CHAPTER SEVEN.
ANSON REBOUNDS.
West saw his fellow-clerk wince slightly again, though it passedunnoticed by the others, and directly after the whole party adjourned tothe office, the superintendent's men following them, and, without doinganything to excite attention, forming a guard at the door.
"There's nothing here," said the superintendent in a low tone toIngleborough and West.
"How do you know?" said the former.
"By his manner. He's all brag and bounce!"
"Yes," said Ingleborough; "but you don't know your man."
"Look here!" cried Anson; "none of that! Search if you like, but noplotting and planning there! I don't see why they shouldn't be chargedtoo. Search their desks as well as mine. Perhaps you'll find someillicit-diamonds there."
West started, for a strange suspicion shot through his breast.
"If you do they'll swear I put 'em there, and the superintendent willbelieve them."
"You scoundrel!" cried West passionately, and Anson uttered a lowsneering laugh; but his face grew set directly, as the officer turnedupon him.
"Which is your desk, sir?" he said sharply.
"Search them all!" was the reply.
"Which is his desk?" said the superintendent to West now.
The young man made no reply, and Ingleborough pointed it out.
"Friends and brother-workers!" said Anson, in a sneering manner. "Lookhere, noble employers, play fair! Let's have all the desks and thewhole place searched."
No one spoke, and after a cursory examination of the tall stool in frontof the desk the officer picked up a thick silver-mounted rattan canethrust in a stand by the side of the desk in company with threeumbrellas.
"Yours?" he said, turning to the suspect.
"Yes, and one of the umbrellas too. The worst one's mine. That dandysilk one is West's. The handles of all three are sure to unscrew andare hollowed out to hold diamonds, no doubt."
"Of course," said the officer, and after a glance at the umbrellas heturned the thick heavy cane over in his hands, noticing that in additionto a silver cap there was a thick silver ring about six inches from thetop.
"Oh yes, that's hollow too," cried Anson mockingly, "and stuffed full ofdiamonds, I daresay.--Ah! mind you don't cut your fingers!"
For the officer, as he held the thick cane in both hands, tried tounscrew the top part, thickest by the ring, and, after yielding alittle, he gave it a sharp tug, drawing out about a foot of a brightblue damascened sword, and then thrusting it back with an impatient"Pish!"
"A sword-stick," said the officer.
"Well, why not?" cried Anson. "I don't carry a revolver."
The officer thrust the cane into the stand, and then, with Ansonwatching him keenly, raised the lid of the broad flat desk, turned oversome books and papers, measured its depth outside and in to make surethat there was no false bottom, and then brought out the clerk's littleflat mahogany box, Anson grinning sneeringly as the lid was opened andthe joints of the flute lay exposed to view.
"Now you've got 'em, sir!" cried Anson, with a mocking laugh. "Blowthrough them, and you'll find it's all wind."
The superintendent turned the box upside down, and the joints were leftupon the top of the desk, except that the top joint with its gapingmouth-hole stuck in the velvet fitting, but looked the most hollow ofthe set.
"There's nothing here, gentlemen," said the officer, replacing the otherjoints and gravely closing the desk.
"Oh, nonsense!" cried Anson, jeering. "You haven't half looked.Perhaps, though, young West has the whole swag in his desk."
"Would you like to examine the other desks, gentlemen?" said theofficer.
"No, certainly not," said the leading director sharply; "we have no wishto insult our employes."
"Only one," snarled Anson. "Do you call this fair play?"
West drew a breath full of relief, and glanced at Ingleborough, who madeno sign, but stood looking stolidly at the officer.
"I'm quite satisfied, gentlemen," said the latter. "There is nothinghere. Do you charge Mr Anson with illicit dealing?"
"You have not searched his apartments yet," said the chief director."We wish to have further proofs first."
Anson opened his mouth a short distance as his chief spoke, and closedit again with a sharp little snap.
"You wish the prisoner's rooms to be searched then, gentlemen?"
"I'm not a prisoner," cried Anson angrily. "I've neither been chargednor taken into custody."
"Certainly!" said the director sternly. "Search Mr Anson's roomspreliminary to his being charged and taken into custody. Mr West, goin front with the superintendent to show the way. I do not wish to makea procession, to create excitement and make us the observed of all."
"I understand, sir. Mr Anson will walk in advance with me, and you canfollow as you please. There is no need for Mr West to walk with us. Iknow the way!"
"Of course!" snarled Anson. "Mr Ingleborough's doing, I suppose. ThenI have been watched."
"Yes, my doing," said the person named. "As soon as I suspected you ofillicit dealing I kept an eye upon you and told Mr Norton here what Ithought."
"Cowardly, sneaking cur!" cried Anson, grinding his teeth.
"No, sir," cried the director sternly: "faithful servant of thecompany."
"Where are your proofs that I am not?" cried Anson fiercely.
"Not found yet," said the officer; "but with all your cunning I daresaywe shall trace them."
"Go on," said Anson. "I'm ready for you."
The next minute the whole party were straggling through the camp-liketown towards the outskirts, to gather together at the very ordinaryshed-like house of mud wall and fluted corrugated-iron roofing, wherethe wife of one of the men at the mine stared in wonder at the party,and then looked in awe at her lodger, her eyes very wide open andstartled as she grasped what the visit meant.
"Oh, Mr Anson, what have you been a-doing of?" she cried, and burstinto tears.
West looked at the poor woman with a feeling of pity, and then feltdisposed to kick Anson for his brutality, for the clerk's gesture wasthat of an ill-tempered cur: he literally snapped at her.
"Out of the way, you idiot!" he cried, "and let this police-constableand his party come by."
West saw the directors exchange glances before following thesuperintendent into the little house, leaving the two clerks to thelast, the police-constables remaining watchfully at the door.
"Master Anson is regularly cutting the ground from under him, Ingle,"said West softly.
"Yes: the fool! I take it to be a tacit confession. You don't thinkI've made a mistake now?"
West shook his head and looked distressed, but said nothing.
"Of course he'll never come back to us, and he knows it, or he'd neverput on this defiant manner. Hark at him!"
For at that moment the object of their thoughts shouted loudly: "Here,you two spies, what are you waiting behind for? Come in and help searchthe place."
West frowned and hung back, but Ingleborough laid a hand on hisshoulder.
"Come along," he said; "you must help me to see it through! It isn'tpleasant, but it's part of one's duty."
The next minute they were in Anson's combined bed and sitting room, avery ordinary-looking place, with the simplest of furniture and plentyof suggestions all round of spots where an ingenious man might havehidden a little fortune in diamonds; for the mud walls were lined withmatchboard, the ceiling was of the same material, and then there was thefloor, where in any part a board could have been lifted and a receptaclemade for the precious crystals, without counting the articles offurniture, including the bedding.
"I'm sorry I have no more chairs, gentlemen," said the tenantbanteringly. "Sit on the table, and three of you can make a sofa of thebed. Never mind tumbling it! You'll do nothing compared to MrSuperintendent Norton when he begins. I say, though, you should havegiven me notice of all this, and then I'd have had a carpente
r here toskin the walls and ceiling so as to have made everything nice and easyfor you. I say, Mr Norton, you'll want a pickaxe and shovel directly,won't you?"
The directors had paid no heed to the speaker's bantering remarks, butthe superintendent was getting hot, tired, and annoyed by the constantchatter of the man he was longing to arrest; and, though he had treatedeverything so far with calm indifference, his lack of success in hissearch for something incriminating in such places as experience hadtaught him were in favour with those who carried on diamond-smugglingbegan now to tell upon his temper, and he turned sharply upon thespeaker: to snap out words which showed that his thoughts ran onall-fours with those of Ingleborough.
"Look here, young man!" he said; "I don't know whether you are aware ofit, but you are hard at work building up a black case against yourself,and if you're not careful you'll find yourself before long working outyour two years as a convict on the Cape Town breakwater."
"I shall!" cried Anson. "What for? Where's your evidence? You've gota jumped-up cock-and-bull story made by a fellow-clerk who says onething while I say another. You've only his word for it. You've foundno diamonds on me, and you've found none in my lodgings."
"Not yet," said the superintendent meaningly.
"Oh, I see! Not yet! Go on, then, pray! I'm not paid by time, so Ican afford to lose a few hours. Search away! Perhaps our clever friendIngleborough can tell you where to look. Perhaps he wouldn't like to,though. It would hurt his feelings to accuse a brother-clerk of beingan illicit trader. But don't mind me, Ingle. It's good sport for you.Why don't you help, and think you're a good little boy playing at `hotboiled beans and very good butter' again? Now then, Norton's goingacross to the other side. You should call out `colder' when he's goingaway from the place, and `warmer' when he gets nearer. Then `hot,' andlast of all `burning.' Come, keep up the game!"
"I should just like to ram that pair of clean socks between your teeth,my fine fellow, and keep it there with a leather strap," muttered theofficer; and, as if about to put his wish into practice, he stooped andpicked up the closely rolled-up pair of socks lying with some otherarticles of attire placed freshly washed upon a shelf by Anson'slandlady.
"Now then," cried Anson boisterously, "cry `burning,' somebody: theremust be some diamonds inside that!"
The directors frowned, and Ingleborough and West looked on angrily asthe officer dashed the soft woollen ball back upon the heap and thenwent on with his search for nearly an hour.
By this time the lookers-on were as much disgusted as thesuperintendent.
"I'm very sorry, gentlemen," he cried; "but I can do no more. There isnothing else to be done unless we have my men in and regularly strip thewood-work down."
"Oh, pray have them in, then," cried Anson. "If I were you I'd--"
"Silence, sir!" cried the chief director fiercely, and Anson stared."We have not the slightest doubt of your guilt. Your conduct allthrough has proved it. That will do, Mr Norton."
"You think the evidence sufficient to justify an arrest, gentlemen?"
"We will consult together," replied the director who had just spoken,"and communicate our decision to you."
"What, aren't you satisfied yet?" cried Anson mockingly.
"Quite," replied his chief; "and of course, sir, your post is vacant.For the present, Mr Norton, you will keep an eye upon this man, and seethat he does not leave the town."
"Unless I'm very much mistaken, sir," said the superintendent, "neitherour friend here nor anyone else will leave Kimberley for some time tocome."
"Is it so bad as that?"
"Yes, sir. The Boers are gradually closing in, I am told. But I'llkeep an eye on Mr Anson here all the same."
Five minutes later the party were on their way back to the minebuildings, where the first thing that West heard was that the Boers weregathering in great force, and, as far as could be judged, were makingthe Diamond City their objective.
Troubles were gathering fast, and news kept on coming hotter and hotter.
West and Ingleborough were back in their places at the office, talkingover the war news and mingling with it the scenes they had just gonethrough.
"Norton promised me he'd call in here when he left the governors," saidIngleborough.
"Then he must have forgotten it," replied West, "for he has been withthem quite an hour. I say, I didn't know that you were such a friend ofthe superintendent."
"Well, I'm not in the habit of talking much," said Ingleborough,smiling. "But I do like him; he's such a straightforward, manly fellow,and I take so much interest in the way he runs down criminals. I oftenwish I had joined the detectives who have this diamond-smuggling inhand."
"Pst! here he is!" said West quickly, for there were steps outside, anddirectly after a sharp rap at the door.
"May I come in, Ingleborough?"
"Yes. _Entrez_! West said you'd gone."
"Did he? You knew I was not?"
Ingleborough nodded.
"What have they decided?" he asked.
"To let the matter drift for the present: only I'm to keep an eye on thescoundrel. They say that we shall all have our hands full enoughdirectly in strengthening the town, and they're right. I'm afraid we'regoing to have a warm time."
"Think they'll attack us?" asked West.
"Safe to. Now's the time for you volunteers to show what you're madeof, for I believe that the enemy will make straight for Kimberley. Ourgetting the diamond-fields has always been a sore point with them, andwe shall have our work cut out to save them."
"Yes," said Ingleborough thoughtfully, "and if I'm not mistaken, you'llhave more cause to watch Anson than for smuggling. He has his knifeinto the company."
"Exactly," said Norton; "and if he can make friends with and help theenemy, he will."
"You mean he'll be a dangerous spy in the camp?" said West excitedly.
"That's it, Mr West; but if he plays that game and is caught hispunishment will not be a couple of years on the breakwater."
"No," said Ingleborough: "the military will deal with him then."
"How?" asked West, whose veins began to tingle and a cold shudderingsensation to run down his spine.
"A couple of lines of infantry, a volley of musketry, and--"
"Finis," said the superintendent. "Good day. I don't wish him anyharm; but I feel pretty sure he'll run straight into some trap. Thatsort of fellow always does."
The next minute the door had closed upon the superintendent, and the twoyoung men sat thoughtfully looking in each other's eyes.
"Only a few hours ago, and we three were calmly working together," saidWest sadly; "and I looked upon Anson as an unsatisfactory fellow whom Inever could like, but whose worst faults were being a cringing kind ofbore and a perfect nuisance with his flute."
"And I as a smooth hypocrite whom one ought not to trust," saidIngleborough.
"And now he's gone, and we're to have the Boers at us and most likelyhave to soldier in real earnest. Hallo! Here's Norton back again."
For there was a quick step outside, and the door was thrown open. Butit was not the superintendent's face that met their eyes, for their latefellow-clerk stepped boldly in.
"How are you, gentlemen?" he said, with a strong emphasis upon the lastword. "So I've got the sack; but I'm not going to leave my propertybehind."
He stepped to his desk and took out his flute-case, tucked it under hisarm, and then drew the sword-cane and umbrella from the stand, givingthe pair a maliciously triumphant look.
"Can't afford to leave the sword-stick as a memento for you, Ingle, northe flute for sneaky West. Goodbye, both of you. Look out for our nextmerry meeting. Ta, ta!"
Neither of the young men replied, but sat gazing fixedly at the speakertill he passed out, banging the door.
But only to open it again to look in and utter the one word: "Cads!"
Then the door was banged, and West leaped from his stool and made adash.
"Stop, stupid!"
thundered out Ingleborough, supplementing his words by abound and flinging his arm round his companion's chest. "Let the brutego. You don't want to kick him?"
"But I do," shouted West, struggling. "Let go."
"Keep still," growled Ingleborough, and then, "Why, Noll," he cried, "Ido believe--"
"What?" said West, cooling down and looking wonderingly in hiscompanion's excited eyes, for Ingleborough had stopped short.
"That flute--that sword-cane--"
"Well, he has got them. Bah! I'm glad you stopped me from punching hishead. Let him have them; they're his."
"Yes," said Ingleborough; "but the handle of the cane and the top jointof the flute. There was room for a dozen big diamonds in each."
"What! Then let's go and stop him!"
"Yes; we could but be wrong. Come on."
"Hah! Listen," cried West, and a sound arose which turned theirthoughts in a different channel, for it was like the first note of thecoming war.
The trumpet rang out the "assemblee" and thrilled both through andthrough, sending them to the arm-press for rifle and bandolier.
Clerking was over for many months to come. The pen was to give way tothe modern substitute for the sword.