“Be seated, please.”
The voice was exceedingly sweet and musical and awakened memories, but
in vain did I attempt to recall when or where I had heard it. There
could be no doubt but that England was the place and I awaited
impatiently a clue to the explanation.
“I have learned,” the lady continued, “that you made a trip into the
interior with a very dear friend of mine, George Vail, and that you both
returned to Perth, where a handsome sum was received for the sale of a
large package of opals. You will pardon me for my frankness but I am
deeply interested in Mr. Vail.” I heard an audible sigh and mentally
registered the conviction that Vail was a deuced lucky fellow, for the
woman was exceedingly attractive if not beautiful, and so far as I could
see possessed a figure of exquisite proportions.
“Your statement in reference to Vail and myself is true,” I answered,
“and any information which I possess will be freely furnished.”
“Thanks, will you kindly furnish me with Mr. Vail’s address?”
“Unfortunately I am unable to do so. He left me in Perth one month ago
to-day and was to meet me at this hotel at eight o’clock this evening,
in fact I was waiting for him when I received the message from you.”
“A remarkable coincidence,” she murmured, with a perceptible shade of
doubt in the tone which irritated me.
“Another question, where did Mr. Vail go to from Perth?”
“I have not the slightest idea.”
“He mentioned no place, merely stated that he would meet you in one
month?”
“Yes.”
“Who beside Mr. Vail and the purchaser was cognizant of the fact that
you had sold the opals and received a handsome sum for them?”
“No person, the purchaser requested that no mention should be made of
the transaction, alleging that if it became known that such a large
quantity of opals had been thrown on the market it would depreciate the
value of the gems.”
“What became of the purchaser, may I ask?”
“He left the following day for Albany and informed us that it was his
intention to proceed to Sydney and take the first Messargeries steamer
for France.”
“Then it follows that you were the only person remaining in the colony
who was aware that Vail had been paid a large sum of money?”
“The only person.”
“May I ask what was the sum?”
“Two thousand pounds.”
“And you received?”
“An equal amount.”
“One more inquiry and I have finished. I have never heard that opals
were found in West Australia. Did you discover an opal mine?”
For the first time I hesitated, I could feel that I was being closely
watched by my fair questioner and an uneasy feeling crept over me. Was I
free to explain the circumstances under which the opals came into our
possession? I was well aware of the old superstition that opals were
unlucky and it was possible that our gems possessed this peculiarity.
“You have not answered my question Mr. Detmold.”
“No, I was considering; the opals came into our hands in a very
remarkable manner and I do not know whether I should be justified in
divulging the facts without Vail’s consent, as it was through him that
they were discovered.”
“I may be frank with you, Mr. Detmold, and thus remove your doubts. From
my infancy I have been the constant companion of Mr. Vail, he is my
dearest friend and I feel a deeper interest in him than in any other
person. I am convinced that were George present he would, under the
circumstances, ask you to speak unreservedly.”
What more could a lady say? She referred to him as George, quite
unconsciously, there could no longer be any doubt as to their relations
and as I glanced at her I forgot my momentary irritation and envied the
lucky fellow. Then I told her the story of the finding of the box, of
Vail’s tact and bravery, and my admiration for the man. As I proceeded
her face flushed and a new light came into her eyes. She paused a little
time to recover her composure and then said:
“What you have told me is very wonderful. Have you the map of the ground
where the opals were found?”
“No, Vail took it with him.”
“All of your statements have been direct but unfortunately, for you
there is not the slightest evidence to corroborate them.”
“No, only my word.”
“Permit me to point out the facts,” she continued. “You go into the
interior with Mr. Vail, you find four thousand pounds worth of opals
under very peculiar circumstances, you return and dispose of them and on
the day the sale is made Vail disappears and since that day he has not
been seen or heard from. I may tell you that it is known that he did not
leave Perth by any of the coast steamers, he did not proceed to Albany
and take passage on one of the European steamers which call at that
port, there is no trace of his having gone to Coolgardie or to any other
point in the interior. What has become of him?”
“I would give my share of the money gladly to know,” I answered, now
thoroughly alarmed.
“If I am compelled to apply to the police they will undoubtedly ask your
assistance.”
Then it dawned upon me that in stating the facts I had woven a net of
suspicion around myself. Could it be possible that I was already in the
hands of a female detective? My blood ran cold. But a few weeks
previous, Deeming, the murderer, had been arrested in the interior and
taken to Melbourne, public feeling ran high in the colony and Justice
ran a swift race.
Conscious of my innocence my courage rose and rising I said, “My advice
is that you at once report the matter to the police.”
“And my advice is,” said the lady also rising, “that you Henry Detmold,
are a great goose.”