"Hello!" he said. "What's up?"
"Early, I bring you opportunity, the greatest of gifts. The favor I
shall confer, is it less than the favor I have received from you?"
"What do you mean?" asked Sebastian.
"Once you say that you will give much to get the young Percival in your
power."
"Yes. What of it?"
"It is done."
A look of real interest began to illuminate Mr. Early's face. "Well?" he
said sharply.
"I have rubies--rubies to lure the heart of a woman from her bosom.
Madame, the young wife would give her soul--if she but had one. That is
too hard. Let her give her note." The Swami laughed gently. "You would
lend her five thousand dollars, my friend, to buy rubies from me. That
is an empty show. She gives you the note. I give her the necklace that
she must have. That is all. There is no need to give me money. I return
your hospitality thus."
"Well, suppose I did all this. Dick Percival could easily discharge his
wife's debt."
"Not so fast. Not so fast. The young wife is a fool as well as a knave.
To the note she shall sign her husband's name. That I will bring to
pass. But you know nothing of this. Of course not. You suppose that the
signature is genuine. You are unaware that Percival is out of town. And
I--if I am guilty--I am with my guilty knowledge in the hut in the
mountains of India. Do you not think that while you hold that note young
Percival will gladly serve you in any fashion that you may choose,
rather than that so foolish a piece of wife's knavery should come
abroad?"
"Gee whizz!" exclaimed Mr. Early, gazing at the simple seeker after
truth, whose face shone with a radiant smile. "Gee whizz! Ram Juna, but
you are a business man! But she won't sign her husband's name."
Ram Juna's smile expanded cheerfully.
"Let that remain to me. You have but to play your part," he said.
Mr. Early thought hard for a moment.
"There is need to haste," said the Swami gently. "She is now in the
garden where access is easy. Make the note. I will take it to her to
sign. Hasten, my friend."
Mr. Early drew toward him pen and ink.
"It's a little flyer, and there may be something in it," he said. "I
don't see that I get into trouble any way. But see here, Swami, you
deserve something for your work. I'm not going to see you lose that five
thousand. When you bring me this I O U with Dick Percival's signature,
I'll give you my check for the amount. Understand?"
"Be that as you will," said the Hindu, and he caught the piece of paper
and fled toward the thicket where Lena still played with her toy.