Mannering.
âI expect you are angry because I am here.â
âIâm not angry but Iâm certainly startled,â Mannering said, and made himself ask: âWhy did you come?â
âI had to see you.â
âHas anything new happened?â
âNo,â said Pearl. She spoke with bell-like clarity, choosing her words with care; the American accent was less noticeable than on the telephone. She took a step forward, hands stretched out. âHave you found the mask?â
âNo,â Mannering said gently.
âWas not the woman here?â
Mannering said: âShe was here.â
âThen she did not have the mask?â Consternation rang in Pearl Tojiâs voice.
âNot when she was found.â
âMr. Mannering.â Pearl was now so close that her hands almost touched his. âWhat is wrong?â
âShe died,â Mannering said.
âShe was killed?â
âThe police say she killed herself.â
Excitement blazed up in the girlâs eyes.
âWith poison, like my father? Is that what happened?â
âExactly the same way, yes.â
âThey canât believe that two people would kill themselves in such a way!â
âTheyâre not as sure as they were,â Mannering told her. âItâs too much of a coincidence even for the police to accept.â
After a pause, Nikko Tojiâs daughter said: âSo she was killed, but you did not find the mask. Is it now on Gibraltar?â
âI donât think so.â
âThenâwhere?â
âOn board the ship.â
âStill there?â Doubt and dismay clouded Pearlâs eyes.
âI think so.â
âThen how can it be found? The shipâs Captain, is he going to look for it?â
Mannering smiled. âNo. I am.â
Pearl caught her breath.
âYou are to sail on the ship?â
âYes.â
âTo look for the mask. Is that your only reason?â
âYes,â Mannering said. âI think itâs the one way toââ
The telephone bell rang; it was probably his call to Lorna. He turned towards it, glad to have a momentâs respite, and picked it up. âI think this is my wife.â Voices came and went, and then Lornaâs came â explosively.
âJohn!â
âYes, I know,â Mannering said. âSheâs here.â
âIs she with you?â
âShe arrived ten minutes ago,â Mannering said.
âI didnât realise sheâd gone when I telephoned before,â Lorna told him. âI thought she was resting in the spare room.â There was a pause; then she asked with a kind of stubborn hopefulness: âIs it over, John?â
âNo,â Mannering said. âI only wish it were. Iâm going on with the East Africa Star, my darling. Thereâs a good chance that weâll find the mask on board.â
âI had a feeling that might happen,â Lorna said resignedly. âBe very careful.â
That was all. No hint of reproach, nothing but âbe very carefulâ. Yet Mannering needed no telling how afraid for him she was. Tomorrow, when she read in the papers exactly what had happened here, her fears would increase as they had so often before, but she would not write or do or say anything to add to his difficulties or his anxieties. He was a thousand miles and more away from her yet he had never felt so close.
âIâll be careful,â Mannering said. âSweet, make a few notes for Josh Larraby will you?â
âYes.â
Mannering dictated some routine notes, and then went on: âAsk him to find out all he can about James Harding, the Chelsea dealerââ Mannering explained why. âAnd tell him to cable me in the Antiquariansâ code â theyâre not likely to have a copy of that on board the East Africa Star. Iâll telephone from the ship if thereâs any need, but I wonât make