Chapter 2

=Scene--_Mr. "Grumpy" Bullivant's_ library. Enter his grand-daughter _Virginia_ and _Mrs. Maclaren._=

_Mrs. Maclaren._ What a remarkable man Mr. Jarvis seems to be, dear--so amusing at dinner! And he writes for _Tiddly Bits,_ he tells me. Where _did_ you meet him?

_Virginia._ Quite accidentally in Hyde Park. He told grandfather a long story about a gold brick, and grandfather was so charmed with him he asked him down at once for the week-end.

_Mrs. Maclaren._ Such a knowledge of character your grandfather has, love.

_Virginia._ Yes, but you must remember he used to be the cleverest criminal lawyer of his time. He saw directly that Mr. Jarvis was a nice man.

[=Exeunt.=

=Enter _Ernest Heron_ and _"Grumpy"_ by opposite doors.=

_Grumpy_ _(when the audiences delight at seeing _Mr. CYRIL MAUDE_ again has at last been got under)._ Wow-wow-wow-wow-wow; tut-tut-tut-tut-tut (_and other old-gentleman noises_). Ah, Ernest, my boy, what are you doing here?

_Ernest._ Just back from Africa, uncle, with a diamond weighing--I mean costing--ninety thousand pounds in my belt, which I'm taking up to the firm in London. May I sleep here?

_Grumpy._ Do, my boy. (=Enter _Mr. Jarvis._=) Ah, Mr. Jarvis, let me introduce my nephew, Mr. Heron. He's just back from Africa with a---- (_To himself_) No, perhaps better not. Well, good night to you both. Wow-wow-wow, tut-tut-tut-tut.

[=Exit, followed, by _Mr. Jarvis._=

=_Ernest_ is left alone with his diamond. Seeing a suspicious shadow at the window he rushes to it and leans out, so as to give anybody a chance of sand-bagging him. The chance going begging, he takes his diamond from his belt to see if it is still there. The only other precaution he can think of is to draw the curtains. At this moment a hand steals through the door and turns out the lights. A terrible struggle in the dark ensues; there is a noise of somebody's larynx going; and then the curtain goes down and up ... to disclose, the body of poor _Ernest_ on the floor. Is he dead? Certainly not; he's got to marry _Virginia_; but the diamond is gone.=