CHAPTER XXI
It was a full minute later and in all that minute’s length no one had spoken, no one had made a single sound.
The shock, the shame, of such a confession, telling, as it did, why he had attempted to destroy himself, had crumpled the man up, taken all the vitality out of him. He faced round and leaned his bent arm against the wall of the stable, hid his face in the crook of it, and Cleek, pitying him, let him have that minute all to himself. Then:
“Come,” he said, very gently, going over to him and patting him on the shoulder. “Buck up! Buck up! There’s nothing in all the world so deceptive as appearances, Sir Mawson; perhaps, when I’ve heard the facts——Well, haven’t I told you that I am out for a pair of expert jewel thieves, and that that necklace is just the sort of thing they’d be likely to make play for? How do you know, then, that they didn’t?”
“I wish I could believe that, I wish I could even hope it,” he gave back miserably. “But you don’t know the facts, Mr. Cleek.”
“To be sure I don’t; and they’re what I’m after. Let’s have them, please. To begin with, how came the Ladder of Light to be in your possession at all?”
“It was brought to me yesterday—for repairing—by the Ranee’s own major domo. Not a mere cice, Mr. Cleek, but the most trusted of all her henchmen. Three of the narrow gold links which hold the stones together had worn thin and needed strengthening. It was four o’clock in the afternoon when he arrived, and the Ranee, he said, had selected our house for the work on the recommendation of royalty. There was several hours’ work on the thing—I saw that the instant I examined it. But I was appalled by the fearful responsibility of having a jewel of such fabulous value on the premises—with people constantly coming in and going out—and determined, therefore, to take it home and do the repairs myself. I informed the Ranee’s major domo of that resolution, and demanded of him a guard of the Ranee’s own attendants to accompany me on the journey and to keep watch over my house until he should come in person to receive the necklace to-day.
“He accorded me this willingly; departed—still retaining possession of the jewel, for I would not have it left with me at any cost—returned with the guard an hour later, handed me the case containing the necklace, and I left for home a few minutes after five—and the Hindu guard with me. On arriving——”
“One moment, please,” interposed Cleek. “Did you examine the case to see if the Ladder of Light was still there before you started?”