"No," said Lucy decisively. "The mummy was taken directly from the
seller's house to the boat, and perhaps Sidney did not find the
manuscript until he looked at the mummy. Then Captain Hervey kept an eye
on Sidney, so that he could not open the mummy to steal the emeralds."
"Still, according to your own showing, Sidney looked at the actual
mummy--he opened the mummy case, that is, else he could not have got the
manuscript."
Lucy nodded.
"I think so, but of course we cannot be sure. But the packing case in
which the mummy was stowed was placed in the hold of the steamer, and
if Sidney had wished to steal the emeralds, he could not have done so
without exciting Captain Hervey's suspicions."
"Then let us say that Sidney robbed the mummy when in the Sailor's Rest,
and took the clothes he borrowed from his mother in order to fly in
disguise. But what of the woman?"
Lucy shook her head.
"I cannot tell. We may learn more later. Don Pedro has gone to Pierside
to search, and my father says that he will send Cockatoo there also to
search."
"Well," sighed Mrs. Jasher wearily, "I hope that all this trouble will
come to an end. That green mummy has proved most unlucky. Leave me now,
dear girls, as I feel somewhat tired."
"Good-bye," said Lucy, kissing her. "I hope that you will be better this
evening. Don't get up unless you feel quite able."
"Oh, I shall take my ease in the drawing-room."
"I thought you always called it the parlor," laughed the girl.
"Ah," Mrs. Jasher smiled, "you see I am practicing against the time
when I shall be mistress of the Pyramids, You can't call that large room
there a parlor," and she laughed weakly.
Altogether, Mrs. Jasher impressed both Lucy and Donna Inez with the fact
that she was very weak and scarcely able, as she put it, to draw one leg
after the other. Both the girls would have been surprised to see what a
hearty meal Mrs. Jasher made that evening, when she was up and dressed.
Perhaps she felt that her strength needed keeping up, but she certainly
partook largely of the delicate dinner provided by Jane, who was a most
excellent cook.
After dinner, Mrs. Jasher lay on a pink couch in the pink parlor by a
splendid fire, for the night was cold and raw with a promise of rain.
The widow had a small table at her elbow, on which stood a cup of
coffee and a glass of liquor. The rose-colored curtains were drawn, the
rose-shaded lamps were lighted, and the whole interior of the cottage
looked very comfortable indeed. Mrs. Jasher, in a crocus-yellow tea-gown
trimmed with rich black lace, reclined on her couch like Cleopatra in
her barge. In the pink light she looked very well preserved, although
her face wore an anxious expression. This was due to the fact that the
mail had come in and the three letters brought by the postman had to do
with creditors. Mrs. Jasher was always trying to make both ends meet,
and had a hard struggle to keep her head above water. Certainly, since
she had inherited the money of her brother, the Pekin merchant, she need
not have looked so worried. But she did, and made no disguise of it,
seeing that she was quite alone.