Allerdyke got to his feet, and, thrusting his hands in his pockets, began to stride about the room. All this was not merely puzzling, but, in a way which he could not understand, distasteful to him. Somehowhe did not know why, nor at that moment try to think whyhe resented the fact that any one knew more about his dead cousin than he did. And he began to wonder as he strode about the room how much this Mr. Franklin Fullaway knew.
"Did my cousin James ever mention this Princess to you?" he suddenly asked, stopping in his walk to and fro. "I meanbefore he went over to Russia this last time?"
"He just mentioned that he knew hermentioned it in casual conversation," answered Fullaway. "She and I being fellow Americans, the subject interested me, of course. Buthe only said that he had met her in Russia."
"Aye, well," said Allerdyke musingly, "it's true he did go across to Russia a good deal, and no doubt he knew folk there that he never told me about."
"Well," he went on, throwing himself into his chair again, "what's to be done? Do you honestly think that he had those things on him when he came here last night? You do? Very well, then, he's been murdered by some devil or devils who's got 'em! But how? And who are theyor who's heorgood Lord! it might be who's she?"
"Poisoned," said Fullaway. "That's my answer to your question ofhow? As to your other questionis there no clue to anything? you forgetI don't know any details. I only know that he was found dead. Under what circumstances?"
Allerdyke pulled his chair nearer to his visitor.
"I'd forgotten," he said. "I'll tell you the lot. See if you can make aught out of itthey always say you Yankees have sharp brains. Try to see a bit of daylight! So far it licks me."
He gave the American a brief yet full account of all that had happened since his receipt of James Allerdyke's wireless message. And Fullaway listened in silence, taking everything in, making no interruption, and at the end he spoke quietly and with decision.
"We must find that womanMiss Celia Lennardand at once," he said.
"That's absolutely necessary."
"Just so," agreed Allerdyke. "But look hereI've been thinking that over. Is it very likely that a woman who'd stolen two hundred and fifty thousand pounds' worth of stuff from an hotel would wire back to its manager, giving her address, for the sake of a shoe-buckle, even one set with diamonds?"
"I'm notfor the momentsupposing that she is the thief," answered Fullaway. "Why I wantand mustfind her at once is to ask her a simple question. What was she doing in James Allerdyke's room?
ForI've an idea."
"What?" demanded Allerdyke.
"This," replied Fullaway. "They were fellow-passengers on the Perisco. Your cousinas I daresay you knowwas the sort of man who readily makes friends, especially with women. My idea is that if this Miss Lennard went into his room last night it was to be shown the Princess Nastirsevitch's jewels. Your cousin was just the sort of man who knew how a woman would appreciate an exhibition of such things. And"
At that moment a waiter tapped at the sitting-room door and announced Dr. Orwin.
CHAPTER VI
THE PRIMA DONNA'S PORTRAIT
Marshall Allerdyke's sharp eyes were quick to see that his new visitor had something of importance to communicate and wished to give his news in private. Dr. Orwin glanced inquiringly at the American as he took the seat which Allerdyke drew forward, and the cock of his eyes indicated a strong desire to know who the stranger was.
"Friend of my late cousin," said Allerdyke brusquely. "Mr. Franklin Fullaway, of Londonjust as anxious as I am to hear what you have to tell us, doctor. You've come to tell something, of course?"
The doctor inclined his head towards Fullaway, and added a grave bow in answer to Allerdyke's question.
"The autopsy has been made," he replied. "By Dr. Lydenberg, Dr. Quillet, who is one of the police-surgeons here, and myself. We made a very careful and particular examination."
"Andthe result?" asked Allerdyke eagerly. "Is it what you anticipated from your first glance at himhere?"
The doctor's face became a shade graver; his voice assumed an oracular tone.
"My two colleagues," he said, "agreed that your cousin's death resulted from heart failure which arose from what we may call ordinary causes. There is no need for me to go into detailsit is quite sufficient to say that they are abundantly justified in coming to the conclusion at which they have arrived: it is quite certain that your cousin's heart had recently become seriously affected. But as regards myself"here he paused, and looking narrowly from one to the other of his two hearers, he sank his voice to a lower, more confidential tone"as regards myself, I am not quite so certain as Dr. Lydenberg and Dr. Quillet appear to be. The fact of the case is, I think it very possible that Mr. James Allerdyke waspoisoned."
Neither of the two who listened so intently made any reply to this significant announcement. Instead they kept their eyes intently fixed on the doctor's grave face; then they slowly turned from him to each other, exchanging glances. And after a pause the doctor went on, speaking in measured and solemn accents.
"There is no need, either, at presentonly at presentthat I should tell you why I think that," he continued. "I may be wrongmy two colleagues are inclined to think I am wrong. But they quite agree with me that it will be proper to preserve certain organsyou understand?for further examination by, say, the Home Office analyst, who is always, of course, a famous pathological expert. That will be donein fact, we have already sealed up what we wish to be further examined. But"he paused again, shaking his head more solemnly than ever"the truth is, gentlemen," he went on at last, "I am doubtful if even that analysis and examination will reveal anything. If my suspicions are correctand perhaps I ought to call them mere notions, theories, ideas, rather than suspicionsbut, at any rate, if there is anything in the vague thoughts which I have, no trace of any poison will be foundand yet your cousin may have been poisoned, all the same."
"Secretly!" exclaimed Fullaway.
Dr. Orwin gave the American a sharp glance which indicated that he realized Fullaway's understanding of what he had just said.
"Precisely," he answered. "There are poisonsknown to expertswhich will destroy life almost to a given minute, and of which the most skilful pathologist and expert will not be able to find a single trace. Now, please, understand my positionI say, it is quite possible, quite likely, quite in accordance with what I have seen, that this unfortunate gentleman died of heart failure brought about by even such an ordinary exertion as his stooping forward to untie his shoe-lace, butI also think it likely that his death resulted from poison, subtly and cunningly administered, probably not very long before his death took place. And if I only knew"
He paused at that, and looked searchingly and meaningly at Marshall Allerdyke before he continued. And Allerdyke looked back with the same intentness and nodded.
"Yesyes!" he said. "If you only knew? Say it, doctor!"
"If I only knew if there was any reason why any person wished to take this man's life," responded Dr. Orwin, slowly and deliberately. "If I knew that somebody wanted to get him out of the way, for instance"
Allerdyke jumped to his feet and tapped Fullaway on the shoulder.
"Come in here a minute," he said, motioning towards the door of his bedroom. "Excuse us, doctorI want to have a word with this gentleman. Look here," he continued, when he had led the American into the bedroom and had closed the door. "You hear what he says? Shall we tell him? Or shall we keep it all dark for a while? Whichwhat?"