The Green Mummy - Page 165/191

"Go to the Pyramids and see her," suggested Sir Frank. "Mrs. Jasher is

still unconscious, and will be for hours, the doctor tells me."

"It is too late to go to the Pyramids, Random."

"If they know of this new tragedy there, I'll bet they are not in bed."

Hope nodded.

"All the same, I'll remain here until Mrs. Jasher can speak," he said,

and sat smoking with Random in the dining-room, as the most comfortable

room in the house.

Constable Painter camped, so to speak, in the drawing-room, keeping

guard over the scene of the crime, and had placed the Chinese screen

against the broken window to keep out the cold. In the bedroom Jane and

Dr. Robinson looked after the dying woman. And dying she was, according

to the young physician, for he did not think she would live much longer.

Round the lonely cottage the sea-mist drifted white and thick, and the

darkness deepened, until--as the saying goes--it could have been cut

with a knife. Never was there so eerie and weary and sinister a vigil.

Towards four o'clock Hope fell into a doze, while resting in an

arm-chair; but he was suddenly aroused from this by an exclamation from

Sir Frank, who had remained wide awake, smoking cigar after cigar. In a

moment the artist was on his feet, alert and quick-brained.

"What is it?"

Random made for the dining-room door rapidly.

"I thought I heard Painter call out," he declared, and hastily sought

the parlor, followed by Hope.

The room was empty, but the screen before the broken window had been

thrown down, and they could see Painter's bulky form immediately

outside.

"What the deuce is the matter?" demanded Random, entering. "Did you call

out, Painter. I fancied I heard something."

The constable came in again.

"I did call out, sir," he confessed. "I was half asleep in that chair,

when I suddenly became wide awake, and believed I saw a face looking at

me round the corner of the screen. I jumped up, calling for you, sir,

and upset the screen."

"Well? well?" demanded Sir Frank impatiently, and seeing that the man

hesitated.

"I saw no one, sir. All the same, I had an idea, and I have still, that

a man came through the window and peered at me from behind the screen."

"The man who attacked Mrs. Jasher?"

"I can't say, sir. But there was someone. At any rate he's gone again,

if he really did come, and there is no chance of finding him. It's like

pea-soup outside."

Hope and Random simultaneously stepped through the window, but could not

see an inch before them, so thick was the sea-fog and so dense was the

darkness. Returning, they replaced the screen, and, telling Painter

to be more on the alert, went back shivering to the fire in the

dining-room. When they were seated again, Archie put a question.