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Penniket was closeted with Zillah and her cousin Melky Rubinstein in the back-parlour of the shop in Praed Street behind closed and locked doors which they had no intention of opening to anybody. Now that the old man was dead and buried, it was necessary to know how things stood with respect to his will and his property, and, as Mr.
"Was that there book wrapped up? Was it brown- papered, now, when you left it?" It seemed to Lauriston that Levendale was somewhat taken aback. But if he was, it was only for a second: his answer, then, came promptly enough. "No, it was not," he said. "I carried it away from the shop where I bought it just as it was. Why do you ask?" "It's a very fine-bound book," remarked Melky.
Then followed whispered consultations between Ayscough and the inspector, and arrangements for the removal of the dead man to the mortuary and the guardianship and thorough search of the house and that done, Ayscough beckoned Melky out into the road. "Glad to be out of that for this time, anyway!" he said, with an air of relief.
"That's one thing. And I want to find out how that last cheque of theirs got into our back-parlour! Was it sent by post or was it delivered by hand? And if by hand who delivered it?" "You're a cute 'un, you are!" observed Ayscough. "You'd better join us." "Thank you, Mr. Ayscough, but events has happened which'll keep me busy at something else," said Melky, cheerfully.
Purdie's one of us, so to speak you can tell us anything you like, before him. We were going into details when you come there's some strange business on, Mr. Penniket! And we want to get a bit clear about it before we tell the police what we know." "You know something that they don't know?" asked Mr. Penniket. "More than a bit!" replied Melky, laconically.
Purdie, coming there with Lauriston at five minutes before the hour, found Melky Rubinstein hanging about the outer door, and had only just time to warn his companion to keep silence as to their midnight discovery before Guyler and John Purvis drove up in one cab and Mr. Killick in another.
Melky paused, looked after the rat, and then at the place from which it had emerged. And suddenly he stepped towards the shrubbery and drew aside the thick cluster of laurel branches. Just as suddenly he started back on the detective, and his face went white in the moonbeams. "Mr. Ayscough!" he gasped. "S'elp me! there's a dead man here! Look for yourself!"
The house which had been as lifeless and deserted when Melky and the detective visited it earlier in the evening was full enough of energy and animation when they went back.
"You're sure it was that man, Mrs. Goldmark?" enquired Melky, anxiously. "You don't make no mistakes, so?" "Do I mistake myself if I say I see you, Mr. Rubinstein?" exclaimed Mrs. Goldmark, solemnly and with emphasis. "No, I don't make no mistakes at all. Is there not gas lamps? am I not blessed with good eyes? I see him like as I see you there young gentleman and Zillah. Plain!"
Goldmark, the proprietress, a plump, pretty young woman, whose dark, flashing eyes turned alternately from watching her waitresses to smiling on her customers as they came to the desk to pay their bills. Melky, his smart billy-cock hat cocked to one side, his sporting-looking overcoat adorned with a flower, was evidently paying compliments to Mrs.
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