第72章 CHAPTER XXII(1)

A WEDDING PRESENT

Mrs. Jasher had thought Random exceedingly clever in acting as he had done to trap her. She would have thought him still more clever had she known that he trusted to the power of suggestion to prevent her from trying to escape. Sir Frank had not the slightest intention of setting his soldier-servant to watch, as such was not the duty for which such servants are hired. But having impressed firmly on the adventuress's mind that he would act in this way, he departed, quite certain that the woman would not attempt to run away. Although no one was watching the cottage, Mrs. Jasher, believing what had been told her, would think that sharp eyes were on her doors and windows day and night, and would firmly believe that if she tried to get away she would be captured forthwith by the Pierside police, or perhaps by the village constable. Like an Eastern enchanter, the baronet had placed a spell on the cottage, and it acted admirably. Mrs.

Jasher, although longing to escape and hide herself, remained where she was, cowed by a spy who did not exist.

The next day Random went to the Pyramids as soon as his duties permitted and saw the Professor. To the prospective bridegroom he explained all that had happened, and displayed the anonymous letter, with an account of how he had proved Mrs. Jasher to be the writer. Braddock's hair could not stand on end, as he had none, but he lost his temper completely, and raged up and down the museum in a way which frightened Cockatoo out of his barbaric wits. When more quiet he sat down to discuss the matter, and promptly demanded that Mrs. Jasher should be handed over to the police. But he might have guessed that Sir Frank would refuse to follow this extreme advice.

"She has acted badly, I admit," said the young man. "All the same, I think she is a better woman than you may think, Professor.""Think! think! think!" shouted the fiery little man, getting up once more to trot up and down like an infuriated poodle. "Ithink she is a bad woman, a wicked woman. To deceive me into thinking her rich and - ""But surely, Professor, you wished to marry her also for love?""Nothing of the sort, sir: nothing of the sort. I leave love and such-like trash to those like yourself and Hope, who have nothing else to think about.""But a marriage without love - "

"Pooh! pooh! pooh! Don't argue with me, Random. Love is all moonshine. I did not love my first wife - Lucy's mother - and yet we were very happy. Had I made Mrs. Jasher my second, we should have got on excellently, provided the money was forthcoming for my Egyptian expedition. What am I to do now, Iask you, Random? Even the thousand pounds you pay for the mummy goes back to that infernal Hope because of Lucy's silly ideas. Ihave nothing - absolutely nothing, and that tomb is amongst those Ethiopian hills, I swear, waiting to be opened. Oh, what a chance I have missed! - what a chance! But I shall see Mrs.

Jasher myself. She knows about this murder.""She declares that she does not."

"Don't tell me! don't tell me!" vociferated the Professor. "She would not have written that letter had she known nothing.""That was bluff. I explained all that."

"Bluff be hanged!" cried Braddock, only he used a more vigorous word. "I do not believe that she would have dared to act on such a slight foundation. I shall see her myself this very afternoon and force her to confess. In one way or another I shall find the assassin and make him disgorge those emeralds under the penalty of being hanged. Then I can sell them and finance my Egyptian expedition.""But you forget, Professor, that the emeralds, when found, belong to Don Pedro.""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?"