"You appear to be well-informed upon the subject, though I don"t know from what quarter your information comes. Still, what you say is pretty accurate. He did take all he could. He even took a ruby. Here it is for you to look at. Unluckily, it"s not my uncle"s. Hence these tears."
He handed her the ruby signet ring which the Flyman, when he turned Mr Holland face downwards on the pavement, found that gentleman had been lying on.
CHAPTER XIV
WHO KNOCKS?
Miss Casata examined the ring with every show of interest.
"This is the ruby he took from Mr Holland."
"It is."
"It is the only one which Mr Holland had."
"So the Flyman said. He ought to know. I believe, on this occasion, he"s no liar."
"And it"s not your uncle"s?"
"It is not."
"You are sure?"
"Dead."
"Then, now I understand."
"I wish I did share your understanding."
"I understand why she laughed when he had gone, and why she said, "Poor Guy, how disappointed he will be!""
"What is it you"re talking about? Would you condescend to explain?"
"Yet--I do not understand. It was the box. Wait; in a second I will be back."
She was back in less than a minute, bearing in her hand a small leather-covered box. On the lid was gummed a narrow strip of paper, on which was written, in delicate characters, "The Burton Ruby." Mr Burton received it with a cry of recognition.
"It"s it; but the writing"s strange."
"It is her writing."
"It"s uncle"s box--the one in which he always kept the blessed thing.
There"s his crest; there"s where I dropped it in the ink." He raised the lid. "It"s empty!"
"Last night Mr Holland took from it the ring which was inside. I always imagined that in it she kept your uncle"s ruby, which was what I said to Mr Holland, as I told you I would do."
"You"re a nice girl, Lou!"
"And you"re a nice man! Are you not a nice man?"
Mr c.o.x interposed.
"Now, don"t let"s have any quarrelling. Stick to business. Time"s precious. Go on with your story."
The lady turned and rent him.
"I will not go on with my story for you. What business of yours is my story, you dirty Jew?"
Mr Burton smiled benignly.
"Personalities! personalities! Don"t call the man a Jew, my dear. c.o.x is no Jew; he"s an anti-Semite. Continue your story for me, my love."
Miss Casata complied with his request, although not in the most gracious manner.
"Do not call me your love, or you will be sorry. As Mr Holland was taking the ring out of the box, she came in--"
"And caught him at it? It must have been exciting. Wicked Guy!"
"He wished to give it to her back again, but she said, "Go, and take it with you." He took it, and went. Then, when he had gone, she began to laugh. She kept on laughing--it was true laughter, not false--as if it was the best joke in the world, and she said, "Poor Guy, how disappointed he will be!""
"You notice things."
"I am not a fool."
"Is it possible that anyone ever mistook you for one?"
Mr c.o.x dug him with his elbow in the ribs, by way of a hint to him to hold his tongue. Miss Casata went contemptuously on,--
"I perceive now that she laughed because she knew that he had not taken with him what he supposed; but what I do not understand is, where, then, is the ring? I know she kept it in this box."
She examined minutely the one she held. Mr c.o.x put a question to Mr Burton.
"For the last time, Burton, I suppose you"re quite sure that it"s not your uncle"s ring? Nice we should look if it was afterwards discovered that you had made a mistake."
"Don"t be a silly a.s.s! How many more times do you want to hear me swear? I say, c.o.x, have you two legs, or four, and which end of you are they? I might just as reasonably put such questions to you. I tell you, I know."
Miss Casata was still continuing her scrutiny.
"It is not the ring; you are right. It is not the ring which she used to keep in the box. The stone in that, I think, was larger. It had a crest on it, I remember. And inside there was a name engraved, "George Burton." She showed it me one day, and she said, "I shall have to have this stone remounted. I cannot wear a man"s name upon my finger, especially that man"s name." I remember very well. Oh, no, this is not the ring at all."
Mr Burton turned in triumph to Mr c.o.x. "You hear? Now, who"s right?"
"You have seen the ring which you describe?"