Part 51 (1/2)

”Now what is it you've got in your head?” he said at last. ”I have been watching you think for three minutes and a half, I do believe. Come, out with it!”

”Hardly _think_, sir,” answered Mary. ”I was only plaguing myself between my recollection of the stone and the actual look of it. It is so annoying to find what seemed a clear recollection prove a deceitful one! It may appear a presumptuous thing to say, but my recollection seems of a finer color.”

While she spoke, she had again taken the ring, and was looking at it.

Mr. Redmain s.n.a.t.c.hed it from her hand.

”The devil!” he cried. ”You haven't the face to hint that the stone has been changed?”

Mary laughed.

”Such a thing never came into my head, sir; but now that you have put it there, I could almost believe it.”

”Go along with you!” he cried, casting at her a strange look which she could not understand, and the same moment pulling the bell hard.

That done, he began to examine the ring intently, as Mary had been doing, and did not speak a word. Mewks came.

”Show Miss Marston out,” said his master; ”and tell my coachman to bring the hansom round directly.”

”For Miss Marston?” inquired Mewks, who had learned not a little cunning in the service.

”No!” roared Mr. Redmain; and Mewks darted from the room, followed more leisurely by Mary.

”I don't know what's come to master!” ventured Mewks, as he led the way down the stair.

But Mary took no notice, and left the house.

For about a week she heard nothing.

In the meantime Mr. Redmain had been prosecuting certain inquiries he had some time ago begun, and another quite new one besides. He was acquainted with many people of many different sorts, and had been to jewelers and p.a.w.nbrokers, gamblers and lodging-house keepers, and had learned some things to his purpose.

Once more Mary received from him a summons, and once more, considerably against her liking, obeyed. She was less disinclined to go this time, however, for she felt not a little curious about the ring.

”I want you to come back to the house,” he said, abruptly, the moment she entered his room.

For such a request Mary was not prepared. Even since the ring was found, so long a time had pa.s.sed that she never expected to hear from the house again. But Tom was now so much better, and Letty so much like her former self, that, if Mrs. Redmain had asked her, she might perhaps have consented.

”Mr. Redmain,” she answered, ”you must see that I can not do so at your desire.”

”Oh, rubbis.h.!.+ humbug!” he returned, with annoyance. ”Don't fancy I am asking you to go fiddle-faddling about my wife again: I don't see how you _can_ do that, after the way she has used you! But I have reasons for wanting to have you within call. Go to Mrs. Perkin. I won't take a refusal.”

”I can not do it, Mr. Redmain,” said Mary; ”the thing is impossible.”

And she turned to leave the room.

”Stop, stop!” cried Mr. Redmain, and jumped from his chair to prevent her.

He would not have succeeded had not Mewks met her in the doorway full in the face. She had to draw back to avoid him, and the man, perceiving at once how things were, closed the door the moment he entered, and stood with his back against it.

”He's in the drawing-room, sir,” said Mewks.

A scarcely perceptible sign of question was made by the master, and answered in kind by the man.