The two ladies looked at one another in amazement, not knowing what
to say. They were ignorant of the theft of the emeralds and of the
accusation of Sir Frank by the Yankee skipper. But, with his usual
absentmindedness, Braddock had forgotten all about that, and sat in his
chair rubbing his head quite pink and rattling on cheerfully.
"I went down with Hope to the embankment," he continued, "but neither
of us could see any sign of a boat. There's the rude, short jetty, of
course, and if a boat came, a boat could go away without leaving any
trace. Perhaps that is so. However, we must wait until we see Don Pedro
and Hervey again, and then--"
Lucy broke in desperately.
"What are you talking about, father? Why do you bring in Sir Frank's
name in that way?"
"What do you expect me to say?" retorted the little man. "After all, the
manuscript was found in his room, and the emeralds are gone. I saw that
for myself, as did Hope and Don Pedro, in whose presence I opened the
mummy case."
Mrs. Jasher rose in her astonishment.
"Are the emeralds gone?" she gasped.
"Yes! yes! yes!" cried Braddock irritably. "Am I not telling you so?
I almost believe in Hervey's accusation of Random, and yet the boy
exonerated himself very forcibly--very forcibly indeed."
"Will you explain all that has happened, father?" said Lucy, who was
becoming more and more perplexed by this rambling chatter. "We are quite
in the dark."
"So am I: so is Hope: so is every one," chuckled Braddock. "Ah, yes: of
course, you were not present when these events took place."
"What events?--what events?" demanded Mrs. Jasher, now quite
exasperated.
"I am about to tell you," snapped her future husband, and related all
that had taken place since the arrival of Captain Hervey in the museum
at the Pyramids. The women listened with interest and with growing
astonishment, only interrupting the narrator with a simultaneous
exclamation of indignation when they heard that Sir Frank was accused.
"It is utterly and wholly absurd," cried Lucy angrily. "Sir Frank is the
soul of honor."
"So I think, my dear," chimed in Mrs. Jasher. "And what does he say
to--?"
Braddock interrupted.
"I am about to tell you, if you will stop talking," he cried crossly.
"That is so like a woman. She asks for an explanation and then prevents
the man from giving it. Random offers a very good defense, I am bound to
say," and he detailed what Sir Frank had said.
When the history was finished, Lucy rose to go.
"I shall see Archie at once," she said, moving hastily, towards the
door.
"What for?" demanded her father benignly.
Lucy turned.
"This thing can't go on," she declared resolutely. "Mrs. Jasher was
accused by you, father--"