CHAPTER XIV.
When Hall arrived in Liverpool he proceeded at once to London. His valetwas careful to see that he did not come unannounced--at least in BowStreet--and from thence the information reached the new servant inHarley Street.
Hall, however, remained only a day in London. After spending one nightin Harley Street, he informed his landlady he was going away again for aday or two and that he expected some letters. Any arriving the day ofhis departure were to be forwarded to Hanley Hall. Those arriving afterthat were to be held.
Farrel was then ordered to "pack up a few things," and at noon theystarted for Hanley Hall. On arriving, Hall was annoyed to find Mr.Stafford and Kate absent. They had gone, so he was informed, to whatmight be the death-bed of a very dear friend of the family,--"which isonly the truth, you know," said Miss Fleming, as she concluded tellingMrs. Stafford just what must be said to Hall.
Although much annoyed, Hall preserved a calm exterior, and asked wherethey had gone.
"To Staffordshire," Miss Fleming replied, very promptly, not giving Mrs.Stafford a chance to commit herself.
Hall looked at her sharply. Her face seemed to trouble him, as it hadMartin.
"When do you expect Mr. Stafford to return?" Hall addressed Mrs.Stafford, but again Miss Fleming interposed.
"Of course that must depend on the recovery or death of their friend,"she said, with a mischievous smile.
Hall would have much preferred questioning Mrs. Stafford and receivinghis answers from her, and suspecting, this Mrs. Stafford said she mustleave them for a little while. Miss Fleming would entertain him.
Miss Fleming rattled off a lot of small talk, to which Hall barely paidattention. At length a break occurred in the conversation, and he said:
"Do you know, Miss Fleming, I seem to know your face--yet I can'tremember where."
"It must have been my photograph," she replied, with an innocent smile.
"Precisely! I found a locket a couple years ago with your photograph init--I knew I had seen your face somewhere!"
"Could you let me see it, Mr. Hall?" with the same innocent smile.
"No, I regret to say I cannot; although what has become of it I do notknow. But I beg you will tell Mrs. Stafford I had to go, as I wish tocatch the train back and I have barely time to do so," and having drivena very large nail in his own coffin, Hall left immediately, while MissFleming at once wrote Carden an account of her conversation with himregarding the locket.
When Hall alighted from the train in London, he ran plump into agentleman of rather disreputable appearance, who cordially "blawsted"Mr. Hall's "heyes" and consigned his soul to everlasting perdition.
Hall did not recognize the burly individual and paid no attention tohim, but the other appeared to recognize him and heard him give theorder to drive to No. -- Harley Street.
"So yer back are ye!" he muttered. "Mebbe I'll give ye a call afore yeknow it!"
It was our old friend Jaggers, and after Hall was driven away he stoodfor some time in deep thought. After a while he moved off in ahesitating way. Then apparently coming to a sudden resolution, hemuttered a horrible oath, saying--"I'll do it!" and walked quickly inthe direction of the den known as "Blind Jim's," where Blount had methim regarding the murder.
On arriving at "Blind Jim's" he sought a desperate character known as"The Knifer," and both adjourned to a private room.
It was early in the evening, and though the two conversed very earnestlyuntil after midnight, and "The Knifer" appeared to have money, theydrank but little--which caused the proprietor of the den to remark that"the boys in number six must have a little business on hand."
He was not far out of the way, for about one o'clock the "boys" left thehouse and proceeded stealthily to No. -- Harley Street.
Farrel, the valet, had obtained leave of absence, and no one but Hallslept on the second floor that night. He had come back from Hanley Hallin an ugly temper, and had spent the evening drinking--in fact had goneto bed pretty drunk. And he had what is called the drunken man's luck,for had he gone to bed sober he would undoubtedly have been awakenedwhen our friend Jaggers, in removing his watch from the dressing-case,knocked over a glass globe. Had he awakened "The Knifer," who wasbending over him, would have plunged the knife which gained him thetitle into Hall's heart. However, being drunk, he slept on undisturbedby the noise and escaped bodily injury.
In the morning when he awakened, Hall looked for his watch to see thetime, and not finding it looked for his vest, never doubting it wasthere, but the vest contained no watch. Instead of becoming angry Hallbegan to look troubled and searched among the garments he had removedthe night before. Piece after piece was thrown hurriedly on the floor,but what he sought--and it could not have been his valuable watch whichhe risked handling so recklessly--was not there.
Sinking back on the bed he stared around the room. Suddenly his gazefell upon the open rear window, and running to it he saw a ladder raisedagainst the rear of the house. It was quite clear to him now--he hadbeen robbed while lying in a drunken stupor, and realizing this hecursed himself and his folly and his misfortune.
After a few minutes he closed the window, and going to a closet took outa bottle of brandy, which he had just managed to put away the nightbefore. Bestowing another curse on this, he took a drink of it and satdown to think. Suddenly he brightened up, and seizing a pencil wrote thefollowing advertisement:
"If the parties who took the watch No. 0072 and other jewelry, together with an undergarment from No. -- Harley Street, will return the same at once, they will receive the full value and not be prosecuted. All the articles must be returned to ensure the foregoing."
"There, that looks hopeful--that is, if the fools have not thrown itaway!" exclaimed Hall, as he read over the advertisement.
He dressed rapidly and went out without saying a word about his loss,and before breakfasting left a copy of the advertisement at the officeof every newspaper in London, with orders to insert it for a week.
"What precious lambs 'e must take us for!" exclaimed "The Knifer" as heread the advertisement in the paper next day.
"Werry!" rejoined Jaggers. "I wonder wot 'e thinks ve took the bloodypad for? Hundergarment 'e calls it!"
When a week had passed without receiving any response to hisadvertisement Hall changed it to the following:
"L500 reward and no questions asked for the return of the watch and other jewelry etc., taken from the second floor of No. -- Harley Street on the 10th instant. Address, CONFIDENTIAL, care of this office."
This, too, came under the notice of Jaggers and his friend. The latterglanced at the advertisement covetously and said:
"Hi wonder 'ow much 'igher 'ee'll go?"
"Don't you bother yer 'ead about that! 'E can't get 'em if 'e went as'igh as the bloomin' moon!" retorted Jaggers, savagely.