Part 16 (1/2)

”Do!” she said, giving him her hand. ”I am bothered about this--it's useless to deny it--and I've no one to talk to about it. Come--any time.”

Purdie repressed a strong desire to stay longer, and to turn the conversation to more personal matters. But he was essentially a business man, and the matters of the moment seemed to be critical. So he promised to return, and then hurried back to his hotel--to find Melky Rubinstein pacing up and down outside the entrance.

Purdie tapped Melky's shoulder and motioned him to walk along Praed Street.

”Look here!” he said. ”I want you to take me to see your cousin--and the p.a.w.nshop. We must have a talk--you said your cousin's a good business woman. She's the sort we can discuss business with, eh?”

”My cousin Zillah Wildrose, mister,” answered Melky, solemnly, ”is one of the best! She's a better headpiece on her than what I have--and that's saying a good deal. I was going to suggest you should come there. Talk!--s'elp me, Mr. Purdie, it strikes me there'll be a lot of that before we've done. What about this here affair of last night?--I've just seen Mr. Ayscough, pa.s.sing along--he's told me all about it. Do you think it's anything to do with our business?”

”Can't say,” answered Purdie. ”Wait till we can discuss matters with your cousin.”

Melky led the way to the side-door of the p.a.w.nshop. Since the old man's death, the whole establishment had been closed--Zillah had refused to do any business until her grandfather's funeral was over. She received her visitors in the parlour where old Daniel had been found dead: after a moment's inspection of her, and the exchange of a few remarks about Lauriston, Purdie suggested that they should all sit down and talk matters over.

”Half-a-mo!” said Melky. ”If we're going to have a cabinet council, mister, there's a lady that I want to bring into it--Mrs. Goldmark. I know something that Mrs. Goldmark can speak to--I've just been considering matters while I was waiting for you, Mr. Purdie, and I'm going to tell you and Zillah, and Mrs. Goldmark, of a curious fact that I know of. I'll fetch her--and while I'm away Zillah'll show you that there book what was found there.”

Purdie looked with interest at the Spanish ma.n.u.script which seemed to be a factor of such importance.

”I suppose you never saw this before?” he asked, as Zillah laid it on the table before him. ”And you're certain it wasn't in the place when you went out that afternoon, leaving your grandfather alone?”

”That I'm positive of,” answered Zillah. ”I never saw it in my life until my attention was drawn to it after he was dead. That book was brought in here during my absence, and it was neither bought nor p.a.w.ned--that's absolutely certain! Of course, you know whose book it is?”

”Mr. Spencer Levendale's,” answered Purdie. ”Yes I know all those particulars--and about his advertis.e.m.e.nts for it, and a little more.

And I want to discuss all that with you and your cousin. This Mrs.

Goldmark--she's to be fully trusted?”

Zillah replied that Mrs. Goldmark was worthy of entire confidence, and an old friend, and Melky presently returning with her, Purdie suggested they should all sit down and talk--informally and in strict privacy.

”You know why I'm concerning myself in this?” he said, looking round at his three companions. ”I'm anxious that Andie Lauriston should be fully and entirely cleared! I've great faith in him--he's beginning what I believe will be a successful career, and it would be a terrible thing if any suspicion rested on him. So I want, for his sake, to thoroughly clear up this mystery about your relative's death.”

”Mister!” said Melky, in his most solemn tones. ”Speaking for my cousin there, and myself, there ain't nothing what we wouldn't do to clear Mr.

Lauriston! We ain't never had one moment's suspicion of him from the first, knowing the young fellow as we do. So we're with you in that matter, ain't we, Zillah?”

”Mr. Purdie feels sure of that,” agreed Zillah, with a glance at Lauriston's old schoolmate. ”There's no need to answer him, Melky.”

”I am sure!” said Purdie. ”So--let's put our wits together--we'll consider the question of approaching the police when we've talked amongst ourselves. Now--I want to ask you some very private questions.

They spring out of that rare book there. There's no doubt that book belongs to Mr. Levendale. Do either of you know if Mr. Levendale had any business relations with the late Mr. Rubinstein?”

Zillah shook her head.

”None!--that I know of,” she answered. ”I've helped my grandfather in this business for some time. I never heard him mention Mr. Levendale.

Mr. Levendale never came here, certainly.”

Melky shook his head, too.

”When Mr. Ayscough, and Mr. Lauriston, and me went round to Suss.e.x Square, to see Mr. Levendale about that advertis.e.m.e.nt for his book,” he remarked, ”he said he'd never heard of Daniel Multenius. That's a fact, mister!”

”Had Mr. Multenius any private business relations of which he didn't tell you?” asked Purdie, turning to Zillah.