Part 27 (1/2)

Mirandolet's door. ”Anything to do with the matter in hand?”

”You'll see in a minute,” replied Melky as he rang the bell. ”Just a notion that occurred to me. And it has got to do with it.”

Dr. Mirandolet was in, and received his visitors in a room which was half-surgery and half-laboratory, and filled to the last corner with the evidences and implements of his profession. He was wearing a white linen operating jacket, and his dark face and black hair looked all the darker and blacker because of it. Melky gazed at him with some awe as he dropped into the chair which Mirandolet indicated and found the doctor's piercing eyes on him.

”Just a question or two, mister!” he said, apologetically. ”Me and Mr.

Ayscough there is doing a bit of looking into this mystery about Mr.

Multenius, and knowing as you was a big man in your way, it struck me you'd tell me something. I was at that inquest on Parslett, you know, mister.”

Mirandolet nodded and waited, and Melky gained courage.

”Mister!” he said, suddenly bending forward and tapping the doctor's knee in a confidential fas.h.i.+on. ”I hear you say at that inquest as how you'd lived in the East?”

”Yes!” replied Mirandolet. ”Many years. India--Burmah--China!”

”You know these Easterns, mister, and their little way?” suggested Melky. ”Now, would it be too much--I don't want to get no professional information, you know, if it ain't etiquette!--but would it be too much to ask you if them folks is pretty good hands at poisoning?”

Mirandolet laughed, showing a set of very white teeth, and glared at Ayscough with a suggestion of invitation to join in his amus.e.m.e.nt. He clapped Melky on the shoulder as if he had said something diverting.

”Good hands, my young friend?” he exclaimed. ”The very best in the world! Past masters! Adepts. Poison you while they look at you!”

”Bit cunning and artful about it, mister?” suggested Melky.

”Beyond your conception, my friend,” replied Mirandolet. ”Unless I very much mistake your physiognomy, you yourself come of an ancient race which is not without cunning and artifice--but in such matters as you refer to, you are children, compared to your Far East folk.”

”Just so, mister--I believe you!” said Melky, solemnly. ”And--which of 'em, now, do you consider the cleverest of the lot--them as you say you've lived amongst, now? You mentioned three lots of 'em, you know--Indians, Burmese, Chinese. Which would you consider the artfullest of them three--if it came to a bit of real underhand work, now?”

”For the sort of thing you're thinking of, my friend,” answered Mirandolet, ”you can't beat a Chinaman. Does that satisfy you?”

Melky rose and glanced at the detective before turning to the doctor.

”Mister,” he said, ”that's precisely what I should ha' said myself.

Only--I wanted to know what a big man like you thought. Now, I know!

Much obliged to you, mister. If there's ever anything I can do for you, doctor--if you want a bit of real good stuff--jewellery, you know--at dead cost price--”

Mirandolet laughed and clapping Melky's shoulder again, looked at Ayscough.

”What's our young friend after?” he asked, good-humouredly. ”What's his game?”

”Hanged if I know, doctor!” said Ayscough, shaking his head. ”He's got some notion in his head. Are you satisfied, Mr. Rubinstein?”

Melky was making for the door.

”Ain't I just said so?” he answered. ”You come along of me, Mr.

Ayscough, and let's be getting about our business. Now, look here!” he said, taking the detective's arm when they had left the house. ”We're going to take a look at them c.h.i.n.ks. I've got it into my head that they've something to do with this affair--and I'm going to see 'em, and to ask 'em a question or two. And--you're coming with me!”

”I say, you know!” remarked Ayscough. ”They're respectable gentlemen--even if they are foreigners. Better be careful--we don't know anything against 'em.”

”Never you fear!” said Melky. ”I'll beat 'em all right. Ain't I got a good excuse, Mr. Ayscough? Just to ask a civil question. Begging their pardons for intrusion, but since the lamented death of Mr. Daniel Multenius, me and Miss Zillah Wildrose has come into his bit of property, and does the two gentlemen desire to continue their tenancy, and is there anything we can do to make 'em comfortable--see? Oh, I'll talk to 'em all right!”