Part 34 (1/2)

”Did you see which way he went--then?” enquired Ayscough.

”I did. Straight along Oxford Street--Tottenham Court Road way,” said the driver, ”carrying his suitcase--which it was, as I say, on'y a little 'un--and walking very fast. Last I see of him was that, guv'nor.”

Ayscough went away and got back to more pretentious regions. He was dead tired and weary with his night's work, and glad to drop in at an early-opened coffee-shop and get some breakfast. While he ate and drank a boy came in with the first editions of the newspapers. Ayscough picked one up--and immediately saw staring headlines:--

THE PADDINGTON MYSTERIES. NEW AND STARTLING FEATURES. DIAMOND WORTH 80,000 BEING LOOKED FOR MURDER IN MAIDA VALE

Ayscough laid down the paper and smiled. Levendale--if not dead--could scarcely fail to see that!

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

ONE O'CLOCK MIDNIGHT

Five minutes after Ayscough had gone away with Dr. Mirandolet the hotel servant who had summoned him from Purdie's sitting-room knocked at the door for the second time and put a somewhat mystified face inside.

”Beg pardon, sir,” he said, glancing at Purdie, who was questioning Melky Rubinstein as to the events of the evening in their relation to the house in Maida Vale. ”Two ladies outside, sir--waiting to see you.

But they don't want to come in, sir, unless they know who's here--don't want to meet no strangers, sir.”

Purdie jumped to his feet, and putting the man aside looked into the dimly-lighted corridor. There, a few paces away, stood Zillah--and, half hidden by her, Mrs. Goldmark.

”Come in--come in!” he exclaimed. ”n.o.body here but Andie Lauriston and Melky Rubinstein. You've something to tell--something's happened?”

He ushered them into the room, sent the hotel servant, obviously in a state of high curiosity about these happenings, away, and closed the door.

”S'elp me!” exclaimed Melky, ”there ain't no other surprises, Zillah?

You ain't come round at this time o' night for nothing! What you got to tell, Zillah?--another development?”

”Mrs. Goldmark has something to tell,” answered Zillah. ”We didn't know what to do, and you didn't come, Melky--n.o.body come--and so we locked the house and thought of Mr. Purdie. Mrs. Goldmark has seen somebody!”

”Who?” demanded Melky. ”Somebody, now? What somebody?”

”The man that came to her restaurant,” replied Zillah. ”The man who lost the platinum solitaire!”

Mrs. Goldmark who had dropped into the chair which Purdie had drawn to the side of the table for her, wagged her head thoughtfully.

”This way it was, then,” she said, with a dramatic suggestion of personal enjoyment in revealing a new feature of the mystery, ”I have a friend who lives in Stanhope Street--Mrs. Isenberg. She sends to me at half-past-ten to tell me she is sick. I go to see her--immediate. I find her very poorly--so! I stop with her till past eleven, doing what I can. Then her sister, she comes--I can do no more--I come away. And I walk through Suss.e.x Square, as my road back to Praed Street and Zillah.

But before I am much across Suss.e.x Square, I stop--sudden, like that!

For what? Because--I see a man! That man! Him what drops his cuff-link on my table. Oh, yes!”

”You're sure it was that man, Mrs. Goldmark?” enquired Melky, anxiously. ”You don't make no mistakes, so?”

”Do I mistake myself if I say I see you, Mr. Rubinstein?” exclaimed Mrs. Goldmark, solemnly and with emphasis. ”No, I don't make no mistakes at all. Is there not gas lamps?--am I not blessed with good eyes? I see him--like as I see you there young gentleman and Zillah.

Plain!”

”Well--and what was he doing?” asked Purdie, desirous of getting at facts. ”Did he come out of a house, or go into one, or--what?”

”I tell you,” replied Mrs. Goldmark, ”everything I tell you--all in good time. It is like this. A taxicab comes up--approaching me. It stops--by the pavement. Two men--they get out. Him first. Then another.