"Everything is wrong. My mummy has been lost: Mr. Bolton has been
murdered. The police are coming, and--and--" He choked again.
But the servants waited to hear no more. The mere mention of the words
"murder" and "police" sent them, pale-faced and startled, down to the
basement, where they huddled like a flock of sheep. Braddock looked
around for Hope, but found that he had opened the front door, and had
vanished. But he was too distracted to think why Archie had gone, and
there was much to do in putting things straight. Beckoning to Cockatoo,
he stalked into a side room, and scribbled a pencil note to the
inspector of police at Pierside, telling him of what had happened, and
asking him to come at once to the Pyramids with his underlings. This
communication he dispatched by Cockatoo, who flew to get his bicycle.
In a short time he was riding at top speed to Brefort, which was on this
side of the river; facing Pierside. There he could ferry across to the
town and deliver his terrible message.
Having done all that he could until the police came, Braddock walked out
of the front door and into the roadway to see if Archie was in sight. He
could not see the young man, but, as luck would have it, and by one of
those coincidences which are much more common than is suspected, he saw
the Gartley doctor walking briskly past.
"Hi!" shouted the Professor, who was purple in the face and perspiring
profusely. "Hi, there, Dr. Robinson! I want you. Come! come! hurry, man,
hurry!" he ended in a testy rage, and the doctor, knowing Braddock's
eccentricities, advanced with a smile. He was a slim, dark, young
medical practitioner with an amiable countenance, which argued of no
mighty intelligence.
"Well, Professor," he remarked quietly, "do you want me to attend you
for apoplexy? Take your time, my dear sir--take your time." He patted
the scientist on the shoulder to soothe his clamorous rage. "You are
already purple in the face. Don't let your blood rush to your head."
"Robinson, you're a--a--a fool!" shouted Braddock, glaring at the suave
looks of the doctor. "I am in perfect health, damn you, sir."
"Then Miss Kendal--?"
"She is quite well also. But Bolton--?"
"Oh!" Robinson looked interested. "Has he returned with your mummy?"
"Mummy," bellowed Braddock, stamping like an insane Cupid--"the mummy
hasn't arrived."
"Really, Professor, you surprise me," said the doctor mildly.
"I'll surprise you more," growled Braddock, dragging Robinson into the
garden and up the steps.
"Gently! gently! my dear sir," said the doctor, who really began to
think that much learning had made the Professor mad. "Didn't Bolton--?"
"Bolton is dead, you fool."
"Dead!" The doctor nearly tumbled backward down the steps.