The Green Mummy [105]
while resting in an arm-chair; but he was suddenly aroused from this by an exclamation from Sir Frank, who had remained wide awake, smoking cigar after cigar. In a moment the artist was on his feet, alert and quick-brained.
"What is it?"
Random made for the dining-room door rapidly.
"I thought I heard Painter call out," he declared, and hastily sought the parlor, followed by Hope.
The room was empty, but the screen before the broken window had been thrown down, and they could see Painter's bulky form immediately outside.
"What the deuce is the matter?" demanded Random, entering. "Did you call out, Painter. I fancied I heard something."
The constable came in again.
"I did call out, sir," he confessed. "I was half asleep in that chair, when I suddenly became wide awake, and believed I saw a face looking at me round the corner of the screen. I jumped up, calling for you, sir, and upset the screen."
"Well? well?" demanded Sir Frank impatiently, and seeing that the man hesitated.
"I saw no one, sir. All the same, I had an idea, and I have still, that a man came through the window and peered at me from behind the screen."
"The man who attacked Mrs. Jasher?"
"I can't say, sir. But there was someone. At any rate he's gone again, if he really did come, and there is no chance of finding him. It's like pea-soup outside."
Hope and Random simultaneously stepped through the window, but could not see an inch before them, so thick was the sea-fog and so dense was the darkness. Returning, they replaced the screen, and, telling Painter to be more on the alert, went back shivering to the fire in the dining-room. When they were seated again, Archie put a question.
"Do you think that policeman was dreaming?" he asked meditatively.
"No," replied Random sharply. "I believe that the man who assaulted Mrs. Jasher is hanging about, and ventured back into the room, relying on the fog as a means of escape, should he be spotted."
"But the man wouldn't be such a fool as to return into danger."
"Not unless he wanted something very badly," said Random significantly.
Hope let the cigarette he was lighting fall.
"What do you mean?"
"I may be wrong, of course. But it is my impression that there is something in the parlor which this man wants, and for which he tried to murder Mrs. Jasher. We interrupted him, and he was forced to flee. Hidden in the fog, he is lurking about to see if he can't obtain what he has risked his neck to secure."
"What can it be?" murmured Archie, struck by the feasibility of this theory.
"Perhaps the second emerald," remarked Sir Frank grimly.
"What! You don't think that - "
"I don't think anything. I am too tired to think at all. However, Painter will keep his eyes open, and in the morning we can search the room. The man has been in the house twice to get what he wanted. He won't risk another attempt, now that he is aware we are on the alert. I'm going to try and get forty winks. You keep watch, as you have had your sleep."
Hope was quite agreeable, but just as Random composed himself to uneasy slumber, Jane, haggard and red-eyed, came hastily into the dining-room.
"If you please, gentlemen, the doctor wants you to come and see mistress. She is sensible, and - "
The two waited to hear no more, but went hastily but softly into the room wherein lay the dying woman. Robinson sat by the bedside, holding his patient's hand and feeling her pulse. He placed his finger on his lips as the men entered gently, and at the same moment Mrs. Jasher's voice, weak from exhaustion, sounded through the room, which was dimly illuminated by one candle. The newcomers halted in obedience to Robinson's signal.
"Who is there?" asked Mrs. Jasher weakly, for, in spite of the care exercised, she had evidently heard the footsteps.
"Mr. Hope and Sir Frank Random," whispered the doctor, speaking into the dying woman's ear. "They came in time to save you."
"In time to see me die," she murmured; "and I can't die, unless I tell the truth. I am glad Random
"What is it?"
Random made for the dining-room door rapidly.
"I thought I heard Painter call out," he declared, and hastily sought the parlor, followed by Hope.
The room was empty, but the screen before the broken window had been thrown down, and they could see Painter's bulky form immediately outside.
"What the deuce is the matter?" demanded Random, entering. "Did you call out, Painter. I fancied I heard something."
The constable came in again.
"I did call out, sir," he confessed. "I was half asleep in that chair, when I suddenly became wide awake, and believed I saw a face looking at me round the corner of the screen. I jumped up, calling for you, sir, and upset the screen."
"Well? well?" demanded Sir Frank impatiently, and seeing that the man hesitated.
"I saw no one, sir. All the same, I had an idea, and I have still, that a man came through the window and peered at me from behind the screen."
"The man who attacked Mrs. Jasher?"
"I can't say, sir. But there was someone. At any rate he's gone again, if he really did come, and there is no chance of finding him. It's like pea-soup outside."
Hope and Random simultaneously stepped through the window, but could not see an inch before them, so thick was the sea-fog and so dense was the darkness. Returning, they replaced the screen, and, telling Painter to be more on the alert, went back shivering to the fire in the dining-room. When they were seated again, Archie put a question.
"Do you think that policeman was dreaming?" he asked meditatively.
"No," replied Random sharply. "I believe that the man who assaulted Mrs. Jasher is hanging about, and ventured back into the room, relying on the fog as a means of escape, should he be spotted."
"But the man wouldn't be such a fool as to return into danger."
"Not unless he wanted something very badly," said Random significantly.
Hope let the cigarette he was lighting fall.
"What do you mean?"
"I may be wrong, of course. But it is my impression that there is something in the parlor which this man wants, and for which he tried to murder Mrs. Jasher. We interrupted him, and he was forced to flee. Hidden in the fog, he is lurking about to see if he can't obtain what he has risked his neck to secure."
"What can it be?" murmured Archie, struck by the feasibility of this theory.
"Perhaps the second emerald," remarked Sir Frank grimly.
"What! You don't think that - "
"I don't think anything. I am too tired to think at all. However, Painter will keep his eyes open, and in the morning we can search the room. The man has been in the house twice to get what he wanted. He won't risk another attempt, now that he is aware we are on the alert. I'm going to try and get forty winks. You keep watch, as you have had your sleep."
Hope was quite agreeable, but just as Random composed himself to uneasy slumber, Jane, haggard and red-eyed, came hastily into the dining-room.
"If you please, gentlemen, the doctor wants you to come and see mistress. She is sensible, and - "
The two waited to hear no more, but went hastily but softly into the room wherein lay the dying woman. Robinson sat by the bedside, holding his patient's hand and feeling her pulse. He placed his finger on his lips as the men entered gently, and at the same moment Mrs. Jasher's voice, weak from exhaustion, sounded through the room, which was dimly illuminated by one candle. The newcomers halted in obedience to Robinson's signal.
"Who is there?" asked Mrs. Jasher weakly, for, in spite of the care exercised, she had evidently heard the footsteps.
"Mr. Hope and Sir Frank Random," whispered the doctor, speaking into the dying woman's ear. "They came in time to save you."
"In time to see me die," she murmured; "and I can't die, unless I tell the truth. I am glad Random