Mrs. Merridew proved to be all pliability and indulgence, after the
truly considerate manner in which the explosion had conducted itself;
and Betteredge was accordingly informed that we were all four to travel
back together by the morning train. I fully expected that he would have
asked leave to accompany us. But Rachel had wisely provided her faithful
old servant with an occupation that interested him. He was charged
with completing the refurnishing of the house, and was too full of his
domestic responsibilities to feel the "detective-fever" as he might have
felt it under other circumstances.
Our one subject of regret, in going to London, was the necessity of
parting, more abruptly than we could have wished, with Ezra Jennings. It
was impossible to persuade him to accompany us. I could only promise to
write to him--and Rachel could only insist on his coming to see her when
she returned to Yorkshire. There was every prospect of our meeting again
in a few months--and yet there was something very sad in seeing our best
and dearest friend left standing alone on the platform, as the train
moved out of the station.
On our arrival in London, Mr. Bruff was accosted at the terminus by a
small boy, dressed in a jacket and trousers of threadbare black cloth,
and personally remarkable in virtue of the extraordinary prominence of
his eyes. They projected so far, and they rolled about so loosely,
that you wondered uneasily why they remained in their sockets. After
listening to the boy, Mr. Bruff asked the ladies whether they would
excuse our accompanying them back to Portland Place. I had barely time
to promise Rachel that I would return, and tell her everything that had
happened, before Mr. Bruff seized me by the arm, and hurried me into a
cab. The boy with the ill-secured eyes took his place on the box by the
driver, and the driver was directed to go to Lombard Street.
"News from the bank?" I asked, as we started.
"News of Mr. Luker," said Mr. Bruff. "An hour ago, he was seen to
leave his house at Lambeth, in a cab, accompanied by two men, who were
recognised by my men as police officers in plain clothes. If Mr. Luker's
dread of the Indians is at the bottom of this precaution, the inference
is plain enough. He is going to take the Diamond out of the bank."
"And we are going to the bank to see what comes of it?"
"Yes--or to hear what has come of it, if it is all over by this time.
Did you notice my boy--on the box, there?"