The Pink Shop

by Fergus Hume

"They may not be so very wild after all. Wait until I can make Badoura speak. Yes," added Miss Toat, with an after-thought, "and Peri Banou also."

"The dumb girl, who was in the shop when the crime was committed. Humph! I suppose she may know something."

"She may. I am going to ask her. Meanwhile I must have more money--say, another twenty pounds."

Ralph looked rueful. "I can get it for you to-morrow," he said doubtfully, "for to tell you the truth, Miss Toat, I am not very well off just now. Can't you do without it?"

"No, Mr. Shawe," she replied plainly. "I would if I could. But it is necessary that I should go back to the Pink Shop and spend money, as that is the only way in which I can come into contact with Badoura and Peri Banou in order to question them. Of course, if you wish me to give up the case--"

"No, no--certainly not!" he exclaimed hastily. "I shall send you the twenty pounds to your office to-morrow before twelve o'clock. The solution of this mystery means a lot to me, and I am willing to spend my last farthing on it."

"I don't think you will have to do that," said Miss Toat, getting ready to go. "I expect to get some tangible clue from those two girls;" and with this piece of comfort she departed, leaving Ralph rather disconsolate.

While the case was being examined into, Shawe had seen very little of Audrey. Sir Joseph had returned unexpectedly from Brighton, for he had grown weary of the seaside and wished to get back to business. Mrs. Mellop still remained at the house on Camden Hill, as the millionaire, finding her an amusing woman to have at his dinner-table, asked her to chaperon his daughter for a longer period. The widow augured from this that Branwin was really in love with her, and did all she could to fascinate him still further. She was glad that he had come back to be under her spell.

But Ralph was far from pleased by this unexpected return, as he could not visit the house so freely as formerly. Twice or thrice he did call, but Sir Joseph was so grim and glacial in his welcome that the young man thought it was best to remain away. Also, Mrs. Mellop, taking her cue from the millionaire, behaved disagreeably, and kept a closer watch on Audrey. Ralph was very unhappy, and could only see his sweetheart at odd times and in odd ways. The course of true love was not running smoothly by any means.

Shawe, however, busied himself with searching into the case with the assistance of Perry Toat. That wily person came to him again and again, and related various details which she had learnt from Badoura, Parizade and Peri Banou, which more or less helped on the matter. But so busy was the barrister in fixing the pieces of the puzzle together--for by this time he had learnt some tangible scraps of evidence from Perry Toat's investigations--that he quite neglected Audrey. He was not, therefore, surprised to receive a note from her asking him to come to the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens the next morning at seven o'clock. At that hour neither Sir Joseph nor Mrs. Mellop was likely to be up, and Audrey would be free from their watchful eyes. Ralph promptly decided to go, but sent no answer to the note, since it might fall into the hands of his enemies--for so he regarded the millionaire and the widow who wished to marry the millionaire.