"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.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024