“No.” Hale turned carelessly back to his desk. “Take a fool’s advice and do not procrastinate in your search for Polly.”
John walked in silence to the door. Once there, he looked back and addressed his brother.
“Some day I’ll wring your damn neck!” he exclaimed, and his brother’s mocking laughter was still ringing in his ears as he went down the circular staircase.
The sound of voices at the front door aroused him from his thoughts, and, looking in that direction, he saw Maud, the parlor maid, conversing with a District messenger boy. She was in the act of signing a receipt when an oblong package on which she was trying to write, slipped from her awkward fingers and struck with a resounding thud on the marble floor of the vestibule. There was a tinkle of broken glass as the tissue paper covering burst. The messenger, scenting trouble, snatched the receipt out of her hand and bolted down the steps, while Maud, with a loud exclamation, stooped and picked up the package.
“Look at that, now!” she gasped in tragic tones, as John Hale stopped beside her. “What’ll I do? I’ve broken the crystal of Major Richards’ watch.” And tearing off the remains of the tissue paper, she held the piece of jewelry before him.
John Hale scarcely heard her words, his attention was entirely centered on the open-faced watch. Small bits of crystal still clung to its face, but the dial had not been injured and the hands were intact.
“Where did the watch come from?” he asked, and at the eagerness in his voice Maud looked up.
“It’s Major Richards’!” she explained. “Jennings, the watchmaker on Fourteenth Street, sent word by the boy that he couldn’t get it over last night as promised, so he sent it this afternoon. What will the Major say to me?” and Maud’s distress found vent in a subdued sniff presaging a burst of tears.
“Don’t worry, Maud; I’ll explain to Major Richards that the accident was unavoidable. Let me have the watch,” and as Maud expressed voluble thanks, he sped into the library, the watch dangling from its chain.
“Frank,” he cried. “Hurry, man, I’ve found”—he checked himself at sight of Judith sitting on the lounge talking to Latimer.