The Green Mummy

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"The Sailor's Rest? When did he go there?"

"In the evening. After his talk with Bolton, and after a row--
as they both seemed to have their hair off--he skipped over the
side and went back to his yacht, which wasn't far away. Bolton
took his blamed mummy ashore and got fixed at the Sailor's Rest.
I gathered afterwards, from the second mate of The Diver (which
ain't my ship now), that his lorship came into the hotel and had
a drink. Afterwards my second mate saw him talking to Bolton
through the window."

"In the same place as the woman talked?" questioned the
Professor.

"That's so, only it was later in the evening that the woman came
along to give chin-music through the window. I am bound to say,"
added the captain generously, "that no one I can place my hand
on saw his lorship loafing about the hotel after dark. But what
of that? He may have laid his plans, and arranged for the corpse
to be found later, in that blamed packing case."

"Is this all your evidence?"

"It's enough, I guess."

"Not to procure a warrant."

"Why, a man in the States would be electrocuted on half the
evidence."

"I daresay," retorted the little man with contempt, "but we are
in a land where justice of the purest prevails. All your
evidence is circumstantial. It proves nothing."

The captain was considerably nettled.

"I calculate that it proves Sir Frank wanted the mummy, else why
did he come on board my ship to see your infernal assistant. The
words he used showed that he was warning Bolton how he'd do for
him. And then he talked through the window, and was in the
public-house, which ain't a place for an almighty aristocrat to
shelter in. I guess he's the man wanted by the police. Why,"
added Hervey, warming to his tale, "he'd a slap-up yacht laying
near the blamed hotel, and could easily ship the corpse, after
slipping it through the window. When he got tired of it, and
looted the emeralds, he took it by boat, below the Fort, to Mrs.
Jasher's garden and left it there, so as to pull the wool over
the eyes of the police. It's as clear as mud to me. You search
his lorship's shanty, and you'll find the emeralds."

"It is strange," muttered Braddock unwillingly.

"Strange, but not true," said a voice from the head of the
stairs, and young Hope came down leisurely, with a pale face, but
a very determined air. "Random is absolutely innocent."

"How do you know?" demanded the skipper contemptuously.

"Because he is an English gentleman and my very good friend."

"Huh! I guess that defense won't save him from being lynched."

Meanwhile Braddock was looking irritably at Archie.

"You've been listening to a private conversation, sir. How dare
you listen?"

"If you hold private conversations at the top of your voices in
the hall, you must be expected to be listened to," said Archie
coolly. "I plead guilty, and I am not sorry."

"When did you come?"

"In time to hear all that Captain Hervey has explained. I was
chatting with Lucy, and had just left her, when I heard your loud
voices."

"Has Lucy heard anything?"

"No. She is busy in her room. But I'll tell her," Hope turned
to mount the stairs; "she likes Random, and will no more believe
him guilty than I do at this present moment."

"Stop!" cried Braddock, flying forward to pull Hope back, as he
placed his foot on the first stair. "Tell Lucy nothing just now.
We must go to the Fort, you--and I, to see Random. Hervey, you
come also, and then you can accuse Sir Frank to his face."

"If he dares to do it!" said Archie, who looked and felt
indignant.

"Oh, I'll accuse him right enough when the time comes," said
Hervey in his coolest manner, "but the time isn't now. Savy! I
am going to see the Don first and make sure of this reward."

"Faugh!" cried Hope with disgust, "Blood-money!"

"What of that? Ifs a man is a murderer he should be lynched."

"My friend, Sir Frank Random, is no murderer."

"He's got to prove, that, as I said before," rejoined the Yankee
in a calm way, and strolled to the door. "So-long, gents both.
I'll light out for the Warrior Inn and play my cards. And I may
tell you," he added, pausing at the door, which he opened, "that
I haven't got that blamed wind-jammer, so need money to hold out
until another steamer comes along. One hundred pounds English
currency will just fill the bill. So now you know the lay I'm
on. So-long," and he walked quietly out of the house, leaving
Archie and Braddock looking at one another with pale faces. The
assurance of Hervey surprised and horrified them. Still, they
could not believe that Sir Frank Random had been guilty of so
brutal a crime.

"For one thing," said Hope after a pause, "Random did not know
where the emeralds were to be found, or even that they existed."

"I understood that he did know," said Braddock reluctantly. "In
my hearing, and in your own, you heard Don Pedro state that he
had related the story of the manuscript to Random."

"You forget that I learned about the emeralds at the same time,"
said Hope quietly. "Yet this Yankee skipper does not accuse me.
The knowledge of the emeralds came to Random's ears and to mine
long after the crime was committed. To have a motive for killing
Bolton and stealing the emeralds, Random would have had to know
when he arrived in England."

"And why should he have not known?" asked the Professor, biting
his lip vexedly. "I don't want to accuse Random, or even to
doubt him, as he is a very good fellow, even though he refused to
assist me with money when I desired a reward to be offered. All
the same, he met Don Pedro in Genoa, and it is just possible that
the man told him of the jewels buried with the mummy."

Archie shook his head.

"I doubt that," said he thoughtfully. "Random was as astonished
as the rest of us, when Don Pedro told his Arabian Night story.
However, the point can be easily settled by sending for Random.
I daresay he is at the Fort."

"I shall send Cockatoo for him at once," said the Professor
quickly, and walked into the museum to instruct the Kanaka.
Archie remained where he was, and seated himself on a chair, with
folded arms and knitted brows. It was incredible that an English
gentleman with a stainless name and such a well-known soldier
should commit so terrible a crime. And the matter of Hervey's
accusation was complicated by the fact--of which Hervey was
ignorant--that Don Pedro was willing that Random should become
his son-in-law. Hope wondered what the fiery, proud Peruvian
would say when he heard his friend denounced. His reflections on
this point were cut short by the return of the Professor, who
appeared at the door of the museum dismissing Cockatoo. When the
Kanaka took his departure, Braddock beckoned to the young man.

"There is no reason why we should talk in the hall, and let the
whole house know of this new difficulty," he said in a testy
manner. "Come in here."

Hope entered and looked with ill-concealed repugnance at the
uncanny shape of the green mummy, which was lying on a long
table. He examined the portions where the swathings had been cut
with some sharp instrument, to reveal the dry, bony hands, which
formerly had held the costly jewels. The face was invisible and
covered with a mask of dull beaten gold. Formerly the eyes had
been jeweled, but these last were now absent. He pointed out the
mask to the Professor, who was hovering over the weird dead with
a large magnifying-glass.

"It is strange," said Hope earnestly, "that the mask of gold was
not stolen also, since it is so valuable."

"Unless melted down, the mask could be traced," said Braddock
after a pause. "The jewels, according to Don Pedro, are of
immense value, and so could have been got rid of easily. Random
was satisfied with those."

"Don't talk of him in that way, as though his guilt was certain,"
said Hope, wincing.

"Well, you must admit that the evidence against him is strong."

"But purely circumstantial."

"Circumstantial evidence has hanged many an innocent man before
now. Humph!" said Braddock uneasily, "I hope it won't hang our
friend. However, we shall hear what he has to say. I have sent
Cockatoo to the Fort to bring him here at once. If Random is
absent, Cockatoo is to leave a note in his room, on the
writing-table."

"Would it not have been better to have told Cockatoo to give the
note to Random's servant?"

"I think not," responded Braddock dryly. "Random's servant is
certainly one of the most stupid men in the entire army. He
would probably forget to give him the note, and as it is
important that we should see Random at once, it is better that he
should find it placed personally on his writing-table by
Cockatoo, upon whom I can depend."

Archie abandoned the argument, as it really mattered very little.
He took up another line of conversation.

"I expect if the criminal tries to dispose of the emeralds he
will be caught," said he: "such large jewels are too noticeable
to escape comment."

"Humph! It depends upon the cleverness of the thief," said the
Professor, who was more taken up with the mummy than with the
conversation, "He might have the jewels cut into smaller stones,
or he might go to India and dispose of them to some Rajah, who
would certainly say nothing. I don't know how criminals act
myself, as I have never studied their methods. But I hope that
the clue you mention will be hit upon, if only for Random's
sake."

"I don't believe for one moment that Random is in danger," said
Archie, "and, if he is, I shall turn detective myself."

"I wish you joy," replied Braddock, bending over the mummy.
"Look, Hope, at the wonderful color of this wool. There are some
arts we have lost completely--dyeing of this surprising beauty
is one. Humph!" mused the archaeologist, "I wonder why this
particular mummy is dyed green, or rather why it is wrapped in
green bandages. Yellow was the royal color of the ancient
Peruvian monarchs. Vicuna wool dyed yellow. What do you think,
Hope? It is strange."

Archie shrugged his shoulders.

"I can say nothing, because I know nothing," he said sharply.
"All I do know is that I wish this precious mummy had never been
brought here. It has caused trouble ever since its arrival."

"Well," said Braddock, surveying the dead with some disfavor, "I
must say that I shall be glad to see the last of it myself. I
know now all that I wanted to know! Humph! I wonder if Don
Pedro will allow me to strip the mummy? Of course! It is mine
not his. I shall unswathe it entirely," and Braddock was about
to lay sacrilegious hands on the dead, when Cockatoo entered
breathlessly. He had been so quick that he must have run to the
Fort and back again.

"I knock at door," said the Kanaka, delivering his message, "and
I hear no voice. I go in and find no one, so I put the letter on
the table. I come down and ask, and a soldier tells me, sir, his
master is coming back in half an hour."

"You should have waited," said Braddock, waving Cockatoo aside.
"Come along with me to the Fort, Hope."

"But Random will come here as soon as he returns."

"Very likely, but I can't wait. I am anxious to hear what he has
to say in his defense. Come, Cockatoo, my coat, my hat, my
gloves. Stir yourself, you scoundrel!"

Archie was not unwilling to go, since he was anxious also to hear
what Random would say to the absurd accusation brought against
him by the Yankee. In a few minutes the two men were walking
smartly down the road through the village, the Professor striving
to keep up with Hope's longer legs by trotting as hard as he
could. Halfway down the village they met a trap, and in it
Captain Hervey being driven to the Jessum railway station.

"Have you seen Don Pedro?" asked the Professor, stopping the
vehicle.

"I reckon not," answered Hervey stolidly. "He's gone into
Pierside to see the police. I'm off there also."

"You had better come with us," said Archie sternly;--"we are
going to see Sir Frank Random."

"Give him my respects," said the skipper cold-bloodedly, "and
say that he's worth one hundred pounds to me," he waved his hand
and the trap moved away, but he looked back with a wry smile.
"Say I'll square the matter for double the money and command of
his yacht."

Braddock and Archie looked after the trap in disgust.

"What a scoundrel the man is!" said the Professor pettishly;
"he'd sell his father for what he could get."

"It shows how much his word is to be depended upon. I expect
this accusation of Random is a put-up job."

"I hope so, for Random's sake," said Braddock, trotting briskly
along.

In a short time they arrived at the Fort and were informed that
Sir Frank had not yet returned, but was expected back every
moment. In the meanwhile, as Braddock and Hope were both
extremely well known, they were shown into Random's quarters,
which were on the first floor. When the soldier-servant retired
and the door was closed, Hope seated himself near the window,
while Braddock trotted round, looking into things.

"It's a dog kennel," said the Professor. "I told Random that."

"Perhaps we should have waited him in the mess," suggested
Archie.

"No! no! no! We couldn't talk there, with a lot of silly young
fools hanging about. I told Random that I would never enter the
mess, so he invited me to come always to his quarters. He was in
love with Lucy then," chuckled the Professor, "and nothing was
too good for me."

"Not even the dog kennel," said Hope dryly, for the Professor's
chatter was so rude as to be quite annoying.

"Pooh! pooh! pooh! Random doesn't mind a joke. You, Hope, have
no sense of humor. Your name is Scotch also. I believe you are
a Caledonian."

"I am nothing of the sort. I was born on this side of the
border."

"You might have been born at the North Pole for all I care," said
the little man politely. "I don't like artists: they are usually
silly. I wish Lucy had married a man of science. Now don't talk
rubbish. I know what you are going to say."

"Well," said Archie, humoring him, "what am I going to say?"

This non-plussed the irritable savant.

"Hum! Hum! hum! I don't know and don't care. Pouf! How hot
this room is! What a number of books of travel Random has!"
Braddock was now at the bookcase, which consisted of shelves
swung by cords against the wall.

"Random travels a great deal," Archie reminded him.

"Quite so: quite so. Wastes his money on that silly yacht. But
he hasn't traveled in South America. I expect he's going there.
Come here, Hope, and see the many, many books about Peru and
Chili and Brazil. There must be a dozen, and all library books
too."

Archie sauntered towards the shelves.

"I expect Random is getting up the subject of South America, so
as to talk to Donna Inez."

"Probably! probably!" snapped Braddock, pulling several of the
books out of place. "Why, there isn't a-- Ah, dear me! What a
catastrophe!"

He might well say so, for in his desire to examine the books,
they all tipped off the shelves and lay in a disorderly heap on
the floor. Hope began to pick them up and replace them, and so
did the author of the mischief. Among the books were several
papers scribbled with notes, and Braddock bundled these all in a
heap.. Shortly, he caught sight of the writing on one.

"Hullo! Latin," said he, and read a line or two. "Oh!" he
gasped, "Hope! Hope! The manuscript of Don Pedro!"

"Impossible!"

Archie rose and stared at the discolored paper.

"Sorry to have kept you," said Random, entering at this moment.

"You villain!" shouted Braddock furiously, "so you are guilty
after all?"

CHAPTER XVII

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

Random was so taken aback by the fierce accusation of the
Professor that he stood suddenly still at the door, and did not
advance into the room. Yet he did not look so much afraid as
puzzled. Whatever Braddock might have thought, Hope, from the
expression on the young soldier's face, was more than ever
satisfied of his innocence.

"What are you talking about, Professor?" asked Random, genuinely
surprised.

"You know well enough," retorted the Professor.

"Upon my word I don't," said the other, walking into the room and
unbuckling his sword. "I find you here, with the contents of my
bookcase on the floor, and you promptly accuse me of being
guilty. Of what, I should like to know? Perhaps you can tell me
Hope."

"There is no need for Hope to tell you, sir. You are perfectly
well aware of your own villainy."

Random frowned.

"I allow a certain amount of latitude to my guests, Professor,"
he said with marked dignity, "but for a man of your age and
position you go too far. Be more explicit."

"Allow me to speak," intervened Archie, anticipating Braddock.
"Random, the Professor has just had a visit from Captain Hiram
Hervey, who was the skipper of The Diver. He accuses you of
having murdered Bolton!"

"What?" the baronet started back, looking thunderstruck.

"Wait a moment. I have not finished yet. Hervey accuses you of
this murder, of stealing the mummy, of gaining possession of the
emeralds, and of placing the rifled corpse in Mrs. Jasher's
garden, so that she might be accused of committing the crime."

"Exactly," cried Braddock, seeing that his host remained silent
from sheer surprise. "Hope has stated the case very clearly.
Now, sir, your defense?"

"Defense! defense!" Random found his tongue at last and spoke
indignantly. "I have no defense to make."

"Ah! Then you acknowledge your guilt?"

"I acknowledge nothing. The accusation is too preposterous for
any denial to be necessary. Do you believe this of me?" He
looked from one to the other.

"I don't," said Archie quickly, "there is some mistake."

"Thank you, Hope. And you, Professor?"

Braddock fidgeted about the room.

"I don't know what to think," he said at length. "Hervey spoke
very decisively."

"Oh, indeed," returned Random dryly, and, walking to the door, he
locked it. "In that case, I must ask you for an explanation, and
neither of you shall leave this room until one is given. Your
proofs?"

"Here is one of them," snapped Braddock, throwing the manuscript
on the table. "Where did you get this?"

Random took up the discolored paper with a bewildered air.

"I never set eyes on this before," he said, much puzzled. "What
is it?"

"A copy of the manuscript mentioned by Don Pedro, which describes
the two emeralds buried with the mummy of Inca Caxas."

"I see." Random understood all in a moment. "So you say that I
knew of the emeralds from this, and so murdered Bolton to obtain
them."

"Pardon me," said Braddock with elaborate politeness. "Hervey
says that you murdered my poor assistant, and although my
discovery of this manuscript proves that you must have known
about the jewels, I say nothing. I wait to hear your defense."

"That's very good of you," remarked Sir Frank ironically. "So it
seems that I am in the dock. Perhaps the counsel for the
prosecution will state the evidence against me," and he looked
again from one to the other.

Archie shook the baronet by the hand very warmly.

"My dear fellow," he declared decidedly, "I don't believe one
word of the evidence."

"In that case there must be a flaw in it," retorted Random, but
did not seem to be unmoved by Hope's generous action. "Sit down,
Professor; it appears that you are against me."

"Until I hear your defense," said the old man obstinately.

"I cannot make any until I hear your evidence. Go on. I am
waiting," and Sir Frank flung himself into a chair, where he sat
calmly, his eyes steadily fixed on the Professor's face.

"Where did you get that manuscript?" asked Braddock sharply.

"I got it nowhere: this is the first time I have seen it."

"Yet it was hidden amongst your books."

"Then I can't say how it got there. Were you looking for it?"

"No! Certainly not. To pass the time while waiting, I examined
your library, and in pulling out a book, your case, being a swing
one, over-balanced and shot its contents on to the floor.
Amongst the papers which fell with the books, I caught a glimpse
of the manuscript, and, noting that it was written in Latin, I
picked it up, surprised to think that a frivolous young man, such
as you are, should study a dead language. A few words showed me
that the manuscript was a copy of the one referred to by Don
Pedro."

"One moment," said Archie, who had been thinking. "Perhaps this
is the original manuscript, which De Gayangos has given to you,
Random."

"It is good of you to afford me a loophole of escape," said Sir
Frank, leaning back with folded arms, "but De Gayangos gave me
nothing. I saw the manuscript in his hands, when he showed it to
us all at Mrs. Jasher's. But whether this is the original or a
copy I can't say. Don Pedro certainly did not give it to me."

"Has Don Pedro been in your quarters?" asked Hope thoughtfully.

"No. He has only visited me in the mess. And even if Don Pedro
did come in here--for I guess what is in your mind--I really do
not see why he should slip a manuscript which he values highly
amongst my books."

"Then you really never saw this before?" said Braddock,
indicating the paper on the table, and impressed by Random's
earnestness.

"How often do you want me to deny it?" retorted the young man
impatiently. "Perhaps you will state on what grounds I am
accused?"

Braddock nodded and cleared his throat.

"Captain Hervey declared that your yacht arrived at Pierside
almost at the same time as his steamer."

"Quite right. When Don Pedro received a wire from Malta stating
that the mummy had been sold to you, and that it was being
shipped to London on The Diver, I got up steam at once, and
chased the tramp to that port. As the tramp was slow, and my
boat was fast, I arrived on the same day and almost at the same
hour, even though Hervey's boat had the start of mine."

"Why were you anxious to follow The Diver?" asked Hope.

"Don Pedro wished to get back the mummy, and asked me to follow.
As I was in love with Donna Inez, and still am, I was only too
willing to oblige him."

Braddock nodded again.

"Hervey says that you went on board The Diver, and had an
interview with Bolton."

"That is perfectly true, and my visit was paid for the same
reason as I followed the steamer to London--that is, I acted on
behalf of Don Pedro. I wished to ascertain for certain that the
mummy was on board, and having done so from Bolton, I urged him
to induce you to give back the same, free of charge, to De
Gayangos, from whom it had been stolen. He refused, as he
declared that he intended to deliver it to you."

"I knew I could always trust Bolton," said the Professor
enthusiastically. "It would have been better for you to have
come to me, Random."

"I daresay; but I wished, as I told you, to make certain that the
mummy was on board. That was the real reason for my visit; but,
being in Bolton's company, I naturally told him that Don Pedro
claimed the mummy as his property, and warned him that if you or
he kept the same, that there would be trouble."

"Did you use threats?" asked Hope, remembering what he had
overheard.

"No; certainly not."

"Yes, you did," cried Braddock quickly. "Hervey declares that
you told Bolton that he would repent of keeping the mummy, and
that his life would not be safe while he held it."

To the surprise of both visitors, Random admitted using these
serious threats without a moment's hesitation.

"Don Pedro told me that many Indians, both in Lima and Cuzco, who
look upon him as the lawful descendant of the last Inca, are
anxiously expecting the return of the royal mummy. He also
stated that when the Indians knew who held the mummy they would
send one of themselves to get it back, if he--Don Pedro, that is
--did not fetch it. To get back the mummy Don Pedro declared
that these Indians would not stop short of murder. Hence my
warning to Bolton."

"Oh!" Archie jumped up with widely opened eyes. "Then perhaps
this solves the problem. Bolton was murdered by some Peruvian
Indian."

Random shook his head gravely.

"Again you offer me a loophole of escape, my dear fellow," he
said sententiously, "but that theory will not hold water. At
present the Indians in Lima and Cuzco do not know that the mummy
has been found. Don Pedro only chanced upon the paper which
announced the sale by accident and had no time to communicate
with his barbaric friends in South America. Failing to get the
mummy from you, Professor, he would have returned to Peru and
then would have told who possessed the corpse of Inca Caxas,
leaving the Indians to deal with the matter. In that case my
warning to Bolton would be necessary. But at the time I told
him, it was not necessary. However, Bolton remained true to you,
Professor, and declined to surrender the mummy. I therefore
wired to Don Pedro at Genoa that the mummy was on board The
Diver and was being sent to Gartley. I also advised him to come
to me here in order to be introduced to you. The rest you know."

There was a moment's silence. Then Archie, to test if Random was
willing to admit everything--as an innocent man certainly
would--asked significantly

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