woman his brother loved, undiscovered, unburied, and with their murder
unavenged.”
In the discussion which followed the conclusion of the story of the
Naval Attache the gentleman with the pearl took no part. Instead, he
arose, and, beckoning a servant to a far corner of the room, whispered
earnestly to him until a sudden movement on the part of Sir Andrew
caused him to return hurriedly to the table.
“There are several points in Mr. Sears’s story I want explained,” he
cried. “Be seated, Sir Andrew,” he begged. “Let us have the opinion of
an expert. I do not care what the police think, I want to know what you
think.”
But Sir Henry rose reluctantly from his chair.
“I should like nothing better than to discuss this,” he said. “But it
is most important that I proceed to the House. I should have been there
some time ago.” He turned toward the servant and directed him to call a
hansom.
The gentleman with the pearl stud looked appealingly at the Naval
Attache. “There are surely many details that you have not told us,” he
urged. “Some you have forgotten.”
The Baronet interrupted quickly.
“I trust not,” he said, “for I could not possibly stop to hear them.”
“The story is finished,” declared the Naval Attache; “until Lord Arthur
is arrested or the bodies are found there is nothing more to tell of
either Chetney or the Princess Zichy.”
“Of Lord Chetney perhaps not,” interrupted the sporting-looking
gentleman with the black tie, “but there’ll always be something to tell
of the Princess Zichy. I know enough stories about her to fill a book.
She was a most remarkable woman.” The speaker dropped the end of his
cigar into his coffee cup and, taking his case from his pocket, selected
a fresh one. As he did so he laughed and held up the case that the
others might see it. It was an ordinary cigar-case of well-worn
pig-skin, with a silver clasp.
“The only time I ever met her,” he said, “she tried to rob me of this.”
The Baronet regarded him closely.
“She tried to rob you?” he repeated.
[Illustration: 08 The Princess Zichy]
“Tried to rob me of this,” continued the gentleman in the black tie,
“and of the Czarina’s diamonds.” His tone was one of mingled admiration
and injury.
“The Czarina’s diamonds!” exclaimed the Baronet. He glanced quickly and
suspiciously at the speaker, and then at the others about the table.
But their faces gave evidence of no other emotion than that of ordinary
interest.
“Yes, the Czarina’s diamonds,” repeated the man with the black tie.
“It was a necklace of diamonds. I was told to take them to the Russian
Ambassador in Paris who was to deliver them at Moscow. I am a Queen’s
Messenger,” he added.
“Oh, I see,” exclaimed Sir Andrew in a tone of relief. “And you say
that this same Princess Zichy, one of the victims of this double murder,
endeavored to rob you of--of--that cigar-case.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account