The Green Mummy - Page 104/191

"I doubt very much if Mrs. Jasher will marry the Professor now, after

what he said last night."

"Nonsense, my father was in a rage and said what first came into his

mind. I daresay she is angry. However, I shall see her this afternoon,

and put matters right."

"You are very anxious that the Professor should marry the lady."

"I am," replied Lucy seriously, "as I want to leave my father

comfortably settled when I marry you. The sooner he makes Mrs. Jasher

his wife, the readier will he be to let me go, and I want to marry you

as soon as I possibly can. I am tired of Gartley and of this present

life."

Of course to this speech Archie could make only one answer, and as that

took the form of kissing, it was entirely satisfactory to Miss Kendal.

Then they discussed the future and also the proposed engagement of Sir

Frank Random to the Peruvian lady. But both left the subject of the

mummy alone, as they were quite weary of the matter, and neither could

suggest a solution of the mystery.

Meanwhile Professor Braddock had passed a very pleasant hour in

examining the swathings of the mummy. But his pleasure was destined

to be cut short sooner than he desired, as Captain Hiram Hervey

unexpectedly arrived. Although Cockatoo--as he had been instructed--did

his best to keep him out, the sailor forced his way in, and heralded his

appearance by throwing the Kanaka head-foremost into the museum.

"What does this mean?" demanded the fiery Professor, while Cockatoo,

with an angry expression, struggled to his feet, and Hervey, smoking

his inevitable cheroot, stood on the threshold--"how dare you treat my

property in this careless way."

"Guess your property should behave itself then," said the captain in

careless tones, and sauntered into the room. "D'y think I'm goin' to

be chucked out by a measly nigger and--Great Scott!"--this latter

exclamation was extorted by the sight of the mummy.

Braddock motioned to the still angry Cockatoo to move aside, and then

nodded triumphantly.

"You didn't expect to see that, did you?" he asked.

Hervey came to anchor on a chair and turned the cheroot in his mouth

with an odd look at the mummy.

"When will he be hanged?"

Braddock stared.

"When will who be hanged?"

"The man as stole that thing."

"We haven't found him yet," Braddock informed him swiftly.

"Then how in creation did you annex the corpse."

The Professor sat down and explained. The lean, long mariner listened

quietly, only nodding at intervals. He did not seem to be surprised

when he heard that the corpse of the head Inca had been found in Mrs.

Jasher's garden, especially when Braddock explained the whereabouts of

the property.

"Wal," he drawled, "that don't make my hair stand on end. I guess the

garden was on his way and he used it for a cemetery."