Part 39 (1/2)

”Let us hope it won't,” I said, but with little conviction, I fear, in my tone. It was harrowing to see her torn by anxiety for her father, and I yearned to comfort her. But what was there to say? Mr. Bellingham was breaking up visibly under the stress of the terrible menace that hung over his daughter, and no words of mine could make the fact less manifest.

We walked silently up the court. The lady at the window greeted us with a smiling salutation, Mr. Finneymore removed his pipe and raised his cap, receiving a gracious bow from Ruth in return, and then we pa.s.sed through the covered way into Fetter Lane, where my companion paused and looked about her.

”What are you looking for?” I asked.

”The detective,” she answered quietly. ”It would be a pity if the poor man should miss me after waiting so long. However, I don't see him”; and she turned away towards Fleet Street. It was an unpleasant surprise to me that her sharp eyes had detected the secret spy upon her movements; and the dry, sardonic tone of her remark pained me, too, recalling, as it did, the frigid self-possession that had so repelled me in the early days of our acquaintance. And yet I could not but admire the cool unconcern with which she faced her horrible peril.

”Tell me a little more about this conference,” she said, as we walked down Fetter Lane. ”Your note was rather more concise than lucid; but I suppose you wrote it in a hurry.”

”Yes, I did. And I can't give you any details now. All I know is that Doctor Norbury has had a letter from a friend of his in Berlin, an Egyptologist, as I understand, named Lederbogen, who refers to an English acquaintance of his and Norbury's whom he saw in Vienna about a year ago. He cannot remember the Englishman's name, but from some of the circ.u.mstances Norbury seems to think that he is referring to your Uncle John. Of course, if this should turn out to be really the case, it would set everything straight; so Thornd.y.k.e was anxious that you and your father should meet Norbury and talk it over.”

”I see,” said Ruth. Her tone was thoughtful but by no means enthusiastic.

”You don't seem to attach much importance to the matter,” I remarked.

”No. It doesn't seem to fit the circ.u.mstances. What is the use of suggesting that poor Uncle John is alive--and behaving like an imbecile, which he certainly was not--when his dead body has actually been found?”

”But,” I suggested lamely, ”there may be some mistake. It may not be his body after all.”

”And the ring?” she asked, with a bitter smile.

”That may be just a coincidence. It was a copy of a well-known form of antique ring. Other people may have had copies made as well as your uncle. Besides,” I added, with more conviction, ”we haven't seen the ring. It may not be his at all.”

She shook her head. ”My dear Paul,” she said quietly, ”it is useless to delude ourselves. Every known fact points to the certainty that it is his body. John Bellingham is dead: there can be no doubt of that. And to everyone except his unknown murderer and one or two of my own loyal friends, it must seem that his death lies at my door. I realised from the beginning that the suspicion lay between George Hurst and me; and the finding of the ring fixes it definitely on me. I am only surprised that the police have made no move yet.”

The quiet conviction of her tone left me for a while speechless with horror and despair. Then I recalled Thornd.y.k.e's calm, even confident att.i.tude, and I hastened to remind her of it.

”There is one of your friends,” I said, ”who is still undismayed.

Thornd.y.k.e seems to antic.i.p.ate no difficulties.”

”And yet,” she replied, ”he is ready to consider a forlorn hope like this. However, we shall see.”

I could think of nothing more to say, and it was in gloomy silence that we pursued our way down Inner Temple Lane and through the dark entries and tunnel-like pa.s.sages that brought us out, at length, by the Treasury.

”I don't see any light in Thornd.y.k.e's chambers,” I said, as we crossed King's Bench Walk; and I pointed out the row of windows all dark and blank.

”No: and yet the shutters are not closed. He must be out.”

”He can't be after making an appointment with you and your father. It is most mysterious. Thornd.y.k.e is so very punctilious about his engagements.”

The mystery was solved, when we reached the landing, by a slip of paper fixed by a tack on the iron-bound ”oak.”

”A note for P.B. is on the table,” was the laconic message: on reading which I inserted my key, swung the heavy door outward, and opened the lighter inner door. The note was lying on the table and I brought it out to the landing to read by the light of the staircase lamp.

”Apologise to our friends,” it ran, ”for the slight change of programme.

Norbury is anxious that I should get my experiments over before the Director returns, so as to save discussion. He has asked me to begin to-night and says he will see Mr. and Miss Bellingham here, at the Museum. Please bring them along at once. The hall porters are instructed to admit you and bring you to us. I think some matters of importance may transpire at the interview.--J.E.T.”

”I hope you don't mind,” I said apologetically, when I had read the note to Ruth.