Mrs. Jasher had thought Random exceedingly clever in acting as he had
done to trap her. She would have thought him still more clever had she
known that he trusted to the power of suggestion to prevent her from
trying to escape. Sir Frank had not the slightest intention of setting
his soldier-servant to watch, as such was not the duty for which such
servants are hired. But having impressed firmly on the adventuress's
mind that he would act in this way, he departed, quite certain that the
woman would not attempt to run away. Although no one was watching the
cottage, Mrs. Jasher, believing what had been told her, would think that
sharp eyes were on her doors and windows day and night, and would firmly
believe that if she tried to get away she would be captured forthwith
by the Pierside police, or perhaps by the village constable. Like an
Eastern enchanter, the baronet had placed a spell on the cottage, and
it acted admirably. Mrs. Jasher, although longing to escape and hide
herself, remained where she was, cowed by a spy who did not exist.
The next day Random went to the Pyramids as soon as his duties permitted
and saw the Professor. To the prospective bridegroom he explained all
that had happened, and displayed the anonymous letter, with an account
of how he had proved Mrs. Jasher to be the writer. Braddock's hair could
not stand on end, as he had none, but he lost his temper completely, and
raged up and down the museum in a way which frightened Cockatoo out of
his barbaric wits. When more quiet he sat down to discuss the matter,
and promptly demanded that Mrs. Jasher should be handed over to the
police. But he might have guessed that Sir Frank would refuse to follow
this extreme advice.
"She has acted badly, I admit," said the young man. "All the same, I
think she is a better woman than you may think, Professor."
"Think! think! think!" shouted the fiery little man, getting up once
more to trot up and down like an infuriated poodle. "I think she is a
bad woman, a wicked woman. To deceive me into thinking her rich and--"
"But surely, Professor, you wished to marry her also for love?"
"Nothing of the sort, sir: nothing of the sort. I leave love and
such-like trash to those like yourself and Hope, who have nothing else
to think about."
"But a marriage without love--"
"Pooh! pooh! pooh! Don't argue with me, Random. Love is all moonshine.
I did not love my first wife--Lucy's mother--and yet we were very happy.
Had I made Mrs. Jasher my second, we should have got on excellently,
provided the money was forthcoming for my Egyptian expedition. What am
I to do now, I ask you, Random? Even the thousand pounds you pay for the
mummy goes back to that infernal Hope because of Lucy's silly ideas.
I have nothing--absolutely nothing, and that tomb is amongst those
Ethiopian hills, I swear, waiting to be opened. Oh, what a chance I have
missed!--what a chance! But I shall see Mrs. Jasher myself. She knows
about this murder."