CHAPTER XVI
THE FINDING OF THE RUBY AND THE LOCKING OF THE DOOR
When Mr Burton returned to the drawing-room, he found that Mr ThomasCox had been having a few words with the Flyman. That worthy jerkedhis thumb in the other's direction.
'Wants to sling his hook. Says he's had about enough of it.'
'Oh, he has, has he? Now, Cox, listen to me. It's through you we'rehere--'
Interrupting, Mr Cox raised his hat and stick in a hasty disclaimer.
'Was there ever anything like that? It was your suggestion entirely.You said you could twist your lady friend round your finger--'
'Let's go a little further back, my Cox. You've told me--how manytimes?--that if I lose my uncle's money you'll send me to gaol. Notbeing anxious to go to gaol, I'm doing my best to get my uncle'smoney. So if it's not through you I'm here, I should like to knowthrough whom it is.'
'That's different; you're entering on other matters altogether. You'vecommitted--you know what you've committed; but it doesn't follow,because you've brought yourself within the reach of the criminal law,that I want to bring myself too.'
'You hand over those pieces of paper which you're always flicking inmy face, and you're at liberty to go through that door, and down thestairs, and neither the Flyman nor I will ever breathe a word aboutyour having been connected with the evening's entertainment.'
'Do you take me for a fool? You've robbed me on your own accountalready, and now you want to jockey me into robbing myself. Don't talkto me like that!'
'No, I won't talk to you like that; I'll talk to you like this. Whatthere'll be to pay for this evening's proceedings I don't know; butyou'll pay your share, whatever it is. This is a game of share andshare alike, and of in for a penny in for a pound. The Flyman and Iare going to see this through. I'm going to have the ruby before Ileave, I tell you that; and you're going to be in with us rightalong.'
'Burton, you're a villain!'
'Cox, you're a scoundrel! Any use our saying pretty things to eachother, you renegade Jew?'
Mr Cox was wiping his forehead with his pocket-handkerchief, as if hefelt the heat.
'I will not be spoken to like that, as if I were--as if I were a manof your own type. Where--where have those women gone?'
'The room on the other side that door is the dining-room; beyond isCasata's room. That's where they've gone.'
'Then--then they've found her?'
'Oh, yes, they've found her; not a doubt of it. They've found a goodmany other things as well.'
His tone evidently struck Mr Cox as being disagreeably significant.
'For goodness' sake, Burton, let's go. You are so rash, don't let'smake bad worse. Let's go while we have a chance, and before anythingvery serious has happened.'
'Something serious has happened.'
'What do you mean?'
'What I say.'
'You don't mean--'
'Oh, cut it! Flyman, Cox is too fond of cackle. We're losing valuabletime, my child. You stay where you are, and keep an eye on things,while Cox and I find my uncle's ruby.'
The Flyman proposed an amendment.
'Excuse me, Mr Burton, but, if you don't mind, we'll have it the otherway about. You stay here, and Mr Cox and I will find the ruby.'
Mr Burton laughed.
'Flyman, Doubt was your sire, out of Suspicion. Still think I want todo you?'
'Sure.' The Flyman drew his finger across his lips. 'Mr Burton, you'recleverer than most, and a lot cleverer than me. If you once got thatthere stone between your fingers, I might whistle for my thousand, andkeep on whistling. Besides, I am handier than you at looking for athing like that.'
'Then show your handiness; only look alive about it. We can't expectto continue in the enjoyment of these charming rooms for ever.'
'Where shall I start looking?'
'There you are, displaying your handiness from the very beginning. Howam I to know? I'm not informed as to where she keeps her gewgaws. Ibelieve that the pretty lady's sleeping-chamber is on the other sideof that door; look, there.' The Flyman looked in the directionreferred to. 'Hold hard; take Cox with you.'
The Flyman gripped Mr Thomas Cox by the arm.
'You come with me.'
Mr Cox objected.
'None of your handling.'
'Who wants to handle you? You come with me, that's all.'
'Yes, Cox, that's all. You go and assist our friend in prising openthe pretty lady's jewel-boxes and dressing-cases, and so on. You knowquite well that it isn't the first time you've been at the game, dearboy.'
'I'll have no finger in anything of the kind; and as for yourimputations, I'll make you regret them, Mr Burton.'
'You will, will you? Take care, Cox; I'm in a nasty mood. If you won'ttake a hand in this game, we'll play it in spite of you. We'll countyou out. Not a farthing shall you have of my money, and I defy you toput the law into execution against me. You know you daren't--now. Themoment you move, I'll give the police the office to keep an eye onThomas Cox. You've more to lose than we have.'
'You--you brutes! Don't try to bully me.'
'Bully? I don't bully, Cox. Here, I'll open that door, and you shallgo through it at once, if you please. Only I'll go with you, and atthe foot of the stairs I'll denounce you for murder. If the game islost, as it will be if you won't play it out, I don't care if I dohang, so long as you hang with me.'
'What--what the devil do you mean by keeping on dropping hintsabout--about murder?'
'You shall know, if you like, when you reach the foot of the stairs.Take my earnest and well-meant advice, keep in with us, and take myword for it that each moment you waste brings the shadow of thegallows just a little nearer. I'll give you all the explanations youwant afterwards, if there ever is an afterwards.'
Mr Cox hesitated. He glanced from one of his companions to the other.What he saw on their faces seemed to have on him an odd effect. Hewent with the Flyman into Miss Bewicke's bedroom, looking as if he hadall at once grown older. Mr Burton followed them with his eyes, thepeculiar expression of his countenance seeming to endow hisstereotyped smile with an unusual prominence. He looked, as he hadsaid of himself, in a nasty mood.
'Leave the door open, Flyman. I also am interested in the proceedings,and should like to be instantly informed when you do light upon myuncle's precious jewel.'
He watched for a moment or two the Flyman pulling open such drawers aswere unlocked and turning over their contents.
'Don't trouble yourself to look at the frills and laces. Women don'tkeep jewels among their underwear. Turn your attention to thedressing-table, man.'
The Flyman resented the comment on his mode of procedure.
'You never know where a woman does keep her things, especially thething you're after, as you'd know if you'd as much experience as Ihave.'
Mr Burton, laughing, lit a cigarette.
'All right, man of many felonies. You're quite justified in resentingthe criticism of the amateur. I was only telling you what was my ownidea. Only do be quick and illustrate the handiness of which youbragged.'
He strolled towards the door which was on the opposite side of theroom, the one through which the ladies had vanished. He softly triedthe handle; it still was locked. Taking the cigarette from between hislips, he inclined his ear towards the panel and listened.
'They're quiet. I suppose they're in her room. I wonder what they'redoing? Problem for the papers which give prizes for puzzles. Under thecircumstances, what might they be expected to be doing? Odds on thatthey're doing something else. One might easily see. It wouldn't takelong to cut a piece out of this panel, or, for the matter of that, totake the lock itself clean off. But would it be worth one's while?They've seen enough. Ye whales and little fishes, they've seen toomuch! Better carry the thing to a conclusion without unnecessarywitnesses. If they're content, we are. What's up now?'
The question was prompted by an exclamation which came from MissBewicke's bedroom. Mr Cox a
ppeared at the entrance.
'Burton, you said that all we wanted was the ruby; that the rest ofher things should go untouched.'
'Well?'
'The Flyman's pocketing her jewels.'
Mr Burton crossed the floor.
'That won't do, Flyman. We're here on an expedition of right. We'renot thieves.'
'You said yourself we might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.'
'I did; and you are aware that that is not the kind of sheep I meant.On this occasion I really must ask you to be honest.'
'But I never saw such shiners. Who could resist them, guv'nor? She'sgot enough to stock a shop. Why, if we take 'em away with us, wesha'n't be far out, even if we don't get that blessed ruby.'
'It's the ruby or nothing; also, and nothing. Put those things back.'
'I've only nobbled one or two. I've got to look after myself.'
'I, too, have to look after you. You know what was agreed; keep to theterms of the agreement, or, though you "nobble" every "shiner" thelady owns, you'll be a loser. Put those things back.'
There was something about Mr Burton just then which compelled respect,of a kind, which fact the Flyman recognised. His face darkened and, inaudible tones, he grumbled. But he produced the trinkets, asrequested, and replaced them, one by one, on their velvet beds.
'Is that all?'
'Every blooming one.'
'Cox, is that all?'
'Yes, I believe it is.' He glanced at the open jewel-case. 'No,there's a ring still missing.'
The Flyman cursed.
'Can't a bloke have one?'
'Not unless he wishes to pay for it more than it's worth. Come, man,look pleasant.'
The Flyman did not 'look pleasant;' but he restored the ring. MrBurton expressed approval.
'That's better. Now, show yourself as keen in the right direction.Give us a proof of the "handiness" you talked about, and find thatruby. It'll be worth to you more than all those other things.'
On this point the Flyman, from his manner, seemed to have his doubts;but he continued his researches. Mr Cox observed that they werestrictly confined to what Mr Burton had called the 'right direction.'Mr Burton, returning to the locked door, pursued his meditations as helistened at the panel.
'It's odd that they're so quiet, and suggests mischief. In such acase, surely women are not quiet. Unless--unless what? That's what Ishould like to know.'
'Burton, is this the ruby?'
The words came sharply from Mr Cox, with a sudden interposition fromthe Flyman.
'You give me that! Don't you lay your fingers on the thing!'
'I'm only looking at it.'
'You give it me, I say.'
'Burton!'
The cry was almost an appeal for help. Mr Burton arrived to findsomething very like a tussle taking place. The Flyman was endeavouringto obtain possession of something which Mr Cox was holding, and whichthat gentleman was doing his best to keep.
'I found it!' he cried. 'Hand it over!'
'Burton! Quick! Catch!'
Mr Cox tossed something through the air which Mr Burton caught. He hadjust time to see that it was a ring, set with a gleaming red stone,when the Flyman was upon him with an emphatic repetition of the demandhe had made on Mr Cox.
'You hand it over before I down you.'
Mr Cox explained.
'I found it; he didn't. I opened the box, and it was the first thing Isaw. It had nothing to do with him.'
The Flyman paid no attention to the statement. He merely reiteratedhis request.
'Now, Mr Burton, I don't want no patter. You fork up before there'strouble.'
The young gentleman, holding his hand behind his back, was smiling inthe other's face.
'Gently, Flyman. Let's know exactly where we are before we come tobusiness.' The Flyman flung himself upon him without another word. MrBurton never for a moment seemed to lose his self-possession. 'Youass! what do you suppose you're going to gain by this?'
While they struggled, the bedroom door was suddenly slammed to. Therewas a clicking sound. The continuation of the argument was instantlydeferred. Mr Burton hurried to the door.
'They've caught us napping; it's locked. Well, Flyman, I hope you'resatisfied. Owing to your "handiness," of which we have heard so much,in our turn we are trapped.'