CHAPTER XXXV
THE ALLERDYKE WAY
With the recovered pearls in his hand, and Chettle as guardian andcompanion at his side, Allerdyke chartered a taxi-cab and demanded to bedriven to Bedford Court Mansions. And as they glided away up Whitehall heturned to the detective with a grin that had a sardonic complexion to it.
"Well--except for the law business--I reckon this is about over,Chettle," he said. "You've had plenty to do, anyway--not much kickingyour heels in idleness anywhere, while this has been going on!"
Chettle pulled a long face and sighed.
"Unfortunate for me, all the same, Mr. Allerdyke," he answered. "I'dmeant to have a big cut in at that reward, sir. Now I suppose that youngwoman'll get it."
"Miss Slade'll doubtless get most of it," replied Allerdyke. "But I thinkthere'll have to be a bit of a dividing-up, like. You fellows arecertainly entitled to some of it--especially you--and two or three ofthose folks who gave some information ought to have a look in. But, ofcourse, Miss Slade will feel herself entitled to the big lump--and she'lltake care to get it, don't make any mistake!"
"She's a deal too clever, that young lady," observed Chettle. "I like 'emclever, but not quite as clever as all that. In my opinion, she'smistaken her calling, has that young woman. She ought to have been oneof us--they're uncommonly bent that way, some of these modernmisses--they can see right through a thing, sometimes, where we men can'tsee an inch above our noses."
"Intuition," said Allerdyke, with a laugh. "Aye, well perhaps MissSlade'll have got so infected with enthusiasm for your business thatShe'll go in for it regularly. This reward'll do for capital, youknow, Chettle."
"Ah!" responded Chettle feelingly. "Wish it was coming to me! Iwouldn't put no capital into that business--not me, sir! I'd have anice little farm in the country, and I'd grow roses, and breed sheepand pigs, and--"
"And lose all your brass in a couple of years!" laughed Allerdyke. "Stickto your own game, my lad, and when you want to grow roses, do it in yourown back yard for pleasure. And here we are--and you'd best wait,Chettle, until Miss Lennard herself gives a receipt for this stuff, andthen you can take it back to Scotland Yard and frame it."
He left Chettle in an anti-room of Miss Lennard's flat while he himselfwas shown into the prima donna's presence. She was alone, and evidentlyunoccupied, and her eyes suddenly sparkled when Allerdyke came in as ifshe was glad of a visitor.
"You!" she exclaimed. "Really!"
"It's me," said Allerdyke laconically. "Nobody else," He looked round tomake sure that the door was safely closed; then he advanced to the littletable at which Miss Lennard was sitting and laid down his parcel.
"Something for you," he said abruptly. "Open it."
"What is it?" she asked, glancing shyly at him. "Not chocolates--surely!"
"Never bought aught of that sort in my life," replied Allerdyke. "Morerespect for people's teeth. Here--I'll open it," he went on, producing apenknife and cutting the string. "I've signed one receipt for this stuffalready--you'll have to sign another. There's a detective in your parlourwaiting for it, just now."
"A detective!" she exclaimed. "Why--why--you don't mean to say that boxhas my pearls in it? Oh! you don't!"
"See if they're all right," commanded Allerdyke "Gad!--they've beenthrough some queer hands since you lost 'em. I don't know how you feelabout it, but hang me if I shouldn't feel strange wearing 'em again! Ishould feel--but I daresay you don't!"
"No, I don't!" she said as she drew the jewels out of their wrappings andhurriedly examined them. "Of course I don't; all I feel is that I'mdelighted beyond measure to get them back. You don't understand."
"No, I don't," agreed Allerdyke. He dropped into a chair close by, andquietly regarded the owner of the fateful valuables. "I'm only a man, yousee. But--I should know better how to take care of things like these thanyou did. Come, now!"
"I shall take better care of them--in future," said Miss Lennard.
Allerdyke shook his head,
"Not you!" he retorted. "At least--not unless you've somebody to takecare of you. Eh?"
Miss Lennard, who was still examining her recovered property, set ithastily down and stared at her visitor. Her colour heightened, and hereyes became inquisitive.
"Take care of--me!" she exclaimed. "Of--whatever are you talking about,Mr. Allerdyke?"
"It's like this," replied Allerdyke, involuntarily squaring himself inhis chair. "You see me?--I'm as healthy a man as ever lived!--forty, butno more than five-and-twenty in health and spirits. I've plenty of brainsand a rare good temper. I'm owner of one of the best businesses inYorkshire--I'm worth a good ten thousand a year. I've one of the besthouses in our parts--I'm going to take another, a country house, ifyou're minded. I'll guarantee to make the best husband--"
Miss Lennard dropped back on her sofa and screamed.
"Good heavens, man?" she exclaimed. "Are you--are you really asking meto--to marry you?"
"That's it," replied Allerdyke, nodding. "You've hit it. Queer way,maybe--but it's my way. See?"
"I never heard of--of such a way in all my life!" said the lady."You're--extraordinary!"
"I am," said Allerdyke. "Yes--we are out of the ordinary in our part ofthe world--we know it. Well," he went on after a moment's silence, duringwhich they looked at each other, "you've heard what I have to say. How isit to be?"
The prima donna continued to gaze intently on this strange wooer for afull minute. Then she suddenly stretched out her hand.
"I'll marry you!" she said quietly.
Allerdyke gave the hand a firm pressure, and stood up, unconsciouslypulling himself to his full height.
"Thank you," he said. "You shan't regret it. And now, then--a pen, if youplease. Sign that."
He handed his betrothed a paper, watched her sign it, and then, pickingup the pen as she laid it down, took a cheque-book from his pocket andquickly wrote a cheque. This he placed in an envelope taken from thewriting-table. Envelope and receipt in hand, he turned to the door.
"Business first," he said, smiling over his shoulder. "I'll send Chettleoff--then we'll talk about ourselves."
He went away to Chettle and put the paper and the envelope in his hand.
"That's the receipt," he said. "T'other's a bit of a present foryou--naught to do with the reward--a trifle from me. Ah!--you might liketo know that I've just got engaged to be married!"
Chettle glanced round and inclined his head towards the room from whichAllerdyke had just emerged.
"What!--to the lady!" he exclaimed. "Deary me. Well," he went on,grasping the successful suitor's hand, and giving it a warm andsympathetic squeeze, "there's one thing I can say, Mr. Allerdyke--you'llmake an uncommon good-looking pair!"
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