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Ayscough's been at the shop tonight. The police have had an expert examining those rings, and the rings in the tray. He says there are marks private, jewellers' marks in the two rings which correspond with marks in our rings. In fact, there's no doubt of it. And now, the police are certain that the two rings did belong to our tray and and they're bent on arresting Andie!"
Evidently sizing Purdie up as some one in Ayscough's confidence, he spoke in the fashion of one who has something as mysterious, as important, to communicate. "Beg your pardon, Mr. Ayscough," he said. "A word with you sir. You know me, Mr. Ayscough?" Ayscough looked sharply at his questioner. "Mr. Goodyer, isn't it?" he asked. "Oh, yes, I remember. What is it?
"What is it you want to know about these two Chinese students?" he asked a little impatiently, with a glance at Ayscough's card. "Is anything wrong?" "I want to know a good deal!" answered Ayscough. "If not just now, later. You know the two men I mean Chang Li and Chen Li brothers, I take it?" "I know them they've been students here since about last Christmas," answered the young surgeon.
But before he could get out a word, Mirandolet spoke, seizing the mortuary-keeper by the arm in his eagerness. "You let that man a Japanese see the dead Chinaman alone?" he demanded. "Why, of course!" the attendant answered surlily. "He'd Mr. Ayscough's card, and " Mirandolet dropped the man's arm and threw up his own long white hands. "Merciful Powers!" he vociferated.
The group of men gathered behind the leaders, and filling the whole of the lobby outside the closed door, waited, expectant and excited, in the silence which followed on Ayscough's loud beating on the upper panel. A couple of minutes went by: the detective knocked again, more insistently.
And when all that was at last satisfactorily arranged, Ayscough was conscious that it might be for nothing. He might be on a wrong track altogether due to the suspicions and assertions of that queer man, Mirandolet. There might be some mystery in Ayscough's opinion there always was mystery wherever Chinese or Japanese or Hindus were concerned.
Of course you'll make me your banker until your book's finished and afterwards, too, if need be. Here's something to be going on with but I'm coming to London in a day or two, as it happens, and will go into the matter I'll call on you as soon as I arrive. Excuse this scrawl post time. Always yours, John Purdie." Lauriston thrust that letter, too, into Ayscough's hands.
"Let's hear what it's all about!" Purdie presently appeared in Ayscough's rear, preceding his two companions. He and the detective from New Scotland Yard exchanged nods; they had seen a good deal of each other the previous day. He nodded also to the superior official but the superior official looked at Lauriston. "Got that proof about those rings?" he enquired. "Of course, if you have "
He had finished breakfast next morning and was thinking of strolling round to Melky Rubinstein's lodgings, to hear if any news had come from Lauriston, when a waiter brought him Ayscough's card, saying that its presenter was waiting for him in the smoking-room. Purdie went there at once: the detective, who looked unusually grave and thoughtful, drew him aside into a quiet part of the room.
At a quarter past ten o'clock on the morning following Ayscough's revelation to Zillah, the detective was closeted with a man from the Criminal Investigation Department at New Scotland Yard in a private room at the local police station, and with them was the superior official who had been fetched to the pawnshop in Praed Street immediately after the discovery of Daniel Multenius's body by Andie Lauriston.
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