Then one day Sidney chanced on the Latin manuscript, and learned that
Braddock's real reason for getting the mummy was to procure the emeralds
which were held in the grip of the dead. Sidney kept this knowledge to
himself, and Braddock never guessed that his assistant knew the truth.
Then unexpectedly Braddock stumbled across the advertisement describing
the green mummy for sale in Malta. From the color he made sure that it
was that of Inca Caxas, and so moved heaven and earth to get money
to buy it. At length he did, from Archie Hope, on condition that he
consented to the marriage of his step-daughter with the young man.
Thinking that Sidney was ignorant of the jewels, he sent him to bring
the mummy home.
Sidney told Mrs. Jasher that he would try and steal the jewels in Malta
or on board the tramp steamer. Failing that, he would delay the delivery
of the mummy to Braddock on some excuse and rob it at Pierside. To make
sure of escaping, he borrowed a disguise from his mother, alleging that
Hope wanted the same to clothe a model. Sidney intended to take these
clothes with him, and, after stealing the jewels, to escape disguised as
an old woman. As he was slender and clean-shaven and a capital actor, he
could easily manage this.
Then he arranged that Mrs. Jasher should join him in Paris, and they
would sell the emeralds, and go to America, there to marry and live
happily ever afterwards, like a fairy tale.
Unfortunately for the success of this plan, Mrs. Jasher thought that the
Professor would make a more distinguished husband, so she betrayed all
that Sidney, had arranged.
"What a beastly thing to do!" interrupted Random, disgusted. "It is not
as if she wanted to help Braddock. I think less of Mrs. Jasher than ever
I did. She might have remembered that there is honor amongst thieves."
"Well, she is dead, poor soul!" said Hope with a sigh. "God knows that
if she sinned, she has paid cruelly for her sin," after which remark, as
Sir Frank was silent, he resumed his reading.
Braddock was furious when he learned of his assistant's projected
trickery, and he determined to circumvent him. He agreed to marry Mrs.
Jasher, as, if he had not done so, she could have warned Sidney and he
could have escaped with both the mummy and the jewels by conniving with
Hervey. The Professor could not risk that, as, remembering Hervey
as Gustav Vasa, he was aware how clever and reckless he was. Whether
Braddock ever intended to marry the widow in the end it is hard to
say, but he certainly pretended to consent to the engagement, which was
mainly brought about by Lucy. Then came the details of the murder so far
as Mrs. Jasher knew.