"Then you really never saw this before?" said Braddock, indicating the
paper on the table, and impressed by Random's earnestness.
"How often do you want me to deny it?" retorted the young man
impatiently. "Perhaps you will state on what grounds I am accused?"
Braddock nodded and cleared his throat.
"Captain Hervey declared that your yacht arrived at Pierside almost at
the same time as his steamer."
"Quite right. When Don Pedro received a wire from Malta stating that the
mummy had been sold to you, and that it was being shipped to London on
The Diver, I got up steam at once, and chased the tramp to that port. As
the tramp was slow, and my boat was fast, I arrived on the same day
and almost at the same hour, even though Hervey's boat had the start of
mine."
"Why were you anxious to follow The Diver?" asked Hope.
"Don Pedro wished to get back the mummy, and asked me to follow. As I
was in love with Donna Inez, and still am, I was only too willing to
oblige him."
Braddock nodded again.
"Hervey says that you went on board The Diver, and had an interview with
Bolton."
"That is perfectly true, and my visit was paid for the same reason as I
followed the steamer to London--that is, I acted on behalf of Don Pedro.
I wished to ascertain for certain that the mummy was on board, and
having done so from Bolton, I urged him to induce you to give back the
same, free of charge, to De Gayangos, from whom it had been stolen. He
refused, as he declared that he intended to deliver it to you."
"I knew I could always trust Bolton," said the Professor
enthusiastically. "It would have been better for you to have come to me,
Random."
"I daresay; but I wished, as I told you, to make certain that the mummy
was on board. That was the real reason for my visit; but, being in
Bolton's company, I naturally told him that Don Pedro claimed the mummy
as his property, and warned him that if you or he kept the same, that
there would be trouble."
"Did you use threats?" asked Hope, remembering what he had overheard.
"No; certainly not."
"Yes, you did," cried Braddock quickly. "Hervey declares that you told
Bolton that he would repent of keeping the mummy, and that his life
would not be safe while he held it."
To the surprise of both visitors, Random admitted using these serious
threats without a moment's hesitation.
"Don Pedro told me that many Indians, both in Lima and Cuzco, who
look upon him as the lawful descendant of the last Inca, are anxiously
expecting the return of the royal mummy. He also stated that when the
Indians knew who held the mummy they would send one of themselves to get
it back, if he--Don Pedro, that is--did not fetch it. To get back the
mummy Don Pedro declared that these Indians would not stop short of
murder. Hence my warning to Bolton."