"My dear old fellow, are you in here in the dark? Mrs. Ellison and I have been wondering what on earth had become of you. Dinner has been on the table this half hour. Where's your mysterious friend? Wouldn't he like to come to my room to wash his hands?"
"He's gone, Merton. And I'm in awful trouble."
"I'm sorry to hear it. I began to fancy something was up when you didn't make your appearance. Here, let's have a light on the scene."
He struck a match and lit the office lamp. Having done so, he looked at Ellison. His surprise found vent in a little cry.
"My dear chap, you do looked hipped indeed. Hold on a second."
He fled the scene, to return two minutes later with the whiskey bottle and a glass. Having given him a strong dose of the spirit, he said:
"Sit yourself down and try and tell me all about it. Who knows but what I may be in a position to help you?"
"By Jove!" was the rejoinder, "I don't like the look of things at all. It's a bad business--a very bad business. Somebody has evidently found out about the pearl, got a duplicate made, and palmed it off on you. Is it possible to have one made here, d'you think?"
"Nothing easier. Any of the Cinghalese over the way could make one."
"Then he must have got one there, taken the real one, and substituted this in place of it. Now whom have you told about it? Think well."
"Nobody--bar Murkard, and of course he does not count. Why, I have never even told you."
"I'm precious glad you haven't, or you might have fancied I had purloined it. Well, we must dismiss Murkard from our minds; he is like Cæsar's wife, above suspicion. Now who had admittance to that safe? Any duplicate keys?"
"Murkard. It is necessary that he should have one, as I am so often away."
"Humph! This is certainly a tangled skein. Has anyone been away from the island within the last few days?"
"Well, we must roust out Murkard, and see if he can help us."
"Not here--what d'ye mean? I saw him here this afternoon."
"He went across to the township at sundown, just before the dealer came."
"Look here, Ellison, you believe, though I've only known you a short time, that I'm a firm friend of yours, don't you?"
"Well, I'm going to hit you pretty hard on a soft spot. You'll hate me for it, but as things are now I can't help that. This is not a time for half measures."