CHAPTER SIX.
A VAIN SEARCH.
West saw at once upon entering the presence of the principals thatthings appeared bad for Anson, who stood facing a table at which threeof the directors of the great company were seated, all looking verystern. They signed to Ingleborough and West to stand upon their right--Anson was facing them to the left.
Then there was a brief colloquy in a low tone between the threedirectors, ending in one of them saying aloud: "You speak."
The gentleman thus addressed turned to Ingleborough.
"Mr Anson has sought this interview with the directors, MrIngleborough, to inform us that you have made up a malicious tale abouthis having been engaged in illicit-diamond-buying. Of course, if youcould prove such a charge, it was your duty to inform us."
"Of course, sir," replied Ingleborough; "but, though I have for sometime suspected him, this affair only occurred during our tiffin-timethis morning, and as soon as we returned to the office I felt bound toaccuse him as my fellow-clerk, and tell him what I intended to do."
"So as to give him, if guilty, a good chance to conceal the diamonds orescape?"
"Oh no, sir," said Ingleborough quietly. "I took proper precautionsagainst that."
"Indeed?" said the director. "What did you do?"
"Mr Superintendent Norton is a friend of mine, sir, and I went to himat once. He and two of his keenest men have been carefully watchingAnson ever since."
"Humph! Quite right," said the director, and he glanced at Anson, whowas smiling contemptuously then; but West had seen him wince sharplywhen Ingleborough mentioned the superintendent's name. "Well,"continued the director, "let us hear your version of this business."
"Really, gentlemen," cried Anson, "I ought to have the assistance of alaw officer and--"
"Stop, Mr Anson," said the director sharply; "we have heard you allthrough. Have the goodness to be silent now while Mr Ingleboroughgives us his statement."
"But legal assistance, sir."
"You can have as much as you like, sir, as soon as the matter is broughtbefore the magistrates. We must first of all hear what Mr Ingleboroughhas to say. Now, sir, have the goodness to tell us everything you knowabout this business."
Ingleborough made his statement perfectly clearly, and it was listenedto in silence, and the diamonds were produced.
Afterwards the three directors spoke together in a low tone of voice fora few minutes, ending by turning to Anson to tell him that he mustconsider himself for the present as suspended from all further duty inconnection with the company's business.
"We have no desire to proceed to extremities, Mr Anson," he said inconclusion, "and every opportunity will be given you to clear yourself;but in the meantime you must consider yourself under supervision, andyour lodgings will be searched."
"I protest, sir," cried the young man warmly. "You have no right toorder such a thing to be done without magisterial authority."
"Then we will assume the right, Mr Anson, as it is a question of ourproperty being stolen by our black employes and finding a purchaser inone of our clerks. Mr West, as the superintendent is keeping an eyeupon Anson, I presume he is here?"
"I passed him at the door as I came in, sir," answered West.
"Have the goodness to call him in."
Anson winced; but he faced the tall stern-looking officer of police ashe entered and heard the reason for his being called in.
"Then you wish a search to be made, gentlemen?" said the superintendent.
"Certainly."
"Look here," cried Anson fiercely; "there's law for everybody. I'm notyour servant any longer, for I refuse to stay with such a pack oftyrannical dividend-making scoundrels."
"That will do," growled the superintendent, in a low, deep voice. "Keepa civil tongue in your head. You'll do no good for yourself by this."
"You mind your own business," cried Anson, turning upon the officer sofiercely that West wondered at the change in his fellow-clerk's manner.
"All right: I will," said the officer, seizing him sharply.
"Here, what are you going to do?" cried Anson, in alarm.
"Search you, my lad," was the reply.
"Then I call everyone present to witness that this is illegal. I'm notgoing to stand quietly by and be treated like a worm."
"Leave off wriggling, then," said the officer.
"I won't. I refuse to be treated like one of the black labourers."
"Look here, sir," said the officer sternly; "I don't want to treat youlike a Kaffir unless you behave like one. You are charged with illicitbuying, and your game's up; so the best thing you can do is to produceeverything you have on you and have done with the matter."
"Search me if you dare," cried Anson, still keeping up his defiantmanner.
"Right: I dare," said the officer. "Mr Ingleborough, be ready to lenda hand if I want it."
"If John Ingleborough dares to lay a hand on me I'll send a bulletthrough him."
In an instant Ingleborough's hand came down heavily upon Anson'sshoulder and gripped him fast.
"Never mind him, Norton. It's all bluff. He is unarmed."
"Armed or unarmed," said the superintendent, "I'm going to search him,"and directly after a quick pair of hands were busy going through thesuspect's pockets.
"Urrr!" he growled, showing his white teeth between his thick red lips,as he cast off thoroughly the mask of servile humility he had previouslyworn; "it's lucky for you that I am unarmed. But search away. Go on.I'll have heavy damages for this dastardly assault and defamation ofcharacter, and the public shall know all about the games carried on bythis beautiful diamond syndicate. Curse you all--masters and men! Youshall pay for it, and, as for you, John Ingleborough, look out foryourself. Yes, and you too, Oliver West, you miserable sneak. I alwayshated you."
"Hadn't you better save your breath, Anson?" said West quietly. "You'reonly making everybody believe you guilty."
"Let 'em," cried the suspect, whose plump round face was now distortedwith impotent rage. "I'll be even with all of you for this."
"Humph! Nothing in his pockets; nothing sewn in the seams of hisclothes, nor in the band of his trousers," muttered the searcher. Thenaloud: "Now then, hold up!"
Anson behaved like a horse, or, as West and Ingleborough afterwardslaughingly said, like an ass, lifting to order each foot in turn for thebottoms of his trousers to be examined and the heels of his boots, whichhad not been bored nor plugged.
"He has nothing upon him, gentlemen," said the officer, at last.
"But you have not thoroughly searched him," said one of the directors,frowning.
"Oh yes, sir," replied the officer; "a party like this wouldn't carrydiamonds about him same as a Kaffir would. He wouldn't play any trickswith his person by slitting or swallowing: he knows too much about therisks. You can be perfectly satisfied that he has nothing about him. Iwas, as soon as I had turned out his pockets."
"They'll be satisfied before they've done," sneered Anson.
"I should like to see his desk and stool in the office where he hasworked, gentlemen," continued the officer.
"Yah!" snarled Anson. "Yes: go on; search everywhere. Perhaps you'dlike to search the place where I lodge?"
"Afterwards," said the officer quietly.
A Dash from Diamond City Page 6