Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Jew's Breastplate
Wemusttrusttothefuturetoshowsomereasonforthecuriouscoursewhichhehasadopted."
Sowedismissedthesubject,butallthatnightaftermyreturntomychambersIwaspuzzlingmybrainastowhatpossiblemotiveProfessorAndreascouldhaveforwritingananonymouswarninglettertohissuccessor—forthatthewritingwashiswasascertaintomeasifIhadseenhimactuallydoingit.Heforesawsomedangertothecollection.Wasitbecauseheforesawitthatheabandonedhischargeofit?Butifso,whyshouldhehesitatetowarnMortimerinhisownname?IpuzzledandpuzzleduntilatlastIfellintoatroubledsleep,whichcarriedmebeyondmyusualhourofrising.
Iwasarousedinasingularandeffectivemethod,foraboutnineo’clockmyfriendMortimerrushedintomyroomwithanexpressionofconsternationuponhisface.Hewasusuallyoneofthemosttidymenofmyacquaintance,butnowhiscollarwasundoneatoneend,histiewasflying,andhishatatthebackofhishead.Ireadhiswholestoryinhisfranticeyes.
"Themuseumhasbeenrobbed!"Icried,springingupinbed.
"Ifearso!Thosejewels!Thejewelsoftheurimandthummim!"hegasped,forhewasoutofbreathwithrunning."I’mgoingontothepolice-station.Cometothemuseumassoonasyoucan,Jackson!Good-bye!"Herusheddistractedlyoutoftheroom,andIheardhimclatterdownthestairs.
Iwasnotlonginfollowinghisdirections,butIfoundwhenIarrivedthathehadalreadyreturnedwithapoliceinspector,andanotherelderlygentleman,whoprovedtobeMr.