The Green Mummy

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"Why didn't they take it up to the house?" asked Random, on
hearing this.

"That would have been dangerous," said Hope, looking up from the
manuscript, "seeing that the mummy was supposed to have been
stolen by the murderer. It was easier to hide it amongst the
grasses under the jetty, as no one ever goes there. Well"--he
turned over a few pages--"that is practically all. The rest is
after events."

"I want to hear them," said Random, taking another cup of coffee.

Hope ran his eyes swiftly over the remaining portion of the
paper, and gave further details rapidly to his friend.

"You know all that happened," he said, "the Professor's
pretended surprise when he found the corpse he had himself helped
to pack and--"

"Yes! yes! But why was the mummy placed in Mrs. Jasher's
garden?"

"That was Braddock's idea. He fancied that the mummy might be
found under the jetty and that inconvenient inquiries might be
made. Also, he wished if possible to implicate Mrs. Jasher, so
as to keep her from telling to the police what he had told her.
He and Cockatoo went down to the river one night and removed the
mummy to the arbor silently. Afterwards he pretended to be
astonished when I found it. I must say he acted his part very
well," said Hope reflectively, "even to accusing Mrs. Jasher.
That was a bold stroke of genius."

"A very dangerous one."

"Not at all. He swore to Mrs. Jasher that if she said anything,
he would tell the police that she had taken the clothes provided
by Sidney from the Pyramids and had gone to speak through the
window, in order to fly with Sidney and the emeralds. As the
fact of the mummy being found in Mrs. Jasher's garden would lend
color to the lie, she was obliged to hold her tongue. And after
all, as she says, she didn't mind, since she was engaged to the
Professor, and possessed at least one of the emeralds."

"Ah! the one she passed along to me. How did she get that?"

Hope referred again to the manuscript.

"She insisted that Braddock should give it to her as a pledge of
good faith. He had to do it, or risk her splitting. That was
why he placed the mummy in her garden, so as to bring her into
the matter, and render it more difficult for her to speak."

"What of the other emerald?"

"Braddock took that to Amsterdam, when he went to London that
time--if you remember, when Don Pedro arrived. Braddock sold
the emerald for three thousand pounds, and it is now on its way
to an Indian rajah. I fear Don Pedro will never set eyes on that
again."

"Where is the money?"

"He banked it in a feigned name in Amsterdam, and intended to
account for it when he married Mrs. Jasher by saying it was left
to her by that mythical Pekin merchant brother of hers. Savvy!"

"Yes. What an infernal little villain! And I expect he sent
Cockatoo down last night for the other emerald."

"That is not related in the manuscript," said Archie, laying down
the last sheet and taking up his coffee. "The confession ends
abruptly--at the time Cockatoo tapped at the window, I expect.
But she said, when dying, that the Kanaka asked for the second
emerald. If she had not sent it to you in a fit of weakness, I
expect she would have passed it along. I can't make out," added
Archie musingly, "why Mrs. Jasher confessed when everything was
so safe."

"Well," said Random, nursing his chin, and staring into the fire,
"she made a mistake in trying to blackmail me, though why she did
so I can't tell, seeing she had the whiphand of Braddock.
Perhaps she wanted the five thousand to spend herself, knowing
that the Professor's plunder would be wasted on his confounded
expedition. At any rate she gave herself away by the blackmail,
and I expect she grew frightened. If the house had been searched
--and it might have been searched by the police, had I arrested
her for blackmail the emerald would have been found and she would
have been incriminated. She therefore got rid of it cleverly, by
passing it along to me as a wedding gift. Then she again grew
afraid and wrote out this confession to exonerate herself."

"But it doesn't," insisted Hope. "She makes herself out plainly
as an accessory after the fact."

"A woman doesn't understand these legal niceties. She wrote that
out to clear herself in case she was arrested for the blackmail,
and perhaps in case Braddock refused to help her--as he
certainly did, if you remember."

"He was hard on her," confessed Archie slowly.

"Being such a villain himself," said Random grimly. "However,
Cockatoo arrived unluckily on the scene, and when he found she
had parted with the emerald, and had written out the truth, he
stabbed her. If we hadn't come just in the nick of time, he
would have annexed that confession, and the truth would never
have become known. No one," ended Random, rising and stretching
himself, "would connect Braddock or Cockatoo with the death of
Mrs. Jasher."

"Or with the death of Sidney Bolton either," said Hope, also
rising and putting on his cap. "What an actor the man is!"

"Where are you going?" demanded Sir Frank, yawning.

"To the Pyramids. I want to see how Lucy is."

"Will you tell her about that confession?"

"Not until later. I shall give this to Inspector Date when he
arrives. The Professor has made his bed, so he must lie on it.
When I marry Lucy, I'll take her away from this damned place."

"Marry her at once, then," advised Random, "while the Professor
is doing time, and while Cockatoo is being hanged. Meanwhile, I
think you had better put on your overcoat, unless you want to
walk through the village in crumpled evening dress, like a
dissipated undergraduate."

Archie laughed in spite of his weariness, and assumed his
greatcoat at the same moment as Random slipped into his. The two
young men walked out into the village and up to the Pyramids, for
Random wished to see Braddock before returning to the Fort. They
found the door of the great house open and the servants in the
hall.

"What is all this?" demanded Hope, entering. "Why are you here,
and not at work? Where is your master?"

"He's run away," said the cook in a shrill voice. "Lord knows
why, sir."

"Archie! Archie!" Lucy came running out of the museum,
pale-faced and white, "my father has gone away with Cockatoo and
the green mummy. What does it mean? And just when poor Mrs.
Jasher is murdered too."

"Hush, darling! Come in, and I'll explain," said Hope gently.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE APPOINTMENT

Poor Lucy Kendal was terribly grieved and shocked when the full
account of her step-father's iniquity was revealed to her.
Archie tried to break the news as delicately as possible, but no
words could soften the sordid story. Lucy, at first, could not
believe it possible that a man, whom she had known for so long,
and to whom she was related, would behave in such a base way. To
convince her Hope was forced to let her read the account in Mrs.
Jasher's handwriting. When acquainted with the contents, the
poor girl's first desire was to have the matter hushed up, and
she implored her lover with tears to suppress the damning
document.

"That is impossible," said Hope firmly; "and if you think again,
my dear, you will not repeat such a request. It is absolutely
necessary that this should be placed in the hands of the police,
and that the truth should become as widely known as possible.
Unless the matter is settled once and for all, someone else may
be accused of this murder."

"But the disgrace," wept Lucy, hiding her face on her lover's
shoulder.

He slipped his arm round her waist.

"My darling, the disgrace exists whether it be public or private.
After all, the Professor is no relation."

"No. But everyone knows that I am his step-daughter."

"Everyone," echoed Archie, with an assumed lightness. "My dear,
everyone in this instance only means the handful of people who
live in this out-of-the-way village. Your name will not appear
in the papers. And even if by chance it does, you will soon be
changing it for mine. I think the best thing that can be done is
for you to come with me to London next week and marry me. Then
we can go to the south of France for the rest of the winter,
until you recover. When we return and set up house in London--
say in a year--the whole affair will be forgotten."

"But how can you bear to marry me, when you know that I come of
such a bad stock?" wept Lucy, a trifle more comforted.

"My dear, must I remind you again that you are no relation to
Professor Braddock; you have not a drop of his wicked blood in
your veins. And even if you had, I should still marry you. It
is you I love, and you I marry, so there is no more to be said.
Come, darling, say that you will become my wife next week."

"But the Professor?"

Archie smiled grimly. He found it difficult to forgive Braddock
for the disgrace he had brought on the girl.

"I don't think we'll ever be troubled again with the Professor,"
he said, after a pause. "He has bolted into the unknown with
that infernal Kanaka."

"But why did he fly, Archie?"

"Because he knew that the game was up. Mrs. Jasher wrote out
this confession, and told Cockatoo, when he entered the room to
get the emerald, that she had written it. To save his master the
Kanaka stabbed the wretched woman, and, had Random and I not
arrived, he would have secured the confession. I really believe
he came back again out of the mist in the small hours of the
morning to steal it. But when he found that all was vain, he
returned here and told the Professor that the story of the murder
had been written out. Therefore there was nothing left to
Braddock but to fly. Although," added Hope, with an
afterthought, "I can't imagine why those two fugitives should
drag that confounded mummy with them."

"But why should the Professor fly?" asked Lucy again. "According
to what Mrs. Jasher writes, he did not strangle poor Sidney."

"No. And I will do him the justice to say that he had no idea of
having his assistant murdered. It was Cockatoo's savage blood
which came out in the deed, and maybe it can be explained by the
Kanaka's devotion to the Professor. It was the same way in the
murder of Mrs. Jasher. By killing Bolton, the Kanaka hoped to
save the emeralds for Braddock: in stabbing Mrs. Jasher, he hoped
to save the Professor's life."

"Oh, Archie, will they hang my father?"

Hope winced.

"Call him your step-father," he said quickly. "No, dear, I do
not think he will be hanged; but as an accessory after the fact
he will certainly be condemned to a long term of imprisonment.
Cockatoo, however, assuredly will be hanged, and a good job too.
He is only a savage, and as such is dangerous in a civilized
community. I wonder where they have gone? Did anyone hear them
going?"

"No," said Lucy unhesitatingly. "Cook came up this morning to my
room, and said that my father--I mean my step-father--had gone
away with Cockatoo and with the green mummy. I don't know why
she should have said that, as the Professor often went away
unexpectedly."

"Perhaps she heard rumors in the village and put two and two
together. I cannot tell. Some instinct must have told her. But
I daresay Braddock and his accomplice fled under cover of the
mist and in the small hours of the morning. They must have known
that the confession would bring the officers of the law to this
house."

"I hope they will escape," murmured Lucy.

"Well, I am not sure," said Hope hesitatingly. "Of course, I
should like to avoid a scandal for your sake, and yet it is only
right that the two of them should be punished. Remember, Lucy
dear, how Braddock has acted all along in deceiving us. He knew
all, and yet not one of us suspected him."

While Archie was thus comforting the poor girl, Gartley village
was in an uproar. Everyone was talking about this new crime, and
everyone was wondering who had stabbed the unlucky woman. As yet
the confession of Mrs. Jasher had not been placed in the hands of
the police and everyone was ignorant that Cockatoo was the
criminal who had escaped in the fog. Inspector Date speedily
arrived with his myrmidons on the scene and made the cottage his
headquarters. Later in the day, Hope, having taken a cold bath
to freshen himself up, came with the confession. This he gave to
the officer and explained the whole story of the previous night.

Date was more than astonished: he was astounded. He read the
confession and made notes; then he sent for Sir Frank Random, and
examined him in the same strict way as he had examined the
artist. Jane was also questioned. Widow Anne was put in the
witness box, so as to report about the clothes, and in every way
Date gathered material for another inquest. At the former one he
had only been able to place scanty evidence before the jury, and
the verdict had been unsatisfactory to the public. But on this
occasion, seeing that the witnesses he could bring forward would
solve the mystery of the first death as well as the second,
Inspector Date exulted greatly. He saw himself promoted and his
salary raised, and his name praised in the papers as a zealous
and clever officer. By the time the inquest came to be held, the
inspector had talked himself into believing that the whole
mystery had been solved by himself. But before that time came
another event happened which astonished everyone, and which made
the final phase of the green mummy crime even more sensational
than it had been. And Heaven knows that from beginning to end
there had been no lack of melodrama of the most lurid
description.

Don Pedro de Gayangos was exceedingly amazed at the unexpected
turn which the case had taken. That he should have been trying
to solve a deep mystery for so long, and that the solution, all
the time, had been in the hands of the Professor, startled him
exceedingly. He admitted that he had never liked Braddock, but
explained that he had not expected to hear that the fiery little
scientist was such a scoundrel. But, as Don Pedro confessed, it
was an ill wind which blew him some good, when the upshot of the
whole mysterious tragic business was the restoration of at least
one emerald. Sir Frank brought the gem to him on the afternoon
of the day succeeding Mrs. Jasher's death, and while the whole
village was buzzing with excitement. It was Random who gave all
details to Donna Inez and her father, leading from one revelation
to another, until he capped the whole extraordinary story by
producing the splendid gem.

"Mine! mine!" said Don Pedro, his dark eyes glittering. "Thanks
be to the Virgin and the Saints," and he bowed his head to make
the sign of the cross devoutly on his breast.

Donna Inez clapped her hands and her eyes flashed, for, like
every woman, she had a profound love for jewels.

"Oh, how lovely, Frank! It must be worth no end of money."

"Professor Braddock sold the other to some Indian rajah in
Amsterdam--through an agent, I presume for three thousand
pounds."

"I shall get more than that," said Don Pedro quickly. "The
Professor sold his jewel in a hurry and had no time to bargain.
But sooner or later I shall get five thousand pounds for this."
He held the gem in the sunlight, where it glowed like an emerald
sun. "Why, it is worthy of a king's crown."

"I fear you will never get the other gem," said Random
regretfully. "I believe that it is on its way to India, if Mrs.
Jasher can be trusted."

"Never mind. I shall be content with this one, senor. I have
simple tastes, and this will do much to restore the fortunes of
my family. When I go back with this and the green mummy, all
those Indians who know of my descent from the ancient Incas will
be delighted and will pay me fresh reverence."

"But you forget," said Random, frowning, "the green mummy has
been taken away by Professor Braddock."

"They cannot have gone far with it," said Donna Inez, shrugging.

"I don't know so much about that, dearest," said Sir Frank.
"Apparently, since they handled it at the time of the murder, it
is easier carried about than one would think. And then they fled
last night, or rather in the small hours of this morning, under
cover of a dense fog."

"It is clear enough now," said De Gayangos, peering through the
window, where a pale winter sun shone in a clear steel-hued sky.
"They are bound to be caught in the long run."

"Do you wish them to be caught?" asked Random abruptly.

"Not the Professor. For Miss Lucy's sake I hope he will escape;
but I trust that the savage who killed these two unfortunate
people will be brought to the gallows."

"So do I," said Random. "Well, Don Pedro, it seems to me that
your task in Gartley is ended. All you have to do is to wait for
the inquest and see Mrs. Jasher buried, poor soul! Then you can
go to London and remain there until after Christmas."

"But why should I remain in London?" asked the Peruvian,
surprised.

Random glanced at Donna Inez, who blushed.

"You forget that you have given your consent to my marriage with--"

"Ah, yes," Don Pedro smiled gravely. "I return with the jewel to
Lima, but I leave my other jewel behind."

"Never mind," said the girl, kissing her father; "when Frank and
I are married we will come to Callao in his yacht."

"Our yacht," said Random, smiling.

"Our yacht," repeated Donna Inez. "And then you will see,
father, that I have become a real English lady."

"But don't entirely forget that you are a Peruvian," said Don
Pedro playfully.

"And a descendant of Inca Caxas," added Donna Inez. Then she
flirted her fan, which she was rarely without, and laughed in her
English lover's face. "Don't forget, senor, that you marry a
princess."

"I marry the most charming girl in the world," he replied,
catching her in his arms, rather to the scandal of De Gayangos,
who had stiff Spanish notions regarding the etiquette of engaged
couples.

"There is one thing you must do for me, senor," he said quietly,
"before we leave this most unhappy case of murder and theft for
ever."

"What is that?" asked Sir Frank, turning with Inez in his arms.

"To-night at eight o'clock, Captain Hervey--the sailor Gustav
Vasa, if you prefer the name--steams down the river in his new
boat The Firefly. I received a note from him"--he displayed a
letter--"stating that he will pass the jetty of Gartley at that
hour, and will burn a blue light. If I fire a pistol, he will
send off a boat with a full account of the theft of the mummy of
Inca Caxas, written by himself. Then I will hand his messenger
fifty gold sovereigns, which I have here," added Don Pedro,
pointing to a canvas bag on the table, "and we will return. I
wish you to go with me, senor, and also I wish your friend Mr.
Hope to come."

"Do you anticipate treachery from Captain Hervey?" asked Random.

"I should not be surprised if he tried to trick me in some way,
and I wish you and your friend to stand by me. Were this man
alone, I would go alone, but he will have a boat's crew with him.
It is best to be safe."

"I agree with you," said Random quickly. "Hope and I will come,
and we will take revolvers with us. It doesn't do to trust this
blackguard. Ho! ho! I wonder if he knows of the Professor's
flight."

"No. Considering the terms upon which the Professor stood with
Hervey, I should think he would be the last person he would
trust. I wonder what has become of the man."

More people than Don Pedro wondered as to the whereabouts of
Braddock and his servant, for everyone was inquiring and hunting.
The marshes round the cottage were explored: the great house
itself was searched, as well as many cottages in the village, and
inquiries were made at all the local stations. But all in vain.
Braddock and Cockatoo, along with the cumbersome mummy in its
case, had vanished as completely as though the earth had
swallowed them up. Inspector Date's idea was that the pair had
taken the mummy to Gartley Pier, after the search made by the
soldiers, and there had launched the boat, which Cockatoo--
judging from his visit to Pierside--apparently kept hidden in
some nook. It was probable, said Date, the two had rowed down
the river, and had managed to get on board some outward-bound
tramp. They could easily furbish up some story, and as Braddock
doubtless had money, could easily buy a passage for a large sum.
The tramp being outward-bound, her captain and crew would know
nothing of the crime, and even if the fugitives were suspected,
they would be shipped out of England if the bribe was
sufficiently large. So it was apparent that Inspector Date had
not much opinion of tramp-steamer skippers.

However, as the day wore on to night, nothing was heard of
Braddock or Cockatoo or the mummy, and when night came the
village was filled with local reporters and with London
journalists asking questions. The Warrior Inn did a great trade
in drink and beds and meals, and the rustics reaped quite a
harvest in answering questions about Mrs. Jasher and the
Professor and the weird-looking Kanaka. Some reporters dared to
invade the Pyramids, where Lucy was weeping in sorrow and shame,
but Archie, reinforced by two policemen, sent to his aid by Date,
soon sent them to the right about. Hope would have liked to
remain with Lucy all the evening, but at half-past seven he was
forced to meet Don Pedro and Random outside the Fort in order to
go to Gartley Jetty.

CHAPTER XXVII

BY THE RIVER

As the hunt for the fugitives had continued all day, everyone,
police, villagers and soldiers, were weary and disheartened.
Consequently, when the three men met near the Fort, there seemed
to be few people about. This was just as well, as they would
have been followed to the jetty, and obviously it was best to
keep the strange meeting with Captain Hervey as secret as
possible. However, Don Pedro had taken Inspector Date into his
confidence, as it was impossible to get past the cottage of the
late Mrs. Jasher, in which the officer had taken up his quarters,
without being discovered. Date was quite willing that the trio
should go, but stipulated that he should come also. He had heard
all about Captain Hervey in connection with the mummy, and
thought that he would like to ask that sailor a few leading
questions.

"And if I see fit I shall detain him until the inquest is over,"
said Date, which was mere bluff, as the inspector had no warrant
to stop The Firefly or arrest her skipper.

The three men therefore were joined by Date, when they came along
the cinder path abreast of the cottage, and the quartette
proceeded further immediately, walking amongst the bents and
grasses to the rude old wooden jetty, near which Hervey intended
to stop his ship. The night was quite clear of fog, strange to
say, considering the late sea-mist; but a strong wind had been
blowing all day and the fog-wreaths were entirely dispersed. A
full moon rode amongst a galaxy of stars, which twinkled like
diamonds. The air was frosty, and their feet scrunched the earth
and grasses and coarse herbage under foot, as they made rapidly
for the embankment.

When they reached the top they could see the jetty clearly almost
below their feet, and in the distance the glittering lights of
Pierside. Vague forms of vessels at anchor loomed on the water,
and there was a stream of light where the moon made a pathway of
silver. After a casual glance the three men proceeded down the
slope to the jetty. Three of them at least had revolvers, since
Hervey was an ill man to tackle; but probably Date, who was too
dense to consider consequences, was unarmed. Neither did Don
Pedro think it necessary to tell the officer that he and his two
companions were prepared to shoot if necessary. Inspector Date,
being a prosy Englishman, would not have understood such lawless
doings in his own sober, law-abiding country.

When they reached the jetty Don Pedro glanced at his watch,
illuminating the dial by puffing his cigar to a ruddy glow. It
was just after eight o'clock, and even as he looked an
exclamation from Date made him raise his head. The inspector was
pointing out-stream to a large vessel which had steamed inshore
as far as was safe. Probably Hervey was watching for them
through a night-glass, for a blue light suddenly flared on the
bridge. Don Pedro, according to his promise, fired a pistol, and
it was then that Date learned that his companions were armed.

"What the devil did you do that for?" he inquired angrily. "It
will bring my constables down on us."

"I do not mind, since you can control them," said De Gayangos
coolly. "I had to give the signal."

"And we all have revolvers," said Random quickly. "Hervey is not
a very safe man to tackle, inspector."

"Do you expect a fight?" said Date, while they all watched a boat
being lowered. "If so, you might have told me, and I should have
brought a revolver also. Not that I think it is needed. The
sight of my uniform will be enough to show this man that I have
the law behind me."

"I don't think that will matter to Hervey," said Archie dryly.
"So much as I have seen of him suggests to me that he is a
singularly lawless man."

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