The Green Mummy - Page 123/191

"Only in a heated moment," cried the Professor, excusing himself.

"Never mind, she was accused," retorted Lucy stubbornly, "and now

this sailor accuses Sir Frank. Who knows who will be charged next with

committing the crime? I shall ask Archie to take the matter up, and hunt

down the real criminal. Until the guilty person is found, I foresee that

we shall never have a moment's peace."

"I quite agree with you," said Mrs. Jasher earnestly. "For my own sake

I wish the matter of this mystery to be cleared up. Why don't you help

me?" she added, turning to Braddock, who listened placidly.

"I am helping," said Braddock quietly. "I intend to set Cockatoo on the

trail at once. He shall take up his abode in the Sailor's Rest on some

pretext, and no doubt will be able to find a clue."

"What?" cried the widow incredulously, "a savage like that?"

"Cockatoo is much cleverer than the average white man," said Braddock

dryly, "especially in following a trail. He, if any one, will learn the

truth. I would much rather trust the Kanaka than young Hope."

"Nonsense!" cried Lucy, standing up for her lover. "Archie is the one to

discover the assassin. I'll see him at once. And you, father?"

"I, my dear," said the Professor calmly, "shall remain here and make my

peace with the future Mrs. Braddock."

"You have made it already," said the widow graciously, and extended her

hand, which the Professor kissed unexpectedly, and then sat back in his

chair, looking quite abashed at his outburst of gallantry.

Seeing that everything was going well, Lucy left the elderly couple

to continue their courting, and hurried to Archie's lodgings in the

village. However, he happened to be out, and his landlady did not know

when he would return. Rather annoyed by this, since she greatly desired

to unbosom herself, Miss Kendal walked disconsolately towards the

Pyramids. On the way she was stopped by Widow Anne, looking more dismal

and funereal than ever, and garrulous with copious draughts of gin. Not

that she was intoxicated, but her tongue was loose, and she wept freely

for no apparent reason. According to herself, she had stopped Lucy to

demand back from Mr. Hope through the girl certain articles of attire

which had been borrowed for artistic purposes. These, consisting of a

shawl and a skirt and a bodice, were of extraordinary value, and Mrs.

Bolton wanted them back or their equivalent in value. She mentioned that

she would prefer the sum of five pounds.

"Why do you not ask Mr. Hope yourself?" said Lucy who was too impatient

to bear with the old creature's maunderings. "If you gave him the things

he will no doubt return them."

"If they aren't spiled with paint," wailed Widow Anne. "He told my Sid

as he wanted them for a model to wear while being painted. Sid asked

me, and I gave 'em to Sid, and Sid, he passed 'em along to your good

gentleman. There was a skirt, as good as new, and a body of the dress

trimmest beautiful, and a tartan shawl as I got from my mother. But no,"

the old woman corrected herself, "it was a dark shawl with red spots

and--"