So overpowered was I by the importance of the discovery I had made in
the bowels of that sunken ship, that when I reached the top of the
ladder and found myself standing once more among my fellow-men in the
decent and clean world above the waves, it seemed as if I must begin my
story to old Leversidge before the front glass of my helmet was removed;
and, if such a thing were possible, his impatience was even greater than
my own. There we stood, scarcely three feet apart, in the same world,
breathing the same air, looking upon the same things, and yet to all
intents and purposes for the time being as widely separate as the poles.
As soon, however, as the glass was removed I accepted my tender's
assistance, and clambering aboard seated myself on the combing of the
main hatch. Beside me on the deck lay the sodden baggage, just as I had
sent it up from the vessel below, as yet untouched. On seeing it I bade
my tender, as soon as my helmet was removed, commence unpacking it.
While he was thus employed Leversidge stood opposite me, his lips
trembling and his fingers itching to draw me away in order that he might
question me as to the result of my search. When, therefore, I was
attired in civilized dress, he could no longer contain himself, but
putting his arm through mine, and picking up the baggage from the seat,
drew me away towards the cabin aft, where, having made certain that we
were alone, he seated himself at the table and once more eagerly scanned
my face.
"What have you to tell me?" he inquired, in a voice so changed that it
almost startled me. "You have discovered something which has surprised
you. I can see that much in your face. What is it? Have you got the
pearl?"
"One thing at a time, if you please," I answered. "I must take your
questions in their proper order. To begin with, let me confess that I
have _not_ got the pearl. It is just possible that it may be in that
luggage I sent up from below, though I must say for my own part I don't
think it probable. At any rate, if it is not there, I can only hazard a
guess as to where it can be. Certainly it is not on the person of the
drowned man, for I searched him thoroughly before I came up."
Almost before I had finished speaking he had seated himself on the floor
beside the bag he had brought with him to the cabin. It must have been a
cheap concern when new, for to wrench it open now was a matter of very
small difficulty. The material of which it was composed was certainly
not leather, but some sort of composition, which tore away from its
fastenings like so much brown paper. I sat still, smoking my pipe and
composedly watching him while he pitched on to the floor the various
articles it contained. It was evident from the expression on his face
that he was not repaid for his search. At any rate, signs of a pearl
there were none, nor were there any indications to show that it had ever
been kept in there at all. The old man turned the heap of clothes over
and over, and afterwards examined the bag most carefully, but no amount
of looking could show him the article for which he was so ardently
searching. Having at length convinced himself that it was not there he
turned to me again.
"It is quite certain," he said, looking up at me sharply, "that it is
not in this bag. Are you sure there was no other luggage in the cabin?"
"Quite sure," I answered. "But, before we go any further, perhaps you
had better let me tell you all that I discovered when I was down below.
Heaven knows it throws a new enough light upon the subject."
"Go on," he said, pushing the things he had taken out of the bag away
from him as he spoke. "Tell me everything. You know how impatient I am.
What is it you have discovered?"
"I will tell you," I answered. "As I said just now, when I entered the
cabin I saw the body of your agent lying half in and half out of his
bunk. From the state of his toilet it was plain that he had not retired
for the night when the vessel struck, as you remember the Reverend
Colway-Brown stated. It struck me as strange, therefore, that he had not
been able to get out of his cabin during the brief time allowed the
unfortunate passengers for escape. However, that is neither here nor
there. There is one point which dwarfs all the others. Having discovered
this luggage, which you have now examined, and sent it up to you, I
determined to search the person of the man himself for the pearl. I did
so only to make one terrible discovery."
"What was that?" cried Mr. Leversidge, in an agony of impatience. "For
Heaven's sake, man, get on quicker with your story. Why don't you come
to the point? Can't you see that you are driving me distracted with your
shilly-shallying? What was the matter with our man that he caused such a
shock to your feelings?"
I paused for a moment, fixed my eyes hard upon him, and then said
impressively, "_He has been murdered. His throat was cut from ear to
ear._"
If the matter had not been so terribly serious I should have felt
inclined to laugh at the expression upon the old gentleman's face. He
was as white as a sheet, his eyes started half out of his head, and his
mouth opened and shut like a fish fresh taken from his native element.
It was nearly half a minute before he could find sufficient voice to
answer me.
"Murdered!" he cried. "My God, what do you mean, Collon? You must be mad
to say such a thing. How could he have been murdered? And who could have
done it?"
"That he was murdered admits of no doubt," I answered. "There was the
proof before me. What is more, for the reason that the victim was
preparing to retire to rest, it is plain it must have been done just
before the vessel struck."
"But who did it, think you? Did you discover any clue that could tell us
that? Not that it matters much, seeing that both murderer and victim are
now dead."
"Don't be too sure of that. We know the victim is dead, but of the man
who killed him I am not so sure."
"What do you mean?"
In answer I took from the locker beside me the small canvas bag I had
worn strapped round my waist when I visited the vessel. I plunged my
hand into it and drew out something that I pushed across the table to my
friend. He picked it up with a cry of astonishment.
"A razor!" he cried. "But doesn't this look as if the man did away with
himself?"
"I think not," I answered. "Just look at the white handle and tell me if
you know the name upon it."
He took out his glasses, and, having placed them upon his nose,
carefully examined the bone handle of the deadly weapon I had given him.
This time he was even more astonished than before, and, if the truth
must be told, more shocked.
"Colway-Brown," he said to himself; "why, bless my soul, that's the name
of one of the sole survivors from the wreck, the person to whom we
telegraphed from Batavia, the clergyman who gave us the last news of the
dead man. What does this terrible thing mean?"
"If you ask what I think," I said very slowly and deliberately, "I think
it looks like a put-up job. If you will remember, when you gave me the
outline of the case, you told me that attempts had been made to obtain
the pearl before your agent left Australia. It is plain, therefore, that
it was known to be in his possession. An individual accordingly ships as
a parson, calls himself Colway-Brown, books a berth in the next cabin to
that occupied by your unfortunate friend. There is only one thing,
however, which beats me, and that, I must confess, is a stumper."
"What is it?"
"I can't understand what induced him to murder the man on that
particular night of all others. It was such a stupid place to choose. He
might have done it in Thursday Island and have got safely ashore, or he
might have waited until they got to Batavia. To do it between two ports
of call, and at such a time of night, seems to me like the work of a
madman, and I can't make head or tail of it."
"Perhaps when the vessel struck the scoundrel determined to obtain the
pearl or perish in the attempt."
"I'm afraid that won't do either, for by his own confession we know the
Rev. Colway-Brown was on deck at the time she struck. He could not,
therefore, have made his way down the companion ladder, crossed the
saloon, and passed along the alleyway to the cabin, have entered, cut
your agent's throat, found and possessed himself of the pearl, have
returned to the deck and saved his own life in the few seconds that
elapsed between the moment of the vessel's striking and her foundering."
"But if he did not do it then how do you account for it?" he asked.
"I can't account for it at all," I answered. "One thing, however, is
self-evident. The suspicion is strongest against Colway-Brown, and, as
your pearl is not among the dead man's effects or upon his body, it is
only natural to suppose that it is in the custody of that reverend
gentleman, who was so fortunate as to get ashore, not only with his
life, but as he thought without being detected in his crime."
"The rascal, the double-dyed rascal. But he needn't think he has beaten
us. I'll run him to earth and he shall swing for this, or my name is not
Leversidge."
"But you have got to catch him first," I said, "and from the sample he
has already given us of his prowess I incline to the belief that he's as
slippery a customer as ever wore shoe-leather."
"Nevertheless he shall hang, or I'll know the reason why."
"I think I can tell you the reason why," I said quietly. "He won't hang,
because when everything is said and done it would be about the most
inadvisable step you could take, in your own interests and those of your
firm, to bring him before a court of Justice. You're not particularly
anxious, I suppose, that the Government should become aware of your
visit to this wreck?"
"Very naturally," he replied. "I have already told you that, I think."
"In that case how do you propose to show that you became aware of the
fact that your man _was_ murdered? and if you will excuse my saying so,
I cannot help thinking that you will find it an extremely difficult, if
not quite impossible, task to prove that our friend Colway-Brown was the
man who committed this terrible crime."
"Not at all," he answered. "What about the razor? We know that it is his
property, and if it was not with it that the murder was committed, how
do you account for it being in his cabin?"
"I am not attempting to account for it at all," I answered. "I am simply
endeavouring to show you how futile it would be in all probability to
try to bring the crime home to the man whom we suspect."
"Then what do you propose doing?"
I thought for a few moments before I answered.
"Well, as far as I can see, the best plan would be," I said, "to follow
our reverend friend up, and when we have got him in a close corner, just
to tax him with his crime and threaten to hand him over to Justice if he
does not return to you the property he stole. If this is judiciously
managed there should not be much difficulty in obtaining from him what
you want."
"But supposing he has parted with the pearl in the meantime, what then?
A nice position we should find ourselves in."
"I don't think he is likely to dispose of it just yet," I answered. "You
see he would not have an opportunity. He would be afraid to try it on in
Thursday Island, where the pearl was known, or, for the matter of that,
in Australia at all. What is more, he'll not be likely to hurry, having
no notion that there is anybody on his track. He knows he is the only
soul who escaped from the wreck, and he is certain to think his victim
will remain undiscovered for all time. With a little luck you should be
able to catch him before he can get away."
"But you speak of _my_ catching him. Surely you do not intend to let me
go on alone? Remember I set such store by your assistance."
"If you wish it I will, of course, go through the business with you," I
answered. "But it looks like being a bigger affair than I at first
contemplated, and my time is valuable."
"It shall be made worth your while; you need have no fear on that score.
And now, I suppose, it is no use our remaining here; what shall we do?"
"Up anchor and be off to Thursday Island as fast as we can go," I said
promptly.
"And when we get there?"
"Seize the Reverend Colway-Brown as soon as possible, if he's there, and
frighten him into handing over the jewel he has so wrongfully taken
possession of, by the best methods in our power."
"And if he has left the island?"
"Then we'll follow him like bloodhounds until we catch him, even if we
have to go half round the world to do it."
"You mean it?"
"I do," I answered.
"Then shake hands on it."
We shook hands, and in less than a quarter of an hour the schooner was
bowling along under a merry breeze towards Thursday Island, and its most
important inhabitant, as far as we were concerned, the Reverend
Colway-Brown.