The Spider Strain | Page 8

sar?" Togo asked eagerly.
"Um! I fail to see at this moment just how you can help, old top. Sorry!
Like to have you in those last two little games if I could, and all that.
But this is a strictly society affair, you know--dress-suit stuff."
"I understand, sar."
"I've got to get a little locket--"
"A locket, sar?" Togo cried.
"My word! Whatever is the matter with you? Why shriek at me in that
fashion?" Warwick demanded, putting down the coffee cup. "Are you
beside yourself--what?"
"Your pardon, sar!"
"But I fail to understand, confound it! Never knew you to act so in the
world! Have you been drinking?"
"No, sar!"
"Explain, then!"
"I--I was startled, sar."
"I should think you were! And you certainly startled me! Almost made
me choke, confound it!" Warwick exclaimed. "What do you mean by
such a thing?"
"You mentioned a locket, sar. I--I was wondering if it could be the
locket."
"Honorable Japanese, it is merely a silly locket that a foolish woman
wears on the end of a long, ridiculous chain. Why our flabby-cheeked
friend wants it is more than I know--and I suppose that it is none of my

business. He didn't happen to take me into his full confidence this time,
confound it!"
"Then it must be the locket," Togo said.
"What locket?" Warwick demanded. "Am I always to be surrounded by
riddles? My word! It's enough to make a man take to drink, and all that
sort of thing!"
"I--I cannot tell you, sar, if The Spider will not," Togo said. "I am sure
you will pardon me, sar."
"My word! What mystery is this? I had thought that it was just a silly
locket that somebody wanted badly enough to pay for. Other chaps are
after the thing, too, it appears. Jolly old Spider told me to watch out for
them!"
"Then it must be the locket I mean," Togo said. "You must be very
careful, sar."
"Do I happen to have a reputation for being reckless?" Warwick
demanded. "My word! A man would think that I was about to abduct
the sultan of Turkey, or some little thing like that."
"It seems to be only a very simple thing, sar, but, believe me, it is not!"
Togo told him.
"How on Earth does it happen that a woman like Mrs. Burton Barker is
wearing a locket there could be so much fuss about? Why, the woman
has had the thing for years! It seems to be a sort of pet of hers.
Everybody wonders why she wears the thing. Impression is abroad that
she is superstitious, and all that, and thinks the fool locket brings her
good luck. Can't fathom this thing at all!"
"I--I certainly wish that I could tell you, sar, but I dare not without the
permission of the master," Togo declared. "But I beg of you to be most
careful, sar, and to watch out for those others you have mentioned."

"It seems to me that I have accomplished tasks far more difficult than
this," Warwick said. "Is the greatest diamond in the world concealed in
the thing, or some silly rot like that?"
"I believe that the locket is not of very great value in itself, sar," Togo
replied.
"I fancy not, since I am to receive only ten thousand if I succeed in
getting the thing. Sure you can't tell me more about it?"
"I dare not, sar!"
"My word! How very disgusting! Never did like such mysteries--get on
a man's nerves, what?"
"If I only could help you, sar!" Togo exclaimed. "At least, sar, please
allow me to be in the neighborhood of the Barker residence this
evening. You may have need of me, sar. And, if you expect to be
married soon, you will want nothing bad to happen."
"I should think not!" Warwick said. "But, this is amazing! Thought it
was just a silly locket!"
"It is called the Locket of Tragedy, sar!"
"My word!" Warwick exclaimed, staring at the valet. "What a perfectly
silly name to give a locket--and a cheap one at that! Nothing very tragic
about Mrs. Burton Barker, I'm sure. She is just a silly butterfly of a
woman!"
"It is true that she may have that appearance, sar," said Togo. "But, if
you will pardon me, she is nothing of the sort. She is a dangerous
woman, sar!"
"You know her?"
"I know of her, sar," said Togo. "Be on your guard, sar, when you
attempt this thing. She may be expecting somebody to make an attempt
to get the locket. And if you are suspected--"

"I understand, honorable Togo. Thanks, too, for this surprising warning.
I always considered the woman rather shallow myself. Sort of a little
girl masquerading in a grown-up's costume, what? I've