The Shadow of Ashlydyat Part 87

"That," curtly answered George, "if you 'follow up' any chimera that your brain chooses to raise, you must expect to get paid out for it. Let Layton alone. It will be time enough to look him up when suspicious circ.u.mstances arise to compromise him. The bonds are gone: but we shall not get them back again by making a stir in wrong quarters. The better plan will be to be quiet over it for a while."

He resumed his quick pace and strode along, calling back a good night to Mr. Hurde. The latter gazed after him in undisguised astonishment.

"Make no stir! let the thing go on quietly!" he articulated to himself.

"Who'd say such a thing but easy George G.o.dolphin! Not look up Layton?

It's well for you, Mr. George, that you have men of business about you!

He'd let himself be robbed under his very nose, and never look out to see who did it. However will things go on, if the worst happens to his brother?"

It seemed that they were all saying the same--how would things go on, if the worst happened to Thomas G.o.dolphin?

For once in his life of service the old clerk chose to ignore the wish--the command if you will--of Mr. George G.o.dolphin. He did _not_ let Layton alone. Quite the contrary. No sooner did Layton enter the Bank on the following morning, than Mr. Hurde dropped upon him. He had been watching for his entrance the last ten minutes; for Mr. Layton arrived late, the result possibly of the past night's extensive scene of revelry. He had settled himself in his place behind the counter, when the chief clerk's voice arrested him.

"I want you, Mr. Layton."

Now, the fact was, Mr. Hurde, having slept upon the matter, arose perplexed by sundry doubts. The circ.u.mstances against Layton appeared by no means so conclusive to his mind as they had done the previous night.

Therefore he deemed it good policy to speak to that suspected gentleman in a temperate spirit, and see whether he could fish anything out, rather than accuse him point-blank of having been the delinquent.

"This is a nasty business," began he, when Layton reached him, in answer to his call.

"What is?" asked Layton.

"What is?" repeated Mr. Hurde, believing that the loss must have affected every one connected with the establishment as it was affecting him, and doubting whether the indifferent answer was not a negative proof of guilt. "What should it be, but this loss that has been spoken of in the Bank?"

"Oh, that," returned Layton. "I dare say they will be found."

"It places us all in a very awkward position, from myself downwards,"

went on Hurde, who was by no means a conjuror at the task he had undertaken. "There's no knowing what, or whom, Mr. G.o.dolphin's suspicions may be turning to."

"Rubbis.h.!.+" retorted Layton. "It's not likely that Mr. G.o.dolphin would begin to doubt any of us. There's no cause for doing so."

"I don't know that," said Mr. Hurde significantly. "_I_ am not so sure of some of you."

Layton opened his eyes. He supposed Mr. Hurde must be alluding to some one clerk in particular; must have a reason for it; but he did not glance at himself. "Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Well--it has occurred to me that some one or two of you may be living at a rate that your salary would neither pay for nor justify. You for one."

"I?" returned Layton.

"Yes, you. Horses, and gigs, and wine, and company, and pianos! They can't be managed out of a hundred a year."

Layton was rather taken to. Not to make an unnecessary mystery over it, it may as well be mentioned that all these expenses which so troubled old Hurde, the clerk was really paying for honestly, but not out of his salary. An uncle of his wife's was allowing them an addition to their income, and this supplied the additional luxuries. He resented the insinuation.

"Whether they are managed out of it, or whether they are not, is no business of yours, Mr. Hurde," he said, after a pause. "I shall not come to you to pay for them, or to the Bank either."

"It is my business," replied the old clerk, "It is Mr. G.o.dolphin's business, which is the same thing. Pray, how long is it since you became a betting man?"

"I am not a betting man," said Layton.

"Oh, indeed! You have not bet upon Cannonbar, I suppose? You never put into a sweepstakes in your life?--you are not in one now, are you?"

Layton could only open his mouth in astonishment. He thought nothing less than that the spirits--then in the height of fas.h.i.+on--must have been at work. He was really no betting man; had never been inclined that way: but latterly, to oblige some friend who bothered him over it, he had gone into a sweepstakes, and drawn the renowned horse, Cannonbar.

And had followed it up by betting a pound upon him.

"You see, Mr. Layton, your pursuits are not quite so inexpensively simple as you would wish to make them appear. These things happen to have come to my knowledge, and I have thought it my duty to mention them to Mr. G.o.dolphin."

Layton flew into a pa.s.sion. Partly in soreness of feeling at finding he had been so closely looked after; partly in anger that dishonesty could be a.s.sociated with him; and chiefly at hearing that he had been obnoxiously reported, to Mr. G.o.dolphin. "Have you told _him_," he foamed, "that you suspect me of robbing the strong-room?"

"Some one has robbed it," was Mr. Hurde's rejoinder. "And has no doubt made money of the deeds he stole!"

"I ask if you have told Mr. G.o.dolphin that you cast this suspicion to me?" reiterated Layton, stamping his foot.

"What if I have? Appearances, in my opinion, would warrant my casting it to you."

"Then you had better cast it to Mr. George G.o.dolphin. There!"

But that they were completely absorbed in the dispute, their voices raised--at least, Layton's--they might have seen Mr. G.o.dolphin close to them. In pa.s.sing through the Bank from his carriage to his private room--for, in the untoward state of affairs, touching the loss, he had come betimes--he was attracted by the angry sounds, and turned towards them.

"Is anything the matter?"

They looked round, saw Mr. G.o.dolphin, and their voices and tempers dropped to a calm. Neither appeared inclined to answer the question, and Mr. G.o.dolphin pa.s.sed on. Another minute or two, and a message came from him, commanding the presence of the chief clerk.

"Hurde," he began, "have you been speaking to Layton of what you mentioned to me last night?"

"Yes, sir, that's what it was. It put him into a pa.s.sion."

"He repudiates the suspicion, I suppose?"

"Out-and-out, sir," was the answer of Mr. Hurde. "He says his wife has an income, independent of himself; and that he put into a sweepstakes lately to oblige a friend, and staked a sovereign on the horse he drew.

He says it is all he ever staked in his life, and all he ever means to stake. He was saying this now, when you sent for me. I don't know what to think. He speaks honestly enough, to listen to him."

"What remark did I hear him making, relative to Mr. George G.o.dolphin?"

"He ought to be punished for that," replied Mr. Hurde. "Better suspect Mr. George than suspect him, was what he said. I don't know what he meant, and I don't think he knew himself, sir."

"Why did he say it?"

"When men are beside themselves with pa.s.sion, sir, they say anything that comes uppermost. I asked him, after you went, what he meant by it, but he would not say any more."

"I think you must be mistaken in suspecting Layton, Hurde. I thought so last night."

"Well, sir, I may be," acknowledged Hurde. "I don't feel so sure of it as I did. But then comes the old puzzle again as to who could have taken the deeds. Layton would not have been so fierce but that he found the doubt had been mentioned to you," added Mr. Hurde, returning to the subject of the clerk's anger.

"Did you tell him you had mentioned it?"

"Yes, sir, I did. It's not my way to conceal faults in a corner; and that the clerks know."

Mr. G.o.dolphin dropped the subject, and entered upon some general business. The old clerk remained with him about ten minutes, and then was at liberty to withdraw.

"Send Layton to me," was the order as he went out. And the clerk appeared in obedience to it.