CHAPTER TWELVE
THE FRIEND FROM PEEBLES
Melky, as principal lodger in Mrs. Flitwick's establishment, occupiedwhat that lady was accustomed to describe as the front drawing-roomfloor--a couple of rooms opening one into the other. Into one of these,furnished as a sitting-room, he now led Lauriston's friend, hospitablyinvited him to a seat, and took a quiet look at him. He at once sizedup Mr. John Purdie for what he was--a well-to-do, well-dressed,active-brained young business man, probably accustomed to controllingand dealing with important affairs. And well satisfied with thispreliminary inspection, he immediately plunged into the affair of themoment.
"Mister," began Melky, pulling up a chair to Purdie's side, andassuming a tone and manner of implicit confidence. "I've heard of you.Me and Mr. Lauriston's close friends. My name's Mr. Rubinstein--Mr.Melchior Rubinstein, commonly called Melky. I know all aboutyou--you're the friend that Lauriston asked for a bit of help to seehim through, like--ain't it? Just so--and you sent him twenty pounds tobe going on with--which he got, all right, last night. Also, same time,he got another twenty quid for two of his lit'ry works--stories,mister. Mister!--I wish he'd got your money and the other money just anhour before it come to hand! S'elp me!--if them there letters had onlycome in by one post earlier, it 'ud ha' saved a heap o' trouble!"
"I haven't the remotest notion of what you're talking about, you know,"said Purdie good-naturedly. "You evidently know more than I do. I knewAndie Lauriston well enough up to the time he left Peebles, but I'venever seen or heard of him since until he wrote to me the other week.What's it all about, and why has he gone back to Peebles? I told him Iwas coming up here any day now--and here I am, and he's gone!"
Melky edged his chair still nearer to his visitor, and with a cautiousglance at the door, lowered his voice.
"I'm a-going to tell you all about it, mister," he said. "I know youScotch gentlemen have got rare headpieces on you, and you'll pick it upsharp enough. Now you listen to me, Mr. Purdie, same as if I was one ofthem barrister chaps stating a case, and you'll get at it in no time."
John Purdie, who had already recognized his host as a character, asinteresting as he was amusing, listened attentively while Melky toldthe story of Lauriston's doings and adventure from the moment of hissetting out to pawn his watch at Multenius's pledge-office to that inwhich, on Melky's suggestion, he had made a secret and hurrieddeparture for Peebles. Melky forgot no detail; he did full justice toevery important point, and laid particular stress on the proceedingsbefore the Coroner. And in the end he appealed confidently to hislistener.
"And now I put it up to you, mister--straight!" concluded Melky. "CouldI ha' done better for him than to give him the advice I did? Wasn't itbest for him to go where he could get some evidence on his own behalf,than to run the risk of being arrested, and put where he couldn't donothing for himself? What d'you say, now, Mr. Purdie?"
"Yes," agreed Purdie, after a moment's further thought. "I think youdid well. He'll no doubt be able to find some old friends in Peebleswho can surely remember that his mother did possess those two rings.But you must bear this in mind--the police, you say, have shadowed himsince yesterday afternoon. Well, when they find he's flown, they'lltake that as a strong presumptive evidence of guilt. They'll say he'sflying from justice!"
"Don't matter, mister, if Lauriston comes back with proof of hisinnocence," replied Melky.
"Yes, but they'll not wait for that," said Purdie. "They'll set thehue-and-cry on to him--at once. He's not the sort to be easily mistakenor overlooked--unless he's changed a lot this late year or two--he wasalways a good-looking lad."
"Is so now, mister," remarked Melky, "is so now!"
"Very well," continued Purdie. "Then I want to make a suggestion toyou. It seems to me that the wisest course is for you and me to gostraight to the police authorities, and tell them frankly thatLauriston has gone to get evidence that those rings are really hisproperty, and that he'll return in a day or two with that evidence.That will probably satisfy them--I think I can add a bit more that willhelp further. We don't want it to be thought that the lad's run awayrather than face a possible charge of murder, you know!"
"I see your point, mister, I see your point!" agreed Melky. "I'm withyou!--I ain't no objection to that. Of course, there ain't no need totell the police precisely where he has gone--what?"
"Not a bit!" said Purdie. "But I'll make myself responsible to them forhis re-appearance. Now--did you and he arrange anything aboutcommunicating with each other?"
"Yes," replied Melky. "If anything turns up this next day or two I'm towire to him at the post-office, Peebles. If he finds what he wants,he'll wire to me, here, at once."
"Good!" said Purdie. "Now, here's another matter. You've mentioned Mr.Spencer Levendale and this book which was so strangely left at thepledge-office. I happen to know Mr. Levendale--pretty well."
"You do, mister!" exclaimed Melky. "Small world, ain't it, now?"
"I met Mr. Spencer Levendale last September--two months ago," continuedPurdie. "He was staying at an hotel in the Highlands, with his childrenand their governess: I was at the same hotel, for a month--he and Iused to go fishing together. We got pretty friendly, and he asked me tocall on him next time I was in town. Here I am--and when we've been tothe police, I'm going to Sussex Square--to tell him I'm a friend ofLauriston's, that Lauriston is in some danger over this business, andto ask him if he can tell me more about--that book!"
Melky jumped up and wrung his visitor's hand.
"Mister!--you're one o' the right sort," he said fervently. "That therebook has something to do with it! My idea is that the man what carriedthat book into the shop is the man what scragged my poor oldrelative--fact, mister! Levendale, he wouldn't tell us anything muchthis morning--maybe he'll tell you more. Stand by Lauriston,mister!--we'll pull him through."
"You seem very well disposed towards him," remarked Purdie. "He'sevidently taken your fancy."
"And my cousin Zillah's," answered Melky, with a confidential grin."Zillah--loveliest girl in all Paddington, mister--she's clear gone onthe young fellow! And--a word in your ear, mister!--Zillah's beeneducated like a lady, and now that the old man's gone, Zillah'llhave--ah! a fortune that 'ud make a nigger turn white! And no errorabout it! See it through, mister!"
"I'll see it through," said Purdie. "Now, then--these police. Lookhere--is there a good hotel in this neighbourhood?--I've all my trapsin that taxi-cab downstairs--I drove straight here from the station,because I wanted to see Andie Lauriston at once."
"Money's no object to you, I reckon, mister?" asked Melky, with ashrewd glance at the young Scotsman's evident signs of prosperity.
"Not in reason," answered Purdie.
"Then there's the Great Western Hotel, at the end o' Praed Street,"said Melky. "That'll suit a young gentleman like you, mister, down tothe ground. And you'll be right on the spot!"
"Come with me, then," said Purdie. "And then to the police."
Half-an-hour's private conversation with the police authorities enabledPurdie to put some different ideas into the official heads. They beganto look at matters in a new light. Here was a wealthy young Scottishmanufacturer, a person of standing and position, who was able to vouchfor Andrew Lauriston in more ways than one, who had known him fromboyhood, had full faith in him and in his word, and was certain thatall that Lauriston had said about the rings and about his finding ofDaniel Multenius would be found to be absolutely true. They willinglyagreed to move no further in the matter until Lauriston's return--andPurdie noticed, not without a smile, that they pointedly refrained fromasking where he had gone to. He came out from that interview withAyscough in attendance upon him--and Melky, waiting without, saw thatthings had gone all right.
"You might let me have your London address, sir," said Ayscough. "Imight want to let you know something."
"Great Western Hotel," answered Purdie. "I shall stay there untilLauriston's return, and until this matter's entirely cleared up, as faras he's concerned. Come t
here, if you want me. All right," hecontinued, as he and Melky walked away from the police-station. "Theytook my word for it!--they'll do nothing until Lauriston comes back.Now then, you know this neighbourhood, and I don't--show me the way toSussex Square--I'm going to call on Mr. Levendale at once."
John Purdie had a double object in calling on Mr. Spencer Levendale. Hehad mentioned to Melky that when he met Levendale in the Highlands,Levendale, who was a widower, had his children and their governess withhim. But he had not mentioned that he, Purdie, had fallen in love withthe governess, and that one of his objects in coming to London justthen was to renew his acquaintance with her. It was chiefly of thegoverness that he was thinking as he stood on the steps of the bighouse in Sussex Square--perhaps, in a few minutes, he would see heragain.
But Purdie was doomed to see neither Mr. Spencer Levendale nor thepretty governess that day. Mr. Levendale, said the butler, was onbusiness in the city and was to dine out that evening: Miss Bennett hadtaken the two children to see a relative of theirs at Hounslow, andwould not return until late. So Purdie, having pencilled his Londonaddress on them, left cards for Mr. Levendale and Miss Bennett, and,going back to his hotel, settled himself in his quarters to awaitdevelopments. He spent the evening in reading the accounts of theinquest on Daniel Multenius--in more than one of the newspapers theywere full and circumstantial, and it needed little of his shrewdperception to convince him that his old schoolmate stood inconsiderable danger if he failed to establish his ownership of therings.
He had finished breakfast next morning and was thinking of strollinground to Melky Rubinstein's lodgings, to hear if any news had come fromLauriston, when a waiter brought him Ayscough's card, saying that itspresenter was waiting for him in the smoking-room. Purdie went there atonce: the detective, who looked unusually grave and thoughtful, drewhim aside into a quiet part of the room.
"There's a strange affair occurred during the night, Mr. Purdie," saidAyscough, when they were alone. "And it's my opinion it's connectedwith this Multenius affair."
"What is it?" asked Purdie.
"This," replied Ayscough. "A Praed Street tradesman--in a smallway--was picked up, dying, in a quiet street off Maida Vale, at twelveo'clock last night, and he died soon afterwards. And--he'd beenpoisoned!--but how, the doctors can't yet tell."