Part 35 (2/2)

”Was there anything in the nature of a partners.h.i.+p existing between yourself and the accused?” asked the solicitor.

”Most emphatically not!” exclaimed the witness. ”I have never had any dealings vith the man. He showed me a paper vich purported to be a privateer's licence, but in my opinion it vas a forgery.”

”That was all I wanted to know,” said Mr. Vayne, and sat down.

The next witness was Tilak Sumbowa, Solomon's water-clerk, who, in answer to the president, proceeded to give a long and detailed account of how, on the very day that the _Arrow_ disappeared, his employer, Mr.

Solomon, had instructed him to wire Mr. Rossenbaum that his steamer was awaiting a crew.

”That wire,” said the witness impressively, ”is in Mr. Rossenbaum's possession now. On returning to the office I found that Mr. Solomon had gone out and left a note saying that he had been called away on business, and would not be back till next morning. I still have that note. Then, having certain business to do myself, I went out of town and did not get back till the following day.”

”Then neither you nor your employer were in Singapore on the night the _Arrow_ disappeared?” suggested the president as the witness paused.

”No, sir.”

Other witnesses were then called--all of them natives or half-castes--to show that Mr. Solomon was not in Singapore on the night of the _Arrow's_ departure, and that he had never had any business dealings with Calamity.

”I will now call upon the accused to make his defence and examine any witnesses he thinks fit,” said the president.

Mr. Vayne at once stood up, and, adjusting his pinc-nez, addressed the tribunal.

”I think it only right to inform the court that my client is not quite the nameless adventurer the prosecutor would have you believe,” he said in a loud, sonorous voice. ”It is true that he is known in these parts as Captain Calamity, and it is equally true that his name is John Brighouse. But he is also Viscount Redhurst of Redhurst--a fact which I mention, gentlemen, because I a.s.sume that, when we come to deal with conflicting statements, you will grant that the word of an English peer is at least equal to that of a semi-Asiatic s.h.i.+p-chandler.”

Mr. Vayne paused for a moment or two after this _denouement_, in order to let the full significance of his statement sink into the minds of his opponents. He had taken their measure pretty accurately, and calculated upon the effect which his words would produce.

”With the permission of the court,” he went on, ”I will recall the prosecutor and put a few questions to him.”

At a gesture from the president, Mr. Solomon stepped forward. The air of conscious rect.i.tude which had distinguished him when giving evidence against Calamity was not now so apparent.

”I understand,” said the lawyer, focussing his pinc-nez upon the s.h.i.+p-chandler, ”that it was you, and not Rossenbaum, who informed the authorities that my client had illegally appropriated the steamer, _Arrow_?”

”Yes,” replied the witness.

”How soon, after you had discovered that the _Arrow_ was missing, did you inform the authorities of the fact?”

”About three veeks,” answered the witness reluctantly.

”You mean that three weeks elapsed before the authorities were made aware of what had taken place?”

”Yes.”

”Then do you wish the court to believe that if a man stole your watch and chain, or broke into your office, you would wait three weeks before informing the police?”

”That vould be a different thing.”

”I believe you. Now,” added the lawyer with sudden vehemence, ”I put it to you, sir, that your reason for waiting such a long time was that the accused might get safely away before the authorities had a chance to capture him.”

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