"Not rude, only awkward," he replied, colouring again, this time more deeply. "Still, as it is best to be frank, I will tell you. Yesterday I believed myself to be the inheritor of a very large fortune from an uncle whose fatal illness brought me back from South Africa before I meant to come, and as whose heir I have been brought up. To-day I have learned for the first time that he married secretly, last year, a woman much below him in rank, and has left a child, who, of course, will take all his property, as he died intestate. But that is not all. Yesterday I believed myself to be engaged to be married; to-day I am undeceived upon that point also. The lady," he added with some bitterness, "who was willing to marry Anthony Orme"s heir is no longer willing to marry Oliver Orme, whose total possessions amount to under 10,000. Well, small blame to her or to her relations, whichever it may be, especially as I understand that she has a better alliance in view. Certainly her decision has simplified matters," and he rose and walked to the other end of the room.
"Shocking business," whispered Higgs; "been infamously treated," and he proceeded to express his opinion of the lady concerned, of her relatives, and of the late Anthony Orme, shipowner, in language that, if printed, would render this history unfit for family reading. The outspokenness of Professor Higgs is well known in the antiquarian world, so there is no need for me to enlarge upon it.
"What I do not exactly understand, Adams," he added in a loud voice, seeing that Orme had turned again, "and what I think we should both like to know, is _your_ exact object in making these proposals."
"I am afraid I have explained myself badly. I thought I had made it clear that I have only one object--to attempt the rescue of my son, if he still lives, as I believe he does. Higgs, put yourself in my position. Imagine yourself with nothing and no one left to care for except a single child, and that child stolen away from you by savages.
Imagine yourself, after years of search, hearing his very voice, seeing his very face, adult now, but the same, the thing you had dreamed of and desired for years; that for which you would have given a thousand lives if you could have had time to think. And then the rush of the howling, fantastic mob, the breakdown of courage, of love, of everything that is n.o.ble under the pressure of primaeval instinct, which has but one song--Save your life. Lastly, imagine this coward saved, dwelling within a few miles of the son whom he had deserted, and yet utterly unable to rescue or even to communicate with him because of the poltroonery of those among whom he had refuged."
"Well," grunted Higgs, "I have imagined all that high-faluting lot. What of it? If you mean that you are to blame, I don"t agree with you.
You wouldn"t have helped your son by getting your own throat cut, and perhaps his also."
"I don"t know," I answered. "I have brooded over the thing so long that it seems to me that I have disgraced myself. Well, there came a chance, and I took it. This lady, Walda Nagasta, or Maqueda, who, I think, had also brooded over things, made me an offer--I fancy without the knowledge or consent of her Council. "Help me," she said, "and I will help you. Save my people, and I will try to save your son. I can pay for your services and those of any whom you may bring with you."
"I answered that it was hopeless, as no one would believe the tale, whereon she drew from her finger the throne-ring or State signet which you have in your pocket, Higgs, saying: "My mothers have worn this since the days of Maqueda, Queen of Sheba. If there are learned men among your people they will read her name upon it and know that I speak no lie.
Take it as a token, and take also enough of our gold to buy the stuffs whereof you speak, which hide fires that can throw mountains skyward, and the services of skilled and trusty men who are masters of the stuff, two or three of them only, for more cannot be transported across the desert, and come back to save your son and me." That"s all the story, Higgs. Will you take the business on, or shall I try elsewhere? You must make up your mind, because I have no time to lose, if I am to get into Mur again before the rains."
"Got any of that gold you spoke of about you?" asked the Professor.
I drew a skin bag from the pocket of my coat, and poured some out upon the table, which he examined carefully.
"Ring money," he said presently, "might be Anglo-Saxon, might be anything; date absolutely uncertain, but from its appearance I should say slightly alloyed with silver; yes, there is a bit which has oxydized--undoubtedly old, that."
Then he produced the signet from his pocket, and examined the ring and the stone very carefully through a powerful gla.s.s.
"Seems all right," he said, "and although I have been greened in my time, I don"t make many mistakes nowadays. What do you say, Adams? Must have it back? A sacred trust! Only lent to you! All right, take it by all means. _I_ don"t want the thing. Well, it is a risky job, and if any one else had proposed it to me, I"d have told him to go to--Mur. But, Adams, my boy, you saved my life once, and never sent in a bill, because I was hard up, and I haven"t forgotten that. Also things are pretty hot for me here just now over a certain controversy of which I suppose you haven"t heard in Central Africa. I think I"ll go. What do you say, Oliver?"
"Oh!" said Captain Orme, waking up from a reverie, "if you are satisfied, I am. It doesn"t matter to me where I go."
CHAPTER II
THE ADVICE OF SERGEANT QUICK
At this moment a fearful hubbub arose without. The front door slammed, a cab drove off furiously, a policeman"s whistle blew, heavy feet were heard trampling; then came an invocation of "In the King"s name,"
answered by "Yes, and the Queen"s, and the rest of the Royal Family"s, and if you want it, take it, you chuckle-headed, flat-footed, pot-bellied Peelers."
Then followed tumult indescribable as of heavy men and things rolling down the stairs, with cries of fear and indignation.
"What the d.i.c.kens is that?" asked Higgs.
"The voice sounded like that of Samuel--I mean Sergeant Quick," answered Captain Orme with evident alarm; "what can he be after? Oh, I know, it is something to do with that infernal mummy you unwrapped this afternoon, and asked him to bring round after dinner."
Just then the door burst open, and a tall, soldier-like form stalked in, carrying in his arms a corpse wrapped in a sheet, which he laid upon the table among the wine gla.s.ses.
"I"m sorry, Captain," he said, addressing Orme, "but I"ve lost the head of the departed. I think it is at the bottom of the stairs with the police. Had nothing else to defend myself with, sir, against their unwarranted attacks, so brought the body to the present and charged, thinking it very stiff and strong, but regret to say neck snapped, and that deceased"s head is now under arrest."
As Sergeant Quick finished speaking, the door opened again, and through it appeared two very flurried and dishevelled policemen, one of whom held, as far as possible from his person, the grizzly head of a mummy by the long hair which still adhered to the skull.
"What do you mean by breaking into my rooms like this? Where"s your warrant?" asked the indignant Higgs in his high voice.
"There!" answered the first policeman, pointing to the sheet-wrapped form on the table.
"And here!" added the second, holding up the awful head. "As in duty bound, we ask explanation from that man of the secret conveyance of a corpse through the open streets, whereon he a.s.saults us with the same, for which a.s.sault, pending investigation of the corpse, I arrest him.
Now, Guv"nor" (addressing Sergeant Quick), "will you come along with us quietly, or must we take you?"
The Sergeant, who seemed to be inarticulate with wrath, made a dash for the shrouded object on the table, with the intention, apparently, of once more using it as a weapon of offence, and the policemen drew their batons.
"Stop," said Orme, thrusting himself between the combatants, "are you all mad? Do you know that this woman died about four thousand years ago?"
"Oh, Lord!" said the policeman who held the head, addressing his companion, "it must be one of them mummies what they dig up in the British Museum. Seems pretty ancient and spicy, don"t it?" and he sniffed at the head, then set it down upon the table.
Explanations followed, and after the wounded dignity of the two officers of the Force had been soothed with sundry gla.s.ses of port wine and a written list of the names of all concerned, including that of the mummy, they departed.
"You take my advice, bobbies," I heard the indignant Sergeant declaim outside the door, "and don"t you believe things is always what they seem. A party ain"t necessarily drunk because he rolls about and falls down in the street; he may be mad, or "ungry, or epileptic, and a body ain"t always a body jest because it"s dead and cold and stiff. Why, men, as you"ve seen, it may be a mummy, which is quite a different thing. If I was to put on that blue coat of yours, would that make me a policeman?
Good heavens! I should hope not, for the sake of the Army to which I still belong, being in the Reserve. What you bobbies need is to study human nature and cultivate observation, which will learn you the difference between a new-laid corpse and a mummy, and many other things. Now you lay my words to heart, and you"ll both of you rise to superintendents, instead of running in daily "drunks" until you retire on a pension. Good-night."
Peace having been restored, and the headless mummy removed into the Professor"s bedroom, since Captain Orme declared that he could not talk business in the presence of a body, however ancient, we resumed our discussion. First of all, at Higgs"s suggestion I drew up a brief memorandum of agreement which set out the objects of the expedition, and provided for the equal division amongst us of any profit that might accrue; in the event of the death of one or more of us, the survivors or survivor to take their or his share.
To this arrangement personally I objected, who desired neither treasure nor antiquities, but only the rescue of my son. The others pointed out, however, that, like most people, I might in future want something to live on, or that if I did not, in the event of his escape, my boy certainly would; so in the end I gave way.
Then Captain Orme very sensibly asked for a definition of our respective duties, and it was settled that I was to be guide to the expedition; Higgs, antiquarian, interpreter, and, on account of his vast knowledge, general referee; and Captain Orme, engineer and military commander, with the proviso that, in the event of a difference of opinion, the dissentient was to loyally accept the decision of the majority.
This curious doc.u.ment having been copied out fair, I signed and pa.s.sed it to the Professor, who hesitated a little, but, after refreshing himself with a further minute examination of Sheba"s ring, signed also, remarking that he was an infernal fool for his pains, and pushed the paper across the table to Orme.
"Stop a minute," said the Captain; "I forgot something. I should like my old servant, Sergeant Quick, to accompany us. He"s a very handy man at a pinch, especially if, as I understand, we are expected to deal with explosives with which he has had a lot to do in the Engineers and elsewhere. If you agree I will call him, and ask if he will go. I expect he"s somewhere round."
I nodded, judging from the episode of the mummy and the policeman that the Sergeant was likely to be a useful man. As I was sitting next to it, I opened the door for the Captain, whereon the erect shape of Sergeant Quick, who had clearly been leaning against it, literally fell into the room, reminding me much of an overset wooden soldier.
"Hullo!" said Orme as, without the slightest change of countenance, his retainer recovered himself and stood to attention. "What the deuce are you doing there?"
"Sentry go, Captain. Thought the police might change their minds and come back. Any orders, Captain?"
"Yes. I am going to North Central Africa. When can you be ready to start?"
"The Brindisi mail leaves to-morrow night, Captain, if you travel by Egypt, but if you go by Tunis, 7.15 a.m. Sat.u.r.day is the time from Charing Cross. Only, as I understand that high explosives and arms have to be provided, these might take awhile to lay in and pack so as to deceive customs."
"You understand!" said Orme. "Pray, how do you understand?"
"Doors in these old houses are apt to get away from their frames, Captain, and the gentleman there"--and he pointed to the Professor--"has a voice that carries like a dog-whistle. Oh, no offence, sir. A clear voice is an excellent thing--that is, if the doors fit"--and although Sergeant Quick"s wooden face did not move, I saw his humorous grey eyes twinkle beneath the bushy eyebrows.
We burst out laughing, including Higgs.
"So you are willing to go?" said Orme. "But I hope you clearly understand that this is a risky business, and that you may not come back?"
"Spion Kop was a bit risky, Captain, and so was that business in the donga, where every one was. .h.i.t except you and me and the sailor man, but we came back, for all that. Begging your pardon, Captain, there ain"t no such thing as risk. Man comes here when he must, and dies when he must, and what he does between don"t make a ha"porth of difference."
"Hear, hear," I said; "we are much of the same way of thinking."