Reggie’s tone was sardonic and Cosdon flushed at it. “What do you mean?”
“Well, somebody found it, I suppose. That’s the working hypothesis.”
He reduced them to the dismal condition in which he found them. “There you are!” Colonel Beach cried. “Some one of the servants saw the beastly thing and thought there was a chance to steal it. It’s a ghastly business. I’ll have to go through them for it and catch some poor devil who would have gone straight enough if you hadn’t played the fool. It’s not fair, confound it.”
There was a tap at the door. Mrs. Faulks was asking if the Colonel would speak to her. The Colonel groaned and went out.
“Do you mind if I have some breakfast, Mrs. Beach?” said Reggie plaintively.
They seemed to think him heartless but offered no impediment. A dejected company slunk downstairs. It occurred to Reggie, always a just man, that Sam also might be hungry and he ran out to take him off guard.
When he came back to the breakfast-room, he found that Faulks had joined the party. It was clear that no one had dared to tell him the truth. They were gazing in fascinated horror at the many colours which swelled about his right eye, and his scowl was terrible.
“Hallo, Faulks! Stout fellow,” said Reggie, brightly. “How’s the head?”
Mr. Faulks turned the scowl on him. Mr. Faulks found his head very painful. He had had practically no sleep. He feared some serious injury to the nerves. He must see a doctor. And his tone implied that as a doctor and a man Reggie was contemptible.
Reggie served himself generously with bacon and mushrooms and began to eat. No one else was eating but Mr. Faulks. He, in a domineering manner, smote boiled eggs. The others played with food like passengers in a rolling ship.
The door was opened. The austere shape of Mrs. Faulks stalked in and behind her Tom Beach slunk to his place. Mrs. Faulks’s compressed face wore a look of triumph.
Sally half rose from her chair. “Oh, Mrs. Faulks,” she cried, “have you found your rubies?”
“Really!” said Mrs. Faulks with a freezing smile. “No, Miss Winslow, I have not found my rubies.”
Mrs. Faulks stared at her. “I imagine there is only one thing to be done. I have desired Colonel Beach to send for the police. I should have thought that was obvious.”