Jack Haydon's Quest

him upon Rushmere Heath and demanded that he should produce his father's letter. An instant conviction had darted

ives way before the wind. Then he bent slightly and laid one small, sinewy hand on Jack's knee, and, in some mysterious fashion or another, the lad felt that his hold was torn away, and that he was flying through the air over

Jack gathered himself together, and sprang to his feet, and rushed after his companion. He soon found Buck, who was hurrying through the groups, looking about on every hand, and they searched

lost in the crowd. He may

er and surprise was

n's arm. "How in thunder do you come to know Saya Chone, a

k?" cried Jack. "Y

home? What brings Saya Chone in Brindisi? The last time I set eyes on him he was coming i

Burmah, where

half-caste. Says his father was a British officer

as we do," said Jack, "but wi

eturned Buck. "But where did you run

, and Risley listened with

ck, "but where it fits in beats me at the moment. We don

the lad, "and we'll make a bee-line for London

tform. The interpreter readily told them that the half-caste had offered him a liberal sum in order to learn what Jack was doing, and what route he intended to follow o

on the search for this fellow, I wonder?" said Ja

Besides, it would take time, and if there's some queer game in the wind, we've lost a good deal now. If you could learn, Jack, how matters stand betwee

we'll get the bagga

or one instant on the way. It was a little before noon on a Thursday mor

her moment, jumped into a cab and drove straight to the offices of Messrs Lane & Baumann in Old Broad Street. H

u have, I hope, come to give u

ve been able to gather no information whatever as to his whereabouts. I have come here in hopes that you m

er he was writing, and Jack looked about him. The office was large and splendidly fitted up. Jack knew nothing of Lane & Baumann, but it was plain on every h

ann was much younger, a fat, heavy German with clean-shaven face and

ckly. "What does he say?" His accent at once

y, "he has brought no news

slowly; "and what is it you wis

tected an enemy. Mr. Lane had been gravely polite and non-

discovering the reason for the mysterious disa

words. "Ach Gott! it is no mystery to me when a man with such a gombanion as th

ou. My father had no companion except Buck Risley,

ose gombanion, one who might easily lead him astray. Himm

ain to him what you mean. He clearly does not understand you, and I do not think it is rig

ng to survey some concession

the place, and I said to myself, Himmel, here is the for ru

xcited partner and tur

arefully over the ground on our behalf, and a short time ago we received some very startling news from him. He cabled to us that in a fissure of the rock, where, as everyone knows, the finest rubies are found, h

d Baumann. His meaning was very plain, and Jack l

o hint that the ruby is the cau

iled, and Jac

nd honour. And do you think he would be tempted by a mere stone, what

seen or handled!' He says that. He, Haydon, the first living expert on rubies, the man who knows everything of every big specimen in existence. Him

know very well that I do not a

tner. He felt that the whining German

had in his charge a stone so immensely p

Lane. "Had he mentioned any

and narrated at once what h

it was the possession of the gre

colour and without flaw, remember, he said its like did not exist, is of all stones

on Mr. Lane, "is it not almost certain that someone has learned o

unlikely that he should mention it to anyone; and you sa

ncher, "he cabled home to you about it, and word of

d wrote down for us before he started. The paper has been safely locked up in our strong-room, and it was

and Jack was silent. In a mome

appeared with my father," he said; "i

ikely. Your father would be certain to carry a thing so small and s

uddenly broke the grumbling roar of Baumann's great voice. The German had been

him. Me, I do not, I tell you plainly he is a thief. He is to-day perhaps in Amsterdam, cutting that

a thief. How dare you take such words on

and clenched his fists. M

eep the peace. Baumann is speaking very wildly. I

ly have liked to plant his fist on the German's foaming mouth, but h

against any such monstrous idea. If my father had wished to steal the stone, would he have cabled to you f

utiful jewel itself corrupted him. He looked at it, and looked at it, till the love of it filled his heart and he could

ur unjust suspicions." The lad turned to Mr. Lane with flushed face and shining eyes. "I thank you, sir," he said, "for the trust you still retain in my father. I will do my very utmost to

s hand and Mr. Lane shook it, and the