West saw at once upon entering the presence of the principals that
things appeared bad for Anson, who stood facing a table at which three
of the directors of the great company were seated, all looking very
stern. They signed to Ingleborough and West to stand upon their right--
Anson was facing them to the left.
Then there was a brief colloquy in a low tone between the three
directors, ending in one of them saying aloud: "You speak."
The gentleman thus addressed turned to Ingleborough.
"Mr Anson has sought this interview with the directors, Mr
Ingleborough, to inform us that you have made up a malicious tale about
his having been engaged in illicit-diamond-buying. Of course, if you
could prove such a charge, it was your duty to inform us."
"Of course, sir," replied Ingleborough; "but, though I have for some
time suspected him, this affair only occurred during our tiffin-time
this morning, and as soon as we returned to the office I felt bound to
accuse him as my fellow-clerk, and tell him what I intended to do."
"So as to give him, if guilty, a good chance to conceal the diamonds or
escape?"
"Oh no, sir," said Ingleborough quietly. "I took proper precautions
against that."
"Indeed?" said the director. "What did you do?"
"Mr Superintendent Norton is a friend of mine, sir, and I went to him
at once. He and two of his keenest men have been carefully watching
Anson ever since."
"Humph! Quite right," said the director, and he glanced at Anson, who
was smiling contemptuously then; but West had seen him wince sharply
when Ingleborough mentioned the superintendent's name. "Well,"
continued the director, "let us hear your version of this business."
"Really, gentlemen," cried Anson, "I ought to have the assistance of a
law officer and--"
"Stop, Mr Anson," said the director sharply; "we have heard you all
through. Have the goodness to be silent now while Mr Ingleborough
gives us his statement."
"But legal assistance, sir."
"You can have as much as you like, sir, as soon as the matter is brought
before the magistrates. We must first of all hear what Mr Ingleborough
has to say. Now, sir, have the goodness to tell us everything you know
about this business."
Ingleborough made his statement perfectly clearly, and it was listened
to in silence, and the diamonds were produced.
Afterwards the three directors spoke together in a low tone of voice for
a few minutes, ending by turning to Anson to tell him that he must
consider himself for the present as suspended from all further duty in
connection with the company's business.
"We have no desire to proceed to extremities, Mr Anson," he said in
conclusion, "and every opportunity will be given you to clear yourself;
but in the meantime you must consider yourself under supervision, and
your lodgings will be searched."
"I protest, sir," cried the young man warmly. "You have no right to
order such a thing to be done without magisterial authority."
"Then we will assume the right, Mr Anson, as it is a question of our
property being stolen by our black employes and finding a purchaser in
one of our clerks. Mr West, as the superintendent is keeping an eye
upon Anson, I presume he is here?"
"I passed him at the door as I came in, sir," answered West.
"Have the goodness to call him in."
Anson winced; but he faced the tall stern-looking officer of police as
he entered and heard the reason for his being called in.
"Then you wish a search to be made, gentlemen?" said the superintendent.
"Certainly."
"Look here," cried Anson fiercely; "there's law for everybody. I'm not
your servant any longer, for I refuse to stay with such a pack of
tyrannical dividend-making scoundrels."
"That will do," growled the superintendent, in a low, deep voice. "Keep
a civil tongue in your head. You'll do no good for yourself by this."
"You mind your own business," cried Anson, turning upon the officer so
fiercely that West wondered at the change in his fellow-clerk's manner.
"All right: I will," said the officer, seizing him sharply.
"Here, what are you going to do?" cried Anson, in alarm.
"Search you, my lad," was the reply.
"Then I call everyone present to witness that this is illegal. I'm not
going to stand quietly by and be treated like a worm."
"Leave off wriggling, then," said the officer.
"I won't. I refuse to be treated like one of the black labourers."
"Look here, sir," said the officer sternly; "I don't want to treat you
like a Kaffir unless you behave like one. You are charged with illicit
buying, and your game's up; so the best thing you can do is to produce
everything you have on you and have done with the matter."
"Search me if you dare," cried Anson, still keeping up his defiant
manner.
"Right: I dare," said the officer. "Mr Ingleborough, be ready to lend
a hand if I want it."
"If John Ingleborough dares to lay a hand on me I'll send a bullet
through him."
In an instant Ingleborough's hand came down heavily upon Anson's
shoulder and gripped him fast.
"Never mind him, Norton. It's all bluff. He is unarmed."
"Armed or unarmed," said the superintendent, "I'm going to search him,"
and directly after a quick pair of hands were busy going through the
suspect's pockets.
"Urrr!" he growled, showing his white teeth between his thick red lips,
as he cast off thoroughly the mask of servile humility he had previously
worn; "it's lucky for you that I am unarmed. But search away. Go on.
I'll have heavy damages for this dastardly assault and defamation of
character, and the public shall know all about the games carried on by
this beautiful diamond syndicate. Curse you all--masters and men! You
shall pay for it, and, as for you, John Ingleborough, look out for
yourself. Yes, and you too, Oliver West, you miserable sneak. I always
hated you."
"Hadn't you better save your breath, Anson?" said West quietly. "You're
only making everybody believe you guilty."
"Let 'em," cried the suspect, whose plump round face was now distorted
with impotent rage. "I'll be even with all of you for this."
"Humph! Nothing in his pockets; nothing sewn in the seams of his
clothes, nor in the band of his trousers," muttered the searcher. Then
aloud: "Now then, hold up!"
Anson behaved like a horse, or, as West and Ingleborough afterwards
laughingly said, like an ass, lifting to order each foot in turn for the
bottoms of his trousers to be examined and the heels of his boots, which
had not been bored nor plugged.
"He has nothing upon him, gentlemen," said the officer, at last.
"But you have not thoroughly searched him," said one of the directors,
frowning.
"Oh yes, sir," replied the officer; "a party like this wouldn't carry
diamonds about him same as a Kaffir would. He wouldn't play any tricks
with his person by slitting or swallowing: he knows too much about the
risks. You can be perfectly satisfied that he has nothing about him. I
was, as soon as I had turned out his pockets."
"They'll be satisfied before they've done," sneered Anson.
"I should like to see his desk and stool in the office where he has
worked, gentlemen," continued the officer.
"Yah!" snarled Anson. "Yes: go on; search everywhere. Perhaps you'd
like to search the place where I lodge?"
"Afterwards," said the officer quietly.