Part 27 (1/2)
Are you quite sure of that?”
He smiled as he spoke--a frightful smile--and laid a very strong emphasis on those two words, ”Somebody else.” There is evidently a third ruffian, a nameless desperado, concerned in the business.
”Meet us to-morrow,” says Jack, ”and judge for yourself. Be in the Regent's Park at eleven in the morning, and look out for us at the turning that leads to the Avenue Road.”
”I'll be there,” says Mr. Jay. ”Have a drop of brandy-and-water? What are you getting up for? You're not going already?”
”Yes, I am,” says Jack. ”The fact is, I'm so excited and agitated that I can't sit still anywhere for five minutes together. Ridiculous as it may appear to you, I'm in a perpetual state of nervous flutter. I can't, for the life of me, help fearing that we shall be found out. I fancy that every man who looks twice at me in the street is a spy--”
At these words I thought my legs would have given way under me. Nothing but strength of mind kept me at my peep-hole--nothing else, I give you my word of honor.
”Stuff and nonsense!” cries Mr. Jay, with all the effrontery of a veteran in crime. ”We have kept the secret up to this time, and we will manage cleverly to the end. Have a drop of brandy-and-water, and you will feel as certain about it as I do.”
Jack steadily refused the brandy-and-water, and steadily persisted in taking his leave.
”I must try if I can't walk it off,” he said. ”Remember to-morrow morning--eleven o'clock, Avenue Road, side of the Regent's Park.”
With those words he went out. His hardened relative laughed desperately and resumed the dirty clay pipe.
I sat down on the side of my bed, actually quivering with excitement.
It is clear to me that no attempt has yet been made to change the stolen bank-notes, and I may add that Sergeant Bulmer was of that opinion also when he left the case in my hands. What is the natural conclusion to draw from the conversation which I have just set down? Evidently that the confederates meet to-morrow to take their respective shares in the stolen money, and to decide on the safest means of getting the notes changed the day after. Mr. Jay is, beyond a doubt, the leading criminal in this business, and he will probably run the chief risk--that of changing the fifty-pound note. I shall, therefore, still make it my business to follow him--attending at the Regent's Par k to-morrow, and doing my best to hear what is said there. If another appointment is made for the day after, I shall, of course, go to it. In the meantime, I shall want the immediate a.s.sistance of two competent persons (supposing the rascals separate after their meeting) to follow the two minor criminals. It is only fair to add that, if the rogues all retire together, I shall probably keep my subordinates in reserve. Being naturally ambitious, I desire, if possible, to have the whole credit of discovering this robbery to myself.
8th July.
I have to acknowledge, with thanks, the speedy arrival of my two subordinates--men of very average abilities, I am afraid; but, fortunately, I shall always be on the spot to direct them.
My first business this morning was necessarily to prevent possible mistakes by accounting to Mr. and Mrs. Yatman for the presence of two strangers on the scene. Mr. Yatman (between ourselves, a poor, feeble man) only shook his head and groaned. Mrs. Yatman (that superior woman) favored me with a charming look of intelligence.
”Oh, Mr. Sharpin!” she said, ”I am so sorry to see those two men!
Your sending for their a.s.sistance looks as if you were beginning to be doubtful of success.”
I privately winked at her (she is very good in allowing me to do so without taking offense), and told her, in my facetious way, that she labored under a slight mistake.
”It is because I am sure of success, ma'am, that I send for them. I am determined to recover the money, not for my own sake only, but for Mr.
Yatman's sake--and for yours.”
I laid a considerable amount of stress on those last three words. She said: ”Oh, Mr. Sharpin!” again, and blushed of a heavenly red, and looked down at her work. I could go to the world's end with that woman if Mr. Yatman would only die.
I sent off the two subordinates to wait until I wanted them at the Avenue Road gate of the Regent's Park. Half-an-hour afterward I was following the same direction myself at the heels of Mr. Jay.
The two confederates were punctual to the appointed time. I blush to record it, but it is nevertheless necessary to state that the third rogue--the nameless desperado of my report, or, if you prefer it, the mysterious ”somebody else” of the conversation between the two brothers--is--a woman! and, what is worse, a young woman! and, what is more lamentable still, a nice-looking woman! I have long resisted a growing conviction that, wherever there is mischief in this world, an individual of the fair s.e.x is inevitably certain to be mixed up in it.
After the experience of this morning, I can struggle against that sad conclusion no longer. I give up the s.e.x--excepting Mrs. Yatman, I give up the s.e.x.
The man named ”Jack” offered the woman his arm. Mr. Jay placed himself on the other side of her. The three then walked away slowly among the trees. I followed them at a respectful distance. My two subordinates, at a respectful distance, also, followed me.
It was, I deeply regret to say, impossible to get near enough to them to overhear their conversation without running too great a risk of being discovered. I could only infer from their gestures and actions that they were all three talking with extraordinary earnestness on some subject which deeply interested them. After having been engaged in this way a full quarter of an hour, they suddenly turned round to retrace their steps. My presence of mind did not forsake me in this emergency. I signed to the two subordinates to walk on carelessly and pa.s.s them, while I myself slipped dexterously behind a tree. As they came by me, I heard ”Jack” address these words to Mr. Jay:
”Let us say half-past ten to-morrow morning. And mind you come in a cab.
We had better not risk taking one in this neighborhood.”