STIRRING TIMES FOR THE PETTS

Gentleman Jack had lowered his revolver, and was standing waiting to explain all, with the insufferable look of the man who is just going to say that he has only done his duty and requires no thanks.

“Who are you?” he said.

“Nev’ min’ who I am!” said Miss Trimble curtly.  “Siz Pett knows who I am.”

“I hope you won’t be offended, Lord Wisbeach,” said Mrs. Pett from the group by the door.  “I engaged a detective to help you.  I really thought you could not manage everything by yourself.  I hope you do not mind.”

“Not at all, Mrs. Pett.  Very wise.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say so.”

“An excellent move.”

Miss Trimble broke in on these amiable exchanges.

“Whassall this?  Howjer mean—­help me?”

“Lord Wisbeach most kindly offered to do all he could to protect my nephew’s explosive,” said Mrs. Pett.

Gentleman Jack smiled modestly.

“I hope I have been of some slight assistance!  I think I came down in the nick of time.  Look!” He pointed to the safe.  “He had just got it open!  Luckily I had my pistol with me.  I covered him, and called for help.  In another moment he would have got away.”

Miss Trimble crossed to the safe and inspected it with a frown, as if she disliked it.  She gave a grunt and returned to her place by the window.

“Made good job ’f it!” was her comment.

Ann came forward.  Her face was glowing and her eyes shone.

“Do you mean to say that you found Jimmy breaking into the safe?  I never heard anything so absurd!”

Mrs. Pett intervened.

“This is not James Crocker, Ann!  This man is an impostor, who came into the house in order to steal Willie’s invention.”  She looked fondly at Gentleman Jack.  “Lord Wisbeach told me so.  He only pretended to recognise him this afternoon.”

A low gurgle proceeded from the open mouth of little Ogden.  The proceedings bewildered him.  The scene he had overheard in the library between the two men had made it clear to him that Jimmy was genuine and Lord Wisbeach a fraud, and he could not understand why Jimmy did not produce his proofs as before.  He was not aware that Jimmy’s head was only just beginning to clear from the effects of the blow on the chin.  Ogden braced himself for resolute lying in the event of Jimmy calling him as a witness.  But he did not intend to have his little business proposition dragged into the open.

Ann was looking at Jimmy with horror-struck eyes.  For the first time it came to her how little she knew of him and how very likely it was—­in the face of the evidence it was almost certain—­that he should have come to the house with the intention of stealing Willie’s explosive.  She fought against it, but a voice seemed to remind her that it was he who had suggested the idea of posing as Jimmy Crocker.  She could not help remembering how smoothly and willingly he had embarked on the mad scheme.  But had it been so mad?  Had it not been a mere cloak for this other venture?  If Lord Wisbeach had found him in this room, with the safe blown open, what other explanation could there be?