Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station Part 28

"You are going to be busy this afternoon?" Belle asked as they sat at tiffin.

"I shall have to make two or three calls, but I shall come back to you as early as I can."

Two or three times it was on the tip of Darrin's tongue to tell his wife of the wonderful medallion he had seen that morning. In each case some remark or question of Mrs. Darrin's had prevented.

In the meantime, Lieutenant Katura, on entering the Okugawa Bank, had made an amazing and frightful discovery. The lacquer box, containing the priceless Satsuma medallion, was not in any of his pockets! The young lieutenant's grief was most frantic. In vain Toruma and Hata tried to comfort him.

An hour after Ensign Darrin had left the Imperial Hotel, on his way to the Navy Department and elsewhere, Belle Darrin, going up to their rooms, found a little package and a note lying on a table in the middle of their parlor.

Scenting some loving surprise from her husband, Belle, womanlike, opened the package first, disclosing a small lacquer box. In the box she found the same medallion that had so fascinated her young husband that forenoon.

"Oh, oh, oh!" cried the delighted girl, in as many notes of happiness.

Then, still eager, she laid down the medallion and tore open the envelope. On a sheet of heavy paper she read:

"Dear Mrs. Darrin: This comes to your hand from one who is a stranger to you, but who is a most devoted friend of your husband. He has admired the pretty trinket which comes with this note, and I know that he had it in mind that he would dearly love to hand it to you. I am taking the liberty, as your husband's friend, of pleasing Ensign Darrin, the dearest fellow in the world. But I am going to ask of you a very unusual favor. Fearing that your husband might have the extreme delicacy to insist upon returning this bauble, I am going to ask you not to mention receipt of it until to-morrow. By that time the sender, as your husband will know, will be too far away for the immediate return of this trifle. By the time that he can communicate with me again I trust that he will have agreed to give me the great pleasure of making him happier through the knowledge that his wife possesses a treasure that I know he wished to secure for her.

With every best a.s.surance, (Signed) X. Polemkin."

This strange note dropped from Belle's fingers to the table. There was a clouded look in her eyes. She did not even turn for another glance at the priceless medallion.

"Secrets from my husband?" she murmured, pouting. "I don't believe I can do a thing like that. No; it wouldn't be right. As soon as Dave returns I must show him this medallion and the note."

Perhaps, in her heart, Belle hoped that Dave would tell her that circ.u.mstances were such that she might properly keep the gift so strangely sent. Be that as it might, Belle Darrin had no notion of keeping any secret that might mean a wound to her gallant young husband's trusting heart.

"I shall see what Dave says," murmured Belle, as she turned away from the table.

CHAPTER XVII-DAVE FACES THE HUMAN TEMPEST

Lieutenant Katura stood in the long counting-room of the Okugawa Bank, a film of despair over his eyes, while Toruma and Hata, their words exhausted, looked on helplessly. Just then a young man, perhaps an American, well-dressed, keen, hustling and alert, bustled up to them.

"Will you pardon my addressing you?" he asked. "I was at the American Club, and from the look on your face, sir, I fear that you may have been made the b.u.t.t of too rough a piece of work."

"What do you mean, sir?" hastily asked Lieutenant Toruma, for Katura seemed incapable of speaking.

"Why, I saw you three on your way out through the crush around the coat room," explained the stranger. "With you was one of my countrymen, I should judge."

"An American, yes," Toruma nodded.

"I saw him play a little trick on your friend here," nodding at Katura.

"At the time I did not think much about it, and I might have forgotten it, had not business brought me here. But my first look at you made me feel certain that something was wrong."

"Something _is_ wrong," replied Lieutenant Toruma quickly. "But what was it that you saw near the coat room of the American Club?"

"I saw my countryman slip his hand in one of your pockets, sir,"

continued the stranger, addressing Katura. "He took out some small object-a lacquer box, I should say, but I cannot be sure."

"It _was_ a lacquer box!" cried Katura, a fierce light leaping to his eyes, while his face, first paling, next turned to a deep red hue. "It is a lacquer box that I have just missed."

"And Mr. Darrin remarked that he felt much tempted to steal it," broke in Lieutenant Hata.

"Be still, Hata, please," begged Katura, recovering his own dignity.

"Mr. Darrin is an American officer and a gentleman, not a thief!"

"I trust I haven't intruded, and that I haven't made any trouble," the stranger went on, hastily, "but you appeared to me to be in so much trouble that, as a gentleman, I felt I must speak to you."

"And I thank you from the bottom of my heart, sir!" cried Katura, his eyes once more gleaming fiercely, despite the gentleness of his words.

"It was probably all a joke," the stranger smiled, "but I am glad if I have been able to save you from any anguish of mind. Of course you will see my countryman-Barron, did you say his name is? I know that I may rely upon you all not to bring me into the matter."

"You may depend upon us for the courtesy that is due to one gentleman from others," promised Lieutenant Toruma.

Then, as their informant left them, the three j.a.panese held swift, sorrowful conference.

"Of course we must go to the hotel at once and see Mr. Darrin,"

proposed Toruma.

"I feel that it will be necessary," bowed Katura. "But let none of my friends suspect that it was more than a joke. An American officer and gentleman could not be an intentional thief."

"Even as a joke it was in very, very bad taste," declared Lieutenant Hata slowly and gravely.

"Say not so," urged Katura. "Let us say nothing, and suspect or accuse no gentleman."

"But let us go to the Imperial Hotel as fast as possible," urged Lieutenant Toruma.

"By all means," agreed Hata.

So Katura, who was sorrowful and dazed, felt thankful that he had loyal friends with him to do his thinking for him at this moment.

Not many minutes were needed for reaching the Imperial. Three little j.a.panese officers, with smiling faces, entered and went to the desk in the hotel office.

"We desire to see Mr. Darrin of the American Navy," declared Toruma, speaking in j.a.panese to the clerk, who was a fellow-countryman.

"I regret much to say that Mr. Darrin is out," replied the clerk.

"Then may we do ourselves the honor of waiting until your guest returns?" asked Hata.

"Officers of his majesty the Emperor will confer distinction upon this poor hotel by deigning to wait," replied the clerk.

So the three j.a.panese officers walked into a parlor, where they took seats, knowing that they would be notified when Ensign Darrin reappeared at the hotel.

At about this time, Belle, who had been absent from her rooms for a few moments, was looking diligently for the note that had accompanied the lacquer box.

"I closed and locked the door when I went out, so I can't understand what has happened to that note," mused Belle Darrin perplexedly, as she hunted about the room.