“They don’t,” rasped the little man, turning purple with rage. “I refuse to let him have them.
I bought the mummy, and the contents of the mummy, including those emeralds.
They are mine.”
“No,” said Random sharply.
“I buy the mummy, from you, so they pass into my possession and belong to De Gayangos.
I shall give them to him.”
“You’ll have to find them first,” said Braddock savagely; “and as to the mummy, you shan’t have it.
I decline to sell it. So there!”
“If you don’t,” said Random very distinctly, “Don Pedro will bring an action against you, and Captain Hervey will be called as a witness to prove that the mummy was stolen.”
“Don Pedro hasn’t the money,” said Braddock triumphantly; “he can’t pay lawyer’s fees.”
“But I can,” rejoined the young man very dryly. “As I am going to marry Donna Inez, it is only just that I should help my future father-in-law in every way.
He has a romantic feeling about this relic of poor humanity and wishes to take it back to Peru. He shall do so.”
“And what about me?—what about me?”
“Well,” said Random, speaking slowly with the intention of still further irritating the little man, whose selfishness annoyed him, “if I were you I should marry Mrs. Jasher and settle down quietly in this house to live on what income you have.”
Braddock turned purple again and spluttered.
“How dare you make a proposition like that to me, sir?” he bellowed. “You ask me to marry this low woman, this adventuress, this—this—this—” Words failed him.
Of course Random had no intention of advising such a marriage, although he did not think so badly of Mrs. Jasher as did the Professor.
But the little man was so venomous that the young man took a delight in stirring him up, using the widow’s name as a red rag to this particular bull.
“I do not think Mrs. Jasher is a bad woman,” he remarked.
“What! what! what!
After what she has done?
Blackmail! blackmail! blackmail!”
“That is bad, I admit, but she has failed to get what she wanted, and, after all, you indirectly are the cause of her writing that blackmailing letter.”
“I am?—I am?
How dare you?”
“You see, she wanted to get five thousand out of me as her dowry.”
“Yes, and told me lies about her damned brother who was a Pekin merchant, when after all he never existed.”
“Oh, I don’t defend that,” said Random coolly. “Mrs. Jasher has behaved badly on the whole.
Still, Professor, I think there is good in her, as I said before.
She evidently had bad parents and a bad husband; but, so far as I can gather, she is not an immoral woman.
The poor wretch only came here to try and drag herself out of the mire.
If she had married you I feel sure that she would have made you a most excellent wife.”
The Professor was in such a rage that he suddenly became calm.
“Of course you talk absolute rubbish,” he said caustically. “Had I my way this woman would be whipped at a cart’s tail for the shameful way in which she has deceived us all.
However, I shall see her to-day and make her confess who murdered Bolton.”
“Don Pedro will be greatly obliged if you do.
He wants those emeralds.”
“So do I, and if I get them I shall keep them,” snapped Braddock; “and if you haven’t anything more to say you can leave me.
I’m busy.”
As there was nothing more to be done with the choleric little man, Sir Frank took the hint and departed.
He went forthwith to the Warrior Inn to see Don Pedro and also Donna Inez.
But it so happened that the girl had gone to the Pyramids on a visit to Miss Kendal, and Random was sorry that he had missed her.
However, it was just as well, as he could now talk freely to De Gayangos.
To him he related the whole story of Mrs. Jasher, and discovered that the Peruvian also, as Braddock had done, insisted that Mrs. Jasher knew the truth.
“She would not have written that letter if she did not know it,” said Don Pedro.
“Then you think that she should be arrested?”
“No.
We can deal with this matter ourselves.
At present she is quite safe, as she certainly will not leave her cottage, seeing that she thinks it is being watched.
Let us permit Braddock to interview her, and see what he can learn.