The Green Mummy - Page 141/191

Mrs. Jasher's influenza proved to be very mild indeed.

When Donna Inez de Gayangos and Lucy paid a visit to her on the

afternoon of the day succeeding the explanations in the museum, she

was certainly in bed, and explained that she had been there since the

Professor's visit on the previous day. Lucy was surprised at this, as

she had left Mrs. Jasher perfectly well, and Braddock had not mentioned

any ailment of the widow. But influenza, as Mrs. Jasher observed, was

very rapid in its action, and she was always susceptible to disease from

the fact that in Jamaica she had suffered from malaria. Still, she was

feeling better and intended to rise from her bed on that evening, if

only to lie on the couch in the pink drawing-room. Having thus detailed

her reasons for being ill, the widow asked for news.

As no prohibition had been placed upon Lucy with regard to Hervey's

visit and as Mrs. Jasher would be one of the family when she married the

Professor, Miss Kendal had no hesitation in reporting all that had taken

place. The narrative excited Mrs. Jasher, and she frequently interrupted

with expressions of wonder. Even Donna Inez grew eloquent, and told the

widow how she had defended Sir Frank against the American skipper.

"What a dreadfully wicked man!" said Mrs. Jasher, when in possession of

all the facts. "I really believe that he did kill poor Sidney."

"No," said Lucy decisively, "I don't think that. He would have murdered

him on board had he intended the crime, as he could have done so with

more safety. He is as innocent as Sir Frank."

"And no one dare say a word against him," cried Donna Inez with flashing

eyes.

"He has a good defender, my dear," said the widow, patting the girl's

hand.

"I love him," said Donna Inez, as if that explained everything, and

perhaps it did, so far as she was concerned.

Mrs. Jasher smiled indulgently, then turned for further information to

Lucy.

"Can it be possible," she said, "that Widow Anne is guilty?"

"Oh, I don't think so. She would not murder her own son, especially when

she was so very fond of him. Archie told me, just before we came here,

that he had called to see her. She still insists that Sidney borrowed

the clothes, saying that Archie wanted them."

"What do you make of that, my dear?"

"Well," said Miss Kendal, pondering, "either Widow Anne herself was the

woman who talked to Sidney through the Sailor's Rest window, and has

invented this story to save herself, or Sidney did get the clothes and

intended to use them as a disguise when he fled with the emeralds."

"In that case," said Mrs. Jasher, "the woman who talked through the

window still remains a problem. Again, if Sidney Bolton intended to

steal the emeralds, he could have done so in Malta, or on board the

boat."