporter--who was beginning to think he would +get some good copy, after all, that morning--regarded him with +attention. Here, at any rate, was the one witness who had actually +found the pawnbroker's dead body. + +Lauriston, his colour heightened a little under all this attention, +answered the preliminary questions readily enough. His name was Andrew +Carruthers Lauriston. His age--nearly twenty-two. He was a native of +Peebles, in Scotland--the only son of the late Andrew Lauriston. His +father was a minister of the Free Church. His mother was dead, too. He +himself had come to London about two years ago--just after his mother's +death. For the past few weeks he had lodged with Mrs. Flitwick, in Star +Street--that was his present address. He was a writer of +fiction--stories and novels. He had heard all the evidence already +given, including that of the last witness, Hollinshaw. All that +Hollinshaw had said was quite true. It was quite true that he had gone +to Multenius's pawnshop about five-thirty of the previous afternoon, on +his own business. He had looked in through both doors and window before +entering the side-door: he wanted to know who was in the shop--whether +it was Mr. Multenius, or his grand-daughter. He wanted to know that for +a simple reason--he had never done business with Mr. Multenius, never +even seen him that he remembered, but he had had one transaction with +Miss Wildrose, and he wished, if possible, to do his business with her. +As a matter of fact he saw nobody inside the shop when he looked in +through the front door and the window--so he went round to the +side-entrance. + +All this had come in answer to questions put by the Coroner--who now +paused and looked at Lauriston not unkindly. + +"I daresay you are already aware that there is, or may be, some amount +of suspicious circumstances attaching to your visit to this place +yesterday afternoon," he said. "Do you care to tell the court--in your +own way--precisely what took place, what you discovered, after you +entered the pawnshop?" + +"That's exactly what I wish to do," answered Lauriston, readily. "I've +already told it, more than once, to the police and Mr. Multenius's +relatives--I'll tell it again, as plainly and briefly as I can. I went +into one of the compartments just within the side-door of the place. I +saw no one, and heard no one. I rapped on the counter--nobody came. So +I looked round the partition into the front shop. There was no one +there. Then I looked round the other partition into the back parlour, +the door of which was wide open. I at once saw an old man whom I took +to be Mr. Multenius. He was lying on the floor--his feet were towards +the open door, and his head on the hearth-rug, near the fender. I +immediately jumped over the counter, and went into the parlour. I saw +at once that he was dead--and almost immediately I hurried to the front +door, to summon assistance. At the door I ran into Mr. Ayscough, who +was entering as I opened the door. I at once told him of what I had +found. That is the plain truth as to all I know of the matter." + +"You heard nothing of any person in or about the shop when you +entered?" asked the Coroner. + +"Nothing!" replied Lauriston. "It was all perfectly quiet." + +"What had you gone there to do?" + +"To borrow some money--on two rings." + +"Your own property?" + +"My own property!" + +"Had you been there before, on any errand of that sort?" + +"Only once." + +"When was that?" + +"Last week," answered Lauriston. "I pawned my watch there." + +"You have, in fact, been short of money?" + +"Yes. But only temporarily--I was expecting money." + +"I hope it has since arrived," said the Coroner. + +"Mr. Ayscough was with me when it did arrive," replied Lauriston, +glancing at the detective. "We found it--two letters--at my lodgings +when he walked round there with me after what I have just told you of." + +"You had done your business on that previous occasion with the +grand-daughter?" asked the Coroner. "You had not seen the old man, +then?" + +"I never to my knowledge saw Mr. Multenius till I found him lying dead +in his own parlour," answered Lauriston. + +The Coroner turned from the witness, and glanced towards the table at +which Mr. Parminter and the police officials sat. And Mr. Parminter +slowly rose and looked at Lauriston, and put his first question--in a +quiet, almost suave voice, as if he and the witness were going to have +a pleasant and friendly little talk together. + +"So your ambition is to be a writer of fiction?" he asked. + +"I am a writer of fiction!" replied Lauriston. + +Mr. Parminter pulled out a snuff-box and helped himself to a pinch. + +"Have you published much?" he enquired, drily. + +"Two or three stories--short stories." + +"Did they bring in much money?" + +"Five pounds each." + +"Have you done anything else for a living but that since you came to +London two years ago?" + +"No, I haven't!" + +"How much have you earned by your pen since you came, now?" + +"About thirty pounds." + +"Thirty pounds in two years. What have you lived on, then?" + +"I had money of my own," replied Lauriston. "I had two hundred pounds +when I left home." + +"And that gave out--when?" demanded Mr. Parminter. + +"Last week." + +"And so--you took your watch to the pawnshop. And--yesterday--your +expected money not having arrived, you were obliged to visit the +pawnshop again? Taking with you, you said just now, two rings--your own +property. Am I correct?" + +"Quite correct--two rings--my own property." + +Mr. Parminter turned and spoke to a police official, who, lifting aside +a sheet of brown paper which lay before him, revealed the tray of rings +which Lauriston and Ayscough had found on the table in Multenius's +parlour. At the same time, Mr. Parminter, lifting his papers, revealed +Lauriston's rings. He picked them up, laid them on the palm of his +hand, and held them towards the witness. + +"Are these the rings you took to the pawnshop?" he asked. + +"Yes!" replied Lauriston. "They were my mother's." + +Mr. Parminter indicated the tray. + +"Did you see this tray lying in the parlour in which you found the dead +man?" he enquired. + +"I did." + +"Did it strike you that your own rings were remarkably like the rings +in this tray?" + +"No, it did not," answered Lauriston. "I know nothing about rings." + +Mr. Parminter quietly passed the tray of rings to the Coroner, with +Lauriston's rings lying on a sheet of paper. + +"Perhaps you will examine these things and direct the attention of the +jurymen to them?" he said, and turned to the witness-box again. "I want +to ask you a very particular question," he continued. "You had better +consider it well before answering it--it is more important--to +you--than may appear at first hearing. Can you bring any satisfactory +proof that those two rings which you claim to be yours, really are +yours?" + +There followed on that a dead silence in court. People had been coming +in since the proceedings had opened, and the place was now packed to +the door. Every eye was turned on Lauriston as he stood in the +witness-box, evidently thinking deeply. And in two pairs of eyes there +was deep anxiety: Melky was nervous and fidgety; Zillah was palpably +greatly concerned. But Lauriston looked at neither--and he finally +turned to Mr. Parminter with a candid glance. + +"The rings are mine," he answered. "But--I don't know how I can prove +that they are!" + +A suppressed murmur ran round the court--in the middle of it, the +Coroner handed the rings to a police official and motioned him to show +them to the jurymen. And Mr. Parminter's suave voice was heard again. + +"You can't prove that they are yours." + +"May I explain?" asked Lauriston. "Very well--there may be people, old +friends, who have seen those two rings in my mother's possession. But I +don't know where to find such people. If it's necessary, I can try." + +"I should certainly try, if I were you," observed Mr. Parminter, drily. +"Now, when did those two rings come into your possession?" + +"When my mother died," replied Lauriston. + +"Where have you kept them?" + +"Locked up in my trunk." + +"Have you ever, at any time, or any occasion, shown them to any person? +Think!" + +"No," answered Lauriston. "I can't say that I ever have." + +"Not even at the time of your mother's death?" + +"No! I took possession, of course, of all her effects. I don't remember +showing the rings to anybody." + +"You kept them in your trunk until you took them out to raise money on +them?" + +"Yes--that's so," admitted Lauriston. + +"How much money had you--in the world--when you went to the pawnshop +yesterday afternoon?" demanded Mr. Parminter, with a sudden keen glance. + +Lauriston flushed scarlet. + +"If you insist on knowing," he said. "I'd just nothing." + +There was another murmur in court--of pity from the sentimental ladies +in the public seats, who, being well acquainted with the pawnshops +themselves, and with the necessities which drove them there were +experiencing much fellow-feeling for the poor young man in the +witness-box. But Lauriston suddenly smiled--triumphantly. + +"All the same," he added, glancing at Mr. Parminter. "I'd forty pounds, +in my letters, less than an hour afterwards. Ayscough knows that!" + +Mr. Parminter paid no attention to this remark. He had been whispering +to the police inspector, and now he turned to the Coroner. + +"I should like this witness to stand down for a few minutes, sir," he +said. "I wish to have Miss Wildrose recalled." + +The Coroner gently motioned Zillah to go back to the witness-box. + + + +CHAPTER TEN + + +MELKY INTERVENES + +Zillah had listened to Lauriston's answers to Mr. Parminter's searching +questions with an anxiety which was obvious to those who sat near her. +The signs of that anxiety were redoubled as she walked slowly to the +box, and the glance she threw at the Coroner was almost appealing. But +the Coroner was looking at his notes, and Zillah was obliged to turn to +Mr. Parminter, whose accents became more mellifluous than ever as he +addressed her; Mr. Parminter, indeed, confronting Zillah might have +been taken for a kindly benevolent gentleman whose sole object was to +administer condolence and comfort. Few people in court, however, failed +to see the meaning of the questions which he began to put in the +suavest and softest of tones. + +"I believe you assisted your late grandfather in his business?" +suggested Mr. Parminter. + +"Just so! Now, how long had you assisted him in that way?" + +"Ever since I left school--three years ago," replied Zillah. + +"Three years--to be sure! And I believe you had resided with him for +some years before that?" + +"Ever since I was a little girl," admitted Zillah. + +"In fact, the late Mr. Multenius brought you up? Just so!--therefore, +of course, you would have some acquaintance with his business before +you left school?" + +"Yes--he taught me a good deal about it." + +"You were always about the place, of course--yes? And I may take it +that you gradually got a good deal of knowledge about the articles with +which your grandfather had to deal? To be sure--thank you. In fact, you +are entitled to regard yourself as something of an expert in precious +stones and metals?" + +"I know a good deal about them," replied Zillah. + +"You could tell the value of a thing as accurately as your grandfather?" + +"Ordinary things--yes." + +"And you were very well acquainted with your grandfather's stock?" + +"Yes." + +Mr. Parminter motioned the official who had charge of it to place the +tray of rings on the ledge of the witness-box. + +"Oblige me by looking at that tray and the contents," he said. "You +recognize it, of course? Just so. Now, do you know where that tray was +when you went out, leaving your grandfather alone, yesterday afternoon?" + +"Yes," replied Zillah, unhesitatingly. "On the table in the +back-parlour--where I saw it when I came in. My grandfather had taken +it out of the front window, so that he could polish the rings." + +"Do you know how many rings it contained?" + +"No. Perhaps twenty-five or thirty." + +"They are, I see, laid loosely in the tray, which is velvet-lined. They +were always left like that? Just so. And you don't know how many there +were--nor how many there should be there, now? As a matter of fact, +there are twenty-seven rings there--you can't say that is the right +number?" + +"No," answered Zillah, "and my grandfather couldn't have said, either. +A ring might be dropped into that tray--or a ring taken out. They are +all old rings." + +"But--valuable?" suggested Mr. Parminter. + +"Some--yes. Others are not very valuable." + +"Now what do you mean by that word valuable? What, for instance, is the +value of the least valuable ring there, and what is that of the most +valuable?" + +Zillah glanced almost indifferently at the tray before her. + +"Some of these rings are worth no more than five pounds," she replied. +"Some--a few--are worth twenty to thirty pounds; one or two are worth +more." + +"And--they are all old?" + +"They are all of old-fashioned workmanship," said Zillah. "Made a good +many years ago, all of them. The diamonds, or pearls, are all right, of +course." + +Mr. Parminter handed over the half-sheet of paper on which Lauriston's +rings had been exhibited to the Coroner and the jurymen. + +"Look at those rings, if you please," he said quietly. "Are they of the +same sort, the same class, of rings as those in the tray?" + +"Yes," admitted Zillah. "Something the same." + +"What is the value of those rings--separately?" enquired Mr. Parminter. +"Please give us your professional opinion." + +Zillah bent over the two rings for a while, turning them about. + +"This is worth about thirty, and that about fifty pounds," she replied +at last. + +"In other words, these two rings are similar in style and value to the +best rings in that tray?" + +"Yes." + +"Do you recognize those two rings?" + +"No--not at all." + +Mr. Parminter paused a moment, and caught the jury's attention with a +sharp glance of his eye before he turned again to the witness. + +"Could you have recognized any of the rings in that tray?" he asked. + +"No!" said Zillah. "I could not." + +"Then you could not possibly say--one way or another, if those rings +were taken out of that tray?" + +"No!" + +"The fact is that all those rings--the two on the half-sheet of +notepaper, and twenty-seven on the tray--are all of the same class as +regards age and style--all very much of a muchness?" + +"Yes," admitted Zillah. + +"And you can't--you are on your oath remember!--you can't definitely +say that those two rings were not picked up from that tray, amongst the +others?" + +"No," replied Zillah. "But I can't say that they were! And--I don't +believe they were. I don't believe they were our rings!" + +Mr. Parminter smiled quietly and again swept the interested jurymen +with his quick glance. + +Then he turned to Zillah with another set of questions. + +"How long have you known the last witness--Andrew Lauriston?" he +enquired. + +"Since one day last week," replied Zillah. + +She had flushed at the mention of Lauriston's name, and Mr. Parminter +was quick to see it. + +"How did you get to know him?" he continued. + +"By his coming to the shop--on business." + +"To pawn his watch, I believe?" + +"Yes." + +"You attended to him?" + +"Yes." + +"You had never seen him before?" + +"No." + +"Ever seen him since?" + +Zillah hesitated for a moment. + +"I saw him--accidentally--in Kensington Gardens, on Sunday," she +answered at last. + +"Have any conversation with him?" + +"Yes," admitted Zillah. + +"About--pawnbroking?" + +"No!" retorted Zillah. "About his work--writing." + +"Did he tell you he was very hard up?" + +"I knew that!" said Zillah. "Hadn't he pawned his watch?" + +"Perhaps--you seem to be a very good business woman--perhaps you gave +him some advice?" + +"Yes, I did! I advised him, as long as he'd anything on which he could +raise money, not to let himself go without money in his pocket." + +"Excellent advice!" said Mr. Parminter, with a smile. + +He leaned forward, looking at his witness more earnestly. "Now, did +Lauriston, on Sunday, or when you saw him before, ever mention to you +that he possessed two rings of some value?" + +"No," replied Zillah. + +Mr. Parminter paused, hesitated, suddenly bowed to the Coroner, and +dropping back into his seat, pulled out his snuff-box. And the Coroner, +motioning Zillah to leave the witness-box, interrupted Mr. Parminter in +the midst of a pinch of snuff. + +"I think it will be best to adjourn at this stage," he said. "It is +obvious that we can't finish this today." He turned to the jurymen. "I +propose to adjourn this enquiry for a week, gentlemen," he went on. "In +the meantime--" + +His attention was suddenly arrested by Melky Rubinstein, who, after +much uneasiness and fidgeting, rose from his seat and made his way to +the foot of the table, manifestly desiring to speak. + +"What is it?" asked the Coroner. "Who are you? Oh!--the witness who +identified the body. Yes?" + +"Mr. Coroner!" said Melky, in his most solemn tones. "This here inquest +ain't being conducted right, sir! I don't mean by you--but these here +gentlemen, the police, and Mr. Parminter there, is going off on a wrong +scent. I know what they're after, and they're wrong! They're +suppressing evidence, Mr. Coroner." Melky turned on Ayscough. "What +about the clue o' this here old book?" he demanded. "Why ain't you +bringing that forward? I'm the late Daniel Multenius's nearest male +relative, and I say that clue's a deal more important nor what we've +been hearing all the morning. What about that book, now, Mr. Ayscough? +Come on!--what about it!--and its owner?" + +"What is this?" demanded the Coroner. "If there is anything--" + +"Anything, sir!" exclaimed Melky. "There's just this--between the time +that my cousin there, Miss Zillah Wildrose left the old man alive, and +the time when Mr. Lauriston found him dead, somebody came into the shop +as left a valuable book behind him on the parlour table, which book, +according to all the advertisements in the morning papers, is the +property of Mr. Spencer Levendale, the Member of Parliament, as lives +in Sussex Square. Why ain't that matter brought up? Why ain't Mr. +Levendale brought here? I ask you, Mr. Coroner, to have it seen into! +There's more behind it--" + +The Coroner held up a hand and beckoned the police inspector and Mr. +Parminter to approach his desk; a moment later, Ayscough was summoned. +And Lauriston, watching the result of this conference, was quickly +aware that the Coroner was not particularly pleased; he suddenly turned +on the inspector with a question which was heard by every one in court. + +"Why was not the matter of the book put before the Court at first?" he +demanded. "It seems to me that there may be a most important clue in +it. The fact of the book's having been found should most certainly have +been mentioned, at once. I shall adjourn for a week, from today, and +you will produce the book and bring Mr. Spencer Levendale here as a +witness. This day week, gentlemen!" + +Melky Rubinstein turned, whispered a hurried word to Zillah and Mrs. +Goldmark, and then, seizing Lauriston by the elbow, drew him quickly +away from the court. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN + + +THE BACK DOOR + +Once outside in the street, Melky turned down the nearest side-street, +motioning Lauriston to follow him. Before they had gone many yards he +edged himself close to his companion's side, at the same time throwing +a cautious glance over his own shoulder. + +"There's one o' them blooming detectives after us!" said Melky. "But +that's just what's to be expected, mister!--they'll never let you out +o' their sight until one of two things happen!" + +"What things?" asked Lauriston. + +"Either you'll have to prove, beyond all doubt, that them rings is +yours, and was your poor mother's before you," answered Melky, "or we +shall have to put a hand on the chap that scragged my uncle. That's a +fact! Mister!--will you put your trust and confidence in me, and do +what I tell you? It's for your own good." + +"I don't know that I could do better," responded Lauriston, after a +moment's thought. "You're a right good fellow, Melky--I'm sure of that! +What do you want me to do?" + +Melky pulled out a handsome gold watch and consulted it. + +"It's dinner-time," he said. "Come round to Mrs. Goldmark's and get +some grub. I'll tell you what to do while we're eating. I've been +thinking things over while that there Parminter was badgering poor +Zillah, and s'elp me, there only is one thing for you to do, and you'd +best to do it sharp! But come on to Praed Street--don't matter if this +here chap behind does shadow you--I can get the better of him as easy +as I could sell this watch! It 'ud take all the detectives in London to +beat me, if I put my mind to it." + +They were at Mrs. Goldmark's eating-house in five minutes: Melky, who +knew all the ins and outs of that establishment, conducted Lauriston +into an inner room, and to a corner wherein there was comparative +privacy, and summoned a waitress. Not until he and his companion were +half way through their meal did he refer to the business which was in +his thoughts: then he leaned close to Lauriston and began to talk. + +"Mister!" he whispered. "Where do you come from?" + +"Peebles," answered Lauriston. "You heard me tell them so, in that +court." + +"I'm no scholar," said Melky. "I ain't no idea where Peebles is, except +that it's in Scotland. Is it far into that country, or where is it?" + +"Not far across the Border," replied Lauriston. + +"Get there in a few hours, I reckon?" asked Melky. "You could? Very +well, then, mister, you take my tip--get there! Get there--quick!" + +Lauriston laid down his knife and fork and stared. + +"Whatever for?" he exclaimed. + +"To find somebody--anybody--as can prove that those rings are yours!" +answered Melky solemnly and emphatically. "Tain't no use denying +it--you're in a dangerous position. The police always goes for the +straightest and easiest line. Their line was clear enough, just +now--Parminter give it away! They've a theory--they always have a +theory--and when once police gets a theory, nothing can drive it out o' +their heads--their official heads, anyway. What they're saying, and +what they'll try to establish, is this here. That you were hard up, +down to less than your last penny. You went to Mr. Multenius's--you +peeked and peered through the shop window and saw him alone, or, +perhaps, saw the place empty. You went in--you grabbed a couple o' +rings--he interrupted you--you scragged him! That's their line--and +Zillah can't swear that those rings which you claim to be yours aren't +her grandfather's, and up to now you can't prove that they're yours and +were once your mother's! Mister!--be off to this here Peebles at +once--immediate!--and find somebody, some old friend, as can swear that +he or she--never mind which--knows them rings to be your property +beyond a shadow of doubt! Bring that friend back--bring him if he has +to come in an invalid carriage!" + +Lauriston was so much struck by Melky's argument and advice that it +needed no more explanations to convince him of its wisdom. + +"But--how could I get away'" he asked. "There'll be that detective chap +hanging about outside--I know I've been shadowed ever since last +evening! They'll never let me get away from London, however much I +wish. The probability is that if they saw me going to a railway station +they'd arrest me." + +"My own opinion, mister, after what's taken place this morning, is that +if you stop here, you'll be arrested before night," remarked Melky +coolly. "I'd lay a tenner on it! But you ain't going to stop--you must +go! There must be somebody in the old spot as can swear that them two +rings o' yours is family property, and you must find 'em and bring 'em, +if you value your neck. As to slipping the police, I'll make that right +for you, proper! Now, then, what money have you about you, Mr. +Lauriston?" + +"Plenty!" answered Lauriston. "Nearly forty pounds--the money I got +last night." + +"Will you do exactly what I tell you?" asked Melky, "And do it at once, +without any hesitation, any hanging about, any going home to Mother +Flitwick's, or anything o' that sort?" + +"Yes!" replied Lauriston. "I'm so sure you're right, that I will." + +"Then you listen to me--careful," said Melky. "See that door in the +corner? As soon as you've finished that pudding, slip out o' that door. +You'll find yourself in a little yard. Go out o' that yard, and you'll +find yourself in a narrow passage. Go straight down the passage, and +you'll come out in Market Street. Go straight down Southwick +Street--you know it--to Oxford and Cambridge Terrace, and you'll see a +cab-rank right in front of you. Get into a taxi, and tell the fellow to +drive you to Piccadilly Circus. Leave him there--take a turn round so's +he won't see what you do--then get into another taxi, and drive to St. +Pancras Church. Get out there--and foot it to King's Cross Station. +You'll catch the 3.15 for the North easy--and after you're once in it, +you're all right. Get to Peebles!--that's the thing! S'elp me, Mr. +Lauriston, it's the only thing!" + +Five minutes later, there being no one but themselves in the little +room, Lauriston gave Melky a hearty grip of the hand, walked out of the +door in the corner, and vanished. And Melky, left alone, pulled out his +cigarette case, and began to smoke, calmly and quietly. When the +waitress came back, he whispered a word or two to her; the waitress +nodded with full comprehension--for everybody knew Melky at Goldmark's, +and if the waitresses wanted a little jewellery now and then, he let +them have it at cost price. + +"So you can give me the checks for both," said Melky. "I'll pay 'em." + +But Melky let three-quarters of an hour elapse before he went to the +desk in the outer shop. He sipped a cup of coffee; he smoked several +cigarettes; it was quite a long time before he emerged into Praed +Street, buttoning his overcoat. And without appearing to see anything, +he at once saw the man who had followed Lauriston and himself from the +Coroner's Court. Being almost preternaturally observant, he also saw +the man start with surprise--but Melky showed, and felt, no surprise, +when the watcher came after him. + +"You know me, Mr. Rubinstein," he said, almost apologetically. "You +know, of course, we're keeping an eye on that young Scotch +fellow--we've got to! He went in there, to Goldmark's, with you? Is he +still there?" + +"Strikes me you ain't up to your job!" remarked Melky, coolly. "He went +out, three-quarters of an hour ago. Gone home, I should say." + +The man turned away, evidently puzzled, but just as evidently taking +Melky's word. He went off in the direction of Star Street, while Melky +strolled along to the pawnbroker's shop. It was necessary that he +should tell his cousin of what he had done. + +Mrs. Goldmark was still with Zillah--Melky unfolded his story to the +two of them. Zillah heard it with unfeigned relief; Mrs. Goldmark, who, +being a young and pretty widow, was inclined to sentiment, regarded +Melky with admiration. + +"My!--if you ain't the cute one, Mr. Rubinstein!" she exclaimed, +clapping her plump hands. "As for me, now, I wouldn't have thought of +that in a hundred years! But it's you that's the quick mind." + +Melky laid a finger to the side of his nose. + +"Do you know what, Mrs. Goldmark?" he said. "I ain't going to let them +police fellows put a hand on young Lauriston, not me! I've my own ideas +about this here business--wait till I put my hand on somebody, see? +Don't it all come out clear to you?--if I find the right man, then +there ain't no more suspicion attaching to this young chap, ain't it? +Oh, I'm no fool, Mrs. Goldmark; don't you make no mistake!" + +"I'm sure!" asserted Mrs. Goldmark. "Yes, indeed--you don't carry your +eyes in your head for nothing, Mr. Rubinstein!" + +Zillah, who had listened abstractedly to these compliments suddenly +turned on her cousin. + +"What are you going to do then, Melky?" she demanded. "What's all this +business about that book? And what steps are you thinking of taking?" + +But Melky rose and, shaking his head, buttoned up his overcoat as if he +were buttoning in a multitude of profound secrets. + +"What you got to do, just now, Zillah--and Mrs. Goldmark too," he +answered, "is to keep quiet tongues about what I done with young +Lauriston. There ain't to be a word said! If any o' them police come +round here, asking about him, you don't know nothing--see? You ain't +seen him since he walked out o' that court with me--see? Which, of +course--you ain't. And as for the rest, you leave that to yours truly!" + +"Oh, what it is to have a mind!" exclaimed Mrs. Goldmark "I ain't no +mind, beyond managing my business." + +"Don't you show your mind in managing that?" said Melky, admiringly. +"What do I always say of you, Mrs. Goldmark? Don't I always say you're +the smartest business woman in all Paddington? Ain't that having a +mind? Oh, I think you've the beautifullest mind, Mrs. Goldmark!" + +With this compliment Melky left Mrs. Goldmark and Zillah, and went away +to his lodgings. He was aware of a taxi-cab drawn up at Mrs. Flitwick's +door as he went up the street; inside Mrs. Flitwick's shabby hall he +found that good woman talking to a stranger--a well-dressed young +gentleman, who was obviously asking questions. Mrs. Flitwick turned to +Melky with an air of relief. + +"Perhaps you can tell this gentleman where Mr. Lauriston is, Mr. +Rubinstein?" she said. "I ain't seen him since he went out first thing +this morning." + +Melky looked the stranger over--narrowly. Then he silently beckoned him +outside the house, and walked him out of earshot. + +"You ain't the friend from Scotland?" asked Melky. "Him what sent the +bank-note, last night?" + +"Yes!" assented the stranger. "I see you're aware of that. My name is +Purdie--John Purdie. Where is Lauriston? I particularly want to see +him." + +Melky tapped the side of his nose, and whispered. + +"He's on his way to where you come from, mister!" he said. "Here!--I +know who you are, and you'll know me in one minute. Come up to my +sitting-room!" + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE + + +THE FRIEND FROM PEEBLES + +Melky, as principal lodger in Mrs. Flitwick's establishment, occupied +what that lady was accustomed to describe as the front drawing-room +floor--a couple of rooms opening one into the other. Into one of these, +furnished as a sitting-room, he now led Lauriston's friend, hospitably +invited him to a seat, and took a quiet look at him. He at once sized +up Mr. John Purdie for what he was--a well-to-do, well-dressed, +active-brained young business man, probably accustomed to controlling +and dealing with important affairs. And well satisfied with this +preliminary inspection, he immediately plunged into the affair of the +moment. + +"Mister," began Melky, pulling up a chair to Purdie's side, and +assuming a tone and manner of implicit confidence. "I've heard of you. +Me and Mr. Lauriston's close friends. My name's Mr. Rubinstein--Mr. +Melchior Rubinstein, commonly called Melky. I know all about +you--you're the friend that Lauriston asked for a bit of help to see +him through, like--ain't it? Just so--and you sent him twenty pounds to +be going on with--which he got, all right, last night. Also, same time, +he got another twenty quid for two of his lit'ry works--stories, +mister. Mister!--I wish he'd got your money and the other money just an +hour before it come to hand! S'elp me!--if them there letters had only +come in by one post earlier, it 'ud ha' saved a heap o' trouble!" + +"I haven't the remotest notion of what you're talking about, you know," +said Purdie good-naturedly. "You evidently know more than I do. I knew +Andie Lauriston well enough up to the time he left Peebles, but I've +never seen or heard of him since until he wrote to me the other week. +What's it all about, and why has he gone back to Peebles? I told him I +was coming up here any day now--and here I am, and he's gone!" + +Melky edged his chair still nearer to his visitor, and with a cautious +glance at the door, lowered his voice. + +"I'm a-going to tell you all about it, mister," he said. "I know you +Scotch gentlemen have got rare headpieces on you, and you'll pick it up +sharp enough. Now you listen to me, Mr. Purdie, same as if I was one of +them barrister chaps stating a case, and you'll get at it in no time." + +John Purdie, who had already recognized his host as a character, as +interesting as he was amusing, listened attentively while Melky told +the story of Lauriston's doings and adventure from the moment of his +setting out to pawn his watch at Multenius's pledge-office to that in +which, on Melky's suggestion, he had made a secret and hurried +departure for Peebles. Melky forgot no detail; he did full justice to +every important point, and laid particular stress on the proceedings +before the Coroner. And in the end he appealed confidently to his +listener. + +"And now I put it up to you, mister--straight!" concluded Melky. "Could +I ha' done better for him than to give him the advice I did? Wasn't it +best for him to go where he could get some evidence on his own behalf, +than to run the risk of being arrested, and put where he couldn't do +nothing for himself? What d'you say, now, Mr. Purdie?" + +"Yes," agreed Purdie, after a moment's further thought. "I think you +did well. He'll no doubt be able to find some old friends in Peebles +who can surely remember that his mother did possess those two rings. +But you must bear this in mind--the police, you say, have shadowed him +since yesterday afternoon. Well, when they find he's flown, they'll +take that as a strong presumptive evidence of guilt. They'll say he's +flying from justice!" + +"Don't matter, mister, if Lauriston comes back with proof of his +innocence," replied Melky. + +"Yes, but they'll not wait for that," said Purdie. "They'll set the +hue-and-cry on to him--at once. He's not the sort to be easily mistaken +or overlooked--unless he's changed a lot this late year or two--he was +always a good-looking lad." + +"Is so now, mister," remarked Melky, "is so now!" + +"Very well," continued Purdie. "Then I want to make a suggestion to +you. It seems to me that the wisest course is for you and me to go +straight to the police authorities, and tell them frankly that +Lauriston has gone to get evidence that those rings are really his +property, and that he'll return in a day or two with that evidence. +That will probably satisfy them--I think I can add a bit more that will +help further. We don't want it to be thought that the lad's run away +rather than face a possible charge of murder, you know!" + +"I see your point, mister, I see your point!" agreed Melky. "I'm with +you!--I ain't no objection to that. Of course, there ain't no need to +tell the police precisely where he has gone--what?" + +"Not a bit!" said Purdie. "But I'll make myself responsible to them for +his re-appearance. Now--did you and he arrange anything about +communicating with each other?" + +"Yes," replied Melky. "If anything turns up this next day or two I'm to +wire to him at the post-office, Peebles. If he finds what he wants, +he'll wire to me, here, at once." + +"Good!" said Purdie. "Now, here's another matter. You've mentioned Mr. +Spencer Levendale and this book which was so strangely left at the +pledge-office. I happen to know Mr. Levendale--pretty well." + +"You do, mister!" exclaimed Melky. "Small world, ain't it, now?" + +"I met Mr. Spencer Levendale last September--two months ago," continued +Purdie. "He was staying at an hotel in the Highlands, with his children +and their governess: I was at the same hotel, for a month--he and I +used to go fishing together. We got pretty friendly, and he asked me to +call on him next time I was in town. Here I am--and when we've been to +the police, I'm going to Sussex Square--to tell him I'm a friend of +Lauriston's, that Lauriston is in some danger over this business, and +to ask him if he can tell me more about--that book!" + +Melky jumped up and wrung his visitor's hand. + +"Mister!--you're one o' the right sort," he said fervently. "That there +book has something to do with it! My idea is that the man what carried +that book into the shop is the man what scragged my poor old +relative--fact, mister! Levendale, he wouldn't tell us anything much +this morning--maybe he'll tell you more. Stand by Lauriston, +mister!--we'll pull him through." + +"You seem very well disposed towards him," remarked Purdie. "He's +evidently taken your fancy." + +"And my cousin Zillah's," answered Melky, with a confidential grin. +"Zillah--loveliest girl in all Paddington, mister--she's clear gone on +the young fellow! And--a word in your ear, mister!--Zillah's been +educated like a lady, and now that the old man's gone, Zillah'll +have--ah! a fortune that 'ud make a nigger turn white! And no error +about it! See it through, mister!" + +"I'll see it through," said Purdie. "Now, then--these police. Look +here--is there a good hotel in this neighbourhood?--I've all my traps +in that taxi-cab downstairs--I drove straight here from the station, +because I wanted to see Andie Lauriston at once." + +"Money's no object to you, I reckon, mister?" asked Melky, with a +shrewd glance at the young Scotsman's evident signs of prosperity. + +"Not in reason," answered Purdie. + +"Then there's the Great Western Hotel, at the end o' Praed Street," +said Melky. "That'll suit a young gentleman like you, mister, down to +the ground. And you'll be right on the spot!" + +"Come with me, then," said Purdie. "And then to the police." + +Half-an-hour's private conversation with the police authorities enabled +Purdie to put some different ideas into the official heads. They began +to look at matters in a new light. Here was a wealthy young Scottish +manufacturer, a person of standing and position, who was able to vouch +for Andrew Lauriston in more ways than one, who had known him from +boyhood, had full faith in him and in his word, and was certain that +all that Lauriston had said about the rings and about his finding of +Daniel Multenius would be found to be absolutely true. They willingly +agreed to move no further in the matter until Lauriston's return--and +Purdie noticed, not without a smile, that they pointedly refrained from +asking where he had gone to. He came out from that interview with +Ayscough in attendance upon him--and Melky, waiting without, saw that +things had gone all right. + +"You might let me have your London address, sir," said Ayscough. "I +might want to let you know something." + +"Great Western Hotel," answered Purdie. "I shall stay there until +Lauriston's return, and until this matter's entirely cleared up, as far +as he's concerned. Come there, if you want me. All right," he +continued, as he and Melky walked away from the police-station. "They +took my word for it!--they'll do nothing until Lauriston comes back. +Now then, you know this neighbourhood, and I don't--show me the way to +Sussex Square--I'm going to call on Mr. Levendale at once." + +John Purdie had a double object in calling on Mr. Spencer Levendale. He +had mentioned to Melky that when he met Levendale in the Highlands, +Levendale, who was a widower, had his children and their governess with +him. But he had not mentioned that he, Purdie, had fallen in love with +the governess, and that one of his objects in coming to London just +then was to renew his acquaintance with her. It was chiefly of the +governess that he was thinking as he stood on the steps of the big +house in Sussex Square--perhaps, in a few minutes, he would see her +again. + +But Purdie was doomed to see neither Mr. Spencer Levendale nor the +pretty governess that day. Mr. Levendale, said the butler, was on +business in the city and was to dine out that evening: Miss Bennett had +taken the two children to see a relative of theirs at Hounslow, and +would not return until late. So Purdie, having pencilled his London +address on them, left cards for Mr. Levendale and Miss Bennett, and, +going back to his hotel, settled himself in his quarters to await +developments. He spent the evening in reading the accounts of the +inquest on Daniel Multenius--in more than one of the newspapers they +were full and circumstantial, and it needed little of his shrewd +perception to convince him that his old schoolmate stood in +considerable danger if he failed to establish his ownership of the +rings. + +He had finished breakfast next morning and was thinking of strolling +round to Melky Rubinstein's lodgings, to hear if any news had come from +Lauriston, when a waiter brought him Ayscough's card, saying that its +presenter was waiting for him in the smoking-room. Purdie went there at +once: the detective, who looked unusually grave and thoughtful, drew +him aside into a quiet part of the room. + +"There's a strange affair occurred during the night, Mr. Purdie," said +Ayscough, when they were alone. "And it's my opinion it's connected +with this Multenius affair." + +"What is it?" asked Purdie. + +"This," replied Ayscough. "A Praed Street tradesman--in a small +way--was picked up, dying, in a quiet street off Maida Vale, at twelve +o'clock last night, and he died soon afterwards. And--he'd been +poisoned!--but how, the doctors can't yet tell." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN + + +THE CALL FOR HELP + +Purdie, whose temperament inclined him to slowness and deliberation in +face of any grave crisis, motioned the detective to take a seat in the +quiet corner of the smoking-room, into which they had retreated, and +sat down close by him. + +"Now, to begin with," he said, "why do you think this affair is +connected with the affair of the old pawn-broker? There must be some +link." + +"There is a link, sir," answered Ayscough. "The man was old Daniel +Multenius's next door neighbour: name of Parslett--James Parslett, +fruit and vegetable dealer. Smallish way of business, but well known +enough in that quarter. Now, I'll explain something to you. I'm no hand +at drawing," continued the detective, "but I think I can do a bit of a +rough sketch on this scrap of paper which will make clear to you the +lie of the land. These two lines represent Praed Street. Here, where I +make this cross, is Daniel Multenius's pawnshop. The front part of +it--the jeweller's shop--looks out on Praed Street. At the side is a +narrow passage or entry: from that you get access to the pledge-office. +Now then, Multenius's premises run down one side of this passage: +Parslett's run down the other. Parslett's house has a side-door into +it, exactly opposite the door into Multenius's pledge office. Is that +clear, Mr. Purdie?" + +"Quite!" answered Purdie. "I understand it exactly." + +"Then my theory is, that Parslett saw the real murderer of Daniel +Multenius come out of Multenius's side-door, while he, Parslett, was +standing at his own; that he recognized him, that he tried to blackmail +him yesterday, and that the man contrived to poison him, in such a +fashion that Parslett died shortly after leaving him," said Ayscough, +confidently. "It's but a theory--but I'll lay anything I'm not far out +in it!" + +"What reason have you for thinking that Parslett blackmailed the +murderer?" asked Purdie. + +"This!" answered the detective, with something of triumph in his tone. +"I've been making some enquiries already this morning, early as it is. +When Parslett was picked up and carried to the hospital--this St. +Mary's Hospital, close by here--he was found to have fifty pounds in +gold in his pocket. Now, according to Parslett's widow, whom I've seen +this morning, Parslett was considerably hard up yesterday. Trade hasn't +been very good with him of late, and she naturally knows his +circumstances. He went out of the house last night about nine o'clock, +saying he was going to have a stroll round, and the widow says she's +certain he'd no fifty pounds on him when he left her--it would be a +wonder, she says, if he'd as much as fifty shillings! Now then, Mr. +Purdie, where did a man like that pick up fifty sovereigns between the +time he went out, and the time he was picked up, dying?" + +"He might have borrowed it from some friend," suggested Purdie. + +"I thought of that, sir," said Ayscough. "It seems the natural thing to +think of. But Mrs. Parslett says they haven't a friend from whom he +could have borrowed such an amount--not one! No, sir!--my belief is +that Parslett saw some man enter and leave Multenius's shop; that he +knew the man; that he went and plumped him with the affair, and that +the man gave him that gold to get rid of him at the moment--and +contrived to poison him, too!" + +Purdie considered the proposition for awhile in silence. + +"Well," he remarked at last, "if that's so, it seems to establish two +facts--first, that the murderer is some man who lives in this +neighbourhood, and second, that he's an expert in poisons." + +"Right, sir!" agreed Ayscough. "Quite right. And it would, of course, +establish another--the innocence of your friend, Lauriston." + +Purdie smiled. + +"I never had any doubt of that," he said. + +"Between ourselves, neither had I," remarked Ayscough heartily. "I told +our people that I, personally, was convinced of the young fellow's +complete innocence from the very first--and it was I who found him in +the shop. It's a most unfortunate thing that he was there, and a sad +coincidence that those rings of his were much of a muchness with the +rings in the tray in the old man's parlour--but I've never doubted him. +No, sir!--I believe all this business goes a lot deeper than that! It's +no common affair--old Daniel Multenius was attacked by +somebody--somebody!--for some special reason--and it's going to take a +lot of getting at. And I'm convinced this Parslett affair is a +development--Parslett's been poisoned because he knew too much." + +"You say you don't know what particular poison was used?" asked Purdie. +"It would be something of a clue to know that. Because, if it turned +out to be one of a very subtle nature, that would prove that whoever +administered it had made a special study of poisons." + +"I don't know that--yet," answered Ayscough. "But," he continued, +rising from his chair, "if you'd step round with me to the hospital, we +might get to know, now. There's one or two of their specialists been +making an examination. It's only a mere step along the street." + +Purdie followed the detective out and along Praed Street. Before they +reached the doors of the hospital, a man came up to Ayscough: a solid, +substantial-looking person, of cautious manner and watchful eye, whose +glance wandered speculatively from the detective to his companion. +Evidently sizing Purdie up as some one in Ayscough's confidence, he +spoke--in the fashion of one who has something as mysterious, as +important, to communicate. + +"Beg your pardon, Mr. Ayscough," he said. "A word with you sir. You +know me, Mr. Ayscough?" + +Ayscough looked sharply at his questioner. + +"Mr. Goodyer, isn't it?" he asked. "Oh, yes, I remember. What is it? +You can speak before this gentleman--it's all right." + +"About this affair of last night--Parslett, you know," said Goodyer, +drawing the detective aside, and lowering his voice, so that passers-by +might not hear. "There's something I can tell you--I've heard all about +the matter from Parslett's wife. But I've not told her what I can tell +you, Mr. Ayscough." + +"And--what's that?" enquired the detective. + +"I'm Parslett's landlord, you know," continued Goodyer. "He's had that +shop and dwelling-house of me for some years. Now, Parslett's not been +doing very well of late, from one cause or another, and to put it in a +nutshell, he owed me half a year's rent. I saw him yesterday, and told +him I must have the money at once: in fact, I pressed him pretty hard +about it.--I'd been at him for two or three weeks, and I could see it +was no good going on. He'd been down in the mouth about it, the last +week or so, but yesterday afternoon he was confident enough. 'Now, you +needn't alarm yourself, Mr. Goodyer,' he said. 'There's a nice bit of +money going to be paid to me tonight, and I'll settle up with you +before I stick my head on the pillow,' he said. 'Tonight, for certain?' +says I. 'Before even I go to bed!' he says. 'I can't fix it to a +minute, but you can rely on me calling at your house in St. Mary's +Terrace before eleven o'clock--with the money.' And he was so certain +about it, Mr. Ayscough, that I said no more than that I should be much +obliged, and I'd wait up for him. And," concluded Goodyer, "I did wait +up--till half-past twelve--but he never came. So this morning, of +course, I walked round here--and then I heard what happened--about him +being picked up dying and since being dead--with fifty pounds in gold +in his pocket. Of course, Mr. Ayscough, that was the money he referred +to." + +"You haven't mentioned this to anybody?" asked Ayscough. + +"Neither to the widow nor to anybody--but you," replied Goodyer. + +"Don't!" said Ayscough. "Keep it to yourself till I give you the word. +You didn't hear anything from Parslett as to where the money was coming +from?" + +"Not one syllable!" answered Goodyer. "But I could see he was dead sure +of having it." + +"Well--keep quiet about it," continued Ayscough. "There'll be an +inquest, you know, and what you have to tell'll come in handy, then. +There's some mystery about all this affair, Mr. Goodyer, and it's going +to take some unravelling." + +"You're right!" said Goodyer. "I believe you!" + +He went off along the street, and the detective turned to Purdie and +motioned him towards the hospital. + +"Queer, all that, sir!" he muttered. "Very queer! But it all tends to +showing that my theory's the right one. Now if you'll just stop in the +waiting-room a few minutes, I'll find out if these doctors have come to +any conclusion about the precise nature of the poison." + +Purdie waited for ten minutes, speculating on the curiosities of the +mystery into which he had been so strangely plunged: at last the +detective came back, shaking his head. + +"Can't get a definite word out of 'em, yet," he said, as they went +away. "There's two or three of 'em--big experts in--what do you call +it--oh, yes, toxology--putting their heads together over the analysing +business, and they won't say anything so far--they'll leave that to the +inquest. But I gathered this much, Mr. Purdie, from the one I spoke +to--this man Parslett was poisoned in some extremely clever fashion, +and by some poison that's not generally known, which was administered +to him probably half-an-hour before it took effect. What's that argue, +sir, but that whoever gave him that poison is something of an expert? +Deep game, Mr. Purdie, a very deep game indeed!--and now I don't think +there's much need to be anxious about that young friend of yours. I'm +certain, anyway, that the man who poisoned Parslett is the man who +killed poor old Daniel Multenius. But--we shall see." + +Purdie parted from Ayscough outside the hospital and walked along to +Mrs. Flitwick's house in Star Street. He met Melky Rubinstein emerging +from the door; Melky immediately pulled out a telegram which he thrust +into Purdie's hand. + +"Just come, mister!" exclaimed Melky. "There's a word for you in it--I +was going to your hotel. Read what he says." + +Purdie unfolded the pink paper and read. + +"On the track all right understand Purdie is in town if he comes to +Star Street explain all to him will wire again later in day." + +"Good!" said Purdie. He handed back the telegram and looked +meditatively at Melky. "Are you busy this morning?" he asked. + +"Doing no business whatever, mister," lisped Melky, solemnly. "Not +until this business is settled--not me!" + +"Come to the hotel with me," continued Purdie. "I want to talk to you +about something." + +But when they reached the hotel, all thought of conversation was driven +out of Purdie's mind for the moment. The hall-porter handed him a note, +remarking that it had just come. Purdie's face flushed as he recognized +the handwriting: he turned sharply away and tore open the envelope. +Inside, on a half-sheet of notepaper, were a few lines--from the pretty +governess at Mr. Spencer Levendale's. + +"Can you come here at once and ask for me? There is something seriously +wrong: I am much troubled and have no one in London I can consult." + +With a hasty excuse to Melky, Purdie ran out of the hotel, and set off +in quick response to the note. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN + + +THE PRIVATE LABORATORY + +As he turned down Spring Street towards Sussex Square, Purdie hastily +reviewed his knowledge of Mr. Spencer Levendale and his family. He had +met them, only two months previously, at a remote and out-of-the-way +place in the Highlands, in a hotel where he and they were almost the +only guests. Under such circumstances, strangers are soon drawn +together, and as Levendale and Purdie had a common interest in fishing +they were quickly on good terms. But Purdie was thinking now as he made +his way towards Levendale's London house that he really knew very +little of this man who was evidently mixed up in some way with the +mystery into which young Andie Lauriston had so unfortunately also +become intermingled. He knew that Levendale was undoubtedly a very +wealthy man: there were all the signs of wealth about him; he had +brought several servants down to the Highlands with him: money appeared +to be plentiful with him as pebbles are on a beach. Purdie learnt bit +by bit that Levendale had made a great fortune in South Africa, that he +had come home to England and gone into Parliament; that he was a +widower and the father of two little girls--he learnt, too, that the +children's governess, Miss Elsie Bennett, a pretty and taking girl of +twenty-two or three, had come with them from Cape Town. But of +Levendale's real character and self he knew no more than could be +gained from holiday acquaintance. Certain circumstances told him by +Melky about the rare book left in old Multenius's parlour inclined +Purdie to be somewhat suspicious that Levendale was concealing +something which he knew about that affair--and now here was Miss +Bennett writing what, on the face of it, looked like an appealing +letter to him, as if something had happened. + +Purdie knew something had happened as soon as he was admitted to the +house. Levendale's butler, who had accompanied his master to the +Highlands, and had recognized Purdie on his calling the previous day, +came hurrying to him in the hall, as soon as the footman opened the +door. + +"You haven't seen Mr. Levendale since you were here yesterday, sir?" he +asked, in a low, anxious voice. + +"Seen Mr. Levendale? No!" answered Purdie. "Why--what do you mean?" + +The butler looked round at a couple of footmen who hung about the door. + +"Don't want to make any fuss about it, Mr. Purdie," he whispered, +"though it's pretty well known in the house already. The fact is, sir, +Mr. Levendale's missing!" + +"Missing?" exclaimed Purdie. "Since when?" + +"Only since last night, sir," replied the butler, "but the +circumstances are queer. He dined out with some City gentlemen, +somewhere, last night, and he came home about ten o'clock. He wasn't in +the house long. He went into his laboratory--he spends a lot of time in +experimenting in chemistry, you know, sir--and he called me in there. +'I'm going out again for an hour, Grayson,' he says. 'I shall be in at +eleven: don't go to bed, for I want to see you for a minute or two.' Of +course, there was nothing in that, Mr. Purdie, and I waited for him. +But he never came home--and no message came. He never came home at +all--and this morning I've telephoned to his two clubs, and to one or +two other places in the City--nobody's seen or heard anything of him. +And I can't think what's happened--it's all so unlike his habits." + +"He didn't tell you where he was going?" asked Purdie. + +"No, sir, but he went on foot," answered the butler. "I let him out--he +turned up Paddington way." + +"You didn't notice anything out of the common about him?" suggested +Purdie. + +The butler hesitated for a moment. + +"Well, sir," he said at last, "I did notice something. Come this way, +Mr. Purdie." + +Turning away from the hall, he led Purdie through the library in which +Levendale had received Ayscough and his companions into a small room +that opened out of it. + +Purdie, looking round him, found that he was standing in a laboratory, +furnished with chemical apparatus of the latest descriptions. +Implements and appliances were on all sides; there were rows of bottles +on the shelves; a library of technical books filled a large book-case; +everything in the place betokened the pursuit of a scientific +investigator. And Purdie's keen sense of smell immediately noted the +prevalent atmosphere of drugs and chemicals. + +"It was here that I saw Mr. Levendale last night, sir," said the +butler. "He called me in. He was measuring something from one of those +bottles into a small phial, Mr. Purdie--he put the phial in his +waistcoat pocket. Look at those bottles, sir--you'll see they all +contain poison!--you can tell that by the make of 'em." + +Purdie glanced at the shelf which the butler indicated. The bottles +ranged on it were all of blue glass, and all triangular in shape, and +each bore a red label with the word _Poison_ prominently displayed. + +"Odd!" he said. "You've some idea?" he went on, looking closely at the +butler. "Something on your mind about this? What is it?" + +The butler shook his head. + +"Well, sir," he answered, "when you see a gentleman measuring poison +into a phial, which he carefully puts in his pocket, and when he goes +out, and when he never comes back, and when you can't hear of him, +anywhere! why, what are you to think? Looks strange, now, doesn't it, +Mr. Purdie?" + +"I don't know Mr. Levendale well enough to say," replied Purdie. "There +may be some quite good reason for Mr. Levendale's absence. He'd no +trouble of any sort, had he?" + +"He seemed a bit upset, once or twice, yesterday--and the night +before," said the butler. "I noticed it--in little things. Well!--I +can't make it out, sir. You see, I've been with him ever since he came +back to England--some years now--and I know his habits, thoroughly. +However, we can only wait--I believe Miss Bennett sent for you, Mr. +Purdie?" + +"Yes," said Purdie. "She did." + +"This way, sir," said the butler. "Miss Bennett's alone, now--the +children have just gone out with their nurses." + +He led Purdie through the house to a sitting-room looking out on the +garden of the Square, and ushered him into the governess's presence. + +"I've told Mr. Purdie all about it, miss," he said, confidentially. +"Perhaps you'll talk it over with him! I can't think of anything more +to do--until we hear something." + +Left alone, Purdie and Elsie Bennett looked at each other as they shook +hands. She was a fair, slender girl, naturally shy and retiring; she +was manifestly shy at renewing her acquaintance with Purdie, and Purdie +himself, conscious of his own feelings towards her, felt a certain +embarrassment and awkwardness. + +"You sent for me," he said brusquely. "I came the instant I got your +note. Grayson kept me talking downstairs. You're bothered--about Mr. +Levendale?" + +"Yes," she answered. Then she pointed to a chair. "Won't you sit down?" +she said, and took a chair close by. "I sent for you, because--it may +seem strange, but it's a fact!--I couldn't think of anybody else! It +seemed so fortunate that you were in London--and close by. I felt +that--that I could depend on you." + +"Thank you," said Purdie. "Well--you can! And what is it?" + +"Grayson's told you about Mr. Levendale's going out last night, and +never coming back, nor sending any message?" she continued. "As Grayson +says, considering Mr. Levendale's habits, that is certainly very +strange! But--I want to tell you something beyond that--I must tell +somebody! And I know that if I tell you you'll keep it secret--until, +or unless you think you ought to tell it to--the police!" + +Purdie started. + +"The police!" he exclaimed. "What is it?" + +Elsie Bennett turned to a table, and picked up a couple of newspapers. + +"Have you read this Praed Street mystery affair?" she asked. "I mean +the account of the inquest?" + +"Every word--and heard more, besides," answered Purdie. "That young +fellow, Andie Lauriston, is an old schoolmate and friend of mine. I +came here yesterday to see him, and found him plunged into this +business. Of course, he's absolutely innocent." + +"Has he been arrested?" asked Elsie, almost eagerly. + +"No!" replied Purdie. "He's gone away--to get evidence that those rings +which are such a feature of the case are really his and were his +mother's." + +"Have you noticed these particulars, at the end of the inquest, about +the book which was found in the pawnbroker's parlour?" she went on. +"The Spanish manuscript?" + +"Said to have been lost by Mr. Levendale in an omnibus," answered +Purdie. "Yes! What of it?" + +The girl bent nearer to him. + +"It seems a dreadful thing to say," she whispered, "but I must tell +somebody--I can't, I daren't keep it to myself any longer! Mr. +Levendale isn't telling the truth about that book!" + +Purdie involuntarily glanced at the door--and drew his chair nearer to +Elsie's. + +"You're sure of that?" he whispered. "Just so! Now--in what way?" + +"It says here," answered Elsie, tapping the newspapers with her finger, +"that Mr. Levendale lost this book in a 'bus, which he left at the +corner of Chapel Street, and that he was so concerned about the loss +that he immediately sent advertisements off to every morning newspaper +in London. The last part of that is true--the first part is not true! +Mr. Levendale did not lose his book--he did not leave it in the 'bus! +I'm sorry to have to say it--but all that is invention on his +part--why, I don't know." + +Purdie had listened to this with a growing feeling of uneasiness and +suspicion. The clouds centring round Levendale were certainly +thickening. + +"Now, just tell me--how do you know all this?" he asked. "Rely on +me--to the full!" + +"I'll tell you," replied Elsie, readily. "Because, about four o'clock +on the afternoon of the old man's death, I happened to be at the corner +of Chapel Street. I saw Mr. Levendale get out of the 'bus. He did not +see me. He crossed Edgware Road and walked rapidly down Praed Street. +And--he was carrying that book in his hand!" + +"You're sure it was that book?" asked Purdie. + +"According to the description given in this account and in the +advertisement--yes," she answered. "I noticed the fine binding. +Although Mr. Levendale didn't see me--there were a lot of people +about--I was close to him. I am sure it was the book described here." + +"And--he went in the direction of the pawnshop?" said Purdie. "What on +earth does it all mean? What did he mean by advertising for the book, +when--" + +Before he could say more, a knock came at the door, and the butler +entered, bearing an open telegram in his hand. His face wore an +expression of relief. + +"Here's a wire from Mr. Levendale, Miss Bennett," he said. "It's +addressed to me. He says, 'Shall be away from home, on business, for a +few days. Let all go on as usual.' That's better, miss! But," continued +Grayson, glancing at Purdie, "it's still odd--for do you see, sir, +where that wire has been sent from? Spring Street--close by!" + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN + + +CONFERENCE + +Purdie was already sufficiently acquainted with the geography of the +Paddington district to be aware of the significance of Grayson's +remark. The Spring Street Post Office, at which Levendale's wire had +been handed in, was only a few minutes' walk from the house. It stood, +in fact, between Purdie's hotel and Sussex Square, and he had passed it +on his way to Levendale's. It was certainly odd that a man who was +within five minutes' walk of his own house should send a telegram +there, when he had nothing to do but walk down one street and turn the +corner of another to give his message in person. + +"Sent off, do you see, sir, twenty minutes ago," observed the butler, +pointing to some figures in the telegram form. "So--Mr. Levendale must +have been close by--then!" + +"Not necessarily," remarked Purdie. "He may have sent a messenger with +that wire--perhaps he himself was catching a train at Paddington." + +Grayson shook his head knowingly. + +"There's a telegraph office on the platform there, sir," he answered. +"However--there it is, and I suppose there's no more to be done." + +He left the room again, and Purdie looked at the governess. She, too, +looked at him: there was a question in the eyes of both. + +"What do you make of that?" asked Purdie after a pause. + +"What do you make of it?" she asked in her turn. + +"It looks odd--but there may be a reason for it," he answered. "Look +here!--I'm going to ask you a question. What do you know of Mr. +Levendale? You've been governess to his children for some time, haven't +you?" + +"For six months before he left Cape Town, and ever since we all came to +England, three years ago," she answered. "I know that he's very rich, +and a very busy man, and a member of Parliament, and that he goes to +the City a great deal--and that's all! He's a very reserved man, +too--of course, he never tells me anything. I've never had any +conversation with him excepting about the children." + +"You're upset about this book affair?" suggested Purdie. + +"Why should Mr. Levendale say that he left that book in the omnibus, +when I myself saw him leave the 'bus with it in his hand, and go down +Praed Street with it?" she asked. "Doesn't it look as if he were the +person who left it in that room--where the old man was found lying +dead?" + +"That, perhaps, is the very reason why he doesn't want people to know +that he did leave it there," remarked Purdie, quietly. "There's more in +all this than lies on the surface. You wanted my advice? Very well +don't say anything to anybody till you see me again. I must go +now--there's a man waiting for me at my hotel. I may call again, mayn't +I?" + +"Do!" she said, giving him her hand. "I am bothered about this--it's +useless to deny it--and I've no one to talk to about it. Come--any +time." + +Purdie repressed a strong desire to stay longer, and to turn the +conversation to more personal matters. But he was essentially a +business man, and the matters of the moment seemed to be critical. So +he promised to return, and then hurried back to his hotel--to find +Melky Rubinstein pacing up and down outside the entrance. + +Purdie tapped Melky's shoulder and motioned him to walk along Praed +Street. + +"Look here!" he said. "I want you to take me to see your cousin--and +the pawnshop. We must have a talk--you said your cousin's a good +business woman. She's the sort we can discuss business with, eh?" + +"My cousin Zillah Wildrose, mister," answered Melky, solemnly, "is one +of the best! She's a better headpiece on her than what I have--and +that's saying a good deal. I was going to suggest you should come +there. Talk!--s'elp me, Mr. Purdie, it strikes me there'll be a lot of +that before we've done. What about this here affair of last +night?--I've just seen Mr. Ayscough, passing along--he's told me all +about it. Do you think it's anything to do with our business?" + +"Can't say," answered Purdie. "Wait till we can discuss matters with +your cousin." + +Melky led the way to the side-door of the pawnshop. Since the old man's +death, the whole establishment had been closed--Zillah had refused to +do any business until her grandfather's funeral was over. She received +her visitors in the parlour where old Daniel had been found dead: after +a moment's inspection of her, and the exchange of a few remarks about +Lauriston, Purdie suggested that they should all sit down and talk +matters over. + +"Half-a-mo!" said Melky. "If we're going to have a cabinet council, +mister, there's a lady that I want to bring into it--Mrs. Goldmark. I +know something that Mrs. Goldmark can speak to--I've just been +considering matters while I was waiting for you, Mr. Purdie, and I'm +going to tell you and Zillah, and Mrs. Goldmark, of a curious fact that +I know of. I'll fetch her--and while I'm away Zillah'll show you that +there book what was found there." + +Purdie looked with interest at the Spanish manuscript which seemed to +be a factor of such importance. + +"I suppose you never saw this before?" he asked, as Zillah laid it on +the table before him. "And you're certain it wasn't in the place when +you went out that afternoon, leaving your grandfather alone?" + +"That I'm positive of," answered Zillah. "I never saw it in my life +until my attention was drawn to it after he was dead. That book was +brought in here during my absence, and it was neither bought nor +pawned--that's absolutely certain! Of course, you know whose book it +is?" + +"Mr. Spencer Levendale's," answered Purdie. "Yes I know all those +particulars--and about his advertisements for it, and a little more. +And I want to discuss all that with you and your cousin. This Mrs. +Goldmark--she's to be fully trusted?" + +Zillah replied that Mrs. Goldmark was worthy of entire confidence, and +an old friend, and Melky presently returning with her, Purdie suggested +they should all sit down and talk--informally and in strict privacy. + +"You know why I'm concerning myself in this?" he said, looking round at +his three companions. "I'm anxious that Andie Lauriston should be fully +and entirely cleared! I've great faith in him--he's beginning what I +believe will be a successful career, and it would be a terrible thing +if any suspicion rested on him. So I want, for his sake, to thoroughly +clear up this mystery about your relative's death." + +"Mister!" said Melky, in his most solemn tones. "Speaking for my cousin +there, and myself, there ain't nothing what we wouldn't do to clear Mr. +Lauriston! We ain't never had one moment's suspicion of him from the +first, knowing the young fellow as we do. So we're with you in that +matter, ain't we, Zillah?" + +"Mr. Purdie feels sure of that," agreed Zillah, with a glance at +Lauriston's old schoolmate. "There's no need to answer him, Melky." + +"I am sure!" said Purdie. "So--let's put our wits together--we'll +consider the question of approaching the police when we've talked +amongst ourselves. Now--I want to ask you some very private questions. +They spring out of that rare book there. There's no doubt that book +belongs to Mr. Levendale. Do either of you know if Mr. Levendale had +any business relations with the late Mr. Rubinstein?" + +Zillah shook her head. + +"None!--that I know of," she answered. "I've helped my grandfather in +this business for some time. I never heard him mention Mr. Levendale. +Mr. Levendale never came here, certainly." + +Melky shook his head, too. + +"When Mr. Ayscough, and Mr. Lauriston, and me went round to Sussex +Square, to see Mr. Levendale about that advertisement for his book," he +remarked, "he said he'd never heard of Daniel Multenius. That's a fact, +mister!" + +"Had Mr. Multenius any private business relations of which he didn't +tell you?" asked Purdie, turning to Zillah. + +"He might have had," admitted Zillah. "He was out a good deal. I don't +know what he might do when he went out. He was--close. We--it's no use +denying it--we don't know all about it. His solicitor's making some +enquiries--I expect him here, any time, today." + +"It comes to this," observed Purdie. "Your grandfather met his death by +violence, the man who attacked him came in here during your absence. +The question I want to get solved is--was the man who undoubtedly left +that book here the guilty man? If so--who is he?" + +Melky suddenly broke the silence which followed upon this question. + +"I'm going to tell something that I ain't told to nobody as yet!" he +said. "Not even to Zillah. After this here parlour had been cleared, I +took a look round. I've very sharp eyes, Mr. Purdie. I found this +here--half-hidden under the rug there, where the poor old man had been +lying." He pulled out the platinum solitaire, laid it on the palm of +one hand, and extended the hand to Mrs. Goldmark. "You've seen the like +of that before, ain't you?" asked Melky. + +"Mercy be upon us!" gasped Mrs. Goldmark, starting in her seat. "I've +the fellow to it lying in my desk!" + +"And it was left on a table in your restaurant," continued Melky, "by a +man what looked like a Colonial party--I know!--I saw it by accident in +your place the other night, and one o' your girls told me. Now then, +Mr. Purdie, here's a bit more of puzzlement--and perhaps a clue. These +here platinum solitaire cuff-links are valuable--they're worth--well, +I'd give a good few pounds for the pair. Now who's the man who lost one +in this here parlour--right there!--and the other in Mrs. Goldmark's +restaurant? For--it's a pair! There's no doubt about that, +mister!--there's that same curious and unusual device on each. +Mister!--them studs has at some time or other been made to special +order!" + +Purdie turned the solitaire over, and looked at Zillah. + +"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" he asked. + +"Never!" said Zillah. "It's as Melky says--specially made." + +"And you have its fellow--lost in your restaurant?" continued Purdie, +turning to Mrs. Goldmark. + +"Its very marrow," assented Mrs. Goldmark, fervently, "is in my desk! +It was dropped on one of our tables a few afternoons ago by a man who, +as Mr. Rubinstein says, looked like one of those Colonials. Leastways, +my waitress, Rosa, she picked it up exactly where he'd been sitting. So +I put it away till he comes in again, you see. Oh, yes!" + +"Has he been in again?" asked Purdie. + +"Never was he inside my door before!" answered Mrs. Goldmark +dramatically. "Never has he been inside it since! But--I keep his +property, just so. In my desk it is!" + +Purdie considered this new evidence in silence for a moment. + +"The question now is--this," he said presently. "Is the man who seems +undoubtedly to have dropped those studs the same man who brought that +book in here? Or, had Mr. Multenius two callers here during your +absence, Miss Wildrose? And--who is this mysterious man who dropped the +studs--valuable things, with a special device on them? He'll have to be +traced! Mrs. Goldmark--can you describe him, particularly?" + +Before Mrs. Goldmark could reply, a knock came at the side-door, and +Zillah, going to answer it, returned presently with a middle-aged, +quiet-looking, gold-spectacled gentleman whom she introduced to Purdie +as Mr. Penniket, solicitor to the late Daniel Multenius. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN + + +THE DETECTIVE CALLS + +Mr. Penniket, to whom the two cousins and Mrs. Goldmark were evidently +very well known, looked a polite enquiry at the stranger as he took the +chair which Melky drew forward for him. + +"As Mr. Purdie is presumably discussing this affair with you," he +observed, "I take it that you intend him to hear anything I have to +tell?" + +"That's so, Mr. Penniket," answered Melky. "Mr. Purdie's one of us, so +to speak--you can tell us anything you like, before him. We were going +into details when you come--there's some strange business on, Mr. +Penniket! And we want to get a bit clear about it before we tell the +police what we know." + +"You know something that they don't know?" asked Mr. Penniket. + +"More than a bit!" replied Melky, laconically. "This here affair's +revolving itself into a network, mister, out of which somebody's going +to find it hard work to break through!" + +The solicitor, who had been quietly inspecting Purdie, gave him a sly +smile. + +"Then before I tell you what I have just found out," he said, turning +to Melky, "I think you had better tell me all you know, and what you +have been discussing. Possibly, I may have something to tell which +bears on our knowledge. Let us be clear!" + +He listened carefully while Purdie, at Zillah's request, told him +briefly what had been said before his arrival, and Purdie saw at once +that none of the facts surprised him. He asked Mrs. Goldmark one or two +questions about the man who was believed to have dropped one of his +cuff-links in her restaurant; he asked Melky a question as to his +discovery of the other; he made no comment on the answers which they +gave him. Finally, he drew his chair nearer to the table at which they +were sitting, and invited their attention with a glance. + +"There is no doubt," he said, "that the circumstances centring round +the death of my late client are remarkably mysterious! What we want to +get at, put into a nut-shell, is just this--what happened in this +parlour between half-past four and half-past five on Monday afternoon? +We might even narrow that down to--what happened between ten minutes to +five and ten minutes past five? Daniel Multenius was left alone--we +know that. Some person undoubtedly came in here--perhaps more than one +person came. Who was the person? Were there two persons? If there were +two, did they come together--or singly, separately? All that will have +to be solved before we find out who it was that assaulted my late +client, and so injured him that he died under the shock. Now, Miss +Wildrose, and Mr. Rubinstein, there's one fact which you may as well +get into your minds at once. Your deceased relative had his secrets!" + +Neither Zillah nor Purdie made any comment on this, and the solicitor, +with a meaning look at Purdie, went on. "Not that Daniel Multenius +revealed any of them to me!" he continued. "I have acted for him in +legal matters for some years, but only in quite an ordinary way. He was +a well-to-do man, Mr. Purdie--a rich man, in fact, and a considerable +property owner--I did all his work of that sort. But as regards his +secrets, I know nothing--except that since yesterday, I have discovered +that he certainly had them. I have, as Miss Wildrose knows--and by her +instructions--been making some enquiries at the bank where Mr. +Multenius kept his account--the Empire and Universal, in Lombard +Street--and I have made some curious unearthings in the course of them. +Now then, between ourselves--Mr. Purdie being represented to me as in +your entire confidence--I may as well tell you that Daniel Multenius +most certainly had dealings of a business nature completely outside his +business as jeweller and pawnbroker in this shop. That's positively +certain. And what is also certain is that in some of those dealings he +was, in some way or another, intimately associated with the man whose +name has already come up a good deal since Monday--Mr. Spencer +Levendale!" + +"S'elp me!" muttered Melky. "I heard Levendale, with my own two ears, +say that he didn't know the poor old fellow!" + +"Very likely," said Mr. Penniket, drily. "It was not convenient to +him--we will assume--to admit that he did, just then. But I have +discovered--from the bankers--that precisely two years ago, Mr. Spencer +Levendale paid to Daniel Multenius a sum of ten thousand pounds. That's +a fact!" + +"For what, mister?" demanded Melky. + +"Can't say--nobody can say," answered the solicitor. "All the same, he +did--paid it in, himself, to Daniel Multenius's credit, at the Empire +and Universal. It went into the ordinary account, in the ordinary way, +and was used by Mr. Multenius as part of his own effects--as no doubt +it was. Now," continued Mr. Penniket, turning to Zillah, "I want to ask +you a particular question. I know you had assisted your grandfather a +great deal of late years. Had you anything to do with his banking +account?" + +"No!" replied Zillah, promptly. "That's the one thing I never had +anything to do with. I never saw his pass-book, nor his deposit-book, +nor even his cheque-book. He kept all that to himself." + +"Just so," said Mr. Penniket. "Then, of course, you don't know that he +dealt with considerable sums--evidently quite outside this business. He +made large--sometimes very heavy--payments. And--this, I am convinced, +is of great importance to the question we are trying to solve--most of +these payments were sent to South Africa." + +The solicitor glanced round his audience as if anxious to see that its +various members grasped the significance of this announcement. And +Melky at once voiced the first impression of, at any rate, three of +them. + +"Levendale comes from those parts!" he muttered. "Came here some two or +three years ago--by all I can gather." + +"Just so," said Mr. Penniket. "Therefore, possibly this South African +business, in which my late client was undoubtedly engaged, is connected +with Mr. Levendale. That can be found out. But I have still more to +tell you--perhaps, considering everything, the most important matter of +the whole lot. On Monday morning last--that would be a few hours before +his death--Mr. Multenius called at the bank and took from it a small +packet which he had entrusted to his banker's keeping only a fortnight +previously. The bankers do not know what was in that packet--he had +more than once got them to take care of similar packets at one time or +another. But they described it to me just now. A packet, evidently +enclosing a small, hard box, some four or five inches square in all +directions, wrapped in strong cartridge paper, and heavily sealed with +red wax. It bore Mr. Multenius's name and address--written by himself. +Now, then, Miss Wildrose--he took that packet away from the bank at +about twelve-thirty on Monday noon. Have you seen anything of it?" + +"Nothing!" answered Zillah with certainty. "There's no such packet +here, Mr. Penniket. I've been through everything--safes, drawers, +chests, since my grandfather died, and I've not found anything that I +didn't know of. I remember that he went out last Monday morning--he was +away two hours, and came in again about a quarter past one, but I never +saw such a packet in his possession as that you describe. I know +nothing of it." + +"Well," said the solicitor, after a pause, "there are the facts. And +the question now is--ought we not to tell all this to the police, at +once? This connection of Levendale with my late client--as undoubted as +it seems to have been secret--needs investigation. According to Mr. +Purdie here--Levendale has suddenly disappeared--or, at any rate, left +home under mysterious circumstances. Has that disappearance anything to +do with Multenius's death? Has it anything to do with the death of this +next door man, Parslett, last night? And has Levendale any connections +with the strange man who dropped one platinum solitaire stud in Mrs. +Goldmark's restaurant, and another in this parlour?" + +No one attempted to answer these questions for a moment; then, Melky, +as if seized with a sudden inspiration, smote the table and leaned over +it towards the solicitor. + +"Mr. Penniket!" he said, glancing around him as if to invite approval +of what he was about to say. "You're a lawyer, mister!--you can put +things in order and present 'em as if they was in a catalogue! Take the +whole business to New Scotland Yard, sir!--let the big men at +headquarters have a go at it. That's what I say! There's some queer +mystery at the bottom of all this, Mr. Penniket, and it ain't a one-man +job. Go to the Yard, mister--let 'em try their brains on it!" + +Zillah made a murmured remark which seemed to second her cousin's +proposal, and Mr. Penniket turned to Purdie. + +"I understand you to be a business man," he remarked. "What do you say?" + +"As far as I can put things together," answered Purdie, "I fully agree +that there is some extraordinary mystery round and about Mr. +Multenius's death. And as the detective force at New Scotland Yard +exists for the solution of such problems--why, I should certainly tell +the authorities there everything that is known. Why not?" + +"Very good," said Mr. Penniket. "Then it will be well if you two come +with me. The more information we can give to the heads of the Criminal +Investigation Department, the better. We'll go there at once." + +In a few moments, the three men had gone, and Zillah and Mrs. Goldmark, +left alone, looked at each other. + +"Mrs. Goldmark!" said Zillah, after a long silence. "Did you see that +man, yourself, who's supposed to have dropped that platinum solitaire +in your restaurant?" + +"Did I see him?" exclaimed Mrs. Goldmark. "Do I see you, Zillah? See +him I did!--though never before, and never since! And ain't I the good +memory for faces--and won't I know him again if he comes my way? Do you +know what?--I ain't never forgotten a face what I've once looked at! +Comes from keeping an eye on customers who looks as if they might have +forgot to bring their moneys with 'em!" + +"Well, I hope you'll see this man again," remarked Zillah. "I'd give a +lot to get all the mystery cleared up." + +Mrs. Goldmark observed that mysteries were not cleared up in a day, and +presently went away to see that her business was being conducted +properly. She was devoting herself to Zillah in very neighbourly +fashion just then, but she had to keep running into the restaurant +every hour or two to keep an eye on things. And during one of her +absences, later in the early evening of that day, Zillah, alone in the +house, answered a knock at the door, and opening it found Ayscough +outside. His look betokened news, and Zillah led him into the parlour. + +"Alone?" asked Ayscough. "Aye, well, I've something to tell you that I +want you to keep to yourself--for a bit, anyway. Those rings, you know, +that the young fellow, Lauriston, says are his, and had been his +mother's?" + +"Well?" said Zillah, faintly, and half-conscious of some coming bad +news. "What of them?" + +"Our people," continued the detective, "have had some expert +chap--jeweller, or something of that sort, examining those rings, and +comparing them with the rings that are in your tray. And in that tray +there are several rings which have a private mark inside them. Now, +then!--those two rings which Lauriston claims are marked in exactly the +same fashion!" + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN + + +WHAT THE LAMPS SHONE ON + +Zillah leaned suddenly back against the table by which she was +standing, and Ayscough, who was narrowly watching the effect of his +news, saw her turn very pale. She stood staring at him during a +moment's silence; then she let a sharp exclamation escape her lips, and +in the same instant her colour came back--heightened from surprise and +indignation. + +"Impossible!" she said. "I can't believe it; There may be marks inside +our rings--that's likely enough. But how could those marks correspond +with the marks in his rings?" + +"I tell you it is so!" answered Ayscough. "I've seen the marks in +both--with my own eyes. It occurred to one of our bosses this evening +to have all the rings carefully examined by an expert--he got a man +from one of the jeweller's shops in Edgware Road. This chap very soon +pointed out that inside the two rings which young Lauriston says are +his, and come to him from his mother, are certain private +marks--jewellers' marks, this man called 'em--which are absolutely +identical with similar marks which are inside some of the rings in the +tray which was found on this table. That's a fact!--I tell you I've +seen 'em--all! And--you see the significance of it! Of course, our +people are now dead certain that young Lauriston's story is false, and +that he grabbed those two rings out of that tray. See?" + +"Are you certain of it--yourself?" demanded Zillah. + +Ayscough hesitated and finally shook his head. + +"Well, between ourselves, I'm not!" he answered. "I've a feeling from +the first, that the lad's innocent enough. But it's a queer thing--and +it's terribly against him. And--what possible explanation can there be?" + +"You say you've seen those marks," said Zillah. "Would you know them +again--on other goods?" + +"I should!" replied Ayscough. "I can tell you what they are. There's +the letter M. and then two crosses--one on each side of the letter. +Very small, you know, and worn, too--this man I'm talking of used some +sort of a magnifying glass." + +Zillah turned away and went into the shop, which was all in darkness. +Ayscough, waiting, heard the sound of a key being turned, then of a +metallic tinkling; presently the girl came back, carrying a +velvet-lined tray in one hand, and a jeweller's magnifying glass in the +other. + +"The rings in that tray you're talking about--the one you took +away--are all very old stock," she remarked. "I've heard my grandfather +say he'd had some of them thirty years or more. Here are some similar +ones--we'll see if they're marked in the same fashion." + +Five minutes later, Zillah had laid aside several rings marked in the +way Ayscough had indicated, and she turned from them to him with a look +of alarm. + +"I can't understand it!" she exclaimed. "I know that these rings, and +those in that tray at the police-station, are part of old stock that my +grandfather had when he came here. He used to have a shop, years ago, +in the City--I'm not quite sure where, exactly--and this is part of the +stock he brought from it. But, how could Mr. Lauriston's rings bear +those marks? Because, from what I know of the trade, those are private +marks--my grandfather's private marks!" + +"Well, just so--and you can imagine what our people are inclined to say +about it," said the detective. "They say now that the two rings which +Lauriston claims never were his nor his mother's, but that he stole +them out of your grandfather's tray. They're fixed on that, now." + +"What will they do?" asked Zillah, anxiously. "Is he in danger?" + +Ayscough gave her a knowing look. + +"Between you and me," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper, "I came +around here privately--on my own hook, you know. I should be sorry if +this really is fixed on the young fellow--there's a mystery, but it may +be cleared up. Now, he's gone off to find somebody who can prove that +those rings really were his mother's. You, no doubt, know where he's +gone?" + +"Yes--but I'm not going to tell," said Zillah firmly. "Don't ask me!" + +"Quite right--I don't want to know myself," answered Ayscough. "And +you'll probably have an idea when he's coming back? All right--take a +tip from me. Keep him out of the way a bit--stop him from coming into +this district. Let him know all about those marks--and if he can clear +that up, well and good. You understand?--and of course, all this is +between you and me." + +"You're very good, Mr. Ayscough," replied Zillah, warmly. "I won't +forget your kindness. And I'm certain this about the marks can be +cleared up--but I don't know how!" + +"Well--do as I say," said the detective. "Just give the tip to your +cousin Melky, and to that young Scotch gentleman--let 'em keep +Lauriston out of the way for a few days. In the meantime--this is a +very queer case!--something may happen that'll fix the guilt on +somebody else--conclusively. I've my own ideas and opinions--but we +shall see. Maybe we shall see a lot--and everybody'll be more +astonished than they're thinking for." + +With this dark and sinister hint, Ayscough went away, and Zillah took +the rings back to the shop, and locked them up again. And then she sat +down to wait for Mrs. Goldmark--and to think. She had never doubted +Lauriston's story for one moment, and she did not doubt it now. But she +was quick to see the serious significance of what the detective had +just told her and she realized that action must be taken on the lines +he had suggested. And so, having made herself ready for going out, she +excused herself to Mrs. Goldmark when that good lady returned, and +without saying anything to her as to the nature of her errand, hurried +round to Star Street, to find Melky Rubinstein and tell him of the new +development. + +Mrs. Flitwick herself opened the door to Zillah and led her into the +narrow passage. But at the mention of Melky she shook her head. + +"I ain't set eyes on Mr. Rubinstein not since this morning, miss," said +she. "He went out with that young Scotch gentleman what come here +yesterday asking for Mr. Lauriston, and he's never been in again--not +even to put his nose inside the door. And at twelve o'clock there come +a telegram for him--which it was the second that come this morning. The +first, of course, he got before he went out; the one that come at +noon's awaiting him. No--I ain't seen him all day!" + +Zillah's quick wits were instantly at work as soon as she heard of the +telegram. + +"Oh, I know all about that wire, Mrs. Flitwick!" she exclaimed. "It's +as much for me as for my cousin. Give it to me--and if Mr. Rubinstein +comes in soon--or when he comes--tell him I've got it, and ask him to +come round to me immediately--it's important." + +Mrs. Flitwick produced the telegram at once, and Zillah, repeating her +commands about Melky, hurried away with it. But at the first street +lamp she paused, and tore open the envelope, and pulled out the +message. As she supposed, it was from Lauriston, and had been handed in +at Peebles at eleven o'clock that morning. + +"Got necessary information returning at once meet me at King's Cross at +nine-twenty this evening. L." + +Zillah looked at her watch. It was then ten minutes to nine. There was +just half an hour before Lauriston's train was due. Without a moment's +hesitation, she turned back along Star Street, hurried into Edgware +Road and hailing the first taxi-cab she saw, bade its driver to get to +the Great Northern as fast as possible. Whatever else happened, +Lauriston must be met and warned. + +The taxi-cab made good headway along the Marylebone and Euston Roads, +and the hands of the clock over the entrance to King's Cross had not +yet indicated a quarter past nine when Zillah was set down close by. +She hurried into the station, and to the arrival platform. All the way +along in the cab she had been wondering what to do when she met +Lauriston--not as to what she should tell him, for that was already +settled, but as to what to advise him to do about following Ayscough's +suggestion and keeping out of the way, for awhile. She had already seen +enough of him to know that he was naturally of high spirit and courage, +and that he would hate the very idea of hiding, or of seeming to run +away. Yet, what other course was open if he wished to avoid arrest? +Zillah, during her short business experience had been brought in +contact with the police authorities and their methods more than once, +and she knew that there is nothing the professional detective likes so +much as to follow the obvious--as the easiest and safest. She had been +quick to appreciate all that Ayscough told her--she knew how the police +mind would reason about it: it would be quite enough for it to know +that on the rings which Andy Lauriston said were his there were marks +which were certainly identical with those on her grandfather's +property: now that the police authorities were in possession of that +fact, they would go for Lauriston without demur or hesitation, leaving +all the other mysteries and ramifications of the Multenius affair to be +sorted, or to sort themselves, at leisure. One thing was certain--Andie +Lauriston was in greater danger now than at any moment since Ayscough +found him leaving the shop, and she must save him--against his own +inclinations if need be. + +But before the train from the North was due, Zillah was fated to have +yet another experience. She had taken up a position directly beneath a +powerful lamp at the end of the arrival platform, so that Lauriston, +who would be obliged to pass that way, could not fail to see her. +Suddenly turning, to glance at the clock in the roof behind her, she +was aware of a man, young, tall, athletic, deeply bronzed, as from long +contact with the Southern sun, who stood just behind a knot of +loungers, his heavy overcoat and the jacket beneath it thrown open, +feeling in his waistcoat pockets as if for his match-box--an unlighted +cigar protruded from the corner of his rather grim, determined lips. +But it was not at lips, nor at the cigar, nor at the searching fingers +that Zillah looked, after that first comprehensive glance--her eyes +went straight to an object which shone in the full glare of the lamp +above her head. The man wore an old-fashioned, double-breasted fancy +waistcoat, but so low as to reveal a good deal of his shirt-front. And +in that space, beneath his bird's-eye blue tie, loosely knotted in a +bow, Zillah saw a stud, which her experienced eyes knew to be of +platinum, and on it was engraved the same curious device which she had +seen once before that day--on the solitaire exhibited by Melky. + +The girl was instantly certain that here was the man who had visited +Mrs. Goldmark's eating-house. Her first instinct was to challenge him +with the fact--but as she half moved towards him, he found his +match-box, struck a match, and began to light his cigar. And just then +came the great engine of the express, panting its way to a halt beside +them, and with it the folk on the platform began to stir, and Zillah +was elbowed aside. Her situation was perplexing--was she to watch the +man and perhaps lose Lauriston in the crowd already passing from the +train, or-- + +The man was still leisurely busy with his cigar, and Zillah turned and +went a few steps up the platform. She suddenly caught sight of +Lauriston, and running towards him gripped his arm, and drew him to the +lamp. But in that moment of indecision, the man had vanished. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN + + +MR. STUYVESANT GUYLER + +Lauriston, surprised beyond a little at seeing Zillah, found his +surprise turned into amazement as she seized his arm and forced him +along the platform, careless of the groups of passengers and the +porters, crowding about the baggage vans. + +"What is it?" he demanded. "Has something happened? Where are we going?" + +But Zillah held on determinedly, her eyes fixed ahead. + +"Quick!" she said, pantingly. "A man I saw just now! He was there--he's +gone--while I looked for you. We must find him! He must have gone this +way. Andie!--look for him! A tall, clean-shaven man in a slouched hat +and a heavy travelling coat--a foreigner of some sort. Oh, look!" + +It was the first time she had called Lauriston by his name, and he gave +her arm an involuntary pressure as they hastened along. + +"But why?" he asked. "Who is he--what do you want with him? What's it +all about?" + +"Oh, find him!" she exclaimed. "You don't know how important it is! If +I lose sight of him now, I'll very likely never see him again. And he +must be found--and stopped--for your sake!" + +They had come to the end of the platform, by that time, and Lauriston +looked left and right in search of the man described. Suddenly he +twisted Zillah round. + +"Is that he--that fellow talking to another man?" he asked. "See +him--there?" + +"Yes!" said Zillah. She saw the man of the platinum stud again, and on +seeing him, stopped dead where she was, holding Lauriston back. The +man, leisurely smoking his cigar, was chatting to another man, who, +from the fact that he was carrying a small suit-case in one hand and a +rug over the other arm, had evidently come in by the just-arrived +express. "Yes!" she continued. "That's the man! And--we've just got to +follow him wherever he goes!" + +"What on earth for?" asked Lauriston. "What mystery's this? Who is he?" + +At that moment the two men parted, with a cordial handshake; the man of +the suit-case and the rug turned towards the stairs which led to the +underground railway; the other man walked slowly away through the front +of the station in the direction of the Great Northern Hotel. And Zillah +immediately dragged Lauriston after him, keeping a few yards' distance, +but going persistently forward. The man in front crossed the road, and +strode towards the portico of the hotel--and Zillah suddenly made up +her mind. + +"We've got to speak to that man!" she said. "Don't ask why, now--you'll +know in a few minutes. Ask him if he'll speak to me?" + +Lauriston caught up the stranger as he set foot on the steps leading to +the hotel door. He felt uncomfortable and foolish--but Zillah's tone +left him no option but to obey. + +"I beg your pardon," said Lauriston, as politely as possible, +"but--this lady is very anxious to speak to you." + +The man turned, glanced at Zillah, who had hurried up, and lifted his +slouched hat with a touch of old-fashioned courtesy. There was a strong +light burning just above them: in its glare all three looked at each +other. The stranger smiled--a little wonderingly. + +"Why, sure!" he said in accents that left no doubt of his American +origin. "I'd be most happy. You're not mistaking me for somebody else?" + +Zillah was already flushed with embarrassment. Now that she had run her +quarry to earth, and so easily, she scarcely knew what to do with it. + +"You'll think this very strange," she said, stammeringly, "but if you +don't mind telling me something?--you see, I saw you just now in the +station, when you were feeling for your match-box, and I noticed that +you wore a platinum stud--with an unusual device on it." + +The American laughed--a good-natured, genial laugh--and threw open his +coat. At the same moment he thrust his wrists forward. + +"This stud!" he said. "That's so!--it is platinum, and the device is +curious. And the device is right there, too, see--on those solitaire +cuff-studs! But--" + +He paused looking at Zillah, whose eyes were now fastened on the +cuff-studs, and who was obviously so astonished as to have lost her +tongue. + +"You seemed mighty amazed at my studs!" said the stranger, with another +laugh. "Now, you'll just excuse me if I ask--why?" + +Zillah regained her wits with an effort, and became as business-like as +usual. + +"Don't, please, think I'm asking idle and purposeless questions," she +said. "Have you been long in London?" + +"A few days only," answered the stranger, readily enough. + +"Have you read of what's already called the Praed Street Murder in the +papers?" continued Zillah. + +"Yes--I read that," the stranger said, his face growing serious. "The +affair of the old man--the pawnbroker with the odd name. Yes!" + +"I'm the old man's granddaughter," said Zillah, brusquely. "Now, I'll +tell you why I was upset by seeing your platinum stud. A solitaire +stud, made of platinum, and ornamented with exactly the same device as +yours, was found in our parlour after my grandfather's death--and +another, evidently the fellow to it, was found in an eating-house, +close by. Now, do you understand why I wished to speak to you?" + +While Zillah spoke, the American's face had been growing graver and +graver, and when she made an end, he glanced at Lauriston and shook his +head. + +"Say!" he said. "That's a very serious matter! You're sure the device +was the same, and the material platinum?" + +"I've been reared in the jewellery trade," replied Zillah. "The things +I'm talking of are of platinum--and the device is precisely the same as +that on your stud." + +"Well!--that's mighty queer!" remarked the American. "I can't tell you +why it's queer, all in a minute, but I do assure you it's just about +the queerest thing I ever heard of in my life--and I've known a lot of +queerness. Look here!--I'm stopping at this hotel--will you come in +with me, and we'll just get a quiet corner and talk some? Come right +in, then." + +He led the way into the hotel, through the hall, and down a corridor +from which several reception rooms opened. Looking into one, a small +smoking lounge, and finding it empty, he ushered them aside. But on the +threshold Zillah paused. Her business instincts were by this time fully +aroused. She felt certain that whoever this stranger might he, he had +nothing to do with the affair in Praed Street, and yet might be able to +throw extraordinary light on it, and she wanted to take a great step +towards clearing it up. She turned to the American. + +"Look here!" she said. "I've told you what I'm after, and who I am. +This gentleman is Mr. Andrew Lauriston. Did you read his name in the +paper's account of that inquest?" + +The American glanced at Lauriston with some curiosity. + +"Sure!" he answered. "The man that found the old gentleman dead." + +"Just so," said Zillah. "There are two friends of ours making enquiries +on Mr. Lauriston's behalf at this moment. One of them's my cousin, Mr. +Rubinstein; the other's Mr. Purdie, an old friend of Mr. Lauriston's. +I've an idea where'll they'll be, just now--do you mind if I telephone +them to come here, at once, so that they can hear what you have to tell +us?" + +"Not in the least!" assented the American heartily. "I'll be glad to +help in any way I can--I'm interested. Here!--there's a telephone box +right there--you go in now, and call those fellows up and tell 'em to +come right along, quick!" + +He and Lauriston waited while Zillah went into the telephone box: she +felt sure that Melky and Purdie would have returned to Praed Street by +that time, and she rang up Mrs. Goldmark at the Pawnshop to enquire. +Within a minute or two she had rejoined Lauriston and the +American--during her absence the stranger had been speaking to a +waiter, and he now led his two guests to a private sitting-room. + +"We'll be more private in this apartment," he observed. "No fear of +interruption or being overheard. I've told the waiter man there's two +gentlemen coming along, and they're to be brought in here as soon as +they land. Will they be long?" + +"They'll be here within twenty minutes," answered Zillah. "It's very +kind of you to take so much trouble!" + +The American drew an easy chair to the fire, and pointed Zillah to it. + +"Well," he remarked, "I guess that in a fix of this sort, you can't +take too much trouble! I'm interested in this case--and a good deal +more than interested now that you tell me about these platinum studs. I +reckon I can throw some light on that, anyway! But we'll keep it till +your friends come. And I haven't introduced myself--my name's +Stuyvesant Guyler. I'm a New York man--but I've knocked around +some--pretty considerable, in fact. Say!--have you got any idea that +this mystery of yours is at all connected with South Africa? +And--incidentally--with diamonds?" + +Zillah started and glanced at Lauriston. + +"What makes you think of South Africa--and of diamonds?" she asked. + +"Oh, well--but that comes into my tale," answered Guyler. "You'll see +in due course. But--had it?" + +"I hadn't thought of diamonds, but I certainly had of South Africa," +admitted Zillah. + +"Seems to be working in both directions," said Guyler, meditatively. +"But you'll see that when I tell you what I know." + +Purdie and Melky Rubinstein entered the room within the twenty minutes +which Zillah had predicted--full of wonder to find her and Lauriston in +company with a total stranger. But Zillah explained matters in a few +words, and forbade any questioning until Mr. Stuyvesant Guyler had told +his story. + +"And before I get on to that," said Guyler, who had been quietly +scrutinizing his two new visitors while Zillah explained the situation, +"I'd just like to see that platinum solitaire that Mr. Rubinstein +picked up--if he's got it about him?" + +Melky thrust a hand into a pocket. + +"It ain't never been off me, mister, since I found it!" he said, +producing a little packet wrapped in tissue paper. "There you are!" + +Guyler took the stud which Melky handed to him and laid it on the table +around which they were all sitting. After glancing at it for a moment, +he withdrew the studs from his own wrist-bands and laid them by its +side. + +"Yes, that's sure one of the lot!" he observed musingly. "I guess +there's no possible doubt at all on that point. Well!--this is indeed +mighty queer! Now, I'll tell you straight out. These studs--all of +'em--are parts of six sets of similar things, all made of that very +expensive metal, platinum, in precisely the same fashion, and +ornamented with the same specially invented device, and given to six +men who had been of assistance to him in a big deal, as a little mark +of his appreciation, by a man that some few years ago made a fortune in +South Africa. That's so!" + +Zillah turned on the American with a sharp look of enquiry. + +"Who was he?" she demanded. "Tell us his name!" + +"His name," replied Guyler, "was Spencer Levendale--dealer in diamonds." + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN + + +PURDIE STANDS FIRM + +The effect produced by this announcement was evidently exactly that +which the American expected, and he smiled, a little grimly, as he +looked from one face to another. As for his hearers, they first looked +at each other and then at him, and Guyler laughed and went on. + +"That makes you jump!" he said. "Well, now, at the end of that inquest +business in the papers the other day I noticed Spencer Levendale's name +mentioned in connection with some old book that was left, or found in +Mr. Daniel Multenius's back-parlour. Of course, I concluded that he was +the same Spencer Levendale I'd known out there in South Africa, five +years ago. And to tell you the truth, I've been watching your papers, +morning and evening, since, to see if there was any more news of him. +But so far I haven't seen any." + +Purdie and Melky exchanged glances, and in response to an obvious hint +from Melky, Purdie spoke. + +"We can give you some news, then," he said. "It'll be common property +tomorrow morning. Levendale has mysteriously disappeared from his +house, and from his usual haunts!--and nobody knows where he is. And +it's considered that this disappearance has something to do with the +Praed Street affair." + +"Sure!" assented Guyler. "That's just about a dead certainty. And in +the Praed Street affair, these platinum stud things are going to play a +good part, and when you and your police have got to the bottom of it, +you'll sure find that something else has a big part, too!" + +"What?" asked Purdie. + +"Why, diamonds!" answered the American, with a quiet smile. "Just +diamonds! Diamonds'll be at the bottom of the bag--sure!" + +There was a moment of surprised silence, and then Melky turned eagerly +to the American. + +"Mister!" he said. "Let's be getting at something! What do you know, +now, about this here Levendale?" + +"Not much," replied Guyler. "But I'm open to tell what I do know. I've +been a bit of a rolling stone, do you see--knocked about the world, +pretty considerable, doing one thing and another, and I've falsified +the old saying, for I've contrived to gather a good bit of moss in my +rollings. Well, now, I was located in Cape Town for a while, some five +years ago, and I met Spencer Levendale there. He was then a dealer in +diamonds--can't say in what way exactly--for I never exactly knew--but +it was well known that he'd made a big pile, buying and selling these +goods, and he was a very rich man. Now I and five other men--all of +different nationalities--were very useful to Levendale in a big deal +that he was anxious to carry through--never mind what it was--and he +felt pretty grateful to us, I reckon. And as we were all warmish men so +far as money was concerned, it wasn't the sort of thing that he could +hand out cheques for, so he hit on the notion of having sets of studs +made of platinum--which is, as you're aware, the most valuable metal +known, and on every stud he had a device of his own invention carefully +engraved. Here's my set!--and what Mr. Rubinstein's got there is part +of another. Now, then, who's the man who's been dropping his cuff-links +about?" + +Purdie, who had listened with deep attention to the American's +statement, immediately put a question. + +"That's but answered by asking you something," he said. "You no doubt +know the names of the men to whom those sets of studs were given?" + +But to Purdie's disappointment, the American shook his head. + +"Well, now, I just don't!" he replied. "The fact is--as you would +understand if you knew the circumstances--this was a queer sort of a +secret deal, in which the assistance of various men of different +nationality was wanted, and none of us knew any of the rest. However, I +did come across the Englishman who was in it--afterwards. Recognized +him, as a matter of fact, by his being in possession of those studs." + +"And who was he?" asked Purdie. + +"A man named Purvis--Stephen Purvis," answered Guyler. "Sort of man +like myself--knocked around, taking up this and that, as long as there +was money in it. I came across him in Johannesburg, maybe a year after +that deal I was telling of. He didn't know who the other fellows were, +neither." + +"You've never seen him since?" suggested Purdie. "You don't know where +he is?" + +"Not a ghost of a notion!" said Guyler. "Didn't talk with him more than +once, and then only for an hour or so." + +"Mister!" exclaimed Melky, eagerly. "Could you describe this here +Purvis, now? Just a bit of a description, like?" + +"Sure!" answered the American. "That is--as I remember him. Biggish, +raw-boned, hard-bitten sort of a man--about my +age--clean-shaven--looked more of a Colonial than an Englishman--he'd +been out in South Africa, doing one thing and another, since he was a +boy." + +"S'elp me if that doesn't sound like the man who was in Mrs. Goldmark's +restaurant!" said Melky. "Just what she describes, anyhow!" + +"Why, certainly--I reckon that is the man," remarked Guyler. "That's +what I've been figuring on, all through. I tell you all this mystery is +around some diamond affair in which this lady's grandfather, and Mr. +Spencer Levendale, and this man Purvis have been mixed up--sure! And +the thing--in my humble opinion--is to find both of them! Now, then, +what's been done, and what's being done, in that way?" + +Melky nodded at Purdie, as much as to invite him to speak. + +"The authorities at New Scotland Yard have the Levendale affair in +hand," said Purdie. "We've been in and out there, with Mr. Multenius's +solicitor, all the afternoon and evening. But, of course, we couldn't +tell anything about this other man because we didn't know anything, +till now. You'll have no objection to going there tomorrow?" + +"Not at all!" replied Guyler, cheerfully. "I'm located at this hotel +for a week or two. I struck it when I came here from the North, a few +days back, and it suits me very well, and I guess I'll just stop here +while I'm in London this journey. No, I've no objection to take a hand. +But--it seems to me--there's still a lot of difficulty about this young +gentleman here--Mr. Lauriston. I read all the papers carefully, and +sized up his predicament. Those rings, now?" + +Zillah suddenly remembered all that Ayscough had told her that evening. +She had forgotten the real motive of her visit to King's Cross in her +excitement in listening to the American's story. She now turned to +Purdie and the other two. + +"I'd forgotten!" she exclaimed. "The danger's still there. Ayscough's +been at the shop tonight. The police have had an expert examining those +rings, and the rings in the tray. He says there are marks--private, +jewellers' marks in the two rings which correspond with marks in our +rings. In fact, there's no doubt of it. And now, the police are certain +that the two rings did belong to our tray--and--and they're bent on +arresting--Andie!" + +Lauriston flushed hotly with sheer indignation. + +"That's all nonsense--what the police say!" he exclaimed. "I've found +out who gave those two rings to my mother! I can prove it! I don't care +a hang for the police and their marks--those rings are mine!" + +Purdie laid a quiet hand on Lauriston's arm. + +"None of us know yet what you've done or found out at Peebles about the +rings," he said. "Tell us! Just give us the brief facts." + +"I'm going to," answered Lauriston, still indignant. "I thought the +whole thing over as I went down in the train. I remembered that if +there was one person living in Peebles who would be likely to know +about my mother and those rings, it would be an old friend of hers, +Mrs. Taggart--you know her, John." + +"I know Mrs. Taggart--go on," said Purdie. + +"I didn't know if Mrs. Taggart was still living," continued Lauriston. +"But I was out early this morning and I found her. She remembers the +rings well enough: she described them accurately--what's more she told +me what I didn't know--how they came into my mother's possession. You +know as well as I do, John, that my father and mother weren't over well +off--and my mother used to make a bit of extra money by letting her +rooms to summer visitors. One summer she had a London solicitor, a Mr. +Killick, staying there for a month--at least he came for a month, but +he was taken ill, and he was there more than two months. My mother +nursed him through his illness--and after he'd returned to London, he +sent her those rings. And--if there are marks on them," concluded +Lauriston, "that correspond with marks on the rings in that tray, all I +have to say is that those marks must have been there when Mr. Killick +bought them!--for they've never been out of our possession--my mother's +and mine--until I took them to pawn." + +Zillah suddenly clapped her hands--and she and Melky exchanged +significant glances which the others did not understand. + +"That's it!" she exclaimed. "That's what puzzled me at first. Now I'm +not puzzled any more. Melky knows what I mean." + +"What she means, mister," assented Melky, tapping Purdie's arm, "is +precisely what struck me at once. It's just as Mr. Lauriston here +says--them private marks were on the rings when Mr. Killick bought +them. Them two rings, and some of the rings in the tray what's been +mentioned all come from the same maker! There ain't nothing wonderful +in all that to me and my cousin Zillah there!--we've been brought up in +the trade, d'ye see? But the police!--they're that suspicious +that--well, the thing to do, gentlemen, is to find this here Mr. +Killick." + +"Just so," agreed Purdie. "Where is he to be found, Andie?" + +But Lauriston shook his head, disappointedly. + +"That's just what I don't know!" he answered. "It's five and twenty +years since he gave my mother those rings, and according to Mrs. +Taggart, he was then a middle-aged man, so he's now getting on in +years. But--if he's alive, I can find him." + +"We've got to find him," said Purdie, firmly. "In my opinion, he can +give some evidence that'll be of more importance than the mere +identifying of those rings--never mind what it is I'm thinking of, now. +We must see to that tomorrow." + +"But in the meantime," broke in Zillah. "Andie must not go home--to +Mrs. Flitwick's! I know what Ayscough meant tonight--and remember, all +of you, it was private between him and myself. If he goes home, he may +be arrested, any minute. He must be kept out of the way of the police +for a bit, and--" + +Purdie rose from the table and shook his head determinedly. + +"No," he said. "None of that! We're going to have no running away, no +hiding! Andie Lauriston's not going to show the least fear of the +police, or of any of their theories. He's just going to follow my +orders--and I'm going to take him to my hotel for the night--leave him +to me! I'm going to see this thing right through to the finish--however +it ends. Now, let's separate. Mr. Guyler!" + +"Sir?" answered the American. "At your service." + +"Then meet me at my hotel tomorrow morning at ten," said Purdie. +"There's a new chapter to open." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY + + +THE PARSLETT AFFAIR + +At a quarter past ten o'clock on the morning following Ayscough's +revelation to Zillah, the detective was closeted with a man from the +Criminal Investigation Department at New Scotland Yard in a private +room at the local police station, and with them was the superior +official who had been fetched to the pawnshop in Praed Street +immediately after the discovery of Daniel Multenius's body by Andie +Lauriston. And this official was stating his view of the case to the +two detectives--conscious that neither agreed with him. + +"You can't get over the similarity of the markings of those rings!" he +said confidently. "To my mind the whole thing's as plain as a +pikestaff--the young fellow was hard up--he confessed he hadn't a penny +on him!--he went in there, found the shop empty, saw those rings, +grabbed a couple, was interrupted by the old man--and finished him off +by scragging him! That's my opinion! And I advise getting a warrant for +him and getting on with the work--all the rest of this business belongs +to something else." + +Ayscough silently glanced at the man from New Scotland Yard--who shook +his head in a decided negative. + +"That's not my opinion!" he said with decision. "And it's not the +opinion of the people at headquarters. We were at this affair nearly +all yesterday afternoon with that little Jew fellow, Rubinstein, and +the young Scotch gentleman, Mr. Purdie, and our conclusion is that +there's something of a big sort behind old Multenius's death. There's a +regular web of mystery! The old man's death--that book, which Levendale +did not leave in the 'bus, in spite of all he says, and of his +advertisements!--Levendale's unexplained disappearance--the strange +death of this man Parslett--the mystery of those platinum studs dropped +in the pawnbroker's parlour and in Mrs. Goldmark's eating +house--no!--the whole affair's a highly complicated one. That's my view +of it." + +"And mine," said Ayscough. He looked at the unbelieving official, and +turned away from him to glance out of the window into the street. "May +I never!" he suddenly exclaimed. "There's young Lauriston coming here, +and Purdie with him--and a fellow who looks like an American. I should +say Lauriston's got proof about his title to those rings--anyway, he +seems to have no fear about showing himself here--case of walking +straight into the lions' den, eh?" + +"Bring 'em all in!" ordered the superior official, a little surlily. +"Let's hear what it's all about!" + +Purdie presently appeared in Ayscough's rear, preceding his two +companions. He and the detective from New Scotland Yard exchanged nods; +they had seen a good deal of each other the previous day. He nodded +also to the superior official--but the superior official looked at +Lauriston. + +"Got that proof about those rings?" he enquired. "Of course, if you +have--" + +"Before Mr. Lauriston says anything about that," interrupted Purdie, "I +want you to hear a story which this gentleman, Mr. Stuyvesant Guyler, +of New York, can tell you. It's important--it bears right on this +affair. If you just listen to what he can tell--" + +The two detectives listened to Guyler's story about the platinum studs +with eager, if silent interest: in the end they glanced at each other +and then at the local official, who seemed to be going through a +process of being convinced against his will. + +"Just what I said a few minutes ago," muttered the New Scotland Yard +man. "A highly complicated affair! Not going to be got at in five +minutes." + +"Nor in ten!" said Ayscough laconically. He glanced at Guyler. "You +could identify this man Purvis if you saw him?" he asked. + +"Why, certainly!" answered the American. "I guess if he's the man who +was seen in that eating-house the other day he's not altered any--or +not much." + +The man at the desk turned to Purdie, glancing at Lauriston. + +"About those rings?" he asked. "What's Mr. Lauriston got to say?" + +"Let me tell," said Purdie, as Lauriston was about to speak. "Mr. +Lauriston," he went on, "has been to Peebles, where his father and +mother lived. He has seen an old friend of theirs, Mrs. Taggart, who +remembers the rings perfectly. Moreover, she knows that they were given +to the late Mrs. Lauriston by a Mr. Edward Killick, a London solicitor, +who, of course, will be able to identify them. As to the marks, I think +you'll find a trade explanation of that--those rings and the rings in +Multenius's tray probably came from the same maker. Now, I find, on +looking through the directory, that this Mr. Edward Killick has retired +from practice, but I've also found out where he now lives, and I +propose to bring him here. In the meantime--I want to know what you're +going to do about Mr. Lauriston? Here he is!" + +The superior official glanced at the New Scotland Yard man. + +"I suppose your people have taken this job entirely in hand, now?" he +asked. + +"Entirely!" answered the detective. + +"Got any instructions about Mr. Lauriston?" asked the official. "You +haven't? Mr. Lauriston's free to go where he likes, then, as far as +we're concerned, here," he added, turning to Purdie. "But--he'd far +better stay at hand till all this is cleared up." + +"That's our intention," said Purdie. "Whenever you want Mr. Lauriston, +come to me at my hotel--he's my guest there, and I'll produce him. Now +we're going to find Mr. Killick." + +He and Lauriston and Guyler walked out together; on the steps of the +police-station Ayscough called him back. + +"I say!" he said, confidentially. "Leave that Mr. Killick business +alone for an hour or two. I can tell you of something much more +interesting than that, and possibly of more importance. Go round to the +Coroner's Court--Mr. Lauriston knows where it is." + +"What's on?" asked Lauriston. + +"Inquest on that man Parslett," replied Ayscough with a meaning nod. +"You'll hear some queer evidence if I'm not mistaken. I'm going there +myself, presently." + +He turned in again, and the three young men looked at each other. + +"Say!" remarked Guyler, "I reckon that's good advice. Let's go to this +court." + +Lauriston led them to the scene of his own recent examination by Mr. +Parminter. But on this occasion the court was crowded; it was with +great difficulty that they contrived to squeeze themselves into a +corner of it. In another corner, but far away from their own, Lauriston +saw Melky Rubinstein; Melky, wedged in, and finding it impossible to +move, made a grimace at Lauriston and jerked his thumb in the direction +of the door, as a signal that he would meet him there when the +proceedings were over. + +The inquest had already begun when Purdie and his companions forced +their way into the court. In the witness-box was the dead man's +widow--a pathetic figure in heavy mourning, who was telling the Coroner +that on the night of her husband's death he went out late in the +evening--just to take a walk round, as he expressed it. No--she had no +idea whatever of where he was going, nor if he had any particular +object in going out at all. He had not said one word to her about going +out to get money from any one. After he went out she never saw him +again until she was fetched to St. Mary's Hospital, where she found him +in the hands of the doctors. He died, without having regained +consciousness, just after she reached the hospital. + +Nothing very startling so far, thought Purdie, at the end of the +widow's evidence, and he wondered why Ayscough had sent them round. But +more interest came with the next witness--a smart, bustling, +middle-aged man, evidently a well-to-do business man, who entered the +box pretty much as if he had been sitting down in his own office, to +ring his bell and ask for the day's letters. A whisper running round +the court informed the onlookers that this was the gentleman who picked +Parslett up in the street. Purdie and his two companions pricked their +ears. + +Martin James Gardiner--turf commission agent--resident in Portsdown +Road, Maida Vale. Had lived there several years--knew the district +well--did not know the dead man by sight at all--had never seen him, +that he knew of, until the evening in question. + +"Tell us exactly what happened, Mr. Gardiner--in your own way," said +the Coroner. + +Mr. Gardiner leaned over the front of the witness-box, and took the +court and the public into his confidence--genially. + +"I was writing letters until pretty late that night," he said. "A +little after eleven o'clock I went out to post them at the nearest +pillar-box. As I went down the steps of my house, the deceased passed +by. He was walking down Portsdown Road in the direction of Clifton +Road. As he passed me, he was chuckling--laughing in a low tone. I +thought he was--well, a bit intoxicated when I heard that, but as I was +following him pretty closely, I soon saw that he walked straight +enough. He kept perhaps six or eight yards in front of me until we had +come to within twenty yards or so of the corner of Clifton Road. Then, +all of a sudden--so suddenly that it's difficult for me to describe +it!--he seemed to--well, there's no other word for it than--collapse. +He seemed to give, you understand--shrank up, like--like a concertina +being suddenly shut up! His knees gave--his whole body seemed to +shrink--and he fell in a heap on the pavement!" + +"Did he cry out--scream, as if in sudden pain--anything of that sort?" +asked the Coroner. + +"There was a sort of gurgling sound--I'm not sure that he didn't say a +word or two, as he collapsed," answered the witness. "But it was so +sudden that I couldn't catch anything definite. He certainly never made +the slightest sound, except a queer sort of moaning, very low, from the +time he fell. Of course, I thought the man had fallen in a fit. I +rushed to him; he was lying, sort of crumpled up, where he had fallen. +There was a street-lamp close by--I saw that his face had turned a +queer colour, and his eyes were already closed--tightly. I noticed, +too, that his teeth were clenched, and his fingers twisted into the +palms of his hands." + +"Was he writhing at all--making any movement?" enquired the Coroner. + +"Not a movement! He was as still as the stones he was lying on!" said +the witness. "I'm dead certain he never moved after he fell. There was +nobody about, just then, and I was just going to ring the bell of the +nearest house when a policeman came round the corner. I shouted to +him--he came up. We examined the man for a minute; then I ran to fetch +Dr. Mirandolet, whose surgery is close by there. I found him in; he +came at once, and immediately ordered the man's removal to the +hospital. The policeman got help, and the man was taken off. Dr. +Mirandolet went with him. I returned home." + +No questions of any importance were asked of Mr. Gardiner, and the +Coroner, after a short interchange of whispers with his officer, +glanced at a group of professional-looking men behind the witness-box. + +"Call Dr. Mirandolet!" he directed. + +Purdie at that moment caught Ayscough's eye. And the detective winked +at him significantly as a strange and curious figure came out from the +crowd and stepped into the witness-box. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE + + +WHAT MANNER OF DEATH? + +One of the three companions who stood curiously gazing at the new +witness as he came into full view of the court had seen him before. +Lauriston, who, during his residence in Paddington, had wandered a good +deal about Maida Vale and St. John's Wood, instantly recognized Dr. +Mirandolet as a man whom he had often met or passed in those excursions +and about whom he had just as often wondered. He was a notable and +somewhat queer figure--a tall, spare man, of striking presence and +distinctive personality--the sort of man who would inevitably attract +attention wherever he was, and at whom people would turn to look in the +most crowded street. His aquiline features, almost cadaverous +complexion, and flashing, deep-set eyes, were framed in a mass of +raven-black hair which fell in masses over a loosely fitting, +unstarched collar, kept in its place by a voluminous black silk cravat; +his thin figure, all the sparer in appearance because of his broad +shoulders and big head, was wrapped from head to foot in a mighty +cloak, raven-black as his hair, from the neck of which depended a +hood-like cape. Not a man in that court would have taken Dr. Mirandolet +for anything but a foreigner, and for a foreigner who knew next to +nothing of England and the English, and John Purdie, whose interest was +now thoroughly aroused, was surprised as he heard the witness's answer +to the necessary preliminary questions. + +Nicholas Mirandolet--British subject--born in Malta--educated in +England--a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons and of the Royal +College of Physicians--in private practice at Portsdown Road, Maida +Vale, for the last ten years. + +"I believe you were called to the deceased by the last witness, Dr. +Mirandolet?" asked the Coroner. "Just so! Will you tell us what you +found?" + +"I found the deceased lying on the pavement, about a dozen yards from +my house," answered Dr. Mirandolet, in a sharp, staccato voice. "A +policeman was bending over him. Mr. Gardiner hurriedly told us what he +had seen. My first thought was that the man was in what is commonly +termed a fit--some form of epileptic seizure, you know. I hastily +examined him--and found that my first impression was utterly wrong." + +"What did you think--then?" enquired the Coroner. + +Dr. Mirandolet paused and began to drum the edge of the witness-box +with the tips of his long, slender white fingers. He pursed his +clean-shaven lips and looked meditatively around him--leisurely +surveying the faces turned on him. Finally he glanced at the Coroner, +and snapped out a reply. + +"I do not know what I thought!" + +The Coroner looked up from his notes--in surprise. + +"You--don't know what you thought?" he asked. + +"No!" said Dr. Mirandolet. "I don't. And I will tell you why. Because I +realized--more quickly than it takes me to tell it--that here was +something that was utterly beyond my comprehension!" + +"Do you mean--beyond your skill?" suggested the Coroner. + +"Skill?" retorted the witness, with a queer, twisting grimace. "Beyond +my understanding! I am a quick observer--I saw within a few seconds +that here was a man who had literally been struck down in the very +flush of life as if--well, to put it plainly, as if some extraordinary +power had laid a blasting finger on the very life-centre within him. I +was--dumfounded!" + +The Coroner sat up and laid aside his pen. + +"What did you do?" he asked quietly. + +"Bade the policeman get help, and an ambulance, and hurry the man to +St. Mary's Hospital, all as quickly as possible," answered Dr. +Mirandolet. "While the policeman was away, I examined the man more +closely. He was dying then--and I knew very well that nothing known to +medical science could save him. By that time he had become perfectly +quiet; his body had relaxed into a normal position; his face, curiously +coloured when I first saw it, had become placid and pale; he breathed +regularly, though very faintly--and he was steadily dying. I knew quite +well what was happening, and I remarked to Mr. Gardiner that the man +would be dead within half-an-hour." + +"I believe you got him to the hospital within that time?" asked the +Coroner. + +"Yes--within twenty-five minutes of my first seeing him," said the +witness. "I went with the ambulance. The man died very soon after +admission, just as I knew he would. No medical power on earth could +have saved him!" + +The Coroner glanced at the little knot of professional men in the rear +of the witness-box and seemed to be debating within himself as to +whether he wanted to ask Dr. Mirandolet any more questions. Eventually +he turned again to him. + +"What your evidence amounts to, Dr. Mirandolet, is this," he said. "You +were called to the man and you saw at once that you yourself could do +nothing for him, so you got him away to the hospital as quickly as you +possibly could. Just so!--now, why did you think you could do nothing +for him?" + +"I will tell you--in plain words," answered Dr. Mirandolet. "Because I +did not recognize or understand one single symptom that I saw! Because, +frankly, I knew very well that I did not know what was the matter! And +so--I hurried him to people who ought to know more than I do and are +reputedly cleverer than I am. In short--I recognized that I was in the +presence of something--something!--utterly beyond my skill and +comprehension!" + +"Let me ask you one or two further questions," said the Coroner. "Have +you formed any opinion of your own as to the cause of this man's death?" + +"Yes!" agreed the witness, unhesitatingly. "I have! I believe him to +have been poisoned--in a most subtle and cunning fashion. And"--here +Dr. Mirandolet cast a side-glance at the knot of men behind him--"I +shall be intensely surprised if that opinion is not corroborated. +But--I shall be ten thousand times more surprised if there is any +expert in Europe who can say what that poison was!" + +"You think it was a secret poison?" suggested the Coroner. + +"Secret!" exclaimed Dr. Mirandolet. "Aye--secret is the word. +Secret--yes! And--sure!" + +"Is there anything else you can tell us?" asked the Coroner. + +"Only this," replied the witness, after a pause. "It may be material. +As I bent over this man as he lay there on the pavement I detected a +certain curious aromatic odour about his clothes. It was strong at +first; it gradually wore off. But I directed the attention of the +policeman and Mr. Gardiner to it; it was still hanging about him, very +faintly, when we got him to the hospital: I drew attention to it there." + +"It evidently struck you--that curious odour?" said the Coroner. + +"Yes," answered Dr. Mirandolet. "It did. It reminded me of the East--I +have lived in the East--India, Burmah, China. It seemed to me that this +man had got hold of some Eastern scent, and possibly spilt some on his +clothes. The matter is worth noting. Because--I have heard--I cannot +say I have known--of men being poisoned in inhalation." + +The Coroner made no remark--it was very evident from his manner that he +considered Dr. Mirandolet's evidence somewhat mystifying. And Dr. +Mirandolet stepped down--and in response to the official invitation Dr. +John Sperling-Lawson walked into the vacated witness-box. + +"One of the greatest authorities on poisons living," whispered +Lauriston to Purdie, while Dr. Sperling-Lawson was taking the oath and +answering the formal questions. "He's principal pathologist at that +hospital they're talking about, and he constantly figures in cases of +this sort. He's employed by the Home Office too--it was he who gave +such important evidence in that Barnsbury murder case not so long +since--don't you remember it?" + +Purdie did remember, and he looked at the famous expert with great +interest. There was, however, nothing at all remarkable about Dr. +Sperling-Lawson's appearance--he was a quiet, self-possessed, +plain-faced gentleman who might have been a barrister or a banker for +all that any one could tell to the contrary. He gave his evidence in a +matter-of-fact tone--strongly in contrast to Dr. Mirandolet's somewhat +excited answers--but Purdie noticed that the people in court listened +eagerly for every word. + +He happened to be at the hospital, said Dr. Sperling-Lawson, when the +man Parslett was brought in, and he saw him die. He fully agreed with +Dr. Mirandolet that it was impossible to do anything to save the man's +life when he was brought to the hospital, and he was quite prepared to +say that the impossibility had existed from the moment in which +Gardiner had seen Parslett collapse. In other words, when Parslett did +collapse, death was on him. + +"And--the cause of death?" asked the Coroner. + +"Heart failure," replied the witness. + +"Resulting from--what?" continued the Coroner. + +Dr. Sperling-Lawson hesitated a moment--amidst a deep silence. + +"I cannot answer that question," he said at last. "I can only offer an +opinion. I believe--in fact, I am sure!--the man was poisoned. I am +convinced he was poisoned. But I am forced to admit that I do not know +what poison was used, and that after a most careful search I have not +yet been able to come across any trace or sign of any poison known to +me. All the same, I am sure he died from the effects of poison, but +what it was, or how administered, frankly, I do not know!" + +"You made a post-mortem examination?" asked the Coroner. + +"Yes," replied the specialist, "in company with Dr. Seracold. The +deceased was a thoroughly healthy, well-nourished man. There was not a +trace of disease in any of the organs--he was evidently a temperate +man, and likely to live to over the seventy years' period. And, as I +have said, there was not a trace of poison. That is, not a trace of any +poison known to me." + +"I want to ask you a particularly important question," said the +Coroner. "Are there poisons, the nature of which you are unacquainted +with?" + +"Yes!" answered the specialist frankly. "There are. But--I should not +expect to hear of their use in London." + +"Is there any European expert who might throw some light on this case?" +asked the Coroner. + +"Yes," said Dr. Sperling-Lawson. "One man--Professor Gagnard, of Paris. +As a matter of fact, I have already sent certain portions of certain +organs to him--by a special messenger. If he cannot trace this poison, +then no European nor American specialist can. I am sure of this--the +secret is an Eastern one." + +"Gentlemen," said the Coroner, "we will adjourn for a week. By that +time there may be a report from Paris." + +The crowd surged out into the damp November morning, eagerly discussing +the evidence just given. Purdie, Lauriston, and Guyler, all equally +mystified, followed, already beginning to speculate and to theorize. +Suddenly Melky Rubinstein hurried up to them, waving a note. + +"There was a fellow waiting outside with this from Zillah," said Melky. +"She'd heard you were all here, and she knew I was. We're to go there +at once--she's found some letters to her grandfather from that man +Purvis! Come on!--it's another step forward!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO + + +MR. KILLICK GOES BACK + +Ayscough and the man from New Scotland Yard came out of the court at +that moment in close and serious conversation: Melky Rubinstein left +the other three, and hurried to the two detectives with his news; +together, the six men set off for Praed Street. And Purdie, who by this +time was developing as much excited interest as his temperament and +business habits permitted, buttonholed the Scotland Yard man and walked +alongside him. + +"What's your professional opinion about what we've just heard in +there?" he asked. "Between ourselves, of course." + +The detective, who had already had several long conversations with +Purdie at headquarters during the previous afternoon and evening, and +knew him for a well-to-do young gentleman who was anxious to clear his +friend Lauriston of all suspicion, shook his head. He was a quiet, +sagacious, middle-aged man who evidently thought deeply about whatever +he had in hand. + +"It's difficult to say, Mr. Purdie," he answered. "I've no doubt that +when we get to the bottom of this case it'll turn out to be a very +simple one--but the thing is to get to the bottom. The ways are +complicated, sir--uncommonly so! At present we're in a maze--seeking +the right path." + +"Do you think that this Parslett affair has anything to do with the +Multenius affair?" asked Purdie. + +"Yes--undoubtedly!" answered the detective. "There's no doubt whatever +in my own mind that the man who poisoned Parslett is the man who caused +the old pawnbroker's death--none! I figure it in this way. Parslett +somehow, caught a glimpse of that man leaving Multenius's shop--by the +side-door, no doubt--and knew him--knew him very well, mind you! When +Parslett heard of what had happened in Multenius's back-parlour, he +kept his knowledge to himself, and went and blackmailed the man. The +man gave him that fifty pounds in gold to keep his tongue quiet--no +doubt arranging to give him more, later on--and at the same time he +cleverly poisoned him. That's my theory, Mr. Purdie." + +"Then--the only question now is--who's the man?" suggested Purdie. + +"That's it, sir--who's the man?" agreed the detective. "One thing's +quite certain--if my theory's correct. He's a clever man--and an expert +in the use of poisons." + +Purdie walked on a minute or two in silence, thinking. + +"It's no use beating about the bush," he said at last. "Do you suspect +Mr. Levendale--after all you've collected in information--and after +what I told you about what his butler saw--that bottle and phial?" + +"I think that Levendale's in it," replied the detective, cautiously. +"I'm sure he's in it--in some fashion. Our people are making no end of +enquiries about him this morning, in various quarters--there's +half-a-dozen of our best men at work in the City and the West End, Mr. +Purdie. He's got to be found! So, too, has this man Stephen +Purvis--whoever he is. We must find him, too." + +"Perhaps these letters that Melky Rubinstein speaks of may throw some +light on that," said Purdie. "There must be some way of tracing him, +somewhere." + +They were at the pawnshop by that time, and all six trooped in at the +side-entrance. Old Daniel Multenius, unconscious of all the fuss and +bother which his death had caused, was to be quietly interred that +afternoon, and Zillah and Melky were already in their mourning +garments. But Zillah had lost none of her business habits and +instincts, and while the faithful Mrs. Goldmark attended to the funeral +guests in the upstairs regions, she herself was waiting in the +back-parlour for these other visitors. On the table before her, +evidently placed there for inspection, lay three objects to which she +at once drew attention--one, an old-fashioned, double-breasted fancy +waistcoat, evidently of considerable age, and much worn, the others, +two letters written on foreign notepaper. + +"It never occurred to me," said Zillah, plunging into business at once, +"at least, until an hour or two ago, to examine the clothes my +grandfather was wearing at the time of his death. As a matter of fact +he'd been wearing the same clothes for months. I've been through all +his pockets. There was nothing of importance--except these letters. I +found those in a pocket in the inside of that waistcoat--there! Read +them." + +The men bent over the unfolded letters, and Ayscough read them aloud. + +"MACPHERSON'S HOTEL, CAPE TOWN, + +"_September 17th_, 1912. + +"Dear Sir,--I have sent the little article about which I have already +written you and Mr. L. fully, to your address by ordinary registered +post. Better put it in your bank till I arrive--shall write you later +about date of my arrival. Faithfully yours, + +"Stephen Purvis." + +"That," remarked Ayscough, glancing at the rest, "clearly refers to +whatever it was that Mr. Multenius took from his bank on the morning of +his death. It also refers to Mr. Levendale--without doubt." + +He drew the other letter to him and read it out. + +"CAPE TOWN, + +"_October 10th_, 1912. + +"Dear Sir,--Just a line to say I leave here by s.s. _Golconda_ in a day +or two--this precedes me by today's mail. I hope to be in England +November 15th--due then, anyway--and shall call on you immediately on +arrival. Better arrange to have Mr. S. L. to meet you and me at once. +Faithfully, + +"Stephen Purvis." + +"November 15th?" remarked Ayscough. "Mr. Multenius died on November +19th. So--if Purvis did reach here on the 15th he'd probably been about +this quarter before the 19th. We know he was at Mrs. Goldmark's +restaurant on the 18th, anyway! All right, Miss Wildrose--we'll take +these letters with us." + +Lauriston stopped behind when the rest of the men went out--to exchange +a few words alone with Zillah. When he went into the street, all had +gone except Purdie, who was talking with Melky at the entrance to the +side-alley. + +"That's the sure tip at present, mister," Melky was saying. "Get that +done--clear that up. Mr. Lauriston," he went on, "you do what your +friend says--we're sorting things out piece by piece." + +Purdie took Lauriston's arm and led him away. + +"What Melky says is--go and find out what Mr. Killick can prove," he +said. "Best thing to do, too, Andie, for us. Now that these detectives +are fairly on the hunt, and are in possession of a whole multitude of +queer details and facts, we'll just do our bit of business--which is to +clear you entirely. There's more reasons than one why we should do +that, my man!" + +"What're you talking about, John?" demanded Lauriston. "You've some +idea in that head of yours!" + +"The idea that you and that girl are in love with each other!" said +Purdie with a sly look. + +"I'll not deny that!" asserted Lauriston, with an ingenuous blush. "We +are!" + +"Well, you can't ask any girl to marry you, man, while there's the +least bit of suspicion hanging over you that you'd a hand in her +grandfather's death!" remarked Purdie sapiently. "So we'll just eat a +bit of lunch together, and then get a taxi-cab and drive out to find +this old gentleman that gave your mother the rings. Come on to the +hotel." + +"You're spending a fine lot of money over me, John!" exclaimed +Lauriston. + +"Put it down that I'm a selfish chap that's got interested, and is +following his own pleasure!" said Purdie. "Man alive!--I was never +mixed up in a detective case before--it beats hunting for animals, this +hunting for men!" + +By a diligent search in directories and reference books early that +morning, Purdie and Lauriston had managed to trace Mr. Edward Killick, +who, having been at one time a well-known solicitor in the City, had +followed the practice of successful men and retired to enjoy the fruit +of his labours in a nice little retreat in the country. Mr. Killick had +selected the delightful old-world village of Stanmore as the scene of +his retirement, and there, in a picturesque old house, set in the midst +of fine trees and carefully trimmed lawns, Purdie and Lauriston found +him--a hale and hearty old gentleman, still on the right side of +seventy, who rose from his easy chair in a well-stocked library to look +in astonishment from the two cards which his servant had carried to him +at the persons and faces of their presenters. + +"God bless my soul!" he exclaimed. "Are you two young fellows the sons +of old friends of mine at Peebles?" + +"We are, sir," answered Purdie. "This is Andrew Lauriston, and I am +John Purdie. And we're very glad to find that you remember something +about our people, Mr. Killick." + +Mr. Killick again blessed himself, and after warmly shaking hands with +his visitors, bade them sit down. He adjusted his spectacles, and +looked both young men carefully over. + +"I remember your people very well indeed!" he said. "I used to do a bit +of fishing in the Tweed and in Eddleston Water with your father, Mr. +Purdie--and I stopped some time with your father and mother, at their +house, Mr. Lauriston. In fact, your mother was remarkably kind to +me--she nursed me through an illness with which I was seized when I was +in Peebles." + +Lauriston and Purdie exchanged glances--by common consent Purdie became +spokesman for the two. + +"Mr. Killick," he said, "it's precisely about a matter arising out of +that illness of yours that we came to see you! Let me explain something +first--Andie Lauriston here has been living in London for two +years--he's a literary gift, and he hopes to make a name, and perhaps a +fortune. I've succeeded to my father's business, and I'm only here in +London on a visit. And it's well I came, for Andie wanted a friend. +Now, Mr. Killick, before I go further--have you read in the newspapers +about what's called the Praed Street Mystery?" + +The old gentleman shook his head. + +"My dear young sir!" he answered, waving his hand towards his books. +"I'm not a great newspaper reader--except for a bit of politics. I +never read about mysteries--I've wrapped myself up in antiquarian +pursuits since I retired. No!--I haven't read about the Praed Street +Mystery--nor even heard of it! I hope neither of you are mixed up in +it?" + +"Considerably!" answered Purdie. "In more ways than one. And you can be +of great help. Mr. Killick--when you left Peebles after your illness, +you sent Mrs. Lauriston a present of two valuable rings. Do you +remember?" + +"Perfectly--of course!" replied the old gentleman. "To be sure!" + +"Can you remember, too, from whom you bought those rings?" enquired +Purdie eagerly. + +"Yes!--as if it were yesterday!" said Mr. Killick. "I bought them from +a City jeweller whom I knew very well at that time--a man named Daniel +Molteno!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE + + +MR. KILLICK'S OPINION + +The old solicitor's trained eye and quick intelligence saw at once that +this announcement immediately conveyed some significant meaning to his +two young visitors. Purdie and Lauriston, in fact, had immediately been +struck by the similarity of the names Molteno and Multenius, and they +exchanged another look which their host detected and knew to convey a +meaning. He leaned forward in his chair. + +"Now, that strikes you--both!" he said. "What's all this about? Better +give me your confidence." + +"That's precisely what we came here to do, sir," responded Purdie, with +alacrity. "And with your permission I'll tell you the whole story. It's +a long one, and a complicated one, Mr. Killick!--but I daresay you've +heard many intricate stories in the course of your legal experience, +and you'll no doubt be able to see points in this that we haven't seen. +Well, it's this way--and I'll begin at the beginning." + +The old gentleman sat in an attitude of patient and watchful attention +while Purdie, occasionally prompted and supplemented by Lauriston, told +the whole story of the Praed Street affair, from Lauriston's first +visit to the pawnshop up to the events of that morning. Once or twice +he asked a question; one or twice he begged the narrator to pause while +he considered a point: in the end he drew out his watch--after which he +glanced out of his window. + +"Do I gather that the taxi-cab which I see outside there is being kept +by you two young men?" he asked. + +"It is," answered Purdie. "It's important that we should lose no time +in getting back to town, Mr. Killick." + +"Just so!" agreed Mr. Killick, moving towards his library door. "But +I'm going with you--as soon as I've got myself into an overcoat. Now!" +he added, a few minutes later, when all three went out to the cab. +"Tell the man to drive us straight to that police-station you've been +visiting of late--and till we get there, just let me think quietly--I +can probably say more about this case than I'm yet aware of. But--if it +will give you any relief, I can tell you this at once--I have a good +deal to tell. Strange!--strange indeed how things come round, and what +a small world this is, after all!" + +With this cryptic utterance Mr. Killick sank into a corner of the cab, +where he remained, evidently lost in thought, until, nearly an hour +later, they pulled up at the door of the police-station. Within five +minutes they were closeted with the chief men there--amongst whom were +Ayscough and the detective from New Scotland Yard. + +"You know me--or of me--some of you?" observed the old solicitor, as he +laid a card on the desk by which he had been given a chair. "I was very +well known in the City police-courts, you know, until I retired three +years ago. Now, these young gentlemen have just told me all the facts +of this very strange case, and I think I can throw some light on it--on +part of it, anyway. First of all, let me see those two rings about +which there has been so much enquiry." + +Ayscough produced the rings from a locked drawer; the rest of those +present looked on curiously as they were examined and handled by Mr. +Killick. It was immediately evident that he had no doubt about his +recognition and identification of them--after a moment's inspection of +each he pushed them back towards the detective. + +"Certainly!" he said with a confidence that carried conviction. "Those +are the rings which I gave to Mrs. Lauriston, this young man's mother. +I knew them at once. If it's necessary, I can show you the receipt +which I got with them from the seller. The particulars are specified in +that receipt--and I know that I still have it. Does my testimony +satisfy you?" + +The chief official present glanced at the man from New Scotland Yard, +and receiving a nod from him, smiled at the old solicitor. + +"I think we can rely on your evidence, Mr. Killick," he said. "We had +to make certain, you know. But these marks--isn't that a curious +coincidence, now, when you come to think of it?" + +"Not a bit of it!" replied Mr. Killick. "And I'll tell you why--that's +precisely what I've come all the way from my own comfortable fireside +at Stanmore to do! There's no coincidence at all. I've heard the whole +story of this Praed Street affair now from these two lads. And I've no +more doubt than I have that I see you, that the old pawnbroker whom you +knew hereabouts as Daniel Multenius was the same man Daniel +Molteno--from whom I bought those rings, years ago! Not the slightest +doubt!" + +None of those present made any remark on this surprising announcement, +and Mr. Killick went on. + +"I was, as some of you may know, in practice in the City--in Moorgate +Street, as a matter of fact," he said. "Daniel Molteno was a jeweller +in Houndsditch. I occasionally acted for him--professionally. And +occasionally when I wanted anything in the way of jewellery, I went to +his shop. He was then a man of about fifty, a tall, characteristically +Hebraic sort of man, already patriarchal in appearance, though he +hadn't a grey hair in his big black beard. He was an interesting man, +profoundly learned in the history of precious stones. I remember buying +those rings from him very well indeed--I remember, too, what I gave him +for them--seventy-five pounds for the two. Those private marks inside +them are, of course, his--and so they're just the same as his private +marks inside those other rings in the tray. But that's not what I came +here to tell you--that's merely preliminary." + +"Deeply interesting, anyway, sir," observed Ayscough. "And, maybe, very +valuable." + +"Not half so valuable as what I'm going to tell you," replied Mr. +Killick, with a dry chuckle, "Now, as I understand it, from young Mr. +Purdie's account, you're all greatly excited at present over the +undoubted connection with this Praed Street mystery of one Mr. Spencer +Levendale, who is, I believe, a very rich man, a resident in one of the +best parts of this district, and a Member of Parliament. It would +appear from all you've discovered, amongst you, up to now, that Spencer +Levendale has been privately mixed up with old Daniel Multenius in some +business which seems to be connected with South Africa. Now, attend to +what I say:--About the time that I knew Daniel Molteno in Houndsditch, +Daniel Molteno had a partner--a junior partner, whose name, however, +didn't appear over the shop. He was a much younger man than Daniel--in +fact, he was quite a young man--I should say he was then about +twenty-three or four--not more. He was of medium height, dark, +typically Jewish, large dark eyes, olive skin, good-looking, smart, +full of go. And his name--the name I knew him by--was Sam Levin." The +other men in the room glanced at each other--and one of them softly +murmured what all was thinking. + +"The same initials!" + +"Just so!" agreed Mr. Killick. "That's what struck me--Sam Levin: +Spencer Levendale. Very well!--I continue. One day I went to Daniel +Molteno's shop to get something repaired, and it struck me that I +hadn't seen Sam Levin the last two or three times I had been in. +'Where's your partner?' I asked of Daniel Molteno. 'I haven't seen him +lately.' 'Partner no longer, Mr. Killick,' said he. 'We've dissolved. +He's gone to South Africa.' 'What to do there?' I asked. 'Oh,' answered +Daniel Molteno, 'he's touched with this fever to get at close quarters +with the diamond fields! He's gone out there to make a fortune, and +come back a millionaire.' 'Well!' I said. 'He's a likely candidate.' +'Oh, yes!' said Daniel. 'He'll do well.' No more was said--and, as far +as I can remember, I never saw Daniel Molteno again. It was some time +before I had occasion to go that way--when I did, I was surprised to +see a new name over the shop. I went in and asked where its former +proprietor was. The new shopkeeper told me that Mr. Molteno had sold +his business to him. And he didn't know where Mr. Molteno had gone, or +whether he'd retired from business altogether; he knew nothing--and +evidently didn't care, either, so--that part of my memories comes to an +end!" + +"Mr. Spencer Levendale is a man of just under fifty," remarked +Ayscough, after a thoughtful pause, "and I should say that twenty-five +years ago, he'd be just such a man as Mr. Killick has described." + +"You can take it from me--considering all that I've been told this +afternoon--" said the old solicitor, "that Spencer Levendale is Sam +Levin--come back from South Africa, a millionaire. I'm convinced of it! +And now then, gentlemen, what does all this mean? There's no doubt that +old Multenius and Levendale were secretly mixed up. What in? What's the +extraordinary mystery about that book--left in Multenius's back parlour +and advertised for immediately by Levendale as if it were simply +invaluable? Why has Levendale utterly disappeared? And who is this man +Purvis--and what's he to do with it? You've got the hardest nuts to +crack--a whole basketful of 'em!--that ever I heard of. And I've had +some little experience of crime!" + +"I've had some information on Levendale and Purvis this very +afternoon," said Ayscough. He turned to the other officials. "I hadn't +a chance of telling you of it before," he continued. "I was at +Levendale's house at three o'clock, making some further enquiries. I +got two pieces of news. To start with--that bottle out of which +Levendale filled a small phial, which he put in his waistcoat pocket +when he went out for the last time--you remember, Mr. Purdie, that his +butler told you of that incident--well, that bottle contains +chloroform--I took a chemist there to examine it and some other things. +That's item one. The other's a bit of information volunteered by +Levendale's chauffeur. The morning after Mr. Multenius's death, and +after you, Mr. Lauriston, Mr. Rubinstein, and myself called on +Levendale, Levendale went off to the City in his car. He ordered the +chauffeur to go through Hyde Park, by the Victoria Gate, and to stop by +the Powder Magazine. At the Powder Magazine he got out of the car and +walked down towards the bridge on the Serpentine. The chauffeur had him +in view all the way, and saw him join a tall man, clean-shaven, much +browned, who was evidently waiting for him. They remained in +conversation, at the entrance to the bridge, some five minutes or +so--then the stranger went across the bridge in the direction of +Kensington, and Levendale returned to his car. Now, in my opinion, that +strange man was this Purvis we've heard of. And that seems to have been +the last time any one we've come across saw him. That night, after his +visit to his house, and his taking the phial of chloroform away with +him, Levendale utterly disappeared, too--and yet sent a wire to his +butler, from close by, next morning, saying he would be away for a few +days! Why didn't he call with that message himself!" + +Mr. Killick, who had listened to Ayscough with close attention, +laughed, and turned to the officials with a sharp look. + +"Shall I give you people a bit of my opinion after hearing all this?" +he said. "Very well, then--Levendale never did send that wire! It was +sent in Levendale's name--to keep things quiet. I believe that +Levendale's been trapped--and Purvis with him!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR + + +THE ORANGE-YELLOW DIAMOND + +His various listeners had heard all that the old solicitor had said, +with evident interest and attention--now, one of them voiced what all +the rest was thinking. + +"What makes you think that, Mr. Killick?" asked the man from New +Scotland Yard. "Why should Levendale and Purvis have been trapped?" + +Mr. Killick--who was obviously enjoying this return to the arena in +which, as some of those present well knew, he had once played a +distinguished part, as a solicitor with an extensive police-court +practice--twisted round on his questioner with a sly, knowing glance. + +"You're a man of experience!" he answered. "Now come!--hasn't it struck +you that something went before the death of old Daniel +Multenius--whether that death arose from premeditated murder, or from +sudden assault? Eh?--hasn't it?" + +"What, then?" asked the detective dubiously. "For I can't say that it +has--definitely. What do you conjecture did go before that?" + +Mr. Killick thumped his stout stick on the floor. + +"Robbery!" he exclaimed, triumphantly. "Robbery! The old man was robbed +of something! Probably--and there's nothing in these cases like +considering possibilities--he caught the thief in the act of robbing +him, and lost his life in defending his property. Now, supposing +Levendale and Purvis were interested--financially--in that property, +and set their wits to work to recover it, and in their efforts got into +the hands of--shall we suppose a gang?--and got trapped? Or," concluded +Mr. Killick with great emphasis and meaning, "for anything we +know--murdered? What about that theory?" + +"Possible!" muttered Ayscough. "Quite possible!" + +"Consider this," continued the old solicitor. "Levendale is a +well-known man--a Member of Parliament--a familiar figure in the City, +where he's director of more than one company--the sort of man whom, in +ordinary circumstances, you'd be able to trace in a few hours. Now, you +tell me that half-a-dozen of your best men have been trying to track +Levendale for two days and nights, and can't get a trace of him! What's +the inference? A well-known man can't disappear in that way unless for +some very grave reason! For anything we know, Levendale--and Purvis +with him--may be safely trapped within half-a-mile of Praed Street--or, +as I say, they may have been quietly murdered. Of one thing I'm dead +certain, anyway--if you want to get at the bottom of this affair, +you've got to find those two men!" + +"It would make a big difference if we had any idea of what it was that +Daniel Multenius had in that packet which he fetched from his bank on +the day of the murder," remarked Ayscough. "If there's been robbery, +that may have been the thief's object." + +"That pre-supposes that the thief knew what was in the packet," said +Purdie. "Who is there that could know? We may take it that Levendale +and Purvis knew--but who else would?" + +"Aye!--and how are we to find that out?" asked the New Scotland Yard +man. "If I only knew that much--" + +But even at that moment--and not from any coincidence, but from the law +of probability to which Mr. Killick had appealed--information on that +very point was close at hand. A constable tapped at the door, and +entering, whispered a few words to the chief official, who having +whispered back, turned to the rest as the man went out of the room. + +"Here's something likely!" he said. "There's a Mr. John Purvis, from +Devonshire, outside. Says he's the brother of the Stephen Purvis who's +name's been in the papers as having mysteriously disappeared, and wants +to tell the police something. He's coming in." + +The men in the room turned with undisguised interest as the door opened +again, and a big, fresh-coloured countryman, well wrapped up in a stout +travelling coat, stepped into the room and took a sharp glance at its +occupants. He was evidently a well-to-do farmer, this, and quite at his +ease--but there was a certain natural anxiety in his manner as he +turned to the official, who sat at the desk in the centre of the group. + +"You're aware of my business, sir?" he asked quietly. + +"I understand you're the brother of the Stephen Purvis we're wanting to +find in connection with this Praed Street mystery," answered the +official. "You've read of that in the newspaper, no doubt, Mr. Purvis? +Take a seat--you want to tell us something? As a matter of fact, we're +all discussing the affair!" + +The caller took the chair which Ayscough drew forward and sat down, +throwing open his heavy overcoat, and revealing a whipcord riding-suit +of light fawn beneath it. + +"You'll see I came here in a hurry, gentlemen," he said, with a smile. +"I'd no thoughts of coming to London when I left my farm this morning, +or I'd have put London clothes on! The fact is--I farm at a very +out-of-the-way place between Moretonhampstead and Exeter, and I never +see the daily papers except when I drive into Exeter twice a week. Now +when I got in there this morning, I saw one or two London papers--last +night's they were--and read about this affair. And I read enough to +know that I'd best get here as quick as possible!--so I left all my +business there and then, and caught the very next express to +Paddington. And here I am! And now--have you heard anything of my +brother Stephen more than what's in the papers? I've seen today's, on +the way up." + +"Nothing!" answered the chief official. "Nothing at all! We've +purposely kept the newspapers informed, and what there is in the +morning's papers is the very latest. So--can you tell us anything?" + +"I can tell you all I know myself," replied John Purvis, with a solemn +shake of his head. "And I should say it's a good deal to do with +Stephen's disappearance--in which, of course, there's some foul play! +My opinion, gentlemen, is that my brother's been murdered! That's about +it!" + +No one made any remark--but Mr. Killick uttered a little murmur of +comprehension, and nodded his head two or three times. + +"Murdered, poor fellow, in my opinion," continued John Purvis. "And +I'll tell you why I think so. About November 8th or 9th--I can't be +sure to a day--I got a telegram from Stephen, sent off from Las Palmas, +in the Canary Islands, saying he'd be at Plymouth on the 15th, and +asking me to meet him there. So I went to Plymouth on the morning of +the 15th. His boat, the _Golconda_, came in at night, and we went to an +hotel together and stopped the night there. We hadn't met for some +years, and of course he'd a great deal to tell--but he'd one thing in +particular--he'd struck such a piece of luck as he'd never had in his +life before!--and he hadn't been one of the unlucky ones, either!" + +"What was this particular piece of luck?" asked Mr. Killick. + +John Purvis looked round as if to make sure of general attention. + +"He'd come into possession, through a fortunate bit of trading, up +country in South Africa, of one of the finest diamonds ever +discovered!" he answered. "I know nothing about such things, but he +said it was an orange-yellow diamond that would weigh at least a +hundred and twenty carats when cut, and was worth, as far as he could +reckon, some eighty to ninety thousand pounds. Anyway, that was what +he'd calculated he was going to get for it here in London--and what he +wanted to see me about, in addition to telling me of his luck, was that +he wanted to buy a real nice bit of property in Devonshire, and settle +down in the old country. But--I'm afraid his luck's turned to a poor +end! Gentlemen!--I'm certain my brother's been murdered for that +diamond!" + +The police officials, as with one consent, glanced at Mr. Killick, and +by their looks seemed to invite his assistance. The old gentleman +nodded and turned to the caller. + +"Now, Mr. Purvis," he said, "just let me ask you a few questions. Did +your brother tell you that this diamond was his own, sole property?" + +"He did, sir!" answered the farmer. "He said it was all his own." + +"Did he tell you where it was--what he had done with it?" + +"Yes! He said that for some years he'd traded in small parcels of such +things with two men here in London--Multenius and Levendale--he knew +both of them. He'd sent the diamond on in advance to Multenius, by +ordinary registered post, rather than run the risk of carrying it +himself." + +"I gather from that last remark that your brother had let some other +person or persons know that he possessed this stone?" said Mr. Killick. +"Did he mention that? It's of importance." + +"He mentioned no names--but he did say that one or two knew of his +luck, and he'd an idea that he'd been watched in Cape Town, and +followed on the _Golconda_," replied John Purvis. "He laughed about +that, and said he wasn't such a fool as to carry a thing like that on +him." + +"Did he say if he knew for a fact that the diamond was delivered to +Multenius?" asked Mr. Killick. + +"Yes, he did. He found a telegram from Multenius at Las Palmas, +acknowledging the receipt. He mentioned to me that Multenius would put +the diamond in his bank, till he got to London himself." + +Mr. Killick glanced at the detective--the detectives nodded. + +"Very good," continued Mr. Killick. "Now then--: you'd doubtless talk a +good deal about this matter--did your brother tell you what was to be +done with the diamond? Had he a purchaser in view?" + +"Yes, he said something about that," replied John Purvis. "He said that +Multenius and Levendale would make--or were making--what he called a +syndicate to buy it from him. They'd have it cut--over in Amsterdam, I +think it was. He reckoned he'd get quite eighty thousand from the +syndicate." + +"He didn't mention any other names than those of Multenius and +Levendale?" + +"No--none!" + +"Now, one more question. Where did your brother leave you--at Plymouth?" + +"First thing next morning," said John Purvis. "We travelled together as +far as Exeter. He came on to Paddington--I went home to my farm. And +I've never heard of him since--till I read all this in the papers." + +Mr. Killick got up and began to button his overcoat. He turned to the +police. + +"Now you know what we wanted to know!" he said. "That diamond is at the +bottom of everything! Daniel Multenius was throttled for that +diamond--Parslett's death arose out of that diamond--everything's +arisen from that diamond! And, now that you police folks know all +this--you know what to do. You want the man, or men, who were in Daniel +Multenius's shop about five o'clock on that particular day, and who +carried off that diamond. Mr. Purvis!--are you staying in town?" + +The farmer shook his head--but not in the negative. + +"I'm not going out of London, till I know what's become of my brother!" +he said. + +"Then come with me," said Mr. Killick. He said a word or two to the +police, and then, beckoning Lauriston and Purdie to follow with Purvis, +led the way out into the street. There he drew Purdie towards him. "Get +a taxi-cab," he whispered, "and we'll all go to see that American man +you've told me of--Guyler. And when we've seen him, you can take me to +see Daniel Multenius's granddaughter." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE + + +THE DEAD MAN'S PROPERTY + +Old Daniel Multenius had been quietly laid to rest that afternoon, and +at the very moment in which Mr. Killick and his companions were driving +away from the police station to seek Stuyvesant Guyler at his hotel, +Mr. Penniket was closeted with Zillah and her cousin Melky Rubinstein +in the back-parlour of the shop in Praed Street--behind closed and +locked doors which they had no intention of opening to anybody. Now +that the old man was dead and buried, it was necessary to know how +things stood with respect to his will and his property, and, as Mr. +Penniket had remarked as they drove back from the cemetery, there was +no reason why they should not go into matters there and then. Zillah +and Melky were the only relations--and the only people concerned, said +Mr. Penniket. Five minutes would put them in possession of the really +pertinent facts as regards the provisions of the will--but there would +be details to go into. And now they were all three sitting round the +table, and Mr. Penniket had drawn two papers from his inner pocket--and +Zillah regarding him almost listlessly, and Melky with one of his +quietly solemn expression. Each had a pretty good idea of what was +coming and each regarded the present occasion as no more than a +formality. + +"This is the will," said Mr. Penniket, selecting and unfolding one of +the documents. "It was made about a year ago--by me. That is, I drafted +it. It's a short, a very short and practical will, drafted from precise +instructions given to me by my late client, your grandfather. I may as +well tell you in a few words what it amounts to. Everything that he +left is to be sold--this business as a going concern; all his shares; +all his house property. The whole estate is to be realized by the +executors--your two selves. And when that's done, you're to divide the +lot--equally. One half is yours, Miss Wildrose; Mr. Rubinstein, the +other half is yours. And," concluded Mr. Penniket, rubbing his hands, +"you'll find you're very fortunate--not to say wealthy--young people, +and I congratulate you on your good fortune! Now, perhaps, you'd like +to read the will?" + +Mr. Penniket laid the will on the table before the two cousins, and +they bent forward and read its legal phraseology. Zillah was the first +to look up and to speak. + +"I never knew my grandfather had any house property," she said. "Did +you, Melky?" + +"S'elp me, Zillah, if I ever knew what he had in that way!" answered +Melky. "He had his secrets and he could be close. No--I never knew of +his having anything but his business. But then, I might have known that +he'd invest his profits in some way or other." + +The solicitor unfolded the other document. + +"Here's a schedule, prepared by Mr. Multenius himself, and handed by +him to me not many weeks ago, of his property outside this business," +he remarked. "I'll go through the items. Shares in the Great Western +Railway. Shares in the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. +Government Stock. Certain American Railway Stock. It's all +particularized--and all gilt-edged security. Now then, about his house +property. There's a block of flats at Hampstead. There are six houses +at Highgate. There are three villas in the Finchley Road. The rents of +all these have been collected by Messrs. Holder and Keeper, estate +agents, and evidently paid by them direct to your esteemed relative's +account at his bank. And then--to wind up--there is a small villa in +Maida Vale, which he let furnished--you never heard of that?" + +"Never!" exclaimed Zillah, while Melky shook his head. + +"There's a special note about that at the end of this schedule," said +Mr. Penniket. "In his own hand--like all the rest. This is what he +says. 'N. B. Molteno Lodge, Maida Vale--all the furniture, pictures, +belongings in this are mine--I have let it as a furnished residence at +£12 a month, all clear, for some years past. Let at present, on same +terms, rent paid quarterly, in advance, to two Chinese gentlemen, Mr. +Chang Li and Mr. Chen Li--good tenants." + +Zillah uttered another sharp exclamation and sprang to her feet. She +walked across to an old-fashioned standup desk which stood in a corner +of the parlour, drew a bunch of keys from her pocket, and raised the +lid. + +"That explains something!" she said. "I looked into this desk the other +day--grandfather used to throw letters and papers in there sometimes, +during the day, and then put them away at night. Here's a cheque here +that puzzled me--I don't know anything about it. But--it'll be a +quarter's rent for that house. Look at the signatures!" + +She laid a cheque before Melky and Mr. Penniket and stood by while they +looked at it. There was nothing remarkable about the cheque--made out +to Mr. Daniel Multenius on order for £36--except the two odd looking +names at its foot--_Chang Li: Chen Li_. Otherwise, it was just like all +other cheques--and it was on a local bank, in Edgware Road, and duly +crossed. But Melky instantly observed the date, and put one of his long +fingers to it. + +"November 18th," he remarked. "The day he died. Did you notice that, +Zillah?" + +"Yes," answered Zillah. "It must have come in by post and he's thrown +it, as he often did throw things, into that desk. Well--that's +explained! That'll be the quarter's rent, then, for this furnished +house, Mr. Penniket?" + +"Evidently!" agreed the solicitor. "Of course, there's no need to give +notice to these two foreigners--yet. It'll take a little time to settle +the estate, and you can let them stay on awhile. I know who they +are--your grandfather mentioned them--two medical students, of +University College. They're all right. Well, now, that completes the +schedule. As regards administering the estate--" + +A sudden gentle but firm knock at the side-door brought Zillah to her +feet again. + +"I know that knock," she remarked. "It's Ayscough, the detective. I +suppose he may come in, now?" + +A moment later Ayscough, looking very grave and full of news, had +joined the circle round the table. He shook his head as he glanced at +Mr. Penniket. + +"I came on here to give you a bit of information," he said. "There's +been an important development this afternoon. You know the name of this +Stephen Purvis that's been mentioned as having been about here? Well, +this afternoon his brother turned up from Devonshire. He wanted to see +us--to tell us something. He thinks Stephen's been murdered!" + +"On what grounds?" asked the solicitor. + +"It turns out Stephen had sent Mr. Multenius a rare fine +diamond--uncut--from South Africa," answered Ayscough. "Worth every +penny of eighty thousand pounds!" + +He was closely watching Zillah and Melky as he gave this piece of news, +and he was quick to see their utter astonishment. Zillah turned to the +solicitor; Melky slapped the table. + +"That's been what the old man fetched from his bank that day!" he +exclaimed. "S'elp me if I ain't beginning to see light! Robbery--before +murder!" + +"That's about it," agreed Ayscough. "But I'll tell you all that's come +out." + +He went on to narrate the events of the afternoon, from the arrival of +Mr. Killick and his companions at the police station to the coming of +John Purvis, and his three listeners drank in every word with rising +interest. Mr. Penniket became graver and graver. + +"Where's Mr. Killick now--and the rest of them?" he asked in the end. + +"Gone to find that American chap--Guyler," answered Ayscough. "They did +think he might be likely--having experience of these South African +matters--to know something how Stephen Purvis may have been followed. +You see--you're bound to have some theory! It looks as if Stephen +Purvis had been tracked--for the sake of that diamond. The thieves +probably tracked it to this shop--most likely attacked Mr. Multenius +for it. They'd most likely been in here just before young Lauriston +came in." + +"But where does Stephen Purvis come in--then?" asked Mr. Penniket. + +"Can't say yet--," replied Ayscough, doubtfully. "But--it may be that +he--and Levendale--got an idea who the thieves were, and went off after +them, and have got--well, trapped, or, as John Purvis suggests, +murdered. It's getting a nicer tangle than ever!" + +"What's going to be done?" enquired the solicitor. + +"Why!" said Ayscough. "At present, there's little more to be done than +what is being done! There's no end of publicity in the newspapers about +both Levendale and Purvis. Every newspaper reporter in London's on the +stretch for a thread of news of 'em! And we're getting posters and +bills out, all over, advertising for them--those bills'll be outside +every police-station in London--and over a good part of England--by +tomorrow noon. And, of course, we're all at work. But you see, we +haven't so far, the slightest clue as to the thieves! For there's no +doubt, now, that it was theft first, and the rest afterwards." + +Mr. Penniket rose and gathered his papers together. + +"I suppose," he remarked, "that neither of you ever heard of this +diamond, nor of Mr. Multenius having charge of it? No--just so. An +atmosphere of secrecy all over the transaction. Well--all I can say, +Ayscough, is this--you find Levendale. He's the man who knows." + +When the solicitor had gone, Ayscough turned to Zillah. + +"You never saw anything of any small box, packet, or anything of that +sort, lying about after your grandfather's death?" he asked. "I'm +thinking of what that diamond had been enclosed in, when he brought it +from the bank. My notion is that he was examining that diamond when he +was attacked, and in that case the box he'd taken it from would be +lying about, or thrown aside." + +"You were in here yourself, before me," said Zillah. + +"Quite so--but I never noticed anything," remarked Ayscough. + +"Neither have I," replied Zillah. "And don't you think that whoever +seized that diamond would have the sense to snatch up anything +connected with it! I believe in what Mr. Penniket said just now--you +find Levendale. If there's a man living who knows who killed my +grandfather, Levendale's that man. You get him." + +Mrs. Goldmark came in just then, to resume her task of keeping Zillah +company, and the detective left. Melky snatched up his overcoat and +followed him out, and in the side-passage laid a hand on his arm. + +"Look here, Mr. Ayscough!" he whispered confidentially. "I want you! +There's something turned up in there, just now, that I ain't said a +word about to either Penniket or my cousin--but I will to you. Do you +know what, Mr. Ayscough--listen here;"--and he went on to tell the +detective the story of the furnished house in Maida Vale, its Chinese +occupants, and their cheque. "Dated that very day the old man was +scragged!" exclaimed Melky. "Now, Mr. Ayscough, supposing that one o' +those Chinks called here with that cheque that afternoon when Zillah +was out, and found the old man alone, and that diamond in his hand--eh?" + +Ayscough started and gave a low, sharp whistle. + +"Whew!" he said. "By George, that's an idea! Where's this house, do you +say? Molteno Lodge, Maida Vale? I know it--small detached house in a +garden. I say!--let's go and take a look round there!" + +"It's what I was going to propose--and at once," responded Melky. "Come +on--but on the way, we'll pay a bit of a call. I want to ask a question +of Dr. Mirandolet." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX + + +THE RAT + +Ayscough and Melky kept silence, until they had exchanged the busy +streets for the quieter by-roads which lie behind the Paddington +Canal--then, as they turned up Portsdown Road, the detective tapped his +companion's arm. + +"What do you know about these two Chinese chaps that have this +furnished house of yours?" he asked. "Much?--or little?" + +"We don't know nothing at all, Mr. Ayscough--me and my cousin Zillah," +replied Melky. "Never heard of 'em! Never knew they were there! Never +knew the old man had furnished house to let in Maida Vale! He was +close, the old man was, about some things. That was one of 'em. +However, Mr. Penniket, he knew of this--but only recently. He says +they're all right--medical students at one of the hospitals--yes, +University College. That's in Gower Street, ain't it? The old man--he +put in a note about there here Molteno Lodge that these Chinks were +good tenants. I know what he'd mean by that!--paid their rent regular, +in advance." + +"Oh, I know they've always plenty of money, these chaps!" observed +Ayscough. "I've been wondering if I'd ever seen these two. But Lor' +bless you!--there's such a lot o' foreigners in this quarter, +especially Japanese and Siamese--law students and medical students and +such like--that you'd never notice a couple of Easterns +particularly--and I've no doubt they wear English clothes. Now, what do +you want to see this doctor for?" he asked as they halted by Dr. +Mirandolet's door. "Anything to do with the matter in hand?" + +"You'll see in a minute," replied Melky as he rang the bell. "Just a +notion that occurred to me. And it has got to do with it." + +Dr. Mirandolet was in, and received his visitors in a room which was +half-surgery and half-laboratory, and filled to the last corner with +the evidences and implements of his profession. He was wearing a white +linen operating jacket, and his dark face and black hair looked all the +darker and blacker because of it. Melky gazed at him with some awe as +he dropped into the chair which Mirandolet indicated and found the +doctor's piercing eyes on him. + +"Just a question or two, mister!" he said, apologetically. "Me and Mr. +Ayscough there is doing a bit of looking into this mystery about Mr. +Multenius, and knowing as you was a big man in your way, it struck me +you'd tell me something. I was at that inquest on Parslett, you know, +mister." + +Mirandolet nodded and waited, and Melky gained courage. + +"Mister!" he said, suddenly bending forward and tapping the doctor's +knee in a confidential fashion. "I hear you say at that inquest as how +you'd lived in the East?" + +"Yes!" replied Mirandolet. "Many years. India--Burmah--China!" + +"You know these Easterns, mister, and their little way?" suggested +Melky. "Now, would it be too much--I don't want to get no professional +information, you know, if it ain't etiquette!--but would it be too much +to ask you if them folks is pretty good hands at poisoning?" + +Mirandolet laughed, showing a set of very white teeth, and glared at +Ayscough with a suggestion of invitation to join in his amusement. He +clapped Melky on the shoulder as if he had said something diverting. + +"Good hands, my young friend?" he exclaimed. "The very best in the +world! Past masters! Adepts. Poison you while they look at you!" + +"Bit cunning and artful about it, mister?" suggested Melky. + +"Beyond your conception, my friend," replied Mirandolet. "Unless I very +much mistake your physiognomy, you yourself come of an ancient race +which is not without cunning and artifice--but in such matters as you +refer to, you are children, compared to your Far East folk." + +"Just so, mister--I believe you!" said Melky, solemnly. "And--which of +'em, now, do you consider the cleverest of the lot--them as you say +you've lived amongst, now? You mentioned three lots of 'em, you +know--Indians, Burmese, Chinese. Which would you consider the +artfullest of them three--if it came to a bit of real underhand work, +now?" + +"For the sort of thing you're thinking of, my friend," answered +Mirandolet, "you can't beat a Chinaman. Does that satisfy you?" + +Melky rose and glanced at the detective before turning to the doctor. + +"Mister," he said, "that's precisely what I should ha' said myself. +Only--I wanted to know what a big man like you thought. Now, I know! +Much obliged to you, mister. If there's ever anything I can do for you, +doctor--if you want a bit of real good stuff--jewellery, you know--at +dead cost price--" + +Mirandolet laughed and clapping Melky's shoulder again, looked at +Ayscough. + +"What's our young friend after?" he asked, good-humouredly. "What's his +game?" + +"Hanged if I know, doctor!" said Ayscough, shaking his head. "He's got +some notion in his head. Are you satisfied, Mr. Rubinstein?" + +Melky was making for the door. + +"Ain't I just said so?" he answered. "You come along of me, Mr. +Ayscough, and let's be getting about our business. Now, look here!" he +said, taking the detective's arm when they had left the house. "We're +going to take a look at them Chinks. I've got it into my head that +they've something to do with this affair--and I'm going to see 'em, and +to ask 'em a question or two. And--you're coming with me!" + +"I say, you know!" remarked Ayscough. "They're respectable +gentlemen--even if they are foreigners. Better be careful--we don't +know anything against 'em." + +"Never you fear!" said Melky. "I'll beat 'em all right. Ain't I got a +good excuse, Mr. Ayscough? Just to ask a civil question. Begging their +pardons for intrusion, but since the lamented death of Mr. Daniel +Multenius, me and Miss Zillah Wildrose has come into his bit of +property, and does the two gentlemen desire to continue their tenancy, +and is there anything we can do to make 'em comfortable--see? Oh, I'll +talk to 'em all right!" + +"What're you getting at, all the same?" asked the detective. "Give it a +title!" + +Melky squeezed his companion's arm. + +"I want to see 'em," he whispered. "That's one thing. And I want to +find out how that last cheque of theirs got into our back-parlour! Was +it sent by post--or was it delivered by hand? And if by hand--who +delivered it?" + +"You're a cute 'un, you are!" observed Ayscough. "You'd better join us." + +"Thank you, Mr. Ayscough, but events has happened which'll keep me busy +at something else," said Melky, cheerfully. "Do you know that my good +old relative has divided everything between me and my cousin?--I'm a +rich man, now, Mr. Ayscough. S'elp me!--I don't know how rich I am. +It'll take a bit o' reckoning." + +"Good luck to you!" exclaimed the detective heartily. "Glad to hear it! +Then I reckon you and your cousin'll be making a match of it--keeping +the money in the family, what?" + +Melky laid his finger on the side of his nose. + +"Then you think wrong!" he said. "There'll be marriages before +long--for both of us--but it'll not be as you suggest! There's Molteno +Lodge, across the road there--s'elp me, I've often seen that bit of a +retreat from the top of a 'bus, but I never knew it belonged to the +poor old man!" + +They had now come to the lower part of Maida Vale, where many detached +houses stand in walled-in gardens, isolated and detached from each +other--Melky pointed to one of the smaller ones--a stucco villa, whose +white walls shone in the November moonlight. Its garden, surrounded by +high walls, was somewhat larger than those of the neighbouring houses, +and was filled with elms rising to a considerable height and with tall +bushes growing beneath them. + +"Nice, truly rural sort of spot," said Melky, as they crossed the road +and approached the gate in the wall. "And--once inside--uncommon +private, no doubt! What do you say, Mr. Ayscough?" + +The detective was examining the gate. It was a curious sort of gate, +set between two stout pillars, and fashioned of wrought ironwork, the +meshes of which were closely intertwined. Ayscough peered through the +upper part and saw a trim lawn, a bit of statuary, a garden seat, and +all the rest of the appurtenances common to a London garden whose +owners wish to remind themselves of rusticity--also, he saw no signs of +life in the house at the end of the garden. + +"There's no light in this house," he remarked, trying the gate. "Looks +to me as if everybody was out. Are you going to ring?" + +Melky pointed along the front of the wall. + +"There's a sort of alley going up there, between this house and the +next," he said. "Come round--sure to be a tradesman's entrance--a +side-door--up there." + +"Plenty of spikes and glass-bottle stuff on those walls, anyhow!" +remarked Ayscough, as they went round a narrow alley to the rear of the +villa. "Your grandfather evidently didn't intend anybody to get into +these premises very easily, Mr. Rubinstein. Six-foot walls and what you +might call regular fortifications on top of 'em! What are you going to +do, now?" + +Melky had entered a recess in the side-wall and was examining a stout +door on which, plainly seen in the moonlight, were the words +_Tradesman's Entrance_. He turned the handle--and uttered an +exclamation. + +"Open!" he said. "Come on, Mr. Ayscough--we're a-going in! If there is +anybody at home, all right--if there ain't, well, still all right. I'm +going to have a look round." + +The detective followed Melky into a paved yard at the back of the +villa. All was very still there--and the windows were dark. + +"No lights, back or front," remarked Ayscough. "Can't be anybody in. +And I say--if either of those Chinese gents was to let himself in with +his key at the front gate and find us prowling about, it wouldn't look +very well, would it, now? Why not call again--in broad daylight?" + +"Shucks!" said Melky. "Ain't I one o' the landlords of this desirable +bit o' property? And didn't we find that door open? Come round to the +front." + +He set off along a gravelled path which ran round the side of the +house, and ascended the steps to the porticoed front door. And there he +rang the bell--and he and his companion heard its loud ringing inside +the house. But no answer came--and the whole place seemed darker and +stiller than before. + +"Of course there's nobody in!" muttered Ayscough. "Come on--let's get +out of it." + +Melky made no answer. He walked down the steps, and across the lawn +beneath the iron-work gate in the street wall. A thick shrubbery of +holly and laurel bushes stood on his right--and as he passed it +something darted out--something alive and alert and sinuous--and went +scudding away across the lawn. + +"Good Lord!" said Ayscough. "A rat! And as big as a rabbit!" + +Melky paused, looked after the rat, and then at the place from which it +had emerged. And suddenly he stepped towards the shrubbery and drew +aside the thick cluster of laurel branches. Just as suddenly he started +back on the detective, and his face went white in the moonbeams. + +"Mr. Ayscough!" he gasped. "S'elp me!--there's a dead man here! Look +for yourself!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN + + +THE EMPTY HOUSE + +Ayscough had manifested a certain restiveness and dislike to the +proceedings ever since his companion had induced him to enter the back +door of Molteno Lodge--these doings appeared to him informal and +irregular. But at Melky's sudden exclamation his professional instincts +were aroused, and he started forward, staring through the opening in +the bushes made by Melky's fingers. + +"Good Lord!" he said. "You're right. One of the Chinamen!" + +The full moon was high in a cloudless sky by that time, and its rays +fell full on a yellow face--and on a dark gash that showed itself in +the yellow neck below. Whoever this man was, he had been killed by a +savage knifethrust that had gone straight and unerringly through the +jugular vein. Ayscough pointed to a dark wide stain which showed on the +earth at the foot of the bushes. + +"Stabbed!" he muttered. "Stabbed to death! And dragged in here--look at +that--and that!" + +He turned, pointing to more stains on the gravelled path behind +them--stains which extended, at intervals, almost to the entrance door +in the outer wall. And then he drew a box of matches from his pocket, +and striking one, went closer and held the light down to the dead man's +face. Melky, edging closer to his elbow, looked, too. + +"One of those Chinamen, without a doubt!" said Ayscough, as the match +flickered and died out. "Or, at any rate, a Chinaman. And--he's been +dead some days! Well!--this is a go!" + +"What's to be done?" asked Melky. "It's murder!" + +Ayscough looked around him. He was wondering how it was that a dead man +could lie in that garden, close to a busy thoroughfare, along which a +regular stream of traffic of all descriptions was constantly passing, +for several days, undetected. But a quick inspection of the +surroundings explained matters. The house itself filled up one end of +the garden; the other three sides were obscured from the adjacent +houses and from the street by high walls, high trees, thick bushes. The +front gate was locked or latched--no one had entered--no one, save the +owner of the knife that had dealt that blow, had known a murdered man +lay there behind the laurels. Only the rat, started by Melky's +footsteps, had known. + +"Stay here!" said Ayscough. "Well--inside the gate, then--don't come +out--I don't want to attract attention. There'll be a constable +somewhere about." + +He walked down to the iron-work gate, Melky following close at his +heels, found and unfastened the patent latch, and slipped out into the +road. In two minutes he was back again with a policeman. He motioned +the man inside and once more fastened the door. + +"As you know this beat," he said quietly, as if continuing a +conversation already begun, "you'll know the two Chinese gentlemen who +have this house?" + +"Seen 'em--yes," replied the policeman. "Two quiet little fellows--seen +'em often--generally of an evening." + +"Have you seen anything of them lately?" asked Ayscough. + +"Well, now I come to think of it, no, I haven't," answered the +policeman. "Not for some days." + +"Have you noticed that the house was shut up--that there were no lights +in the front windows?" enquired the detective. + +"Why, as a matter of fact, Mr. Ayscough," said the policeman, "you +never do see any lights here--the windows are shuttered. I know that, +because I used to give a look round when the house was empty." + +"Do you know what servants they kept--these two?" asked Ayscough. + +"They kept none!" answered the policeman. "Seems to me--from what bit I +saw, you know--they used the house for little more than sleeping in. +I've seen 'em go out of a morning, with books and papers under their +arms, and come home at night--similar. But there's no servants there. +Anything wrong, Mr. Ayscough?" + +Ayscough moved toward the bushes. + +"There's this much wrong," he answered. "There's one of 'em lying dead +behind those laurels with a knife-thrust through his throat! And I +should say, from the look of things, that he's been lying there several +days. Look here!" + +The policeman looked--and beyond a sharp exclamation, remained stolid. +He glanced at his companions, glanced round the garden--and suddenly +pointed to a dark patch on the ground. + +"There's blood there!" he said. "Blood!" + +"Blood!" exclaimed Ayscough. "There's blood all the way down this path! +The man's been stabbed as he came in at that door, and his body was +then dragged up the path and thrust in here. Now then!--off you go to +the station, and tell 'em what we've found. Get help--he'll have to be +taken to the mortuary. And you'll want men to keep a watch on this +house--tell the inspector all about it and say I'm here. And +here--leave me that lamp of yours." + +The policeman took off his bull's eye lantern and handed it over. +Ayscough let him out of the door, and going back to Melky, beckoned him +towards the house. + +"Let's see if there's any way of getting in here," he said. "My +conscience, Mr. Rubinstein!--you must have had some instinct about +coming here tonight! We've hit on something--but Lord bless me if I +know what it is!" + +"Mr. Ayscough!" said Melky. "I hadn't a notion of aught like that--it's +give me a turn! But don't I know what it means, Mr. Ayscough--not half! +It's all of a piece with the rest of it! Murder, Mr. Ayscough--bloody +murder! All on account of that orange-yellow diamond we've heard of--at +last. Ah!--if I'd known there was that at the bottom of this affair, +I'd ha' been a bit sharper in coming to conclusions, I would so! +Diamond worth eighty thousand pounds--." + +Ayscough, who had been busy at the front door of the house, suddenly +interrupted his companion's reflections. + +"The door's open!" he exclaimed. "Open! Not even on the latch. Come on!" + +Melky shrank back at the prospect of the unlighted hall. There was a +horror in the garden, in that bright moonlight--what might there not be +in that black, silent house? + +"Well, turn that there bull's eye on!" he said. "I don't half fancy +this sort of exploration. We'd ought to have had revolvers, you know." + +Ayscough turned on the light and advanced into the hall. There was +nothing there beyond what one would expect to see in the hall of a +well-furnished house, nor was there anything but good furniture, soft +carpets, and old pictures to look at in the first room into which he +and Melky glanced. But in the room behind there were evidences of +recent occupation--a supper-table was laid: there was food on it, a +cold fowl, a tongue--one plate had portions of both these viands laid +on it, with a knife and fork crossed above them; on another plate close +by, a slice of bread lay, broken and crumbled--all the evidences showed +that supper had been laid for two, that only one had sat down to it: +that he had been interrupted at the very beginning of his meal--a glass +half-full of a light French wine stood near the pushed-aside plate. + +"Looks as if one of 'em had been having a meal, had had to leave it, +and had never come back to it," remarked Ayscough. "Him outside, no +doubt. Let's see the other rooms." + +There was nothing to see beyond what they would have expected to +see--except that in one of the bedrooms, in a drawer pulled out from a +dressing-table and left open, lay a quantity of silver and copper, with +here and there a gold coin shining amongst it. Ayscough made a +significant motion of his head at the sight. + +"Another proof of--hurry!" he said. "Somebody's cleared out of this +place about as quick as he could! Money left lying about--unfinished +meal--door open--all sure indications. Well, we've seen enough for the +present. Our people'll make a thorough search later. Come downstairs +again." + +Neither Ayscough nor Melky were greatly inclined for conversation or +speculation, and they waited in silence near the gate, both thinking of +the still figure lying behind the laurel bushes until the police came. +Then followed whispered consultations between Ayscough and the +inspector, and arrangements for the removal of the dead man to the +mortuary and the guardianship and thorough search of the house--and +that done, Ayscough beckoned Melky out into the road. + +"Glad to be out of that--for this time, anyway!" he said, with an air +of relief. "There's too much atmosphere of murder and mystery--what +they call Oriental mystery--for me in there, Mr. Rubinstein! Now then, +there's something we can do, at once. Did I understand you to say these +two were medical students at University College?" + +"So Mr. Penniket said," replied Melky. "S'elp me! I never heard of 'em +till this afternoon!" + +"You're going to hear a fine lot about 'em before long, anyway!" +remarked Ayscough. + +"Well--we'll just drive on to Gower Street--somebody'll know something +about 'em there, I reckon." + +He walked forward until he came to the cab-rank at the foot of St. +John's Wood Road, where he bundled Melky into a taxi-cab, and bade the +driver get away to University College Hospital at his best pace. There +was little delay in carrying out that order, but it was not such an +easy task on arrival at their destination to find any one who could +give Ayscough the information he wanted. At last, after they had waited +some time in a reception room a young member of the house-staff came in +and looked an enquiry. + +"What is it you want to know about these two Chinese students?" he +asked a little impatiently, with a glance at Ayscough's card. "Is +anything wrong?" + +"I want to know a good deal!" answered Ayscough. "If not just now, +later. You know the two men I mean--Chang Li and Chen Li--brothers, I +take it?" + +"I know them--they've been students here since about last Christmas," +answered the young surgeon. "As a matter of fact they're not +brothers--though they're very much alike, and both have the same +surname--if Li is a surname. They're friends--not brothers, so they +told us." + +"When did you see them last?" asked Ayscough. + +"Not for some days, now you mention it," replied the surgeon. "Several +days. I was remarking on that today--I missed them from a class." + +"You say they're very much alike," remarked the detective. "I suppose +you can tell one from the other?" + +"Of course! But--what is this? I see you're a detective sergeant. Are +they in any bother--trouble?" + +"The fact of the case," answered Ayscough, "is just this--one of them's +lying dead at our mortuary, and I shall be much obliged if you'll step +into my cab outside and come and identify him. Listen--it's a case of +murder!" + +Twenty minutes later, Ayscough, leading the young house-surgeon into a +grim and silent room, turned aside the sheet from a yellow face. + +"Which one of 'em is it?" he asked. + +The house-surgeon started as he saw the wound in the dead man's throat. + +"This is Chen!" he answered. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT + + +THE £500 BANK NOTE + +Ayscough drew the sheet over the dead man's face and signed to his +companion to follow him outside, to a room where Melky Rubinstein, +still gravely meditating over the events of the evening, was awaiting +their reappearance. + +"So that," said Ayscough, jerking his thumb in the direction of the +mortuary, "that's Chen Li! You're certain?" + +"Chen Li! without a doubt!" answered the house-surgeon. "I know him +well!" + +"The younger of the two?" suggested Ayscough. + +The house-surgeon shook his head. + +"I can't say as to that," he answered. "It would be difficult to tell +which of two Chinese, of about the same age, was the older. But that's +Chen. He and the other, Chang Li, are very much alike, but Chen was a +somewhat smaller and shorter man." + +"What do you know of them?" inquired Ayscough. "Can you say what's +known at your hospital?" + +"Very little," replied the house-surgeon. "They entered, as students +there--we have several foreigners--about last Christmas--perhaps at the +New Year. All that I know of them is that they were like most +Easterns--very quiet, unassuming, inoffensive fellows, very assiduous +in their studies and duties, never giving any trouble, and very +punctual in their attendance." + +"And, you say, they haven't been seen at the hospital for some days?" +continued Ayscough. "Now, can you tell me--it's important--since what +precise date they've been absent?" + +The house-surgeon reflected for a moment--then he suddenly drew out a +small memorandum book from an inner pocket. + +"Perhaps I can," he answered, turning the pages over. "Yes--both these +men should have been in attendance on me--a class of my own, you +know--on the 20th, at 10.35. They didn't turn up. I've never seen them +since--in fact, I'm sure they've never been at the hospital since." + +"The 20th?" observed Ayscough. He looked at Melky, who was paying great +attention to the conversation. "Now let's see--old Mr. Multenius met +his death on the afternoon of the 18th. Parslett was poisoned on the +night of the 19th. Um!" + +"And Parslett was picked up about half-way between the Chink's house +and his own place, Mr. Ayscough--don't you forget that!" muttered +Melky. "I'm not forgetting--don't you make no error!" + +"You don't know anything more that you could tell us about these two?" +asked the detective, nodding reassuringly at Melky and then turning to +the house-surgeon. "Any little thing?--you never know what helps." + +"I can't!" said the house-surgeon, who was obviously greatly surprised +by what he had seen and heard. "These Easterns keep very much to +themselves, you know. I can't think of anything." + +"Don't know anything of their associates--friends--acquaintances?" +suggested Ayscough. "I suppose they had some--amongst your students?" + +"I never saw them in company with anybody--particularly--except a young +Japanese who was in some of their classes," replied the house-surgeon. +"I have seen them talking with him--in Gower Street." + +"What's his name?" asked Ayscough, pulling out a note-book. + +"Mr. Mori Yada," answered the house-surgeon promptly. "He lives in +Gower Street--I don't know the precise number of the house. Yes, that's +the way to spell his name. He's the only man I know who seemed to know +these two." + +"Have you seen him lately?" asked Ayscough. + +"Oh, yes--regularly--today, in fact," said the house-surgeon. + +He waited a moment in evident expectation of other questions; as the +detective asked none--"I gather," he remarked, "that Chang Li has +disappeared?" + +"The house these two occupied is empty," replied Ayscough. + +"I am going to suggest something," said the house-surgeon. "I +know--from personal observation--that there is a tea-shop in Tottenham +Court Road--a sort of quiet, privately-owned place--Pilmansey's--which +these two used to frequent. I don't know if that's of any use to you?" + +"Any detail is of use, sir," answered Ayscough, making another note. +"Now, I'll tell this taxi-man to drive you back to the hospital. I +shall call there tomorrow morning, and I shall want to see this young +Japanese gentleman, too. I daresay you see that this is a case of +murder--and there's more behind it!" + +"You suspect Chang Li?" suggested the house-surgeon as they went out to +the cab. + +"Couldn't say that--yet," replied Ayscough, grimly. "For anything I +know, Chang Li may have been murdered, too. But I've a pretty good +notion what Chen Li was knifed for!" + +When the house-surgeon had gone away, Ayscough turned to Melky. + +"Come back to Molteno Lodge," he said. "They're searching it. Let's see +if they've found anything of importance." + +The house which had been as lifeless and deserted when Melky and the +detective visited it earlier in the evening was full enough of energy +and animation when they went back. One policeman kept guard at the +front gate; another at the door of the yard; within the house itself, +behind closed doors and drawn shutters and curtains, every room was +lighted and the lynx-eyed men were turning the place upside down. One +feature of the search struck the newcomers immediately--the patch of +ground whereon Melky had found the dead man had been carefully roped +off. Ayscough made a significant motion of his hand towards it. + +"Good!" he said, "that shows they've found footprints. That may be +useful. Let's hear what else they've found." + +The man in charge of these operations was standing within the +dining-room when Ayscough and Melky walked in, and he at once beckoned +them into the room and closed the door. + +"We've made two or three discoveries," he said, glancing at Ayscough. +"To start with, there were footprints of a rather unusual sort round +these bushes where the man was lying--so I've had it carefully fenced +in around there--we'll have a better look at 'em, in daylight. Very +small prints, you understand--more like a woman's than a man's." + +Ayscough's sharp eyes turned to the hearth--there were two or three +pairs of slippers lying near the fender and he pointed to them. + +"These Chinamen have very small feet, I believe," he said. "The +footprints are probably theirs. Well--what else?" + +"This," answered the man in charge, producing a small parcel from the +side-pocket of his coat, and proceeding to divest it of a temporary +wrapping. "Perhaps Mr. Rubinstein will recognize it. We found it thrown +away in a fire-grate in one of the bedrooms upstairs--you see, it's +half burnt." + +He produced a small, stoutly-made cardboard box, some three inches +square, the outer surface of which was covered with a thick, +glossy-surfaced dark-green paper, on which certain words were deeply +impressed in gilt letters. The box was considerably charred and only +fragments of the lettering on the lid remained intact--but it was not +difficult to make out what the full wording had been. + +. . . . _enius_, + . . ._nd jeweller_, + . . _ed Street_. + +"That's one of the late Mr. Multenius's boxes," affirmed Melky at once. +"Daniel Multenius, Pawnbroker and Jeweller, Praed Street--that's the +full wording. Found in a fireplace, d'ye say, mister? Ah--and what had +he taken out of it before he threw the box away, now, Mr. +Ayscough--whoever it was that did throw it away?" + +"That blessed orange and yellow diamond, I should think!" said +Ayscough. "Of course! Well, anything else?" + +The man in charge carefully wrapped up and put away the jeweller's box; +then, with a significant glance at his fellow-detective, he slipped a +couple of fingers into his waistcoat pocket and drew out what looked +like a bit of crumpled paper. + +"Aye!" he answered. "This! Found it--just there! Lying on the floor, at +the end of this table." + +He opened out the bit of crumpled paper as he spoke and held it towards +the other two. Ayscough stared, almost incredulously, and Melky let out +a sharp exclamation. + +"S'elp us!" he said. "A five-hundred-pound bank-note!" + +"That's about it," remarked the exhibitor. "Bank of England note for +five hundred of the best! And--a good 'un, too. Lying on the floor." + +"Take care of it," said Ayscough laconically. "Well--you haven't found +any papers, documents, or anything of that sort, that give any clue?" + +"There's a lot of stuff there," answered the man in charge, pointing to +a pile of books and papers on the table, "but it seems to be chiefly +exercises and that sort of thing. I'll look through it myself, later." + +"See if you can find any letters, addresses, and so on," counselled +Ayscough. He turned over some of the books, all of them medical works +and text-books, opening some of them at random. And suddenly he caught +sight of the name which the house-surgeon had given him half-an-hour +before, written on a fly-leaf: Mori Yada, 491, Gower Street--and an +idea came into his mind. He bade the man in charge keep his eyes open +and leave nothing unexamined, and tapping Melky's arm, led him outside. +"Look here!" he said, drawing out his watch, as they crossed the hall, +"it's scarcely ten o'clock, and I've got the address of that young Jap. +Come on--we'll go and ask him a question or two." + +So for the second time that evening, Melky, who was beginning to feel +as if he were on a chase which pursued anything but a straight course, +found himself in Gower Street again, and followed Ayscough along, +wondering what was going to happen next, until the detective paused at +the door of a tall house in the middle of the long thoroughfare and +rang the bell. A smart maid answered that ring and looked dubiously at +Ayscough as he proffered a request to see Mr. Mori Yada. Yes--Mr. Yada +was at home, but he didn't like to see any one, of an evening when he +was at his studies, and--in fact he'd given orders not to be disturbed +at that time. + +"I think he'll see me, all the same," said Ayscough, drawing out one of +his professional cards. "Just give him that, will you, and tell him my +business is very important." + +He turned to Melky when the girl, still looking unwilling, had gone +away upstairs, and gave him a nudge of the elbow. + +"When we get up there--as we shall," whispered Ayscough, "you watch +this Jap chap while I talk to him. Study his face--and see if anything +surprises him." + +"Biggest order, mister--with a Jap!" muttered Melky. "Might as well +tell me to watch a stone image--their faces is like wood!" + +"Try it!" said Ayscough. "Flicker of an eyelid--twist of the +lip--anything! Here's the girl back again." + +A moment later Melky, treading close on the detective's heels, found +himself ushered into a brilliantly-lighted, rather over-heated room, +somewhat luxuriously furnished, wherein, in the easiest of chairs, a +cigar in his lips, a yellow-backed novel in his hand, sat a +slimly-built, elegant young gentleman whose face was melting to a smile. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE + + +MR. MORI YADA + +Ayscough was on his guard as soon as he saw that smile. He had had some +experience of various national characteristics in his time, and he knew +that when an Eastern meets you with a frank and smiling countenance you +had better keep all your wits about you. He began the exercise of his +own with a polite bow--while executing it, he took a rapid inventory of +Mr. Mori Yada. About--as near as he could judge--two or three and +twenty; a black-haired, black-eyed young gentleman; evidently +fastidious about his English clothes, his English linen, his English +ties, smart socks, and shoes--a good deal of a dandy, in short--and, +judging from his surroundings, very fond of English comfort--and not +averse to the English custom of taking a little spirituous refreshment +with his tobacco. A decanter stood on the table at his elbow; a syphon +of mineral water reared itself close by; a tumbler was within reach of +Mr. Yada's slender yellowish fingers. + +"Servant, sir!" said Ayscough. "Detective Sergeant Ayscough of the +Criminal Investigation Department--friend of mine, this, sir, Mr. Yada, +I believe--Mr. Mori Yada?" + +Mr. Yada smiled again, and without rising, indicated two chairs. + +"Oh, yes!" he said in excellent English accents. "Pleased to see +you--will you take a chair--and your friend! You want to talk to me?" + +Ayscough sat down and unbuttoned his overcoat. + +"Much obliged, sir," he said. "Yes--the fact is, Mr. Yada, I called to +see you on a highly important matter that's arisen. Your name, sir, was +given to me tonight by one of the junior house-surgeons at the hospital +up the street--Dr. Pittery." + +"Oh, yes, Dr. Pittery--I know," agreed Yada. "Yes?" + +"Dr. Pittery tells me, sir," continued Ayscough, "that you know two +Chinese gentlemen who are fellow-students of yours at the hospital, Mr. +Yada?" + +The Japanese bowed his dark head and blew out a mouthful of smoke from +his cigar. + +"Yes!" he answered readily, "Mr. Chang Li--Mr. Chen Li. Oh, yes!" + +"I want to ask you a question, Mr. Yada," said Ayscough, bending +forward and assuming an air of confidence. "When did you see those two +gentlemen last--either of them?" + +Yada leaned back in his comfortably padded chair and cast his quick +eyes towards the ceiling. Suddenly he jumped to his feet. + +"You take a little drop of whisky-and-soda?" he said hospitably, +pushing a clean glass towards Ayscough. "Yes--I will get another glass +for your friend, too. Help yourselves, please, then--I will look in my +diary for an answer to your question. You excuse me, one moment." + +He walked across the room to a writing cabinet which stood in one +corner, and took up a small book that lay on the blotting-pad; while he +turned over its pages, Ayscough, helping himself and Melky to a drink, +winked at his companion with a meaning expression. + +"I have not seen either Mr. Chang Li or Mr. Chen Li since the morning +of the 18th November," suddenly said Yada. He threw the book back on +the desk, and coming to the hearthrug, took up a position with his back +to the fire and his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He nodded +politely as his visitors raised their glasses to him. "Is anything the +matter, Mr. Detective-Sergeant?" he asked. + +Ayscough contrived to press his foot against Melky's as he gave a +direct answer to this question. + +"The fact of the case is, Mr. Yada," he said, "one of these two young +men has been murdered! murdered, sir!" + +Yada's well-defined eyebrows elevated themselves--but the rest of his +face was immobile. He looked fixedly at Ayscough for a second or +two--then he let out one word. + +"Which?" + +"According to Dr. Pittery--Chen Li," answered Ayscough. "Dr. Pittery +identified him. Murdered, Mr. Yada, murdered! Knifed!--in the throat." + +The reiteration of the word murdered appeared to yield the detective +some sort of satisfaction--but it apparently made no particular +impression on the Japanese. Again he rapped out one word. + +"Where?" + +"His body was found in the garden of the house they rented in Maida +Vale," replied Ayscough. "Molteno Lodge. No doubt you've visited them +there, Mr. Yada?" + +"I have been there--yes, a few times," assented Yada. "Not very lately. +But--where is Chang Li?" + +"That's what we don't know--and what we want to know," said Ayscough. +"He's not been seen at the hospital since the 20th. He didn't turn up +there--nor Chen, either, at a class, that day. And you say you haven't +seen them either since the 18th?" + +"I was not at the hospital on the 19th," replied Yada. He threw away +the end of his cigar, picked up a fresh one from a box which stood on +the table, pushed the box towards his visitors, and drew out a silver +match-box. "What are the facts of this murder, Mr. Detective-Sergeant?" +he asked quietly. "Murder is not done without some object--as a rule." + +Ayscough accepted the offered cigar, passed the box to Melky and while +he lighted his selection, thought quietly. He was playing a game with +the Japanese, and it was necessary to think accurately and quickly. And +suddenly he made up his mind and assumed an air of candour. + +"It's like this, Mr. Yada," he said. "I may as well tell you all about +it. You've doubtless read all about this Praed Street mystery in the +newspapers? Well, now, some very extraordinary developments have arisen +out of the beginnings of that, it turns out." + +Melky sat by, disturbed and uncomfortable, while Ayscough reeled off a +complete narrative of the recent discoveries to the suave-mannered, +phlegmatic, calmly-listening figure on the hearthrug. He did not +understand the detective's doings--it seemed to him the height of folly +to tell a stranger, and an Eastern stranger at that, all about the fact +that there was a diamond worth eighty thousand pounds at the bottom of +these mysteries and murders. But he discharged his own duties, and +watched Yada intently--and failed to see one single sign of anything +beyond ordinary interest in his impassive face. + +"So there it is, sir," concluded Ayscough. "I've no doubt whatever that +Chen Li called at Multenius's shop to pay the rent; that he saw the +diamond in the old man's possession and swagged him for it; that +Parslett saw Chen Li slip away from that side-door and, hearing of +Multenius's death, suspected Chen Li of it and tried to blackmail him; +that Chen Li poisoned Parslett--and that Chen Li himself was knifed for +that diamond. Now--by whom? Chang Li has--disappeared!" + +"You suspect Chang Li?" asked Yada. + +"I do," exclaimed Ayscough. "A Chinaman--a diamond worth every penny of +eighty thousand pounds--Ah!" He suddenly lifted his eyes to Yada with a +quick enquiry. "How much do you know of these two?" he asked. + +"Little--beyond the fact that they were fellow-students of mine," +answered Yada. "I occasionally visited them--occasionally they visited +me--that is all." + +"Dr. Pittery says they weren't brothers?" suggested Ayscough. + +"So I understood," assented Yada. "Friends." + +"You can't tell us anything of their habits?--haunts?--what they +usually did with themselves when they weren't at the hospital?" asked +the detective. + +"I should say that when they weren't at the hospital, they were at +their house--reading," answered Yada, drily. "They were hard workers." + +Ayscough rose from his chair. + +"Well, much obliged to you, sir," he said. "As your name was mentioned +as some sort of a friend of theirs, I came to you. Of course, most of +what I've told you will be in all the papers tomorrow. If you should +hear anything of this Chang Li, you'll communicate with us, Mr. Yada?" + +The Japanese smiled--openly. + +"Most improbable, Mr. Detective-Sergeant!" he answered. "I know no more +than what I have said. For more information, you should go to the +Chinese Legation." + +"Good idea, sir--thank you," said Ayscough. + +He bowed himself and Melky out; once outside the street-door he drew +his companion away towards a part which lay in deep shadow. Some +repairing operations to the exterior of a block of houses were going on +there; underneath a scaffolding which extended over the sidewalk +Ayscough drew Melky to a halt. + +"You no doubt wondered why I told that chap so much?" he whispered. +"Especially about that diamond! But I had my reasons--and particularly +for telling him about its value." + +"It isn't what I should ha' done, Mr. Ayscough," said Melky, "and it +didn't ought to come out in the newspapers, neither--so I think! +'Tain't a healthy thing to let the public know there's an +eighty-thousand pound diamond loose somewhere in London--and as to +telling that slant-eyed fellow in there--" + +"You wait a bit, my lad!" interrupted Ayscough. "I had my reasons--good +'uns. Now, look here, we're going to watch that door awhile. If the Jap +comes out--as I've an idea he will--we're going to follow. And as +you're younger, and slimmer, and less conspicuous than I am, if he +should emerge, keep on the shadowy side of the street, at a safe +distance, and follow him as cleverly as you can. I'll follow you." + +"What new game's this?" asked Melky. + +"Never mind!" replied Ayscough. "And, if it does come to following, and +he should take a cab, contrive to be near--there's a good many people +about, and if you're careful he'll never see you. And--there, now, what +did I tell you? He's coming out, now! Be handy--more depends on it than +you're aware of." + +Yada, seen clearly in the moonlight which flooded that side of the +street, came out of the door which they had left a few minutes earlier. +His smart suit of grey tweed had disappeared under a heavy fur-collared +overcoat; a black bowler hat surmounted his somewhat pallid face. He +looked neither to right nor left, but walked swiftly up the street in +the direction of the Euston Road. And when he had gone some thirty +yards, Ayscough pushed Melky before him out of their retreat. + +"You go first," he whispered, "I'll come after you. Keep an eye on him +as far as you can--didn't I tell you he'd come out when we'd left? Be +wary!" + +Melky slipped away up the street on the dark side and continued to +track the slim figure quickly advancing in the moonlight. He followed +until they had passed the front of the hospital--a few yards further, +and Yada suddenly crossed the road in the direction of the Underground +Railway. He darted in at the entrance to the City-bound train, and +disappeared, and Melky, uncertain what to do, almost danced with +excitement until Ayscough came leisurely towards him. "Quick! quick!" +exclaimed Melky. "He's gone down there--City trains. He'll be off +unless you're on to him!" + +But Ayscough remained quiescent and calmly relighted his cigar. + +"All right, my lad," he said. "Let him go--just now. I've seen--what I +expected to see!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY + + +THE MORTUARY + +Melky, who had grown breathless in his efforts to carry out his +companion's wishes, turned and looked at him with no attempt to conceal +his wonder. + +"Well, s'elp me if you ain't a cool 'un, Mr. Ayscough!" he exclaimed. +"Here you troubles to track a chap to this here Underground Railway, +seen him pop into it like a rabbit into a hole--and let's him go! What +did we follow him up Gower Street for? Just to see him set off for a +ride?" + +"All right, my lad!" repeated Ayscough. "You don't quite understand our +little ways. Wait here a minute." + +He drew one of his cards from his pocket and carrying it into the +booking office exchanged a few words with the clerk at the window. +Presently he rejoined Melky. "He took a ticket for Whitechapel," +remarked Ayscough as he strolled quietly up. "Ah! now what does a young +Japanese medical student want going down that way at eleven o'clock at +night? Something special, no doubt, Mr. Rubinstein. However, I'm going +westward just now. Just going to have a look in at the Great Western +Hotel, to see if Mr. Purdie heard anything from that American chap--and +then I'm for home and bed. Like to come to the hotel with me?" + +"Strikes me we might as well make a night of it!" remarked Melky as +they recrossed the road and sought a west-bound train. "We've had such +an evening as I never expected! Mr. Ayscough! when on earth is this +going to come to something like a clearing-up?" + +Ayscough settled himself in a corner of a smoking-carriage and leaned +back. + +"My own opinion," he said, "is that it's coming to an end. Tomorrow, +the news of the Chinaman's murder'll be the talk of the town. And if +that doesn't fetch Levendale out of whatever cranny he's crept into, +hanged if I know what will!" + +"Ah! you think that, do you?" said Melky. "But--why should that news +fetch him out?" + +"Don't know!" replied Ayscough, almost unconcernedly. "But I'm almost +certain that it will. You see--I think Levendale's looking for Chen Li. +Now, if Levendale hears that Chen Li's lying dead in our +mortuary--what? See?" + +Melky murmured that Mr. Ayscough was a cute 'un, and relapsed into +thought until the train pulled up at Praed Street. He followed the +detective up the streets and across the road to the hotel, dumbly +wondering how many times that day he had been in and about that quarter +on this apparently interminable chase. He was getting dazed--but +Ayscough who was still smoking the cigar which Yada had given him, +strode along into the hotel entrance apparently as fresh as paint. + +Purdie had a private sitting-room in connection with his bedroom, and +there they found him and Lauriston, both smoking pipes and each +evidently full of thought and speculation. They jumped to their feet as +the detective entered. + +"I say!" exclaimed Lauriston. "Is this true?--this about the Chinese +chap? Is it what they think at your police-station?--connected with the +other affairs? We've been waiting, hoping you'd come in!" + +"Ah!" said Ayscough, dropping into a chair. "We've been pretty busy, me +and Mr. Rubinstein there--we've had what you might call a pretty full +evening's work of it. Yes--it's true enough, gentlemen--another step in +the ladder--another brick in the building! We're getting on, Mr. +Purdie, we're getting on! So you've been round to our place?--they told +you, there!" + +"They gave us a mere outline," answered Purdie. "Just the bare facts. I +suppose you've heard nothing of the other Chinaman?" + +"Not a circumstance--as yet," said Ayscough. "But I'm in hopes--I've +done a bit, I think, towards it--with Mr. Rubinstein's help, though he +doesn't quite understand my methods. But you, gentlemen--I came in to +hear if you'd anything to tell about Guyler. What did he think about +what John Purvis had to tell us this afternoon?" + +"He wasn't surprised," answered Purdie. "Don't you remember that he +assured us from the very start that diamonds would be found to be at +the bottom of this. But he surprised us!" + +"Aye? How?" asked Ayscough. "Some news?" + +"Guyler swears that he saw Stephen Purvis this very morning," replied +Purdie. "He's confident of it!" + +"Saw Stephen Purvis--this very morning!" exclaimed Ayscough. "Where, +now?" + +"Guyler had business down in the City--in the far end of it," said +Purdie. "He was crossing Bishopsgate when he saw Stephen Purvis--he +swears it was Stephen Purvis!--nothing can shake him! He, Purvis, was +just turning the corner into a narrow alley running out of the street. +Guyler rushed after him--he'd disappeared. Guyler waited, watching that +alley, he says, like a cat watches a mouse-hole--and all in vain. He +watched for an hour--it was no good." + +"Pooh!" said Ayscough. "If it was Purvis, he'd walked straight through +the alley and gone out at the other end." + +"No!" remarked Lauriston. "At least, not according to Guyler. Guyler +says it was a long, narrow alley--Purvis couldn't have reached one end by +the time he'd reached the other. He says--Guyler--that on each side of +that alley there are suites of offices--he reckoned there were a few +hundred separate offices in the lot, and that it would take him a week +to make enquiry at the doors of each. But he's certain that Purvis +disappeared into one block of them and dead certain that it was Stephen +Purvis that he saw. So--Purvis is alive!" + +"Where's the other Purvis--the farmer?" asked Ayscough. + +"Stopping with Guyler at the Great Northern," answered Lauriston. +"We've all four been down in the City, looking round, this evening. +Guyler and John Purvis are going down again first thing in the morning. +John Purvis, of course, is immensely relieved to know that Guyler's +certain about his brother. I say!--do you know what Guyler's theory is +about that diamond of Stephen's?" + +"No--and what might Mr. Guyler's theory be, now Mr. Lauriston?" +enquired the detective. "There's such a lot of ingenious theories about +that one may as well try to take in another. Mr. Rubinstein there is +about weary of theories." + +But Melky was pricking his ears at the mere mention of anything +relating to the diamond. + +"That's his chaff, Mr. Lauriston," he said. "Never mind him! What does +Guyler think?" + +"Well, of course, Guyler doesn't know yet about the Chinese +development," said Lauriston. "Guyler thinks the robbery has been the +work of a gang--a clever lot of diamond thieves who knew about Stephen +Purvis's find of the orange-yellow thing and put in a lot of big work +about getting it when it reached England. And he believes that that +gang has kidnapped Levendale, and that Stephen Purvis is working in +secret to get at them. That's Guyler's notion, anyhow." + +"Well!" said Ayscough. "And there may be something in it! For this +search--how do we know that at any rate one of these Chinamen mayn't +have had some connection with this gang? You never know--and to get a +dead straight line at a thing's almost impossible. However, we've taken +steps to have the news about the diamond and about this Chen Li appear +in tomorrow morning's papers, and if that doesn't rouse the whole +town--" + +A tap at the door prefaced the entrance of a waiter, who looked +apologetically at its inmates. + +"Beg pardon, gentlemen," he said, "Mr. Ayscough? Gentleman outside +would like a word with you, if you please, sir." + +Ayscough picked up his hat and walked out--there, waiting a little way +down the corridor, an impressive figure in his big black cloak and +wide-brimmed hat, stood Dr. Mirandolet. He strode forward as the +detective advanced. + +"I heard you were here, so I came up," he said, leading Ayscough away. +"Look here, my friend--one of your people has told me of this affair at +Molteno Lodge--the discovery of the Chinaman's dead body." + +"That young fellow, Rubinstein, who called on you early this evening, +and got me to accompany him discovered it," said Ayscough, who was +wondering what the doctor was after. "I was with him." + +"I have heard, too," continued Mirandolet, "also from one of your +people, about the strange story of the diamond which came out this +afternoon, from the owner's brother. Now--I'll tell you why after--I +want to see that dead Chinaman! I've a particular reason. Will you come +with me to the mortuary?" + +Ayscough's curiosity was aroused by Mirandolet's manner, and without +going back to Purdie's room, he set out with him. Mirandolet remained +strangely silent until they came to the street in which the mortuary +stood. + +"A strange and mysterious matter this, my friend!" he said. "That +little Rubinstein man might have had some curious premonition when he +came to me tonight with his odd question about Chinese!" + +"Just what I said myself, doctor!" agreed Ayscough. + +"It did look as if he'd a sort of foreboding, eh? But--Hullo!" + +He stopped short as a taxi-cab driven at a considerable speed, came +rushing down the street and passing them swiftly turned into the wider +road beyond. And the sudden exclamation was forced from his lips +because it seemed to him that as the cab sped by he saw a yellow-hued +face within it--for the fraction of a second. Quick as that glimpse +was, Ayscough was still quicker as he glanced at the number on the back +of the car--and memorized it. + +"Odd!" he muttered, "odd! Now, I could have sworn--" He broke off, and +hurried after Mirandolet who had stridden ahead. "Here we are, doctor," +he said, as they came to the door of the mortuary. "There's a man on +night duty here, so there's no difficulty about getting in." + +There was a drawing of bolts, a turning of keys; the door opened, and a +man looked out and seeing Ayscough and Dr. Mirandolet, admitted them +into an ante-room and turned up the gas. + +"We want to see that Chinaman, George," said the detective. "Shan't +keep you long." + +"There's a young foreign doctor just been to see him, Mr. Ayscough," +said the man. "You'd pass his car down the street--he hasn't been gone +three minutes. Young Japanese--brought your card with him." + +Ayscough turned on the man as if he had given him the most startling +news in the world. + +"What?" he exclaimed, "Japanese? Brought my card?" + +"Showed me it as soon as he got here," answered the attendant, +surprised at Ayscough's amazement. "Said you'd given it to him, so that +he could call here and identify the body. So, of course, I let him go +in." + +Ayscough opened his mouth in sheer amazement. But before he could get +out a word, Mirandolet spoke, seizing the mortuary-keeper by the arm in +his eagerness. + +"You let that man--a Japanese--see the dead Chinaman--_alone_?" he +demanded. + +"Why, of course!" the attendant answered surlily. "He'd Mr. Ayscough's +card, and--" + +Mirandolet dropped the man's arm and threw up his own long white hands. + +"Merciful Powers!" he vociferated. "He has stolen the diamond!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE + + +THE MIRANDOLET THEORY + +The silence that followed on this extraordinary exclamation was +suddenly broken: the mortuary keeper, who had been advancing towards a +door at the side of the room, dropped a bunch of keys. The strange +metallic sound of their falling roused Ayscough, who had started aside, +and was staring, open-mouthed, at Mirandolet's waving hands. He caught +the doctor by the arm. + +"What on earth do you mean?" he growled. "Speak man--what is it?" + +Mirandolet suddenly laughed. + +"What is it?" he exclaimed. "Precisely what I said, in plain language! +That fellow has, of course, gone off with the diamond--worth eighty +thousand pounds! Your card!--Oh, man, man, whatever have you been +doing? Be quick!--who is this Japanese?--how came he by your card? +Quick, I say!--if you want to be after him!" + +"Hanged if I know what this means!" muttered Ayscough. "As to who he +is--if he's the fellow I gave a card to, he's a young Japanese medical +student, one Yada, that was a friend of those Chinese--I called on him +tonight, with Rubinstein, to see if we could pick up a bit of +information. Of course, I sent in my professional card to him. But--we +saw him set off to the East End!" + +"Bah!" laughed Mirandolet. "He has--what you call done you brown, my +friend! He came--here! And he has got away--got a good start--with that +diamond in his pocket!" + +"What the devil do you mean by that?" said Ayscough, hotly. "Diamond! +Diamond! Where should he find the diamond--here? In a deadhouse? What +are you talking about?" + +Mirandolet laughed again, and giving the detective a look that was very +like one of pitying contempt, turned to the amazed mortuary keeper. + +"Show us that dead man!" he said. + +The mortuary keeper, who had allowed his keys to lie on the floor +during this strange scene, picked them up, and selecting one, opened, +and threw back the door by which he was standing. He turned on the +light in the mortuary chamber, and Mirandolet strode in, with Ayscough, +sullen and wondering, at his heels. + +Chen Li lay where the detective had last seen him, still and rigid, the +sheet drawn carefully over his yellow face. Without a word Mirandolet +drew that sheet aside, and motioning his companion to draw nearer, +pointed to a skull-cap of thin blue silk which fitted over the +Chinaman's head. + +"You see that!" he whispered. "You know what's beneath it!--something +that no true Chinaman ever parts with, even if he does come to Europe, +and does wear English dress and English headgear--his pigtail! Look +here!" + +He quietly moved the skull-cap, and showed the two astonished men a +carefully-coiled mass of black hair, wound round and round the back of +the head. And into it he slipped his own long, thin fingers--to draw +them out again with an exclamation which indicated satisfaction with +his own convictions. + +"Just as I said," he remarked. "Gone! Mr. Detective--that's where Chen +Li hid the diamond--and that Japanese man has got it. And now--you'd +better be after him--half-an-hour's start to him is as good as a week's +would be to you." + +He drew the sheet over the dead face and strode out, and Ayscough +followed, angry, mystified, and by no means convinced. + +"Look here!" he said, as they reached the ante-room; "that's all very +well, Dr. Mirandolet, but it's only supposition on your part!" + +"Supposition that you'll find to be absolute truth, my good friend!" +retorted Mirandolet, calmly. "I know the Chinese--better than you +think. As soon as I heard of this affair tonight, I came to you to put +you up to the Chinese trick of secreting things of value in their +pigtails--it did not occur to me that the diamond might be there in +this case, but I thought you would probably find something. But when we +reached this mortuary, and I heard that a Japanese had been here, +presenting your card when he had no business to present it, I guessed +immediately what had happened--and now that you tell me that you told +him all about this affair, well--I am certain of my assertion. Mr. +Detective--go after the diamond!" + +He turned as if to leave the place, and Ayscough followed. + +"He mayn't been after the diamond at all!" he said, still resentful and +incredulous. "Is it very likely he'd think it to be in that dead chap's +pigtail when the other man's missing? It's Chang that's got that +diamond--not Chen." + +"All right, my friend!" replied Mirandolet. "Your wisdom is superior to +mine, no doubt. So--I wish you good-night!" + +He strode out of the place and turned sharply up the street, and +Ayscough, after a growl or two, went back to the mortuary keeper. + +"How long was that Jap in there?" he asked, nodding at the death +chamber. + +"Not a minute, Mr. Ayscough!" replied the man. "In and out again, as +you might say." + +"Did he say anything when he came out?" enquired the detective. + +"He did--two words," answered the keeper. "He said, 'That's he!' and +walked straight out, and into his car." + +"And when he came he told you I'd sent him?" demanded Ayscough. + +"Just that--and showed me your card," assented the man. "Of course, I'd +no reason to doubt his word." + +"Look here, George!" said Ayscough, "you keep this to yourself! Don't +say anything to any of our folks if they come in. I don't half believe +what that doctor said just now--but I'll make an enquiry or two. Mum's +the word, meanwhile. You understand, George?" + +George answered that he understood very well, and Ayscough presently +left him. Outside, in the light of the lamp set over the entrance to +the mortuary, he pulled out his watch. Twelve o'clock--midnight. And +somewhere, that cursed young Jap was fleeing away through the London +streets--having cheated him, Ayscough, at his own game! + +He had already reckoned things up in connection with Yada. Yada had +been having him--even as Melky Rubinstein had suspected and +suggested--all through that conversation at Gower Street. Probably, +Yada, from his window in the drawing-room floor of his lodging-house, +had watched him and Melky slip across the street and hide behind the +hoarding opposite. And then Yada had gone out, knowing he was to be +followed, and had tricked them beautifully, getting into an underground +train going east, and, in all certainty, getting out again at the next +station, chartering a cab, and returning west--with Ayscough's card in +his pocket. + +But Ayscough knew one useful thing--he had memorized the letters and +numbers of the taxi-cab in which Yada had sped by him and Mirandolet, +L.C. 2571--he had kept repeating that over and over. Now he took out +his note-book and jotted it down--and that done he set off to the +police-station, intent first of all on getting in touch with New +Scotland Yard by means of the telephone. + +Ayscough, like most men of his calling in London, had a considerable +amount of general knowledge of things and affairs, and he summoned it +to his aid in this instance. He knew that if the Japanese really had +become possessed of the orange and yellow diamond (of which +supposition, in spite of Mirandolet's positive convictions, he was very +sceptical) he would most certainly make for escape. He would be off to +the Continent, hot foot. Now, Ayscough had a good acquaintance with the +Continental train services--some hours must elapse before Yada could +possibly get a train for Dover, or Folkstone, or Newhaven, or the +shortest way across, or to any other ports such as Harwich or +Southampton, by a longer route. Obviously, the first thing to do was to +have the stations at Victoria, and Charing Cross, and Holborn Viaduct, +and London Bridge carefully watched for Yada. And for two weary hours +in the middle of the night he was continuously at work on the +telephone, giving instructions and descriptions, and making +arrangements to spread a net out of which the supposed fugitive could +not escape. + +And when all that was at last satisfactorily arranged, Ayscough was +conscious that it might be for nothing. He might be on a wrong track +altogether--due to the suspicions and assertions of that queer man, +Mirandolet. There might be some mystery--in Ayscough's opinion there +always was mystery wherever Chinese or Japanese or Hindus were +concerned. Yada might have some good reason for wishing to see Chen +Li's dead body, and have taken advantage of the detective's card to +visit it. This extraordinary conduct might be explained. But meanwhile +Ayscough could not afford to neglect a chance, and tired as he was, he +set out to find the driver of the taxicab whose number he had carefully +set down in his notebook. + +There was little difficulty in this stage of the proceedings; it was +merely a question of time, of visiting a central office and finding the +man's name and address. By six o'clock in the morning Ayscough was at a +small house in a shabby street in Kentish Town, interviewing a woman +who had just risen to light her fire, and was surlily averse to calling +up a husband, who, she said, had not been in bed until nearly four. She +was not any more pleased when Ayscough informed her of his professional +status--but the man was fetched down. + +"You drove a foreigner--a Japanese--to the mortuary in Paddington last +night?" said Ayscough, plunging straight into business, after telling +the man who he was. "I saw him--just a glimpse of him--in your cab, and +I took your number. Now, where did you first pick him up?" + +"Outside the Underground, at King's Cross," replied the driver promptly. + +This was precisely what Ayscough had expected; so far, so good; his own +prescience was proving sure. + +"Anything wrong, mister?" asked the driver. + +"There may be," said Ayscough. "Well--you picked him up there, and +drove him straight to the mortuary?" + +"No--I didn't," said the man. "We made a call first. Euston. He went in +there, and, I should say, went to the left luggage office, 'cause he +came back again with a small suit-case--just a little 'un. Then we went +on to that mortuary." + +Euston! A small suit-case! More facts--Ayscough made notes of them. + +"Well," he said, "and when you drove away from the mortuary, where did +you go then?" + +"Oxford Circus," answered the driver, "set him down--his orders--right +opposite the Tube Station--t'other side of the street." + +"Did you see which way he went--then?" enquired Ayscough. + +"I did. Straight along Oxford Street--Tottenham Court Road way," said +the driver, "carrying his suitcase--which it was, as I say, on'y a +little 'un--and walking very fast. Last I see of him was that, guv'nor." + +Ayscough went away and got back to more pretentious regions. He was +dead tired and weary with his night's work, and glad to drop in at an +early-opened coffee-shop and get some breakfast. While he ate and drank +a boy came in with the first editions of the newspapers. Ayscough +picked one up--and immediately saw staring headlines:-- + +THE PADDINGTON MYSTERIES. NEW AND STARTLING FEATURES. DIAMOND WORTH +£80,000 BEING LOOKED FOR MURDER IN MAIDA VALE + +Ayscough laid down the paper and smiled. Levendale--if not dead--could +scarcely fail to see that! + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO + + +ONE O'CLOCK MIDNIGHT + +Five minutes after Ayscough had gone away with Dr. Mirandolet the hotel +servant who had summoned him from Purdie's sitting-room knocked at the +door for the second time and put a somewhat mystified face inside. + +"Beg pardon, sir," he said, glancing at Purdie, who was questioning +Melky Rubinstein as to the events of the evening in their relation to +the house in Maida Vale. "Two ladies outside, sir--waiting to see you. +But they don't want to come in, sir, unless they know who's here--don't +want to meet no strangers, sir." + +Purdie jumped to his feet, and putting the man aside looked into the +dimly-lighted corridor. There, a few paces away, stood Zillah--and, +half hidden by her, Mrs. Goldmark. + +"Come in--come in!" he exclaimed. "Nobody here but Andie Lauriston and +Melky Rubinstein. You've something to tell--something's happened?" + +He ushered them into the room, sent the hotel servant, obviously in a +state of high curiosity about these happenings, away, and closed the +door. + +"S'elp me!" exclaimed Melky, "there ain't no other surprises, Zillah? +You ain't come round at this time o' night for nothing! What you got to +tell, Zillah?--another development?" + +"Mrs. Goldmark has something to tell," answered Zillah. "We didn't know +what to do, and you didn't come, Melky--nobody come--and so we locked +the house and thought of Mr. Purdie. Mrs. Goldmark has seen somebody!" + +"Who?" demanded Melky. "Somebody, now? What somebody?" + +"The man that came to her restaurant," replied Zillah. "The man who +lost the platinum solitaire!" + +Mrs. Goldmark who had dropped into the chair which Purdie had drawn to +the side of the table for her, wagged her head thoughtfully. + +"This way it was, then," she said, with a dramatic suggestion of +personal enjoyment in revealing a new feature of the mystery, "I have a +friend who lives in Stanhope Street--Mrs. Isenberg. She sends to me at +half-past-ten to tell me she is sick. I go to see her--immediate. I +find her very poorly--so! I stop with her till past eleven, doing what +I can. Then her sister, she comes--I can do no more--I come away. And I +walk through Sussex Square, as my road back to Praed Street and Zillah. +But before I am much across Sussex Square, I stop--sudden, like that! +For what? Because--I see a man! That man! Him what drops his cuff-link +on my table. Oh, yes!" + +"You're sure it was that man, Mrs. Goldmark?" enquired Melky, +anxiously. "You don't make no mistakes, so?" + +"Do I mistake myself if I say I see you, Mr. Rubinstein?" exclaimed +Mrs. Goldmark, solemnly and with emphasis. "No, I don't make no +mistakes at all. Is there not gas lamps?--am I not blessed with good +eyes? I see him--like as I see you there young gentleman and Zillah. +Plain!" + +"Well--and what was he doing?" asked Purdie, desirous of getting at +facts. "Did he come out of a house, or go into one, or--what?" + +"I tell you," replied Mrs. Goldmark, "everything I tell you--all in +good time. It is like this. A taxicab comes up--approaching me. It +stops--by the pavement. Two men--they get out. Him first. Then another. +They pay the driver--then they walk on a little--just a few steps. They +go into a house. The other man--he lets them into that house. With a +latch-key. The door opens--shuts. They are inside. Then I go to Zillah +and tell her what I see. So!" + +The three young men exchanged glances, and Purdie turned to the +informant. + +"Mrs. Goldmark," he said, "did you know the man who opened the door?" + +"Not from another!" replied Mrs. Goldmark. "A stranger to me!" + +"Do you know Mr. Levendale--by sight?" asked Purdie. + +"Often, since all this begins, I ask myself that question," said Mrs. +Goldmark, "him being, so to speak, a neighbour. No, that I do not, not +being able to say he was ever pointed out to me." + +"Well, you can describe the man who pulled out his latch-key and opened +the door, anyhow," remarked Purdie. "You took a good look at him, I +suppose!" + +"And a good one," answered Mrs. Goldmark. "He was one of our people--I +saw his nose and his eyes. And I was astonished to see so poor-looking +a man have a latch-key to so grand a mansion as that!--he was dressed +in poor clothes, and looked dirty and mean." + +"A bearded dark man?" suggested Purdie. + +"Not at all," said Mrs. Goldmark. "A clean-shaved man--though dark he +might be." + +Purdie looked at Melky and shook his head. + +"That's not Levendale!" he said, "Clean-shaven! Levendale's bearded and +mustached--and I should say a bit vain of his beard. Um! you're dead +certain, Mrs. Goldmark, about the other man?" + +"As that I tell you this," insisted Mrs. Goldmark. "I see him as plain +as what I see him when he calls at my establishment and leaves his +jewellery on my table. Oh, yes--I don't make no mistake, Mr. Purdie." + +Purdie looked again at Melky--this time with an enquiry in his glance. + +"Don't ask me, Mr. Purdie!" said Melky. "I don't know what to say. +Sounds like as if these two went into Levendale's house. But what man +would have a latch-key to that but Levendale himself? More +mystery!--ain't I full of it already? Now if Mr. Ayscough hadn't gone +away--" + +"Look here!" said Purdie, coming to a sudden decision, "I'm going round +there. I want to know what this means--I'm going to know. You ladies +had better go home. If you others like to come as far as the corner of +Sussex Square, come. But I'm going to Levendale's house alone. I'll +find something out." + +He said no more until, Zillah and Mrs. Goldmark having gone homeward, +and he and his two companions having reached a side street leading into +Sussex Square, he suddenly paused and demanded their attention! + +"I've particular reasons for wanting to go into that house alone," he +said. "There's no danger--trust me. But--if I'm not out again in a +quarter of an hour or so, you can come there and ask for me. My own +impression is that I shall find Levendale there. And--as you're aware, +Andie--I know Levendale." He left them standing in the shadow of a +projecting portico and going up to Levendale's front door, rang the +bell. There was no light in any of the windows; all appeared to be in +dead stillness in the house; somewhere, far off in the interior, he +heard the bell tinkle. And suddenly, as he stood waiting and listening, +he heard a voice that sounded close by him and became aware that there +was a small trap or grille in the door, behind which he made out a face. + +"Who is that?" whispered the voice. + +"John Purdie--wanting to see Mr. Levendale," he answered promptly. + +The door was just as promptly opened, and as Purdie stepped within was +as quickly closed behind him. At the same instant the click of a switch +heralded a flood of electric light, and he started to see a man +standing at his side--a man who gave him a queer, deprecating smile, a +man who was not and yet who was Levendale. + +"Gracious me!" exclaimed Purdie, "it isn't--" + +"Yes!" said Levendale, quietly. "But it is, though! All right, +Purdie--come this way." + +Purdie followed Levendale into a small room on the right of the hall--a +room in which the remains of a cold, evidently impromptu supper lay on +a table lighted by a shaded lamp. Two men had been partaking of that +supper, but Levendale was alone. He gave his visitor another queer +smile, and pointed, first to a chair and then to a decanter. + +"Sit down--take a drink," he said. "This is a queer meeting! We haven't +seen each other since--" + +"Good God, man!" broke in Purdie, staring at his host. "What's it all +mean? Are you--disguised?" + +Levendale laughed--ruefully--and glanced at the mean garments which +Mrs. Goldmark had spoken of. + +"Necessity!" he said. "Had to! Ah!--I've been through some queer +times--and in queer places. Look here--what do you know?" + +"Know!" cried Purdie. "You want me to tell you all I know--in a +sentence? Man!--it would take a month! What do you know? That's more +like it!" + +Levendale passed a hand across his forehead--there was a weariness in +his gesture which showed his visitor that he was dead beat. + +"Aye, just so!" he said. "But--tell me! has John Purvis come looking +for his brother?" + +"He has!" answered Purdie. "He's in London just now." + +"Has he told about that diamond?--told the police?" demanded Levendale. + +"He has!" repeated Purdie. "That's all known. Stephen Purvis--where is +he?" + +"Upstairs--asleep--dead tired out," said Levendale. "We both are! Night +and day--day and night--I could fall on this floor and sleep--" + +"You've been after that diamond?" suggested Purdie. + +"That--and something else," said Levendale. + +"Something else?" asked Purdie. "What then?" + +"Eighty thousand pounds," answered Levendale. "Just that!" + +Purdie stood staring at him. Then he suddenly put a question. + +"Do you know who murdered that old man in Praed Street?" he demanded. +"That's what I'm after." + +"No!" said Levendale, promptly. "I don't even know that he was +murdered!" He, too, stared at his visitor for a moment; then "But I +know more than a little about his being robbed," he added significantly. + +Purdie shook his head. He was puzzled and mystified beyond measure. + +"This is getting too deep for me!" he said. "You're the biggest mystery +of all, Levendale. Look here!" he went on. "What are you going to do? +This queer disappearance of yours--this being away--coming back without +your beard and dressed like that!--aren't you going to explain? The +police--" + +"Yes!" said Levendale. "Ten o'clock this morning--the police-station. +Be there--all of you--anybody--anybody who likes--I'm going to tell the +police all I know. Purvis and I, we can't do any more--baffled, you +understand! But now--go away, Purdie, and let me sleep--I'm dead done +for!" + +Within ten minutes of leaving them, Purdie was back with Lauriston and +Melky Rubinstein, and motioning them away from Sussex Square. + +"That's more extraordinary than the rest!" he said, as they all moved +off. "Levendale's there, in his own house, right enough! And he's +shaved off his beard and mustache, and he's wearing tramp's clothes and +he and Stephen Purvis have been looking night and day, for that +confounded diamond, and for eighty thousand pounds! And--what's more, +Levendale does not know who killed Daniel Multenius or that he was +murdered! But, by George, sirs!" he added, as high above their heads +the clock of St. James's Church struck one, "he knows something +big!--and we've got to wait nine hours to hear it!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE + + +SECRET WORK + +The inner room of the police-station, at ten o'clock that morning, was +full of men. Purdie, coming there with Lauriston at five minutes before +the hour, found Melky Rubinstein hanging about the outer door, and had +only just time to warn his companion to keep silence as to their +midnight discovery before Guyler and John Purvis drove up in one cab +and Mr. Killick in another. Inside, Ayscough, refreshed by his +breakfast and an hour's rest, was talking to the inspector and the man +from New Scotland Yard--all these looked enquiringly at the group which +presently crowded in on them. + +"Any of you gentlemen got any fresh news?" demanded the inspector, as +he ran his eye over the expectant faces "No?--well, I suppose you're +all wanting to know if we have?" He glanced at Ayscough, who was +pointing out certain paragraphs in one of the morning newspapers to the +Scotland Yard man. "The fact is," he continued, "there have been queer +developments since last night--and I don't exactly know where we are! +My own opinion is that we'd better wait a few hours before saying +anything more definite--to my mind, these newspapers are getting hold +of too much news--giving information to the enemy, as it were. I think +you'd all better leave things to us, gentlemen--for a while." There was +rather more than a polite intimation in this that the presence of so +many visitors was not wanted--but John Purvis at once assumed a +determined attitude. + +"I want to know exactly what's being done, and what's going to be done, +about my brother!" he said. "I'm entitled to that! That's the job I +came about--myself--as for the rest--" + +"Your brother's here!" said Purdie, who was standing by the window and +keeping an eye on the street outside. "And Mr. Levendale with +him--hadn't you better have them straight in?" he went on, turning to +the inspector. "They both look as if they'd things to tell." + +But Ayscough had already made for the door and within a moment was +ushering in the new arrivals. And Purdie was quick to note that the +Levendale who entered, a sheaf of morning papers in his hand, was a +vastly different Levendale to the man he had seen nine hours before, +dirty, unkempt, and worn out with weariness. The trim beard and +mustache were hopelessly lost, and there were lines on Levendale's face +which they concealed, but Levendale himself was now smartly groomed and +carefully dressed, and business-like, and it was with the air of a man +who means business that he strode into the room and threw a calm nod to +the officials. + +"Now, Inspector," he said, going straight to the desk, while Stephen +Purvis turned to his brother. "I see from the papers that you've all +been much exercised about Mr. Purvis and myself--it just shows how a +couple of men can disappear and give some trouble before they're found. +But here we are!--and why we're here is because we're beaten--we took +our own course in trying to find our own property--and we're done! We +can do no more--and so we come to you." + +"You should have come here at first, Mr. Levendale," said the +Inspector, a little sourly. "You'd have saved a lot of trouble--to +yourselves as well as to us. But that's neither here nor there--I +suppose you've something to tell us, sir?" + +"Before I tell you anything," replied Levendale, "I want to know +something." He pointed to the morning papers which he had brought in. +"These people," he said, "seem to have got hold of a lot of +information--all got from you, of course. Now, we know what we're +after--let's put it in a nutshell. A diamond--an orange-yellow +diamond--worth eighty thousand pounds, the property of Mr. Stephen +Purvis there. That's item one! But there's another. Eighty thousand +pounds in bank-notes!--my property. Now--have any of you the least idea +who's got the diamond and my money? Come!" + +There was a moment's silence. Then Ayscough spoke. + +"Not a definite idea, Mr. Levendale--as yet." + +"Then I'll tell you," said Levendale. "A Chinese fellow--one Chang Li. +He's got them--both! And Stephen Purvis and I have been after him for +all the days and nights since we disappeared--and we're beaten! Now +you'll have to take it up--and I'd better tell you the plain truth +about what's no doubt seemed a queer business from the first. +Half-an-hour's talk now will save hours of explanation later on. So +listen to me, all of you--I already see two gentlemen here, Mr. +Killick, and Mr. Guyler, who in a certain fashion, can corroborate some +particulars that I shall give you. Keep us free from interruption, if +you please, while I tell you my story." + +Ayscough answered this request by going to the door and leaning against +it, and Levendale took a chair by the side of the desk and looked round +at an expectant audience. + +"It's a queer and, in some respects, an involved story," he said, "but +I shall contrive to make matters plain to you before I've finished. I +shall have to go back a good many years--to a time when, as Mr. Killick +there knows, I was a partner with Daniel Molteno in a jewellery +business in the City. I left him, and went out to South Africa, where I +engaged in diamond trading. I did unusually well in my various +enterprises, and some years later I came back to London a very +well-to-do man. Not long after my return, I met my former partner +again. He had changed his name to Multenius, and was trading in Praed +Street as a jeweller and pawnbroker. Now, I had no objection to +carrying on a trade with certain business connections of mine at the +Cape--and after some conversation with Multenius he and I arranged to +buy and sell diamonds together here in London, and I at once paid over +a sum of money to him as working capital. The transactions were carried +out in his name. It was he, chiefly, who conducted them--he was as good +and keen a judge of diamonds as any man I ever knew--and no one here +was aware that I was concerned in them. I never went to his shop in +Praed Street but twice--if it was absolutely necessary for him to see +me, we met in the City, at a private office which I have there. Now you +understand the exact relations between Daniel Multenius and myself. We +were partners--in secret. + +"We come, then, to recent events. Early in this present autumn, we +heard from Mr. Stephen Purvis, with whom I had had some transactions in +South Africa, that he had become possessed of a rare and fine +orange-yellow diamond and that he was sending it to us. It arrived at +Multenius's--Multenius brought it to me at my city office and we +examined it, after which Multenius deposited it in his bank. We decided +to buy it ourselves--I finding the money. We knew, from our messages +from Stephen Purvis, that he would be in town on the 18th November, and +we arranged everything for that date. That date, then, becomes of +special importance--what happened at Multenius's shop in Praed Street +on the afternoon of November 18th, between half-past four and half-past +five is, of course, the thing that really is of importance. Now, what +did happen? I can tell you--save as regards one detail which is, +perhaps, of more importance than the other details. Of that detail I +can't tell anything--but I can offer a good suggestion about it. + +"Stephen Purvis was to call at Daniel Multenius's shop in Praed Street +between five o'clock and half-past on the afternoon of November +18th--to complete the sale of his diamond. About noon on that day, +Daniel Multenius went to the City. He went to his bank and took the +diamond away. He then proceeded to my office, where I handed him eighty +thousand pounds in bank notes--notes of large amounts. With the diamond +and these notes in his possession, Daniel Multenius went back to Praed +Street. I was to join him there shortly after five o'clock. + +"Now we come to my movements. I lunched in the City, and afterwards +went to a certain well-known book-seller's in Holborn, who had written +to tell me that he had for sale a valuable book which he knew I wanted. +I have been a collector of rare books ever since I came back to +England. I spent an hour or so at the book-seller's shop. I bought the +book which I had gone to see--paying a very heavy price for it. I +carried it away in my hand, not wrapped up, and got into an omnibus +which was going my way, and rode in it as far as the end of Praed +Street. There I got out. And--in spite of what I said in my +advertisement in the newspapers of the following morning,--I had the +book in my hand when I left the omnibus. Why I pretended to have lost +it, why I inserted that advertisement in the papers, I shall tell you +presently--that was all part of a game which was forced upon me. + +"It was, as near as I can remember, past five o'clock when I turned +along Praed Street. The darkness was coming on, and there was a slight +rain falling, and a tendency to fog. However, I noticed something--I am +naturally very quick of observation. As I passed the end of the street +which goes round the back of the Grand Junction Canal basin, the street +called Iron Gate Wharf, I saw turn into it, walking very quickly, a +Chinaman whom I knew to be one of the two Chinese medical students to +whom Daniel Multenius had let a furnished house in Maida Vale. He had +his back to me--I did not know which of the two he was. I thought +nothing of the matter, and went on. In another minute I was at the +pawn-shop. I opened the door, walked in, and went straight to the +little parlour--I had been there just twice before when Daniel +Multenius was alone, and so I knew my way. I went, I say, straight +through--and in the parlour doorway ran into Stephen Purvis. + +"Purvis was excited--trembling, big fellow though he is, do you see? He +will bear me out as to what was said--and done. Without a word, he +turned and pointed to where Daniel Multenius was lying across the +floor--dead. 'I haven't been here a minute!' said Purvis. 'I came +in--found him, like that! There's nobody here. For God's sake, where's +my diamond?' + +"Now, I was quick to think. I formed an impression within five seconds. +That Chinaman had called--found the old man lying in a fit, or possibly +dead--had seen, as was likely, the diamond on the table in the parlour, +the wad of bank-notes lying near, had grabbed the lot--and gone away. +It was a theory--and I am confident yet that it was the correct one. +And I tell you plainly that my concern from that instant was not with +Daniel Multenius, but with the Chinaman! I thought and acted like +lightning. First, I hastily examined Multenius, felt in his pockets, +found that there was nothing there that I wanted and that he was dead. +Then I remembered that on a previous visit of mine he had let me out of +his house by a door at the rear which communicated with a narrow +passage running into Market Street, and without a second's delay, I +seized Purvis by the arm and hurried him out. It was dark enough in +that passage--there was not a soul about--we crossed Market Street, +turned to the right, and were in Oxford and Cambridge Terrace before we +paused. My instinct told me that the right thing to do was to get away +from that parlour. And it was not until we were quite away from it that +I realized that I had left my book behind me!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR + + +BAFFLED + +Levendale paused at this point of his story, and looked round the +circle of attentive faces. He was quick to notice that two men were +watching him with particularly close attention--one was Ayscough, the +other, the old solicitor. And as he resumed his account he glanced +meaningly at Mr. Killick. + +"I daresay some of you would like to question me--and Stephen Purvis, +too--on what I've already told you?" he said. "You're welcome to ask +any questions you like--any of you--when I've done. But--let me +finish--for then perhaps you'll fully understand what we were at. + +"Purvis and I walked up and down in Oxford and Cambridge Terrace for +some time--discussing the situation. The more I considered the matter, +the more I was certain that my first theory was right--the Chinaman had +got the diamond and the bank-notes. I was aware of these two Chinamen +as tenants of Multenius's furnished house--as a matter of fact, I had +been present, at the shop in Praed Street, on one of my two visits +there when they concluded their arrangements with him. What I now +thought was this--one of them had called on the old man to do some +business, or to pay the rent, and had found him in a fit, or dead, as +the result of one, had seen the diamond and the money on the table, +placed there in readiness for Purvis's coming, and had possessed +himself of both and made off. Purvis agreed with me. And--both Purvis +and myself are well acquainted with the characteristic peculiarities, +and idiosyncrasies of Chinamen!--we knew with what we had to deal. +Therefore we knew what we had to do. We wanted the diamond and my +money. And since we were uncomfortably aware of the craft and subtlety +of the thief who'd got both we knew we should have to use craft +ourselves--and of no common sort. Therefore we decided that the very +last thing we should think of would be an immediate appeal to the +police. + +"Now, you police officials may, nay, will!--say that we ought to have +gone straight to you, especially as this was a case of murder. But we +knew nothing about it being a case of murder. We had seen no signs of +violence on the old man--I knew him to be very feeble, and I believed +he had been suddenly struck over by paralysis, or something of that +sort. I reckoned matters up, carefully. It was plain that Daniel +Multenius had been left alone in house and shop--that his granddaughter +was out on some errand or other. Therefore, no one knew of the diamond +and the money. We did not want any one to know. If we had gone to the +police and told our tale, the news would have spread, and would +certainly have reached the Chinaman's ears. We knew well enough that if +we were to get our property back the thief must not be alarmed--there +must be nothing in the newspapers next morning. The Chinaman must not +know that the real owners of the diamond and the bank-notes suspected +him--he must not know that information about his booty was likely to be +given to the police. He must be left to believe--for some hours at any +rate--that what he had possessed himself of was the property of a dead +man who could not tell anything. But there was my book in that dead +man's parlour! It was impossible to go back and fetch it. It was +equally impossible that it should not attract attention. Daniel +Multenius's granddaughter, whom I believed to be a very sharp young +woman, would notice it, and would know that it had come into the place +during her absence. I thought hard over that problem--and finally I +drafted an advertisement and sent it off to an agency with instructions +to insert it in every morning newspaper in London next day. Why? +Because I wanted to draw a red herring across the trail!--I wanted, for +the time being, to set up a theory that some man or other had found +that book in the omnibus, had called in at Multenius's to sell or pawn +it, had found the old man alone, and had assaulted and robbed him. All +this was with a view to hoodwinking the Chinaman. Anything must be +done, anything!--to keep him ignorant that Purvis and I knew the real +truth. + +"But--what did we intend to do? I tell you, not being aware that old +Daniel Multenius had met his death by violence, we did not give one +second's thought to that aspect and side of the affair--we concentrated +on the recovery of our property. I knew the house in which these +Chinese lived. That evening, Purvis and I went there. We have both been +accustomed, in our time, to various secret dealings and manoeuvres, and +we entered the grounds of that house without any one being the wiser. +It did not take long to convince us that the house was empty. It +remained empty that night--Purvis kept guard over it, in an outhouse in +the garden. No one either entered or left it between our going to it +and Purvis coming away from it next morning--he stayed there, watching +until it was time to keep an appointment with me in Hyde Park. Before I +met him, I had been called upon by Detective Ayscough, Mr. Rubinstein, +and Mr. Lauriston--they know what I said to them. I could not at that +time say anything else--I had my own concerns to think of. + +"When Purvis and I met we had another consultation, and we determined, +in view of all the revelations which had come out and had been +published in the papers, that the suspicion cast on young Mr. Lauriston +was the very best thing that could happen for us; it would reassure our +Chinaman. And we made up our minds that the house in Maida Vale would +not be found untenanted that night, and we arranged to meet there at +eleven o'clock. We felt so sure that our man would have read all the +news in the papers, and would feel safe, and that we should find him. +But, mark you, we had no idea as to which of the two Chinamen it was +that we wanted. Of one fact, however, we were certain--whichever it was +that I had seen slip round the corner of Iron Gate Wharf the previous +day, whether it was Chang Li or Chen Li, he would have kept his secret +to himself! The thing was--to get into that house; to get into +conversation with both; to decide which was the guilty man, and +then--to take our own course. We knew what to do--and we went fully +prepared. + +"Now we come to this--our second visit to the house in Maida Vale. To +be exact, it was between eleven and twelve on the second night after +the disappearance of the diamond. As on the previous night, we gained +access to the garden by the door at the back--that, on each occasion, +was unfastened, while the gate giving access to the road in Maida Vale +was securely locked. And, as on the previous night, we quickly found +that up to then at any rate, the house was empty. But not so the +garden! While I was looking round the further side of the house, Purvis +took a careful look round the garden. And presently he came to me and +drew away to the asphalted path which runs from the front gate to the +front door. The moon had risen above the houses and trees--and in its +light he pointed to bloodstains. It did not take a second look, +gentlemen, to see that they were recent--in fact, fresh. Somebody had +been murdered in that garden not many minutes--literally, +minutes!--before our arrival. And within two minutes more we found the +murdered man lying behind some shrubbery on the left of the path. I +knew him for the younger of the two Chinese--the man called Chen Li. + +"This discovery, of course, made us aware that we were now face to face +with a new development. We were not long in arriving at a conclusion +about that. Chang Li had found out that his friend had become possessed +of these valuable--he might have discovered the matter of the diamond, +or of the bank-notes or both--how was immaterial. But we were +convinced, putting everything together, that he had made this +discovery, had probably laid in wait for Chen Li as he returned home +that night, had run a knife into him as he went up the garden, had +dragged the body into the shrubbery, possessed himself of the loot, and +made off. And now we were face to face with what was going, as we knew, +to be the stiffest part of our work--the finding of Chang Li. We set to +work on that without a moment's delay. + +"I have told you that Purvis and I have a pretty accurate knowledge of +Chinamen; we have both had deep and intimate experience of them and +their ways. I, personally, know a good deal of the Chinese Colony in +London: I have done business with Chinamen, both in London and South +Africa, for years. I had a good idea of what Chang Li's procedure would +be. He would hide--if need be, for months, until the first heat of the +hue and cry which he knew would be sure to be raised, would have cooled +down. There are several underground warrens--so to speak--in the East +End, in which he could go to earth, comfortably and safely, until there +was a chance of slipping out of the country unobserved. I know already +of some of them. I would get to know of others. + +"Purvis and I got on that track--such as it was, at once. We went along +to the East End there and then--before morning I had shaved off my +beard and mustache, disguised myself in old clothes, and was beginning +my work. First thing next morning I did two things--one was to cause a +telegram to be sent from Spring Street to my butler explaining my +probable absence; the other to secretly warn the Bank of England about +the bank-notes. But I had no expectation that Chang Li would try to +negotiate those--all his energies, I knew, would be concentrated on the +diamond. Nevertheless, he might try--and would, if he +tried--succeed--in changing one note, and it was as well to take that +precaution. + +"Now then, next day, Purvis and I being, in our different ways, at work +in the East End, we heard the news about the Praed Street tradesman, +Parslett. That seemed to me remarkable proof of my theory. As the +successive editions of the newspapers came out during that day, and +next day, we learnt all about the Parslett affair. I saw through it at +once. Parslett, being next-door neighbour to Daniel Multenius, had +probably seen Chen Li--whom we now believed to have been the actual +thief--slip away from Multenius's door, and, when the news of Daniel's +death came out, had put two and two together, and, knowing where the +Chinamen lived, had gone to the house in Maida Vale to blackmail them. +I guessed what had happened then--Parslett, to quieten him for the +moment, had been put off with fifty pounds in gold, and promised +more--and he had also been skilfully poisoned in such a fashion that he +would get safely away from the premises but die before he got home. And +when he was safe away, Chang Li had murdered Chen Li, and made off. +So--as I still think--all our theories were correct, and the only thing +to do was to find Chang." + +But here Levendale paused, glanced at Stephen Purvis, and spread out +his hands with a gesture which indicated failure and disappointment. +His glance moved from Stephen Purvis to the police officials. + +"All no good!" he exclaimed. "It's useless to deny it. I have been in +every Chinese den and haunt in East London--I'm certain that Chang Li +is nowhere down there. I have spent money like water--employed Chinese +and Easterns on whom I could depend--there isn't a trace of him! And +so--we gave up last night. Purvis and I--baffled. We've come to you +police people--" + +"You should have done that before, Mr. Levendale," said the Inspector +severely. "You haven't given us much credit, I think, and if you'd told +all this at first--" + +Before the Inspector could say more, a constable tapped at the door and +put his head into the room. His eyes sought Ayscough. + +"There's a young gentleman--foreigner--asking for you, Mr. Ayscough," +he said. "Wants to see you at once--name of Mr. Yada." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE + + +YADA TAKES CHARGE + +Ayscough had only time to give a warning look and a word to the others +before Mr. Mori Yada was ushered in. Every eye was turned on him as he +entered--some of the men present looking at him with wonder, some with +curiosity, two, at any rate--Levendale and Stephen Purvis--with doubt. +But Yada himself was to all outward appearance utterly indifferent to +the glances thrown in his direction: it seemed to John Purdie, who was +remembering all he had heard the night before, that the young Japanese +medical student was a singularly cool and self-possessed hand. Yada, +indeed, might have been walking in on an assemblage of personal +friends, specially gathered together in his honour. Melky Rubinstein, +who was also watching him closely, noticed at once that he had +evidently made a very careful toilet that morning. Yada's dark +overcoat, thrown negligently open, revealed a smart grey lounge suit; +in one gloved hand he carried a new bowler hat, in the other a +carefully rolled umbrella. He looked as prosperous and as severely in +mode as if no mysteries and underground affairs had power to touch him, +and the ready smile with which he greeted Ayscough was ingenuous and +candid enough to disarm the most suspicious. + +"Good morning, Mr. Detective," he began, as he crossed the threshold +and looked first at Ayscough and then at the ring of attentive faces. +"I want to speak to you on that little affair of last night, you know. +I suppose you are discussing it with these gentlemen? Well, perhaps I +can now give you some information that will be useful." + +"Glad to hear anything, Mr. Yada," said Ayscough, who was striving hard +to conceal his surprise. "Anything that you can tell us. You've heard +something during the night, then?" + +Yada laughed pleasantly, showing his white teeth. He dropped into the +chair which Ayscough pushed forward, and slowly drew off his gloves. + +"I assured myself of something last night--after you left me," he said, +with a knowing look. "I used your card to advantage, Mr. Detective. I +went to the mortuary." + +Ayscough contrived to signal to the Inspector to leave the talking to +him. He put his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat, assumed an +easy attitude as he leaned against the door, and looked speculatively +at the new comer. + +"Aye?--and what made you do that now, Mr. Yada?" he asked, +half-carelessly. "A bit of curiosity, eh?" + +"Not idle curiosity, Mr. Detective," replied Yada. "I wanted to know, +to make certain, which of the two Chinamen it really was who was +there--dead. I saw him. Now I know. Chen Li!" + +"Well?" said Ayscough. + +Yada suddenly twisted round in his chair, and slowly glanced at the +listening men on either side of the desk. They were cool, bold, +half-insolent eyes which received face after face, showing no +recognition of any until they encountered Melky Rubinstein's watchful +countenance. And to Melky, Yada accorded a slight nod--and turned to +Ayscough again. + +"Which," he asked calmly, "which of these gentlemen is the owner of the +diamond? Which is the one who has lost eighty thousand pounds in +bank-notes? That is what I want to know before I say more." + +In the silence which followed upon Ayscough's obvious doubt about +answering this direct question, Levendale let out a sharp, +half-irritable exclamation: + +"In God's name!" he said, "who is this young man? What does he know +about the diamond and the money?" + +Yada turned and faced his questioner--and suddenly smiling, thrust his +hand in his breast pocket and drew out a card-case. With a polite bow +he handed a card in Levendale's direction. + +"Permit me, sir," he said suavely. "My card. As for the rest, perhaps +Mr. Detective here will tell you." + +"It's this way, you see, Mr. Levendale," remarked Ayscough. "Acting on +information received from Dr. Pittery, one of the junior house-surgeons +at University College Hospital, who told me that Mr. Yada was a +fellow-student of those two Chinese, and a bit of a friend of theirs, I +called on Mr. Yada last night to make enquiries. And of course I had to +tell him about the missing property--though to be sure, that's news +that's common to everybody now--through the papers. And--what else have +you to tell, Mr. Yada?" + +But Yada was watching Levendale--who, on his part, was just as narrowly +watching Yada. The other men in the room watched these +two--recognizing, as if by instinct, that from that moment matters lay +between Levendale and Yada, and not between Yada and Ayscough. They +were mutually inspecting and appraising each other, and in spite of +their impassive faces, it was plain that each was wondering about his +next move. + +It was Levendale who spoke first--spoke as if he and the young Japanese +were the only people in the room, as if nothing else mattered. He bent +forward to Yada. + +"How much do you know?" he demanded. + +Yada showed his white teeth again. + +"A plain--and a wide question, Mr. Levendale!" he answered, with a +laugh. "I see that you are anxious to enlist my services. Evidently, +you believe that I do know something. But--you are not the owner of the +diamond! Which of these gentlemen is?" + +Levendale made a half impatient gesture towards Stephen Purvis, who +nodded at Yada but remained silent. + +"He is!" said Levendale, testily. "But you--can do your talking to me. +Again--how much do you know in this matter?" + +"Enough to make it worth your while to negotiate with me," answered +Yada. "Is that as plain as your question?" + +"It's what I expected," said Levendale. "You want to sell your +knowledge." + +"Well?" assented Yada, "I am very sure you are willing to purchase." + +Once more that duel of the eyes--and to John Purdie, who prided himself +on being a judge of expressions, it was evident that the younger man +was more than the equal of the older. It was Levendale who gave +way--and when he took his eyes off Yada, it was to turn to Stephen +Purvis. + +Stephen Purvis nodded his head once more--and growled a little. + +"Make terms with him!" he muttered. "Case of have to, I reckon!" + +Levendale turned once more to the Japanese, who smiled on him. + +"Look you here, Mr. Yada," said Levendale, "I don't know who you are +beyond what I'm told--your card tells me nothing except that you +live--lodge, I suppose--in Gower Street. You've got mixed up in this, +somehow, and you've got knowledge to dispose of. Now, I don't buy +unless I know first what it is I'm buying. So--let's know what you've +got to sell?" + +Yada swept the room with a glance. + +"Before these gentlemen?" he asked. "In open market, eh?" + +"They're all either police, or detectives, or concerned," retorted +Levendale. "There's no secret. I repeat--what have you got to sell? +Specify it!" + +Yada lifted his hands and began to check off points on the tips of his +fingers. + +"Three items, then, Mr. Levendale," he replied cheerfully. "First--the +knowledge of who has got the diamond and the money. Second--the +knowledge of where he is at this moment, and will be for some hours. +Third--the knowledge of how you can successfully take him and recover +your property. Three good, saleable items, I think--yes?" + +Purdie watched carefully for some sign of greed or avarice in the +informer's wily countenance. To his surprise, he saw none. Instead, +Yada assumed an almost sanctimonious air. He seemed to consider +matters--though his answer was speedy. + +"I don't want to profit--unduly--by this affair," he said. "At the same +time, from all I've heard, I'm rendering you and your friend a very +important service, and I think it only fair that I should be +remunerated. Give me something towards the expenses of my medical +education, Mr. Levendale: give me five hundred pounds." + +With the briefest exchange of glances with Stephen Purvis, Levendale +pulled out a cheque-book, dashed off a cash cheque, and handed it over +to the Japanese, who slipped it into his waistcoat pocket. + +"Now--your information!" said Levendale. + +"To be sure," replied Yada. "Very well. Chang Li has the diamond and +the money. And he is at this moment where he has been for some days, in +hiding. He is in a secret room at a place called Pilmansey's Tea Rooms, +in Tottenham Court Road--a place much frequented by medical students +from our college. The fact of the case is, Mr. Policeman, and the rest +of you generally, there is a secret opium den at Pilmansey's, though +nobody knows of it but a few frequenters. And there!--there you will +find Chang Li." + +"You've seen him there?" demanded Levendale. + +"I saw him there during last night--I know him to be there--he will be +there, either until you take him, or until his arrangements are made +for getting out of this country," answered Yada. + +Levendale jumped up, as if for instant action. But the Inspector +quietly tapped him on the elbow. + +"He promised to tell you how to take him, Mr. Levendale," he said. +"Let's know all we can--we shall have to be in with you on this, you +know." + +"Mr. Police-Inspector is right," said Yada. "You will have to conduct +what you call a raid. Now, do precisely what I tell you to do. +Pilmansey's is an old-fashioned place, a very old house as regards its +architecture, on the right-hand side of Tottenham Court Road. Go there +today--this mid-day--a little before one--when there are always plenty +of customers. Go with plenty of your plain-clothes men, like Mr. +Ayscough there. Drop in, don't you see, as if you were customers--let +there be plenty of you, I repeat. There are two +Pilmanseys--men--middle-aged, sly, smooth, crafty men. When you are all +there, take your own lines--close the place, the doors, if you +like--but get hold of the Pilmansey men, tell them you are police, +insist on being taken to the top floor and shown their opium den. They +will object, they will lie, they will resist--you will use your own +methods. But--in that opium den you will find Chang Li--and your +property!" + +He had been drawing on his gloves as he spoke, and now, picking up his +hat and umbrella, Yada bowed politely to the circle and moved to the +door. + +"You will excuse me, now?" he said. "I have an important lecture at the +medical school which I must not miss. I shall be at Pilmansey's, +myself, a little before one--please oblige me by not taking any notice +of me. I do not want to figure--actively--in your business." + +Then he was gone--and the rest of them were so deeply taken with the +news which he had communicated that no one noticed that just before +Yada fastened his last glove-button, Melky Rubinstein slipped from his +corner and glided quietly out of the room. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX + + +PILMANSEY'S TEA ROOMS + +Two hours later, it being then a quarter-to-one o'clock, Purdie and +Lauriston got out of a taxi-cab at the north-end of Tottenham Court +Road and walked down the right-hand side of that busy thoroughfare, +keeping apparently careless but really vigilant eyes open for a first +glimpse of the appointed rendezvous. But Pilmansey's Tea Rooms required +little searching out. In the midst of the big modern warehouses, +chiefly given up to furniture and upholstery, there stood at that time +a block of old property which was ancient even for London. The +buildings were plainly early eighteenth century: old redbrick erections +with narrow windows in the fronts and dormer windows in the high, +sloping roofs. Some of them were already doomed to immediate +dismantlement; the tenants had cleared out, there were hoardings raised +to protect passers-by from falling masonry, and bills and posters on +the threatened walls announced that during the rebuilding, business +would be carried on as usual at some other specified address. But +Pilmansey's, so far, remained untouched, and the two searchers saw that +customers were going in and out, all unaware that before evening their +favourite resort for a light mid-day meal would attain a fame and +notoriety not at all promised by its very ordinary and commonplace +exterior. + +"An excellent example of the truth of the old saying that you should +never judge by appearances, Andie, my man!" remarked Purdie, as they +took a quick view of the place. "Who'd imagine that crime, dark +secrets, and all the rest of it lies concealed behind this?--behind the +promise of tea and muffins, milk and buns! It's a queer world, this +London!--you never know what lies behind any single bit of the whole +microcosm. But let's see what's to be seen inside." + +The first thing to be seen inside the ground floor room into which they +stepped was the man from New Scotland Yard, who, in company with +another very ordinary-looking individual was seated at a little table +just inside the entrance, leisurely consuming coffee and beef +sandwiches. He glanced at the two men as if he had never seen them in +his life, and they, preserving equally stolid expressions with credit +if not with the detective's ready and trained ability, passed further +on--only to recognize Levendale and Stephen Purvis, who had found +accommodation in a quiet corner half-way down the room. They, too, +showed no signs of recognition, and Purdie, passing by them, steered +his companion to an unoccupied table and bade him be seated. + +"Let's get our bearings," he whispered as they dropped into their +seats. "Looks as innocent and commonplace within as it appeared +without, Andie. But use your eyes--it ought to make good copy for you, +this." + +Lauriston glanced about him. The room in which they sat was a long, +low-ceiling apartment, extending from the street door to a sort of +bar-counter at the rear, beyond which was a smaller room that was +evidently given up to store and serving purposes. On the counter were +set out provisions--rounds of beef, hams, tongues, bread, cakes, +confectionery; behind it stood two men whom the watchers at once set +down as the proprietors. Young women, neatly gowned in black and +wearing white caps and aprons, flitted to and fro between the counter +and the customers. As for the customers they were of both sexes, and +the larger proportion of them young. There was apparently no objection +to smoking at Pilmansey's--a huge cloud of blue smoke ascended from +many cigarettes, and the scent of Turkish tobacco mingled with the +fragrance of freshly-ground coffee. It was plain that Pilmansey's was +the sort of place wherein you could get a good sandwich, good tea or +coffee, smoke a cigarette or two, and idle away an hour in light +chatter with your friends between your morning and afternoon labours. + +But Lauriston's attention was mainly directed to the two men who stood +behind the bar-counter, superintending and directing their neat +assistants. Sly, smooth, crafty men--so they had been described by Mr. +Mori Yada: Lauriston's opinion coincided with that of the Japanese, on +first, outer evidence and impression. They were middle-aged, plump men +who might be, and probably were, twins, favouring mutton chop whiskers, +and good linen and black neckcloths--they might have been strong, +highly-respectable butlers. Each had his coat off; each wore a spotless +linen apron; each wielded carving knives and forks; each was busy in +carving plates of ham or tongue or beef; each contrived, while thus +engaged, to keep his sharp, beady eyes on the doings in the room in +front of the counter. Evidently a well-to-do, old-established business, +this, and highly prosperous men who owned it: Lauriston wondered that +they should run any risks by hiding away a secret opium den somewhere +on their ancient premises. + +In the midst of their reflections one of the waitresses came to the +table at which the two friends sat: Lauriston quicker of wit than +Purdie in such matters immediately ordered coffee and sandwiches and +until they came, lighted a cigarette and pretended to be at ease, +though he was inwardly highly excited. + +"It's as if one were waiting for an explosion to take place!" he +muttered to Purdie. "Even now I don't know what's going to happen." + +"Here's Ayscough, anyway," said Purdie. "He looks as if nothing was +about to happen." + +Ayscough, another man with him, was making his way unconcernedly down +the shop. He passed the man from New Scotland Yard without so much as a +wink: he ignored Levendale and Stephen Purvis; he stared blankly at +Purdie and Lauriston, and led his companion to two vacant seats near +the counter. And they had only just dropped into them when in came Mr. +Killick, with John Purvis and Guyler and slipped quietly into seats in +the middle of the room. Here then, said Lauriston to himself, were +eleven men, all in a secret--and there were doubtless others amongst +the company whom he did not know. + +"But where's Melky Rubinstein?" he whispered suddenly. "I should have +thought he'd have turned up--he's been so keen on finding things out." + +"There's time enough yet," answered Purdie. "It's not one. I don't see +the Jap, either. But--here's the Inspector--done up in plain clothes." + +The Inspector came in with a man whom neither Purdie nor Lauriston had +ever seen before--a quietly but well-dressed man about whom there was a +distinct air of authority. They walked down the room to a table near +the counter, ordered coffee and lighted cigarettes--and the two young +Scotsmen, watching them closely, saw that they took a careful look +round as if to ascertain the strength of their forces. And suddenly, as +Lauriston was eating his second sandwich, the Inspector rose, quietly +walked to the counter and bending over it, spoke to one of the +white-aproned men behind. + +"The game's begun!" whispered Lauriston. "Look!" + +But Purdie's eyes were already fixed on the Pilmanseys, whom he +recognized as important actors in the drama about to be played. One of +them slightly taller, slightly greyer than the other, was leaning +forward to the Inspector, and was evidently amazed at what was being +said to him, for he started, glanced questioningly at his visitor, +exchanged a hurried word or two with him and then turned to his +brother. A second later, both men laid down their great knives and +forks, left their counter, and beckoned the Inspector to follow them +into a room at the rear of the shop. And the Inspector in his turn, +beckoned Ayscough with a mere glance, and Ayscough in his, made an +inviting movement to the rest of the party. + +"Come on!" said Purdie. "Let's hear what's happening." + +The proprietors of the tea-rooms had led the Inspector and the man who +was with him into what was evidently a private room--and when Lauriston +and Purdie reached the door they were standing on the hearth rug, side +by side, each in a very evident state of amazement, staring at a +document which the Inspector was displaying to them. They looked up +from it to glance with annoyance, at the other men who came quietly and +expectantly crowding into the room. + +"More of your people?" asked the elder man, querulously. "Look here, +you know!--we don't see the need for all this fuss, not for your +interrupting our business in this way! One or two of you, surely, would +have been enough without bringing a troop of people on to our +premises--all this is unnecessary!" + +"You'll allow us to be the best judge of what's necessary and what +isn't, Mr. Pilmansey," retorted the Inspector. "There'll be no fuss, no +bother--needn't be, anyway, if you tell us what we want to know, and +don't oppose us in what we've got power to do. Here's a +warrant--granted on certain information--to search your premises. If +you'll let us do that quietly." + +"But for what reason?" demanded the younger man. "Our premises, indeed! +Been established here a good hundred years, and never a word against +us. What do you want to search for?" + +"I'll tell you that at once," answered the Inspector. "We want a young +Chinaman, one Chang Li, who, we are informed, is concealed here, and +has valuable stolen property on him. Now, then, do you know anything +about him? Is he here?" + +The two men exchanged glances. For a moment they remained silent--then +the elder man spoke, running his eye over the expectant faces watching +him. + +"Before I say any more," he answered, "I should just like to know where +you got your information from?" + +"No!" replied the Inspector, firmly. "I shan't tell you. But I'll tell +you this much--this Chang Li is wanted on a very serious charge as it +is, and we may charge him with something much more serious. We've +positive information that he's here--and I'm only giving you sound +advice when I say that if he is here, you'll do well to show us where +he is. Now, come, Mr. Pilmansey, is he here?" + +The elder Pilmansey shook his head--but the shake was more one of doubt +than of denial. + +"I can't say," he answered. "He might be." + +"What's that mean?" demanded the Inspector. "Might be? Surely you know +who's in your own house!" + +"No!" said the elder man, "I can't say. It's this way--we've a certain +number of foreigners come here. There are few--just a few--Chinese and +Japanese--medical students, you know. Now, some time ago--a couple of +years ago--some of them asked us if we couldn't let them have three or +four rooms at the top of the house in which to start a sort of little +club of their own, so that they could have a place for their meetings, +you understand. They were all quiet, very respectable young fellows--so +we did. They have the top floor of this house. They furnished and +fitted it up themselves. There's a separate entrance--at the side of +the shop. Each of them has a latch-key of his own. So they can go in +and out as they like--they never bother us. But, as a matter of fact, +there are only four or five of them who are members now--the others +have all left. That's the real truth--and I tell you I don't know if +Mr. Chang Li might be up there or not. We know nothing about what they +do in their rooms--they're only our tenants." + +"Let me ask you one question," said the Inspector, "Have either of you +ever been in those rooms since you let them to these people!" + +"No!" answered the elder man. "Neither of us--at anytime!" + +"Then," commanded the Inspector, "I'll thank you to come up with us to +them--now!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN + + +CHANG LI + +Not without some grumbling as to waste of time and interference with +business, the Pilmansey brothers led the way to a side door which +opened into a passage that ran along the side of the shop and from +whence a staircase rose to the upper regions of the house. The elder +pointed, significantly, to the street door at the end. + +"You'll take notice that these young fellows I told you of get to the +rooms we let them through that?" he observed. "That door's always +locked--they all have latch-keys to it. They never come through the +shop--we've nothing to do with them, and we don't know anything about +whatever they may do in their rooms--all we're concerned with is that +they pay their rent and behave themselves. And quiet enough they've +always been--we've had no reason to complain." + +"And, as they all have latch-keys, I suppose they can get into the +place at any hour of the day--or night?" suggested the Inspector. +"There's no bar against them coming here at night?" + +"They can come in--and go out--whenever they please," answered the +elder man. "I tell you we've nothing to do with them--except as their +landlords." + +"Where do you live--yourselves?" asked the Inspector. "On these +premises?" + +"No, we don't," replied the younger brother, who, of the two, had +showed the keenest, if most silent, resentment at the police +proceedings. "We live--elsewhere. This establishment is opened at eight +in the morning, and closed at seven in the evening. We're never here +after seven--either of us." + +"So that you never see anything of these foreigners at night-time?" +asked the Inspector. "Don't know what they do, I suppose?" + +"We never see anything of 'em at any time," said the elder brother. "As +you see, this passage and staircase is outside the shop. We know +nothing whatever about them beyond what I've told you." + +"Well--take us up, and we'll see what we can find out," commanded the +Inspector. "We're going to examine those rooms, Mr. Pilmansey, so we'll +get it done at once." + +The intervening rooms between the lower and the top floors of the old +house appeared to be given up to stores--the open doors revealed casks, +cases, barrels, piles of biscuit and confectionery boxes--nothing to +conceal there, decided the lynx-eyed men who trooped up the dingy +stairs after the grumbling proprietors. But the door on the top floor +was closed--and when Ayscough turned its handle he found it to be +locked from within. + +"They've keys of their own for that, too," remarked the younger +Pilmansey. "I don't see how you're going to get in, if there's nobody +inside." + +"We're going in there whether there's anybody or not," said the +Inspector. "Knock, Ayscough!--knock loudly!" + +The group of men gathered behind the leaders, and filling the whole of +the lobby outside the closed door, waited, expectant and excited, in +the silence which followed on Ayscough's loud beating on the upper +panel. A couple of minutes went by: the detective knocked again, more +insistently. And suddenly, and silently, the door was opened--first, an +inch or two, then a little wider, and as Ayscough slipped a stoutly +booted foot inside the crack a yellow face, lighted by a pair of +narrow-slitted dark eyes, looked out--and immediately vanished. + +"In with you!" said the Inspector. "Careful, now!" + +Ayscough pushed the door open and walked in, the rest crowding on his +heels. And Purdie, who was one of the foremost to enter, was +immediately cognizant of two distinct odours--one, the scent of +fragrant tea, the other of a certain heavy, narcotic something which +presently overpowered the fragrance of the tea and left an acid and +bitter taste. + +"Opium," he whispered to Lauriston, who was close at his elbow. "Opium! +Smell it?" + +But Lauriston was more eyes than nose just then. He, like the rest of +his companions, was staring at the scene on which they had entered. The +room was of a good size--evidently, from its sloping ceilings, part of +the attic story of the old house. The walls were hung with soft, +clinging, Oriental draperies and curtains; a few easy chairs of +wickerwork, a few small tables of like make, were disposed here and +there: there was an abundance of rugs and cushions: in one corner a +gas-stove was alight, and on it stood a kettle, singing merrily. + +The young man who had opened the door had retreated towards this stove; +Purdie noticed that in one hand he held a small tea-pot. And in the +left-hand corner, bent over a little table, and absorbed in their game, +sat two other young men, correctly attired in English clothes, but +obviously Chinese from their eyebrows to their toes, playing chess. + +The holder of the tea-pot cast a quick glance at the disturbance of +this peaceful scene, and set down his tea-pot; the chess-players looked +up for one second, showed not the faintest sign of perturbation--and +looked down again. Then the man of the tea-pot spoke--one word. + +"Yes?" he said. + +"The fact is, Mister," said the elder Pilmansey, "these are +police-officers. They want one of your friends--Mr. Chang Li." + +The three occupants of the room appeared to pay no attention. The +chess-players went on playing; the other man reached for a canister, +and mechanically emptied tea out of it into his pot. + +"Shut and lock that door, Ayscough," said the Inspector. "Let somebody +stand by it. Now," he continued, turning to the three Chinese, "is one +of you gentlemen Mr. Chang Li?" + +"No!" replied one of the chess-players. "Not one of us!" + +"Is he here?" demanded the Inspector. Then seeing that he was to be met +by Oriental impassivity, he turned to the Pilmanseys. "What other rooms +are there here?" he asked. + +"Two," answered the elder brother, pointing to the curtains at the rear +of the room. "One there--the other there. Behind those hangings--two +smaller rooms." + +The Inspector strode forward and tore the curtains aside. He flung open +the first of the doors--and started back, catching his breath. + +"Phew!" he said. + +The heavy, narcotic odour which Purdie had noticed at once on entering +the rooms came afresh, out of the newly-opened door, in a thick wave. +And as the rest of them crowded after the Inspector, they saw why. This +was a small room, hung like the first one with curiously-figured +curtains, and lighted only by a sky-light, over which a square of blue +stuff had been draped. In the subdued life they saw that there was +nothing in that room but a lounge well fitted with soft cushions and +pillows--and on it, his spare figure wrapped in a loose gown, lay a +young Chinaman, who, as the foremost advanced upon him, blinked in +their wondering faces out of eyes the pupils of which were still +contracted. Near him lay an opium pipe--close by, on a tiny stand, the +materials for more consumption of the drug. + +The man who had accompanied the Inspector in his entrance to the +tea-shop strode forward and seized the recumbent figure by the +shoulder, shaking him gently. + +"Now then!" he said, sharply, "wake up, my man! Are you Chang Li?" + +The glazed eyes lifted themselves a little wonderingly; the dry lips +moved. + +"Yes," he muttered. "Chang Li--yes. You want me?" + +"How long have you been here?" demanded the questioner. + +"How long--yes? Oh--I don't know. What do you want?" asked Chang Li. "I +don't know you." + +The tea-maker thrust his head inside the room. + +"He can't tell you anything," he said, with a grin. "He has been--what +you call on the break-out--with opium--ever so many days. He +has--attacks that way. Takes a fit of it--just as some of your people +take to the drink. He's coming out of it, now--and he'll be very, very +unhappy tomorrow." + +The Inspector twisted round on the informant. + +"Look here!" he said. "Do you know how long he's been here--stupifying +himself? Is it a day--or days?" + +One of the chess-players lifted a stolid face. + +"He has been here--like that--several days," he said. "It's useless +trying to do anything with him when he takes the fit--the craving, you +understand?--into his head. If you want any information out of him, +you'd better call again in a few hours." + +"Do you mean to tell me he's been here--like that--several days?" +demanded the Inspector. + +The young man with the tea-pot grinned again. + +"He's never been at a class at the medical school since the 17th," he +announced. "I know that--he's in some classes with me. He's been +here--all the time since then." + +The Inspector turned sharply on Ayscough. + +"The 17th!" he exclaimed. "And that affair was on the 18th! Then--" + +Chang Li was fumbling in a pocket of his gown. He found something +there, raised a hand to his lips, swallowed something. And in a few +seconds, as his eyes grew brighter, he turned a suspicious and sullen +glance on the group which stood watching him. + +"What do you want?" he growled. "Who are you?" + +"We want some information from you," said the Inspector. "When did you +last see your brother, or friend, or whatever he is--Chen Li?" + +Chang Li shook his head--it was obvious that he had no clear +recollection. + +"Don't know," he answered. "Perhaps just now--perhaps tomorrow--perhaps +not for a long time." + +"When were you last at home--in Maida Vale?" asked the Inspector. + +But Chang Li gave no answer to that beyond a frown, and it was evident +that as his wits cleared his temper was becoming ugly. He began to look +round with more intelligence, scanning one face after another with +growing dislike, and presently he muttered certain observations to +himself which, though not in English, sounded anything but +complimentary to those who watched him. And Ayscough suddenly turned to +the superior officials. + +"If this man's been here ever since the 17th," he said, "he can't have +had anything to do with the affairs in Praed Street and Maida Vale! +Supposing, now--I'm only supposing--that young Jap's been lying all the +time?" He turned again--this time on the two chess-players, who had now +interrupted their game and were leaning back in their chairs, evidently +amused at the baffled faces of the searchers. "Here!" he said, "do you +know one Yada--Mori Yada--a Japanese? Is he one of you?" + +"Oh, yes!" answered one of the chess-players. "Yada,--yes! We know +him--a very smart fellow, Yada. You know him--too?" + +But before Ayscough could reply to this somewhat vexatious question, a +man who had been left in the tearooms came hurrying up the staircase +and burst in upon them. He made straight for the Inspector. + +"Man from the office, sir, outside in a taxi!" he exclaimed +breathlessly. "You're on the wrong track--you're to get to Multenius's +shop in Praed Street at once. The real man's there!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT + + +THE JEW AND THE JAP + +When Melky Rubinstein slipped quietly out of the police-station, he +crossed the street, and taking up a position just within a narrow alley +on the other side, set himself to watch the door which he had just +quitted. There was a deep design in his mind, and he meant to carry it +out--alone. + +Mr. Mori Yada, apparently as cool and unconcerned as ever, presently +tripped down the steps of the police-station and went leisurely off, +swinging his neatly rolled umbrella. As long as he was within sight of +the police-station windows he kept up the same gentle pace--but as soon +as he had turned the first corner his steps were quickened, and he made +for a spot to which Melky had expected him to make--a cab-rank, on +which two or three taxi-cabs were drawn up. He had reached the first, +and was addressing the driver, when Melky, who had kept a few yards in +the rear, stole gently up to his side and tapped him on the shoulder. + +"Mister!" said Melky. "A word--in private!" + +Yada turned on his interrupter with the swiftness of a snake, and for a +second his white teeth showed themselves in an unmistakable snarl, and +a savage gleam came into his dark eyes. Both snarl and gleam passed as +quickly as they had come, and the next instant he was smiling--as +blandly as ever. + +"Oh, yes!" he said. "It is you--how do you do? Perhaps you are going my +way--I can give you a lift--Yes?" + +Melky drew his man away a yard or two, and lowered his voice to a +whisper. + +"Mister!" he said, with a note of deep confidence which made Yada look +at him with a sudden sense of fear. "Mister!--I wouldn't go no way at +all if I was you--just now. You're in danger, mister--you shoved your +head into the lions' den when you walked in where I've just seen you! +Deep, deep is them fellows, mister!--they're having you on toast. I +know where you're thinking of going, mister, in that cab. Don't +go--take my tip!" + +"How do you know where I'm going?" demanded Yada. + +"I was looking over Levendale's shoulder when he wrote that bit of a +cheque, mister," answered Melky, in his quietest accents. "You're off +to his bank to turn it into cash. And--if you walk into that +bank--well, you'll never walk out again, alone! Mister!--they're going +to collar you there--there's a trap laid for you!" + +Melky was watching Yada's face out of his own eye-corners, and he saw +the olive-tinted skin pale a little, and the crafty eyes contract. And +on the instant he pursued his tactics and his advantage. He had +purposely steered the Japanese into a more crowded part of the street, +and now he edged him into a bye-alley which led to a rookery of narrow +bye-streets beyond. He felt that Yada was yielding--oppressed by a fear +of the unknown. But suddenly Yada paused--drawing back from the hand +which Melky had kept on his arm. + +"What are you after?" he demanded. "What is your game, eh? You think to +alarm me!--what do you want?" + +"Nothing unreasonable, mister," answered Melky. "You'll easily satisfy +me. Game? Come, now, mister--I know your game! Bank first--to get some +ready--then somewhere to pick up a bit of luggage--then, a railway +station. That's it, ain't it, now? No blooming good, mister--they're +ready for you the minute you walk into that bank! If they don't take +you then, they'll only wait to follow you to the station. Mister!--you +ain't a cat's chance!--you're done--if you don't make it worth my while +to help you! See?" + +Yada looked round, doubtfully. They had turned two or three corners by +that time, and were in a main street, which lay at the back of Praed +Street. He glanced at Melky's face--which suggested just then nothing +but cunning and stratagem. + +"What can you do for me?" he asked. "How much do you want? You want +money, eh?" + +"Make it a hundred quid, mister," said Melky. "Just a hundred of the +best, and I'll put you where all the police in London won't find you +for the rest of today, and get you out of it at night in such a fashion +that you'll be as safe as if you was at home. You won't never see your +home in Japan, again, mister, if you don't depend on yours truly! And a +hundred ain't nothing--considering what you've got at stake." + +"I haven't a hundred pounds to give you," answered Yada. "I have +scarcely any money but this cheque." + +"In course you ain't, mister!" agreed Melky. "I twigged your game +straight off--you only came there to the police-station to put yourself +in funds for your journey! But that's all right!--you come along of me, +and let me put you in safety--then you give me that cheque--I'll get it +cashed in ten minutes without going to any banks--see? Friend o' mine +hereabouts--he'll cash it at his bank close by--anybody'll cash a +cheque o' Levendale's. Come on, now, mister. We're close to that little +port o' refuge I'm telling you about." + +The bluff was going down--Melky felt, as much as saw, that Yada was +swallowing it in buckets. And he slipped his hand within his +companion's arm, piloted him along the street, across Praed Street, +round the back of the houses into the narrow passage which communicated +with the rear of the late Daniel Multenius's premises, and in at the +little door which opened on the parlour wherein so many events had +recently taken place. + +"Where are you taking me?" asked Yada, suspiciously, as they crossed +the threshold. + +"All serene, mister!" answered Melky, reassuringly. "Friend o' mine +here--my cousin. All right--and all secure. You're as safe here as you +will be in your grave, mister--s'elp me, you are! Zillah!" + +Zillah walked into the parlour and justified Melky's supreme confidence +in her by showing no surprise or embarrassment. She gave Yada the +merest glance, and turned to Melky. + +"Bit o' business with this young gentleman, Zillah," said Melky. "That +little room, upstairs, now--what?" "Oh, all right!" said Zillah, +indifferently. "You know your way--you'll be quiet enough there." + +Melky signed to Yada to follow him, and led the way up the stairs to +the very top of the house. He conducted the Japanese into the small +room in which were some ancient moth-and-worm-eaten bits of furniture, +an old chest or two, and a plenitude of dust--and carefully closed the +door when he and his captive had got inside. + +"Now, mister!" he said, "you're as safe here as you could be in any +spot in the wide world. Let's get to business--and let's understand +each other. You want that cheque turned into cash--you want to get out +of London tonight? All right--then hand over your cheque and keep quiet +till I come back. Is there anything else now--any bit of luggage you +want?" + +"You do all this if I pay you one hundred pounds?" asked Yada. + +"That'll do me, mister," answered Melky. "I'm a poor fellow, d'ye +see?--I don't pick up a hundred quid every day, I assure you! So if +there is anything--" + +"A suit-case--at the luggage office at Oxford Circus Tube," said Yada. +"I must have it--papers, you understand. If you will get me that--" + +"Give me the ticket--and that cheque," said Melky. He slipped the two +bits of paper into his pocket, and made for the door. "I'll turn the +key outside," he said. "You'll be safer. Make yourself comfortable, +mister--I'll be back in an hour with the money and the goods." + +Two minutes later Melky confronted Zillah in the parlour and grinned at +her. Zillah regarded him suspiciously. + +"What's this, Melky?" she demanded. "What're you up to?" + +"Zillah!" said Melky, "you'll be proud of your cousin, Melky +Rubinstein, before ever it's dinner-time--you will do, Zillah! And in +the meantime, keep your counsel, Zillah, while he fetches a nice large +policeman." + +"Is that Japanese locked in that little room?" asked Zillah. + +Melky tapped the side of his nose, and without a word looked out into +the street. A policeman, large enough for all practical purposes, was +lounging along the side-walk; another, equally bulky, was looking into +a shop-window twenty yards away across the street. Within a couple of +minutes Melky had both in the back-parlour and was giving them and +Zillah a swift but particular account of his schemes. + +"You're sure you're right, Melky?" asked Zillah. "You're not making any +mistake?" + +"Mistake!" exclaimed Melky, satirically. "You'll see about that in a +minute! Now," he added, turning to the policemen, "you come quietly +up--and do exactly what I've told you. We'll soon know about mistakes, +Zillah!" + +Yada, left to himself, had spent his time in gazing out of the dirty +window of his prison. There was not much of a prospect. The window +commanded the various backyards of that quarter. As if to consider any +possible chance of escape, he looked out. There was a projection +beneath him, a convenient water-pipe--he might make a perilous descent, +if need arose. But, somehow, he believed in that little Jew: he +believed, much more, in the little Jew's greed for a hundred pounds of +ready money. The little Jew with the cunning smile had seen his chance +of making a quiet penny, and had taken it--it was all right, said Yada, +all right. And yet, there was one horrible thought--supposing, now that +Melky had got the cheque, that he cashed it and made off with all the +money, never to return? + +On top of that thought, Melky did return--much sooner than Yada had +expected. He opened the door and beckoned the prisoner out into the +dark lobby at the top of the stairs. + +"Come here a minute, mister," said Melky, invitingly. "Just a word!" + +Yada, all unsuspecting, stepped out--and found his arms firmly gripped +by two bulky policemen. The policemen were very quiet--but Melky +laughed gleefully while Yada screamed and cursed him. And while he +laughed Melky went through his prisoner's pockets in a knowing and +skilful fashion, and when he had found what he expected to find, he +made his helpers lock Yada up again, and taking them downstairs to the +parlour laid his discoveries on the table before them and Zillah. There +was a great orange-yellow diamond in various folds of tissue-paper, and +a thick wad of bank-notes, with an indiarubber band round them. + +These valuables lay, carelessly displayed, on the table when the party +from Pilmansey's Tea Rooms came tumbling into the shop and the parlour, +an hour later. Melky was calmly smoking a cigar--and he went on smoking +it as he led the Inspector and his men upstairs to the prisoner. He +could not deprive himself of the pleasure of a dig at Ayscough. + +"Went one better than you again, Mr. Ayscough," he said, as he laid his +hand on the key of the locked room. "Now if I hadn't seen through my +young gentleman--" + +But there, as Melky threw open the door, his words of assurance came to +an end. His face dropped as he stared into an empty room. Yada had +risked his neck, and gone down the water-pipe. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE + + +THE DIAMOND NECKLACE + +For the better part of a fortnight the sleuth-hounds of New Scotland +Yard hunted for Mr. Mori Yada in all the likely and unlikely places in +London and sent out their enquiries much further afield. They failed to +find him. One small clue they got, with little difficulty. After the +hue-and-cry was fairly out, an Edgware Road pawnbroker came forward and +informed the police that at two o'clock, or thereabouts, on the +afternoon of the day on which Yada had made his escape from the window, +a young Japanese gentleman who gave his name as Mr. Motono and his +address at a small hotel close by and who volunteered the explanation +that he was temporarily short of cash until a remittance arrived, had +borrowed five pounds from him on a pearl tie-pin which he had drawn +from his cravat. That was Yada, without a doubt--but from that point +Yada vanished. + +But hunger is the cleverest detective, and at the end of the fortnight, +certain officials of the Japanese embassy in London found themselves +listening to a strange tale from the fugitive, who had come to the end +of his loan, had nowhere to turn and no one but the representatives of +his nation to whom he could appeal. Yada told a strange tale--and all +the stranger because, as the police officials who were called in to +hear it anew recognized that there was probably some truth in it. It +amounted, when all was heard, to this--Yada was willing to confess that +for a few days he had been a successful thief, but he stoutly denied +that he was a murderer. + +This was his story:--On the 18th November, in the evening, he was at +the club which housed itself in Pilmansey's attic. There he saw Chang +Li, who, according to the other members who were there, was beginning +one of his periodic fits of opium smoking, and had been in the inner +room, stupifying himself, since the previous day. Yada knew that it was +highly necessary that Chang Li should be in attendance at certain +classes at the medical school during the next few days, and tried to +rouse him out of his debauch, with no result. Next day, the 19th, he +went to Pilmansey's again--Chang Li was still in the realms of bliss +and likely to stop there until he had had enough of them. For two days +nobody at the club nor at the school had seen Chen Li--and Chen Li was +the only person who could do anything with Chang. So, late that night +of the 19th November, Yada went up to Maida Vale, taking Chang Li's +keys with him. He admitted himself to garden and house and found the +house empty. But just as he was entering the front door he heard the +voice of Chen Li at the garden gate; he also heard the voice of an +Englishman. Also he caught something of what that Englishman said. He +was telling Chen Li that he'd better take him, the Englishman, inside, +and settle with him--or things would be all the worse. And at that, he, +Yada, had slipped into the house, quietly closed the front door behind +him, gone into the front room, hidden himself behind a curtain and +waited. + +Into that front room, Chen Li had presently conducted a man. He was, +said Yada, a low-class Englishman--what is called a Cockney. He had +begun to threaten Chen Li at once. He told his tale. He was, said this +fellow, next door neighbour to Mr. Daniel Multenius, in Praed Street, +Chen Li's landlord: his name, if Chen Li wanted to know it, was +Parslett, fruitier and green-grocer, and it was there, bold as brass, +over his shop-door, for him or anybody to look at. He had a side-door +to his house: that side-door was exactly opposite a side-door in Mr. +Multenius's house, opening into his back-parlour. Now, the previous +afternoon, he, Parslett, had had a consignment of very fine mushrooms +sent in--rare things at that time of year--and knowing that the old man +had a great taste for them and didn't mind what price he paid, he +stepped across with a dish of them to tempt him. He found Mr. Multenius +in his parlour--he was counting a lot of bank-notes--they must, said +Parslett, have represented a large sum. The old man bade him leave the +mushrooms, said he'd send him the money across presently, and motioned +him out. Parslett put the dish of mushrooms aside on a chiffonier and +went away. Somewhat later, chancing to be at his front door and looking +out into the street, he saw Chen Li open the door of Multenius's shop +and go swiftly away. Half-an-hour after that he heard that something +had happened at Multenius's--later in the evening he heard definitely +that the old man had been assaulted under circumstances which pointed +to murder for the sake of robbery. And then he, Parslett, now put two +and two together--and had fixed on Chen Li as the culprit. And now--how +much was Chen Li going to pay for silence? + +According to Yada, Chen Li had had little to say--his chief anxiety, +indeed, had been to find out what the man wanted. Parslett was definite +enough about that. He wanted a thousand pounds--and he wanted it in +gold, and as much of it as Chen Li could hand out there and then. He +refused to believe that Chen Li hadn't gold in considerable quantity +somewhere about--he must, said Parslett, have changed some of those +notes since he had stolen them the previous day. Chen Li protested that +he had but some fifty or sixty pounds in gold available--but he +promised to have the rest of the thousand ready on the following +evening. Finally, he handed Parslett fifty pounds, arranged that he +should call the next night--and then invited him to take a drink. +Parslett pocketed the money and accepted the invitation--and Yada, from +his hiding-place, saw Chen Li go to the sideboard, mix whisky and soda +and pour into the mixture a few drops from a phial which he took from +his waistcoat pocket. Parslett drank off the contents of the glass--and +Chen Li went down to the gate with him. + +Yada followed to the front door and, through a slight opening, watched. +The garden was fairly well lighted by the moon, which had recently +risen. He saw Chen Li let the man out. He saw him turn from the gate +and slowly come back towards the house. And then he saw something +else--the sudden spring, from behind a big laurel bush, of a man--a +short-statured, slight-figured man, who leapt on Chen Li with the +agility of a panther. He saw the flash of a knife in the moonlight--he +heard a muffled cry, and startled groan--and saw Chen Li pitch forward +and lie evidently lifeless, where he fell. He saw the assailant stoop, +seize his victim by the shoulders and drag him behind the shrubbery. +Then, without further delay, the murderer hurried to the gate. +Evidently assured himself that there was no one about, let himself out, +and was gone. + +By all the solemn oaths that he could think of, Yada swore that this +was true. Of another thing he was certain--the murderer was a Chinese. + +Now began his own career of crime. He was just then very hard up. He +had spent much more than his allowance--he was in debt at his lodgings +and elsewhere. Somewhere, he felt sure, there was, in that house, the +money which Chen Li had evidently stolen from old Multenius. He +immediately set to work to find it. But he had no difficulty--the +bank-notes were in the drawer from which he had seen Chen Li take the +gold which he had given to the blackmailer, Parslett. He hurriedly +transferred them to his own pocket, and got away from the house by the +door at the back of the garden--and it was not until late that night, +in the privacy of his own rooms, that he found he had nearly eighty +thousand pounds in his possession. + +For some days, said Yada, he was at a loss what to do with his booty. +He was afraid of attempting to change five hundred pound notes. He made +cautious enquiries as to how that could be done--and he began to think +that the notes were so much waste paper to him. And then Ayscough +called on him--and for the first time, he heard the story of the +orange-yellow diamond. + +That gave him an idea. He had a very accurate knowledge of Chinese +habits and characteristics, and he felt sure that Chen Li would have +hidden that diamond in his pig-tail. So he took advantage of his +possession of the detective's card to go to the mortuary, to get a +minute or two alone with the body, and to slip his hand underneath the +dead man's silk cap. There he found the diamond--and he knew that +whether the bank-notes were to be of any value to him or not, the +diamond would be if he could only escape to the Continent. + +But--he wanted funds; wanted them badly. He thereupon conceived the +bold idea of getting a reward for his knowledge. He went to the +police-station with a merely modest motive in his mind--fifty pounds +would carry him to Vienna, where he knew how to dispose of the diamond +at once, with no questions asked. But when he found the owners of the +diamond and the bank-notes present he decided to play for higher +stakes. He got what he asked for--and, if it had not been for that +little Jew, he said malevolently, he would have got out of England that +eventful afternoon. But--it was not so written--and the game was up. +Only--what he had said was true. Now let them do what they could for +him--but let them search for Chen Li's murderer. + + * * * * * + +The folk who had been chiefly concerned about the orange-yellow diamond +and the eighty thousand pounds' worth of Bank of England notes were not +so much troubled about proving the truth of Yada's strange story as +Yada himself was--the main point to them was that they had recovered +their property. Naturally they felt remarkably grateful to Melky +Rubinstein for his astuteness in circumventing Yada at what might have +been the last moment. And one day, at that portion of it when business +was slack and everybody was feeling comfortable after dinner, Melky +called on Mrs. Goldmark and became confidentially closeted with her in +a little parlour behind her establishment which she kept sacred to +herself. Mrs. Goldmark, who had quick eyes, noticed that Melky was +wearing his best clothes, and a new silk hat, and new gloves, and had +put his feet into patent-leather boots which she secretly and +sympathizingly--felt to be at least a size too small for him. He sighed +as he sat near her on the sofa--and Mrs. Goldmark looked at him with +concern. + +"Such a time you have lately, Mr. Rubinstein, don't you?" she said +feelingly. "Such worries--such troubles! And the risk you ran taking +that wicked young man all by yourself--so brave of you! You'd ought to +have one of these medals what they give to folks, so!" + +"You think that?" responded Melky, brightening suspiciously. "Oh, Mrs. +Goldmark, your words is like wine--all my life I been wishing some +beautiful woman would say them things to me! Now I feel like I was two +foot taller, Mrs. Goldmark! But I don't want no medals--not me. Mr. +Levendale and Mr. Purvis, they came to me and say they must give me a +reward--handsome reward, you understand, for getting back their goods. +So I say no--I won't have nothing for myself--nothing. But, I say, just +so--there is one that should be rewarded. Mrs. Goldmark!--do you know +what? I think of you when I say that!" + +Mrs. Goldmark uttered a feeble scream, clasped her hands, and stared at +Melky out of her melting eyes. + +"Me?" she exclaimed. "Why--I ain't done nothing, Mr. Rubinstein!" + +"Listen to me," persisted Melky. "What I says to Mr. Levendale is this +here--if Mrs. Goldmark hadn't had her eating establishment, and if Mr. +Purvis hadn't gone into it to eat a chop and to drop his platinum +solitaire on the table, and if Mrs. Goldmark hadn't taken care of that +platinum solitaire, and if things hadn't sprung from it--eh, what then, +I should like to know? So Mrs. Goldmark is entitled to whatever little +present there is!--that's how I put it, Mrs. Goldmark. And Mr. +Levendale and Mr. Purvis, they agreed with me--and oh, Mrs. Goldmark, +ain't you going to be nice and let me put this round your beautiful +neck?" + +Mrs. Goldmark screamed again as Melky produced a diamond necklace, +lying in a blue velvet bed in a fine morocco case. The glitter of the +diamonds turned both beholders hoarse with emotion. + +"Do you know what, Mrs. Goldmark!" whispered Melky. "It cost a thousand +guineas--and no error! Now you bend your lovely head, and I puts it on +you--oh, ain't you more beautiful than the Queen of Sheba! And ain't +you Melky's queen, Mrs. Goldmark--say you was!" + +"Lor', Mr. Rubinstein!" said Mrs. Goldmark, coyly. "It's as if you was +proposing to me!" + +"Why, ain't I?" exclaimed Melky, gathering courage. "Don't you see I'm +in all my best clothes? Ain't it nothing but weddings, just now? +There's Mr. Lauriston a-going to marry Zillah, and Mr. Purdie's +a-fixing it up with Levendale's governess, and--oh, Mrs. Goldmark, +ain't I worshipped you every time I come to eat my dinner in your +eating house? Ain't you the loveliest woman in all Paddington. Say the +word, Mrs. Goldmark--don't you see I'm like as if I was that hungry I +could eat you?" + +Then Mrs. Goldmark said the word--and presently escaped from Melky's +embrace to look at herself and her necklace in the mirror. + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Orange-Yellow Diamond, by J. S. 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