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diff --git a/old/68237-h/68237-h.htm b/old/68237-h/68237-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 7920e48..0000000 --- a/old/68237-h/68237-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,16543 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> - -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en"> - -<head> - -<link rel="icon" href="images/img-cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover" /> - -<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> - -<title> -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Unravelled Knots, by Baroness Orczy -</title> - -<style type="text/css"> -body { color: black; - background: white; - margin-right: 10%; - margin-left: 10%; - font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; - text-align: justify } - -p {text-indent: 4% } - -p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } - -p.t1 {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 200%; - text-align: center } - -p.t2 {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 150%; - text-align: center } - -p.t2b {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 150%; - font-weight: bold; - text-align: center } - -p.t3 {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 100%; - text-align: center } - -p.t3b {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 100%; - font-weight: bold; - text-align: center } - -p.t4 {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 80%; - text-align: center } - -p.t4b {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 80%; - font-weight: bold; - text-align: center } - -p.t5 {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 60%; - text-align: center } - -h1 { text-align: center } -h2 { text-align: center } -h3 { text-align: center } -h4 { text-align: center } -h5 { text-align: center } - -p.poem {text-indent: 0%; - margin-left: 10%; } - -p.thought {text-indent: 0% ; - letter-spacing: 4em ; - text-align: center } - -p.letter {text-indent: 0%; - margin-left: 10% ; - margin-right: 10% } - -p.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; - font-size: 80%; - margin-left: 10% ; - margin-right: 10% } - -.smcap { font-variant: small-caps } - -p.transnote {text-indent: 0% ; - margin-left: 10% ; - margin-right: 10% } - -p.intro {font-size: 90% ; - text-indent: -5% ; - margin-left: 5% ; - margin-right: 0% } - -p.quote {text-indent: 4% ; - margin-left: 0% ; - margin-right: 0% } - -p.finis { font-size: larger ; - text-align: center ; - text-indent: 0% ; - margin-left: 0% ; - margin-right: 0% } - -</style> - -</head> - -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Unravelled Knots, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Unravelled Knots</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Baroness Emmuska Orczy</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: June 4, 2022 [eBook #68237]<br /> -[Most recently updated: October 6, 2022]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Al Haines</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNRAVELLED KNOTS ***</div> - -<h1> -<br /><br /> -UNRAVELLED KNOTS -</h1> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p class="t3"> -BY -</p> - -<p class="t2"> -BARONESS ORCZY -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3"> -NEW YORK -<br /><br /> -GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t4"> - COPYRIGHT, 1923, 1924, 1925, AND 1926,<br /> - BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY<br /> -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p class="t4"> - COPYRIGHT, 1924,<br /> - BY THE METROPOLITAN MAGAZINE COMPANY<br /> -<br /> - UNRAVELLED KNOTS<br /> -<br /> - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA<br /> -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3b"> -CONTENTS -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p class="noindent"> -I <a href="#chap01">THE MYSTERY OF THE KHAKI TUNIC</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -II <a href="#chap02">THE MYSTERY OF THE INGRES MASTERPIECE</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -III <a href="#chap03">THE MYSTERY OF THE PEARL NECKLACE</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -IV <a href="#chap04">THE MYSTERY OF THE RUSSIAN PRINCE</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -V <a href="#chap05">THE MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY IN BISHOP'S ROAD</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -VI <a href="#chap06">THE MYSTERY OF THE DOG'S TOOTH CLIFF</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -VII <a href="#chap07">THE TYTHERTON CASE</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -VIII <a href="#chap08">THE MYSTERY OF BRUDENELL COURT</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -IX <a href="#chap09">THE MYSTERY OF THE WHITE CARNATION</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -X <a href="#chap10">THE MYSTERY OF THE MONTMARTRE HAT</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -XI <a href="#chap11">THE MISER OF MAIDA VALE</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -XII <a href="#chap12">THE FULTON GARDENS MYSTERY</a> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> -XIII <a href="#chap13">A MOORLAND TRAGEDY</a> -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="noindent"> - By BARONESS ORCZY<br /> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> - UNRAVELLED KNOTS<br /> - PIMPERNEL AND ROSEMARY<br /> - THE HONOURABLE JIM<br /> - THE TRIUMPH OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL<br /> - NICOLETTE<br /> - CASTLES IN THE AIR<br /> - THE FIRST SIR PERCY<br /> - HIS MAJESTY'S WELL-BELOVED<br /> - THE LEAGUE OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL<br /> - FLOWER O' THE LILY<br /> - THE MAN IN GREY<br /> - LORD TONY'S WIFE<br /> - LEATHERFACE<br /> - THE BRONZE EAGLE<br /> - A BRIDE OF THE PLAINS<br /> - THE LAUGHING CAVALIER<br /> - "UNTO CAESAR"<br /> - EL DORADO<br /> - MEADOWSWEET<br /> - THE NOBLE ROGUE<br /> - THE HEART OF A WOMAN<br /> - PETTICOAT RULE<br /> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> - <i>New York: George H. Doran Company</i><br /> -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap01"></a></p> - -<p class="t2"> -UNRAVELLED KNOTS -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<h3> -I -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE KHAKI TUNIC -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -I cannot pretend to say how it all happened. -I can but relate what occurred, leaving those of -my friends who are versed in psychic matters to -find a plausible explanation for the fact that on that -horrible foggy afternoon I chanced to walk into that -blameless teashop at that particular hour. -</p> - -<p> -Now, I had not been inside a teashop for years, -and I had almost ceased to think of the Old Man in the -Corner—the weird, spook-like creature with the -baggy trousers, the huge horn-rimmed spectacles, and -the thin claw-like hands that went on fidgeting, fidgeting, -fidgeting with a piece of string, tying it with nervy -deliberation into innumerable and complicated knots. -</p> - -<p> -And yet, when I walked into that teashop and saw -him sitting in the corner by the fire, I was hardly -conscious of surprise, but I did not think that he -would recognise me. So I sat down at the next table -to him, and when I thought that he was most intent -on fidgeting with his piece of string, I stole -surreptitious glances at him. The years seemed to have -passed him by; he was just the same; his face no -more wrinkled; his fingers were as agile and restless -as they had been when last I saw him twenty years -ago. -</p> - -<p> -Then all at once he spoke, just as he used to do, -in the same cracked voice with the dry, ironic -chuckle. -</p> - -<p> -"One of the most interesting cases it has ever been -my good fortune to investigate," he said. I had not -realised that he had seen me, and I gave such a -startled jump that I spilt half a cup of tea on my -frock. With a long, bony finger he was pointing to -a copy of the <i>Express Post</i>, which lay beside his plate, -and almost against my will my eyes wandered to the -flaring headline: "The Mystery of the Khaki Tunic." -</p> - -<p> -Then I looked up inquiringly at my pixy-like interlocutor. -It never occurred to me to make a conventional -little speech about the lapse of time since last -we met; for the moment I had the feeling as if I -had seen him the day before. -</p> - -<p> -"You are still interested in criminology, then?" I -asked. -</p> - -<p> -"More than ever," he replied with a bland smile, -"and this case has given me some of the most -delightful moments I have ever experienced in connection -with my studies. I have watched the police committing -one blunder after another, and to-day, when -they are completely baffled and the public has started -to write letters to the papers about another undetected -crime and another criminal at large, I am having the -time of my life." -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, you have made up your mind," I -retorted with what I felt was withering sarcasm. -</p> - -<p> -"I have arrived at the only possible solution of -the mystery," he replied, unperturbed, "and you will -do the same when I have put the facts clearly and -logically before you. As for the police, let 'em -flounder," he went on complacently. "For me it has -been an exciting drama to watch from beginning to -end. Every one of the characters in it stands out -before me like a clear-cut cameo. -</p> - -<p> -"There was Miss Mary Clarke, a quiet, middle-aged -woman who rented Hardacres from Lord Foremeere. -She had taken the place soon after the -Armistice, and ran a poultry farm there on a small -scale with the occasional assistance of her brother -Arthur, an ex-officer in the East Glebeshires, a young -man who had an excellent war-record, but who -seemed, like so many other young men of his kind, -to have fallen into somewhat shiftless and lazy ways -since the glorious peace. -</p> - -<p> -"No doubt you know the geography of the place. -The halfpenny papers have been full of maps and -plans of Hardacres. It is rather a lonely house on -the road between Langford and Barchester, about -three-quarters of a mile from Meere village. Meere -Court is another half-mile or so farther on, the house -hidden by clumps of stately trees, above which can -be perceived the towers of Barchester Cathedral. -</p> - -<p> -"Very little seems to have been known about Miss -Clarke in the neighbourhood; she seemed to be fairly -well-to-do and undoubtedly a cut above the village -folk, but, equally obviously, she did not belong to -the county set. Nor did she encourage visitors, not -even the vicar; she seldom went to church, and -neither went to parties nor ever asked any one to -tea; she did most of her shopping herself, in Meere, -and sold her poultry and eggs to Mr. Brook, the -local dealer, who served all the best houses for miles -around. Every morning at seven o'clock a girl from -the village, named Emily Baker, came in to do the -housework at Hardacres, and left again after the -mid-day dinner. Once a week regularly, Miss Clarke -called at Meere Court. Always on a Friday. She -walked over in the afternoon, whatever the weather, -brought a large basket of eggs with her, and was -shown, without ever being kept waiting, straight into -Lady Foremeere's sitting-room. The interview lasted -about ten minutes, sometimes more, and then she -would be shown out again. -</p> - -<p> -"Mind you," the funny creature went on glibly, and -raising a long, pointed finger to emphasise his words, -"no one seems to have thought that there was -anything mysterious about Miss Clarke. The fact that -'she kept 'erself to 'erself' was not in itself a sign -of anything odd about her. People, especially women, -in outlying country districts, often lead very -self-centred, lonely lives; they arouse a certain amount -of curiosity when they first arrive in the neighbourhood, -but after a while gossip dies out if it is not fed, -and the hermit's estrangement from village life is -tacitly accepted. -</p> - -<p> -"On the other hand, Miss Clarke's brother Arthur -was exceedingly gregarious. He was a crack tennis -player and an excellent dancer, and these two -accomplishments procured him his entrée into the best -houses in the county—houses which, before the war, -when people were more fastidious in the choice of -their guests, would no doubt have not been quite so -freely opened to him. -</p> - -<p> -"It was common gossip that Arthur was deeply in -love with April St. Jude, Lord Foremeere's beautiful -daughter by a previous marriage, but public opinion -was unanimous in the assertion that there never could -be any question of marriage between an extemporary -gentleman without money or property of any kind -and the society beauty who had been courted by some -of the smartest and richest men in London. -</p> - -<p> -"Nor did Arthur Clarke enjoy the best of reputations -in the neighbourhood. He was over-fond of -betting and loafing about the public-houses of -Barchester. People said, that he might help his sister in -the farm more than he did, seeing that he did not -appear to have a sixpence of his own, and that she -gave him bed and board, but as he was very good-looking -and could make himself very agreeable if he -chose, the women, at any rate, smiled at his misdeeds -and were content to call Arthur 'rather wild, but not -really a bad boy.' -</p> - -<p> -"Then came the tragedy. -</p> - -<p> -"On the twenty-eighth of December last, when -Emily Baker came to work as usual, she was rather -surprised not to see or hear Miss Clarke moving -about the place. As a rule she was out in the yard -by the time Emily arrived; the chickens would have -had their hot mash and the empty pans would have -been left for Emily to wash up. But this morning -nothing. In the girl's own words there was a creepy -kind of lonely feeling about the house. She knew -that Mr. Clarke was not at home. The day before -the servants at Meere Court had their annual -Christmas party, and Mr. Clarke had been asked to help -with the tree and to entertain the children. He had -announced his intention of putting up afterwards at -the Deanery Hotel for the night, a thing he was rather -fond of doing whenever he was asked out to parties -and did not know what time he might be able to get -away. -</p> - -<p> -"Emily, when she arrived, had found the front door -on the latch, as usual, therefore, she reflected, Miss -Clarke must have been downstairs and drawn the -bolts. But where could she be now? Never, never -would she have gone out before feeding her chickens, -on such a cold morning, too! -</p> - -<p> -"At this point Emily gave up reflecting, and proceeded -to action. She went up to her mistress's room. -It was empty, and the bed had not been slept in. -Genuinely alarmed now, she ran down again, her next -objective being the parlour. The door was, as usual, -locked on the outside, but, contrary to precedent, the -key was not in the lock; thinking it had dropped out, -the girl searched for it, but in vain, and at one -moment, when she moved the small mat which stood -before the door of the locked room, she at once -became aware of an over-powering smell of gas. -</p> - -<p> -"This proved the death-blow to Emily's fortitude; -she took to her heels and ran out of the house and -down the road toward the village, nor did she halt -until she came to the local police-station, where she -gave as coherent an account as she could of the -terrible state of things at Hardacres. -</p> - -<p> -"You will remember that when the police broke -open the door of the parlour, the first thing they saw -was the body of Miss Clarke lying full-length on the -floor. The poor woman was quite dead, suffocated -by the poisonous fumes of gas which was fully -turned on in the old-fashioned chandelier above her -head. The one window had been carefully latched, -and the thick curtains closely drawn together; the -chimney had been stuffed up with newspaper and -paper had been thrust into every aperture so as to -exclude the slightest possible breath of air. There -was a wad of it in the keyhole, and the mat on the -landing outside had been carefully arranged against -the door with the same sinister object. -</p> - -<p> -"The news spread like wildfire and soon the entire -neighbourhood was gloating over a sensation the like -of which had not come its way for generations past." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"The London evening papers got hold of the story -for their noonday edition," the Old Man in the Corner -went on, after a slight pause, "and I with my passion -for the enigmatical and the perplexing, made up my -mind then and there to probe the mystery on my own -account, because I knew well enough that this was just -the sort of case which would send the county police -blundering all over the wrong track. -</p> - -<p> -"I arrived at Barchester on the Tuesday, in time -for the inquest, but nothing of much importance -transpired that day. Medical evidence went to prove -that the deceased had first been struck on the back -of the head by some heavy instrument, a weighted -stick or something of the sort, which had no doubt -stunned her, but she actually died of gas poisoning, -which she inhaled in large quantities while she was -half-conscious. The medical officer went on to say -that Miss Clarke must have been dead twelve hours -or more when he was called in by the police at about -eight o'clock in the morning. -</p> - -<p> -"After this, a couple of neighbours testified to -having seen Miss Clarke at her front door at about -half-past five the previous evening. It was a very -dark night, if you remember, and a thick Scotch mist -was falling. When the neighbours went by, Miss -Clarke had apparently just introduced a visitor into -her house, the gas was alight in the small hall, and -they had vaguely perceived the outline of a man or -woman, they could not swear which, in a huge coat, -standing for a moment immediately behind Miss -Clarke; the neighbours also heard Miss Clarke's voice -speaking to her visitor, but what she said they could -not distinguish. The weather was so atrocious that -every one who was abroad that night hurried along -without taking much notice of what went on around. -</p> - -<p> -"Evidence of a more or less formal character followed, -and the inquest was then adjourned until the -Friday, every one going away with the feeling that -sensational developments were already in the air. -</p> - -<p> -"And the developments came tumbling in thick and -fast. To begin with, it appears that Arthur Clarke, -when first questioned by the police, had made a -somewhat lame statement. -</p> - -<p> -"'I was asked,' he said, 'to help with the servants' -Christmas party at Meere Court. I walked over to -Barchester at about three o'clock in the afternoon, -with my suit-case, as I was going to spend the night -at the Deanery Hotel. I went on to Meere Court -soon after half-past three, and stayed until past seven; -after which I walked back to the Deanery, had some -dinner, and went early to bed. I never knew that -anything had happened to my sister until the police -telephoned to me soon after eight o'clock the next -morning. And,' he added, 'that's all about it!' -</p> - -<p> -"But it certainly was not 'all about it,' because -several of the servants at Meere Court who were asked -at what time Mr. Clarke went away that night, said -that he must have gone very soon after five o'clock. -They all finished their tea about that time, and then -the gramophone was set going for dancing; they were -quite sure that they had not seen Mr. Clarke after -that. -</p> - -<p> -"On the other hand, Miss St. Jude said that the -servants were mistaken; they were far too deeply -engrossed in their own amusements to be at all -reliable in their statements. As a matter of fact, -Mr. Clarke went away, as he said, at about seven o'clock; -she herself had danced with him most of the time, -and said good-night to him in the hall at a few -minutes after seven. -</p> - -<p> -"Here was a neat little complication, do you see—a -direct conflict of evidence at the very outset of this -mysterious case. Can you wonder that amateur -detectives already shrugged their shoulders and raised -their eyebrows, declaring that the Hon. April St. Jude -was obviously in love with Arthur Clarke, and was -trying to shield him, well knowing that he had -something to hide. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course the police themselves were very reticent, -but even they could not keep people from gossiping. -And gossip, I can assure you, had enough and to spare -to feed on. At first, of course, the crime had seemed -entirely motiveless. The deceased had not an enemy, -or, as far as that goes, many acquaintances in the world. -In the drawer of the desk, in the parlour, the sum of -twenty pounds odd in notes and cash were found, and -in a little box by the side of the money poor Mary -Clarke's little bits of jewellery. -</p> - -<p> -"But twenty-four hours later no one could remain -in doubt as to the assassin's purpose. You will -remember that on the day following the adjourned -inquest there had arrived from the depths of Yorkshire -an old sister of the deceased, a respectable spinster, -to whom Arthur himself, it seems, had communicated -the terrible news. She had come to Barchester for the -funeral. This elder Miss Clarke, Euphemia by name, -though she could not say much that was informative, -did, at any rate, throw light upon one dark passage -in her sister's history. -</p> - -<p> -"'For the past four years,' she told the police, 'my -sister had an allowance of four pounds a week from -a member of the aristocracy. I did not know much -about her affairs, but I do know that she had a packet -of letters on which she set great store. What these -letters were I have not the slightest idea, nor do I -know what Mary ultimately did with them. On one -occasion, before she was actually settled at Hardacres, -she met me in London and asked me to take care of -this packet for her, and she told me then that they -were very valuable. I also know that she and my -brother Arthur had most heated arguments together -on the subject of these letters. Arthur was always -wanting her to give them up to him, and she always -refused. On one occasion she told me that she could, -if she wanted, sell that packet of letters for five -thousand pounds. "Why on earth don't you?" I asked -her. But she replied: "Oh, Arthur would only get -the money out of me! It's better as it is."' -</p> - -<p> -"This story, as you may well imagine, gave food -enough for gossip; at once a romance was woven of -blackmail and drama of love and passion, whilst the -name of a certain great lady in the neighbourhood, to -whom Miss Clarke had been in the habit of paying -mysterious weekly visits, already was on everybody's -lips. -</p> - -<p> -"And then the climax came. By evening it had -transpired that in Arthur Clarke's room at Hardacres, -the detectives had found an old khaki tunic stuffed -away at the bottom of a drawer, and in the pocket -of the tunic the key of the locked parlour door. It -was an officer's tunic, which had at some time had its -buttons and badges taken off; its right sleeve was so -torn that it was nearly out at its armhole; the cuff -was all crumpled, as if it had been crushed in a damp, -hot hand, and there was a small piece of the cloth -torn clean out of it. And I will leave you to guess -the importance of this fact—in the tightly-clenched -hand of the murdered woman was found the small -piece of khaki cloth which corresponded to a hair's-breadth -with the missing bit in the sleeve of the tunic. -</p> - -<p> -"After that the man in the street shook his head -and declared that Arthur Clarke was as good as hung -already." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner had drawn out of his -capacious pocket a fresh piece of string. And now -his claw-like fingers started to work on it with -feverish intentness. I watched him, fascinated, well -knowing that his keen mind was just as busy with the -Hardacres mystery as were his hands in the fashioning of -some intricate and complicated knot. -</p> - -<p> -"I am not," he said after a while, "going to give you -an elaborate description of the inquest and of the -crowds that collected both inside and out of the -court-room, hoping to get a glimpse of the principal actors -in the exciting drama. By now, of course, all those -who had talked of the crime being without apparent -motive had effectually been silenced. To every amateur -detective, as well as to the professional, the -murderer and his nefarious object appeared absolutely -revealed to the light of day. Every indication, every -scrap of evidence collected up to this hour, both direct -and circumstantial, pointed to Arthur Clarke as the -murderer of his sister. There were the letters, which -were alleged to be worth five thousand pounds, to the -mysterious member of the aristocracy who was paying -Miss Clarke a weekly pittance, obviously in order to -silence her; there was the strong love motive—the -young man in love with the girl far above him in -station and wanting to get hold of a large sum of money, -no doubt, to embark on some profitable business which -might help him in his wooing; and there, above all, -was the damning bit of khaki cloth in the murdered -woman's hand, and the tunic with the key of the locked -door in its pocket found in a drawer in Clarke's own -room. -</p> - -<p> -"No, indeed, the inquest was not likely to be a dull -affair, more especially as no one doubted what the -verdict would be, whilst a good many people anticipated -that Clarke would at once be arrested on the coroner's -warrant and committed for trial at the next assizes on -the capital charge. -</p> - -<p> -"But though we all knew that the inquest would not -be dull, yet we were not prepared for the surprises -which were in store for us, and which will render that -inquest a memorable one in the annals of criminal -investigation. To begin with we already knew that -Arthur Clarke had now the assistance of Mr. Markham, -one of the leading solicitors of Barchester, in -his difficult position. Acting on that gentleman's advice -Clarke had amplified the statement which he had -originally made as to his movements on the fatal -afternoon. This amplified statement he now reiterated -on oath, and though frankly no one believed him, -we were bound to admit that if he could substantiate -it, an extraordinary complication would arise, which -though it might not eventually clear him altogether, -in the minds of thinking people, would at any rate -give him the benefit of the doubt. What he now -stated was in substance this: -</p> - -<p> -"'The servants at Meere Court,' he said, 'are quite -right when they say that I left the party soon after -five o'clock. I was rather tired, and after a last -dance with Miss St. Jude, I went upstairs to pay my -respects to Lady Foremeere. Her ladyship, however, -kept me talking for some considerable time on one -subject and another, until, to my astonishment, I saw -that it was close on seven o'clock, when I hastily -took my leave. -</p> - -<p> -"'While I was looking for my coat in the hall, I -remember that Lord Foremeere came out of the -smoking-room and asked me if I knew whether the -party downstairs had broken up. "These things are -such a bore," he said, "but I will see if I can get one -of them to come up and show you out." I told his -lordship not to trouble. However, he rang the bell, -and presently the butler, Spinks, came through from -the servants' quarters, and his lordship then went -upstairs, I think. A minute or two later Miss St. Jude -came, also from the servants' quarters; she sent -Spinks away, telling him that she would look after -me; we talked together for a few moments, and then -I said good-night, and went straight back to the hotel.' -</p> - -<p> -"Now we had already learned from both the hall-porter -and the head waiter at the Deanery that Mr. Clarke -was back at the hotel soon after seven o'clock, -that he had his dinner in the restaurant at half-past, -and that after spending an hour or so in the lounge -after dinner, he went up to his room, and did not go -out again until the following morning. Therefore, all -that was needed now was a confirmatory statement -from Lady Foremeere to prove Arthur Clarke's -innocence, because in that case every hour of his time -would be accounted for, from half-past three onwards, -whilst Miss Clarke was actually seen alive by two -neighbours when she introduced a visitor into her -house at half-past five. -</p> - -<p> -"The question would then resolve itself into, Who -was that visitor? leaving the more important one of -the khaki tunic as a baffling mystery, rather than as -damning evidence. -</p> - -<p> -"The entire courtroom was on the tiptoe of expectation -when Lady Foremeere was formally called. I -can assure you that the ubiquitous pin could have -been heard to drop during the brief moment's silence -when the elegant Society woman stood up and disposed -her exquisite sable cape about her shoulders and then -swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the -truth. -</p> - -<p> -"She answered the coroner's questions in a clear, -audible voice, and never wavered in her assertions. -She said that her step-daughter had come up to her -boudoir and asked her if she would see Mr. Arthur -Clarke for a few moments; he had something very -important to say to her. -</p> - -<p> -"'I was rather surprised at the strange request,' -Lady Foremeere continued with the utmost composure, -'and suggested that Mr. Clarke should make his -important communication to Lord Foremeere, but my -step-daughter insisted, and to please her I agreed. I -thought that I would get my husband to be present -at this mysterious interview, but his lordship was -having a short rest in the smoking-room, so on second -consideration I decided not to disturb him. -</p> - -<p> -"'A minute or two later, Mr.—er—Clarke presented -himself, and at once I realised that he had had too -much to drink. He talked wildly about his desire -to marry Miss St. Jude, and very excitedly about -some compromising letters which he alleged were in -his possession, and which he threatened to show to -Lord Foremeere if I did not at once give him so many -thousand pounds. Naturally, I ordered him out of -the place. But he wouldn't go for a long time; he -got more and more incoherent and excited, and it was -not until I threatened to fetch Lord Foremeere -immediately that he sobered down and finally went away. -He had been in my room about half an hour.' -</p> - -<p> -"'About half an hour?' was the coroner's earnest -comment on this amazing piece of evidence, 'But -Mr. Clarke said that when he left your ladyship it was -close on seven.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Mr.—er—Clarke is in error,' her ladyship -asserted firmly. 'The clock had just struck half-past -five when I succeeded in ridding myself of him.' -</p> - -<p> -"You can easily imagine how great was the excitement -at this moment and how intensified it became -when Lord Foremeere gave evidence in his turn and -further confused the issues. He began by corroborating -Arthur Clarke's statement about his having -spoken to him in the hall at <i>seven o'clock</i>. It was -almost unbelievable! Everybody gasped and the -coroner almost gave a jump: -</p> - -<p> -"'But her ladyship has just told us,' he said, 'that -Clarke left her at half-past five!' -</p> - -<p> -"'That, no doubt, is accurate,' Lord Foremeere -rejoined in his stiff, prim manner, 'since her ladyship -said so. All I know is that I was asleep in front of -the fire in the smoking-room when I heard a loud -bang issuing from the hall. I went to see what it was -and there I certainly saw Clarke. He was just coming -through the glass door which divides the outside -vestibule from the hall, and he appeared to me to -have come straight out of the wet and to have left his -hat and coat in the outer vestibule.' -</p> - -<p> -"'But,' the coroner insisted, 'what made your -lordship think that he had come from outside?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Well, for one thing his face and hands were quite -wet, and he was wiping them with his handkerchief -when I first caught sight of him. His boots, too, were -wet, and so were the edges of his trousers. And then, -as I said, he was coming into the hall from the outer -vestibule, and it was the banging of the front door -which had roused me.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And the hour then was?' -</p> - -<p> -"'The clock had not long since struck seven. But -my butler will be able to confirm this.' -</p> - -<p> -"And Spinks the butler did confirm this portion -of his lordship's statement, though he could say -nothing about Mr. Clarke's boots being wet, nor did he -help Mr. Clarke on with his coat and hat, or open -the door for him. Miss St. Jude had practically -followed Spinks into the hall, and had at once dismissed -him, saying she would look after Mr. Clarke. His -lordship in the meanwhile had gone upstairs, and -Spinks went back into the servants' hall. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, Miss St. Jude was called. You remember -that she had previously stated that Clarke had -only left the party at about seven o'clock, that she -herself had danced with him most of the time until -then, and finally said good-bye to him in the hall. -But as this statement was not even corroborated by -Clarke's own assertions, and entirely contradicted by -both Lord and Lady Foremeere's evidence, she was -fortunately advised not to repeat it on oath. But she -hotly denied the suggestion that Clarke had come in -from outside when she said good-bye to him in the -hall. She saw him put on his hat and coat, and they -were quite dry. But nobody felt that her evidence -was of any value because she would naturally do her -utmost to help her sweetheart. -</p> - -<p> -"Finally, one of the most interesting moments in -that memorable inquiry was reached when Lady Foremeere -was recalled and asked to state what she knew -of Miss Clarke's antecedents. -</p> - -<p> -"'Very little,' she replied. 'I only knew her in -France when she worked under me in a hospital. I -was very ill at one time and she nursed me devotedly; -ever since that I helped her financially as much as I -could.' -</p> - -<p> -"'You made her a weekly allowance?' her ladyship -was asked. -</p> - -<p> -"'Not exactly,' she replied. 'I just bought her eggs -and poultry at a higher figure than she would get from -any one else.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Do you know anything about some letters that -she thought were so valuable?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Oh, yes!' the lady replied with a kindly smile. -'Mary had a collection of autograph letters which -she had collected whilst she was nursing in France. -Among them were some by august, and others by very -distinguished, personages. She had the idea that these -were extraordinarily valuable.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Do you know what became of those letters?' -</p> - -<p> -"'No,' her ladyship replied, 'I do not know.' -</p> - -<p> -"'But there were other letters, were there not?' the -coroner insisted, 'in which you yourself were -interested? The ones Mr. Clarke spoke to you about?' -</p> - -<p> -"'They existed only in Mr. Clarke's imagination, I -fancy,' Lady Foremeere replied, 'but he was in such -a highly excited state that afternoon that I really -could not quite make out what it was that he desired -to sell to me.' -</p> - -<p> -"Lady Foremeere spoke very quietly and very simply, -without a single note of spite or acerbity in her -soft, musical voice. One felt that she was stating -quite simple facts that rather bored her, but to which -she did not attach any importance. And later on -when Miss Euphemia Clarke retold the story of the -packet of letters and of the quarrels which the -deceased and her brother had about them, and when the -damning evidence of the khaki tunic stood out like -an avenging Nemesis pointing at the unfortunate young -man, those in court who had imagination, saw—positively -saw—the hangman's rope tightening around -his neck." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -"And yet the verdict was one of wilful murder -against some person or persons unknown," I said, -after a slight pause, waiting for the funny creature -to take up his narrative again. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes," he replied, "Arthur Clarke has been cleared -of every suspicion. He left the court a free man. His -innocence was proved beyond question through what -every one thought was the most damnatory piece of -evidence against him—the evidence of the khaki tunic. -The khaki tunic exonerated Arthur Clarke as completely -as the most skilful defender could do. Because -it did not fit him. Arthur Clarke was a rather heavy, -full-grown, broad-shouldered man, the khaki tunic -would only fit a slim lad of eighteen. Clarke had -admitted the tunic was his, but he had never thought of -examining it, and certainly, not of trying it on. It -was Miss St. Jude who thought of that. Trust a woman -in love for getting an inspiration. -</p> - -<p> -"When she was called at the end of the day to -affirm the statements which she had previously made -to the police and realised that these statements of -hers were actually in contradiction with Clarke's own -assertions, she worked herself up into a state bordering -on hysteria, in the midst of which she caught sight -of the khaki tunic on the coroner's table. Of course, -she, like every one else in the neighbourhood, knew all -about the tunic, but when April St. Jude actually saw -it with her own eyes and realised what its existence -meant to her sweetheart, she gave a wild shriek. -</p> - -<p> -"'I'll not believe it,' she cried, 'I'll not believe it. -It can't be. It is not Arthur's tunic at all.' Then -her eyes dilated, her voice sank to a hoarse whisper, -and with a trembling hand she pointed at the tunic. -'Why,' she murmured, 'it is so small—so small! -Arthur! Where is Arthur? Why does he not show -them all that he never could have worn that tunic?' -</p> - -<p> -"Proverbially there is but a narrow dividing line -between tragedy and farce: While some people shuddered -and gasped and men literally held their breath, -marvelling what would happen next, quite a number of -women fell into hysterical giggling. Of course you -remember what happened. The papers have told you -all about it. Arthur Clarke was made to try on the -khaki tunic, and he could not even get his arms into -the sleeves. Under no circumstances could he ever -have worn that particular tunic. It was several sizes -too small for him. Then he examined it closely and -recognised it as one he wore in his school O.T.C. when -he was a lad. When he was originally confronted with -it, he explained, he was so upset, so genuinely terrified -at the consequences of certain follies which he -undoubtedly had committed, that he could hardly see out -of his eyes. The tunic was shown to him, and he had -admitted that it was his, for he had quite a collection -of old tunics which he had always kept. But for the -moment he had forgotten the one which he had worn -more than eight years ago at school. -</p> - -<p> -"And so the khaki tunic, instead of condemning -Clarke, had entirely cleared him, for it now became -quite evident that the miscreant who had committed -the dastardly murder had added this hideous act to -his greater crime, and deliberately set to work to -fasten the guilt on an innocent man. He had gone -up to Clarke's room, opened the wardrobe, picked up -a likely garment, no doubt tearing a piece of cloth -out of it whilst so doing, and thus getting the fiendish -idea of inserting that piece of khaki between the -fingers of the murdered woman. Finally, after -locking the parlour door, he put the key in the pocket -of the tunic and stuffed the latter in the bottom of -a drawer. -</p> - -<p> -"It was a clever and cruel trick which well nigh -succeeded in hanging an innocent man. As it is, it has -enveloped the affair in an almost impenetrable mystery. -I say 'almost' because I know who killed Miss -Clarke, even though the public has thrown out an -erroneous conjecture. 'It was Lady Foremeere,' they -say, 'who killed Miss Clarke.' But at once comes the -question: 'How could she?' And the query: 'When?' -</p> - -<p> -"Arthur Clarke says he was with her until seven, -and after that hour there were several members of her -household who waited upon her, notably her maid -who it seems came up to dress her at about that time, -and she and Lord Foremeere sat down to dinner as -usual at eight o'clock. -</p> - -<p> -"That there had been one or two dark passages in -Lady Foremeere's life, prior to her marriage four -years ago, and that Miss Clarke was murdered for the -sake of letters which were in some way connected with -her ladyship were the only actual undisputable facts -in that mysterious case. That it was not Arthur -Clarke who killed his sister has been indubitably -proved; that a great deal of the evidence was -contradictory every one has admitted. And if the police -do not act on certain suggestions which I have made -to them, the Hardacres murder will remain a mystery -to the public to the end of time." -</p> - -<p> -"And what are those suggestions?" I asked, without -the slightest vestige of irony, for, much against my -will, the man's personality exercised a curious -fascination over me. -</p> - -<p> -"To keep an eye on Lord Foremeere," the funny -creature replied with his dry chuckle, "and see when -and how he finally disposes of a wet coat, a dripping -hat and soaked boots, which he has succeeded in -keeping concealed somewhere in the smoking-room, away -from the prying eyes even of his own valet." -</p> - -<p> -"You mean——" I asked, with an involuntary gasp. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes," he replied. "I mean that it was Lord Foremeere -who murdered Miss Clarke for the sake of those -letters which apparently contained matter that was -highly compromising to his wife. -</p> - -<p> -"Everything to my mind points to him as the -murderer. Whether he knew all along of the existence of -the compromising letters, or whether he first knew of -this through the conversation between her ladyship -and Clarke the day of the servants' party, it is -impossible to say; certain it is that he did overhear -that conversation and that he made up his mind to end -the impossible situation then and there, and to put a -stop once and for all to any further attempt at blackmail. -</p> - -<p> -"It was easy enough for him on that day to pass -in and out of the house unperceived. No doubt his -primary object in going to Hardacres was to purchase -the letters from Miss Clarke, money down; perhaps -she proved obstinate, perhaps he merely thought that -dead men tell no tales. This we shall never know. -</p> - -<p> -"After the hideous deed, which must have revolted -his otherwise fastidious senses, he must have become -conscious of an overwhelming hatred for the man -who had, as it were, pushed him into crime, and my -belief is that the elaborate <i>mise en scène</i> of the khaki -tunic, and the circumstantial lie that when he came -out of the smoking-room Arthur Clarke had obviously -just come in from outside was invented, not so -much with the object of averting any suspicion from -himself, as with the passionate desire to be revenged -on Clarke. -</p> - -<p> -"Think it over," the Old Man in the Corner concluded, -as he stuffed his beloved bit of string into his -capacious pocket; "time, opportunity, motive, all are -in favour of my theory, so do not be surprised if the -early editions of to-morrow's evening papers contain -the final sensation in this interesting case." -</p> - -<p> -He was gone before I could say another word, and -all that I saw of him was his spook-like figure -disappearing through the swing-door. There was no one now -in the place, so a moment or two later I too paid my -bill and went away. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§5 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner proved to be right in -the end. At eleven o'clock the next morning the street -corners were full of newspaper placards with the -flaring headlines: "Sudden death of Lord Foremeere." -</p> - -<p> -It was reported that on the previous evening his -lordship was examining a new automatic which he -had just bought and explaining the mechanism to his -valet. At one moment he actually made the remark: -"It is all right, it isn't loaded," but apparently there -was one cartridge left in one of the chambers. His -lordship, it seems, was looking straight down the -barrel and his finger must accidentally have touched -the trigger; anyway, according to the valet's story, -there was a sudden explosion, and Lord Foremeere -fell shot right between the eyes. -</p> - -<p> -The verdict at the inquest was, of course, one of -accidental death, the coroner and jury expressing the -greatest possible sympathy with Lady Foremeere and -Miss St. Jude. It was only subsequently that one or -two facts came to light which appeared obscure and -unimportant to the man in the street, but which for -me, in the light of my conversation with the Old Man -in the Corner, bore special significance. -</p> - -<p> -It seems that an hour or two before the accident, -the chief superintendent of police had called with two -constables at Meere Court and were closeted for a -considerable time with Lord Foremeere in the smoking-room. -And Spinks, the butler, who subsequently let -the three men out, noticed that one of the constables -was carrying a coat and a hat, which Spinks knew were -old ones belonging to his lordship. -</p> - -<p> -Then I knew that the funny creature in the loud -check tweeds and baggy trousers had found the true -solution of the Hardacres mystery. -</p> - -<p> -Oh, and you wish to know what was the sequel -to the pretty love story between April St. Jude and -Arthur Clarke. Well, you know, she married Amos -Rottenberg, the New York banker, last year, and -Clarke runs a successful garage now somewhere in -the North. A kind friend must have lent him the -capital wherewith to make a start. I can make a -shrewd guess who that kind friend was. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap02"></a></p> - -<h3> -II -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE INGRES MASTERPIECE -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -I did not see the Old Man in the Corner for -several weeks after that strange meeting in the -blameless teashop. The exigencies of my work -kept me busy, and somehow the sensational suicide of -Lord Foremeere which had appeared like the logical -sequence of the spook-like creature's deductions, had -left a painful impression on my mind. Entirely -illogically, I admit, I felt that the Old Man in the -Corner had had something to do with the tragedy. -</p> - -<p> -But when in March of that year we were all thrilled -by the mystery of the valuable Ingres picture, and -wherever one went one heard conjectures and explanations -of that extraordinary case, my thoughts very -naturally reverted to the funny creature and his bit -of string, and I found myself often wondering what -his explanation of what seemed a truly impenetrable -mystery could possibly be. -</p> - -<p> -The facts certainly were very puzzling in themselves. -When first I was deputed by the <i>Express Post</i> to put -them clearly and succinctly before its readers, I found -the task strangely difficult; this, for the simple reason -that I myself could not see daylight through it all, and -often did I stand in front of the admirable -reproduction which I possess of the Ingres "La Fiancée" -wondering if those smiling lips would not presently speak -and tell me how an original and exquisite picture could -possibly have been at two different places at one and -the same time. -</p> - -<p> -For that, in truth, was the depth of the puzzle. We -will, if you please, call the original owners of the -picture the Duc and Duchesse Paul de Rochechouart. -That, of course, is not their name, but, as you all know -who they really are, it matters not what I call them -for the purpose of recording their singular adventure. -</p> - -<p> -His Grace had early in life married a Swedish lady -of great talent and singular beauty. She was an artist -of no mean order, having exhibited pictures of merit -both at the Paris Salon and at the Royal Academy in -London; she was also an accomplished musician, and -had published one or two very charming volumes of -poetry. -</p> - -<p> -The Duke and his wife were devoted to one another; -they lived for the greater part of the year at their -beautiful château on the Oise, not far from Chantilly, -and here they entertained a great deal, more after the -homely and hospitable manner of English country -houses than in the more formal fashion. Here, too, -they had collected some rare furniture, tapestries, and -objects of art and vertu, amongst which certain -highly-prized pictures of the French School of the Nineteenth -Century. -</p> - -<p> -The war, we may imagine, left the Duc de Rochechouart -and his charming wife a good deal poorer, as -it left most other people in France, and soon it became -known amongst the art dealers of London, Paris and -New York that they had decided to sell one or two -of their most valuable pictures; foremost amongst -these was the celebrated "La Fiancée" by Ingres. -</p> - -<p> -Immediately there was what is technically known -as a ramp after the picture. Dealers travelled -backwards and forwards from all the great Continental -cities to the château on the Oise to view the picture. -Offers were made for it by cable, telegram and -telephone, and the whole art world was kept in a flutter -over what certainly promised to be a sensational deal. -</p> - -<p> -Alas! as with most of the beautiful possessions of -this impoverished old world, the coveted prize was -destined to go to the country that had the longest -purse. A certain Mr. Aaron Jacobs, the Chicago -multi-millionaire, presently cabled an offer of half a -million dollars for the picture, an offer which, rumour -had it, the Duc de Rochechouart had since accepted. -Mr. Jacobs was said to be a charming, highly-cultured -man, a great art connoisseur and a great art lover, and -presently one heard that he had already set sail for -Europe with the intention of fetching away his -newly-acquired treasure himself. -</p> - -<p> -On the very day following Mr. Jacobs's arrival as -the guest of the Duc and Duchesse de Rochechouart -at the latter's château, the world-famous picture was -stolen in broad daylight by a thief or thieves who -contrived to make away with their booty without leaving -the slightest clue, so it was said, that might put the -police on their track. The picture was cut clean out -of the frame, an operation which must have taken at -least two or three minutes. It always used to hang -above the tall chimneypiece in the Duchesse's studio, -but that self-same morning it had been lifted down and -placed on an easel in the dining-hall, no doubt for -closer inspection by the purchaser. This easel stood in -a corner of the hall, close to one of the great windows -that overlooked the gardens of the château. -</p> - -<p> -The amazing point in this daring theft was that a -garden fête and tennis tournament were in progress at -the time. A crowd of guests was spread all over the -lawns and grounds in full view of the windows of the -hall, and, as far as the preliminary investigations were -able to establish, there were not more than twenty or -twenty-five minutes at most during which some servant -or other inmate of the château had not either actually -been through the hall or had occasion to observe the -windows. -</p> - -<p> -The dining-hall itself has monumental doors which -open on the great central vestibule, and immediately -facing it similar doors give on the library. The -marble vestibule runs right through the centre of the main -building, it has both a front and a garden entrance, -and all the reception rooms open out of it, right and -left. Close to the front door entrance is one of the -main ways into the kitchens and offices. -</p> - -<p> -Now right away until half-past four on that fateful -afternoon the servants were up and down the vestibule, -busy with arrangements for tea which they were -serving outside on the lawns. The tennis tournament -was then drawing to a close, the Duchesse was on the -lawn with her guests, dispensing tea, and at half-past -four precisely the Duc de Rochechouart came into the -château by way of the garden entrance, went across -the vestibule and into the library to fetch the prizes -which were to be distributed to the victors in the -tournament, and which were locked up in his desk. The -doors of the dining-hall were wide open and the Duc -walking past them peeped into the room. The picture -was in its place then, and he gave a glance at it as -he passed, conscious of a pang of regret at the thought -that he must needs part with this precious treasure. -It took the Duc some little time to sort the prizes, and -as in the meanwhile the afternoon post had come in -and a few letters had been laid on his desk, he could -not resist the desire to glance through his correspondence. -On the whole he thought that he might have -been in the library about a quarter of an hour or -perhaps more. He had closed the door when he entered -the room, and when he came out again he certainly -noticed that the doors of the dining-hall were shut. -But there was nothing in this to arouse his suspicions, -and with the neatly tied parcels containing the prizes -under his arm, he recrossed the vestibule and went -once more into the garden. -</p> - -<p> -At five o'clock M. Amédé, the chief butler, had -occasion to go into the dining-hall to fetch a particular -silver tray which he required. He owned to being -astonished at finding the doors closed, because he had -been past them a quarter of an hour before that and -they were wide open then. However, he entered the -room without any serious misgivings, but the next -moment he nearly fainted with horror at sight of the -empty frame upon the easel. The very first glance -had indeed revealed the nefarious deed. The picture -had not been moved out of its frame, it was the canvas -that had been cut. M. Amédé, however, knowing -what was due to his own dignity did not disturb the -entire household then and there; he made his way -quietly back into the garden where the distribution of -prizes after the tournament was taking place and, -seizing a favourable opportunity, he caught M. le Duc's -eye and imparted to him the awful news. -</p> - -<p> -Even so nothing was said until after the guests had -departed. By the Duc's orders the doors leading into -the dining-hall were locked, and to various enquiries -after the masterpiece made by inquisitive ladies, the -evasive answer was given that the picture was in the -hands of the packers. -</p> - -<p> -There remained the house party, which, of course, -included Mr. Aaron Jacobs. There were also several -ladies and gentlemen staying at the château, and -before they all went up to their rooms to dress for -dinner, they were told what had happened. In the -meanwhile the police had already been sent for, and M. le -Commissaire was conducting his preliminary investigations. -The rooms and belongings of all the servants -were searched, and, with the consent of the guests -themselves, this search was extended to their rooms. -A work of art worth half a million dollars could not -thus be allowed to disappear and the thief to remain -undetected for the sake of social conventions, and as -the law stands in France any man may be guilty of -a crime until he be proved innocent. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -The theft of the Ingres masterpiece was one of those -cases which interest the public in every civilised -country, and here in England where most people are bitten -with the craze for criminal investigation it created -quite a sensation in its way. -</p> - -<p> -I remember that when we all realised for the first -time that the picture had in very truth disappeared, -and that the French police, despite its much vaunted -acumen, had entirely failed to find the slightest trace -of the thief, we at once began to look about for a -romantic solution of the mystery. M. le Duc de -Rochechouart and his pretty Duchesse had above all our -deepest sympathy, for it had very soon transpired that -neither the Ingres masterpiece, nor indeed any of the -Duc's valuable collection of art works, was insured. -This fact seems almost incredible to English minds, -with whom every kind of insurance is part and parcel -of the ordinary household routine. But abroad the -system is not nearly so far-reaching or so extended, -and there are numberless households in every degree -of the social scale who never dream of spending money -on insurances save, perhaps, against fire. -</p> - -<p> -Be that as it may, the fact remained that "La -Fiancée" was not insured against theft, and that -through the action of an unknown miscreant the Duc -and Duchesse de Rochechouart would, unless the -police did ultimately succeed in tracing the stolen -masterpiece, find themselves the poorer by half a million -dollars. With their usual lack of logic, readers of the -halfpenny Press promptly turned their attention to -Mr. Aaron Jacobs, the intending purchaser. Being a -Chicago multi-millionaire does not, it appears, render a -man immune from the temptation of acquiring by -dishonest means the things which he covets. Anyway, -the public decided that Mr. Jacobs was not so rich -as he was reputed to be, but that, on the other hand, -being as greedy for the possession of European works -of art as any ogre for human flesh, he had stolen the -picture which he could not afford to buy; and ten, or -mayhap fifteen years hence, when the story of the -mysterious theft will have been consigned to oblivion, -Mr. Jacobs would display the masterpiece in his -gallery. How this was to be accomplished without the -subsequent intervention of the police those wiseacres -did not attempt to explain. -</p> - -<p> -The mystery remained impenetrable for close on two -years. Many other sensations, criminal or otherwise, -had, during that time, driven the affair of the Ingres -masterpiece out of the public mind. Then suddenly -the whole story was revived and in a manner which -proved far more exciting than any one had surmised. -It was linked—though the European public did not -know this—with the death in July, 1919, of Charles -B. Tupper, the head of one of the greatest cinematograph -organisations in the States—a man who for the -past few years had controlled over two thousand -theatres, and had made millions in his day. Some time -during the war he had married the well-known cinema -star, Anita Hodgkins, a beautiful entirely uneducated -girl who hailed from Upper Tooting. The will of -Mr. Charles B. Tupper was proved for a fabulous sum, -and, as soon as his affairs were settled, Mrs. Tupper, -who presumably had remained Cockney at heart as -well as in speech, set sail for England with the -intention of settling down once more in the country of her -birth. She bought Holt Manor, a magnificent house in -Buckinghamshire, sent for all her splendid furniture -and belongings from America, and, early in 1920, when -her palatial residence was ready for occupation, she -married Lord Polchester, a decadent young nincompoop, -who was said to have fallen in love with her -when he first saw her on the screen. -</p> - -<p> -Presumably Mrs. Anita Tupper <i>née</i> Hodgkins -hugged herself with the belief that once she was styled -my lady she would automatically become a social star -as she had been a cinema one in the past. But in this -harmless ambition she was at first disappointed. -Though she had furnished her new house lavishly, -though paragraphs appeared in all the halfpenny and -weekly Press giving details of the sumptuous -establishment of which the new Lady Polchester was queen, -though she appeared during the London season of 1920 -at several official functions and went to an evening -Court that year, wearing pearls that might have been -envied by an empress, she found that in Buckinghamshire -the best people were shy of calling on her, and -the bits of pasteboard that were from time to time -left at her door came chiefly from the neighbouring -doctors, parsons, or retired London tradespeople, or -from mothers with marriageable daughters who looked -forward to parties at the big house and consequent -possible matrimonial prizes. -</p> - -<p> -This went on for a time and then Lady Polchester, -wishing no doubt to test the intentions of the county -towards her, launched out invitations for a garden -party! The invitations included the London friends -she had recently made, and a special train from -Paddington was to bring those friends to the party. -Among these was Mr. Aaron Jacobs. He had known -the late Charles B. Tupper over in the States, and had -met Lady Polchester more recently at one of the great -functions at the United States Embassy in London. -She had interested him with a glowing account of her -splendid collection of works of art, of pictures and -antique furniture which she had inherited from her first -husband and which now adorned her house in -Buckinghamshire, and when she asked him down to her -party he readily accepted, more I imagine out of -curiosity to see the objects in which he was as keenly -interested as ever than from a desire to establish closer -acquaintanceship with the lady. -</p> - -<p> -The garden party at Holt Manor, as the place was -called, does not appear to have been a great social -success. For one thing it rained the whole afternoon, -and the military band engaged for the occasion proved -too noisy for indoor entertainment. But some of the -guests were greatly interested in the really magnificent -collection of furniture, tapestries, pictures and -works of art which adorned the mansion, and after -tea Lady Polchester graciously conducted them all over -the house, pointing out herself the most notable pieces -in the collection and never failing to mention the price -at which the late Mr. Charles B. Tupper purchased the -work of art in question. -</p> - -<p> -And that is when the sensation occurred. Following -their hostess, the guests had already seen and duly -admired two really magnificent Van Dycks that hung -in the hall, when she turned to them and said, with a -flourish of her plentifully be-gemmed hands: -</p> - -<p> -"You must come into the library and see the picture -for which Mr. Tupper gave over half a million dollars. -I never knew I had it, as he never had it taken -out of its case, and I never saw it until this year when -it came over with all my other things from our house -in New York. Lord Polchester had it unpacked and -hung in the library. I don't care much about it -myself, and the late Mr. Tupper hadn't the time to enjoy -his purchase, because he died two days after the -picture arrived in New York, and, as I say, he never had -it unpacked. He bought it for use in a commercial -undertaking which he had in mind at one time, then the -scheme fell through, and I am sure I never thought -any more about the old picture." -</p> - -<p> -With that she led the way into the library, a -nobly-proportioned room lined with books in choice bindings, -and with a beautiful Adam chimneypiece, above which -hung a picture. -</p> - -<p> -Of course there were some people present who had -never heard of the stolen Ingres, but there must have -been a few who, as they entered the room, must literally -have gasped with astonishment, for there it -certainly was. "La Fiancée" with her marvellously -painted Eastern draperies, her exquisitely drawn limbs -and enigmatic smile, was smiling down from the canvas, -just as if she had every right to be in the house -of the ex-cinema star, and as if there had not been a -gigantic fuss about her throughout the whole art world -of Europe. -</p> - -<p> -We may take it that the person by far the most -astonished at that moment was Mr. Aaron Jacobs. -But he was too thoroughly a gentleman and too much -a man of the world to betray his feelings then, and I -suppose that those who, like himself, had thought they -recognised the stolen masterpiece, did not like to say -anything either until they were more sure: English -people in all grades of society being proverbially averse -to being what they call "mixed up" in any kind of a -fuss. Certain it is that nothing was said at the -moment to disturb Lady Polchester's complacent -equanimity, and after a while the party broke up and the -guests departed. -</p> - -<p> -Of course people thought that Mr. Aaron Jacobs -should have informed Lord Polchester of his intentions -before he went to the police. But Lord Polchester -was such a nonentity in his own household, such a -frivolous fool, and, moreover, addicted to drink and -violent fits of temper, that those who knew him easily -realised how a sensible business man like Mr. Aaron -Jacobs would avoid any personal explanation with -him. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Jacobs went straight to the police that self-same -evening, and the next day Lady Polchester had a -visit from Detective Purley, one of the ablest as he -was one of the most tactful men on the staff. But -indeed he had need of all his tact in face of the -infuriated cinema star when that lady realised the object of -his visit. -</p> - -<p> -"How dared they come and ask her such impertinent -questions?" she stormed. "Did they imagine she -had stolen a beastly picture which she would as soon -throw on the dust heap as look at again? She, who -could buy up all the pictures in any gallery and not -feel the pinch..." and so on and so on. The -unfortunate Purley had a very unpleasant quarter of an -hour, but after a while he succeeded in pacifying the -irate lady and got her to listen calmly to what he had -to say. -</p> - -<p> -He managed to make her understand that without -casting the slightest aspersion upon her honourability -or that of the late Charles B. Tupper, there was no -getting away from the fact that the picture now -hanging in the library of Holt Manor was the property of -the Duc de Rochechouart from whose house in France -it was stolen over two years before—to be quite -accurate it was stolen on July twenty-fifth, 1919. -</p> - -<p> -"Then," retorted the lady, by no means convinced -or mollified, "I can prove you all to be liars, for the -late Mr. Charles B. Tupper bought the old thing long -before that. He had been on the Continent in the -spring of 1919 and landed in New York again on -May eighteenth. He told me then that he had made -some interesting purchases in Europe, amongst them -there was a picture for which he had paid half a -million dollars. I scolded him about it, as I thought he -was throwing his money away on such stuff, but he -said that he wanted to make use of the picture for -some wonderful advertising scheme he had in his mind, -so I said no more about it. But that is the picture -you say was stolen from some duke or other in July, -when I tell you that it had been shipped for New York -a month at least before that." -</p> - -<p> -Perhaps at this point Detective Purley failed to -conceal altogether a slight look of incredulity, for Lady -Polchester turned on him once more like a fury. -</p> - -<p> -"So you still think I stole the dirty old picture, do -you?" she cried, using further language that is quite -unprintable, "and you think that I am such a ninny -and that I will give it up simply because you are -trying to bully me. But I won't, so there! I can prove -the truth of every word I say, and I don't care if I -have to spend another million dollars to put your old -duke in prison for talking such rot about me." -</p> - -<p> -Once again Purley's tact had to come into play, and -after a while he succeeded in soothing the lady's -outraged feelings. With infinite patience he gradually -got her to view the matter more calmly and above all -not to look upon him as an enemy, but as a friend -whose one desire was to throw light upon what -certainly seemed an extraordinary mystery. -</p> - -<p> -"Very well, then," she said, after a while, "I'll tell -you all I can. I don't know when the picture was -shipped from Europe but I do know that a case -addressed to Mr. Charles B. Tupper and marked -'valuable picture with great care' was delivered at our -house in New York on July eighteenth. I can't -mistake the date because Mr. Tupper was already very -ill when the case arrived and he died two days later, -that is on July twentieth, 1919. That you can -ascertain easily enough, can't you?" Lady Polchester -added tartly. Then as Purley offered no comment she -went on more quietly: -</p> - -<p> -"That's all right, then. Now let me tell you that the -case containing this picture was in my house two days -before Mr. Tupper died, and that I never had it -undone until a couple of months ago, here in this house. -I had it shipped from New York, not along with all -my things, but by itself; and there is the lawyer over -there, Mr. George F. Topham, who can tell you all -about the case. I was too upset what with Mr. Tupper's -illness and then his death, and the will and the -whole bag of tricks to trouble much about it myself, -but I told the lawyer that it contained a picture for -which Mr. Tupper had paid half a million dollars, and -it was put down for probate for that amount; the -lawyer took charge of the old thing, and he can swear, -and lots of other people over in the States can swear -that the case was never undone. And the shipping -company can swear that it never was touched whilst it -was in their charge. They delivered it here and their -men opened the case for us and helped us to place the -picture. -</p> - -<p> -"And now," concluded Lady Polchester, not because -she had nothing more to say but presumably because -she was out of breath, "now perhaps you'll tell me -how a picture which was over in New York on the -eighteenth of July can have been stolen from France -on the twenty-fifth; and if you can't tell me that, then -I'll trouble you to clear out of my house, for I've no -use for Nosey Parkers about the place." -</p> - -<p> -The unfortunate Purley had certainly, by all -accounts, rather a rough time of it with the lady. Nor -could he arrive at any satisfactory arrangement with -her. Needless to say that she absolutely refused to -give up the picture unless she were forced to do so by -law, and even then, she dared say, she could make it -very unpleasant for some people. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -The next event of any importance in this extraordinary -case was the action brought by the Duc and -Duchesse de Rochechouart here in England against -Lady Polchester for illegal detention of their property. -</p> - -<p> -It very soon transpired that several witnesses had -come over from the States in order to corroborate tie -lady's assertions with regard to her rightful ownership -of the picture, and the public was once more on the -tiptoe of expectation. -</p> - -<p> -The case came on for hearing in March and lasted -only two days. The picture was in court and was -identified first by the Duc and Duchesse de -Rochechouart and then by two or three experts as the -genuine work of Ingres: "La Fiancée" known throughout -the entire art world as having been purchased by the -Duc's grandfather from the artist himself in 1850, -and having been in the family uninterruptedly ever -since. The Duc himself had last seen it in his own -château at half-past four on the afternoon of July -twenty-fifth, 1919. -</p> - -<p> -A well-known peculiarity about the masterpiece was -that it had originally been painted on a somewhat -larger canvas, and that the artist himself, at the -request of the original purchaser, had it cut smaller and -re-strained on a smaller stretcher; this alteration was, -of course, distinctly visible on the picture. The frame -was new; it was admittedly purchased by Lady -Polchester recently. When the picture came into her -possession it was unframed. -</p> - -<p> -On that lady's behalf on the other hand there was a -formidable array of witnesses, foremost amongst these -being Mr. Anthony Kleeberger, who was the late -Charles B. Tupper's secretary and manager. He was -the first to throw some light on the original -transaction, whereby "La Fiancée" first came into his -employer's possession. -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Tupper," he explained, "was the inventor of -a new process of colour photography which he desired -to test and then to advertise all over the world by -means of reproduction from some world-famous -masterpiece, and when during the spring of 1919 I -accompanied him to Europe, one of the objects he had -in mind was the purchase of a picture suitable for his -purpose. It pretty soon was known all over the art -world of the Continent what we were after and that -Mr. Tupper was prepared to pay a big price for his -choice. You would be surprised if I were to tell you -of some of the offers we had in Vienna, in London, -even in Rome. -</p> - -<p> -"At last, when we were staying in Paris, Mr. Tupper -came to me one day and told me he had at last -found the very picture he wanted. He had gone to the -studio of a picture restorer who had written to him -and offered him a genuine Ingres. He had seen the -picture and liked it, and had agreed to give the owner -half a million dollars for it. I thought this a terrific -price and frankly I was a little doubtful whether my -employer had a sufficient knowledge of art to enter -into a transaction of this sort. I feared that he might -be badly had, and buying some spurious imitation -rather than a masterpiece. But Mr. Tupper was -always a queer man in business. Once he had made up -his mind there was no arguing with him. 'I like the -picture,' was all that he ever said to me in response -to some timid suggestion on my part that he should -seek expert advice, 'and I have agreed to buy it for -half a million dollars, simply because the fellow would -not part with it for less. I believe it to be genuine. -But if it is not I don't care. It will answer my -purpose and there it is.' -</p> - -<p> -"He then gave me instructions to see about the packing -and forwarding of the picture and this I did. I -must say that I had terrible misgivings about the whole -affair. I certainly thought the picture magnificent, but -of course I am no judge. It had a worthless frame -around it which I discarded in order to facilitate the -packing. The picture restorer's studio was up a back -street in the Montmartre quarter. He and his wife -saw to the packing themselves. I never saw anybody -else in the place. I arranged for the forwarding of -the case, for the insurance and so on, and I myself -handed over to the vendor, whose name was given to -me as Matthieu Vignard, five hundred thousand-dollar -bills in the name and on account of my employer, -Mr. Charles B. Tupper. Of course, I presumed that the -snuffy old man and his blousey wife were acting for -some personage who desired to remain unknown, and -as time went on and there was no talk in the art world -or in the newspapers then about any great masterpiece -being stolen, I soon forgot my misgivings, and a couple -of months later I set out on Mr. Tupper's business for -Central America where I remained for close on two -years. -</p> - -<p> -"Half the time during those years I was up country -in Costa Rica, Venezuela and so on where newspapers -are scarce, and when the hue and cry was after a -picture stolen from the house of the Duc de Rochechouart, -I knew nothing about it. But this picture now in -court is certainly the one which Mr. Tupper bought -in Paris at the end of June, 1919, and which I myself -saw packed and nailed down in its case and forwarded -to New York where it arrived two days before -Mr. Tupper's death." -</p> - -<p> -That was the substance of Mr. Kleeberger's evidence, -by far the most important heard on the first day of -the action. After that the testimony of other -witnesses went to confirm the whole story. There was the -well-known New York solicitor, Mr. George F. Topham, -who took charge of the picture after the death -of his client, Mr. Tupper, and the managing director -of the Nebraska Safe Deposit Company where it was -stored until Lady Polchester sent for it. There were -the managers of the shipping companies who forwarded -the picture from Paris to New York in June-July, 1919, -and from New York to Holt Manor in the following -year, and there were the removal men and servants -who saw the picture unpacked and taken into the -library at the Manor. -</p> - -<p> -It took two days to go through all that evidence, but -it was never either conflicting or doubtful. Yet the -one supreme, mysterious contradiction remained, -namely, that the picture now in court, the wonderful -Ingres masterpiece, was bought by Mr. Tupper in -Paris in June, 1919, and then and there shipped over -to him to New York, and that, nevertheless, it was -stated never to have left the Duc de Rochechouart's -possession from the day when his grandfather bought -it more than seventy years ago until that memorable -twenty-fifth of July, 1919, when it was stolen on the -very day it was about to pass into the possession of -Mr. Aaron Jacobs. One felt one's head reeling when -one thought out this amazing puzzle, and the decision -of the learned judge was awaited with palpitating -curiosity. -</p> - -<p> -But after the second day of the action, just before -it was adjourned, counsel on both sides were able to -announce that their respective clients had come to an -exceedingly satisfactory arrangement. All aspersions -as to the honourability of the late Charles B. Tupper -or of Lady Polchester would be publicly withdrawn -and a notice to that effect would appear in all the -leading newspapers of London, Paris and New York; and -Lady Polchester would now remain in undisputed -possession of the Ingres masterpiece, having paid its -rightful owner the Duc de Rochechouart the sum of one -hundred and twenty thousand pounds for it. -</p> - -<p> -So both parties we may take it were completely -satisfied; at one time it had looked as if the unfortunate -duke would be done both out of his picture and out -of the money, and another as if Lady Polchester would -be so defrauded. But now all was well and the learned -judge declared himself pleased with the agreement. -Not so the public who were left to face a mystery -which every one felt would never now be cleared up. -</p> - -<p> -I for one felt completely at sea, so much so indeed -that my thoughts instinctively flew to the curious -creature in the blameless tea-shop who I felt sure would -have a theory of his own which would account for -what was puzzling us all. -</p> - -<p> -And a day or two later I saw him, weaving a fantastic -design of knots in a piece of string. He saw -that I wished to hear his explanation of the mystery -of the Ingres masterpiece, but he kept me on tenter-hooks -for some time, wearing out my patience with -his sharp, sarcastic comments. -</p> - -<p> -"Do you admit," he asked me at one time, with his -exasperating chuckle, "that the Ingres masterpiece -could have been in two places at one and the same -time?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, of course," I replied, "I do not admit such -nonsense." -</p> - -<p> -"Very well, then," he resumed, "what is the logical -conclusion?" -</p> - -<p> -"That there were two pictures," I said coldly. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course there were two pictures. And as the -great Mr. Ingres did not presumably paint his masterpiece -in duplicate, we must take it that one picture was -the original and the other the copy." -</p> - -<p> -Now it was my turn to grow sarcastic and I retorted -drily: -</p> - -<p> -"Having done that, we are no nearer a solution of -the mystery than we were before." -</p> - -<p> -"Are we not?" he rejoined with a cackle like an old -hen. "Now it seems to me that when we have admitted -that one of the pictures was a copy of the other, -and when we know that the picture which Mr. Charles -B. Tupper bought was the original, because that was -the one that was produced in court, we must come to -the conclusion that the one which was stolen from the -château in France could only have been the copy." -</p> - -<p> -"Why, yes," I admitted, "but then again we have -been told that the grandfather of the present Duc de -Rochechouart bought the picture from the artist -himself, and that it has been in the uninterrupted -possession of his family ever since." -</p> - -<p> -"And I am willing to admit that the picture was in -the uninterrupted possession of the Duc de Rochechouart -until the present holder of the title or some -one who had access to it in the same way as himself -sold it to Mr. Charles B. Tupper in June, 1919." -</p> - -<p> -"But you don't mean——" -</p> - -<p> -"Surely," the funny creature went on with his dry -cackle, "it was not such a very difficult little bit of -dishonesty to perpetrate, seeing that Mme. la Duchesse -was such an accomplished artist. Can you not imagine -the lady being like many of us, very short of money, -and then hearing of Mr. Charles B. Tupper, the -American business man who was searching Europe through -for a world-famous masterpiece; can you not see her -during one of her husband's pleasure trips to Paris or -elsewhere setting to work to make an exact replica -of 'La Fiancée'? We know that it always hung in her -studio until the day when it was moved to the dining-hall. -Think how easy it was for her to substitute her -own copy for the original. The only difficulty would -be the conveying of the picture to Paris, but an artist -knows how to take a canvas off its stretcher, to roll it -up and re-strain it. -</p> - -<p> -"Here I think that she must have had a confederate, -probably some down-at-heel friend of her artistic days, -a man whom she paid lavishly both for his help and -his silence. Who that man was I suppose we shall -never know. The so-called Matthieu Vignard and his -'blousey wife,' as Mr. Kleeberger picturesquely -described her, have completely disappeared; no trace of -them was ever found. They hired the studio at -Montmartre for one month, paid the concierge the rent in -advance, and at the end of that time they decamped -and have never been heard of since, but unless I am -much mistaken, they must at the present moment be -carrying on a very lucrative little blackmailing -business, because it must have been Vignard who conveyed -the picture to Paris in the same way as we know it -was he who first approached Charles B. Tupper and -ultimately sold him the picture." -</p> - -<p> -"But surely," I objected, for the funny creature had -paused a moment, and I could not deny that his -arguments were sound, "surely it would have been more -practical to have sold the copy—which we suppose -must have been perfect—to Mr. Tupper who was a -layman and an outsider, and to have kept the original -in the château, as the Duc was even then negotiating -for its sale, and most of the art dealers were coming -to have a look at it." -</p> - -<p> -He did not reply immediately but remained for a -while deeply absorbed in the contemplation of his -beloved bit of string. -</p> - -<p> -"That," he admitted with complacent condescension, -"would be a sound argument if we admit at once that -the Duchesse knew for a certainty that her husband -intended to sell 'La Fiancée.' But my contention is -that at the time that she sold the picture to Mr. Tupper -she had no idea that the Duc had any such intentions. -No doubt when she knew this for a fact, she -must have been beside herself with horror; no doubt -also that she had a hard fight with her own terror -before she made a clean breast of her misdeed to her -husband. Apparently she did not do this until the -very last moment, until the day when the picture was -actually taken out of her studio and placed upon an -easel in the dining-hall for closer inspection. Then -discovery was imminent and we must suppose that she -made a full confession. -</p> - -<p> -"The Duc, like a gallant gentleman, at once set his -wits thinking how best to save his wife's reputation -without endangering his own. To have admitted to -Mr. Aaron Jacobs and to the other experts and art -dealers who had come to see the masterpiece that a -Duc de Rochechouart was trying to sell a spurious -imitation whilst having already disposed of the original -was, of course, unthinkable; and thus the idea -presented itself to their Graces that the copy must be -made to disappear effectually. A favourable -circumstance for the success of this scheme was the garden -fête which was to take place that afternoon, when the -house would be full of guests, of strangers and of -servants, when surveillance would be slack and the -comings and goings of the master of the house would -easily pass unperceived. -</p> - -<p> -"The Duc, in my opinion, chose the one quarter of -an hour when he was alone in the house to cut the -picture out of its frame. He then hid the canvas -sufficiently skilfully that it was never found. Probably he -thought at the time that there the matter would end, -but equally probably he never gave the future another -thought. His own position was unassailable seeing he -was not insured against loss, and it was the present -alone that mattered: the fact that a Duc de Rochechouart -was trying to sell a spurious picture for half -a million dollars. To many French men and women -ever since the war, America is a far country, and no -doubt the Duc and Duchesse both hoped that the whole -transaction, including the Ingres masterpiece, would -soon lie buried somewhere at the bottom of the sea. -</p> - -<p> -"Fate and Lady Polchester proved too strong for -them; they ordained that 'La Fiancée' should be -brought back to Europe, and that the whole of its -exciting history be revived. But fate proved kind in the -end, and I think that you will agree with me that two -such daring and resourceful adventurers as their Graces -deserve the extra half million dollars which, thanks -to Lady Polchester's generosity and ostentation, they -got so unexpected. -</p> - -<p> -"Soon afterwards you will remember that the Duc -and Duchesse de Rochechouart sold their château on -the Oise together with the bulk of their collection of -pictures and furniture. -</p> - -<p> -"They now live in Sweden, I understand, where the -Duchesse has many friends and relations and where -the law of libel will not trouble you much if you -publish my deductions in your valuable magazine. -</p> - -<p> -"Think it all out," the Old Man in the Corner -concluded glibly, "and from every point of view, and you -will see that there is not a single flaw in my argument. -I have given you the only possible solution of the -mystery of the Ingres masterpiece." -</p> - -<p> -"You may be right——" I murmured thoughtfully. -</p> - -<p> -"I know I am," he answered dryly. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap03"></a></p> - -<h3> -III -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE PEARL NECKLACE -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner had a very curious -theory about that mysterious affair of the -pearl necklace, and though it all occurred a -few years ago, I am tempted to put his deductions -down on record, because, as far as I know, neither -the police of this or any other country, nor the -public, have ever found a satisfactory solution for what -was undoubtedly a strange and mystifying adventure. -</p> - -<p> -I remembered the case quite well when first he -spoke to me about it one afternoon in what had -become my favourite tea-haunt in Fleet Street; the only -thing I was not quite certain of was the identity of -the august personage to whom the pearl necklace was -to be presented. I did know, of course, that she -belonged to one of the reigning families of Europe -and that she had been an active and somewhat -hotheaded and bitter opponent of the Communist -movement in her own country, in consequence of which -both she and her exalted husband had been the -object of more than one murderous attack by the other -side. -</p> - -<p> -It was on the occasion of the august lady's almost -miraculous escape from a peculiarly well-planned and -brutal assault that a number of ladies in England -subscribed the sum of fifteen thousand pounds for -the purchase of an exquisite pearl necklace to be -presented to her as a congratulatory gift. -</p> - -<p> -Rightly or wrongly, the donors of this princely -gift feared that a certain well-known political -organisation on the Continent would strive by every means -in its power, fair or foul, to prevent this token of -English good-will from reaching the recipient, and -also, as it chanced to happen, there had been during -the past few months a large number of thefts of -valuables on Continental railways, and it became a -question who should be entrusted by the committee -of subscribers with the perilous risk of taking the -necklace over for presentation; the trouble being -further enhanced by the fact that in those days the -Insurance Companies barred one or two European -countries from their comprehensive policies against theft -and petty larceny, and that it was to one of those -countries thus barred that the bearer of the fifteen -thousand pound necklace would have to journey. -</p> - -<p> -Imagine the excitement, the anxiety, which reigned -in the hearts of the thousands of middle-class English -women who had subscribed their mite to the gift! -Their committee sat behind closed doors discussing the -claims of various volunteers who were ready to undertake -the journey: these worthy folk were quite convinced -that certain well-known leaders of anarchical -organisations would be on the lookout for the booty -and would have special facilities for the theft of it at -the frontier during the course of those endless -customs and passport formalities for which that -particular country was ever famous. -</p> - -<p> -Finally the committee's choice fell upon a certain -Captain Arthur Saunders, nephew of Sir Montague -Bowden, who was chairman of the ladies' committee. -Captain Saunders had, it seems, travelled abroad a -great deal, and his wife was foreign—Swedish so it was -understood; it was thought that if he went abroad -now in the company of his wife, the object of their -journey might be thought to be a visit to Mrs. Saunders's -relations, and the conveying of the pearl -necklace to its destination might thus remain more -or less a secret. -</p> - -<p> -The choice was approved of by all the subscribers, -and it was decided that Captain and Mrs. Saunders. -should start by the ten a.m. train for Paris on the -sixteenth of March. Captain Saunders was to call -the previous afternoon at a certain bank in Charing -Cross, where the necklace was deposited, and there -receive it as an almost sacred trust from the hands -of the manager. Further, it was arranged that -Mrs. Saunders should, immediately on arrival in Paris, -send a wire to Mrs. Berners, a great friend of hers -who was the secretary of the committee, and in fact -that she should keep the committee informed of -Captain Saunders's well-being at all the more important -points of their journey. -</p> - -<p> -And thus they started. -</p> - -<p> -But no news came from Paris on the sixteenth. -At first no anxiety was felt on that score, every one -being ready to surmise that the Calais-Paris train -had been late in, and that the Saunderses had perhaps -only barely time to clear their luggage at the -customs and catch the train de luxe which would take -them on, via Cologne, without a chance of sending -the promised telegram. But soon after midday of -the seventeenth, Sir Montague Bowden had a wire -from Mrs. Saunders from Paris saying: "Arthur -disappeared since last night. Desperately anxious. -Please come at once. Have booked room for you -here. Mary. Hotel Majestic." -</p> - -<p> -The news was terrifying; however, Sir Montague -Bowden, with commendable zeal, at once wired to -Mary announcing his immediate departure for Paris, -and as it was then too late for him to catch the -afternoon Continental train, he started by the evening one, -travelling all night and arriving at the Hotel Majestic -in the early morning. -</p> - -<p> -As soon as he had had a bath and some breakfast -he went in search of information. He found -that the French police already had the "affaire" in -hand, but that they had not so far the slightest clue -to the mysterious disappearance of le Capitaine -Saunders. He found the management of the Majestic -in a state of offended dignity, and Mrs. Saunders, in -one that verged on hysteria, but fortunately, he also -found at the hotel a Mr. Haasberg, brother of -Mrs. Saunders, a Swedish business man of remarkable -coolness and clearness of judgment, who promptly -put him <i>au fait</i> with what had occurred. -</p> - -<p> -It seems that Mr. Haasberg was settled in -business in Paris, and that he had hoped to catch a -glimpse of his sister and brother-in-law on the -evening of the sixteenth at the Gare du Nord on their -way through to the East, but that on that very morning -he had received a telegram from Mary asking him to -book a couple of rooms—a bedroom and a sitting-room—for -one night for them at the Hotel Majestic. -This Mr. Haasberg did, glad enough that he would -see something more of his sister than he had been -led to hope. -</p> - -<p> -On the afternoon of the sixteenth he was kept late -at business, and was unable to meet the Saunderses -at the station, but towards nine o'clock he walked -round to the Majestic, hoping to find them in. Their -room was on the third floor. Mr. Haasberg went up -in the lift, and as soon as he reached No. 301 he -became aware of a buzz of conversation coming from -within, which, however, ceased as soon as he had -pushed open the door. -</p> - -<p> -On entering the room he saw that Captain Saunders -had a visitor, a tall, thick-set man, who wore an -old-fashioned, heavy moustache and large, gold-rimmed -spectacles. At sight of Mr. Haasberg the man clapped -his hat—a bowler—on his head, pulled his coat-collar -over his ears, and with a hasty: "Well, s'long, -old man. I'll wait till to-morrow!" spoken with a -strong foreign accent, he walked rapidly out of the -room and down the corridor. -</p> - -<p> -Haasberg stood for a moment in the doorway to -watch the disappearing personage, but he did this -without any ulterior motive or thought of suspicion; -then he turned back into the room and greeted his -brother-in-law. -</p> - -<p> -Saunders seemed to Haasberg to be nervous and -ill-at-ease; in response to the latter's inquiry after -Mary, he explained that she had remained in her -room as he had a man to see on business. Haasberg -made some casual remark about this visitor, and then -Mary Saunders came in. She, too, appeared troubled -and agitated, and as soon as she had greeted her -brother, she turned to her husband and asked very -eagerly: -</p> - -<p> -"Well, has he gone?" -</p> - -<p> -Saunders, giving a significant glance in Haasberg's -direction, replied with an obvious effort at indifference: -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, yes, he's gone. But he said he would be -back to-morrow." -</p> - -<p> -At which Mary seemed to give a sigh of relief. -</p> - -<p> -Scenting some uncomfortable mystery, Haasberg -questioned her, and also Saunders, about their visitor, -but could not elicit any satisfactory explanation. -</p> - -<p> -"Oh, there is nothing mysterious about old -Pasquier," was all that either of them would say. -</p> - -<p> -"He is an old pal of Arthur's," Mary added lightly, -"but he is such an awful bore that I got Arthur to -say that I was out, so that he might get rid of him -more quickly." -</p> - -<p> -Somehow Haasberg felt that these explanations -were very lame. He could not get it out of his head, -that there was something mysterious about the -visitor, and knowing the purpose of the Saunderses' -journey, he thought it as well to give them a very -serious word of warning about Continental hotels -generally, and to suggest that they should, after this -stay in Paris, go straight through in the train de luxe -and never halt again until the fifteen thousand pound -necklace was safely in the hands of the august lady -for whom it was intended. But both Arthur and -Mary laughed at these words of warning. -</p> - -<p> -"My dear fellow," Arthur said, seemingly rather -in a huff, "we are not such mugs as you think us. -Mary and I have travelled on the Continent at least -as much as you have, and are fully alive to the -dangers attendant upon our mission. As a matter of fact, -the moment we arrived, I gave the necklace in its -own padlocked tin box, just as I brought it over from -England, in charge of the hotel management, who -immediately locked it up in their strong-room, so even -if good old Pasquier had designs on it—which I can -assure you he has not—he would stand no chance of -getting hold of it. And now, sit down, there's a good -chap, and talk of something else." -</p> - -<p> -Only half reassured, Haasberg sat down and had -a chat. But he did not stay long. Mary was obviously -tired, and soon said good-night. Arthur offered -to accompany his brother-in-law to the latter's -lodgings in the Rue de Moncigny. -</p> - -<p> -"I would like a walk," he said, "before going to bed." -</p> - -<p> -So the two men walked out together, and Haasberg -finally said good-night to Arthur just outside his -own lodgings. It was then close upon ten o'clock. -The little party had agreed to spend the next day -together, as the train de luxe did not go until the -evening, and Haasberg had promised to take a holiday -from business. Before going to bed he attended -to some urgent correspondence, and had just finished -a letter when his telephone bell rang. To his horror -he heard his sister's voice speaking. -</p> - -<p> -"Don't keep Arthur up so late, Herman," she said. -"I am dog tired, and can't go to sleep until he returns." -</p> - -<p> -"Arthur?" he replied. "But Arthur left me at my -door two hours ago!" -</p> - -<p> -"He has not returned," she insisted, "and I am -getting anxious." -</p> - -<p> -"Of course you are, but he can't be long now. He -must have turned into a café and forgot the time. -Do ring me up as soon as he comes in." -</p> - -<p> -Unable to rest, however, and once more vaguely -anxious, Haasberg went hastily back to the Majestic. -He found Mary nearly distracted with anxiety, and -as he himself felt anything but reassured, he did not -know how to comfort her. -</p> - -<p> -At one time he went down into the hall to ascertain -whether anything was known on the hotel about -Saunders's movements earlier in the evening; but at -this hour of the night there were only the night porter -and the watchman about, and they knew nothing of -what had occurred before they came on duty. -</p> - -<p> -There was nothing for it but to await the morning -as calmly as possible. This was difficult enough, as -Mary Saunders was evidently in a terrible state of -agitation. She was quite certain that something tragic -had happened to her husband, but Haasberg tried in -vain to get her to speak of the mysterious visitor -who had from the first aroused his own suspicions. -Mary persisted in asserting that the visitor was just -an old pal of Arthur's and that no suspicion of any -kind could possibly rest upon him. -</p> - -<p> -In the early morning Haasberg went off to the -nearest commissariat of police. They took the -matter in hand without delay, and within the hour had -obtained some valuable information from the personnel -of the hotel. To begin with, it was established -that at about ten minutes past ten the previous -evening, that is to say a quarter of an hour or so after -Haasberg had parted from Arthur Saunders outside -his own lodgings, the latter had returned to the -Majestic, and at once asked for the tin box which he -had deposited in the bureau. There was some -difficulty in acceding to his request, because the clerk -who was in charge of the keys of the strong-room -could not at once be found. However, M. le Capitaine -was so insistent that search was made for the clerk, who -presently appeared with the keys, and after the usual -formalities, handed over the tin box to Saunders, who -signed a receipt for it in the book. Haasberg had -since then identified the signature which was quite -clear and incontestable. -</p> - -<p> -Saunders then went upstairs, refusing to take the -lift, and five minutes later he came down again, -nodded to the hall porter, and went out of the hotel. -No one had seen him since, but during the course -of the morning, the valet on the fourth floor had -found an empty tin box in the gentlemen's cloakroom. -This box was produced, and to her unutterable -horror Mary Saunders recognised it as the one -which had held the pearl necklace. -</p> - -<p> -The whole of this evidence as it gradually came to -light was a staggering blow both to Mary and to -Haasberg himself, because until this moment neither of -them had thought that the necklace was in jeopardy: -they both believed that it was safely locked up in the -strong-room of the hotel. -</p> - -<p> -Haasberg now feared the worst. He blamed himself -terribly for not having made more certain of the -mysterious visitor's identity. He had not yet come -to the point of accusing his brother-in-law in his mind -of a conspiracy to steal the necklace, but frankly, at -this stage, he did not know what to think. Saunders's -conduct had—to say the least—been throughout -extremely puzzling. Why had he elected to spend the -night in Paris, when all arrangements had been made -for him and his wife to travel straight through? Who -was the mysterious visitor with the walrus moustache, -vaguely referred to by both Arthur and Mary as "old -Pasquier"? And above all why had Arthur withdrawn -the necklace from the hotel strong-room where -it was quite safe, and, with it in his pocket, walked -about the streets of Paris at that hour of the night? -</p> - -<p> -Haasberg was quite convinced that "old Pasquier" -knew something about the whole affair, but, strangely -enough, Mary persisted in asserting that he was quite -harmless and an old friend of Arthur's who was -beyond suspicion. When further pressed with questions, -she declared that she had no idea where the man -lodged, and that, in fact, she believed that he had -left Paris the self-same evening <i>en route</i> for Brussels, -where he was settled in business. -</p> - -<p> -Enquiry amongst the personnel of the hotel revealed -the fact that Captain Saunders's visitor had been -seen by the hall porter when he came soon after -half-past eight, and asked whether le Capitaine -Saunders had finished dinner; his question being -answered in the affirmative, he went upstairs, refusing -to take the lift. Half an hour or so later he was seen -by one of the waiters in the lounge hurriedly crossing -the hall, and finally by the two boys in attendance -at the swing doors when he went out of the hotel. -All agreed that the man was very tall and thick-set, -that he wore a heavy moustache and a pair of -gold-rimmed spectacles. He had on a bowler hat and an -overcoat with the collar pulled right up to his ears. -The hall porter, who himself spoke English fairly -well, was under the impression that the man was not -English, although he made his enquiries in that language. -</p> - -<p> -In addition to all these investigations, the -commissaire de police, on his second visit to the hotel, -was able to assure Haasberg that all the commissariats -in and around Paris had been communicated -with by telephone so as to ascertain whether any man -answering to Saunders's description had been injured -during the night in a street accident, and taken in -somewhere for shelter; also that a description of the -necklace had already been sent round to all the -Monts-de-Piété throughout the country. The police -were also sharply on the lookout for the man with -the walrus moustache, but so far without success. -</p> - -<p> -And Mary Saunders obstinately persisted in her -denial of any knowledge about him. "Arthur," she said, -"sometimes saw 'old Pasquier' in London"; but she -did not know anything about him, neither what his -nationality was, nor where he lodged. She did not know -when he had left London, nor where he could be -found in Paris. All that she knew, so she said, was -that his name was Pasquier, and that he was in business -in Brussels; she therefore concluded that he was -Belgian. -</p> - -<p> -Even to her own brother she would not say more, -although he succeeded in making her understand how -strange her attitude must appear both to the police -and to her friends, and what harm she was doing to -her husband, but at this she burst into floods of -tears and swore that she knew nothing about Pasquier's -whereabouts, and that she believed him to be -innocent of any attempt to steal the necklace or to -injure Arthur. -</p> - -<p> -There was nothing more to be said for the present -and Haasberg sent the telegram in his sister's name -to Sir Montague Bowden because he felt that some one -less busy than himself should look after the affair and -be a comfort to Mary, whose mental condition -appeared pitiable in the extreme. -</p> - -<p> -In this first interview he was able to assure Sir -Montague that everything had been done to trace the -whereabouts of Arthur Saunders, and also of the -necklace of which the unfortunate man had been the -custodian; and it was actually while the two men were -talking the whole case over that Haasberg received an -intimation from the police that they believed the -missing man had been found: at any rate would Monsieur -give himself the trouble to come round to the -commissariat at once. -</p> - -<p> -This, of course, Haasberg did, accompanied by Sir -Montague, and at the commissariat to their horror they -found the unfortunate Saunders in a terrible condition. -Briefly the commissaire explained to them that -about a quarter past ten last night an <i>agent de police</i>, -making his rounds, saw a man crouching in the angle -of a narrow blind alley that leads out of the Rue de -Moncigny. On being shaken up by the agent the man -struggled to his feet, but he appeared quite dazed and -unable to reply to any questions that were put to him. -He was then conveyed to the nearest commissariat, -where he spent the night. -</p> - -<p> -He was obviously suffering from loss of memory, -and could give no account of himself, nor were any -papers of identification found upon him, not even a -visiting card, but close behind him, on the pavement -where he was crouching, the <i>agent</i> had picked up a -handkerchief which was saturated with chloroform. -The handkerchief bore the initials A.S. The man, -of course, was Arthur Saunders. What had happened -to him it was impossible to ascertain. He certainly -did not appear to be physically hurt, although from -time to time when Mr. Haasberg or Sir Montague -tried to question him, he passed his hand across the -back of his head, and an expression of pathetic -puzzlement came into his eyes. -</p> - -<p> -His two friends, after the usual formalities of -identification, were allowed to take him back to the -Hotel Majestic where he was restored to the arms -of his anxious wife; the English doctor, hastily -summoned, could not find any trace of injury about the -body, only the head appeared rather tender when -touched. The doctor's theory was that Saunders had -probably been sandbagged first, and then rendered -more completely insensible by means of the -chloroformed handkerchief, and that excitement, anxiety -and the blow on the head had caused temporary loss -of memory which quietude and good nursing would -soon put right. -</p> - -<p> -In the meanwhile, of the fifteen thousand pound -necklace there was not the slightest trace. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -Unfortunately the disappearance of so valuable a -piece of jewellery was one of those cases that could -not be kept from public knowledge. The matter was -of course in the hands of the French police and they -had put themselves in communication with their -English confrères, and the consternation—not to say the -indignation—amongst the good ladies who had -subscribed the money for the gift to the august lady was -unbounded. -</p> - -<p> -Everybody was blaming everybody else; the choice -of Captain Saunders as the accredited messenger was -now severely criticised; pointed questions were asked -as to his antecedents, as to his wife's foreign relations, -and it was soon found that very little was known -about either. -</p> - -<p> -Of course everybody knew that he was Sir -Montague Bowden's nephew, and that, thanks to his -uncle's influence, he had obtained a remunerative and -rather important post in the office of one of the big -Insurance Companies. But what his career had been -before that no one knew. Some people said that he -had fought in South Africa and later on had been -correspondent for one of the great dailies during the -Russo-Japanese war; altogether there seemed no doubt -that he had been something of a rolling stone. -</p> - -<p> -Rather tardily the committee was taken severely to -task for having entrusted so important a mission to a -man who was either a coward or a thief, or both, for -at first no one doubted that Saunders had met a -confederate in Paris and had handed over the necklace to -him, whilst he himself enacted a farce of being -waylaid, chloroformed and robbed, and subsequently of -losing his memory. -</p> - -<p> -But presently another version of the mystery was -started by some amateur detective, and it found -credence with quite a good many people. This was that -Sir Montague Bowden had connived at the theft with -Mrs. Saunders's relations; that the man with the -walrus moustache did not exist at all or was in very truth -a harmless old friend of Captain Saunders, and that -it was Haasberg who had induced his brother-in-law -to withdraw the necklace from the hotel strong-room -and to bring it to the Rue de Moncigny; that in fact -it was that same perfidious Swede who had waylaid -the credulous Englishman, chloroformed and robbed -him of the precious necklace. -</p> - -<p> -In the meanwhile the police in England had, of -course, been communicated with by their French -confrères, but before they could move in the matter -or enjoin discretion on all concerned, an enterprising -young man on the staff of the <i>Express Post</i> had interviewed -Miss Elizabeth Spicer, who was the parlour-maid -at the Saunderses' flat in Sloane Street. -</p> - -<p> -That young lady, it seems, had something to say -about a gentleman named Pasquier, who was not an -infrequent visitor at the flat. She described him as -a fine, tall gentleman, who wore large gold-rimmed -spectacles, and a full military moustache. It seems -that the last time Miss Elizabeth saw him was two -days before her master and mistress's departure for -abroad. Mr. Pasquier called late that evening and -stayed till past ten o'clock. When Elizabeth was -rung for in order to show him out, he was saying -good-bye to the captain in the hall, and she heard him -say, "in his funny foreign way," as she put it: -</p> - -<p> -"Well, I shall be in Paris as soon as you. Tink -it over, my friend." -</p> - -<p> -And on the top of that came a story told by Henry -Tidy, Sir Montague Bowden's butler. According to -him Captain Saunders called at Sir Montague Bowden's -house in Lowndes Street on the afternoon of the -fifteenth. The two gentlemen remained closeted -together in the library for nearly an hour, when Tidy -was summoned to show the visitor out. Sir Montague, -it seems, went to the front door with his -nephew, and as the latter finally wished him -good-bye, Sir Montague said to him: -</p> - -<p> -"My dear boy, you can take it from me that there's -nothing to worry about, and in any case I am afraid -that it is too late to make any fresh arrangements." -</p> - -<p> -"It's because of Mary," the captain rejoined. "She -has made herself quite ill over it." -</p> - -<p> -"The journey will do her good," Sir Montague -went on pleasantly, "but if I were you I would have -a good talk with your brother-in-law. He must know -his Paris well. Take my advice and spend the night -at the Majestic. You can always get rooms there." -</p> - -<p> -This conversation Tidy heard quite distinctly, and -he related the whole incident both to the journalist -and to the police. After that the amateur investigators -of crime were divided into two camps: there -were those who persisted in thinking that Pasquier -and Saunders, and probably Mrs. Saunders also, had -conspired together to steal the necklace, and that -Saunders had acted the farce of being waylaid and -robbed, and losing his memory; they based their -deductions on Elizabeth Spicer's evidence and on Mary -Saunders's extraordinary persistence in trying to shield -the mysterious Pasquier. -</p> - -<p> -But other people, getting hold of Henry Tidy's story, -deduced from it that it was indeed Sir Montague -Bowden who had planned the whole thing in -conjunction with Haasberg, since it was he who had -persuaded Saunders to spend the night in Paris, thus -giving his accomplice the opportunity of assaulting -Saunders and stealing the necklace. To these -wise-acres "old Pasquier" was indeed a harmless old pal -of Arthur's, whose presence that evening at the -Majestic was either a fable invented by Haasberg, or -one quite innocent in purpose. In vain did Sir -Montague try to explain away Tidy's evidence. Arthur, -he said, had certainly called upon him that last -afternoon, but what he seemed worried about was his -wife's health; he feared that she would not be strong -enough to undertake the long journey without a -break, so Sir Montague advised him to spend the -night in Paris and in any case to talk the matter over -with Mary's brother. -</p> - -<p> -The conversation overheard by Tidy could certainly -admit of this explanation, but it did not satisfy -the many amateur detectives who preferred to see a -criminal in the chairman of the committee rather than -a harmless old gentleman, as eager as themselves to -find a solution to the mystery. And while people -argued and wrangled there was no news of the -necklace, and none of the man with the walrus moustache. -No doubt that worthy had by now shaved off his -hirsute adornment and grown a beard. He had -certainly succeeded in evading the police; whether he had -gone to Brussels or succeeded in crossing the German -frontier no one could say, his disappearance certainly -bore out the theory of his being the guilty party with -the connivance of Saunders, as against the -Bowden-Haasberg theory. -</p> - -<p> -As for the necklace it had probably been already -taken to pieces and the pearls would presently be -disposed of one by one to some unscrupulous Continental -dealers, when the first hue and cry after them had -died away. -</p> - -<p> -Captain Saunders was said to be slowly recovering -from his loss of memory and subsequent breakdown. -Every one at home was waiting to hear what explanation -he would give of his amazing conduct in taking -the necklace out of the hotel strong-room late that -night and sallying forth with it into the streets of -Paris at that hour. The explanation came after about -a fortnight of suspense in a letter from Mary to her -friend Mrs. Berners. -</p> - -<p> -Arthur, she said, had told her that on the fateful -evening, after he parted from Mr. Haasberg in the -Rue de Moncigny, he had felt restless and anxious -about what the latter had told him on the subject -of foreign hotels, and he was suddenly seized with -the idea that the necklace was not safe in the care -of the management of the Majestic, because there -would come a moment when he would have to claim -the tin box, and this would probably be handed over -to him when the hall of the hotel was crowded, and -the eyes of expert thieves would then follow his every -movement. Therefore he went back to the hotel, -claimed the tin box, and as the latter was large and -cumbersome he got rid of it in one of the cloak-rooms -of the hotel, slipped the necklace, in its velvet case, -in the pocket of his overcoat, and went out with the -intention of asking Haasberg to take care of it for -him, and only to hand it back to him when on the -following evening the train de luxe was on the point -of starting. He had been in sight of Haasberg's -lodgings when, without the slightest warning, a dull blow -on the back of his head, coming he knew not whence, -robbed him of consciousness. -</p> - -<p> -This explanation, however, was voted almost -unanimously to be very lame, and it was, on the whole, -as well that the Saunderses had decided to remain -abroad for a time. The ladies especially—and above -all those who had put their money together for the -necklace—were very bitter against him. On the other -hand Sir Montague Bowden was having a very rough -time of it; he had already had one or two very -unpleasant word-tussles with some outspoken friends of -his, and there was talk of a slander action that would -certainly be a <i>cause célèbre</i> when it came on. -</p> - -<p> -Thus the arguments went on in endless succession -until one day—well do I remember the excitement -that spread throughout the town as soon as the -incident became known—there was a terrible row in one -of the big clubs in Piccadilly. Sir Montague Bowden -was insulted by one of his fellow members: he was -called a thief, and asked what share he was getting -out of the sale of the necklace. Of course the man -who spoke in this unwarranted fashion was drunk at -the time, but nevertheless it was a terrible position for -Sir Montague, because as his opponent grew more and -more abusive and he himself more and more indignant, -he realised that he had practically no friends who -would stand by him in the dispute. Some of the -members tried to stop the row, and others appeared -indifferent, but no one sided with him, or returned abuse -for abuse on his behalf. -</p> - -<p> -It was in the very midst of this most unedifying -scene—one perhaps unparalleled in the annals of -London club life—that a club servant entered the -room, and handed a telegram to Sir Montague Bowden. -</p> - -<p> -Even the most sceptical there, and those whose -brains were almost fuddled with the wrangling and the -noise, declared afterwards that a mysterious Providence -had ordained that the telegram should arrive at -that precise moment. It had been sent to Sir -Montague's private house in Lowndes Street; his secretary -had opened it and sent it on to the club. As soon as -Sir Montague had mastered its contents he communicated -them to the members of the club, and it seems -that there never had been such excitement displayed -in any assembly of sober Englishmen as was shown in -that club room on this momentous occasion. -</p> - -<p> -The telegram had come all the way from the other -end of Europe, and had been sent by the august lady -in whose hands the priceless necklace, about which -there was so much pother in England and France, -had just been safely placed. It ran thus: -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p> -"Deeply touched by exquisite present just received -through kind offices of Captain Saunders, from -English ladies. Kind thoughts and beautiful necklace -equally precious. Kindly convey my grateful thanks -to all subscribers." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p> -Having read out the telegram, Sir Montague -Bowden demanded an apology from those who had -impugned his honour, and I understand that he got an -unqualified one. After that, male tongues were let -loose; the wildest conjectures flew about as to the -probable solution of what appeared a more curious mystery -than ever. By evening the papers had got hold of -the incident, and all those who were interested in -the affair shook their heads and looked portentously -wise. -</p> - -<p> -But the hero of the hour was certainly Captain -Saunders. From having been voted either a knave or -a fool, or both, he was declared all at once to be -possessed of all the qualities which had made England -great: prudence, astuteness, and tenacity. However, -as a matter of fact, nobody knew what had actually -happened; the august lady had the necklace and -Captain Saunders was returning to England without a stain -on his character, but as to how these two eminently -satisfactory results had come about not even the -wise-acres could say. Captain and Mrs. Saunders arrived -in England a few days later; every one was agog with -curiosity, and the poor things had hardly stepped out -of the train before they were besieged by newspaper -men and pressed with questions. -</p> - -<p> -The next morning the <i>Express Post</i> and the <i>Daily -Thunderer</i> came out with exclusive interviews with -Captain Saunders, who had made no secret of the -extraordinary adventure which had once more placed -him in possession of the necklace. It seems that he -and his wife on coming out of the Madeleine Church -on Easter Sunday were hustled at the top of the -steps by a man whose face they did not see, and who -pushed past them very hastily and roughly. Arthur -Saunders at once thought of his pockets, and looked -to see if his notecase had not disappeared. To his -boundless astonishment his hand came in contact -with a long, hard parcel in the outside pocket of his -overcoat, and this parcel proved to be the velvet case -containing the missing necklace. -</p> - -<p> -Both he and his wife were flabbergasted at this -discovery, and, scarcely believing in this amazing piece -of good luck, they managed with the help of -Mr. Haasberg, despite its being Easter Sunday, to obtain -an interview with one of the great jewellers in the -Rue de la Paix, who, well knowing the history of the -missing necklace, was able to assure them that they -had indeed been lucky enough to regain possession -of their treasure. That same evening they left by -the train de luxe, having been fortunate enough to -secure seats; needless to say that the necklace was -safely stowed away inside Captain Saunders's breast -pocket. -</p> - -<p> -All was indeed well that ended so well. But the -history of the disappearance and reappearance of the -pearl necklace has remained a baffling mystery to this -day. Neither the Saunderses nor Mr. Haasberg ever -departed one iota from the circumstantial story which -they had originally told, and no one ever heard -another word about the man with the walrus moustache -and the gold-rimmed spectacles: the French -police are still after him in connection with the assault -on le Capitaine Saunders, but no trace of him was -ever found. -</p> - -<p> -To some people this was a conclusive proof of -guilt, but then, having stolen the necklace, why should -he have restored it? Though the pearls were very -beautiful and there were a great number of them -beautifully matched, there was nothing abnormal about -them either in size or colour; there never could be any -difficulty for an expert thief to dispose of the pearls -to Continental dealers. The same argument would of -course apply to Mr. Haasberg, whom some wiseacres -still persisted in accusing. If he stole the necklace -why should he have restored it? Nothing could be -easier than for a business man who travelled a great -deal on the Continent to sell a parcel of pearls. And -there always remained the unanswered question: Why -did Saunders take the pearls out of the strong-room, -and where was he taking them to when he was -assaulted and robbed? -</p> - -<p> -Did the man with the walrus moustache really call -at the Majestic that night? And if he was innocent, -why did he disappear? Why, why, why? -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -The case had very much interested me at the time, -but the mystery was a nine days' wonder as far as -I was concerned, and soon far more important matters -than the temporary disappearance of a few rows -of pearls occupied public attention. -</p> - -<p> -It was really only last year when I renewed my -acquaintance with the Old Man in the Corner, that -I bethought myself once more of the mystery of the -pearl necklace, and I felt the desire to hear what the -spook-like creature's theory was upon the subject. -</p> - -<p> -"The pearl necklace?" he said with a cackle. "Ah, -yes, it caused a good bit of stir in its day. But -people talked such a lot of irresponsible nonsense -that thinking minds had not a chance of arriving at -a sensible conclusion." -</p> - -<p> -"No," I rejoined amiably. "But you did." -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, you are right there," he replied, "I knew -well enough where the puzzle lay, but it was not my -business to put the police on the right track. And if -I had I should have been the cause of making two -innocent and clever people suffer more severely than -the guilty party." -</p> - -<p> -"Will you condescend to explain?" I asked, with -an indulgent smile. -</p> - -<p> -"Why should I not?" he retorted, and once again -his thin fingers started to work on the inevitable piece -of string. "It all lies in a nutshell, and is easily -understandable if we realise that 'old Pasquier,' the man -with the walrus moustache, was not the friend of the -Saunderses, but their enemy." -</p> - -<p> -I frowned. "Their enemy?" -</p> - -<p> -"An old pal shall we say?" he retorted, "who knew -something in the past history of one or the other of -them that they did not wish their newest friends to -know: really a blackmailer who, under the guise of -comradeship, sat not infrequently at their fireside, -watching an opportunity for extorting a heavy price -for his silence and his good-will. Thus he could worm -himself into their confidence; he knew their private -life; he heard about the necklace, and decided that -here was the long sought for opportunity at last. -</p> - -<p> -"Think it all over and you will see how well the -pieces of that jig-saw puzzle fit together and make a -perfect picture. Pasquier calls on the Saunderses a day -or two before their departure and springs his infamous -proposal upon them then. For the time being Arthur -succeeds in giving him the slip, his journey is not yet -... the necklace is not yet in his possession ... but -he knows the true quality of the blackmailer now, -and he is on the alert. -</p> - -<p> -"He begins by going to Sir Montague Bowden and -begging him to entrust the mission to somebody else. -Judging by the butler's evidence, he even makes a -clean breast of his troubles to Sir Montague who, -however, makes light of them and advises consultation -with Mr. Haasberg, who perhaps would undertake -the journey. In any case it is too late to make -fresh arrangements at this hour. Very reluctantly -now, and hoping for the best, the Saunderses make a -start. But the blackmailer, too, is on the alert, he -has succeeded in spying upon them and in tracing -them to the Majestic in Paris. The situation now has -become terribly serious, for the blackmailer has -thrown off the mask and demands the necklace under -threats which apparently the Saunderses did not dare -defy. -</p> - -<p> -"But they are both clever and resourceful, and as -soon as Haasberg's arrival rids them temporarily -their tormentor, they put their heads together and -invent a plot which was destined to free them for ever -from the threats of Pasquier and at the same time -would enable them to honour the trust which had been -placed in them by the committee. In any case, they -had until the morrow to make up their minds. -Remember the words which Mr. Haasberg overheard on -the part of Pasquier: 'S'long, old man. I'll wait till -to-morrow!' Anyway, Pasquier must have gone off -that evening confident that he had Captain Saunders -entirely in his power, and that the wretched man -would on the morrow hand over the necklace without -demur. -</p> - -<p> -"Whether Arthur Saunders confided in Haasberg or -not is doubtful. Personally I think not. I believe that -he and Mary did the whole thing between them. Arthur -having parted from his brother-in-law went back -to the hotel, took the necklace out of the strong-room -and then left it in Mary's charge. He threw the tin -box away, there where it would surely be found again. -Then he went as far as the Rue de Moncigny and -crouched, seemingly unconscious, in the blind alley, -having previously taken the precaution of saturating -his handkerchief with chloroform. -</p> - -<p> -"Thus the two clever conspirators cut the ground -from under the blackmailer's feet, for the latter now -had the police after him for an assault, which he -might find very difficult to disprove, even if he cleared -himself of the charge of having stolen the necklace. -Anyway he would remain a discredited man, and his -threats would in the future be defied, because if he -dared come out in the open after that, public feeling -would be so bitter against him for a crime which he -had not committed that he would never be listened -to if he tried to do Captain Saunders an injury. And -it was with a view of keeping public indignation at -boiling pitch against the supposed thief that the -Saunderses kept up the comedy for so long. To my -mind that was a very clever move. Then they came -out with the story of the restoration of the necklace -and became the heroes of the hour. -</p> - -<p> -"Think it over," the funny creature went on, as he -finally stuffed his bit of string back into his pocket -and rose from the table, "think it over and you will -realise at once that everything happened just as I have -related, and that it is the only theory that fits in with -the facts that are known; you'll also agree with me, I -think, that Captain and Mrs. Saunders chose the one -way of ridding themselves effectually of a dangerous -blackmailer. The police were after him for a long -time, as they still believed that he had something to do -with the theft of the necklace and with the assault on -M. le Capitaine Saunders. But presently 1914 came -along and what became of the man with the walrus -moustache no one ever knew. What his nationality -was was never stated at the time, but whatever it was, -it would, I imagine, be a bar against his obtaining a -visa on his passport for the purpose of visiting -England and blackmailing Arthur Saunders. -</p> - -<p> -"But it was a curious case." -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap04"></a></p> - -<h3> -IV -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE RUSSIAN PRINCE -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -There had been a great deal of talk about that -time, in newspapers and amongst the public, -of the difficulty an inexperienced criminal finds -in disposing of the evidences of his crime—notably of -course of the body of his victim. In no case perhaps -was this difficulty so completely overcome—at any rate -as far as was publicly known—as in that of the murder -of the individual known as Prince Orsoff. I am thus -qualifying his title because as a matter of fact the -larger public never believed that he was a genuine -Prince—Russian or otherwise—and that even if he had -not come by such a violent and tragic death the Smithsons -would never have seen either their ten thousand -pounds again or poor Louisa's aristocratic bridegroom. -</p> - -<p> -I had been thinking a great deal about this mysterious -affair, indeed it had been discussed at most of -the literary and journalistic clubs as a possible subject -for a romance or drama, and it was with deliberate -intent that I walked over to Fleet Street one afternoon, -in order to catch the Old Man in the Corner in his -accustomed teashop, and get him to give me his views -on the subject of the mystery that to this very day -surrounds the murder of the Russian Prince. -</p> - -<p> -"Let me just put the whole case before you," the -funny creature began as soon as I had led him to talk -upon the subject, "as far as it was known to the -general public. It all occurred in Folkestone, you -remember, where the wedding of Louisa Smithson, the -daughter of a late retired grocer, to a Russian Prince -whom she had met abroad, was the talk of the town. -</p> - -<p> -"It was on a lovely day in May, and the wedding -ceremony was to take place at Holy Trinity Church. -The Smithsons—mother and daughter—especially since -they had come into a fortune, were very well known in -Folkestone, and there was a large crowd of relatives -and friends inside the church and another out in the -street to watch the arrival of guests and to see the -bride. There were camera men and newspaper men, -and hundreds of idlers and visitors, and the police -had much ado to keep the crowd in order. -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Smithson had already arrived looking -gorgeous in what I understand is known as amethyst -crêpe-de-chine, and there was a marvellous array of -Bond Street gowns and gorgeous headgears, all of -which kept the lookers-on fully occupied during the -traditional quarter of an hour's grace usually accorded -to the bride. -</p> - -<p> -"But presently those fifteen minutes became twenty, -the clergy had long since arrived, the guests had all -assembled, the bridesmaids were waiting in the porch: -but there was no bridegroom. Neither he nor his best -man had arrived; and now it was half an hour after -the time appointed for the ceremony, and, oh, horror! the -bride's car was in sight. The bride in church -waiting for the bridegroom!—such an outrage had not been -witnessed in Folkestone within the memory of the -oldest inhabitants. -</p> - -<p> -"One of the guests went at once to break the news -to the elderly relative who had arranged to give the -bride away, and who was with her in the car, whilst -another, a Mr. Sutherland Ford, jumped into the first -available taxi, having volunteered to go to the station -in order to ascertain whether there had been any -breakdown on the line, as the bridegroom was coming down -by train from London with his best man. -</p> - -<p> -"The bride, hastily apprised of the extraordinary -contretemps, remained in the car, with the blinds pulled -down, well concealed from the prying eyes of the -crowd, whilst the fashionable guests, relatives and -friends had perforce to possess their soul in patience. -</p> - -<p> -"And presently the news fell like a bombshell in the -midst of this lively throng. A taxi drove up, and from -it alighted first Mr. Sutherland Ford, who had -volunteered to go to the station for information, and then -John and Henry Carter, the two latter beautifully got -up in frock-coats, striped trousers, top hats, and -flowers in their buttonholes, looking obviously like -belated wedding guests. But still no bridegroom, and no -best man. -</p> - -<p> -"The three gentlemen, paying no heed to the shower -of questions that assailed them, as soon as they had -jumped out of the taxi ran straight into the church, -leaving every one's curiosity unsatisfied and public -excitement at fever pitch. -</p> - -<p> -"'It was John and Henry Carter,' the ladies whispered -agitatedly; 'fancy their being asked to the wedding!' -</p> - -<p> -"And those who were in the know whispered to those -who were less favoured that young Henry had at one -time been engaged to Louisa Smithson, before she -met her Russian Prince, and that when she threw him -over he was in such dire despair that his friends thought -he would commit suicide. -</p> - -<p> -"A moment or two later Mrs. Smithson was seen -hurriedly coming out of church, her face pale and -drawn, and her beautiful hat all awry. She made -straight for the bride's car, stepped into it, and the car -immediately drove off, whilst the wedding guests -trooped out of the church, and the terrible news spread -like wildfire through the crowd, and was presently all -over the town. -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that when the midday train, London to -Folkestone, stopped at Swanley Junction, two passengers -who were about to enter a first-class compartment -in one of the corridor carriages were horrified -to find it in a terrible state of disorder. They hastily -called the guard, and on examination the carriage -looked indeed as if it had been the scene of a violent -struggle: the door on the off side was unlatched, two -of the window straps were wrenched off, the -anti-macassars were torn off the cushions, one of the -luggage racks was broken, and the net hung down in -strips, and over some of the cushions were marks -unmistakably made by a blood-stained hand. -</p> - -<p> -"The guard immediately locked the compartment -and sent for the local police. No one was allowed in -or out of the station until every passenger on the -train had satisfied the police as to his or her identity. -Thus the train was held up for over two hours whilst -preliminary investigations were going on. -</p> - -<p> -"There appeared no doubt that a terrible murder -had been committed, and telephonic communication -all along the line presently established the fact that it -must have been done somewhere in the neighbourhood -of Sydenham Hill, because a group of men who were -at work on the 'up' side of the line at Penge, when -the down train came out of the tunnel noticed that -the door of one of the first-class carriages was open. -It swung to again just before the train steamed through -the station. -</p> - -<p> -"A preliminary search was at once made in and about -the tunnel; it revealed on the platform of Sydenham -Hill station a first-class single ticket of that day's -issue, London to Folkestone, crushed and stained with -blood, and on the permanent way, close to the entrance -of the tunnel on the Penge side, a soft black hat, and a -broken pair of pince-nez. But as to the identity of -the victim there was for the moment no clue. -</p> - -<p> -"After a couple of wearisome and anxious hours -the passengers were allowed to proceed on their -journey. Among these passengers, it appears, were John -and Henry Carter, who were on their way to the Smithson -wedding. Until they arrived in Folkestone they -had no more idea than the police who the victim of -the mysterious train murder was: but in the station -they caught side of Mr. Sutherland Ford, whom they -knew slightly. Mr. Ford was making agitated -enquiries as to any possible accident on the line. The -Carters put him <i>au fait</i> of what had occurred, and -as there was no sign of the Russian Prince amongst -the passengers who had just arrived, all three men -came to the horrifying conclusion that it was indeed -the bridegroom elect who had been murdered. -</p> - -<p> -"They communicated at once with the police, and -there were more investigations and telephonic -messages up and down the line before the Carters and -Mr. Ford were at last allowed to proceed to the church -and break the awful news to those most directly -concerned. -</p> - -<p> -"And in this tragic fashion did Louisa Smithson's -wedding-day draw to its end; nor, as far as the public -was concerned, was the mystery of that terrible murder -ever satisfactorily cleared up. The local police worked -very hard and very systematically, but, though -presently they also had the help of one of the ablest -detectives from Scotland Yard, nothing was seen or found -that gave the slightest clue either as to the means -which the murderer or murderers adopted for removing -the body of their victim, or in what manner they -made good their escape. The body of the Russian -Prince was never found, and, as far as the public -knows, the murderer is still at large; and although, as -time went on, many strange facts came to light, they -only helped to plunge that extraordinary crime into -darker mystery." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"The facts in themselves were curious enough, you -will admit," the Old Man in the Corner went on after -a while. "Many of these were never known to the -public, whilst others found their way into the columns -of the halfpenny Press, who battened on the 'Mystery -of the Russian Prince' for weeks on end, and, as far as -the unfortunate Smithsons were concerned, there was -not a reader of the <i>Express Post</i> and kindred -newspapers who did not know the whole of their family -history. -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that Louisa Smithson is the daughter of -a grocer in Folkestone, who had retired from business -just before the War, and with his wife and his only -child led a meagre and obscure existence in a tiny house -in Warren Avenue somewhere near the tram road. -They were always supposed to be very poor, but -suddenly old Smithson died and it turned out that he had -been a miser, for he left the handsome little fortune of -fifteen thousand pounds to be equally divided between -his daughter and his widow. -</p> - -<p> -"At once Mrs. Smithson and Louisa found themselves -the centre of an admiring throng of friends and -relatives all eager to help them spend their money for -their especial benefit; but Mrs. Smithson was shrewd -enough not to allow herself to be exploited by those -who in the past had never condescended to more than -a bowing acquaintance with her. She turned her back -on most of those sycophants, but at the same time she -was determined to do the best for herself and for -Louisa, and to this end she admitted into her councils -her sister, Margaret Penny, who was saleswoman at -a fashionable shop in London, and who immediately -advised a journey up to town so that the question of -clothes might at once be satisfactorily settled. -</p> - -<p> -"In addition to valuable advice on that score, this -Miss Penny seems to have succeeded in completely -turning her sister's head. Certain it is that Mrs. Smithson -left Folkestone a quiet, sensible, motherly woman, -and that she returned, six weeks later, an arrogant, -ill-mannered parvenue, who seemed to think that the -possession of a few thousand pounds entitled her to ride -rough-shod over the feelings and sentiments of those -who had less money than herself. -</p> - -<p> -"She began by taking a suite of rooms at the -Splendide Hotel for herself, her daughter, and her maid. -Then she sold her house in Warren Avenue, bought a -car, and, though she and Louisa were of course in deep -mourning, they were to be seen everywhere in wonderful -Bond Street dresses and marvellous feathered hats. -Finally, they announced their intention of spending -the coming winter on the Riviera, probably Monte -Carlo. -</p> - -<p> -"All this extravagant behaviour made some people -smile, others shrugged their shoulders and predicted -disaster: but there was one who suffered acutely -through this change in the fortune of the Smithsons. -This was Henry Carter, a young clerk employed in an -insurance office in London. He and his brother were -Folkestone men, sons of a local tailor in a very small -way of business, who had been one of old Smithson's -rare friends. The elder Carter boy had long since cut -his stick and was said to be earning a living in -London by free-lance journalism. The younger one, -Henry, remained to help his father with the tailoring. -He was a constant visitor in the little house in Warren -Avenue, and presently became engaged to Louisa. -There could be no question of an immediate marriage, -of course, as Henry had neither money nor prospects. -However, presently old Carter died, the tailoring -business was sold for a couple of hundred pounds, and -Henry went up to London to join his brother and to -seek his fortune. Presently he obtained a post in an -insurance office, but his engagement to Louisa -subsisted: the young people were known to be deeply in -love with one another, and Henry spent most weekends -and all his holidays in Folkestone in order to be -near his girl. -</p> - -<p> -"Then came the change in the fortune of the Smithsons, -and an immediate coolness in Louisa's manner -toward young Henry. It was all very well in the past -to be engaged to the son of a jobbing tailor, while -one was poor oneself, and one had neither wit nor good -looks, but now...! -</p> - -<p> -"In fact already when they were in London Mrs. Smithson -had intimated to Henry Carter that his visits -were none too welcome, and when he appealed to Louisa -she put him off with a few curt words. The young -man was in despair, and, indeed, his brother actually -feared at one time that he would commit suicide. -</p> - -<p> -"It was soon after Christmas of that same year that -the curtain was rung up on the first act of the -mysterious tragedy which was destined to throw a blight for -ever after upon the life of Louisa Smithson. It began -with the departure of herself and her mother for the -Continent, where they intended to remain until the -end of March. For the first few weeks their friends -had no news of them, but presently Miss Margaret -Penny, who had kept up a desultory correspondence -with a pal of hers in Folkestone, started to give -glowing accounts of the Smithsons' doings in Monte Carlo. -</p> - -<p> -"They were staying at the Hotel de Paris, paying -two hundred francs a day for their rooms alone. They -were lunching and dining out every day of the week. -They had been introduced to one or two of the august -personages who usually graced the Riviera with their -presence at this time of year, and they had met a -number of interesting people. According to Miss Penny's -account, Louisa Smithson was being greatly admired, -and, in fact, several titled gentlemen of various -nationalities had professed themselves deeply enamoured of -her. -</p> - -<p> -"All this Miss Penny recounted in her letters to her -friends with a wealth of detail and a marvellous -profusion of adjectives, and finally in one of her letters -there was mention of a certain Russian grandee—Prince -Orsoff by name—who was paying Louisa -marked attention. He, also, was staying at the Paris, -appeared very wealthy, and was obviously of very high -rank for he never mixed with the crowd which was -more than usually brilliant this year in Monte Carlo. -This exclusiveness on his part was all the more flattering -to the Smithsons, and, when he apprised them of -his intention to spend the season in London, they had -asked him to come and visit them in Folkestone, where -Mrs. Smithson intended to take a house presently and -there to entertain lavishly during the summer. -</p> - -<p> -"After this preliminary announcement from Miss -Penny, Louisa herself wrote a letter to Henry Carter. -It was quite a pleasant chatty letter, telling him of -their marvellous doings abroad and of her own social -successes. It did not do more, however, than vaguely -hint at the Russian prince, his distinguished appearance -and obvious wealth. Nevertheless it plunged the -unfortunate young man into the utmost depths of -despair, and according to his brother John's subsequent -account, the latter had a terrible time with young -Henry that winter. John himself was very busy with -journalistic work which kept him away sometimes for -days and weeks on end from the little home in London -which the two brothers had set up for themselves with -the money derived from the sale of the tailoring -business. And Henry's state of mind did at times -seriously alarm his brother, for he would either threaten -to do away with himself, or vow that he would be even -with that accursed foreigner. -</p> - -<p> -"At the end of March, the Smithsons returned to -England. During the interval Mrs. Smithson had made -all arrangements for taking The Towers, a magnificently -furnished house facing the Leas at Folkestone, -and here she and Louisa installed themselves preparatory -to launching their invitations for the various tea -and tennis parties, dinners and dances which they -proposed to give during the summer. -</p> - -<p> -"One might really quite truthfully say that the eyes -of all Folkestone were fixed upon the two ladies. -Their Paris dresses, their hats, their jewellery, was the -chief subject of conversation at tea-tables, and of -course every one was talking about the Russian Prince, -who—Mrs. Smithson had confided this to a bosom -friend—was coming over to England for the express -purpose of proposing to Louisa. -</p> - -<p> -"There was quite a flutter of excitement on a -memorable Friday afternoon when it was rumoured -that Henry Carter had come down for a week-end, and -had put up at a small hotel down by the harbour. Of -course, he had come to see Louisa Smithson; every one -knew that, and no doubt he wished to make a final -appeal to her love for him which could not be entirely -dead yet. -</p> - -<p> -"Within twenty-four hours, however, it was common -gossip that young Henry had presented himself at The -Towers and been refused admittance. The ladies were -out, the butler said, and he did not know when they -would be home. This was on the Saturday. On -the Sunday Henry walked about on the Leas all the -morning, in the hope of seeing Louisa or her mother, -and as he failed to do so he called again in the early -part of the afternoon: he was told the ladies were -resting. Later he came again, and the ladies had gone -out, and on the Monday, as presumably business called -him back to town, he left by the early-morning train -without having seen his former fiancée. Indeed people -from that moment took it for granted that young -Henry had formally been given his congé. -</p> - -<p> -"Toward the middle of April Prince Orsoff arrived -in London. Within two days he telephoned to -Mrs. Smithson to ask her when he might come to pay his -respects. A day was fixed, and he came to The Towers -to lunch. He came again, and at his third visit he -formally proposed to Miss Louisa Smithson, and was -accepted. The wedding was to take place almost -immediately, and the very next day the exciting announcement -had gone the round of the Smithsons' large circle -of friends—not only in Folkestone but also in London. -</p> - -<p> -"The effect of the news appears to have been staggering -as far as the unfortunate Henry Carter was concerned. -In the picturesque language of Mrs. Hicks, -the middle-aged charlady who 'did' for the two brothers -in their little home in Chelsea, ''e carried on -something awful.' She even went so far as to say that she -feared he might 'put 'is 'ead in the gas oven,' and that, -as Mr. John was away at the time, she took the -precaution every day when she left to turn the gas off at -the meter. -</p> - -<p> -"The following week-end Henry came down to -Folkestone and again took up his quarters in the small -hotel by the harbour. On the Saturday afternoon he -called at The Towers, and refused to take 'no' for an -answer when he asked to see Miss Smithson. Indeed, -he seems literally to have pushed his way into the -drawing-room where the ladies were having tea. -According to statements made subsequently by the butler, -there ensued a terrible scene between Henry and his -former fiancée, at the very height of which, as luck -would have it, who should walk in but Prince Orsoff. -</p> - -<p> -"That elegant gentleman, however, seems to have -behaved on that trying occasion with perfect dignity and -tact, making it his chief business to reassure the ladies, -and paying no heed to Henry's recriminations, which -presently degenerated into vulgar abuse and ended in -violent threats. At last, with the aid of the majestic -butler, the young man was thrust out of the house, but -even on the doorstep he turned and raised a menacing -fist in the direction of Prince Orsoff and said loudly -enough for more than one person to hear: -</p> - -<p> -"'Wait! I'll be even with that —— foreigner yet!' -</p> - -<p> -"It must indeed have been a terrifying scene for -two sensitive and refined ladies like Mrs. and Miss -Smithson to witness. Later on, after the Prince -himself had taken his leave, the butler was rung for by -Mrs. Smithson who told him that under no circumstances -was Mr. Henry Carter ever to be admitted -inside The Towers. -</p> - -<p> -"However, a Sunday or two afterwards, Mr. John -Carter called and Mrs. Smithson saw him. He said -that he had come down expressly from London in -order to apologise for his brother's conduct. Harry, he -said, was deeply contrite that he should thus have lost -control over himself, his broken heart was his only -excuse. After all, he had been and still was deeply -in love with Louisa, and no man, worth his salt, could -see the girl he loved turning her back on him without -losing some of that equanimity which should of course -be the characteristic of every gentleman. -</p> - -<p> -"In fact, Mr. John Carter spoke so well and so -persuasively that Mrs. Smithson and Louisa, who were at -bottom quite a worthy pair of women, agreed to let -bygones be bygones, and said that, if Henry would -only behave himself in the future, there was no reason -why he should not remain their friend. -</p> - -<p> -"This appeared a quite satisfactory state of things, -and over in the little house in Chelsea Mrs. Hicks -gladly noted that 'Mr. 'Enry seemed more like 'isself, -afterwards.' The very next week-end the two brothers -went down to Folkestone together, and they called at -The Towers so that Henry might offer his apologies in -person. The two gentlemen on that occasion were -actually asked to stay to tea. -</p> - -<p> -"Indeed, it seems as if Henry had entirely turned -over a new leaf, and when presently the gracious -invitation came for both brothers to come to the wedding, -they equally graciously accepted. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"The day fixed for the happy event was now -approaching. The large circle of acquaintances, friends, -and hangers-on which the Smithsons had gathered -around them were all agog with excitement, wedding -presents were pouring in by every post. A kind of -network of romance had been woven around the -personalities of the future bride, her mother, and the -Russian Prince. The wealth of the Smithsons had been -magnified an hundredfold, and Prince Orsoff was -reputed to be a brother of the late Czar who had made -good his escape out of Russia, bringing away with him -most of the Crown jewels, which he would presently -bestow upon his wife. And so on, <i>ad infinitum</i>. -</p> - -<p> -"And upon the top of all that excitement and that -gossip, and marvellous tales akin to the Arabian -Nights, came the wedding-day with its awful -culminating tragedy. -</p> - -<p> -"The Russian Prince had been murdered and his -body so cleverly disposed of that in spite of the most -strenuous efforts on the part of the police, not a trace -of it could be found. -</p> - -<p> -"That robbery had been the main motive of the -crime was quickly enough established. The -Smithsons—mother and daughter—had at once supplied the -detective in charge of the case with proofs as to that. -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that as soon as the unfortunate Prince -had become engaged to Louisa, he asked that the -marriage should take place without delay. He -explained that his dearest friend, Mr. Schumann, the -great international financier, had offered him shares -in one of the greatest post-war undertakings which -had ever been floated in Europe, and which would -bring in to the fortunate shareholders a net income of -not less than ten thousand pounds yearly for every -ten thousand pounds invested; Mr. Schumann himself -owned one-half of all the shares, and had, by a most -wonderful act of disinterested generosity, allowed his -bosom friend, Prince Orsoff, to have a few—a concession, -by the way, which he had only granted to two -other favoured personages, one being the Prince of -Wales and the other the President of the French -Republic. Of course to receive ten thousand pounds -yearly for every ten thousand pounds invested, was too -wonderful for words; the President of the French -Republic had been so delighted with this chance of -securing a fortune that he had put two million francs into -the concern, and the Prince of Wales had put in five -hundred thousand pounds. -</p> - -<p> -"And it was so wonderfully secure, as otherwise the -British Government would not have allowed the Prince -of Wales to invest such a sum of money if the -business was only speculative. Security and fortune -beyond the dreams of thrift! It was positively dazzling. -</p> - -<p> -"No wonder that this vision of untold riches made -poor Mrs. Smithson's mouth water, the more so as she -was quite shrewd enough to realise that, at the rate -she was going, her share in the fifteen thousand pounds -left by the late worthy grocer would soon fade into -nothingness. In the past few months she and Louisa -had spent considerably over four thousand pounds -between them, and once her daughter was married to a -quasi-royal personage, good old Mrs. Smithson did not -see herself retiring into comparative obscurity on a few -hundreds a year to be jeered at by all her friends. -</p> - -<p> -"So she and Louisa talked the matter over together, -and then they talked it over with Prince Orsoff on the -occasion of his visit about ten days before the -wedding. The Prince at first was very doubtful if the -great Mr. Schumann would be willing to make a -further sacrifice in the cause of friendship. He was an -international financier accustomed to deal in millions; -he would not look favourably—the Prince feared—at a -few thousands. Mrs. Smithson's entire fortune now -only consisted of about five thousand pounds; this she -was unwilling to admit to the wealthy and aristocratic -future son-in-law. So the two ladies decided to pool -their capital and then they begged that Prince Orsoff -should ask the great Mr. Schumann whether he would -condescend to receive ten thousand pounds for investment -in Mrs. Smithson's name in his great undertaking. -</p> - -<p> -"Fortunately the great financier did condescend to -do this—he really was more a philanthropist than a -business man—but, of course, he could not be kept -waiting, the money must reach him in Paris not later -than May twentieth, which was the very day fixed -for the wedding. -</p> - -<p> -"It was all terribly difficult; and Mrs. Smithson was -at first in despair as she feared she could not arrange -to sell out her securities in time, and the difficulties were -increased an hundredfold because, as Prince Orsoff -explained to her, Mr. Schumann would even at the eleventh -hour refuse to allow her to participate in the huge -fortune if he found that she had talked about the affair -over in England. The business had to be kept a -profound secret for international reasons, in fact, if any -detail relating to the business and to Mr. Schumann's -participation in it were to become known, the whole of -Europe would once more be plunged into war. -</p> - -<p> -"To make a long story short, Mrs. Smithson and -Louisa sold out all their securities, amounting between -them to ten thousand pounds. Then they went up to -London, drew the money out of their bank, changed it -themselves into French money—so as to make it more -convenient for Mr. Schumann—and handed the entire -sum over to Prince Orsoff on the eve of the wedding. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course such fatuous imbecility would be unbelievable -if it did not occur so frequently: vain, silly -women, who have never moved outside their own restricted -circle, are always the ready prey of plausible -rascals. -</p> - -<p> -"Anyway, in this case the Smithsons returned to -Folkestone that day, perfectly happy and with never -a thought of anything but contentment for the present -and prosperity in the future. The wedding was to be -the next day; the bridegroom-elect was coming down -by the midday train with his best man, whom he -vaguely described as secretary to the Russian -Embassy, and the bridal pair would start for Paris by the -afternoon boat. -</p> - -<p> -"All this the Smithsons related to the police -inspector in charge of the case and subsequently to the -Scotland Yard detective, with a wealth of detail and -a profusion of lamentations not unmixed with -expletives directed against the unknown assassin and thief. -For indeed there was no doubt in the minds of Louisa -and her mother that the unfortunate Prince, on whom -the girl still lavished the wealth of her trustful love, -had been murdered for the sake of the money which -he had upon his person. -</p> - -<p> -"It must have amounted to millions of francs, -Mrs. Smithson declared, for he had the Prince of Wales's -money upon him also, and probably that of the -President of the French Republic, and at first she and -Louisa fastened their suspicions upon the anonymous -best man, the so-called secretary of the Russian -Embassy. Even when they were presently made to realise -that there was no such thing as a Russian Embassy -in London these days, and that minute enquiries both -at home and abroad regarding the identity of a Prince -Orsoff led to no result whatever, they repudiated with -scorn the suggestion put forth by the police that their -beloved Russian Prince was nothing more or less than -a clever crook who had led them by the nose, and that -in all probability he had not been murdered in the train -but had succeeded in jumping out of it and making -good his escape across country. -</p> - -<p> -"This the Smithson ladies would not admit for a -moment, and with commendable logic they argued that -if Prince Orsoff had been a crook and had intended to -make away with their money he could have done that -easily enough without getting into a train at Victoria -and jumping out of it at Sydenham Hill. -</p> - -<p> -"Pressed with questions, however, the ladies were -forced to admit that they knew absolutely nothing -about Prince Orsoff, they had never been introduced -to any of his relations, nor had they met any of his -friends. They did not even know where he had been -staying in London. He was in the habit of telephoning -to Louisa every morning, and any arrangements for -his visits down to The Towers or the ladies' trips up to -town were made in that manner. As a matter of fact -Louisa and her future husband had not met more than -a dozen times altogether, on some five or six occasions -in Monte Carlo, and not more than six in England. It -had been a case of love at first sight. -</p> - -<p> -"The question of Mr. Schumann's vast undertaking -was first discussed at The Towers. After that the ladies -wrote to their bank to sell out their securities, and -subsequently went up to town for a couple of days to -draw out their money, change it into French currency, -and finally hand it over to Prince Orsoff. On that -occasion he had met them at Victoria Station and taken -them to a quiet hotel in Kensington, where he had -engaged a suite of rooms for them. All financial -matters were then settled in their private sitting-room. -</p> - -<p> -"In answer to enquiries at that hotel, one or two of -the employees distinctly remembered the foreign-looking -gentleman who had called on Mrs. and Miss Smithson, -lunched with them in their sitting-room that day, -and saw them into their cab when they went away the -following afternoon. One or two of the station porters -at Victoria also vaguely remembered a man who -answered to the description given of Prince Orsoff by the -Smithson ladies: tall, with a slight stoop, wearing -pince-nez, and with a profusion of dark, curly hair, bushy -eyebrows, long, dark moustache, and old-fashioned -imperial, which made him distinctly noticeable, he -could not very well have passed unperceived. -</p> - -<p> -"Unfortunately, on the actual day of the murder, not -one man employed at Victoria Station could swear -positively to having seen him, either alone or in the -company of another foreigner; and the latter has remained -a problematical personage to this day. -</p> - -<p> -"But the Smithson ladies remained firm in their -loyalty to their Russian Prince. Had they dared they -would openly have accused Henry Carter of the murder; -as it was they threw out weird hints and -insinuations about Henry who had more than once sworn -that he would be even with his hated rival, and who -had actually travelled down in the same train as the -Prince on that fateful wedding morning, together with -his brother John, who no doubt helped him in his -nefarious deed. I believe that the unfortunate ladies -actually spent some of the money which now they could -ill spare in employing a private detective to collect -proofs of Henry Carter's guilt. -</p> - -<p> -"But not a tittle of evidence could be brought against -him. To begin with, the train in which the murder -was supposed to have been committed was a non-stop -to Swanley. Then how could the Carters have disposed -of the body? The Smithsons suggested a third -miscreant as a possible confederate; but the same -objection against that theory subsisted in the shape of the -disposal of the body. The murder—if murder there -was—occurred in broad daylight in a part of the country -that certainly was not lonely. It was not possible -to suppose that a man would stand waiting on the -line close to Sydenham Hill station until a body was -flung out to him from the passing train, and then drag -that body about until he found a suitable place in -which to bury it: and all that without being seen by -the workmen on the line or employees on the railway, -or in fact any passer-by. Therefore the hypothesis -that Henry Carter or his brother murdered the Russian -Prince with or without the help of a confederate was -as untenable as that the Prince had travelled from -Victoria to Sydenham Hill and there jumped out of the -train, at risk of being discovered in the act, rather than -disappear quietly in London, shave off his luxuriant -hair, or assume any other convenient disguise, until he -found an opportunity for slipping back to the Continent. -</p> - -<p> -"But the Smithsons remained firm in their belief in -the genuineness of their Prince and in their conviction -that he had been murdered—if not by the Carters, -then by the mysterious secretary to the Russian -Embassy or any other Russian or German emissary, for -political reasons. -</p> - -<p> -"And thus the public was confronted with the two -hypotheses, both of which led to a deadlock. No -sensible person doubted that the so-called Russian -Prince was a crook, and that he had a confederate to -help him in his clever plot, but the mystery remained -as to how the rascal or rascals disappeared so -completely as to checkmate every investigation. The -travelling by train that morning and setting the scene -for a supposed murder was, of course, part of the plan, -but it was the plan that was so baffling, because to an -ordinary mind that disappearance could have been -effected so much more easily and with far less risk -without the train journey. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course there was not a single passenger on that -train who was not the subject of the closest watchfulness -on the part of the police, but there was not one—not -excluding the Carters—who could by any possible -chance have known that the Prince carried a large -sum of money upon his person. He was not likely -to have confided the fact to a stranger, and the -mystery of the vanished body was always there to refute -the theory of an ordinary murderous attack for -motives of robbery." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner ceased talking, and -became once more absorbed in his favourite task of -making knots in a bit of string. -</p> - -<p> -"I see in the papers," I now put in thoughtfully, -"that Miss Louisa Smithson has overcome her grief for -the loss of her aristocratic lover by returning to the -plebeian one." -</p> - -<p> -"Yes," the funny creature replied dryly, "she is -marrying Henry Carter. Funny, isn't it? But women -are queer fish! One moment she looked on the man -as a murderer, now, by marrying him, she actually -proclaims her belief in his innocence." -</p> - -<p> -"It certainly was abundantly proved," I rejoined, -"that Henry Carter could not possibly have murdered -Prince Orsoff." -</p> - -<p> -"It was also abundantly proved," he retorted, "that -no one else murdered the so-called Prince." -</p> - -<p> -"You think, of course, that he was an ordinary -impostor?" I asked. -</p> - -<p> -"An impostor, yes," he replied, "but not an ordinary -one. In fact I take off my hat to as clever a pair of -scamps as I have ever come across." -</p> - -<p> -"A pair?" -</p> - -<p> -"Why, yes! It could not have been done alone!" -</p> - -<p> -"But the police..." -</p> - -<p> -"The police," the spook-like creature broke in with -a sharp cackle, "know more in this case than you give -them credit for. They know well enough the solution -of the puzzle which appears so baffling to the public, -but they have not sufficient proof to effect an arrest. -At one time they hoped that the scoundrels would -presently make a false move and give themselves away, -in which case they could be prosecuted for defrauding -the Smithsons of ten thousand pounds, but this -eventuality has become complicated through the -master-stroke of genius which made Henry Carter marry -Louisa Smithson." -</p> - -<p> -"Henry Carter?" I exclaimed. "Then you do think -the Carters had something to do with the case?" -</p> - -<p> -"They had everything to do with the case. In fact, -they planned the whole thing in a masterly manner." -</p> - -<p> -"But the Russian Prince at Monte Carlo?" I argued. -"Who was he? If he was a confederate, where has he -disappeared to?" -</p> - -<p> -"He is still engaged in free-lance journalism," the -Old Man in the Corner replied drily, "and in his -spare moments changes parcels of French currency -back into English notes." -</p> - -<p> -"You mean the brother!" I ejaculated with a gasp. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course I mean the brother," he retorted dryly, -"who else could have been so efficient a collaborator in -the plot? John Carter was comparatively his own -master. He lived with Henry in the small house in -Chelsea, waited on by a charwoman who came by the -day. It was generally given out that his reporting -work took him frequently and for lengthened stays out -of London. The brothers, remember, had inherited a -few hundreds from their father, while the Smithsons -had inherited a few thousands. We must suppose that -the idea of relieving the ladies of those thousands -occurred to them as soon as they realised that Louisa, -egged on by her mother, would cold-shoulder her fiancé. -</p> - -<p> -"John Carter, mind you, must be a very clever man, -else he could not have carried out all the details of the -plot with so much sang-froid. We have been told, if -you remember, that he had early in life cut his stick -and gone to seek fortune in London, therefore the -Smithsons, who had never been out of Folkestone, did -not know him intimately. His make-up as the Prince -must have been very good, and his histrionic powers -not to be despised: his profession and life in London -no doubt helped him in these matters. Then, remember -also that he took very good care not to be a great -deal in the Smithsons' company—even in Monte Carlo -he only let them see him less than half a dozen times, -and as soon as he came to England he hurried on the -wedding as much as he could. -</p> - -<p> -"Another fine stroke was Henry's apparent despair -at being cut out of Louisa's affections, and his threats -against his successful rival: it helped to draw suspicion -on himself—suspicion which the scoundrels took good -care could easily be disproved. Then take a pair of -vain, credulous, unintelligent women and a smart rascal -who knows how to flatter them, and you will see how -easily the whole plot could be worked. Finally, when -John Carter had obtained possession of the money, he -and Henry arranged the supposed tragedy in the train -and the Russian Prince's disappearance from the world -as suddenly as he had entered it." -</p> - -<p> -I thought the matter over for a moment or two. The -solution of the mystery certainly appealed to my -dramatic sense. -</p> - -<p> -"But," I said at last, "one wonders why the Carters -took the trouble to arrange a scene of a supposed -murder in the train: they might quite well have been -caught in the act, and in any case it was an additional -unnecessary risk. John Carter might quite well have -been content to shed his role of Russian Prince, without -such an elaborate setting." -</p> - -<p> -"Well," he admitted, "in some ways you are right -there, but it is always difficult to gauge accurately the -mentality of a clever scoundrel. In this case I don't -suppose that the Carters had quite made up their minds -about what they would do when they left London, but -that the plan was in their heads is proved by the hat, -pince-nez, and railway ticket which they took with -them when they started, and which, if you remember, -were found on the line: but it was probably only -because the train was comparatively empty, and they -had both time and opportunity in the non-stop train, -that they decided to carry their clever comedy through. -</p> - -<p> -"Then think what an immense advantage in their -future plans would be the Smithsons' belief in the -death of their Prince. Probably Louisa would never -have dreamed of marrying if she thought her aristocratic -lover was an impostor and still alive: she would -never have let the matter rest; her mind would for ever -have been busy with trying to trace him, and bring -him back, repentant, to her feet. You know what -women are when they are in love with that type of -scoundrel, they cling to them with the tenacity of a -leech. But once she believed the man to be dead, -Louisa Smithson gradually got over her grief and -Henry Carter wooed and won her on the rebound. She -was poor now, and her friends had quickly enough -deserted her: she was touched by the fidelity of her -simple lover, and he thus consolidated his position and -made the future secure. -</p> - -<p> -"Anyway," the Old Man in the Corner concluded, "I -believe that it was with a view to making a future -marriage possible between Louisa and Henry that the two -brothers organised the supposed murder. Probably if -the train had been full and they had seen danger in the -undertaking they would not have done it. But the -<i>mise en scène</i> was easily enough set and it certainly -was an additional safeguard. Now in another week -or so Louisa Smithson will be Henry Carter's wife, -and presently you will find that John in London, and -Henry and his wife, will be quite comfortably off. And -after that, whatever suspicions Mrs. Smithson may -have of the truth, her lips would have to remain sealed. -She could not very well prosecute her only child's -husband. -</p> - -<p> -"And so the matter will always remain a mystery to -the public: but the police know more than they are -able to admit because they have no proof. -</p> - -<p> -"And now they never will have. But as to the -murder in the train, well!—the murdered man never -existed." -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap05"></a></p> - -<h3> -V -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY IN BISHOP'S ROAD -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner was in a philosophising -mood that afternoon, and all the -while that his thin, claw-like fingers fidgeted -with the inevitable piece of string, he gave vent to -various, disjointed, always sententious remarks. -</p> - -<p> -Suddenly he said: -</p> - -<p> -"We know, of course, that the world has gone -dancing mad! But I doubt if the fashionable craze has -ever been responsible before for so dark a tragedy as -the death of old Sarah Levison. What do you -think?" -</p> - -<p> -"Well," I replied guardedly, for I knew that, -whatever I might say, I should draw an avalanche of -ironical remarks upon my innocent head, "I never have -known what to think, and all the accounts of that -brutal murder as they appeared in the cheaper Press -only made the obscurity all the more obscure." -</p> - -<p> -"That was a wise and well-thought-out reply," the -aggravating creature retorted with a dry chuckle, "and -a non-committal one at that. Obscurity is indeed -obscure for those who won't take the trouble to think." -</p> - -<p> -"I suppose it is all quite clear to you?" I said, with -what I meant to be withering sarcasm. -</p> - -<p> -"As clear as the proverbial daylight," he replied -undaunted. -</p> - -<p> -"You know how old Mrs. Levison came by her -death?" -</p> - -<p> -"Of course I do. I will tell you, if you like." -</p> - -<p> -"By all means. But I am not prepared to be -convinced," I added cautiously. -</p> - -<p> -"No," he admitted, "but you soon will be. However, -before we reach that happy conclusion, I shall have to -marshal the facts before you, because a good many of -these must have escaped your attention. Shall I -proceed?" -</p> - -<p> -"If you please." -</p> - -<p> -"Well, then, do you remember all the personages -in the drama?" he began. -</p> - -<p> -"I think so." -</p> - -<p> -"There were, of course, young Aaron Levison and -his wife, Rebecca—the latter young, pretty, fond of -pleasure, and above all of dancing, and he, a few -years older, but still in the prime of life, more of an -athlete than a business man, and yet tied to the shop -in which he carried on the trade of pawnbroking for -his mother. The latter, an old Jewess, shrewd and -dictatorial, was the owner of the business: her son -was not even her partner, only a well-paid clerk in -her employ, and this fact we must suppose rankled -in the mind of her smart daughter-in-law. At any -rate, we know that there was no love lost between -the two ladies; but the young couple and old -Mrs. Levison and another unmarried son lived together in -the substantial house over the shop in Bishop's -Road. -</p> - -<p> -"They had three servants and we are told that they -lived well, old Mrs. Levison bearing the bulk of the -cost of housekeeping. The younger son, Reuben, seems -to have been something of a bad egg; he held at one -time a clerkship in a bank, but was dismissed for -insobriety and laziness; then after the war he was -supposed to have bad health consequent on exposure in -the trenches, and had not done a day's work since -he was demobilised. But in spite, or perhaps because, -of this, he was very markedly his mother's favourite; -where the old woman would stint her hard-working, -steady elder son, she would prove generous, even lavish, -toward the loafer, Reuben; and young Mrs. Levison -and he were thick as thieves. -</p> - -<p> -"What money Reuben extracted out of his mother -he would spend on amusements, and his sister-in-law -was always ready to accompany him. It was either -the cinema or dancing—oh, dancing above all! -Rebecca Levison was, it seems, a beautiful dancer, and -night after night she and Reuben would go to one -or other of the halls or hotels where dancing was -going on, and often they would not return until the -small hours of the morning. -</p> - -<p> -"Aaron Levison was indulgent and easy-going -enough where his young wife was concerned: he -thought that she could come to no harm while -Reuben was there to look after her. But old Mrs. Levison, -with the mistrust of her race for everything -that is frivolous and thriftless, thought otherwise. -She was convinced in her own mind that her beloved -Reuben was being led astray from the path of virtue -by his brother's wife, and she appears to have taken -every opportunity to impress her thoughts and her -fears upon the indulgent husband. -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that one of the chief bones of contention -between the old and the young Mrs. Levison -was the question of jewellery. Old Mrs. Levison -kept charge herself of all the articles of value that -were pawned in the shop, and every evening after -business hours Aaron would bring up all bits of -jewellery that had been brought in during the day, -and his mother would lock them up in a safe that -stood in her room close by her bedside. The key of -the safe she always carried about with her. For the -most part these bits of jewellery consisted of cheap -rings and brooches, but now and again some impoverished -lady or gentleman would bring more valuable -articles along for the purpose of raising a temporary -loan upon them, and at the time of the tragedy there -were some fine diamond ornaments reposing in the -safe in old Mrs. Levison's room. -</p> - -<p> -"Now young Mrs. Levison had more than once -suggested that she might wear some of this fine -jewellery when she went out to balls and parties. She -saw no harm in it, and neither, for a matter of that, -did Reuben. Why shouldn't Rebecca wear a few -ornaments now and again if she wanted to?—they -would always be punctually returned, of course, and -they could not possibly come to any harm. But the -very suggestion of such a thing was anathema to the -old lady, and in her flat refusal ever to gratify such -a senseless whim she had the whole-hearted support -of her eldest son: such a swerving from traditional -business integrity was not to be thought of in the -Levison household. -</p> - -<p> -"On that memorable Saturday evening young Mrs. Levison -was going with her brother-in-law to one of -the big charity balls at the Kensington Town Hall, -and her great desire was to wear for the occasion a -set of diamond stars which had lately been pledged -in the shop, and which were locked up in the old -lady's safe. Of course, Mrs. Levison refused, and it -seems that the two ladies very nearly came to blows -about this, the quarrel being all the more violent as -Reuben hotly sided with his sister-in-law against his -mother." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"That then was the position in the Levison household -on the day of the mysterious tragedy," the Old -Man in the Corner went on presently; "an armed -truce between the two ladies—the lovely Rebecca -sore and defiant, pining to gratify a whim which was -being denied her, and old Mrs. Levison more bitter -than usual against her, owing to Reuben's partisanship. -Egged on by Rebecca, he was furious with his -mother and vowed that he was sick of the family and -meant to cut his stick in order to be free to lead his -own life, and so on. It was all tall-talk, of course, -as he was entirely dependent on his mother, but it -went to show the ugliness of his temper and the -domination which his brother's wife exercised over him. -Aaron, on the other hand, took no part in the quarrel, -but the servants remarked that he was unwontedly -morose all day, and that his wife was very curt and -disagreeable with him. -</p> - -<p> -"Nothing, however, of any importance occurred -during the day until dinner-time, which as usual was -served in the parlour at the back of the shop at seven -o'clock. It seems that as soon as the family sat down -to their meal, there was another violent quarrel on -some subject or other between the two ladies, Rebecca -being hotly backed up by Reuben, and Aaron taking -no part in the discussion; in the midst of the quarrel, -and following certain highly offensive words spoken by -Reuben, old Mrs. Levison got up abruptly from the -table and went upstairs to her own room which was -immediately overhead at the back of the house, next -to the drawing-room, nor did she come downstairs -again that evening. -</p> - -<p> -"At half-past nine the three servants went up to -bed according to the rule of the house. Old -Mrs. Levison, who was a real autocrat in the management -of the household, expected the girls to be down at -six every morning, but they were free to go to bed -as soon as their work was done, and half-past nine -was their usual time. -</p> - -<p> -"Two of the girls slept at the top of the house, and -the housemaid, Ida Griggs by name, who also acted -as a sort of maid to old Mrs. Levison, occupied a -small slip room on the half-landing immediately above -the old lady's bedroom. On the floor above this -there was a large bedroom at the back, and a bathroom -and dressing-room in front, all occupied by -Mr. and Mrs. Aaron, and over that the two maids' room, -and one for Mr. Reuben, and a small spare room in -which Mr. Aaron would sleep now and again when -his wife was likely to be out late and he did not want -to get his night's rest broken by her home-coming, -or if he himself was going to be late home on a holiday -night after one of those country excursions on his -bicycle of which he was immensely fond and in which -he indulged himself from time to time. -</p> - -<p> -"On this fateful Saturday evening Aaron was kept -late in the shop, but he finally went up to bed soon -after ten, after he had seen to all the doors below -being bolted and barred, with the exception of the -front door which had to be left on the latch, Mrs. Aaron -having the latchkey. Thus the house was shut -up and every one in bed by half-past ten. -</p> - -<p> -"In the meanwhile the lovely Rebecca and Reuben -had dressed and gone to the ball. -</p> - -<p> -"The next morning at a little before six, Ida Griggs, -the housemaid, having got up and dressed, prepared -to go downstairs: but when she went to open her -bedroom door she found it locked—locked on the -outside. At first she thought that the other girls were -playing her a silly trick, and, presently hearing the -patter of their feet on the stairs, she pounded against -the door with her fists. It took the others some -time to understand what was amiss, but at last they -did try the lock on the outside, and found that the -key had been turned and that Ida was indeed -locked in. -</p> - -<p> -"They let her out, and then consulted what had -best be done, but for the moment it did not seem to -strike any of the girls that this locking of a door from -the outside had a sinister significance. Anyway, they -all went down into the kitchen and Ida prepared old -Mrs. Levison's early cup of tea. This she had to take -up every morning at half-past six; on this occasion -she went up as usual, knocked at her mistress's door, -and waited to be let in, as the old lady always slept -behind locked doors. But no sound came from within, -though Ida knocked repeatedly and loudly called her -mistress by name. -</p> - -<p> -"Soon she started screaming, and her screams -brought the household together: the two girls came -up from the kitchen, Mr. Aaron came down from the -top floor brandishing a poker, and presently -Mrs. Aaron opened her door and peeped out clad in a -filmy and exquisite nightgown, her eyes still heavy -with sleep, and her beautiful hair streaming down her -back. But of old Mrs. Levison there was no sign. -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Aaron, genuinely alarmed, glued his ear to -the keyhole, but not a sound could he hear. Behind -that locked door absolute silence reigned. Fearing -the worst, he set himself the task of breaking open -the door, which after some effort and the use of a -jemmy, he succeeded in doing: and here the sight that -met his eyes filled his soul with horror, for he saw -his mother lying on the floor of her bedroom in a -pool of blood. -</p> - -<p> -"Evidently an awful crime had been committed. -The unfortunate woman was fully dressed, as she had -been on the evening before; the door of the safe was -open with the key still in the lock, but no other piece -of furniture appeared to be disturbed; the one -window of the room was wide open, and the one door -had been locked on the inside; the other door, the -one which gave on the front drawing-room, being -permanently blocked by a heavy wardrobe; and below -the open window the bunch of creepers against the -wall was all broken and torn, showing plainly the way -that the miscreant had escaped. -</p> - -<p> -"After a few moments of awe-stricken silence Aaron -Levison regained control of himself and at once -telephoned—first for the police and then for the doctor, -but he would not allow anything in the room to be -touched, not even his mother's dead body. -</p> - -<p> -"For this precaution he was highly commended by -the police inspector who presently appeared upon -the scene, accompanied by a constable and the -divisional surgeon; the latter proceeded to examine the -body. He stated that the unfortunate woman had -been attacked from behind, the marks of fingers being -clearly visible round her throat: in her struggle for -freedom she must have fallen backwards and in so -doing struck her head against the corner of the -marble washstand, which caused her death. -</p> - -<p> -"In the meanwhile the inspector had been examining -the premises: he found that the back door which gave -on the yard and the one that gave on the front area -were barred and locked just as Mr. Aaron had left -them before he went up to bed the previous night; -on the other hand the front door was still on the -latch, young Mrs. Levison having apparently failed -to bolt it when she came home from the ball. -</p> - -<p> -"In the backyard the creeper against the wall below -the window of Mrs. Levison's room was certainly -torn, and the miscreant undoubtedly made his escape -that way, but he could not have got up to the window -save with the aid of a ladder, the creeper was too -slender to have supported any man's weight, and the brick -wall of the house offered no kind of foothold even to -a cat. The yard itself was surrounded on every side -by the backyards of contiguous houses, and against -the dividing walls there were clumps of Virginia -creeper and anæmic shrubs such as are usually found -in London backyards. -</p> - -<p> -"Now neither on those walls nor on the creepers -and shrubs was there the slightest trace of a ladder -being dragged across, or even of a man having climbed -the walls or slung a rope over: there was not a twig -of shrub broken or a leaf of creeper disturbed. -</p> - -<p> -"With regard to the safe, it must either have been -open at the time that the murderer attacked Mrs. Levison, -or he had found the key and opened the safe -after he had committed that awful crime. Certainly -the contents did not appear to have been greatly -disturbed, no jewellery or other pledged goods of value -were missing: Mr. Aaron could verify this by his -books, but whether his mother had any money in the -safe he was not in a position to say. -</p> - -<p> -"There was no doubt at first glance the crime did -not seem to have been an ordinary one; whether -robbery had been its motive, or its corollary, only -subsequent investigation would reveal: for the moment the -inspector contented himself with putting a few leading -questions to the various members of the household, and -subsequently questioning the neighbours. The public, -of course, was not to know what the result of these -preliminary investigations was, but the midday papers -were in a position to assert that no one, with perhaps -the exception of Ida Griggs, had seen or heard -anything alarming during the night, and that the most -minute enquiries in the neighbourhood failed to bring -forth the slightest indication of how the murderer -effected an entrance into the house. -</p> - -<p> -"The papers were also able to state that young -Mrs. Levison returned from the ball in the small hours -of the morning, but that Mr. Reuben Levison did not -sleep in the house at all that night. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"Fortunately for me," my eccentric friend went on -glibly, "I was up betimes that morning when the -papers came out with an early account of the mysterious -crime in Bishop's Road. I say fortunately, because, -as you know, mysteries of that sort interest me beyond -everything, and for me there is no theatre in the world -to equal in excitement the preliminary investigations -of a well-conceived and cleverly executed crime. I -should indeed have been bitterly disappointed had -circumstances prevented me from attending that -particular inquest. From the first, one was conscious -of an atmosphere of mystery that hung over the events -of that night in the Bishop's Road household: here -indeed was no ordinary crime; the motive for it was -still obscure, and one instinctively felt that -somewhere in this vast city of London there lurked a -criminal of no mean intelligence who would probably -remain unpunished. -</p> - -<p> -"Even the evidence of the police was not as -uninteresting as it usually is, because it established -beyond a doubt that this was not a case of common -burglary and housebreaking. Certainly the open -window and the torn creeper suggested that the miscreant -had made his escape that way, but how he effected -an entrance into Mrs. Levison's room remained an -unsolved riddle. The absence of any trace of a man's -passage on the surrounding walls of the backyard was -very mysterious, and it was firmly established that -the back door and the area door were secured, barred -and bolted from the inside. A burglar might, of -course, have entered the house by the front door, -which was on the latch, using a skeleton key, but it -still remained inconceivable how he gained access into -Mrs. Levison's room. -</p> - -<p> -"From the first the public had felt that there was -a background of domestic drama behind the seemingly -purposeless crime, for it did appear purposeless, -seeing that so much portable jewellery had been -left untouched in the safe. But it was when Ida -Griggs, the housemaid, stood up in response to her -name being called that one seemed to see the -curtain going up on the first act of a terrible tragedy. -</p> - -<p> -"Griggs was a colourless, youngish woman, with -thin, sallow face, round blue eyes, and thin lips, and -directly she began to speak one felt that underneath -her placid, old-maidish manner there was an -under-current of bitter spite, and even of passion. For -some reason which probably would come to light -later on, she appeared to have conceived a hatred -for Mrs. Aaron; on the other hand she had obviously -been doggedly attached to her late mistress, and in -the evidence she dwelt at length on the quarrels -between the two ladies, especially on the scene of -violence that occurred at the dinner-table on Saturday, -and which culminated in old Mrs. Levison flouncing -out of the room. -</p> - -<p> -"'Mrs. Levison was that upset,' the girl went on, -in answer to a question put to her by the coroner, -'that I thought she was going to be ill, and she says -to me that women like Mrs. Aaron were worse than -—— as they would stick at nothing to get a new gown -or a bit of jewellery. She also says to me——' -</p> - -<p> -"But at this point the coroner checked her flow of -eloquence, as, of course, what the dead woman had -said could not be admitted as evidence. But -nevertheless the impression remained vividly upon the -public that there had been a terrible quarrel between -those two, and of course we all knew that young -Mrs. Levison had been seen at the ball wearing those -five diamond stars; we did not need the sworn -testimony of several witnesses who were called and -interrogated on that point. We knew that Rebecca -Levison had worn the diamond stars at the ball, and -that Police Inspector Blackshire found them on her -dressing-table the morning after the murder. -</p> - -<p> -"Nor did she deny having worn them. At the -inquest she renewed the statement which she had -already made to the police. -</p> - -<p> -"'My brother-in-law, Reuben,' she said, 'was a -great favourite with his mother, and when we were -both of us ready dressed he went into Mrs. Levison's -room to say good-night to her. He cajoled her into -letting me wear the diamond stars that night. In -fact he always could make her do anything he really -wanted, and they parted the best of friends.' -</p> - -<p> -"'At what time did you go to the ball, Mrs. Levison?' -the coroner asked. -</p> - -<p> -"'My brother-in-law,' she replied, 'went out to call -a taxi at half-past nine, and he and I got into it the -moment one drew up.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And Mr. Reuben Levison had been in to say -good-night to his mother just before that?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Yes, about ten minutes before.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And he brought you the stars then,' the coroner -insisted, 'and you put them on before he went out -to call the taxi?' -</p> - -<p> -"For the fraction of a second Rebecca Levison -hesitated, but I do not think that any one in the -audience except myself noted that little fact. Then she -said quite firmly: -</p> - -<p> -"'Yes, Mr. Reuben Levison told me that he had -persuaded his mother to let me wear the stars, he -handed them to me and I put them on.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And that was at half-past nine?' -</p> - -<p> -"Again Rebecca Levison hesitated, this time more -markedly; her face was very pale and she passed her -tongue once or twice across her lips before she gave -answer. -</p> - -<p> -"'At about half-past nine,' she said, quite steadily. -</p> - -<p> -"'And about what time did you come home, Mrs. Levison?' -the coroner asked her blandly. -</p> - -<p> -"'It must have been close on one o'clock,' she -replied. 'The dance was a Cinderella, but we walked -part of the way home.' -</p> - -<p> -"'What! in the rain?' -</p> - -<p> -"'It had ceased raining when we came out of the -town hall.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Mr. Reuben Levison did not accompany you all -the way?' -</p> - -<p> -"'He walked with me across the Park, then he put -me into a taxicab, and I drove home alone. I had -my latchkey.' -</p> - -<p> -"'But you failed to bolt the door after you when -you returned. How was that?' -</p> - -<p> -"'I forgot, I suppose,' the lovely Rebecca replied, -with a defiant air. 'I often forget to bolt the door.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And did you not see or hear anything strange -when you came in?' -</p> - -<p> -"'I heard nothing. I was rather sleepy and went -straight up to my room. I was in bed within ten -minutes of coming in.' -</p> - -<p> -"She was speaking quite firmly now, in a clear -though rather harsh voice: but that she was nervous, -not to say frightened, was very obvious. She had a -handkerchief in her hand, with which she fidgeted -until it was nothing but a small, wet ball, and she -had a habit of standing first on one foot then on the -other, and of shifting the position of her hat. I do -not think that there was a single member of the jury -who did not think that she was lying, and she knew -that they thought so, for now and again her fine dark -eyes would scrutinise their faces and dart glances at -them either of scorn or of anxiety. -</p> - -<p> -"After a while she appeared very tired, and when -pressed by the coroner over some trifling matters, she -broke down and began to cry. After which she was -allowed to stand down, and Mr. Reuben Levison was -called. -</p> - -<p> -"I must say that I took an instinctive dislike to -him as he stood before the jury with a jaunty air of -complete self-possession. He had a keen, yet shifty -eye, and sharp features very like a rodent. To me -it appeared at once that he was reciting a lesson -rather than giving independent evidence. He stated -that he had been present at dinner during the quarrel -between his mother and sister-in-law, and his mother -was certainly very angry at the moment, but later on -he went upstairs to bid her good-night. She cried a -little and said a few hard things, but in the end she -gave way to him as she always did: she opened the -safe, got out the diamond stars and gave them to -him, making him promise to return them the very -first thing in the morning. -</p> - -<p> -"'I told her,' Reuben went on glibly, 'that I would -not be home until the Monday morning. I would see -Rebecca into a taxi after the ball, but I had the -intention of spending a couple of nights and the -intervening Sunday with a pal who had a flat at -Haverstock Hill. I thought then that my mother would -lock the stars up again, however—she was always a -woman of her word—once she had said a thing she -would stick to it—and so as I said she gave me the -stars and Mrs. Aaron wore them that night.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And you handed the stars to Mrs. Aaron at -half-past nine?' -</p> - -<p> -"The coroner asked the question with the same -earnest emphasis which he had displayed when he -put it to young Mrs. Levison. I saw Reuben's shifty -eye flash across at her, and I know that she answered -that flash with a slight drop of her eyelids. Whereupon -he replied as readily as she had done: -</p> - -<p> -"'Yes, sir, it must have been about half-past nine.' -</p> - -<p> -"And I assure you that every intelligent person in -that room must have felt certain that Reuben was -lying just as Rebecca had done before him." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner paused in his narrative. -He drank half a glass of milk, smacked his lips, -and for a few moments appeared intent on examining -one of the complicated knots which he had made in -his bit of string. Then after a while he resumed. -</p> - -<p> -"The one member of the Levison family," he said, -"for whom every one felt sorry was the eldest son -Aaron. Like most men of his race he had been very -fond of his mother, not because of any affection she -may have shown him but just because she was his -mother. He had worked hard for her all his life, and -now through her death he found himself very much -left out in the cold. It seems that by her will the old -lady left all her savings, which, it seems, were considerable, -and a certain share in the business, to Reuben, -whilst to Aaron she only left the business nominally, -with a great many charges on it in the way of pensions -and charitable bequests and whatever was due -to Reuben. -</p> - -<p> -"But here I am digressing, as the matter of the -will was not touched upon until later on, but there -is no doubt that Aaron knew from the first that it -would be Reuben who would primarily benefit by -their mother's death. Nevertheless, he did not speak -bitterly about his brother, and nothing that he said -could be construed into possible suspicion of Reuben. -He looked just a big lump of good nature, splendidly -built, with the shoulders and gait of an athlete, but -with an expression of settled melancholy in his face, -and a dull, rather depressing voice. Seeing him there, -gentle, almost apologetic, trying to explain away -everything that might in any way cast a reflection upon his -wife's conduct, one realised easily enough the man's -position in the family—a kind of good-natured beast -of burden, who would do all the work and never -receive a 'thank you' in return. -</p> - -<p> -"He was not able to throw much light on the horrible -tragedy. He, too, had been at the dinner-table -when the quarrel occurred, but directly after dinner -he had been obliged to return to the shop, it being -Saturday night and business very brisk. He had only -one assistant to help him, who left at nine o'clock, -after putting up the shutters: but he himself remained -in the shop until ten o'clock to put things away and -make up the books. He heard the taxi being called, -and his wife and brother going off to the ball; he was -not quite sure as to when that was, but he dared say -it was somewhere near half-past nine. -</p> - -<p> -"As nothing of special value had been pledged that -day in the course of business, he had no occasion to -go and speak with his mother before going up to -bed and, on the whole he thought that, as she might -still be rather sore and irritable, it would be best not -to disturb her again, he did just knock at her door -and called out 'good-night, mother.' But hearing -no reply he thought she must already have been -asleep. -</p> - -<p> -"In answer to the coroner Aaron Levison further -said that he had slept in the spare room at the top -of the house for some time, as his wife was often very -late coming home, and he did not like to have his -night's rest broken. He had gone up to bed at ten -o'clock and had neither seen nor heard anything in -the house until six o'clock in the morning when the -screams of the maid down below had roused him from -his sleep and made him jump out of bed in -double-quick time. -</p> - -<p> -"Although Aaron's evidence was more or less of a -formal character, and he spoke very quietly without -any show either of swagger or of spite, one could not -help feeling that the elements of drama and of -mystery connected with this remarkable case were rather -accentuated than diminished by what he said. Thus -one was more or less prepared for those further -developments which brought one's excitement and -interest in the case to their highest point. -</p> - -<p> -"Recalled, and pressed by the coroner to try and -memorise every event, however trifling, that occurred -on that Saturday evening, Ida Griggs, the maid, said -that, soon after that she had dropped to sleep, she woke -with the feeling that she had heard some kind of noise, -but what it was she could not define: it might have -been a bang, or a thud, or a scream. At the time she -thought nothing of it, whatever it was, because while -she lay awake for a few minutes afterwards, the house -was absolutely still; but a moment or two later she -certainly heard the window of Mrs. Levison's room -being thrown open. -</p> - -<p> -"'There did not seem to you anything strange in -that?' the coroner asked her. -</p> - -<p> -"'No, sir,' she replied, 'there was nothing funny -in Mrs. Levison opening her window. I remember that -it was raining rather heavily, for I heard the patter -against the window-panes, and Mrs. Levison may have -wanted to look at the weather. I went to sleep -directly after that and thought no more about it.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And you don't know what it was that woke you -in the first instance?' -</p> - -<p> -"'No, sir, I don't,' the girl replied. -</p> - -<p> -"'And you did not happen to glance at the clock at -the moment?' -</p> - -<p> -"'No, sir,' she said, 'I did not switch on the light.' -</p> - -<p> -"But having disposed of that point, Ida Griggs had -yet another to make, and one that proved more -dramatic than anything that had gone before. -</p> - -<p> -"'While I was clearing away the dinner things,' she -said, 'Mr. Reuben and Mrs. Aaron were sitting talking -in the parlour. At half-past eight Mrs. Aaron rang for -me to take up her hot water as she was going to dress. -I took up the water for her and also for Mrs. Levison, -as I always did. I was going to help Mrs. Levison to -undress, but she said she was not going to bed yet as -she had some accounts to go through. She kept me -talking for a bit, then while I was with her there was -a knock at the door and I heard Mr. Reuben asking -if he might come in and say good-night. Mrs. Levison -called out "good-night, my boy," but she would -not let Mr. Reuben come in, and I heard him go -downstairs again. -</p> - -<p> -"'A quarter of an hour or so afterwards Mrs. Levison -dismissed me and I heard her locking her door -after me. I went downstairs on my way to the kitchen: -Mrs. Aaron was in the parlour then, fully dressed -and with her cloak on; and Mr. Reuben was there, too, -talking to her. The door was wide open, and I saw -them both and I heard Mrs. Aaron say quite spiteful -like: "So she would not even see you, the old cat! -She must have felt bad." And Mr. Reuben he laughed -and said: "Oh well, she will have to get over it." Then -they saw me and stopped talking, and soon afterwards -Mr. Reuben went out to call a taxi, and we girls -went up to bed.' -</p> - -<p> -"'It is all a wicked lie!' here broke in a loud, -high-pitched voice, and Mrs. Aaron, trembling with -excitement, jumped to her feet. 'A lie, I say. The woman -is spiteful, and wants to ruin me.' -</p> - -<p> -"The coroner vainly demanded silence, and after a -moment or two of confusion and of passionate -resistance the lovely Rebecca was forcibly led out of the -room. Her husband followed her, looking bigger and -more meek and apologetic than ever before; and Ida -Griggs was left to conclude her evidence in peace. -She reaffirmed all that she had said and swore -positively to the incident just as it had occurred in -Mrs. Levison's room. Asked somewhat sharply by the -coroner why she had said nothing about all this -before, she replied that she did not wish to make -mischief, but that truth was truth, and whoever murdered -her poor mistress must swing for it, and that's all -about it. -</p> - -<p> -"Nor could any cross-examination upset her: she -looked like a spiteful cat, but not like a woman who -was lying. -</p> - -<p> -"Reuben Levison had sat on, serene and jaunty, all -the while that these damaging statements were being -made against him. When he was recalled he contented -himself with flatly denying Ida Griggs's story, -and reiterating his own. -</p> - -<p> -"'The girl is lying,' he said airily, 'why she does -so I don't know, but there was nothing in the world -more unlikely than that my mother should at any -time refuse to see me. Ask any impartial witness you -like,' he went on dramatically, 'they will all tell you -that my mother worshipped me: she was not likely to -quarrel with me over a few bits of jewellery.' -</p> - -<p> -"Of course Mrs. Aaron, when she was recalled, -corroborated Reuben's story. She could not make out -why Ida should tell such lies about her. -</p> - -<p> -"'But there,' she added, with tears in her beautiful -dark eyes, 'the girl always hated me.' -</p> - -<p> -"Yet one more witness was heard that afternoon -whose evidence proved of great interest. This was the -assistant in the shop, Samuel Kutz. He could not -throw much light on the tragedy, because he had not -been out of the shop from six o'clock, when he finished -his tea, to nine, when he put up the shutters and went -away. But he did say that, while he was having his -tea in the back parlour, old Mrs. Levison was helping -in the front shop, and Mr. Reuben was there, too, -doing nothing in particular, as was his custom. When -witness went back to the shop Mrs. Levison went -through into the back parlour, and, as soon as she had -gone, he noticed that she had left her bag on the bureau -behind the counter. Mr. Reuben saw it, too; he picked -up the bag, and said with a laugh: 'I'd best take it -up at once, the old girl don't like leaving this about.' Kutz -told him he thought Mrs. Levison was in the back -parlour, but Mr. Reuben was sure she had since gone -upstairs. -</p> - -<p> -"'Anyway,' concluded witness, 'he took the bag and -went upstairs with it.' -</p> - -<p> -"This may have been a valuable piece of evidence -or it may not," the Old Man in the Corner went on -with a grin, "in view of the tragedy occurring so -much later, it did not appear so at the time. But it -brought in an altogether fresh element of conjecture, -and while the police asked for an adjournment pending -fresh enquiries, the public was left to ponder over -the many puzzles and contradictions that the case -presented. Whichever line of argument one followed, one -quickly came to a dead stop. -</p> - -<p> -"There was, first of all, the question whether Reuben -Levison did cajole his mother into giving him the -diamond stars, or whether he was peremptorily refused -admittance to her room; but this was just a case of -hard swearing between one party and the other, and -here I must admit, that public opinion was inclined to -take Reuben's version of the story. Mrs. Levison's -passionate affection for her younger son was known to -all her friends, and people thought that Ida Griggs -had lied in order to incriminate Mrs. Aaron. -</p> - -<p> -"But in this she entirely failed, and here was the -first dead stop. You will remember that she said that, -after she left Mrs. Levison, she went downstairs and -saw Mrs. Aaron and Mr. Reuben fully dressed in the -back parlour, and that afterward she heard Mr. Reuben -call a taxi: obviously, therefore, Mrs. Aaron -had the diamonds in her possession then, since she was -wearing them at the ball, and it is not conceivable -that either of those two would have gone off in the -taxi, leaving the other to force an entrance into -Mrs. Levison's room, strangle her, and steal the diamonds. -As Mrs. Aaron could not possibly have done all that in -her evening-dress, making her way afterwards from a -first floor window down into the yard by clinging to a -creeper in the pouring rain, the hideous task must have -devolved on Reuben, and even the police, wildly in -search of a criminal, could not put the theory forward -that a man would murder his mother in order that -his sister-in-law might wear a few diamond stars at a -ball. -</p> - -<p> -"It was, in fact, the motive of the crime that seemed -so utterly inadequate, and therefore public argument -fell back on the theory that Reuben had stolen the -diamond stars just before dinner after he had found -his mother's handbag in the shop, and that the -subsequent murder was the result of ordinary burglary, the -miscreant having during the night entered Mrs. Levison's -room by the window while she was asleep. It -was suggested that he had found the key of the safe -by the bedside and was in the act of ransacking the -place when Mrs. Levison woke, and the inevitable -struggle ensued resulting in the old lady's death. The -chief argument, however, against this theory was the -fact that the unfortunate woman was still dressed when -she was attacked, and no one who knew her for the -careful, thrifty woman she was could conceive that she -would go fast asleep leaving the safe door wide open. -This, coupled with the fact that not the slightest trace -could be found anywhere in the backyard of the house, -or the adjoining yards and walls of the passage, of a -miscreant armed with a ladder, constituted another -dead stop on the road of public conjecture. -</p> - -<p> -"Finally, when at the adjourned inquest Reuben -Levison was able to bring forward more than one -witness who could swear that he arrived at the ball at -the Kensington Town Hall in the company of his -sister-in-law somewhere about ten o'clock, and others who -spoke to him from time to time during the evening, -it seemed clear that he, at any rate, was innocent of -the murder. Mr. Aaron had not gone up to bed until -ten o'clock, and, if Reuben had planned to return and -murder his mother, he could only have done so at a -later hour, when he was seen by several people at the -Kensington Town Hall. -</p> - -<p> -"Subsequently the jury returned an open verdict -and that abominable crime has remained unpunished -until now. Though it appeared so simple and crude -at first, it proved a terribly hard nut for the police to -crack. We may say that they never did crack it. -They are absolutely convinced that Reuben Levison -and Mrs. Aaron planned to murder the old lady, but -how they did it, no one has been able to establish. As -for proofs of their guilt, there are none and never will -be, for though they are perhaps a pair of rascals, they -are not criminals. It is not they who murdered -Mrs. Levison." -</p> - -<p> -"You think it was Ida Griggs?" I put in quickly, as -the Old Man in the Corner momentarily ceased talking. -</p> - -<p> -"Ah!" he retorted, with his funny, dry cackle, "you -favour that theory, do you?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, I do not," I replied. "But I don't see——" -</p> - -<p> -"It is a foolish theory," he went on, "not only -because there was absolutely no reason why Ida Griggs -should kill her mistress—she did not rob her, nor had -she anything to gain by Mrs. Levison's death—but as -she was neither a cat, nor a night moth, she could -not possibly have ascended from a first floor window -to another window on the half-landing above, and -entered her own room that way, for we must not lose -sight of the fact that her bedroom door was the next -morning found locked on the outside, and the key left -in the lock." -</p> - -<p> -"Then," I argued, "it must have been a case of -ordinary burglary." -</p> - -<p> -"That has been proved impossible," he riposted—"proved -to the hilt. No man could have climbed up -the wall of the house without a ladder, and no man -could have brought a ladder into that backyard -without leaving some trace of his passage, however slight: -against the walls, around the yard, there were -creepers and shrubs—it would be impossible to drag a -heavy ladder over those walls without breaking some -of them." -</p> - -<p> -"But some one killed old Mrs. Levison," I went on -with some exasperation—"she did not strangle herself -with her own fingers." -</p> - -<p> -"No, she did not do that," he admitted, with a dry -laugh. -</p> - -<p> -"And if the murderer escaped through the window, -he could not vanish into thin air." -</p> - -<p> -"No," he admitted again, "he could not do that." -</p> - -<p> -"Well then?" I retorted. -</p> - -<p> -"Well then, the murder must have been committed -by one of the inmates of the house," he said; and now -I knew that I was on the point of hearing the solution -of the mystery of the five diamond stars, because -his thin, claw-like fingers were working with feverish -rapidity upon his beloved bit of string. -</p> - -<p> -"But neither Mrs. Aaron," I argued, "nor Reuben -Levison——" -</p> - -<p> -"Neither," he broke in decisively. "We all know -that. It was not conceivable that a woman could -commit such a murder, nor that Reuben would kill his -mother in order to gratify his sister-in-law's whim. -That, of course, was nonsense, and every proof, both -of time and circumstance, both of motive and -opportunity, was entirely in their favour. No. We must -look for a deeper motive for the hideous crime, a -stronger determination, and above all a more powerful -physique and easier opportunity for carrying the plot -through. Personally, I do not believe that there was -a plot to murder; on the other hand, I do believe in -the man who idolised his young wife, and had -witnessed a deadly quarrel between her and his mother, -and I do believe in his going presently to the latter in -order to try to soothe her anger against the woman he -loved." -</p> - -<p> -"You mean," I gasped, incredulous and scornful, -"that it was Aaron Levison?" -</p> - -<p> -"Of course I mean that," he replied placidly. "And -if you think over all the circumstances of the case you -will readily agree with me. We know that Aaron -Levison loved and admired his wife; we know that he was -very athletic, and altogether an outdoor man. Bear -these two facts in mind, and let your thoughts follow -the man after the terrible quarrel at the dinner-table. -</p> - -<p> -"For a while he is busy in the shop, probably -brooding over his mother's anger and the unpleasant -consequences it might have for the lovely Rebecca. But -presently he goes upstairs determined to speak with -his mother, to plead with her. Dreading that Ida -Griggs, with the habit of her kind, might sneak out -of her room, and perhaps glue her ear to the keyhole, -he turns the key in the lock of the girl's bedroom door. -He knows that the interview with his mother will be -unpleasant, that hard words will be spoken against -Rebecca, and these he does not wish Ida Griggs to -hear. -</p> - -<p> -"Then he knocks at his mother's door, and asks -admittance on the pretext that he has something of value -to remit to her for keeping in her safe. She would -have no reason to refuse. He goes in, talks to his -mother; she does not mince her words. By now she -knows the diamond stars have been extracted from the -safe, stolen by her beloved Reuben for the adornment -of the hated daughter-in-law. -</p> - -<p> -"Can't you see those two arguing over the woman -whom the man loves and whom the older woman -hates? Can't you see the latter using words which -outrage the husband's pride and rouses his wrath till it -gets beyond his control? Can't you see him in an -access of unreasoning passion gripping his mother by the -throat, to smother the insults hurled at his wife?—and -can you see the old woman losing her balance, and -hitting her head against the corner of the marble -wash-stand and falling—falling—whilst the son gazes down, -frantic and horror-struck at what he has done? -</p> - -<p> -"Then the instinct of self-preservation is roused. -Oh, the man was cleverer than he was given credit for! -He remembers with satisfaction locking Ida Griggs's -door from the outside; and now to give the horrible -accident the appearance of ordinary burglary! He -locks his mother's door on the inside, switches out the -light, then throws open the window. For a youngish -man who is active and athletic the drop from a first -floor window, with the aid of a creeper on the wall, -presents but little difficulty, and when a man is faced -with a deadly peril, minor dangers do not deter him. -</p> - -<p> -"Fortunately, everything has occurred before he has -bolted and barred the downstairs door for the night. -This, of course, greatly facilitates matters. He lets -himself down through the window, jumps down into -the yard, lets himself into the house through the back -door, then closes up everything, and quietly goes -upstairs to bed. -</p> - -<p> -"There has not been much noise, even his mother's -fall was practically soundless, and—poor thing!—she -had not the time to scream; the only sound was the -opening of the window; it certainly would not bring -Ida Griggs out of her bed—girls of her class are more -likely to smother their heads under their bedclothes if -any alarming noise is heard. And so the unfortunate -man is able to sneak up to his room unseen and unheard. -</p> - -<p> -"Whoever would dream of casting suspicion on him? -</p> - -<p> -"He was never mixed up in any quarrel with his -mother, and he had nothing much to gain by her death. -At the inquest every one was sorry for him; but I could -not repress a feeling of admiration for the coolness and -cleverness with which he obliterated every trace of his -crime. I imagine him carefully wiping his boots -before he went upstairs, and brushing and folding up -his clothes before he went to bed. Cannot you? -</p> - -<p> -"A clever criminal, what?" the whimsical creature -concluded, as he put his piece of string in the pocket -of his funny tweed coat. "Think of it—you will see -that I am right. As you say, Mrs. Levison did not -strangle herself, and a burglar from the outside could -not have vanished into thin air." -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap06"></a></p> - -<h3> -VI -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE DOG'S TOOTH CLIFF -</h3> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner was more than -usually loquacious that day: he had a great -deal to say on the subject of the strictures -which a learned judge levelled against the police in a -recent murder case. -</p> - -<p> -"Well deserved," he concluded, with his usual -self-opinionated emphasis, "but not more so in this case -than in many others, where blunder after blunder is -committed and the time of the courts wasted without -either judge or magistrate, let alone the police, -knowing where the hitch lies." -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, <i>you</i> always know," I remarked dryly. -</p> - -<p> -"Nearly always," he replied, with ludicrous -self-complacence. "Have I not proved to you over and -over again that with a little reasonable common-sense -and a minimum of logic there is no such thing as an -impenetrable mystery in criminology. Criminology is -an exact science to which certain rules of reasoning -invariably apply. The trouble is that so few are masters -of logic and that fewer still know how to apply its -rules. Now take the case of that poor girl, Janet -Smith. We are likely to see some startling developments -in it within the next two or three days. You'll -see if we don't, and they will open the eyes of the -police and public alike to what has been clear as -daylight to me ever since the first day of the inquest." -</p> - -<p> -I hastened to assure the whimsical creature that -though I was acquainted with the main circumstances -of the tragedy, I was very vague as to detail, and -that nothing would give me greater pleasure than that -he should enlighten my mind on the subject—which he -immediately proceeded to do. -</p> - -<p> -"You know Broxmouth, don't you?" he began, after -a while—"on the Wessex coast. It is a growing place, -for the scenery is superb, and the air acts on jaded -spirits like sparkling wine. The only drawback—that -is, from an artistic point of view—to the place is that -hideous barrack-like building on the West Cliff. It is -a huge industrial school recently erected and endowed -by the trustees of the Woodforde bequest for the benefit -of sons of temporary officers killed in the war, and -is under the presidency of no less a personage than -General Sir Arkwright Jones, who has a whole alphabet -after his name. -</p> - -<p> -"The building is certainly an eyesore, and before it -came into being, Broxmouth was a real beauty spot. -If you have ever been there, you will remember that -fine walk along the edge of the cliffs, at the end of -which there is a wonderful view as far as the towers of -Barchester Cathedral. It is called the Lovers' Walk, -and is patronised by all the young people in the -neighbourhood. They find it romantic as well as exhilarating: -the objective is usually Kurtmoor, where there are -one or two fine hotels for plutocrats in search of rural -surroundings, and where humble folk like you and I -and the aforesaid lovers can get an excellent cup of tea -at the Wheatsheaf in the main village street. -</p> - -<p> -"But it is a daylight walk, for the path is narrow -and in places the cliffs fall away, sheer and precipitous, -to the water's edge, whilst loose bits of rock have an -unpleasant trick of giving way under one's feet. If -you were to consult one of the Broxmouth gaffers on -the advisability of taking a midnight walk to Kurtmoor, -he would most certainly shake his head and tell -you to wait till the next day and take your walk in -the morning. Accidents have happened there more -than once, though Broxmouth holds its tongue about -that. Rash pedestrians have lost their footing and -tumbled down the side of the cliff before now, almost -always with fatal results. -</p> - -<p> -"And so, when a couple of small boys hunting for -mussels at low tide in the early morning of May fifth -last, saw the body of a woman lying inanimate upon -the rocks at the foot of the cliffs, and reported their -discovery to the police, every one began by concluding -that nothing but an accident had occurred, and went -on to abuse the town Council for not putting up along -the more dangerous portions of the Lovers' Walk some -sort of barrier as a protection to unwary pedestrians. -</p> - -<p> -"Later on, when the body was identified as that of -Miss Janet Smith, a well-known resident of Broxmouth, -public indignation waxed high: the barrier along the -edge of the Lovers' Walk became the burning question -of the hour. But during the whole of that day the -'accident' theory was never disputed; it was only -towards evening that whispers of 'suicide' began to -circulate, to be soon followed by the more ominous ones -of 'murder.' -</p> - -<p> -"And the next morning Broxmouth had the thrill -of its life when it became known throughout the town -that Captain Franklin Marston had been detained in -connection with the finding of the body of Janet Smith, -and that he would appear that day before the magistrate -on a charge of murder. -</p> - -<p> -"Properly to appreciate the significance of such an -announcement, it would be necessary to be oneself a -resident of Broxmouth where the Woodforde Institute, -its affairs and its personnel are, as it were, the be-all -and end-all of all the gossip in the neighbourhood. To -begin with the deceased was head matron of the institute, -and the man now accused of the foul crime of -having murdered her was its secretary; moreover the -secretary and the pretty young matron were known -to be very much in love with one another, and, as a -matter of fact, Broxmouth had of late been looking -forward to a very interesting wedding. The idea of -Captain Marston—who by the way was very good-looking, -very smart, and a splendid tennis player—being -accused of murdering his sweetheart was in itself -so preposterous, so impossible, that his numerous -friends and many admirers were aghast and incredulous. -'There is some villainous plot here somewhere,' -the ladies averred, and wanted to know what Major -Gubbins's attitude was going to be under these tragic -circumstances. -</p> - -<p> -"Major Gubbins, if you remember, was headmaster -of the school, and, what's more, he, too, had been very -much in love with Janet Smith, but it appeared that his -friendship with Captain Marston had prompted him to -stand aside as soon as he realised which way the girl's -affections lay. Major Gubbins was not so popular as -the Captain, he was inclined to be off-hand and -disagreeable, so the ladies said, and, moreover, he did not -play tennis, and, with the sublime inconsequence of -your charming sex, they seemed to connect these defects -with the terrible accusation which was now weighing -upon the Major's successful rival. -</p> - -<p> -"The executive of the institute consisted, in addition -to the three persons I have named, of its president, -General Sir Arkwright Jones, who, it seems, took little -if any interest in the concern. It seemed as if, by -giving it the prestige of his name, he had done all that -he intended for the furtherance of the institute's -welfare. Then there were the governors, a number of -amiable local gentlemen and ladies who played tennis -all day and attended innumerable tea-parties, and knew -as much about administering a big concern as a terrier -does of rabbit-rearing. -</p> - -<p> -"In the midst of this official supineness, the murder -of the young matron, followed immediately by the -arrest of the secretary, had come as a bombshell, and -now wise heads began to wag and ominous murmurs -became current that for some time past there had been -something very wrong in the management of the Woodforde -Institute. Whilst, at the call of various august -personages, money was pouring in from the benevolent -public, the commissariat was being conducted on -parsimonious lines that were a positive scandal. The -boys were shockingly underfed, and the staff of servants -was constantly being changed because girls would -not remain on what they called a starvation régime. -</p> - -<p> -"Then again, no proper accounts had been kept since -the inception of the Institute five years ago; entries -were spasmodic, irregular and unreliable; books were -never audited; no one, apparently, had the slightest -idea of profit and loss or of balances; no one knew -from week to week where the salaries and wages were -coming from, or from quarter to quarter if there would -be funds enough to meet rates and taxes; no one, in -fact, appeared to know anything about the affairs of -the Institute, least of all the secretary himself, who -had often remarked quite jocularly that he had never -in all his life known anything about book-keeping, and -that his appointment by the governors rested upon his -agreeable personality rather than upon his financial -and administrative ability. -</p> - -<p> -"As you see, the Captain's position was, in consequence -of this, a very serious one; it became still more -so when presently two or three ominous facts came -to light. To begin with, it seemed that he could give -absolutely no account of himself during the greater -part of the night of May fifth. He had left the -Institute at about seven o'clock; he told the headmaster -then that he was going for a walk which seemed strange -as it was pouring with rain. On the other hand the -landlady at the room where he lodged told the police -that when she herself went to bed at eleven o'clock, the -Captain had not come in: she hadn't seen him since -morning, when he went to his work, and at what time -he eventually came home she couldn't say. -</p> - -<p> -"But there was worse to come: firstly, a stick was -found on the beach some thirty yards or less from -the spot where the body itself was discovered; and -secondly, the police produced a few strands of wool -which were, it seems, clinging to the poor girl's hatpin, -and which presumably were torn out of a muffler during -the brief struggle which must have occurred when she -was first attacked and before she lost her footing and -fell down the side of the cliff. -</p> - -<p> -"Now the stick was identified as the property of -Captain Marston, and he had been seen on the road -with it in his hand in the early part of the evening. -He was then walking alone on the Lovers' Walk; two -Broxmouth visitors met him on their way back from -Kurtmoor. Knowing him by sight, they passed the -time of day. These witnesses, however, were quite sure -that Captain Marston was not then wearing a muffler, -on the other hand they were equally sure that he -carried the stick; they had noticed it as a very unusual -one, of what is known as Javanese snake-wood with a -round heavy knob and leather strap which the Captain -carried slung upon his arm. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, the matter interested me enormously; it -is not often that a person of the social and intellectual -calibre of Captain Marston stands accused of so foul -a crime. If he was guilty, then indeed, he was one of -the vilest criminals that ever defaced God's earth, and -in the annals of crime there were few crimes more -hideous. The poor girl, it seems, had been in love -with him right up to the end and, according to some -well-informed gossips, the wedding-day had actually -been fixed. -</p> - -<p> -"The unsuccessful rival, Major Gubbins, too, was -an interesting personality, and it was difficult to -suppose that he was entirely ignorant of the events which -must of necessity have led up to the crime. Supposedly -there had been a quarrel between the lovers; -sundry rumours were current as to this and in a vague -way those rumours connected this quarrel with the -shaky financial situation of the Institute. But it was -all mere surmise and very contradictory; no one could -easily state what possible connection there could be -between the affairs of the Institute and the murder -of the chief matron. -</p> - -<p> -"In the meanwhile the accused had been brought up -before the magistrate, and formal evidence of the -finding of the body and of the arrest was given, as well -as of the subsequent discovery of the stick, which was -identified by the two witnesses, and of the strands of -wool. The accused was remanded until the following -Monday, bail being refused. The inquest was held a -day or two later, and I went down to Broxmouth for it. -I remember how hot it was in that crowded court-room; -excited and perspiring humanity filled the stuffy -atmosphere with heat. While the crowd jabbered and -fidgeted I had a good look at the chief personages -who were about to enact a thrilling drama for my -entertainment; you have seen portraits of them all in -the illustrated papers, the British army being well -represented by a trio of as fine specimens of manhood -as any one would wish to see. -</p> - -<p> -"The President, General Arkwright Jones, was there -as a matter of course. He looked worried and -annoyed that the even tenor of his pleasant existence -should have been disturbed by this tiresome event; -he is the regular type of British pre-war officer with -ruddy face and white hair, something like a nice ripe -tomato that has been packed in cotton wool. Then -there was the headmaster, Major Gubbins, well-groomed, -impassive, immaculate in dress and bearing; -and finally the accused himself, in charge of two -warders, a fine-looking man, obviously more of a -soldier and an athlete than a clerk immersed in figures. -</p> - -<p> -"Two other persons in the crowded room arrested -my attention: two women. One of them dressed in -deep black, thin lipped, with pale round eyes and -pursed-up mouth was Miss Amelia Smith, the sister -with whom the deceased had been living, and the other -was Louisa Rumble who held the position of housekeeper -at the Woodforde Institute. The latter was -one of the first witnesses called: and her evidence was -intensely interesting because it gave one the first clue -as to the motive which underlay the hideous crime. -The woman's testimony, you must know, bore entirely -on the question of housekeeping and of the -extraordinary scarcity of money in the richly-endowed -Institute. -</p> - -<p> -"'Often and often,' said the witness, a motherly old -soul in a flamboyant bonnet, 'did I complain to Miss -Smith when she give me my weekly allowance for the -tradesmen's books: "'Tisn't enough, Miss Smith," I -says to 'er, "not to feed a family," I says, "let alone -thirty growin' boys and 'arf a dozen working girls." But -Miss Smith she just shook 'er 'ead and says: -"Committee's orders, Mrs. Rumble, I 'ave no power." "Why -don't you speak to the Captain?" I says to 'er, -"'e 'as the 'andling of the money, it is a scandal," I -says. "Those boys can't live on boiled bacon an' -beans and not English nor Irish bacon it ain't neither," -I says. "Pore lambs! The money I 'ave won't pay for -beef or mutton for them, Miss Smith," I says, "and -you know it." But Miss Smith, she only shook 'er -'ead and says she would speak to the Captain about it.' -</p> - -<p> -"Asked whether she knew if deceased had actually -spoken to the secretary on the subject, Mrs. Rumble -said most emphatically 'Yes!' -</p> - -<p> -"'What's more, sir,' she went on, 'I can tell you -that the very day before she died, the pore lamb 'ad a -reg'lar tiff with the Captain about that there -commissariat.' -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Rumble had stumbled a little over the word, -but strangely enough no one tittered; the importance -of the old woman's testimony was impressed upon every -mind and silenced every tongue. All eyes were turned -in the direction of the accused. He had flushed to the -roots of his hair, but otherwise stood quite still, with -arms folded, and a dull expression of hopelessness upon -his good-looking face. -</p> - -<p> -"The coroner had asked the witness how she knew -that Miss Smith had had words with Captain Marston: -'Because I 'eard them two 'aving words, sir,' -Mrs. Rumble replied. 'I'd been in the office to get my -money and my orders from Miss Smith, and we 'ad -the usual talk about American bacon and boiled beans, -with which I don't 'old, not for growing boys; then -back I went to the kitchen, when I remembered I 'ad -forgot to speak to Miss Smith about the scullery-maid, -who'd been saucy and given notice. So up I went again, -and I was just a-goin' to open the office door when I -'eard Miss Smith say quite loud and distinck: "It is -shameful," she says, "and I can't bear it," she says, -"and if you won't speak to the General then I will. -He is staying at the Queen's at Kurtmoor, I understand," -she says, "and I am goin' this very night to -speak with him," she says, "as I can't spend another -night," she says, "with this on my mind." Then I -give a genteel cough and...' -</p> - -<p> -"The worthy lady had got thus far in her story when -her volubility was suddenly checked by a violent -expletive from the accused. -</p> - -<p> -"'But this is damnable!' he cried, and no doubt -would have said a lot more, but a touch on his shoulder -from the warders behind him quickly recalled him to -himself. He once more took up his outwardly calm -attitude, and Mrs. Rumble concluded her evidence -amidst silence more ominous than any riotous scene -would have been. -</p> - -<p> -"'I give a genteel cough,' she resumed with unruffled -dignity, 'and opened the door. Miss Smith, she was -all flushed and I could see that she'd been crying; but -the Captain; 'e just walked out of the room, and didn't -say not another word.' -</p> - -<p> -"By this time," the Old Man in the Corner went -on dryly, "we must suppose that the amateur detectives -and the large body of unintelligent public felt -that they were being cheated. Never had there been -so simple a case. Here, with the testimony of -Mrs. Rumble, was the whole thing clear as daylight—motive, -quarrel, means, everything was there already. No -chance of exercising those powers of deduction so -laboriously acquired by a systematic study of detective -fiction. Had it not been for the position of the -accused and his popularity in Broxmouth society, all -interest in the case would have departed in the wake -of Mrs. Rumble, and at first, when Miss Amelia Smith, -sister of the deceased, was called, her appearance only -roused languid curiosity. Miss Amelia looked what, -in fact, she was: a retired school marm, and wore the -regular hallmark of impecunious and somewhat soured -spinsterhood. -</p> - -<p> -"'Janet often told me,' she said, in the course of her -evidence, 'that she was quite sure there was roguery -going on in the affairs of the Institute, because she -knew for a fact that subscriptions were constantly -pouring in from the public, far in excess of what was -being spent for the welfare of the boys. I often used -to urge her to go straight to the governors or even to -the President himself about the whole matter, but she -would always give the same disheartened reply. -General Arkwright Jones, it seems, had made it a -condition when he accepted the presidency that he was never -to be worried about the administration of the place, -and he refused to have anything to do with the handling -of the subscriptions; as for the governors, my poor -sister declared that they cared more for tennis parties -than for the welfare of a lot of poor officers' children.' -</p> - -<p> -"But a moment or two later we realised that Miss -Amelia Smith was keeping her titbit of evidence until -the end. It seems that she had not even spoken about -it to the police, determined as she was, no doubt, to -create a sensation for once in her monotonous and -dreary life. So now she pursed up her lips tighter -than before, and after a moment's dramatic silence, she -said: -</p> - -<p> -"'The day before her death, my poor sister was very -depressed. In the late afternoon, when she came in -for tea, I could see that she had been crying. I -guessed, of course, what was troubling her, but I didn't -say much. Captain Franklin Marston was in the habit -of calling for Janet in the evening, and they would -go for a walk together; at eight o'clock on that sad -evening I asked her whether Captain Marston was -coming as usual; whereupon she became quite excited, -and said: "No, no, I don't wish to see him!" and -after a while she added in a voice choked with tears: -"Never again!" -</p> - -<p> -"'About a quarter of an hour later,' Miss Amelia -went on, 'Janet suddenly took up her hat and coat. I -asked her where she was going, and she said to me: "I -don't know, but I must put an end to all this. I must -know one way or the other." I tried to question her -further, but she was in an obstinate mood; when I -remarked that it was raining hard she said: "That's all -right, the rain will do me good." And when I asked -her whether she wasn't going to meet Captain Marston -after all, she just gave me a look, but she made no -reply. And so my poor sister went out into the -darkness and the rain, and I never again saw her alive.' -</p> - -<p> -"Miss Amelia paused just long enough to give true -dramatic value to her statement, and indeed there -was nothing lukewarm now about the interest which -she aroused; then she continued: -</p> - -<p> -"'As the clock was striking nine I was surprised to -receive a visit from the headmaster, Major Gubbins. -He came with a message from Captain Marston to my -sister; I told him that Janet had gone out. He -appeared vexed, and told me that the Captain would be -terribly disappointed.' -</p> - -<p> -"'What was this message?' the coroner asked, -amidst breathless silence. -</p> - -<p> -"'That Janet would please meet Captain Marston -at the Dog's Tooth Cliff. He would wait for her there -until nine o'clock.'" -</p> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner gave a short, sharp -laugh, and with loving eyes contemplated his bit of -string, in which he had just woven an elegant and -complicated knot. Then he said: -</p> - -<p> -"Now it was at the foot of the Dog's Tooth Cliff -that the dead body of Janet Smith was found and -some thirty yards further on the stick which had last -been seen in the hand of Captain Franklin Marston. -Nervous women gave a gasp, and scarcely dared to -look at the accused, for fear, no doubt, that they would -see the hangman's rope around his neck, but I took -a good look at him then. He had uttered a loud groan -and buried his face in his hands, and I, with that -unerring intuition on which I pride myself, knew that he -was acting. Yes, deliberately acting a part—the part -of shame and despair. You, no doubt, would ask me -why he should have done this. Well, you shall understand -presently. For the moment, and to all unthinking -spectators, the attitude of despair on the part of -the accused appeared fully justified. -</p> - -<p> -"Later on we heard the evidence of Major Gubbins -himself. He said that about seven o'clock he met -Captain Marston in the hall of the Institute. -</p> - -<p> -"'He appeared flushed and agitated,' the witness -went on, very reluctantly it seemed, but in answer to -pressing questions put to him by the coroner, 'and told -me he was going for a walk. When I remarked that -it was raining hard, he retorted that the rain would do -him good. He didn't say where he was going, but -presently he put his hand on my shoulder and said in a -tone of pleading and affection which I shall never -forget: "Old man," he said, "I want you to do something -for me. Tell Janet that I must see her again to-night; -beg her not to deny me. I will meet her at our usual -place on the Dog's Tooth Cliff. Tell her I will wait -for her there until nine o'clock, whatever the weather. -But she must come. Tell her she must." -</p> - -<p> -"'Unfortunately,' the Major continued, 'I was unable -to deliver the message immediately, as I had work to -do in my office which kept me till close on nine o'clock. -Then I hurried down to the Smiths' house, and just -missed Miss Janet who, it seems, had already gone -out.' -</p> - -<p> -"Asked why he had not spoken about this before, the -Major replied that he did not intend to give evidence -at all unless he was absolutely forced to do so, as a -matter of duty. Captain Marston was his friend, and -he did not think that any man was called upon to give -what might prove damnatory evidence against his -friend. -</p> - -<p> -"All this sounded very nice and very loyal until we -learned that William Peryer, batman at the Institute, -testified to having overheard violent words between the -headmaster and the secretary at the very same hour -when the latter was supposed to have made so pathetic -an appeal to his friend to deliver a message on his -behalf. Peryer swore that the two men were quarrelling -and quarrelling bitterly. The words he overheard -were: 'You villain! You shall pay for this!' But he -was so upset and so frightened that he could not -state positively which of the two gentlemen had spoken -them, but he was inclined to think that it was Major -Gubbins. -</p> - -<p> -"And so the tangle grew, a tangled web that was -dexterously being woven around the secretary of the -Institute. The two Broxmouth visitors were recalled, -and they once more swore positively to having met -Captain Marston on the Lovers' Walk at about eight -o'clock of that fateful evening. They spoke to him -and they noticed the stick which he was carrying. -They were on their way home from Kurtmoor, and -they met the Captain some two hundred yards or so -before they came to the Dog's Tooth Cliff. Of this -they were both quite positive. The lady remembered -coming to the cliff a few minutes later: she was -nervous in the dark and therefore the details of the -incident impressed themselves upon her memory. -Subsequently when they were nearing home they met a lady -who might or might not have been the deceased; they -did not know her by sight and the person they met -had her hat pulled down over her eyes and the collar -of her coat up to her ears. It was raining hard then, -and they themselves were hurrying along and paid no -attention to passers-by. -</p> - -<p> -"We also heard that at about nine o'clock James -Hoggs and his wife, who live in a cottage not very far -from the Dog's Tooth Cliff, heard a terrifying scream. -They were just going to bed and closing up for the -night. Hoggs had the front door open at the moment -and was looking at the weather. It was raining, but -nevertheless he picked up his hat and ran out toward -the cliff. A moment or two later he came up against -a man whom he hailed; it was very dark, but he -noticed that the man was engaged in wrapping a muffler -round his neck. He asked him whether he had heard -a scream, but the man said: 'No, I've not!' then -hurried quickly out of sight. As Hoggs heard nothing -more, or saw anything, he thought that perhaps, after -all, he and his missis had been mistaken, so he turned -back home and went to bed. -</p> - -<p> -"I think," the Old Man in the Corner continued -thoughtfully, "that I have now put before you all -the most salient points in the chain of evidence -collected by the police against the accused. There were -not many faulty links in the chain, you will admit. -The motive for the hideous crime was clear enough: -for there was the fraudulent secretary and the unfortunate -girl who had suspected the defalcations and was -threatening to go and denounce her lover either to the -President of the Institute or to the governors. And -the method was equally clear: the meeting in the dark -and the rain on the lonely cliff, the muffler quickly -thrown around the victim's mouth to smother her -screams, the blow with the stick, the push over the -edge of the cliff. The stick stood up as an incontestable -piece of evidence. The absence from home of the -accused during the greater part of that night had been -testified by his landlady, whilst his presence on the -scene of the crime some time during the evening was -not disputed. -</p> - -<p> -"As a matter of fact, the only points in the man's -favour were the strands of wool found sticking to the -girl's hatpin, and Hoggs's story of the man whom he -had seen in the dark, engaged in readjusting a muffler -around his neck. Unfortunately Hoggs, when more -closely questioned on that subject, became incoherent -and confused, as men of his class are apt to do when -pinned down to a definite statement. -</p> - -<p> -"Anyway, the accused was committed for trial on the -coroner's warrant, and, of course, reserved his defence. -You probably, like the rest of the public, kept up a -certain amount of interest in the Cliff murder, as it -was popularly called, for a time, and then allowed -your mind to dwell on other matters and forgot poor -Captain Franklin Marston who was languishing in -gaol under such a horrible accusation. Subsequently -your interest in him revived when he was brought up -for trial the other day at the Barchester Assizes. In -the meanwhile he had secured the services of Messrs. Charnton -and Inglewood, the noted solicitors, who had -engaged Mr. Provost Boon, K.C., to defend their -client. -</p> - -<p> -"You know as well as I do what happened at the -trial, and how Mr. Boon turned the witnesses for the -Crown inside out and round about until they contradicted -themselves and one another all along the line. -The defence was conducted in a masterly fashion. To -begin with, the worthy housekeeper, Mrs. Rumble, -after a stiff cross-examination, which lasted nearly an -hour, was forced to admit that she could not swear -positively to the exact words which she overheard -between the deceased and Captain Marston. All that she -could swear to was that the Captain and his sweetheart -had apparently had a tiff. Then, as to Miss Amelia -Smith's evidence; it also merely went to prove that -the lovers had had a quarrel; there was nothing whatever -to say that it was on the subject of finance, nor -that deceased had any intention either of speaking to -the President about it or of handing in her resignation -to the governors. -</p> - -<p> -"Next came the question of Major Gubbins's story -of the message which he had been asked by his friend -to deliver to the deceased. Now accused flatly denied -that story, and denied it on oath. The whole thing, he -declared, was a fabrication on the part of the Major -who, far from being his friend, was his bitter enemy -and unsuccessful rival. In support of this theory -William Peryer's evidence was cited as conclusive. He -had heard the two men quarrelling at the very moment -when accused was alleged to have made a pathetic -appeal to his friend. Peryer had heard one of them say -to the other: 'You villain! You shall pay for this!' And -in very truth, the unfortunate Captain was paying -for it, in humiliation and racking anxiety. -</p> - -<p> -"Then there came the great, the vital question of the -stick and of the strands of wool so obviously torn out -of a muffler. With regard to the stick, the accused had -stated that in the course of his walk he had caught -his foot against a stone and stumbled, and that the -stick had fallen out of his hand and over the edge of -the cliff. Now this statement was certainly borne out -by the fact that, as eminent counsel reminded the jury, -the stick was found more than thirty yards away from -the body. As for the muffler, it was a graver point -still; strands of wool were found sticking to the girl's -hatpin, and James Hoggs, after hearing a scream at -nine o'clock that evening, ran out towards the cliff and -came across a man who was engaged in readjusting a -muffler round his throat. That was incontestable. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, Mr. Boon argued, it was easy enough -to upset a witness of the type of James Hoggs, but an -English jury's duty was not to fasten guilt on the first -man who happens to be handy, but to see justice meted -out to innocent and guilty alike. The evidence of the -muffler, argued the eminent counsel, was proof positive -of the innocence of the accused. The witnesses who -saw him in the Lovers' Walk on that fateful night had -declared most emphatically that he was not wearing -a muffler. Then where was the man with the muffler? -Where was the man who was within a few yards of -the scene of the crime five minutes after James Hoggs -had heard the scream—the man who had denied hearing -the scream although both Hoggs and his wife heard -it over a quarter of a mile away? -</p> - -<p> -"'Yes, gentlemen of the jury,' the eminent counsel -concluded with a dramatic gesture, 'it is the man with -the muffler who murdered the unfortunate girl. If he -is innocent why is he not here to give evidence? There -are no side tracks that lead to the cliffs at this point, -so the man with the muffler must have seen something -or some one; he must know something that would be -of invaluable assistance in the elucidation of this sad -mystery. Then why does he not come forward? I say -because he dare not. But let the police look for him, I -say. The accused is innocent; he is the victim of -tragic circumstances, but his whole life, his war-record, -his affection for the deceased, all proclaim him to be -guiltless of such a dastardly crime, and above all -there stands the incontestable proof of his innocence, -the muffler, gentlemen of the jury—the muffler!' -</p> - -<p> -"He said a lot more than that, of course," the Old -Man in the Corner went on, chuckling dryly to himself, -"and said it a lot better than ever I can repeat it, but -I have given you the gist of what he said. You know -the result of the trial. The accused was acquitted, -the jury having deliberated less than a quarter of an -hour. There was no getting away from that muffler, -even though every other circumstance pointed to -Marston as the murderer of Janet Smith. -</p> - -<p> -"On the whole, his acquittal was a popular one, -although many who were present at the trial shook -their heads, and thought that if they had been on the -jury Marston would not have got off so easily, but for -the most part these sceptics were not Broxmouth -people. In Broxmouth the Captain was personally -liked, and the proclamation of his innocence was hailed -with enthusiasm; and, what's more, those same -champions of the good-looking secretary—they were the -women mostly—looked askance on the headmaster, -who, they averred, had woven a Machiavellian net for -trapping and removing from his path for ever a hated -and successful rival. -</p> - -<p> -"The police have received a perfect deluge of -anonymous communications suggesting that Major Gubbins -was identical with the mysterious man with the muffler, -but, of course, such a suggestion is perfectly -absurd, since at the very hour when James Hoggs heard -the scream, and a very few minutes before he met the -man with the muffler, Major Gubbins was paying his -belated visit to Miss Amelia Smith and delivering the -alleged message. Even those ladies who disliked the -headmaster most cordially had to admit that he could -not very well have been in two places at the same time. -The Dog's Tooth Cliff is a good half hour's walk from -Miss Smith's house, and the Lovers' Walk itself is not -accessible to cyclists or motors. -</p> - -<p> -"And thus, to all intents and purposes, the Cliff -murder has remained a mystery, but it won't be one -for long. Have I not told you that you may expect -important developments within the next few days? -And I am seldom wrong. Already in this evening's -paper you will have read that the entire executive of -the Woodforde Institute has placed its resignation in -the hands of the governors, that several august -personages have withdrawn their names from the list of -patrons, and that though the President has been implored -not to withdraw his name, he has proved adamant on -the subject, and even refused to recommend successors -to the headmaster, the secretary, or the matron; in -fact, he has seemingly washed his hands of the whole -concern." -</p> - -<p> -"But surely," I now broke in, seeing that the Old -Man in the Corner threatened to put away his piece -of string and to leave me without the usual epilogue -to his interesting narrative, "surely General Sir -Arkwright Jones cannot be blamed for the scandal which -undoubtedly has dimmed the fortunes of the Woodforde -Institute?" -</p> - -<p> -"Cannot be blamed?" the Old Man in the Corner -retorted sarcastically. "Cannot be blamed for entering -into a conspiracy with his secretary and his head-master -to defraud the Institute, and then to silence for -ever the one voice that might have been raised in -accusation against him." -</p> - -<p> -"Sir Arkwright Jones?" I exclaimed incredulously, -for indeed the idea appeared to me preposterous then, -as the General's name was almost a household word -before the catastrophe. "Impossible!" -</p> - -<p> -"Impossible!" he reiterated. "Why? He murdered -Janet Smith; of that you will be as convinced within -the next few days as I am at this hour. That the three -men were in collusion I have not the shadow of doubt. -Marston only made love to Janet Smith in order to -secure her silence; but in this he failed, and the girl -boldly accused him of roguery as soon as she found -him out. It would be inconceivable to suppose that -being the bright, intelligent girl that she admittedly -was, she could remain for ever in ignorance of the -defalcations in the books; she must and did tax her -lover of irregularities, she must have and indeed did -threaten to put the whole thing before the governors. -So much for the lovers' quarrel overheard by Mrs. Rumble. -</p> - -<p> -"I believe that the fate of the poor girl was decided -on then and there by two of the scoundrels; it only -remained to consult with their other accomplice as to -the best means for carrying their hideous project -through. Janet had announced her determination to -go to Kurtmoor that self-same evening, the only -question was which of those three miscreants would meet -her in the darkness and solitude of the Lovers' Walk. -But in order at the outset to throw dust in the -eyes of the public and the police and not appear to -be in any way associated with one another, Marston -and Gubbins made pretence of a violent quarrel which -Peryer overheard; then Gubbins, in order to make -sure that the poor girl would carry out her intention -of going over to Kurtmoor that evening, went to her -house with the supposed message from Marston, and -incidentally secured thereby his own alibi. This made -him safe. -</p> - -<p> -"Marston in the meanwhile went to arrange matters -with Arkwright Jones. His position was, of course, -more difficult than that of Gubbins. If there was to -be murder—and my belief is that the scoundrels had -been resolved on murder for some time before—the -first suspicion would inevitably fall on the secretary -who had kept the books and who had had the handling -of the money. The miscreants had some sort of vague -plan in their heads: of this there can be no doubt; -they were only procrastinating, hoping against hope -that chance would continue to favour them. But now -the hour had come, the danger was imminent; within -the next four-and-twenty hours Janet Smith, being -promised no redress on the part of the President, would -place the whole matter before the governors. <i>Unless -she was effectually made to hold her tongue</i>. -</p> - -<p> -"We can easily suppose that Marston would be clever -enough to arrange to meet Arkwright Jones, without -arousing suspicion. We do know that soon after he -finally quarrelled with Janet Smith he walked over to -Kurtmoor; the two witnesses who spoke with him -stated that they met him whilst they themselves were -walking to Broxmouth. It was then past eight o'clock. -Arkwright Jones had either dined at his hotel or not; -we do not know, for it never struck the police to -inquire at once how the popular General had spent his -time on that fateful evening. You know what those -unconventional seaside places are: people spend most -of their time out of doors, and there would be nothing -strange, let alone suspicious, in any visitor going out -for an hour after dinner, even if it rained. -</p> - -<p> -"Then surely you can in your mind see those two -scoundrels putting their villainous heads together, and -as suspicion of any foul play would of necessity at -once fall on Marston, Jones decided to take the hideous -onus on himself. He went to the Dog's Tooth Cliff to -meet Janet Smith himself, and borrowed Marston's -stick to aid him in his abominable deed. He was clever -enough, however, to throw it over the edge of the cliff -some distance away from the scene of his crime. We -do not know, of course, whether the poor girl recognised -him, or whether he just fell on her in the dark; -she gave only one scream before she fell. -</p> - -<p> -"They were clever scoundrels, we must admit, but -chance favoured them, too, especially in one thing: -she favoured them when she prompted Arkwright Jones -to put a muffler round his throat. This one fact, as you -know, saved Marston's neck from the gallows, but -for the strands of wool in the girl's hatpin, and Hoggs's -brief view of a man manipulating a muffler, nothing but -Jones's own confession could have saved his accomplice. -Whether he would have confessed remains a riddle -which no one will ever solve. But as to the whole -so-called mystery, I saw daylight through it the moment -I realised that Marston's despair and humiliation -during the inquest was a pretence. If he feigned despair -it was because he desired <i>temporarily</i> to be the victim -of circumstantial evidence. From that point to the -unravelling of the tangled skein was but a step for a -mind bent on logic." -</p> - -<p> -"But," I argued, for indeed I was bewildered, and -really incredulous, "what will be the end of it all? -Surely three scoundrels like that will not go scot free. -There will be an enquiry into the affairs of the -Institute: the governors——" -</p> - -<p> -"The governors have talked of an inquiry," the -funny creature broke in, with a chuckle, "but if you -had any experience of these private charities, you would -know that the first thing their administrators wish to -avoid is publicity. The President of the Woodforde -Institute had sufficient influence on the committee you -may be sure to stifle any suggestion of creating public -scandal by any sort of enquiry." -</p> - -<p> -"But the question of the finances of the Institute is, -anyhow, public property now, and——" -</p> - -<p> -"And it will be allowed to sink into oblivion. The -executive has resigned. Marston and Gubbins will -leave the country, and everything will be conveniently -hushed up." -</p> - -<p> -"But Arkwright Jones—" I protested. -</p> - -<p> -"You see the papers regularly," he rejoined dryly; -"watch them, and you will see..." -</p> - -<p> -I don't know when he went, but a moment or two -later I found myself sitting alone at the table in the -blameless teashop. The matter interested me more -than I cared to admit, but, for once, I was not -altogether prepared to accept the funny creature's -deductions. -</p> - -<p> -Twenty-four hours later, however, I had to own that -he had been right, when the following piece of -sensational news appeared in the <i>Evening Post</i>. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p class="t3"> - "TRAGIC SEQUEL TO THE CLIFF MURDER<br /> -</p> - -<p> -"An extraordinary sequel to the mysterious tragedy -of the Dog's Tooth Cliff near Broxmouth occurred last -night, when on the self-same spot where Miss Janet -Smith met her death three months ago, General Sir -Arkwright Jones lost his footing and fell a distance of two -hundred feet on to the rocks below. It was a beautiful -moonlight evening, and the tide being low a number of -visitors were down on the beach at the time; but those -who immediately hurried to the General's assistance -found life already extinct. The distinguished soldier, -who will be deeply mourned, must have been killed on -the spot. Indeed now general public opinion as well -as every inhabitant of Broxmouth will bring pressure -to bear upon the Borough Council to see that a -suitable barrier is erected along the dangerous portions -of the beautiful Lovers' Walk. The double tragedy of -this year's season renders such an erection imperative." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<p> -I was probably the only reader of that paragraph -who guessed that the once distinguished soldier had -not come accidentally by his death. No doubt the -police had followed up the clue of the man with the -muffler, and were actually on the track of the -miscreant, when the latter, guessing that exposure was -imminent, preferred to put an end to his own miserable -life. -</p> - -<p> -I have since heard from friends at Broxmouth that -Marston has gone to the Malay States, and that -Gubbins is doing something in Germany. Curious -creature Marston must have been! Imagine after -Jones had returned from his infamous errand and told -him that the hideous deed was done, imagine Marston -walking back to Broxmouth along the Lovers' Walk -in the rain and the darkness, past the Dog's Tooth Cliff, -at the foot of which the body of the murdered girl lay! -I wonder what would be the views of the Old Man in -the Corner on the psychology of a man with nerve -enough for such an ordeal. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap07"></a></p> - -<h3> -VII -<br /><br /> -THE TYTHERTON CASE -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -"What do you make of this?" the Old Man in -the Corner said to me that afternoon. "A -curious case, is it not?" -</p> - -<p> -And with his claw-like fingers he indicated the -paragraph in the <i>Evening Post</i> which I had just been -perusing with great interest. -</p> - -<p> -"At best," I replied, "it is a very unpleasant business -for the Carysforts." -</p> - -<p> -"And at the worst?" he retorted with a chuckle. -</p> - -<p> -"Well...!" I remarked dryly. -</p> - -<p> -"Do you think they are guilty?" he asked. -</p> - -<p> -"I don't see who else..." -</p> - -<p> -"Ah!" he broke in, with his usual lack of manners, -"that is such a stale argument. One doesn't see who -else, therefore one makes up one's mind that so-and-so -must be guilty. I'll lay an even bet with any one that -out of a dozen cases of miscarriage of justice, I could -point to ten that were directly due to that fallacious -reasoning. -</p> - -<p> -"Now take as an example the Tytherton case, in -which you are apparently interested. It was an -unprecedented outrage which stirred the busy provincial -town to its depths, the victim, Mr. Walter Stonebridge, -being one of its most noted solicitors. He had his office -in Tytherton High Street, and lived in a small, detached -house on the Great West Road. The house stood in the -middle of a small garden, and had only one story -above the ground floor; the front door opened straight -on a long, narrow hall which ran along the full depth -of the house. On the left side of this hall there were -two doors, one leading to the drawing-room and the -other to a small morning-room. At the end of the hall -was the staircase, and beyond it, down a couple of -steps, there was a tiny dining-room and the usual -offices. The back door opened straight on the kitchen, -and on the floor above there were four bedrooms and -a bathroom. Mr. Walter Stonebridge was a bachelor, -and his domestic staff consisted of a married -couple—Henning by name—who did all that was necessary for -him in the house. -</p> - -<p> -"It was on the last evening of February. The -weather was fair and bright. The Hennings had gone -upstairs to their room as usual at ten o'clock. -Mr. Stonebridge was at the time sitting in the morning-room. -He was in the habit of sitting up late, reading -and writing. On this occasion he told the Hennings -to close the shutters and lock the back door as usual, -but to leave the front door on the latch as he was -expecting a visitor. The Hennings thought nothing of -that, as one or two gentlemen—friends, or sometimes -clients of Mr. Stonebridge—would now and then drop -in late to see him. Anyway, they went contentedly -to bed. -</p> - -<p> -"A little while later—they could not exactly recollect -at what hour, because they had already settled down -for the night—they heard the front-door bell, and -immediately afterwards Mr. Stonebridge's footsteps along -the hall. Then suddenly they heard a crash followed -by what sounded like a struggle, then a smothered cry, -and finally silence. Henning was out of bed and on -the landing with a candle in an instant, and he had -just switched on the light there when he heard -Mr. Stonebridge's voice calling up to him from below: -</p> - -<p> -"It's all right, Henning. I caught my foot in this -confounded rug. That's all.' -</p> - -<p> -"Henning looked over the bannister, and seeing -nothing he shouted down: -</p> - -<p> -"'Shall I give you a 'and, sir?' -</p> - -<p> -"But Mr. Stonebridge at once replied, quite cheerily: -</p> - -<p> -"'No, no! I'm all right. You go back to bed.' -</p> - -<p> -"And Henning did as he was told, nor did he or -his wife hear anything more during the night. But in -the early morning when Mrs. Henning came downstairs -she was horror-struck to find Mr. Stonebridge in the -dining-room, lying across the table, to which he was -securely pinioned with a rope; a serviette taken out of -the sideboard drawer had been tied tightly around his -mouth and his eyes were blindfolded with his own -pocket handkerchief. -</p> - -<p> -"The woman's screams brought her husband upon -the scene; together they set to work to rescue their -master from his horrible plight. At first they thought -that he was dead, and Henning was for fetching the -police immediately, but his wife declared that -Mr. Stonebridge was just unconscious and she started to -apply certain household restoratives and made Henning -force some brandy through Mr. Stonebridge's lips. -</p> - -<p> -"Presently, the poor man opened his eyes, and gave -one or two other signs of returning consciousness, but -he was still very queer and shaky. The Hennings then -carried him upstairs, undressed him and put him to bed; -and then Henning ran for the doctor. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, it was days, or in fact weeks before -Mr. Stonebridge had sufficiently recovered to give a -coherent statement of what happened to him on that -fateful night, and—which was just as much to the -point—what had happened the previous day. The doctor had -prescribed complete rest in the interim. The patient -had suffered from concussion and I know not what, -and those events had got so mixed up in his brain that -to try and disentangle them was such an effort that -every time he attempted it it nearly sent him into a -brain fever. But in the meanwhile his friends had -been busy—notably, Mr. Stonebridge's head clerk, -Mr. Medburn, who was giving the police no rest. There -was, even without the evidence of the principal witness -concerned, plenty of facts to go on, to make out a case -against the perpetrator of such a dastardly outrage. -</p> - -<p> -"That robbery had been the main motive of the assault, -was easily enough established—a small fire- and -burglar-proof safe which stood in a corner of the -morning-room had been opened and ransacked. When -examined it was found to contain only a few trinkets -which had probably a sentimental value, but were otherwise -worthless. The key of the safe—one of a bunch—was -still in the lock, which went to prove either that -Mr. Stonebridge had the safe open when he was -attacked, or what was more likely—considering the -solicitor's well-known careful habits—that the assailant -had ransacked his victim's pockets after he had knocked -him down. A pocket-book, torn, and containing only a -few unimportant papers, lay on the ground; there -had been a fire in the room at the time of the outrage, -and careful analysis of the ashes found in the hearth -revealed the presence of a quantity of burnt paper. -</p> - -<p> -"But robbery being established as the motive of the -outrage did not greatly help matters, because, while -Mr. Stonebridge remained in such a helpless condition, it -was impossible to ascertain what booty his assailant -had carried away. Soon, however, the first ray of light -was thrown upon what had seemed until this hour an -impenetrable mystery. -</p> - -<p> -"It appears that Mr. Medburn was looking after the -business in High Street during his employer's absence, -and one morning—it was on the Monday following the -night of the outrage—he had a visit from a client, who -sent in his name as Felix Shap. The head clerk knew -something about this client, who had recently come -over to England from somewhere abroad, in order to -make good his claim to certain royalties on what is -known as the Shap Fuelettes—a kind of cheap fuel -which was launched some time before the War by Sir -Alfred Carysfort, Bart., of Tytherton Grange, and out -of which that gentleman made an immense fortune, and -incidentally got his title thereby. -</p> - -<p> -"This man, Shap—a Dutchman by birth—was, it -appears, the original inventor and patentee of these -fuelettes, and Mr. Carysfort, as he was then, had met -him out in the Dutch East Indies, and had bought the -invention from him for a certain sum down, and then -exploited it in England first and afterwards all over the -world at immense profit. Sir Alfred Carysfort died -about a year ago, leaving a fortune of over a million -sterling, and was succeeded in the title and in the -managing-directorship of the business by his eldest son -David, a married man with a large family. The business -had long since been turned into a private limited -liability company, the bulk of the shares being held by -the managing-director. -</p> - -<p> -"The fact that the patent rights in the Shap Fuelettes -had been sold by the inventor to the late Alfred -Carysfort had never been in dispute. It further appeared -that Felix Shap had at one time been a very promising -mining engineer, but that in consequence of incurable, -intemperate habits he had gradually drifted down the -social scale; he lost one good appointment after -another until he was just an underpaid clerk in the -office of an engineer in Batavia, whose representative in -England was Mr. Alfred Carysfort. The latter was -on a visit to the head office in Batavia some twelve -years ago when he met Shap, who was then on his -beam-ends. He had recently been sacked by his -employers for intemperance, and was on the fair way to -becoming one of those hopeless human derelicts who -usually end their days either on the gallows or in a -convict prison. -</p> - -<p> -"But at the back of Shap's fuddled mind there had -lingered throughout his downward career the -remembrance of a certain invention which he had once -patented, and which he had always declared would one day -bring him an immense fortune; but though he had -spent quite a good deal of money in keeping up his -patent rights, he had never had the pluck and -perseverance to exploit or even to perfect his invention. -</p> - -<p> -"Alfred Carysfort on the other hand, was brilliantly -clever, he was ambitious, probably none too scrupulous, -and at once he saw the immense possibilities, if properly -worked, of Shap's rough invention, and he set to work -to obtain the man's confidence, and, presumably, by -exercising certain persuasion and pressure he got the -wastrel to make over to him in exchange for a few -hundred pounds the entire patent rights in the Fuelettes. -</p> - -<p> -"The transaction was, as far as that goes, perfectly -straightforward and above board; it was embodied in a -contract drawn up by an English solicitor, who was the -British Consul in Batavia at the time; nor was -it—taking everything into consideration—an unfair one. -Shap would never have done anything with his invention, -and a clean, wholesome and entirely practical fuel -would probably have been thus lost to the world; but -there remains the fact that Alfred Carysfort died a -dozen years later worth more than a million sterling, -every penny of which he had made out of an invention -for which he had originally paid less than five hundred. -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Medburn had been put in possession of these -facts some few weeks previously when Mr. Felix Shap -had first presented himself at the private house of -Mr. Stonebridge; he came armed with a letter of -introduction from a relative of Mr. Stonebridge's whom he had -met out in Java, and he was accompanied by a friend—an -American named Julian Lloyd—who was piloting -him about the place, and acting as his interpreter and -secretary, as he himself had never been in England and -spoke English very indifferently. His passport and -papers of identification were perfectly in order; he -appeared before Mr. Stonebridge as a man still on the -right side of sixty, who certainly bore traces on his -prematurely wrinkled face and in his tired, lustreless eyes -of a life spent in dissipation rather than in work, but -otherwise he bore himself well, was well-dressed and -appeared plentifully supplied with money. -</p> - -<p> -"The story that he told Mr. Stonebridge through the -intermediary of his friend, Julian Lloyd, was a very -curious one. According to his version of various -transactions which took place between himself and the late -Sir Alfred Carysfort, the latter had, some time after -the signing of the original contract, made him a -definite promise in writing, that should the proceeds in the -business of the Shap Fuelettes exceed £10,000 in any -one year, he, Sir Alfred, would pay the original inventor, -out of his own pocket, a sum equivalent to twenty per -cent. of all such profits over and above the £10,000, -with a minimum of £200. -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Shap had brought over with him all the -correspondence relating to this promise, and, moreover, he -adduced as proof positive that Sir Alfred had looked -on that promise as binding, and had at first loyally -abided by it, the fact that until 1916 he had paid to -Mr. Felix Shap the sum of £200 every year. These sums -had been paid half-yearly through Sir Alfred's bankers, -and acknowledgments were duly sent by Shap direct -to the bank, all of which could of course be easily -verified. But in the year 1916 these payments suddenly -ceased. Mr. Shap wrote repeatedly to Sir Alfred, but -never received any reply. At first he thought that there -were certain difficulties in the way owing to the -European War, so after a while he ceased writing. But -presently there came the Armistice. Mr. Shap wrote -again and again, but was again met by the same -obstinate silence. -</p> - -<p> -"In the meanwhile he had come to the end of his -resources; he had spent all that he had ever saved, but, -nevertheless, he was determined that as soon as he -could scrape up a sufficiency of money he would go to -England in order to establish his rights. Then in -1922 he heard of Sir Alfred Carysfort's death. It was -now or never if he did not mean to acquiesce silently in -the terrible wrong which was being put upon him. -Fortunately he had a good friend in Mr. Julian Lloyd, -who had helped him with money and advice, and at -last he had arrived in England. It was for Mr. Stonebridge -to say whether the papers and correspondence -which he had brought with him were sufficient to -establish his claim in law. Mr. Medburn remembered -Mr. Stonebridge telling him all about these matters -and emphasising the fact that Felix Shap had -undoubtedly a very strong case and that he could not -understand a man of the position of Sir Alfred Carysfort -thus wilfully repudiating his own signature. -</p> - -<p> -"'There is not only the original letter,' Mr. Stonebridge -had concluded, 'making a definite promise to -pay certain sums out of his own pocket if the profits -of the company exceeded ten thousand pounds in any -one year, but there are all the covering letters from -Sir Alfred's bankers whenever they sent cheques on -his behalf to Shap—usually twice a year for sums that -varied between one hundred and one hundred and fifty -pounds. I cannot understand it!' he had reiterated -more than once, and Mr. Medburn, who also had a -great deal of respect for the Carysforts, who were -among the wealthiest people in the county, was equally -at a loss to understand the position. -</p> - -<p> -"However Mr. Stonebridge, after he had seen the -late Sir Alfred's bankers about the payments to Shap, -and consulted an expert on the subject of the all-important -letter signed by Alfred Carysfort, sought an -interview with Sir David. From the first there seemed -to be an extraordinary amount of acrimony brought -into the dispute by both sides; this was understandable -enough on the part of Felix Shap, who felt he was -being defrauded of his just dues by men who were -literally coining money out of the product of his brain; -but the greatest bitterness really appeared to come -from the other side. -</p> - -<p> -"At first Sir David Carysfort refused even to discuss -the question; he was quite sure that if his father had -made promises of payments to any one, he was the -last man in the world to repudiate such obligations. -Sir David had not yet had time to go through all his -father's papers, but he was quite convinced that -correspondence, or documents, would presently be found, -which would set at nought the original letter produced -by Mr. Shap. But, of course, the payments to Shap -up to and including the year 1916 could not be denied; -there was the testimony of Sir Alfred's bankers -that sums in accordance with Sir Alfred's instructions, -varying between one hundred and one hundred and -fifty pounds, were paid by cheque every half year to -the order of Felix Shap in Batavia. In 1916 these -payments automatically ceased, Sir Alfred giving no -further orders for these to be made. Mr. Stonebridge -naturally desired to know what explanation Sir David -would give about those payments. -</p> - -<p> -"At first Sir David denied all knowledge as to the -reason or object of the payments, but after a while he -must have realised that public opinion was beginning -to raise its voice on the subject, and that it was not -exactly singing the praises of Sir David Carysfort, -Bart. -</p> - -<p> -"Although Mr. Stonebridge had, of course, been -discretion itself, Mr. Shap had admittedly not the same -incentive to silence, and what's more his friend, -Mr. Lloyd, made it his business to get as much publicity -for the whole affair as he could. Paragraphs in the -local papers had begun to appear with unabated -regularity, and though there were no actual comments on -the case as a whole, no prejudging of respective merits, -there were unmistakable hints that it would be in Sir -David's interest to put dignity on one side and come -out frankly into the open with explanations and -suggestions. Soon the London papers got hold of the -story, and you know what that means. The Radical -Press simply battened on a story which placed a poor, -down-at-heel inventor in the light of a victim to the -insatiable greed and frank dishonesty of a high-born -profiteer. -</p> - -<p> -"Whether it was pressure from outside, or from his -own family, that suddenly induced Sir David to 'come -out into the open' is not generally known; certain it is -that presently he condescended to give an explanation -of the mysterious half-yearly payments made by his -father to Felix Shap, and the explanation was so -romantic and frankly so far-fetched that most people, -especially men, refused to accept it—notably Mr. Stonebridge. -It was not the business of a lawyer to listen -to sentimental stories, least of all was it the business of -the lawyer acting on the other side. -</p> - -<p> -"The story told by Sir David, namely, was this: -</p> - -<p> -"The late Sir Alfred, when quite a young man, had -gone out as clerk to that same engineering firm in -Batavia, whom he represented later on; it was then that -he first met Felix Shap, who had not yet begun to go -downhill. An intimacy sprang up between Alfred -Carysfort and Shap's sister, Berta, and the two were -secretly married in Batavia. A year later Berta had a -son whose birth she only survived by a few hours. The -marriage had been an unhappy one from the first, and -Carysfort was only too thankful when his firm called -him back to England and he was able to shake off the -dust of Batavia from his feet, as he hoped for ever. -He never spoke of his marriage, nor did he ever -recognise or have anything to do with his son. By some -pecuniary arrangement entered into with Felix Shap the -latter undertook to provide for and look after the boy, -to give him his own name, and never to trouble his -brother-in-law about him again. A deed-poll was, Sir -David believed, duly executed, and the boy assumed -the name of Alfred Shap. -</p> - -<p> -"Some years later there occurred the transaction over -the Shap Fuelettes. Alfred Carysfort had come to -Batavia on business: he had met Felix Shap again, -who by this time had become a hopeless wastrel. The -contract for the sale of the patent rights in the Fuelettes -was duly executed, but whether, after seeing his son -once more, the call of the blood became more insistent -in the heart of Alfred Carysfort, or whether he merely -yielded to blackmail, Sir David could not say; certain -it is that after a while when the profits of the Shap -Fuelettes Company became substantial, Sir Alfred took -to sending over a couple of hundred pounds every year -to Shap for the benefit of young Alfred. Then the war -broke out; young Alfred joined the Australian -Expeditionary Force, and was killed in Gallipoli in August, -1915. As soon as Sir Alfred had definite news of the -boy's death, he naturally stopped all further payments -to Shap. -</p> - -<p> -"The story as you see sounded plausible enough, -and if it proved to be untrue, it would reflect great -credit on Sir David's gift of imagination. Felix Shap, -as was only to be expected, denied it from beginning to -end; the whole thing, he declared, was an impudent -falsehood, based on a semblance of truth. It was quite -true that he had adopted and for years had cared for -his sister's son, who was subsequently killed in -Gallipoli; it was also true that Alfred Carysfort had years -ago paid some attention to his sister Berta, but there -never was any question of marriage between them, -young Carysfort deeming himself far too grand and -well-born to marry the daughter of an obscure East -Indian trader. Berta had subsequently married a man -of mixed blood who deserted her and went off -somewhere to Argentina or Honduras—Shap did not know -where; at any rate, he was never heard of again. -</p> - -<p> -"In proof of his version of the romantic story, Felix -Shap actually had a copy of his sister's marriage -certificate, as well as one or two letters written at different -times to his sister Berta by her rascally husband. He -had, indeed, plenty of proofs for his assertions; but -when Mr. Stonebridge asked for confirmation of Sir -David's story, the latter appeared either unprepared or -unwilling to produce any, whereupon, Mr. Stonebridge, -on behalf of his client, entered an action for the -recovery of certain royalties due to him on the sales of the -Shap Fuelettes, the amount to be presently agreed on -after examination of the audited accounts. -</p> - -<p> -"Thus matters stood when on that Wednesday night -in February last, Mr. Stonebridge was found gagged -and unconscious, the victim of a murderous and -inexplicable assault. -</p> - -<p> -"On the Monday following, Mr. Felix Shap, accompanied -by his friend, Mr. Lloyd, called on Mr. Medburn -at the office in High Street. They had read in the -papers certain details which had filled Shap with -apprehension; they had read that the safe in the morning-room -in Mr. Stonebridge's house had been obviously -ransacked, and that the analysis of the ashes in the -grate had revealed the presence of a large quantity of -burnt paper. -</p> - -<p> -"'My friend Mr. Shap would like you to put his -mind at rest, Mr.—er—Medburn,' Mr. Lloyd said, in -an anxious, agitated tone of voice, 'that the papers -relating to his case, which he entrusted to Mr. Stonebridge, -are safely locked up in a safe at this office.' -</p> - -<p> -"Unfortunately, the head clerk was not able to satisfy -Mr. Shap on that point. Mr. Stonebridge had never -brought the papers to the office, nor had Mr. Medburn -ever seen them. His impression was—he regretted to -say—that Mr. Stonebridge had, for the time being, -kept all papers relating to this particular case at his -private house, just as he had always seen Mr. Shap -there rather than at the office. Of course, Mr. Medburn -hastened to assure his visitor, Mr. Stonebridge -may have kept the documents in some other secure -place; Mr. Medburn couldn't say, not having access to -all his employer's papers, and in any case he would -make a comprehensive search for the missing documents, -and if nothing was found he would at once inform -the police. -</p> - -<p> -"An evening or two later the papers came out with -flaring headlines: 'Amazing Developments in the -Tytherton outrage. Missing documents. Sensational turn -in the Shap Fuelettes case.' And so on. The head -clerk had made an exhaustive search amongst his -employer's papers, but not a trace could he find of any -documents relative to Mr. Shap's case. One and all -had disappeared: the original letter from Alfred -Carysfort promising to pay an extra twenty per cent. on -the profits of the Shap Fuelette Company under certain -conditions, the letters from the scoundrel who had -been Berta's husband, together with the copy of Berta's -marriage certificate—everything was gone, every proof -of the truth of the story which Felix Shap had come -all this way to tell. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"The next exciting incident," the Old Man in the -Corner continued glibly, "in this remarkably mysterious -case, was the news that Mr. Allan Carysfort, eldest -son of Sir David Carysfort, Bart., had been detained in -connection with the assault upon Mr. Stonebridge and -the disappearance of certain papers, the property of -Mr. Felix Shap of Batavia. -</p> - -<p> -"Young Allan Carysfort, who was a subaltern in a -cavalry regiment, had come home from India recently, -and, as a matter of fact, he had arrived at the Grange, -the family seat just outside Tytherton, the very evening -of the outrage. Acting upon certain information -received, the police had detained him; he was to be -brought before the magistrates on the following day; -and in the meanwhile it was generally understood that -some highly sensational evidence had been collected by -the police. -</p> - -<p> -"It has been asserted that Sir David Carysfort and -his family were the last to realise how very strong -public opinion had been against them ever since Shap's -story and the loss of the documents had become -generally known. Though there had been no hint of it in -the Press, the public loudly declared that the -Carysforts must have had something to do with the outrage, -seek him whom the crime benefits being a most excellent -adage. But imagine the sensation when Allan -Carysfort, the eldest son of Sir David Carysfort, Bart., -was arrested! -</p> - -<p> -"Need I say that the following day when the young -man was brought before the magistrates, the court was -crowded. Sir David was a magistrate, too, but of -course he did not sit that day. To see his eldest son -arraigned before his brother Beaks must have been a -bitter pill for his pride to swallow. -</p> - -<p> -"We had the usual formal evidence of arrest, the -medical evidence, and so on, after which we quickly -plunged into exciting business. Mr. Stonebridge we -were soon told had made a statement. He was not -yet strong enough to appear in person, <i>but he had -made a statement</i>, so at last the public was to be -initiated into the mysteries that surrounded the -inexplicable assault. -</p> - -<p> -"'After my servants had gone to bed,' Mr. Stonebridge -had stated, 'I sat awhile reading in my study. -I was expecting a visit from Mr. Shap, as we had talked -over the possibility of a quiet chat at my house that -evening on the subject of his affairs. He and -Mr. Lloyd, who were both of them very fond of the cinema, -were in the habit of dropping in after the show, on -their way home. At about a quarter to eleven—I am -sure it was not later—there was a ring at the -front-door bell, and I went to open the door. No sooner -had I done this than a shawl or muffler of some sort -was thrown over my face, and I was made to lose my -balance by the thrust of a foot between my two shins. -I came down backwards with a crash. -</p> - -<p> -"'The whole thing occurred in fewer seconds than it -takes to describe; the next moment I had the sensation -of cold steel against my temple, I heard an ominous -click, and a husky voice whispered in my ear, "Your -servant is coming out of his room. Speak to him, tell -him you are all right, or I shoot." What could I do? I -was utterly helpless and a revolver was held to my -temple. The muffler was then lifted from my mouth, -I could feel the man bending over me, I could feel his -hot breath on my forehead, and a few seconds later I -heard Henning come out of his room upstairs and -switch on the light on the top landing. "If he comes -downstairs," the voice whispered close to my ear, "I -shoot." -</p> - -<p> -"'Then it was,' Mr. Stonebridge went on to say, -'that I shouted up to Henning that I had only tripped -over a rug, and that I was quite all right. I don't think -I ever looked death so very near in the face before. -The next moment I heard Henning switch off the light -upstairs and go back to his room. After that I -remember nothing more. I only have a vague recollection -of a sudden terrible pain in my head; everything -else is a blank until I found myself in bed, and with -vague stirrings of memory bringing a return of that -same appalling headache.' -</p> - -<p> -"The great point about Mr. Stonebridge's evidence -was that he was utterly unable to identify his assailant. -He was not even sure whether he had been attacked by -two men or one, since he had been blindfolded at the -outset, and all that he heard was a husky voice that -spoke in a whisper. He was ready to admit that he -might have left the safe unlocked when he went to -answer the front-door bell, and he certainly had the -papers relating to Mr. Shap's case on his desk as he had -been going through them earlier in the evening. Those -papers, therefore, had undoubtedly been burned in the -grate, and it was obvious that the theft and destruction -of those papers was the motive of the assault. -</p> - -<p> -"After that we went from excitement to excitement. -We did not get it all the same day, of course; Allan -Carysfort appeared, as far as I can remember, three or -four times before the local magistrates; in between -times he was out on bail, this having been fixed -at £1,000 in two recognisances £500 each, with an -additional £500 on his own. It seems that when he was -arrested he had made a statement, to which he had -since unreservedly subscribed. He said that he had -arrived in London from Southampton on Monday the -twenty-sixth, and after seeing to some business in -town, he took the eight-ten P.M. train on the -twenty-eighth to Tytherton, where he arrived at nine-fifty, -having dined on board. His father met him at the -station with the car, but it was such a beautiful moon-lit -night Sir David and himself decided that they would -walk to the Grange and then sent the car home with -a message to Lady Carysfort that they would be home -at about eleven o'clock. -</p> - -<p> -"Carysfort had been asked whether it was not strange -that after being absent from home for so long, he should -have elected to put off seeing his mother till a much -later hour. -</p> - -<p> -"'Not at all,' he replied. 'My father wished to put -me <i>au fait</i> of certain family matters before I actually -saw Lady Carysfort. These matters,' he added -emphatically in reply to questions put to him by the -magistrate, 'had nothing whatever to do with financial -business, least of all were they in any relation to -Mr. Shap and his affairs. Sir David and I,' he went on -calmly, 'walked about for a while, and then Sir David -remembered that he wished to see a friend at the -County Club. He went in there, but I preferred to take -another turn out of doors, as I had not had a taste of -English country air for nearly two years.' -</p> - -<p> -"Asked how long he had walked about Tytherton -waiting for Sir David, Carysfort thought about half an -hour, and when questioned as to the direction he had -taken, he said he really couldn't remember. -</p> - -<p> -"The police of course had adduced certain witnesses -whose testimony would justify the course they had -taken in arresting a gentleman in the position of -Mr. Allan Carysfort. There was, first of all, Felix Shap -himself and his friend Julian Lloyd. They deposed that -at about half-past ten, or perhaps a little earlier, they -were on their way to see Mr. Stonebridge, as the latter -had expressed a wish to see them both and have another -quiet talk over a cigar and a glass of wine; Shap -and Lloyd had been to the P.P.P. cinema in High -Street, and they left just before the end to go to -Mr. Stonebridge's house. They were within fifty yards of -it when they saw a man turn out of the nearest side -street and go up to Mr. Stonebridge's house. The man -went through the garden gate and up to the front door. -Shap and Lloyd saw him in the act of ringing the bell. -It was then somewhere between ten-thirty and -ten-forty-five. Mr. Stonebridge was so very much in the -habit of seeing friends, and even those clients with -whom he was intimate, late in the evenings, that -Mr. Shap and Mr. Lloyd didn't think anything of the -incident; but, at the same time, they made up their minds -to postpone their own visit to Mr. Stonebridge until -they could be quite sure of seeing him alone. So they -turned then and there, and went straight back to the -Black Swan where they lodged. -</p> - -<p> -"I may add that with commendable reserve both -these witnesses refused to identify Allan Carysfort with -Mr. Stonebridge's visitor on that memorable Wednesday -evening. The man they saw had an overcoat and -wore a Glengarry cap. More they could not say, as -they had not seen his face clearly. -</p> - -<p> -"On the other hand the hall-porter at the County -Club, another witness for the Treasury, had no cause -for such reserve. He said that on the evening of -February twenty-eighth, Sir David Carysfort came to the -Club a little before half-past ten. Mr. Allan was with -him then, but he didn't come in. The hall-porter heard -him say to Sir David: 'Very well, then! I'll pick you -up here in about half an hour!' And Sir David -rejoined: 'Yes; don't be late!' Mr. Allan did return -to the Club at about eleven o'clock and the two gentlemen -then went off together. The hall-porter -remembered the incident on that date quite distinctly, because -he recollected being much surprised at seeing Mr. Allan -Carysfort, who he thought was still abroad. -</p> - -<p> -"After that there was another remand, Allan Carysfort's -solicitor having asked and obtained an adjournment -for a week. But by this time, as you may -imagine, not only the county, but London Society too -were absolutely horror-struck. To think that a man in -the position of the Carysforts should have stooped to -such an act, not only of violence, but of improbity, was -indeed staggering. Nor did public opinion swerve from -this attitude one hair's breadth, even though at the -next hearing all the proofs which the police had -adduced against the accused were absolutely confuted. -</p> - -<p> -"Fortunately for Carysfort, his solicitors had been -successful in finding two witnesses, Miriam Page and -Arthur Ormeley, who had seen Mr. Allan Carysfort, -whom they knew by sight, strolling by the river at a -quarter to eleven. They—like the hall-porter of the -County Club—remembered the circumstance very -clearly, because they did not know that Mr. Allan was -home from abroad, and were astonished to see him -there. -</p> - -<p> -"The point of the evidence of these witnesses was -that the river where they had seen Allan Carysfort -strolling at a quarter to eleven is at the diametrically -opposite end of the town to that where lies the Great -West Road. Now the hall-porter had seen Allan Carysfort -outside the County Club at half-past ten and again -at eleven. If Carysfort was strolling by the river at a -quarter to eleven, and there was no reason to impugn -the credibility of the witnesses, he could not possibly -have been the man whom Mr. Shap and Mr. Lloyd -saw ringing the bell of Mr. Stonebridge's house at -about that same hour. -</p> - -<p> -"Allan Carysfort was discharged by the magistrates, -as you know. There was no definite proof against him. -But public opinion is ever an uncertain quantity, and -it is still dead against the Carysforts. In the public -mind two facts have remained indelibly fixed: firstly, -that the Carysforts had everything to gain by the -destruction of Felix Shap's papers and, secondly, that -there was nobody else who could possibly have -benefited by it. -</p> - -<p> -"Since then also Mr. Stonebridge has made a declaration -that nothing was stolen out of his safe and pocketbook -except the papers and letters belonging to Felix -Shap. So what would you? Although Allan Carysfort -was discharged by the magistrates, really because -there was no tangible evidence against him, he did not -leave the court without a stain on his character. The -stain was there, and there it is to this day. It will take -the Carysforts years to live the scandal down; though -some friends have remained loyal, there are always the -enemies, the envious, the uncharitable, and they insist -that the two witnesses—the only two, mind you, whose -evidence did clear Allan Carysfort of suspicion—had -been bought and should not be believed, while others -simply declare that Sir David and his son employed -some ruffian to do the dirty work for them." -</p> - -<p> -He gave a dry cackle, and contemplated me through -his huge horn-rimmed spectacles. -</p> - -<p> -"And you are of that opinion, too, I imagine," he -said. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, it seems the only likely explanation," I -replied guardedly. -</p> - -<p> -"Surely you don't suppose," he retorted, "that a -business man like David Carysfort would place himself -so entirely in the hands of a ruffian that he would -for ever after be the victim of blackmail! Why, it -would have been cheaper to buy off Felix Shap!" -</p> - -<p> -"But," I rejoined, "I don't see who else had any -interest in doing away with those documents." -</p> - -<p> -"I'll tell you," he rejoined dryly. "Felix Shap himself." -</p> - -<p> -"What <i>do</i> you mean?" I queried, with as much lofty -scorn as I could command. -</p> - -<p> -"I mean," he replied, "that all Felix Shap's -documents were forgeries." -</p> - -<p> -"Forgeries?" I exclaimed. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, spurious! False affidavits! Forgeries, the -lot of 'em. My belief is that Stonebridge began to -suspect this himself, and I think he has had a narrow -escape of being murdered outright by those two rascals. -As it is, they have destroyed every proof of their -villainy, and old Stonebridge, I imagine, is content to let -things remain as they are rather than admit publicly -that he was completely taken in by two very plausible -rogues." -</p> - -<p> -"But," I urged, "what about the handwriting expert?" -</p> - -<p> -The funny creature laughed aloud. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes!" he said, "what about the expert? If there -had been two they would have disagreed. And mind -you at a distance of twelve years a signature would -be difficult of absolute identification. Every one's -handwriting undergoes certain modifications in the -course of years. Experts," he reiterated. "Bah!" -</p> - -<p> -"But," I went on, impatiently, "I don't see the -object of the whole scheme." -</p> - -<p> -"The object was blackmail," the whimsical creature -retorted, "and it has succeeded admirably. Already -we read that Messrs. Shap and Lloyd are staying at -expensive hotels in London, that they have granted -interviews to pressmen and written articles for -half-penny newspapers. We shall hear of them as cinema -stars presently. They have had the most gorgeous, the -most paying publicity, and presently Sir David -Carysfort will have had enough of them and will put a few -more hundreds in their pockets just to be rid of them. -That was the object of the whole scheme, my dear -young lady! And see how well it was carried out. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course the fuddle-headed Dutchman never -thought of it. I imagine that the whole scheme originated -in the fertile brain of Mr. Julian Lloyd. And it -was thoroughly well thought out from the manufacture -of the documents and letters down to the assault on -the silly old country attorney. And, mind you, the -rascals originally went to a silly country attorney; they -would have been afraid to go to a London lawyer, lest -he be too sharp for them. -</p> - -<p> -"The only mistake they made were the letters purported -to be written to Berta Shap by the husband who -is supposed to have disappeared, and the copy of Berta's -marriage certificate. It is those letters that gave me -the clue to the whole thing; old Stonebridge was too -dull to have seen through those letters. If they were -genuine why should Felix Shap have brought them over -to England? They had nothing whatever to do with -any contract about the Shap Fuelettes. If they were -genuine, how could he guess that he would have to -disprove a story of a secret marriage and of young Alfred -being the son of Sir Alfred Carysfort? By wanting to -prove too much, he, to my mind, gave himself away, -and one can but marvel that neither lawyers nor police -saw through the roguery. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course the moment one understands that one set -of papers was spurious, it is easily concluded that all -the others were forgeries. And the late Sir Alfred -Carysfort, anxious only to obliterate every vestige of -that early marriage of his, unwittingly played into the -hands of those two scoundrels by destroying all the -correspondence that he had ever had with Shap. -</p> - -<p> -"Think it all over, you will see that I am right. Look -at this paragraph again in the <i>Evening Post</i>, does it -not bear out what I say?" -</p> - -<p> -The paragraph in the evening paper to which the -Old Man in the Corner was pointing read as follows: -</p> - -<p> -"Among the passengers on the Dutch liner <i>Stadt -Rotterdam</i> is Mr. Felix Shap, the hero of a recent -celebrated case. He is returning to Batavia, having, -through a misadventure which has remained an -impenetrable mystery to this day, been deprived of all the -proofs that would have established his claim to a -substantial share of the profits in the Shap Fuelettes -Company. Fortunately Mr. Shap had enlisted so many -sympathies in England that his friends had no difficulty -in collecting a considerable sum of money which was -presented to him on his departure in the form of a -purse and as a compensation for the ill-luck which has -attended him since he set foot in this country. -Mr. Shap will now be able to take abroad with him the -assurance that British public opinion is always on the -side of the victims of an adverse and unmerited fate." -</p> - -<p> -"Yes!" the funny creature concluded with a cackle, -"until the victims are found out to be rogues. -Mr. Felix Shap and his friend, Mr. Julian Lloyd, will be -found out some day." -</p> - -<p> -The next moment he had gone with that rapidity -which was so characteristic of him, and I might have -thought that he was just a spook who had come to visit -me whilst I dozed over my cup of tea, only that on the -table by the side of an empty glass was a piece of -string adorned with a series of complicated knots. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap08"></a></p> - -<h3> -VIII -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF BRUDENELL COURT -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -"Did you ever make up your mind about that -Brudenell Court affair?" the Old Man in -the Corner said to me that day. -</p> - -<p> -"No," I replied. "As far as I am concerned the -death of Colonel Forburg has remained a complete -mystery." -</p> - -<p> -"You don't think," he insisted, "that Morley Thrall -was guilty?" -</p> - -<p> -"Well," I said, "I don't know what to think." -</p> - -<p> -"Then don't do it," he rejoined, with a chuckle, "if -you don't know what to think, then it's best not to -think at all. At any rate wait until I have told you -exactly what did happen—not as it was reported in the -newspapers, but in the sequence in which the various -incidents occurred. -</p> - -<p> -"On Christmas Eve, last year, while the family were -at dinner, there was a sudden commotion and cries of -'Stop, thief!' issuing from the back premises of -Brudenell Court, the country seat of a certain Colonel -Forburg. The butler ran in excitedly to say that Julia -Mason, one of the maids, was drawing down the blinds -in one of the first-floor rooms, when she saw a man -fiddling with the shutters of the French window in the -smoking-room downstairs. She at once gave the alarm, -whereupon the man bolted across the garden in the -direction of the five-acre field. The Colonel and his -stepson, as well as two male guests who were dining -with them, immediately jumped up and hurried out to -help in the chase. It was a very dark night, people -were running to and fro, and for a few moments there -was a great deal of noise and confusion, through which -two pistol-shots in close succession were distinctly -heard. -</p> - -<p> -"The ladies—amongst whom was Miss Monica Glenluce, -the Colonel's stepdaughter—had remained in the -dining-room, and the dinner was kept waiting, pending -the return of the gentlemen. They straggled in one -by one, all except the Colonel. The ladies eagerly -asked for news; the gentlemen could not say much—the -night was very dark and they had just waited about -outside until some of the indoor men who had given -chase came back with the news that the thief had been -caught. -</p> - -<p> -"This news was confirmed by young Glenluce, Miss -Monica's brother, who was the last to return. He had -actually witnessed the capture. The thief had bolted -straight across the five-acre meadow, but doubled back -before he reached the stables, turned sharply to the -right through the kitchen garden, and then jumped -over the boundary wall of the grounds into the lane -beyond, where he fell straight into the arms of the local -constable who happened to be passing by. -</p> - -<p> -"Young Glenluce had great fun out of the chase; he -had guessed the man's purpose, and instead of -running after him across the meadow, he had gone round -it, and had reached the boundary wall only a few -seconds after the thief had scaled it. There was some -talk about the gunshots that had been heard, and -every one supposed that Colonel Forburg, who was a -violent-tempered man, had snatched up a revolver -before giving chase to the burglar, and had taken a -potshot at him; it was fortunate that he had missed him. -</p> - -<p> -"The incident would then have been closed and the -interrupted dinner proceeded with, but for the fact that -the host had not yet returned. Nothing was thought of -this at first, for it was generally supposed that the -Colonel had been kept talking by one of his men, or -perhaps by the constable who had effected the capture; -it was only when close on half an hour had gone by -that Miss Monica became impatient. She got the butler -to telephone both to the stables and the lodge, but -the Colonel had not been seen at either place, either -during or after the incident with the burglar; communication -with the police station brought the same result; -nothing had been seen or heard of the Colonel. -</p> - -<p> -"Genuinely alarmed now, Miss Monica gave orders -for the grounds to be searched; it was just possible that -the Colonel had fallen whilst running, and was lying -somewhere, helpless in the dark, perhaps unconscious.... -Every one began recalling those pistol-shots and a -vague sense of tragedy spread over the entire house. -Monica blamed herself for not having thought of all -this before. -</p> - -<p> -"A search party went out at once; for a while stable-lanterns -and electric-torches gleamed through the darkness -and past the shrubberies. Then suddenly there -were calls for help, the wandering lights centred in one -spot, somewhere in the middle of the five-acre meadow -near the big elm tree. Obviously there had been an -accident. Monica ran to the front door, followed by all -the guests. Through the darkness a group of men -were seen slowly wending their way towards the house; -one man was running ahead, it was the chauffeur. -Young Glenluce, half guessing that something sinister -had occurred, went forward to meet him. -</p> - -<p> -"What had happened was indeed as tragic as it was -mysterious; the search party had found the Colonel -lying full-length in the meadow. His clothes were -saturated with blood; he had been shot in the breast -and was apparently dead. Close by a revolver had -been picked up. It was impossible to keep the terrible -news from Miss Monica. Her brother broke the news -to her. She bore up with marvellous calm, and it was -she who at once gave the necessary orders to have her -stepfather's body taken upstairs and to fetch both the -doctor and the police. -</p> - -<p> -"In the meanwhile the guests had gone back into -the house. They stood about in groups, awestruck -and whispering. They did not care to finish their -dinner, or to go up to their rooms, as in all probability -they would be required when the police came to make -enquiries. Monica and Gerald Glenluce had gone to sit -in the smoking-room. -</p> - -<p> -"It was the most horrible Christmas Eve any one in -that house had ever experienced." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"Murder committed from any other motive than that -of robbery," the Old Man in the Corner went on after -a moment's pause, "always excites the interest of the -public. There is nearly always an element of mystery -about it, and it invariably suggests possibilities of -romance. In this case, of course, there was no question -of robbery. After Colonel Forburg fell, shot, as it -transpired, at close range and full in the breast, his -clothes were left untouched; there was loose silver in -his trousers pocket, a few treasury notes in his letter-case, -and he was wearing a gold watch and chain and -a fine pearl stud. -</p> - -<p> -"The motive of the crime was therefore enmity or -revenge, and here the police were at once confronted -with a great difficulty. Not, mind you, the difficulty of -finding a man who hated the Colonel sufficiently to kill -him, but that of choosing among his many enemies -one who was most likely to have committed such a -terrible crime. He was the best-hated man in the county. -Known as 'Remount Forburg,' he was generally supposed -to have made his fortune in some shady transactions -connected with the Remount Department of the -War Office during the Boer War, more than twenty -years ago. -</p> - -<p> -"His first wife was said to have died of a broken -heart, and he had no children of his own; some ten -years ago he had married a widow with two young -children. She had a considerable fortune of her own, -and when she died she left it in trust for her children, -but she directed that her husband should be the sole -guardian of Monica and Gerald until they came of age; -moreover, she left him the interest of the whole of the -capital amount for so long as they were in his house -and unmarried. After his death the money would -revert unconditionally to them. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course it was a foolish, one might say a criminal -will, and one obviously made under the influence of -her husband. One can only suppose that the poor -woman had died without knowing anything of 'Remount -Forburg's' character. Since her death his violent -temper and insufferable arrogance had alienated -from the children every friend they ever had. Only -some chance acquaintances ever came anywhere near -Brudenell Court now. Naturally every one said that -the Colonel's behaviour was part of a scheme for -keeping suitors away from his stepdaughter Monica, who -was a very beautiful girl; as for Gerald Glenluce, -Monica's younger brother, he had been sadly disfigured -when he was a schoolboy through a fall against a sharp -object that had broken his nose and somewhat -mysteriously deprived him of the sight of one eye. -</p> - -<p> -"Those who had suffered most from Colonel Forburg's -violent tempers declared that the boy's face had -been smashed in by a blow from a stick, and that the -stick had been wielded by his stepfather. Be that as -it may, Gerald Glenluce had remained, in consequence -of this disfigurement, a shy, retiring, silent boy, who -neither played games nor rode to hounds and had no -idea how to handle a gun; but he was essentially the -Colonel's favourite. Where Forburg was harsh and -dictatorial with every one else, he would always unbend -to Gerald, and was almost gentle and affectionate -toward him. Perhaps an occasional twinge of remorse -had something to do with this soft side of his -disagreeable character. -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly that softness did not extend to Monica. -He made the girl's life almost unbearable with his -violence which amounted almost to brutality. The girl -hated him and openly said so. Her one desire was to -get away from Brudenell Court by any possible means. -But owing to her mother's foolish will she had no -money of her own, and the few friends she had were -not sufficiently rich, or sufficiently disinterested, to give -her a home away from her stepfather, nor would the -Colonel, for a matter of that, have given his consent -to her living away from him. -</p> - -<p> -"As for marriage, it was a difficult question. Young -men fought shy of any family connection with -'Remount Forburg.' The latter's nickname was bad -enough, but there were rumours of secrets more -unavowable still in the past history of the Colonel. -Certain it is that though Monica excited admiration -wherever she went, and though one or two of her admirers -did go to the length of openly courting her, the -courtship never matured into an actual engagement. -Something or other always occurred to cool off the ardour of -the wooers. Suddenly they would either go on a big-game -shooting expedition, or on a tour round the world, -or merely find that country air did not suit them. -There would perhaps be a scene of fond farewell, but -Monica would always understand that the farewell was -a definite one, and, as she was an intelligent as well as -a fascinating girl, she put two and two together, and -observed that these farewell scenes were invariably -preceded by a long interview behind closed doors between -her stepfather and her admirer of the moment. -</p> - -<p> -"Small wonder then that she hated the Colonel. -She hated him as much as she loved her brother. A -great affection had, especially of late, developed -between these two; it was a love born of an affinity of -trouble and sense of injustice. On Gerald's part there -was also an element of protection towards his beautiful -sister; the fact that he was so avowedly the spoilt -son of his irascible stepfather enabled him many a time -to stand between Monica and the Colonel's unbridled -temper. -</p> - -<p> -"Latterly, however, some brightness and romance -had been introduced into the drab existence of Monica -Glenluce by the discreet courtship of her latest -admirer, Mr. Morley Thrall. Mr. Thrall was a wealthy -man, not too young and of independent position, who -presumably did not care whether county society would -cut him or no in consequence of his marriage with the -stepdaughter of 'Remount Forburg.' -</p> - -<p> -"Subsequent events showed that he had observed the -greatest discretion while he was courting Monica. No -one knew that there was an understanding between him -and the girl, least of all the Colonel. Mr. Morley -Thrall came, not too frequently, to Brudenell Court; -while there he appeared to devote most of his attention -to his host and to Gerald, and to take little if any -notice of Monica. She had probably given him a hint of -rocks ahead, and he had succeeded in avoiding the -momentous interview with the Colonel which Monica had -learned to look on with dread. -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Morley Thrall had been asked to stay at -Brudenell Court for Christmas, the other guests being -a Major Rawstone, with his wife and daughter, Rachel. -They were all at dinner on that memorable Christmas -Eve when the tragedy occurred, and all the men hurried -out of the dining-room in the wake of their host -when first the burglary alarm was given. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"Thus did matters stand at Brudenell Court when, -directly after the holidays, Jim Peyton, a groom -recently in the employ of Colonel Forburg, was brought -before the magistrates charged with the murder of his -former master. There was a pretty stiff case against -him too. It seems that he had lately been dismissed -by Colonel Forburg for drunkenness, and that before -dismissing him the Colonel had given him a thrashing -which apparently was well deserved, because while he -was drunk he very nearly set fire to the stables, and -an awful disaster was only averted by the timely arrival -of the Colonel himself upon the scene. -</p> - -<p> -"Be that as it may, the man went away swearing -vengeance. Subsequently he took out a summons for -assault against Colonel Forburg and only got one -shilling damages. This had occurred a week before -Christmas. There were several witnesses there who -could swear to the threatening language used by Peyton -on more than one occasion since then, and of course -he had been caught in the very act of trying to break -into the house through the French window of the -smoking-room. -</p> - -<p> -"On the other hand, the revolver with which 'Remount -Forburg' had been shot, and which was found -close to the body with two empty chambers, was identified -as the Colonel's own property, one which he always -kept, loaded, in a drawer of his desk in the smoking-room. -And—this is the interesting point—the shutters -of the smoking-room were found by the police -inspector, who examined them subsequently, to be -bolted on the inside, just as they had been left earlier -in the evening by the footman whose business it was -to see to the fastening of windows and shutters on the -ground floor. -</p> - -<p> -"This fact—the shutters being bolted on the inside—was -confirmed by Miss Monica Glenluce, who had been -the first to go into the smoking-room after the tragic -event. Her brother joined her subsequently. Both of -these witnesses said that the room looked absolutely -undisturbed, the shutters were bolted, the drawer of -the desk was closed: they had remained in the room -until after the visit of the police inspector. -</p> - -<p> -"After the positive evidence of these two witnesses, -the police prosecution had of necessity to fall back on -the far-fetched theory that Colonel Forburg himself, -before he hurried out in order to join in the chase -against the burglar, had run into the smoking-room -and picked up his revolver, and that, having overtaken -Peyton, he had threatened him; that Peyton had then -jumped on him, wrenched the weapon out of his hand -and shot him. It was a far-fetched theory certainly, -and one which the defence quickly upset. Gerald -Glenluce for one was distinctly under the impression -that the Colonel ran from the dining-room straight out -into the garden, and the young footman who was watching -the fun from the front door, and saw the Colonel -run out, was equally sure that he had not a revolver -in his hand. -</p> - -<p> -"Peyton got six months hard for attempted house-breaking, -there really was no evidence against him to -justify the more serious charge; but when the charge -of murder was withdrawn, it left the mystery of -'Remount Forburg's' tragic end seemingly more impenetrable -than before. Nevertheless the coroner and jury -laboured conscientiously at the inquest. No stone was -to be left unturned to bring the murder of 'Remount -Forburg' to justice, and in this laudable effort the -coroner had the able and unqualified assistance of Miss -Glenluce. However bitter her feelings may have been -in the past towards her stepfather while he lived, she -seemed determined that his murderer should not go -unpunished. Nay more, there appeared to be in all -her actions during this terrible time a strange note of -vindictiveness and animosity, as if the unknown man -who had rid her of an arrogant and brutal tyrant had -really done her a lasting injury. -</p> - -<p> -"It was entirely through her energy and exertions -that certain witnesses were induced to come forward -and give what turned out to be highly sensational -evidence. The police who were convinced that James -Peyton was guilty had turned all their investigations -in the direction of proving their theories; Miss Monica, -on the other hand, had seemingly made up her mind -that the murderer was to be sought for inside the house; -it even appeared as if she had certain suspicions which -she only desired to confirm. To this end she had -questioned and cross-questioned every one who was in the -house on that fatal night, well knowing how reluctant -some people are to be mixed up in any way with police -proceedings. But at last she had forced two persons -to speak, and it was on the first day of the inquest -that at last a glimmer of light was thrown upon the -mysterious tragedy. -</p> - -<p> -"After the medical evidence which went to establish -beyond a doubt that Colonel Forburg died from a -gunshot wound inflicted at close range, both balls -having penetrated the heart, Miss Glenluce was called. -Replying to the coroner, who had put certain questions -to her with regard to the Colonel's state of mind just -before the tragedy, she said that he appeared to have a -premonition that something untoward was about to -happen. When the butler ran into the dining-room -saying that a burglar had been seen trying to break into -the house, the Colonel had jumped up from the table at -once. -</p> - -<p> -"'I did the same,' Miss Monica went on, 'as I was -genuinely alarmed; but my stepfather, in his peremptory -way, ordered me to sit still. "I believe," he said -to me, with a funny laugh, "that it's a put-up job. It's -some friend of Thrall's giving him a hand." I could -not, of course, understand what he meant by that, and -I looked at Mr. Thrall for an explanation. I must -add that Mr. Thrall had been extraordinarily moody -all through dinner; he appeared flushed, and I noticed -particularly that he never spoke either to my -step-father, to my brother, or to me. However at the -moment I failed to catch his eye, and the very next second -he was out of the room, on the heels of Colonel Forburg.' -</p> - -<p> -"This was remarkable evidence to say the least of -it, but nevertheless it was confirmed by two witnesses -who heard the Colonel make that strange remark: one -was Rachel Rawstone, the young friend who was dining -at Brudenell Court that Christmas Eve, and the other -was Gerald Glenluce. Of course, by this time the -public was getting very excited: they were like so many -hounds heading for a scent, and the jury was beginning -to show signs of that obstinate prejudice which -culminated in a ridiculous verdict. But there was more to -come. Thanks again to Miss Monica's insistence, the -footman at Brudenell Court, a lad named Cambalt, had -been induced to come forward with a story which he -had evidently intended to keep hidden within his bosom, -if possible. He gave his evidence with obvious reluctance -and in a scarcely audible voice. It was generally -noticed, however, that Miss Monica urged him -frequently to speak up. -</p> - -<p> -"Cambalt deposed that just before dinner on Christmas -Eve, he had gone in to tidy the smoking-room -before the gentlemen came down from dressing. As he -opened the door he saw Mr. Morley Thrall standing in -the middle of the room facing Colonel Forburg who -was seated at his desk. Young Mr. Glenluce was -standing near the mantelpiece with one foot on the -fender, staring into the fire. Mr. Thrall, according to -witness, was livid with rage. -</p> - -<p> -"''E took a step forward like,' Cambalt went on, -amidst breathless silence on the part of the public and -jury alike, 'and 'e raised 'is fist. But the Colonel 'e -just laughed, then 'e opened the drawer of the desk and -took out a revolver and showed it to Mr. Thrall and -says: "'Ere y'are, there's a revolver 'andy, any way." Then -Mr. Thrall 'e swore like anything, and says: "You -blackguard! You d—— scoundrel! You ought to be -shot like the cur you are." I thought he would strike -the Colonel, but young Mr. Glenluce 'e just stepped -quickly in between the two gentlemen and 'e says: -"Look 'ere, Thrall, I won't put up with this! You -jess get out!" Then one of the gentlemen seed me, -and Mr. Thrall 'e walked out of the room.' -</p> - -<p> -"'And what happened after he had gone?' the -coroner asked. -</p> - -<p> -"'Oh!' the witness replied, 'the Colonel 'e threw the -revolver back into the drawer and laughed sarcastic -like. Then 'e 'eld out 'is 'and to Mr. Gerald, and says: -"Thanks, my boy. You did 'elp me to get rid of that -ruffian." After that,' Cambalt concluded, 'I got on -with my work, and the gentlemen took no notice of me.' -</p> - -<p> -"This witness was very much pressed with questions -as to what happened later on when the burglary alarm -was given and the gentlemen all hurried out of the -house. Cambalt was in the hall at the time and he -made straight for the front door to see some of the fun. -He said that the Colonel was out first, and the other -three gentlemen, Mr. Gerald, Mr. Rawstone and -Mr. Morley Thrall went out after him; Mr. Thrall was the -last to go outside; he ran across the garden in the -direction of the five-acre field. Major Rawstone -remained somewhere near the house, but it was a very -dark night, and he, Cambalt, soon lost sight of the -gentlemen. Presently, however, Mr. Thrall came back -toward the house. It was a few minutes after the -shots had been fired and witness heard Mr. Thrall say -to Major Rawstone: 'I suppose it's that fool Forburg -potting away at the burglar; hell get himself into trouble, -if he doesn't look out.' Soon after that Mr. Gerald -came running back with the news that the burglar had -fallen into the arms of a passing constable and -Cambalt then returned to his duties in the dining-room. -</p> - -<p> -"As you see," the Old Man in the Corner went on -glibly, "this witness's evidence was certainly -sensational. The jury, which was composed of farm -labourers, with the local butcher as foreman, had by -now fully made up its silly mind that Mr. Morley -Thrall had taken the opportunity of sneaking into the -smoking-room, snatching up the revolver, and shooting -'Remount Forburg,' whom he hated because the Colonel -was opposing his marriage with Miss Monica. It was -all as clear as daylight to those dunderheads, and from -that moment they simply would not listen to any more -evidence. They had made up their minds; they were -ready with their verdict and it was: Manslaughter -against Morley Thrall. Not murder, you see! The -dolts who had all of them suffered from 'Remount -Forburg's' arrogance and violent temper would not -admit that killing such vermin was a capital crime. -</p> - -<p> -"What I am telling you would be unbelievable if it -were not a positive fact. It is no use quoting British -justice and dilating on the absolute fairness of trial by -jury. A coroner's inquest fortunately is not a trial. -The verdict of a coroner's jury, such as the one which -sat on the Brudenell Court affair, though it may have -very unpleasant consequences for an innocent person, -cannot have fatal results. In this case it cast a stigma -on a gentleman of high position and repute, and the -following day Mr. Morley Thrall, himself J.P., was -brought up before his brother magistrates on an -ignominious charge. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -"It is not often," the Old Man in the Corner resumed -after a while, "that so serious a charge is preferred -against a gentleman of Mr. Morley Thrall's social -position, and I am afraid that the best of us are snobbish -enough to be more interested in a gentleman criminal -than in an ordinary Bill Sykes. -</p> - -<p> -"I happened to be present at that magisterial -enquiry when Mr. Morley Thrall, J.P., was brought in -between two warders, looking quite calm and -self-possessed. Every one of us there noticed that when he -first came in, and in fact throughout that trying -enquiry, his eyes sought to meet those of Miss Glenluce -who sat at the solicitor's table; but whenever she -chanced to look his way, she quickly averted her gaze -again, and turned her head away with a contemptuous -shrug. Gerald Glenluce, on the other hand, made -pathetic efforts at showing sympathy with the accused, -but he was of such unprepossessing appearance and was -so shy and awkward that it was small wonder Morley -Thrall took little if any notice of him. -</p> - -<p> -"Very soon we got going. I must tell you, first of -all, that the whole point of the evidence rested upon a -question of time. If the accused took the revolver out -of the desk in the smoking-room, when did he do it? -The footman, Cambalt, reiterated the statement which -he had made at the inquest. He was, of course, pressed -to say definitely whether after the quarrel between -Mr. Morley Thrall and the Colonel which he had -witnessed, and before every one went in to dinner, -Mr. Thrall might have gone back to the smoking-room and -extracted the revolver from the drawer of the desk; but -Cambalt said positively that he did not think this was -possible. He himself, after he had tidied the smoking-room, -had been in and out of the hall preparing to serve -dinner. The door of the smoking-room gave on the -hall, between the dining-room and the passage leading -to the kitchens. If any one had gone in or out of the -smoking-room at that time, Cambalt must have seen -them. -</p> - -<p> -"At this point Miss Glenluce was seen to lean forward -and to say something in a whisper to the Clerk of the -Justices, who in his turn whispered to the chairman on -the Bench, and a moment or two later that gentleman -asked the witness: -</p> - -<p> -"'Are you absolutely prepared to swear that no one -went in or out of the smoking-room while you were -making ready to serve dinner?7 -</p> - -<p> -"Then, as the young man seemed to hesitate, the -magistrate added more emphatically: -</p> - -<p> -"Think now! You were busy with your usual avocations; -there would have been nothing extraordinary -in one of the gentlemen going in or out of the smoking-room -at that hour. Do you really believe and are you -prepared to swear that such a very ordinary incident -would have impressed itself indelibly upon your mind?' -</p> - -<p> -"Thus pressed and admonished, Cambalt retrenched -himself behind a vague: 'No, sir! I shouldn't like to -swear one way or the other.' -</p> - -<p> -"Whereat Miss Monica threw a defiant look at the -accused, who, however, did not as much as wink an -eyelid in response. -</p> - -<p> -"Presently when that lady herself was called, no -one could fail to notice that she, like the coroner's jury -the previous day, had absolutely made up her mind -that Morley Thrall was guilty, otherwise her attitude -of open hostility toward him would have been quite -inexplicable. She dwelt at full length on the fact that -Mr. Thrall had paid her marked attention for months, -and that he had asked her to marry him. She had given -him her consent, and between them they had decided -to keep their engagement a secret until after she, -Monica, had attained her twenty-first birthday, when she -would be free to marry whom she chose. -</p> - -<p> -"'Unfortunately,' the witness went on, suddenly -assuming a dry, pursed-up manner, 'Colonel Forburg got -wind of this. He was always very much set against my -marrying at all, and between tea and dinner on Christmas -Eve he and I had some very sharp words together -on the subject, at the end of which my stepfather said -very determinedly: "Christmas or no Christmas, the -fellow shall leave my house by the first available train -to-morrow, and to-night I am going to give him a piece -of my mind."' -</p> - -<p> -"Just for a moment after Miss Glenluce had finished -speaking, the accused seemed to depart from his -attitude of dignity and reserve, and an indignant 'Oh!' -quickly repressed, escaped his lips. The public by this -time was dead against him. They are just like sheep, as -you know, and the verdict of the coroner's jury had -prejudiced them from the start, and the police, aided by -Miss Glenluce, had certainly built up a formidable case -against the unfortunate man. Every one felt that the -motive for the crime was fully established already. -'Remount Forburg' had had a violent quarrel with -Morley Thrall, then had turned him out of the house, -and the latter, furious at being separated from the girl -he loved, had killed the man who stood in his way. -</p> - -<p> -"I should be talking until to-morrow morning were I -to give you in detail all the evidence that was adduced -in support of the prosecution. The accused listened to -it all with perfect calm. He stood with arms folded, his -eyes fixed on nothing. The 'Oh!' of indignation did -not again cross his lips, nor did he look once at Miss -Monica Glenluce. I can assure you that at one moment -that day things were looking very black against him. -</p> - -<p> -"Fortunately for him, however, he had a very clever -lawyer to defend him in the person of his distinguished -cousin, Sir Evelyn Thrall. The latter, by amazingly -clever cross-examination of the servants and guests at -Brudenell Court, had succeeded in establishing the fact -that at no time, from the moment that the burglary -alarm was given until after the two revolver shots had -been heard, was the accused completely out of sight -of some one or other of the witnesses. He was the last -to leave the dining-room. Mrs. Rawstone and her -daughter testified to that. He had stayed behind one -moment after the other three gentlemen had gone out -in order to say a few words to Monica Glenluce. Miss -Rawstone was standing inside the dining-room door -and she was quite positive that Mr. Thrall went straight -out into the garden. -</p> - -<p> -"On the other hand Major Rawstone saw him in -the forecourt coming away from the five-acre meadow -only a very few moments after the shots were fired, -and gave it absolutely as his opinion that it would have -been impossible for the accused to have fired those -shots. This is where the question of time came in. -</p> - -<p> -"'When a man who bears a spotless reputation,' -Major Rawstone argued, 'finds that he has killed a -fellow creature, he would necessarily pause a moment, -horror-struck with what he has done; whether the deed -was premeditated or involuntary he would at least try -and ascertain if life was really extinct. It is inconceivable -that any man save an habitual and therefore callous -criminal, would just throw down his weapon and -with absolute calm, hands in pocket and without a -tremor in his voice, make a casual remark to a friend. -Now I saw Mr. Morley Thrall perhaps two minutes -after the shots were fired; in that time he could not -have walked from the centre of the field to the -forecourt where I was standing; and he had not been -running as his voice was absolutely clear and he came -walking towards me with his hands in his pockets.' -</p> - -<p> -"As was only to be expected, Sir Evelyn Thrall made -the most of Major Rawstone's evidence, and I may -say that it was chiefly on the strength of it that the -charge of murder against the accused was withdrawn, -even though the Clerk to the Magistrates, perpetually -egged on by Miss Glenluce, did his best to upset Major -Rawstone. When the lady found that this could not -be done, she tried to switch back to the idea that -accused had abstracted the revolver out of the -smoking-room before dinner and immediately after his quarrel -with Colonel Forburg. The footman Cambalt's evidence -on this point had been somewhat discounted by -his refusing to state positively that no one could have -gone into the smoking-room at that time without his -seeing them. But against this theory there was always -the argument—of which Sir Evelyn Thrall made the -most as you know—that before dinner the accused -could not have known that there would be an alarm -of burglary which would give him the opportunity of -waylaying the Colonel in the open field. With equal -skill, too, Sir Evelyn brought forward evidence to bear -out the statement made by the accused on the matter -of his quarrel with Colonel Forburg. -</p> - -<p> -"'Just before dinner,' Mr. Thrall stated, 'Colonel -Forburg told me he had something to say to me in -private. I followed him into the smoking-room, and -there he gave me certain information with regard to his -past life, and also with regard to Miss Glenluce's -parentage, which made it absolutely impossible for me, -in spite of the deep regard which I have for that lady, -to offer her marriage. Miss Glenluce is the innocent -victim of tragic circumstances in the past, and Forburg -was just an unmitigated blackguard, and I told him so, -but I had my family to consider and very reluctantly -I came to the conclusion that I could not introduce any -relation of Colonel Forburg into its circle. Colonel -Forburg did not stand in the way of my marrying his -stepdaughter; it was I who most reluctantly withdrew.' -</p> - -<p> -"Whilst the accused was cross-examined upon this -statement, and he gave his answers in firm, dignified -tones, Miss Monica never took her eyes off him, and -surely if looks could kill, Mr. Morley Thrall would not -at that moment have escaped with his life, so full of -deadly hatred and contempt was her gaze. The accused -had signed a much fuller statement than the one which -he made in open court; it contained a detailed account -of his interview with Colonel Forburg, and of the -circumstances which finally induced him to give up all -thoughts of asking Miss Glenluce to be his wife. -</p> - -<p> -"These facts were not made public at the time for -the sake of Miss Monica and of the unfortunate, Gerald, -but it seems that the transactions which had earned for -the Colonel the sobriquet of 'Remount Forburg' were -so disreputable and so dishonest that not only was he -cashiered from the army, but he served a term of -imprisonment for treason, fraud, and embezzlement. He -had no right to be styled Colonel any longer, and quite -recently had been threatened with prosecution if he -persisted in making further use of his army rank. -</p> - -<p> -"But this was not all the trouble. It seems that in -his career of improbity he had been associated with a -man named Nosdel, a man of Dutch extraction whom -he had known in South Africa. This man was subsequently -hanged for a particularly brutal murder, and -it was his widow who was 'Remount Forburg's' second -wife, and the mother of Monica and of Gerald, who -had been given the fancy name of Glenluce. -</p> - -<p> -"Obviously a man in Mr. Morley Thrall's position -could not marry into such a family, and it appears that -whenever there was a question of a suitor for Monica, -'Remount Forburg' would tell the aspirant the whole -story of his own shady past and, above all, that of -Monica's father. Sir Evelyn Thrall had been clever -enough to discover one or two gentlemen who had had -the same experience as his cousin Morley; they, too, -just before their courtship came to a head had had a -momentous interview with 'Remount Forburg,' who -found this means of choking off any further desire for -matrimony on the part of a man who had family -connections to consider. But it was very obvious that -Mr. Morley Thrall had no motive for killing 'Remount -Forburg'; he would have left Brudenell Court that very -evening, he said, only that young Glenluce had begged -him, for Monica's sake, not to make a scene; anyway, -he was leaving the house the next day and had no -intention of ever darkening its doors again. -</p> - -<p> -"Poor Monica Glenluce or Nosdel, ignorant of the -hideous cloud that hung over her entire life, ignorant, -too, of what had passed between her stepfather and -Mr. Morley Thrall, felt nothing but hatred and contempt -for the man whose love, she believed, had proved as -unstable as that of any of her other admirers. For -charity's sake one must suppose that she really thought him -guilty at first, and hoped that when the clouds had -rolled by he would return to her more ardent than -before. Presumably he found means to make her understand -that all was irrevocably at an end between them -as far as he was concerned, whereupon her regard for -him turned to bitterness and desire for revenge. -</p> - -<p> -"And, indeed, but for the cleverness of a distinguished -lawyer, poor Morley Thrall might have found himself -the victim of a judicial error brought about by the -deliberate enmity of a woman. Had he been committed -for trial, she would have had more time at her disposal -to manufacture evidence against him, which I am -convinced she had a mind to do." -</p> - -<p> -"As it is," I now put in tentatively, for the Old Man -in the Corner had been silent for some little while, "the -withdrawal of the charge of murder against Morley -Thrall did not help to clear up the mystery of -'Remount Forburg's' tragic death." -</p> - -<p> -"Not so far as the public is concerned," he retorted -dryly. -</p> - -<p> -"You have a theory?" I asked. -</p> - -<p> -"Not a theory," he replied. "I know who killed -'Remount Forburg.'" -</p> - -<p> -"How do you know?" I riposted. -</p> - -<p> -"By logic and inference," he said. "As it was proved -that Morley Thrall did not kill him, and that Miss -Monica could not have done it, as the ladies did not -join in the chase after the burglar, I looked about me -for the only other person in whose interest it was to -put that blackguard out of the way." -</p> - -<p> -"You mean——?" -</p> - -<p> -"I mean the boy Gerald, of course. Openly and -before the other witness, Cambalt, he stood up for his -stepfather against Thrall who was not measuring his -words, but just think how the knowledge which he had -gained about his own parentage and that of his sister -must have rankled in his mind. He must have come -to the conclusion that while this man—his stepfather—lived, -there would be no chance for him to make friends, -no chance for the sister whom he loved ever to have a -home, a life of her own. Whether that interview on -Christmas Eve was the first inkling which he had of the -real past history of his own and Forburg's family, it is -impossible to say. Probably he had suspicions of it -before, when, one by one, Monica's suitors fell away -after certain private interviews with the Colonel. -Morley Thrall must have been a last hope, and that, too, -was dashed to the ground by the same infamous means. -</p> - -<p> -"I am not prepared to say that the boy got hold of -the revolver that night with the deliberate intention of -killing his stepfather at the earliest opportunity; he -may have run into the smoking-room to snatch up the -weapon, only with a view to using it against the -burglar; certain it is that he overtook 'Remount Forburg' -in the five-acre field and that he shot him then and -there. Remember that the night was very dark, and -that there was a great deal of running about and of -confusion. The boy was young enough and nimble -enough after he had thrown down the revolver to run -across the field and then to go back to the house by a -roundabout way. It is easy enough in a case like that -to cover one's tracks, and, of course, no one suspected -anything at the time. Even the sound of firing created -but little astonishment; it was so very much on the -cards that the Colonel would use a revolver without -the slightest hesitation against a man who had been -trying to break into his house. It was just the sort of -revenge that a man of Gerald's temperament—disfigured, -shy, silent and self-absorbed—would seek against -one whom he considered the fount of all his wrongs." -</p> - -<p> -"But," I objected, "how could young Glenluce run -into the smoking-room, pick up the revolver out of a -drawer, and run back through the hall with servants -and guests standing about? Some one would be sure -to see him." -</p> - -<p> -"No one saw him," the funny creature retorted, "for -he did it at the moment of the greatest confusion. The -butler had run in with the news of the burglary, the -Colonel jumped up and ran out through the hall, the -guests had not yet made up their minds what to do. In -moments like this there are always just a few seconds -of pandemonium, quite sufficient for a boy like Gerald -to make a dash for the smoking-room." -</p> - -<p> -"But after that——" -</p> - -<p> -"He took the revolver out of the drawer and ran out -through the French window." -</p> - -<p> -"But the shutters were found to be bolted on the -inside," I argued, "when they were examined by the -police inspector." -</p> - -<p> -"So they were," he admitted. "Miss Monica had already -been in there with young Gerald. They had seen -to the shutters." -</p> - -<p> -"Then you think that Monica knew?" -</p> - -<p> -"Of course she did." -</p> - -<p> -"Then her desire to prove Morley Thrall guilty——" -</p> - -<p> -"Was partly hatred of him, and partly the desire to -shield her brother," the funny creature concluded as he -collected traps, his bit of string and his huge umbrella. -"Think it over; you will see that I am right. I am -sorry for those two, aren't you? But they are selling -Brudenell Court, I understand, and their mother's -fortune has become theirs absolutely. They will go -abroad together, make a home for themselves, and one -day, perhaps, everything will be forgotten, and a new -era of happiness will arise for the innocent, now that -the guilty has been so signally punished. But it was -an interesting case. Don't you agree with me?" -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap09"></a></p> - -<h3> -IX -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE WHITE CARNATION -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -"I suppose that is a form of snobbishness," the -Old Man in the Corner began abruptly. -</p> - -<p> -I gave such a jump that I nearly upset the -contents of a cup of boiling tea which I was conveying -to my mouth. As it was, I scalded my tongue and -nearly choked. -</p> - -<p> -"What is?" I queried with a frown, for I was really -vexed with the creature. I had no idea he was there -at all. But he only smiled and concluded his speech, -quite unperturbed. -</p> - -<p> -"... that creates additional interest in a crime -when it concerns people of wealth or rank." -</p> - -<p> -"Snobbishness," I rejoined, "of course it's -snobbishness! And when the little suburban madam has -finished reading about Lady Stickinthemud's reception at -Claridge's she likes to turn to Lord Tomnoodle's -prospective sojourn in gaol." -</p> - -<p> -"You were thinking of the disappearance of the -Australian millionaire?" he asked blandly. -</p> - -<p> -"I don't know that I was," I retorted. -</p> - -<p> -"But of course you were. How could any journalist -worthy of the name fail to be interested in that -intricate case?" -</p> - -<p> -"I suppose you have your theory—as usual?" -</p> - -<p> -"It is not a theory," the creature replied, with that -fatuous smile of his which always irritated me; "it is -a certainty." -</p> - -<p> -Then, as he became silent, absorbed in the contemplation -of a wonderfully complicated knot in his beloved -bit of string, I said with gracious condescension: -</p> - -<p> -"You may talk about it, if you like." -</p> - -<p> -He did like, fortunately for me, because, frankly, I -could not see daylight in that maze of intrigue, -adventure and possibly crime, which was described by the -Press as "The Mystery of the White Carnation." -</p> - -<p> -"The events were interesting from the outset," he -began after a while, whilst I settled down to listen, -"and so were various actors in the society drama. -Chief amongst these was, of course, Captain Shillington, -an Australian ex-officer, commonly reputed to be a -millionaire, who, with his mother and sister, rented -Mexfield House in Somerset Street, Mayfair, the -summer before last. It appears that Lord Mexfield's -younger son, the Honorable Henry Buckley, who was -an incorrigible rake and whom his father had sent on a -tour round the world in order to keep him temporarily -out of mischief, not to say out of gaol, had met a -married brother of Captain Shillington's out in the -Antipodes, they had been very kind to him, and so on, -with the result that when came the following London -season the family turned up in England, and, after -spending a couple of days at the Savoy, they moved -into the Mexfields' house in Somerset Street. -</p> - -<p> -"Lord and Lady Mexfield were abroad that year, -and Henry Buckley and his sister Angela were living -with an aunt who had a small house somewhere in -Mayfair. -</p> - -<p> -"Although the Shillingtons were reputed to be very -wealthy, they appeared to be very quiet, simple folk, -and it certainly seemed rather strange that they should -have gone to the expense of a house in town, when -obviously they had no social ambitions and did not -mean to entertain. As a matter of fact, as far as -Mrs. Shillington and her daughter were concerned, nobody -could have lived a quieter, more retiring life than they -did. Mrs. Shillington was an invalid and hardly ever -went outside her front door, and the girl Marion -seemed to be suffering from a perpetual cold in the -head. They seemed to be in a chronic state of servant -trouble. Mrs. Shillington was dreadfully irritable, -and one set of servants after another were engaged only -to leave without notice after a few days. The one -faithful servant who remained was a snuffy old man who -came to them about a month after they moved into -Mexfield House. He and a charwoman did all the work -of cooking and valeting and so on. Presumably the -old man could not have got a situation elsewhere as his -appearance was very unprepossessing, and therefore -he was willing to put up with what the servants' registry -offices would term 'a very uncomfortable situation.' -</p> - -<p> -"Captain Shillington, the hero of the tragic adventure, -on the other hand, went about quite a good deal. -He was certainly voted to be rather strait-laced, not to -say priggish, but he was very good-looking and a fine -dancer. Henry Buckley introduced him to some of -his smart friends and Lady Angela constituted him her -dancing partner. The partnership soon developed into -warmer friendship and presently it was given out that -Lady Angela Buckley, only daughter of the Earl and -Countess of Mexfield, was engaged to Captain Denver -Shillington, the Australian millionaire. Lady Angela -confided to her friends that her fiancé was the owner -of immense estates in Western Australia, on a portion -of which rich deposits of gold had lately been -discovered. He certainly had plenty of money to spend, and -on one occasion he actually paid Henry Buckley's -gambling debts to the tune of two or three hundred pounds. -</p> - -<p> -"On the whole, society pronounced the match a -suitable one. Lady Angela Buckley was no longer in -her first youth, whilst her brother, to whom she was -really devoted, would be all the better for a somewhat -puritanical, strait-laced and, above all, wealthy -brother-in-law." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"That, then, was the position," the Old Man in -the Corner continued after a while, "and the date of -Lady Angela Buckley's marriage to Captain Denver -Shillington had been actually fixed when the -public was startled one afternoon towards the end of -the summer by the sensational news in all the -evening papers: 'Mysterious disappearance of a -millionaire.' This highly coloured description applied, as -it turned out, to Captain Shillington, the fiancé of -Lady Angela Buckley. It seems that during the -course of that same morning a young lady, apparently -in deep distress and suffering from a streaming cold -in the head, had called at Scotland Yard. She gave -her name and address as Marion Shillington, of Mexfield -House, Somerset Street, Mayfair, and stated that -she and her mother were in the greatest possible anxiety -owing to the disappearance of her brother, Captain -Denver Shillington. They had last seen him on the -previous Friday evening at about nine o'clock when -he left home in order to pick up his fiancée, Lady -Angela Buckley, whom he was escorting that night to -a reception in Grosvenor Square. He was wearing -full evening dress and a soft hat. Miss Shillington -couldn't say whether he had any money in his pockets. -She thought that probably he was carrying a gold -cigarette case, which Lady Angela had given him, but, -as a matter of fact, he never wore any jewellery. -</p> - -<p> -"No one in the house had heard him come in again -that night, and his bed had not been slept in. -Questioned by the police, Miss Shillington explained that -neither she nor her mother felt any alarm at first -because there had been some talk of Captain Shillington -going away with his fiancée to stay with friends over -the week-end, somewhere near Newmarket. It was -only this morning, Wednesday, that Mrs. Shillington -first began to worry when there was still no sign or -letter from him. 'My brother is a very good son,' Miss -Shillington continued, explaining to the police, 'and -always very considerate to mother. It was so unlike -him to leave us without news all this while and not let -us know when to expect him home. So I rang up Lady -Angela Buckley, who is his fiancée, to see if I could get -news through her, as I could see mother was beginning -to get anxious. Mr. Henry Buckley, Lady Angela's -brother, answered the 'phone. I asked after his sister -and he told me that she was staying on in the country -a day or two longer. He himself had come back to -town the previous night. I then asked him, quite -casually, if he knew whether Denver—that's my -brother—would be returning with Angela. And his -answer to me was, "Denver? Why, I haven't seen him -since Friday. And I can tell you that he is in for a row -with Angela. She was furious with him that he never -wrote once to her while she was away." I was so upset -that I hung up the receiver and just sat there -wondering what to do next. But Mr. Buckley rang up a -moment or two later and asked quite cheerily if there -was anything wrong. "Good old Square-toes!" he said, -meaning my brother, whom he always used to chaff by -calling him "Square-toes," "don't tell me he has gone -off on the spree without letting you know. I say, that's -too bad of him, though. But I shouldn't be anxious if -I were you. Boys, you know, Miss Shillington, will -be boys, and I like old Square-toes all the better for -it."' -</p> - -<p> -"Miss Shillington," the Old Man in the Corner went -on, "was as usual suffering from a streaming cold, and -between spluttering and crying, she had reduced two or -three handkerchiefs to wet balls. At best she was no -beauty, and with a red nose and streaming eyes she -presented a most pitiable spectacle. 'I made -Mr. Buckley assure me once more,' she said, 'that he had -seen nothing of Denver since Friday. That night he -and Lady Angela and Denver were at a reception in -Grosvenor Square. They all left about the same time. -Angela and Denver went, presumably, straight home; -at any rate, he, Mr. Buckley, saw nothing more of -them after they got into their car. He himself went -to spend an hour or two at his club and came home -about two a.m. The next morning, after breakfast, -he drove his sister out to Tatchford, near Newmarket, -where they spent the week-end with some friends. -And that was all Mr. Buckley could say to me,' Miss -Shillington concluded, vigorously blowing her nose: -'He came home last night from Tatchford, and was -expecting Lady Angela in a couple of days. Denver -had not been at Tatchford at all, and he had not once -written to Angela all the while she was away.' -</p> - -<p> -"Of course the police inspector to whom Miss -Shillington related all these facts had a great many -questions to put to her. For one thing he wanted to know -whether she had been in communication with Lady -Angela Buckley since this morning. -</p> - -<p> -"'No,' the girl replied, 'I have not, and so far, I -haven't said anything to mother. As soon as I felt -strong enough I put on my things and came along here.' -</p> - -<p> -"Then the inspector wanted to know if she knew of -any friends or acquaintances of her brother's with -whom he might have gone off for a week-end jaunt -without saying anything about it, either at home or to -his fiancée. He put the questions as delicately as he -could, but the sister flared up with indignation. It -seems that the Captain's conduct had always been -irreproachable. He was a model son, a model brother, and -deeply in love with Lady Angela. Miss Shillington also -refused to believe that he could have been enticed to a -place of ill-fame and robbed by one of the usual -confidence tricksters. -</p> - -<p> -"'My brother is exceptionally shrewd,' she declared, -'and a splendid business man. Though he is not yet -thirty, he has built up an enormous fortune out in -Australia, and administers his estates himself to the -admiration of every one who knows him. He is not the -sort of man who could be fooled in that way.' -</p> - -<p> -"But beyond all this, and beyond giving a detailed -description of her brother's appearance, the poor girl -had very little to say, and the detective who was put in -charge of the case could only assure her that enquiries -would at once be instituted in every possible direction, -and that the police would keep her informed of everything -that was being done. Obviously, the person most -likely to be able to throw some light upon the mystery -was Lady Angela Buckley, but as you know, the advent -of this charming lady upon the scene only helped to -complicate matters. It appears that Henry Buckley, -delighted at what he jocosely called, 'Old "Square-toes" -falling from grace,' had rung up his sister in order -to tell her the startling news over the telephone. Lady -Angela being a very modern young woman, her brother -thought that she might storm for a bit but in the end -see the humorous side of the situation. But not at all! -Lady Angela took the affair entirely <i>au tragique</i>. Over -the telephone she only exclaimed, 'Great Lord!' but -at one o'clock in the afternoon she arrived at the flat, -having taken the first train up to town and not even -waiting for her maid to pack her things. Mr. Henry -Buckley was just going out to lunch. Without -condescending to explain anything, his sister dragged him -off then and there to Scotland Yard. 'Something has -happened to Denver,' was all that she would say. -'Something dreadful, I am sure.' In vain did her -brother protest that she would only be making a fool -of herself by rushing to the police like this, that old -Square-toes had only gone on the spree, and that, -anyway, she ought to consult with the Shillingtons before -doing anything silly; Lady Angela would not listen to -reason. 'You don't know! You don't know!' she kept -on reiterating with ever-increasing agitation. 'He has -been murdered, I tell you. Murdered!' -</p> - -<p> -"By the time that the pair arrived at Scotland Yard, -Lady Angela was in a state bordering on hysterics, and -her brother appeared both sulky and perplexed. They -saw the same Inspector who had interviewed Miss -Shillington, and certainly his amazement was no whit -less than that of Mr. Henry Buckley when Lady -Angela having mentioned the disappearance of Captain -Denver Shillington, said abruptly, 'Yes, he has -disappeared, and incidentally, he had my pearls in his -pocket.' The Inspector made no immediate comment; -men of his calling are used to those kinds of surprises, -but Henry Buckley gave a gasp of horror. -</p> - -<p> -"'Your pearls?' he exclaimed. 'What pearls? Not——?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Yes,' Lady Angela rejoined, coolly. 'The Glenarm -pearls. All of them!' -</p> - -<p> -"'But——' Henry Buckley stammered, wide-eyed -and white to the lips. -</p> - -<p> -"His sister threw him what appeared to be a warning -glance, then she turned once more to the police -inspector. -</p> - -<p> -"'My brother is upset,' she said calmly, 'because he -knows that the pearls are of immense value. The late -Lord Glenarm left them to me in his will. He made a -huge fortune by a successful speculation in sugar. He -had no daughters of his own, and late in life he married -my mother's sister. He was my godfather, and when -he first bought the pearls and gave them to his wife as -a wedding present, he said that after her death and his -they should belong to me. They were valued for probate -at twenty-five thousand pounds.' -</p> - -<p> -"Henry Buckley was still speechless, and it was in -answer to several questions put to her by the Inspector -that Lady Angela gave the full history, as far as she -knew it, of the disappearance of her pearls. -</p> - -<p> -"'I was going to spend the week-end with some -friends at Tatchford, near Newmarket,' she said. 'My -brother at first had decided not to come with me. On -the Friday evening I went with Captain Shillington to a -ball at the Duchess of Flint's in Grosvenor Square. I -wore my pearls; on the way home in the car, Captain -Shillington appeared very anxious as to what I should -do about the pearls whilst I was away. He wanted -me to take them to the bank first thing in the morning -before I left. But I knew I couldn't do this, because -my train was at nine-fifty from Liverpool Street. Captain -Shillington had once or twice before shown anxiety -about the pearls and urged me to keep them at the -bank when I was not wearing them, but he had never -been so insistent as that night.' -</p> - -<p> -"Lady Angela appeared to hesitate for a moment or -two. She glanced at her brother with a curious -expression, both of anxiety and contempt. It seemed as -if she were trying to make up her mind to say something -that was very difficult, to put in so many words. -The Inspector sat silent and impassive, waiting for her -to continue her story, and at last she did make up her -mind to speak. -</p> - -<p> -"'I had a safe in the flat,' she went on, glibly, -'where I keep my jewellery, but Captain Shillington did -not seem satisfied. He argued and argued, and at last -he persuaded me to let him have the pearls while I was -away and he would deposit them at his own bank until -my return.' -</p> - -<p> -"Presumably at this point the lady caught an expression -on the face of the Inspector which displeased -her, for she added with becoming dignity, 'I am engaged -to be married to Captain Denver Shillington.' -</p> - -<p> -"'My God!' Henry Buckley exclaimed at this point, -and with a groan he buried his face in his hands. -</p> - -<p> -"Mind you," the Old Man in the Corner proceeded, -after a moment's pause, "the public had no information -as to the exact words, and so on, that passed between -Lady Angela, her brother Henry, and the officials of -Scotland Yard. All that I am telling you, and what I -am still about to tell you, came out bit by bit in the -papers. Sensation-lovers were immensely interested in -the case from the outset, because, although both public -and police are familiar enough with the tragi-comedy -of the good-looking young blackguard who gets -confiding females to entrust him with their little bits of -jewellery, this was the first time that the confidence -trick had been played by a well-known man about -town—reputed wealthy, since he had gone to the length -of paying a friend's gambling debts—on a society lady -who was not in her first youth and must presumably -have had some knowledge of the world she lived in. -</p> - -<p> -"Lady Angela had concluded her statements by saying -that during the drive home in the car she took -off her pearls and handed them to her fiancé, who -slipped them into his pocket just as they were, although -when presently the car drew up at her door she -suggested running up to her room to get the case for them. -The Captain, however, declared this to be unnecessary. -What he said was, 'I will sleep with them under my -pillow to-night, and to-morrow morning first thing I -will take them round to the bank for you.' After this -he said good-night. Lady Angela let herself into the -house with her latchkey, and Captain Shillington then -dismissed the car, saying that he would enjoy a bit of -a walk as the rooms at Grosvenor Square had been so -desperately hot. -</p> - -<p> -"And it was at this point," the Old Man in the -Corner now said with deliberate emphasis as he worked -away at an exceptionally intricate knot in his beloved -bit of string, "it was at this point that certain facts -leaked out which lent to the whole case a sinister aspect. -</p> - -<p> -"It appears that on the Saturday morning at break -of day one of the boats belonging to the Thames -District Police found a grey Homburg hat floating under -one of the old steamship landing stages and, stuck -to one of the wooden piles close by, a man's silk scarf. -There was no name inside the hat or any other clue -as to the owner's identity, but both the scarf, which -had once been white or light grey, and the hat were -terribly soiled and torn, and both were stained with -blood. The police had tried on the quiet to trace the -owner of the hat and scarf but without success. After -Lady Angela had told her story of the missing pearls, -the things were shown to Miss Shillington, who at once -identified the hat as belonging to her brother; the scarf, -however, she knew nothing about. -</p> - -<p> -"But this was not by any means all. It appears that -for some reason which was never quite clear, Captain -Shillington, after he said good-night to Lady Angela, -altered his mind about the proposed walk. It may have -started to rain, or he may not, after all, have liked the -idea of walking about the streets at night with twenty-five -thousand pounds' worth of pearls in his pocket. -Be that as it may, he hailed a passing taxi and drove -to Mexfield House. The driver came forward voluntarily -in answer to an advertisement put in the papers -by the police. He stated that he remembered the -circumstance quite well because of what followed. He -remembered taking up a fare outside Stanhope Gate -and being ordered to drive to Mexfield House in -Somerset Street. When he slowed down close to Mexfield -House he noticed a man with his hands in his pockets -lounging under the doorway of one of the houses close -by. As far as he could see the man was in evening -dress and wore a light overcoat. He had on a silk hat -tilted right over his eyes so that only the lower part -of his face was visible, and he had a white or pale grey -scarf tied loosely round his neck. The chauffeur also -noticed that he had a large white flower, probably a -carnation, in his buttonhole. After the taxi-man had put -down his fare he drove off, and as he did so he saw the -man in the light overcoat step out from under the -doorway, where he had been lounging, and turn in the -direction of Mexfield House. What happened after -that he didn't know, as he drove away without taking -further notice, but the police were already in touch -with another man who had been watching that night in -Somerset Street, where a portion of the road was up -for repair. This man, whose name, I think, was -William Rugger, remembered quite distinctly seeing a -'swell' in a light overcoat and wearing a light-coloured -scarf round his neck, loafing around Mexfield House. -He remembered the taxi drawing up and a gentleman -getting out of it, whereupon the one in the light -overcoat and the scarf went up to him and said, 'Hullo, -Denver!' at which the other gent, the one who had -come in the taxi, appeared very surprised, for Rugger -heard him say, 'Good Lord, Henry, what are you doing -here?' -</p> - -<p> -"Rugger didn't hear any more because the gentleman -in the light overcoat then took the other one by the -arm and together the pair of them walked away down -the street. When they had gone Rugger noticed a -large white carnation lying on the pavement; he picked -it up and subsequently took it home to his missis. -</p> - -<p> -"You may imagine what a stir and excitement this -story—which pretty soon leaked out in all its -details—caused amongst the public. It seems that although -neither the taxi-driver nor the man Rugger had seen the -face of the man who had stepped out from under a -neighbouring doorway and accosted Captain Shillington, -they were both of them quite positive that he was -in evening dress, and that he wore a silk hat, a light -overcoat, and had a pale grey or white scarf wound -round his neck. And besides that, there was the white -carnation. But, of course, the crux of the whole -evidence was Rugger's assertion that he heard one -gentleman—the one who got out of the cab—say to the other -in tones of great surprise, 'Good Lord, Henry, what are -you doing here?' Questioned again and again he never -wavered in this statement. He heard the name Henry -quite distinctly and it stuck in his mind because his -eldest boy was Henry. He was also asked whether the -gentleman, who had stepped out of the taxi—obviously -Captain Shillington, since the other had called to him, -'Hullo, Denver'—walked away reluctantly or willingly -when he was thus summarily taken hold of by the arm. -Rugger was under the impression that he walked away -reluctantly; he freed his arm once, but the other got -hold of him again, and, though Rugger did not catch -the actual words, he certainly thought that the two -gentlemen were quarrelling. -</p> - -<p> -"And thus public opinion, which at first had been -dead against the Australian Captain, now went equally -dead against Henry Buckley. Ugly stories were current -of his extravagance, his gambling debts, his -addiction to drink. People who knew him remembered one -or two ugly pages in his life's history: altercations with -the police, raids on gambling clubs of which he was a -prominent member; there was even a fraudulent bankruptcy -which had been the original cause of his being -sent out to Australia by his harassed parents until the -worst of the clouds had rolled by. -</p> - -<p> -"The only thing that told in his favour, as far as the -public was concerned, was the bitter vindictiveness -displayed against him by Miss Shillington. That the girl -had cause for bitterness was not to be denied. For a -time, at any rate, public opinion had branded her -brother as a common trickster and a thief, and she and -her mother had no doubt suffered terribly under the -stigma; in consequence of this, Mrs. Shillington's -health, always in a precarious state, had completely -broken down and the old lady had taken to her bed, -not suffering from any particular disease, but just from -debility of mind and body, obstinately refusing to see -a doctor, declaring that nothing would cure her except -the return of her son. -</p> - -<p> -"And on the top of all that came the growing conviction -that the son never would return and that he had -been foully murdered for the sake of Lady Angela's -pearls, which he so foolishly was carrying in his pocket -that night. No wonder, then, that his sister Marion -felt bitter against the people who were the original -cause of all these disasters; no wonder that she threw -herself heart and soul into the search for evidence -against the man whom she sincerely believed to be -guilty of a most hideous crime. -</p> - -<p> -"It was mainly due to her that the police came on the -track of William Rugger, the night-watchman, and -through the latter that the driver of the taxi-cab was -advertised for, because Rugger remembered seeing the -gentleman alight from a taxi outside Mexfield House. -But Miss Shillington's valuable assistance in the matter -of investigation went even further than that. She at -last prevailed upon the old man-servant at Mexfield -House to come forward like a man and to speak the -truth. He was a poor creature, not really old, probably -not more than fifty, but timid and almost abject. He -had at first declined to make any statement whatever, -declaring that he had nothing to say. To every -question put to him by the police, he gave the one answer, -'I saw nothing, sir, I 'eard nothing. I went to bed as -usual on the Friday night. The Captain 'e never -expected me to sit up for 'im when 'e was out to parties, -and I never 'ear 'im come in, as I sleep at the top of -the 'ouse. No, sir, I didn't 'ear nothing that night. -The last I seed of the Captain was at nine o'clock, when -'e got into the car and said good-night to me.' When -he was shown the blood-stained hat, he burst out -crying, and said, 'Yes, sir! Yes, sir! That is the -Captain's 'at. My Lord! What 'as become of 'im?' He -also failed to identify the scarf as being his master's -property. -</p> - -<p> -"Then one day Miss Shillington, still suffering from -a cold in the head, but otherwise very business-like and -brisk, arrived at Scotland Yard with the man—James -Rose was his name—in tow. By what means she had -persuaded him to speak the truth at last no one ever -knew, but in a tremulous voice and shaken with -nervousness, he did tell what he swore to be the truth. -'I must 'ave dropped to sleep in the dining-room,' he -said. 'I was very tired that evening, and I remember -after I 'ad cleared supper away I just felt as 'ow I -couldn't stand on my legs any longer, and I sat down -in an armchair and must 'ave dozed off. What woke -me was the front-door bell which rings in the 'all as -well as in the basement. I looked at the clock, it was -past midnight. Captain forgot 'is key, that's what I -thought. Lucky I 'adn't gone to bed, or I should never -'ave 'eard 'im. Funny 'is forgetting 'is key, I thought. -Never done such a thing before, I thought, and went -to open the door for 'im. But it wasn't the Captain,' -Rose went on, his voice getting more and more husky -as no doubt he realised the deadly importance of what -he was about to say. 'No, it wasn't the Captain,' he -reiterated, and shook his head in a doleful manner. -</p> - -<p> -"'Who was it?' the Inspector demanded. -</p> - -<p> -"'The young gentleman who sometimes came to the -'ouse,' Rose repeated under his breath. 'Mr. 'Enery -Buckley it was, sir. Yes, Mr. 'Enery, that's 'oo it was.' -</p> - -<p> -"'What did he say?' Rose was asked. -</p> - -<p> -"''E asked if the Captain was in, and I said no, -not as I knew, but I would go and see. So up I went -to the Captain's room and saw 'e wasn't there. Not -yet. And I told Mr. 'Enery so when I came down -again.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Then what happened?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Mr. 'Enery 'e told me that 'e wouldn't wait and -that I was to tell the Captain 'e 'ad called, and that 'e -would call again in 'arf an hour. I said that I was -going to bed and I wouldn't probably see the Captain. -'E might be ever so late. Then Mr. 'Enery 'e just said, -"Very good," and "Never mind," and "Good-night, -Rose," 'e said, and then I let 'im out.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Well? And what happened after that?' -</p> - -<p> -"'I don't know, sir,' the old man concluded. 'I went -to bed and I never seed the Captain again, nor yet -Mr. 'Enery—not from that day to this, sir. No, not again, -sir.' And Rose once more shook his head in the same -doleful manner. Of course the police were very down -on him for keeping back this valuable piece of information, -and they were even inclined to look with suspicion -upon the man. They wanted to know something -about his antecedents and why he seemed so frightened -of facing the police authorities. Fortunately for him, -however, Miss Shillington could give them all the -information they wanted. She said that James Rose had -been for years in the service of a Mrs. O'Shea, who was -a great friend of Mrs. Shillington's. When Mrs. O'Shea -died she left him a hundred pounds. But the poor -thing had never been very strong, and he was nothing -to look at, he couldn't get another place, and the -hundred pounds vanished bit by bit. About a month ago -Mrs. Shillington, who was requiring a man-servant, -advertised for one in the <i>Daily Mail</i>. Rose answered -the advertisement, and though the poor thing in the -meanwhile had gone terribly downhill physically, -Mrs. Shillington, remembering how honest and respectable -he had always been when he was in Mrs. O'Shea's -service, engaged him out of compassion and for the sake -of old times. Miss Shillington gave him an excellent -character and the police were satisfied. -</p> - -<p> -"I think," the Old Man in the Corner said, amorously -contemplating a marvellously intricate knot, -which he had just made in his bit of string, "I think -that the police were mainly satisfied because at last they -felt that 'they had made out a case.' From that -moment the detectives and inspectors in charge became -absolutely convinced that Henry Buckley had enticed -Captain Denver Shillington to some place of evil fame -close to the river and there, in collusion probably with -other disreputable characters, had robbed and murdered -him. To say the least, the case looked black -enough against Buckley. His fast living, his mountain -of debt, the absence in him of moral rectitude as proved -by his fraudulent bankruptcy, all told against him; -and now it was definitely proved that he had sought -out and actually been in the company of Captain -Shillington the night that the latter disappeared. A light -grey overcoat similar to the one described by Rugger -and by the chauffeur as worn by the gentleman who -was loafing in Somerset Street was found to be a part -of his wardrobe; no one could swear, however, as to the -scarf, but it turned out that he never went out in the -evening without wearing a large, white carnation in his -button-hole. -</p> - -<p> -"The fact that he had not stated from the beginning -that he had called at Mexfield House that night, and -subsequently met the missing man and walked away -with him, naturally told terribly against him. -Obviously the man lost his head. Questioned by the -police, he tried at first to deny the whole thing: he -declared that the man with the white carnation and the -light-coloured scarf was some other man whose name -happened to be Henry, and he tried to upset Rose's -evidence by declaring that the man lied and that he had -never called at Mexfield House that night. But, -unfortunately for him, he had taken a taxi from his club -to the house, the taxi-driver was found, and the noose -was further tightened round the Honourable Henry -Buckley's neck. In vain did he assert after that that -Denver Shillington had told him to call at Mexfield -House at a quarter-past midnight on that fatal Friday. -He was no longer believed. He admitted that he was -in financial difficulties, and that he had spoken about -these to Captain Shillington earlier in the evening. He -admitted, tardily enough, that he went to Mexfield -House hoping that Denver would give him some money -in order to wipe out his most pressing debts. When he -found that the Captain had not yet come home, he left -a message with the man-servant and thought he would -go on to the club for a little while and return later to -see Shillington. Unfortunately, he drank rather -heavily whilst he was at the club and never thought any -more either about his money worries or about the -Captain. In fact, he remembered nothing very clearly -beyond the fact that he went home, in the small hours -and went straight to bed. -</p> - -<p> -"He then went on to say that he woke up the next -morning with a splitting headache. It was pouring -with rain and London was looking particularly beastly, -as he picturesquely termed it. He recollected that his -sister Angela had planned to go down with old -Square-toes to some friends near Newmarket for the -weekend. He, too, had been asked but had declined the -invitation, but now he began to wish he hadn't; while -he was out of town money-lenders couldn't dun him, -and a breath of country air would certainly do him -good. -</p> - -<p> -"And he was just cogitating over these matters at -eight a.m. on that Saturday morning, when his sister -Angela came into his room. 'She told me,' he went on, -'that old Square-toes was unable to accompany her to -these friends in Cambridgeshire, that she didn't want -to go alone, and would I hire a car and drive her down. -She offered to pay for the car, and, as the scheme -happened to suit me, I agreed. We drove down to -Tatchford, and on the Tuesday I had an unpleasant reminder -from one of my creditors and thought that I must get -back to see what old Square-toes would do for me. I -got home that same evening, and the next morning -early Miss Shillington rang up and told me over the -'phone that they had heard nothing of Captain Shillington -since the previous Friday and that they were getting -anxious. And that's all I know,' he concluded. 'I -swear that I never set eyes on Shillington after he drove -off from the Duchess of Flint's, with my sister in his -car. I did call at Mexfield House, but it was at -Shillington's suggestion, but when the man told me that -the Captain was not yet home, I did not loaf about the -street, I went straight back to the club and then home.' -</p> - -<p> -"Of course all this was very clear and very categorical, -but there were one or two doubtful points in -Buckley's statements, which the police—dead out now -to prove him guilty of murder—made the most of. -Firstly, there was his former denial on oath that he had -not called at Mexfield House that night. It was only -when he was confronted with the testimony of the -taxi-cab driver that he made the admission. The employees -at his club, which, by the way, was in Hanover Square, -had seen him come in at about half-past eleven. He -went out again twenty minutes later and the hall -porter saw him hail a taxi-cab. He was once more in the -club at half-past twelve, and it is a significant fact that -two of the younger members chaffed him subsequently -because he had not the usual white carnation in his -button-hole. -</p> - -<p> -"Then again it was more than strange that on the -Friday he was so worried about his debts that he went -in the middle of the night to his friend's house in order -to try and borrow money from him, and yet when, -according to his own statements, he never even saw his -friend, off he went the very next morning to the -country, stayed away four days, and on his return did not -make any attempt seemingly to see the Captain or to -ask him for money. Thirdly, it was equally inconceivable -that Captain Shillington should have appointed to -see Buckley at that hour of the night, however pressed -the latter might have been for money. Why should he? -The next morning would have done just as well, -whether he meant to help him or whether he did not, -and, according to the testimony of the night-watchman, -William Rugger, when he was accosted by Buckley, he -exclaimed in tones of great surprise, 'Good Lord, -Henry, what are you doing here?' These are not -words which a man would say to a friend whom he -had appointed to meet at this very hour. -</p> - -<p> -"However, this portion of the taxi-driver's and -Rugger's testimony Buckley still strenuously denied. -He could not deny the other. He had called at Mexfield -House and reluctantly admitted that it had been -nothing but 'blue funk' that had prompted him at first -to hold his tongue about that and then to deny the fact -altogether. -</p> - -<p> -"But, above all, there was yet another fact which to -the police was more conclusive, more damning than any -other and that was that on the Wednesday morning -the Honourable Henry Buckley had called at Messrs. Foster -and Turnbull, the well-known pawnbrokers of -Oxford Street, and had pledged a pair of diamond ear-rings -and a couple of valuable bracelets there for which -he received three hundred and fifty pounds. -</p> - -<p> -"Here again, if Buckley had volunteered this -statement, all might have been well, but it was the -pawnbrokers who gave information to the police. It turned -out that the ear-rings and the two bracelets were the -property of his sister, Lady Angela. Buckley declared -that she had given them to him, and she, very nobly, -did her best to corroborate this statement of his, but it -had become impossible to believe a word he said. Lady -Angela's valiant efforts on his behalf were thought to -be unconvincing, and, as a matter of fact, the public -has never known from that day to this whether Henry -Buckley stole his sister's jewellery, or whether she gave -it to him voluntarily. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"Mind you, there can be no question but that -the police acted very injudiciously when they -actually preferred a charge of murder against Henry -Buckley. There were two such damning flaws in -the chain of evidence that had been collected against -him that the man ought never to have been arrested. -Even the magistrate was of that opinion. As you -know, if there is the slightest doubt about such a -serious charge, the magistrates will always commit a -man for trial and let a jury of twelve men pronounce -on the final issue rather than decide such grave -matters on their own. But in this case there were really -no proofs. There were deductions: the accused was a -young blackguard, a moral coward and a liar. There -was the blood-stained scarf, the hat and the white -carnation, there was the testimony of the taxi-driver and -the night watchman that Henry Buckley had been in -the company of Captain Shillington that night, but -there was no proof that he had murdered his friend and -stolen the pearls. -</p> - -<p> -"To begin with, if there had been a murder, where -was it committed, and what became of Captain Shillington's -body? Of course, the police still hope to find -traces of it, but, as you know, they have not yet -succeeded. Various theories are put forward that Henry -Buckley was a member of a gang of ruffians with -headquarters in some obscure corner of London close to -the river, and that he enticed the Captain there and -murdered him with the help of his criminal associates -with whom he probably shared the proceeds of the -crime. But over a year has gone by since Shillington -disappeared and the police are no nearer finding the -body of the missing man. -</p> - -<p> -"The magistrate dismissed the case against Henry -Buckley. There was not sufficient evidence to commit -him for trial. What told most in his favour in the end -was the question of time. He was able to prove that he -was at his club in Hanover Square at half-past midnight -on the fateful night. Now, according to James -Rose's testimony, it was after midnight when he, Buckley, -called at Mexfield House. Even supposing that -Shillington had arrived in the taxi five minutes later, it -was inconceivable that a man could entice another to -an out-of-the-way part of London, murder him—even -if he left others to dispose of the body—and walk back -unconcernedly to Hanover Square, all in less than half -an hour. Nor were the pearls or any large sum of -money ever traced to Henry Buckley. He was just as -deeply in debt after the disappearance of Captain -Shillington as he had been before. Now he has gone on -another tour round the world, and the Shillingtons—mother -and daughter—have given up all hopes of ever -seeing the gallant Captain, who was such a model son, -again. A little while ago the illustrated papers -published photos of the two ladies on board a P. and -O. steamer bound for Australia, but the public had -forgotten all about Lady Angela's pearls and the -mysterious white carnation. No one was interested in the -old lady with the white hair and stooping figure, who -was carried on board in a chair, and who obstinately -refused to be interviewed by newspaper men eager for -copy. The case is relegated, as far as the public is -concerned, to the category of undiscovered crimes." -</p> - -<p> -"But," I argued, as the Old Man in the Corner -became silent, absorbed in the untying of an intricate -knot which he had made a little while ago, "surely the -police have found out who the man was who accosted -Captain Shillington in Somerset Street that night, the -man with the light-coloured scarf, which was -subsequently found in the river by the side of the missing -man's hat, the man who called the Captain 'Denver,' -and whom the latter called 'Henry,' and was so -surprised to see. If it was not Henry Buckley, who was -it?" -</p> - -<p> -"Ah!" the exasperating creature retorted with a fatuous -smile, "who was it? That's just the point—a point -just as dark as that a man like Captain Shillington -could be enticed at that hour of the night to an -out-of-the-way part of London, and at a moment when he -had his fiancée's jewellery worth twenty-five thousand -pounds in his pocket. Don't you think that <i>that</i> point -is absolutely inconceivable?" -</p> - -<p> -"Well," I said, "it does seem——" -</p> - -<p> -"Of course it does," he broke in eagerly. "I ask you: -Is it likely? At one moment we are told that Captain -Shillington was a pattern of all the virtues and that his -business acumen and abilities had earned for him not -only a fortune but the admiration of all those who knew -him; and the very next we are asked to suppose that he -would meekly allow a young blackguard, whom he -knew to be dishonest and unscrupulous, to drag him -'reluctantly' to some obscure haunt of a gang of -criminals. Surely that should have jumped to the eyes of -any sane person who had studied the case." -</p> - -<p> -"I don't suppose," I retorted, "that Captain Shillington -allowed Buckley to drag him very far. Most -people believed at the time that he was attacked -directly he rounded the corner of Somerset Street. There -are one or two entrances to mews just about there——" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes," the funny creature rejoined excitedly, "but -not one nearer than fifty yards from Mexfield House. -And do you think that the immaculate Australian would -have walked ten at night with young Buckley and -with those pearls in his pocket? Why should he? -He was outside his own door. Wouldn't he have taken -Henry into the house with him if he wished to speak to -him? No! No! The whole theory is inconceivable...." -</p> - -<p> -"But Captain Shillington disappeared," I argued, -"and so did the pearls, and his hat was found floating -in the river, torn and blood-stained. You cannot deny -that." -</p> - -<p> -"I certainly cannot deny," he replied, "that a blood-stained -hat will float on the water if it is thrown—say, -from a convenient bridge." -</p> - -<p> -"But the scarf?" I retorted. -</p> - -<p> -"A scarf will obey the same laws of Nature as a hat." -</p> - -<p> -"But surely you are not going to tell me——?" -</p> - -<p> -"What?" -</p> - -<p> -"That the whole thing was a confidence trick, after all?" -</p> - -<p> -"I am certain that it was. A clever one, I'll admit, -and even I was puzzled at the time. I couldn't think -who 'Henry' could possibly be. It wasn't young -Buckley, that was obvious. The alibi was conclusive as to -that: the miscreants who had planned to throw dust in -the eyes of the police by trying to fasten a hideous -crime on that unfortunate young Buckley set their -stage rather too elaborately when they devised the trick -about the scarf. By identifying the murderer with the -wearer of the scarf, they saved Buckley from the -gallows; without it, there might have remained some doubt -in the mind of some of the jury. But, of course, it -raised a tremendous puzzle. Who was the 'Henry' of -Somerset Street? And was it not a curious coincidence -that he should be wearing an overcoat similar to the one -habitually worn by Henry Buckley and a white carnation, -which many friends would at once associate with -that unfortunate young man? From the examination -of the puzzle to its solution was but a step. I came at -once to the conclusion that here was no coincidence, -but a deliberate attempt to impersonate Henry Buckley, -the man most likely in the eyes of the public to waylay, -rob, and even murder a man whom he knew to be in -possession of valuable jewellery. Such a deliberate -attempt, therefore, argued that Captain Shillington -himself must have been in it. 'Good Lord, Henry, what in -the world are you doing here?' was obviously intended -for any passer-by to hear in the same way that the -white carnation was intended for any chance passer-by -to pick up. Having established the <i>mise en scène</i>, the -two scoundrels walked off, having previously provided -themselves with a blood-stained hat, which presently -Miss Shillington would identify as the property of her -brother." -</p> - -<p> -"Miss Shillington?" I broke in eagerly, "then you -think that the whole Australian family was in the -conspiracy? And what about the man Rose?" -</p> - -<p> -"The whole family," he rejoined, "only consisted of -two. Man and wife most likely." -</p> - -<p> -"But the man Rose?" I insisted. -</p> - -<p> -"An excellent part, alternately played with remarkable -skill by the Captain and his female accomplice." -</p> - -<p> -"Do reconstruct the whole thing for me," I pleaded. -"I own that I am bewildered." -</p> - -<p> -And from my bag I extracted a brand-new piece of -string which I handed to him with an engaging smile. -Nothing could have pleased the fatuous creature more. -With long, claw-like fingers twiddling the string, he -began leisurely: -</p> - -<p> -"Nothing could be more simple. Captain Shillington -takes leave of his fiancée, having her pearls in his -pocket. It is then about half-past eleven. Henry -Buckley has gone to his club, Shillington having -appointed to see him at Mexfield House soon after -midnight. There is, therefore, plenty of time. Shillington -hurries home, changes his personality into that of James -Rose, as he often has done before, and subsequently -interviews Henry Buckley on the door-step. You can -see that, can't you?" -</p> - -<p> -"Easily," I replied. -</p> - -<p> -"Then as soon as he has got rid of Buckley, our -friend the Captain quits the personality of a snuffy, -middle-aged man-servant, and becomes himself once -more. He goes back to the neighbourhood of Mayfair, -hails a taxi and drives to Mexfield House. But in the -meanwhile the female confederate—we'll call her Miss -Shillington for convenience' sake—in male attire and -evening dress, wearing a light overcoat, a light-coloured -scarf and a white carnation in her button-hole, lounges -under a doorway in Somerset Street, waiting to play -her part. Now do you see how simple it all is?" -</p> - -<p> -"Perfectly," I admitted. "As you said before, they -had provided themselves with a blood-stained hat, -which presently they threw into the river, together with -the scarf; and what happened after that?" -</p> - -<p> -"They walked home quietly and went to bed." -</p> - -<p> -"What? Both of them? ... But the mother?" -</p> - -<p> -"I don't believe in the mother," he retorted blandly. -"Do you?" -</p> - -<p> -"I thought——" -</p> - -<p> -"She takes to her bed—she never sees a doctor—she -and her daughter never see any one—they have no -friends—no servants save the man Rose; put two and -two together, my dear," the funny old man concluded -as he slipped the piece of string in his pocket. "Captain -Shillington was the only one in that house who ever -went outside the doors. The mother never did—no one -ever saw her—the daughter had a perpetual cold in the -head—the man Rose had no one to speak for him, no -one to relate his past history, except Miss Shillington. -Where is he now? What has become of him? There's -nobody to enquire after him, so the police don't trouble. -The two Shillingtons—supposed to be mother and -daughter—went back to Australia last year, but not -the man Rose. Then where is he? But I say that the -two passengers on board that P. and O. boat were not -mother and daughter, but male and female confederates -in as fine a bit of rascality as I've ever seen. And -the man Rose never existed. He was just a disguise -assumed from time to time by Captain Shillington. It -is not difficult, you know, to assume a personality of -that sort. The police inspectors who questioned him -had never seen Captain Shillington, and dirt and -shabby clothes are very perfect disguises. Now the -pair of them are knocking about the world somewhere, -they will dispose of the pearls to Continental dealers -not over scrupulous where a good bargain can be struck. -If you will just think of Captain Shillington -impersonating James Rose and a decrepit old woman -alternately, and of Miss Shillington impersonating Henry -Buckley on that one occasion, you will see how -conclusive are my deductions. I have a snapshot here of -the two Australian 'ladies,' taken on board the boat. -This muffled-up bundle of bonnet and shawl is supposed -to be Mrs. Shillington; it might as well be M. Poincaré -or the Kaiser, don't you think? And here is a -snapshot of James Rose giving evidence in the magistrate's -court. Unfortunately, I have no photo of Captain -Shillington, or I could have shown you just how -to trace the personality of the handsome young man -about town under that of this snuffy, dirty, ill-kempt, -unwashed, and badly clothed, stooping figure of an -out-at-elbows servant." -</p> - -<p> -He threw a bundle of newspaper cuttings down on -the table. I gazed at them still puzzled, but nevertheless -convinced that he was right. When I looked up -again, I only saw a corner of his shabby checked ulster -disappearing through the swing doors. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap10"></a></p> - -<h3> -X -<br /><br /> -THE MYSTERY OF THE MONTMARTRE HAT -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -"It was during a foggy, rainy night in November a -couple of years ago," the Old Man in the Corner -said to me that day, "that the inhabitants of -Wicklow Lane, Southwark, were startled by a terrible -row proceeding from one of the houses down the street. -There was a lot of shouting and banging, then a couple -of pistol-shots, after that nothing more. It was then -just after midnight. The dwellers in Wicklow Lane -are all of them poor, they are all of them worried with -the cares of large families, small accommodation, and -irregular work, all of which we must take it make for -indifference to other people's worries, and above all, -to other people's quarrels. Rows were not an unknown -occurrence in Wicklow Lane, not always perhaps at -dead of night and not necessarily accompanied by -pistol-shots, but nevertheless sufficiently frequent not to -arouse more than passing interest. Half-a-dozen -tousled heads—no more—were thrust out of the windows -to ascertain what this particular row was about; but -as everything was quiet again, as no police was in -sight to whom one might give directions, and as the -mixture of rain and fog was particularly unpleasant, -the tousled heads after a few minutes disappeared -again, and once more peace reigned in Wicklow Lane. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course the next morning the event of the night -was mentioned and mildly discussed, both by the men -whilst going to their work and by the ladies whilst -scrubbing their doorsteps. Every one agreed that the -pistol-shots were fired soon after midnight, but no one -seemed to be very clear in which particular house the -row had occurred. Two or three of the people who -lived in No. 11 and No. 15 respectively would have it -that it occurred 'next door,' but as the house next door -to them both could only be the one between them, -namely No. 13, and as No. 13 had been empty for -months, this testimony was at first strongly discounted. -</p> - -<p> -"Presently, however, a helmeted and blue-coated -representative of the law came striding leisurely down the -lane. Within a minute or two he was surrounded by -a number of excited ladies, all eager to give him their -own version of the affair. You can see him, can't you?" -the Old Man in the Corner went on with a grin, "stalking -up the street, his thumbs thrust into his belt, his -face wearing that marvellous look of impassivity -peculiar to the force, and followed by this retinue of -gesticulating ladies, dressed in what they happened to -have picked up in neighboring 'ole clo'' shops, and by -a sprinkling of callow youths and unkempt, unshaven -men. You can see him solemnly plying the knocker on -the dilapidated front door of No. 13, while for the -space of a minute or two the gesticulating ladies, the -youths, and the men were silent and motionless. But -not a sound came in response to the Bobby's vigorous -knocking. The house was silent as the grave; just -above the front door a weather-worn board, swaying -and creaking in the wind, mutely gave it out that the -lease of these desirable premises was to be sold, and -that the key could be had on application to -Messrs. J D. Whiskin and Sons, of Newnham Road, S.E. -The ladies, with cheeks blanched under the grime, -looked aghast at one another; the youths tittered -nervously, the men swore. No one appeared altogether -displeased. Here was a real excitement at last to vary -the monotony of life, something that would keep -gossip alive at the White Lion for many a day to come. -The majestic representative of the law then blew his -whistle. This broke the spell of silence and voluble -tongues started wagging again. Soon the second -representative of the law appeared, as ponderous, as -impassive as his mate. He was quickly put in possession -of all the known and unknown facts connected with -the mysterious occurrence. Leaving his mate in charge, -he stalked off to get assistance. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, you remember no doubt what happened after -that. A police inspector called straightway on Messrs. Whiskin -and Sons, and elicited from them the information -that effectively No. 13 Wicklow Lane was for sale, -had been for some time, and that on the previous -morning—it was, of course, Thursday—a well-dressed -gentleman had called to make enquiries about the house. -Young Mr. Whiskin gave him the key and asked him to -be sure and return it before 1 p.m. as the office closed -early on Thursdays. Well, the gentleman hadn't come -back yet with the key, but Mr. Whiskin was not troubling -much about that, there being nothing in the house—nor -for a matter of that in the street—likely to tempt -a thief. Young Mr. Whiskin thought that he would be -able to identify the gentleman if he saw him again. He -had rather a red face and a thick nose, which suggested -that he was accustomed to good living, rough ginger-coloured -hair, and a straggly ginger beard and walrus -moustache, all of which gave him rather a peculiar -appearance. He wore a neat brown lounge-suit, a light -overcoat, and grey Homburg hat, and he was carrying -a large parcel under his arm. Mr. Whiskin added that -he had never seen the man before or since. -</p> - -<p> -"As soon as these facts became known there was -more voluntary information forthcoming. It appears -that one or two of the residents in Wicklow Lane -remembered seeing a man in light overcoat and soft grey -hat, and carrying a parcel under his arm, enter No. 13 -with a latchkey. No one had taken 'pertikler notice,' -however, chiefly because the occurrence was not an -unusual one. Often people would go in to look at the -empty house and come out again after inspection. -Unfortunately, too, because of this there was distinct -confusion of evidence, some witnesses declaring that the -man carried a large parcel, and that he went away -again, but not until the evening; others would have it -that he had a very small parcel, and that he wore a -bowler hat; others that the man with the bowler hat -was another person altogether, and did not call till the -evening, whilst this, again, was contradicted by -another witness who said that the man who called in the -evening had very conspicuous ginger-coloured hair and -beard, but that he certainly wore a bowler hat. And -through this mass of conflicting evidence there was -always the fact that the fog was very thick that night -and that no one therefore was able to swear very -positively to anything. -</p> - -<p> -"This, then, being all the information that could be -gathered for the moment from the outside, the police -next decided to force an entry into the empty house. -Its unlucky number justified, as you know, its sinister -reputation, because the first sight that greeted the -inspector when he entered the front room on the ground -floor was the body of a man lying in a pool of blood. -At first glance he looked like a foreigner—youngish, -and with jet-black hair and moustache. By the side of -him there was a damp towel, also stained with blood. -Closer examination revealed the fact that he was not -dead, but he seemed in a dead faint, and the inspector -sent one of the men off at once to telephone for the -divisional surgeon. -</p> - -<p> -"The wounded man was dressed in a dark suit. He -had on a gold watch of foreign make, twenty pounds in -notes, and some loose silver in his pockets, and a letter -addressed to 'Allen Lloyd, Esq.' at an hotel at -Boulogne. The letter was a private one, relating -unimportant family events; it was signed by a Christian -name only, and bore a London postmark, but no address. -The police inspector took charge of the letters -and the money, and as the divisional surgeon had now -arrived and was busy with the wounded man, he -proceeded to examine the premises. -</p> - -<p> -"The houses in Wicklow Lane all have small yards at -the back. These yards end in a brick wall, the other -side of which there is a railway cutting. It was obvious -that No. 13 had been untenanted for some time. The -dust of ages lay over window and door-frames, over -broken mantelpieces and dilapidated stoves. There -was not a stick of anything anywhere; even the rubbish -in the basement—such as is found in every empty -house, residue left over by the last tenant—had been -picked over until there was nothing left but dust and -a few empty bottles. -</p> - -<p> -"The front room in which the wounded man lay -revealed very little. Two bullets were found lodged -in one of the walls; one, quite close to the ceiling, -suggesting that it had been fired in the air, and the other at -a height of seven feet from the ground. The dust on -the floor had certainly been disturbed, but by how -many pairs of feet it was impossible to say. On the -other hand, the back room on the same floor had quite -a grim tale to tell. It gave on the small backyard with -the wall as a background, beyond which was the -railway cutting. The window in this room was open. In -one corner there was an ordinary sink which showed -that water had been running from the tap quite -recently; there was a small piece of soap in the sink -which had also recently been used. On the mantelpiece -a small oak-framed mirror was propped up against the -wall and beside it on the shelf there was the remnant -of a burnt-out candle and a box of matches, half empty. -And thrown down on the floor, in a corner of the room, -were a black Inverness cape and soft black hat with -a very wide brim, such as are usually affected by -French students. -</p> - -<p> -"It was, of course, difficult to reconstruct the assault -just at present, the wounded man being still in a state -of stupor and unable to give any account of himself, -but the revolver was found lying at the bottom of the -yard close to the end wall. -</p> - -<p> -"In the meanwhile the divisional surgeon had -concluded his examination. He pronounced the wound to -have been caused by one of the bullets that had -lodged in the wall of the front room. It had been fired -at very close range, as the flesh was singed all round -the wound. The bullet had gone right through the left -deltoid, front to back, and slightly upwards, just grazed -the top of the shoulder, and then lodged in the wall. -The surgeon was inclined to think that the wound was -self-inflicted, but this theory was thought to be -untenable, because if a man was such an obviously poor shot -he would surely have chosen some other way of putting -an end to himself, unless, indeed, he was a lunatic, -which might account for any incongruity in the known -facts, even to the noise—the shouting and the -banging—that all the neighbours agreed had preceded the -revolver shots. -</p> - -<p> -"But there certainly was one fact which discounted -the attempted suicide theory, and that was the -undoubted presence of another man upon the scene—the -man with the ginger hair and the thick nose who had -called for the key at Messrs. Whiskin and Sons, and -whom several witnesses had actually seen entering the -empty house, the man with the parcel. Now no one -saw him come out again by the front door. He must -have been in the house when the foreigner with the -jet-black hair came and joined him, and he must have -slipped out later on in the dark, under cover of the fog -and rain, either by the front door when nobody -happened to be passing by, or over the wall and then by -the railway cutting. Now what had brought these two -men together in an empty house, in one of the worst -slums in London? One man was wounded; where was -the other? Had the revolver been dropped by one of -them in his flight or flung out of the window by a -lunatic? Was it attempted suicide by a madman, or -murder consequent on a quarrel, or blackmail? None -of these questions was ever answered, nor was the man -with the ginger-coloured hair ever found. There was -absolutely no clue by which he might be traced; the -earth just swallowed him up as if he had been a spook. -</p> - -<p> -"Nor was the identity of the wounded man ever -satisfactorily established. Who he was, where he came -from, who were his associates and what were his antecedents, -he never revealed. He was detained in hospital -for a time, as he certainly was suffering from loss of -memory. But presently they had to let him go. He -had money and he was otherwise perfectly sane, but to -every question put to him he only answered, 'I don't -know! I can't remember!' He spoke English without -the slightest trace of foreign accent; all that was -foreign about him was his jet-black hair and beard. Nor -was the history of the revolver ever traced to its source. -Where was it bought? To whom was it sold, and by -whom? Nobody ever knew." -</p> - -<p> -"But where did the man go after he left the -hospital?" I now asked, seeing that the funny creature -looked like curling himself up in his corner and going -to sleep. "Surely he was kept under observation when -they let him out!" -</p> - -<p> -"Of course he was," he replied glibly, "and for some -time after that." -</p> - -<p> -"Then where did he go," I reiterated, impatiently, -"when he was discharged from hospital?" -</p> - -<p> -"He asked the way to the nearest public library and -went straight there; he looked down the columns of -the <i>Morning Post</i>, scribbled a few addresses on a scrap -of paper, then he took a taxi and drove to one of the -private hotels in Mexborough Gate, where he engaged -a room, paying a fortnight's board and lodging in -advance. Here he lived for some considerable time. He -was always plentifully supplied with money, he bought -himself clothes and linen, but where he got the money -from was never discovered. For a time he was watched -both by the police and by amateur detectives eager for -copy, but nothing was ever discovered that would clear -up the mystery. From time to time letters came for -him at the hotel in Mexborough Gate. They were -addressed to 'Allen Lloyd, Esq.' which may or may not -have been a taken-up name. Presumably these letters -contained remittances in cash. They were never traced -to their source. Anyway he always paid his weekly -bills at the hotel; but he never spoke to any one in -the place, nor, as far as could be ascertained, did he ever -meet any one or enter any house except the one he -lodged in. -</p> - -<p> -"Then one fine day he left the hotel, never to return. -He went out one afternoon and nothing has been seen -or heard of him from that day to this. The mysterious -Mr. Allen Lloyd has disappeared in the whirlpool of -London, leaving no trace of his identity. He had paid -his bill at the hotel that very day. He left no debts and -just a very few personal belongings behind. To all -intents and purposes the matter was relegated in the -public mind to the category of unsolved and -unsolvable mysteries." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner had paused. From the -capacious pocket of his tweed ulster he now extracted -a thick piece of string; his claw-like fingers set to work. -The problem which police and public had never been -able to solve had, I had no doubt, presented few -difficulties to his agile brain. -</p> - -<p> -"Tell me," I suggested. -</p> - -<p> -He went on working away for a little while at an -intricate knot, then he said, "If you want to know more, -you will have to listen to what will seem to you an -irrelevant story." -</p> - -<p> -I professed my willingness to listen to anything he -might choose to tell me. -</p> - -<p> -"Very well, then," he said. "Let me take your mind -back to that same winter two years ago. Do you remember -the extraordinary theft of a valuable collection -of gems, the property of Sir James Narford?" -</p> - -<p> -"I do." -</p> - -<p> -"Do you know who Sir James Narford was?" -</p> - -<p> -"I would prefer you to tell me," I replied. -</p> - -<p> -"Sir James Narford," the funny creature went on -glibly, "was a young gentleman who had been employed -during the war in one of the Government departments; -he was the only son of his father who was an -impoverished Irish baronet. Soon after the Armistice, -Sir James went to South America to visit some relations. -He must have made a very favourable impression -on one of these—an eccentric old cousin who died a very -few months later and left to his English relative a -marvellous collection of pearls and other gems. Some of -these were of priceless value, and as is the way with -anything that is out of the common, all sorts of stories -grew around the romantic legacy. The great worth and -marvellous beauty of the jewels were told and retold, -with many embellishments no doubt, in the English -papers. It was asserted that the Brazilian Government -had valued them for probate at a million pounds -sterling; that there were diamonds—some still uncut—that -would make the Koh-i-noor or the Orloff look like -small bits of glass, and so on. I daresay you can -remember some of the legends that gathered around Sir -James Narford's gems. By the time the lucky owner -of the fabulous treasure, who had gone out again to -Brazil in order to fetch away his jewels, had returned -to England, he was the object of universal interest and -he and his gems were photographed and paragraphed -all over the place. -</p> - -<p> -"But as I told you, the recipient of this princely -legacy had always been a poor man. We may take it -that the payment of legacy duty on forty thousand -pounds' worth of gems had impoverished him still -further. Busybodies, of course, tried to persuade him to -sell the gems; he had numberless letters from diamond -and pearl merchants, asking for permission to see them -with a view to purchase, but, naturally enough, he -didn't want to do anything in a hurry; he deposited his -treasure at the bank and then thought things over. He -didn't want to sell, for he was inordinately proud of -his new possession and of the notoriety which it had -conferred upon him. It was even rumoured that he had -received more than one hint from fair lips that if he -proposed marriage, the owner of such beautiful jewels -would be certain of acceptance. -</p> - -<p> -"I don't know who first suggested the idea to Sir -James Narford that he should exhibit the gems for the -benefit of disabled soldiers and sailors. It was a -splendid idea; 2s. 6d. was to be charged for -admission, and after deducting expenses of rent and -attendants, the profits were to go to that very laudable -charity. Suitable premises were secured in Sackville -Street. These consisted of a shop with a large plate-glass -front and a small room at the back; the entrance -was through a front door and passage, which were -common to the rest of the house, and there were two -doors in the passage, one of which gave into the shop, -and the other into the back room. Sir James spent a -little money in getting up the place in modern style, -and he had some cases made for the display of the -gems. The door which gave from the passage into the -shop was condemned, and a heavy piece of furniture -placed against it. The back room was only to be used -as an office and ante-room with communicating doors -leading into the shop. -</p> - -<p> -"In the daytime the gems were displayed in glass -cases ranged right and left of the shop; at night they -were locked up in a safe which stood in the middle of -the shop, facing the plate-glass window and with a -blazing electric light kept on all night, just above the -safe. This is a very usual device with jewellers in a -smaller way of business. The policeman on night duty -can see at once if there is anything wrong. -</p> - -<p> -"Everything being ready, Sir James Narford asked a -distinguished lady friend of his to declare the show -open, and for the first fortnight—this, I must tell you, -was in October—there was a steady stream of visitors, -ladies for the most part, who came to gaze on the -much-advertised gems. You might wonder what pleasure -there could be in looking at things one could never hope -to possess, especially at loose gems, however precious, -which, to my mind, only become beautiful when they -are mounted and set in artistic designs. However, I do -not profess to understand feminine mentality; all I -know is that Sir James Narford declared himself on -more than one occasion satisfied with the result of his -little venture. True that after the first fortnight the -attendance at the show fell off considerably, and a few -people did wonder why Sir James should continue to -keep it open for so long. Those who had been most -curious to see the gems of fabulous value had flocked -in the first few days, after that there was only a very -thin sprinkling of people up from the country, or -foreigners, who paid their 2s. 6d. admission for the -sight. But be that as it may, the jewels were certainly -getting an additional amount of advertisement, and -when presently the owner would put them for sale, as -no doubt he intended to do, they would fetch a higher -figure in consequence. In the meanwhile Sir James -went on living very quietly in a small service flat in -George Street, waited on by a faithful servant, a man -named Ruggles, whom he had known for years. Every -day he would stroll round to Sackville Street to look -at his treasure and to talk to one or two friends. At six -o'clock the exhibition would be closed, and Sir James -would himself deposit all the gems into the safe, lock -up the premises, and take the keys back with him to -his flat. He went out very little in society, and only -occasionally to his club. His one extravagance -appeared to be a mania for travelling in all sorts of -out-of-the-way places; he had been seemingly in every -corner of Europe—in Czecho-Slovakia and Yugoslavia, -in Montenegro, Bosnia, and Bessarabia. Before -this whenever he went off on his travels he would -take his man with him and shut up the flat, but on the -occasion which presently arose he left Ruggles in -charge of the exhibition in Sackville Street. This was -early in November, about a fortnight after the opening -of the exhibition; and when Sir James had gone it -was Ruggles who every night at six o'clock put the -gems away in the safe and locked up the premises. He -then made a point of going for a brisk walk, and -returned to the flat at about half-past seven, had his -supper, read his paper, and then went to bed at about -ten o'clock with the keys of the safe and of the -Sackville Street premises underneath his pillow. -</p> - -<p> -"One of the staff in the flats at George Street always -got his supper ready for him—some cold meat, bread -and cheese, and half a pint of beer, which the lift-boy -invariably fetched for him from the Crown and -Sceptre round the corner. He prepared his own breakfast -in the morning, and his other meals he took in -Sackville Street. They were sent in from one of the -cheaper restaurants in Piccadilly. -</p> - -<p> -"Every morning the charwoman who cleaned the -steps outside the block of flats in George Street would -see Ruggles come out of the house and walk away in -the direction of Sackville Street. Even on Sundays -he would stroll round as far as the shop to see that -everything was all right. -</p> - -<p> -"It was on a snowy morning in January that the -charwoman failed to see Ruggles at his accustomed -time. As the quiet neighbourhood did not as a rule lend -itself much to gossip, the present opportunity was not -to be missed. The charwoman, on meeting with the -lift-boy, imparted to him the priceless news that -Mr. Ruggles must either be ill or had gone and overslept -himself. Whereupon the lift-boy was ready with the -startling information that he had just observed that one -of the glass panels in the front door of Sir James -Narford's flat was broken. 'The glass wasn't broke in the -evening, ten-thirty,' he went on to say, 'when I took -a party down who'd been visitin' Miss Jenkins.' -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that Miss Jenkins was maid to a lady who -had a flat on the same floor as Sir James Narford. -But there was the length of a passage with staircase -and lift between the two flats, and neither the lady nor -the maid, when spoken to by the lift-boy about the -broken glass panel, had heard anything during the -night. Now all this seemed very strange, more -especially as the morning hours wore on and there was -still no sign of Mr. Ruggles. The lift-boy was kept -busy for the next hour taking the staff of the service -flats up and down in his lift, as every one wished to -have a look at the broken panel, and wanted to add -their quota of opinion as to what had gone on last night -in Sir James Narford's flat. At ten o'clock the -housekeeper, more responsible or more enterprising than -the rest of the staff, resolved to knock at the flat door. -No answer came. She then tried to peep through the -broken glass panel, and to apply her ear to it. For -a time all was silence. The charwoman, the lift-boy, -the scullery-maid, and the head housemaid stood by -on the landing, holding their breath. Suddenly they -all gave a simultaneous gasp! A groan—distinctly a -groan—was heard issuing from inside the flat! The -group of watchers looked at one another in dismay. -'What's to be done?' they murmured. -</p> - -<p> -"The lift-boy had the key of the flat, but as the front -door was bolted on the inside, the key in itself was no -use. The housekeeper with the air of a general in -command about to order a deathly charge, said -resolutely, 'I shall force my way in!' And it was the -lift-boy who gasped, awe-stricken, 'You kin put your 'and -through the broken panel, mum, and pull the bolt.' -</p> - -<p> -"Somehow this bright idea which had occurred to -the lift-boy made every one there feel still more -uncomfortable. The housekeeper, who had been so bold -a while ago, stammered something about fetching the -police, and when at that precise moment the lift-bell -rang, the head housemaid declared herself ready to -faint. But it was only Sir James Narford who had -rung for the lift from below. He had arrived by the -night mail from Paris, and had only his small suit-case -with him. The lift-boy had the satisfaction of being the -first to impart the exciting news to him. ''E took it -badly, 'e did!' was that young gentleman's comment on -Sir James's reception of the news. Without taking the -slightest notice of the group of excited women on the -landing, Sir James went straight to his front door, -thrust his hand through the broken panel, drew back -the inside bolt, and stepped into his flat. The next -moment the agitated crowd on the landing heard him -cry out, 'My God, Ruggles, what has happened?' A -feeble voice which was scarcely recognisable as that -of Ruggles was then heard talking in short, jerky -sentences, and a few moments later Sir James's voice could -be distinctly heard speaking on the telephone. -</p> - -<p> -"'He is telephoning for the police,' the housekeeper -solemnly announced to the staff. -</p> - -<p> -"Well," the Old Man in the Corner continued after -a while, "let me shorten my tale by telling you briefly -the story which Ruggles told the police. It did not -amount to a great deal, but such as it was it revealed a -degree of cunning and of daring in the ways of burglary -that have seldom been equalled. Ruggles, it seems, had -as usual put away the gems in the safe and locked up -the premises in Sackville Street and then walked home -to the flat, very glad, he declared, that his responsibility -would cease before another day went by, as he expected -Sir James home from abroad the following morning. -He had his supper as usual, but when he settled down -to read his paper, he felt so sleepy that he just went and -bolted the front door, placed the keys underneath his -pillow, and went straight to bed. He remembered nothing -more until he felt himself roughly shaken and heard -his master's voice calling to him. It took him some -time to collect himself; he felt dazed and his head -ached terribly. When Sir James told him that it was -past ten o'clock he could not conceive how he could -have overslept himself in this way. Through force of -habit he put his hand under his pillow to grope for the -keys. They had gone! Then Sir James telephoned to -the police. That was all that Ruggles could say. His -condition was pitiable; alternately bemoaning his fate -and cursing himself for a fool, he knelt at his master's -feet and with hands clasped begged for forgiveness. -</p> - -<p> -"'I'd have done anything in the world for Sir James,' -he kept reiterating to the police officer, 'and 'ere I've -been the ruin of 'im, just through over-sleepin'.' -</p> - -<p> -"The police inspector got quite impatient with him, -and at one time, I think, he thought that the man was -acting a part. But Sir James Narford himself indignantly -repudiated any suggestion of the sort. 'I would -trust Ruggles,' he said emphatically, 'as I would myself. -I have known him for thirty years, and he was in my -father's service before that. I trust him with my keys, -with money, with everything. He would have plenty of -opportunity to rob me comfortably if he had a mind. -What would a man of his class do with valuable gems?' -</p> - -<p> -"All the same I fancy that the police did not altogether -lose sight of the possibility that Ruggles might -know something about the affair, but in spite of very -clever questioning and cross-questioning, his story -never varied even in the minutest detail. All that he -added to his original statement that was of any value -was the description of a foreign visitor at Sackville -Street whom, in his own words, he 'didn't like the looks -of.' This was a youngish man, with very sallow -complexion, jet-black hair and moustache, and wearing a -peculiar-looking caped overcoat and black soft hat with -a very wide brim, who had remained over half an hour -in the shop, apparently deeply interested in the gems. -At one time he asked Ruggles whether he might have -the glass cases opened, so that he could examine the -stones and pearls more closely. This request Ruggles -very naturally refused. The young man then put a -lot of questions to him: 'Where did the gems come -from? What was their value? Were they insured? -Where were they kept at night? Was the safe -burglar-proof or only fireproof?' and so on. -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that two ladies who were visiting the -exhibition at the same time noticed this same young man -with the sallow complexion and the jet-black hair. -They heard him questioning Ruggles and remarked -upon his foreign accent, which was neither Italian nor -Spanish; they thought he might be Portuguese. His -clothes were certainly very outlandish. The ladies had -noticed the caped coat, a kind of black Inverness, and -the hat <i>à la</i> Montmartre. The presence of this -foreigner in the shop in Sackville Street became still more -significant later on, when another fact came to light—a -fact in connection with the half-pint of beer which the -lift-boy from the flats in George Street had fetched as -usual on the evening preceding the robbery, from the -Crown and Sceptre public house. A few drops of the -beer had remained in the mug beside the remnants of -Ruggles's supper. On examination the beer was found -to contain chloral. The lift-boy at first was probably -too scared to throw any light on this circumstance. -He had, he declared, fetched the beer as usual from -the Crown and Sceptre, taken it up to No. 4, Sir -James Narford's flat, and put it upon the table in the -sitting-room, where Mr. Ruggles's supper was already -laid for him. After repeated questions from the police -inspector, however, he recollected that on his way from -the public house to the flats, a gentleman accosted him -and asked him the way to Regent Street. The boy, -holding the mug of beer in one hand, pointed out the -way with the other and probably turned his head in the -same direction as he did so. He couldn't say for -certain. The gentleman seemed stupid and didn't -understand the directions all at once; the boy had to repeat -them again and again, and altogether was in conversation -with the gentleman quite a while. It was dark at -the time, but he did see that the gentleman wore a -funny sort of coat and a funny hat, and as the boy -picturesquely put it, ''E spoke queer-like, as if 'e wor -a Frenchman.' To a lift-boy presumably every -foreigner is a Frenchman if he be not a German, and -though the lad's description of the coat and hat only -amounted to his calling them 'funny,' there seemed -little doubt but that the man who visited the shop in -Sackville Street and the one who accosted the lift-boy -in George Street were one and the same. There was -also little doubt but that he poured the drug into the -mug of beer while the boy's head was turned away. -And finally all doubts were set at rest when the 'funny -coat and hat' were discovered tied up in a bundle in -the area of an empty house, two doors higher up the -street. -</p> - -<p> -"Unfortunately, although these few facts were definitely -established, all traces of the man himself vanished -after that. How he got into the block of flats -could not be ascertained. He might have slipped in -after the lift-boy, while the latter went upstairs with -the beer, and concealed himself somewhere in the -basement. It was impossible to say. The street-door was -kept open as usual until eleven o'clock, and until that -hour the boy was in attendance at the lift; he had been -up and down several times, taking up residents or their -visitors, and while he ran to fetch the beer one of the -maids saw to the lift, if the bell rang. At eleven o'clock -every evening the street-door was closed, but not -bolted; it was provided with a Yale lock and every -resident had one key, in case they came in late; the lift -was not worked after that hour, but there was a light -kept on every landing. These lights the housemaid -switched off the first thing every morning when she did -the stairs, and as a matter of fact she remembered that -on that memorable morning the light on the top floor -landing—which is the landing outside Sir James -Narford's flat—was already switched off when she went to -do it. -</p> - -<p> -"And those are all the facts," the Old Man in the -Corner went on slowly, while he paused in his work of -fashioning intricate knots in his beloved bit of string, -"all the facts that were ever known in connection with -the theft of Sir James Narford's gems. Of course, as -you may well suppose, not only the official but also the -public mind at once flew to the mysterious personage, -originally found wounded in an empty house in Wicklow -Lane. There could be no shadow of doubt that -this man and the one who visited the shop in Sackville -Street, who accosted the lift-boy, drugged Ruggles's -beer and robbed him of his keys, were one and the same. -There was the black caped coat, the Montmartre hat, -the jet-black hair and foreign look. True, the wounded -man of Wicklow Lane spoke English without any foreign -accent, but the latter could easily be assumed. -Indeed, it all seemed plain sailing, and as soon as the -word went round about the robbery in Sackville Street -and the description was given of the foreign-looking -individual with the jet-black hair, the police thought -they had a perfectly clear case. -</p> - -<p> -"A clear case, yes!" the funny creature went on, with -a grin, "but not an easy one, because when the police -called at the hotel in Mexborough Gate they learned -that the mysterious Mr. Allen Lloyd had been gone -three days. Having paid his bill, he had walked out -of the house one dark afternoon and not been seen or -heard of since. He went off carrying a paper parcel, -which no doubt contained the few belongings he had -bought of late. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course he was the thief and a marvellous cunning -one. Just think what it meant. It meant, first of all, -immense presence of mind and daring to accost the -lift-boy and engage him in conversation whilst pouring a -drug into a mug of beer; then it meant sneaking into -the block of flats in George Street, breaking the glass -panel of a door, entering the flat, stealing the keys, -sneaking out of the building again, going round to -Sackville Street, watching until the police on duty had -passed by, entering the house, opening the safe, -collecting the gems—all in full view of the street, mind -you, or else in absolute darkness—then relocking the -safe and again watching for the opportunity to sneak -out of the house until the man on duty was out of sight. -Clever? I should think it would have been clever, if -it had ever been done!" -</p> - -<p> -"How do you mean, if it had ever been done?" I -ejaculated, with some impatience. "Whoever the thief -was—and I suppose that you have your theory—he -must have done all those things." -</p> - -<p> -"Oh no, he did not!" the funny creature asserted -emphatically, "he merely put all the gems away in his -own pocket after the exhibition was closed for the night, -instead of locking them up in the safe." -</p> - -<p> -"Then you think it was Ruggles?" I exclaimed. -</p> - -<p> -"In conjunction with his master." -</p> - -<p> -"Sir James Narford? But why?" -</p> - -<p> -"For the sake of the insurance money." -</p> - -<p> -"But, man alive!" I ejaculated, "that was the tragedy -of the whole thing. I remember reading about it at the -time. I suppose that it was either out of meanness or -because he had so little ready money, but Sir James -Narford had only insured his treasure for £20,000, -whereas the jewels——" -</p> - -<p> -"Were not worth a penny more than that," the Old -Man in the Corner broke in with his bland smile. "The -public may have been bamboozled with tales of fabulous -value—nowadays people talk as glibly of millions -as the past generation did of thousands—but insurance -companies don't usually listen to fairy tales." -</p> - -<p> -"But even so," I argued, "the jewels must have been -worth more than the insurance after all the advertisement -they got. Why shouldn't Sir James have sold -them, rather than take the risk of stealing them?" -</p> - -<p> -"But, my dear young lady," he retorted, "can't you -see that the jewels can still be sold and that they will -be—abroad—presently—one by one? Twenty thousand -pounds insurance money is good, but you double -the amount and it is better." -</p> - -<p> -"But what about the wounded man in Wicklow -Lane?" I asked. -</p> - -<p> -"A red herring across the trail," he replied, with a -smile, "only with this difference, that it was dragged -across before the hounds were on the scent. And that -is where the immense cleverness of the man comes in. -To create a personality on whom to draw suspicion of -a crime and then make that personality disappear before -the crime is committed, is as clever a bit of rascality -as I have ever seen. It needed absolute coolness and -a knowledge of facial make-up, in both of which we -must take it Sir James Narford was a past-master. -Think then how easy everything else would be for him. -</p> - -<p> -"Just let me reconstruct the whole thing for you from -beginning to end, that is from the moment when Sir -James Narford first conceived the idea of doubling -the value of his gems, and took his man Ruggles as -partner in that fine piece of rascality. He couldn't -have done it without a partner, of course, and probably -this was not the first villainy those two scoundrels had -carried through together. Well then, Narford having -given instructions to Ruggles and arranged certain -matters of detail with him, begins his campaign by -ostensibly starting on a journey. He crossed over to France -probably and then back to England. It is easy enough -for a man to disappear in crowded trains or railway -stations if there is no one on his track; easy enough for -him to stay in one hotel after another in any big town -if he chooses hotels whose proprietors have reason to -dread the police, and will not volunteer information if -any of their visitors are 'wanted.' A month only of -such wanderings and Sir James Narford, habitually a -very dapper man, with sleek, sandy hair cropped very -close, a tiny tooth-brush moustache and shaven cheeks -and chin, can easily be transformed into one with -shaggy hair and beard and walrus moustache. Add to -this a nose built out with grease-paint and highly -coloured, and cheeks stained a dull red, and you have the -man who called for the key of the empty house at -Messrs. Whiskin and Sons, with a parcel under his -arm, which contained the black cape and Montmartre -hat purchased abroad at some time previously, during -the course of his wanderings. That's simple, is it not?" -the funny creature continued, while his thin, claw-like -fingers worked away feverishly at his piece of string. -"Now, all that our rascal wants is to change his clothes -and his face; so, late that evening, by preconcerted -plan, Ruggles meets him at the empty house under -cover of the fog. Here he and his precious master -change clothes with one another. Narford then -completes his toilet by applying to his shaggy hair and -beard one of those modern dyes that are so much -advertised for the use of ladies desiring to possess raven -locks. And so we have the explanation of all the -conflicting evidence of the witnesses who saw a man with -a parcel, and yet were so much at variance both as to -the time when they saw him, as to his appearance, and -even as to the size of the parcel. -</p> - -<p> -"Having thus <i>created</i> the personality of a foreign-looking -individual in black clothes, you will easily see -how important it was for the general scheme that the -comedy of the row and the pistol-shots in the empty -house should be enacted. Attention had to be drawn -to the created personage, attention coupled with -mystery, and at this stage of the scheme there was not the -slightest danger of the wounded man in Wicklow Lane -being in any way connected with Sir James Narford of -George Street, Mayfair. Time was no object. The -mysterious Mr. Allen Lloyd of Wicklow Lane might -be detained days, weeks, even months, but he would -have to be let out some time or other. He was -perfectly harmless apparently, and otherwise sane; he -could not be kept for ever at the country's expense. He -was eventually discharged; went to an hotel, and lived -there quietly a while longer until he thought that the -time was ripe for complete disappearance. In the -meanwhile we must suppose that he was in touch with -Ruggles. Ruggles made a point of taking a brisk walk -every evening. Well, winter evenings are dark and -London is a very crowded place. Ruggles would bring -what money was required. What more easy than to -meet in a crowd? -</p> - -<p> -"Then at last the two rascals thought that the time -was ripe. The mysterious Mr. Allen Lloyd disappeared -from the hotel in Mexborough Gate; he went to Sackville -Street, where he shaved off his shaggy moustache -and beard, and cut his hair once more so close that -nothing of the dyed ends could be seen. He changed -into his own clothes, which Ruggles kept there ready -for him. Then he slipped round to Victoria Station -and crossed over to France, only in order to return to -England, openly this time, as Sir James Narford, and -just in time to find Ruggles just aroused from a drugged -sleep and the whole flat seething with excitement. But -it was he who in black cape and Montmartre hat visited -the shop in Sackville Street, it was Ruggles who the -following night spoke to the lift-boy, even while -Narford was procuring for himself a perfect alibi by -crossing over quite openly from France. -</p> - -<p> -"Ruggles's task was, of course, much easier. All he -had to do was to put the gems in his pocket, and these -Narford took over from him in the morning at the flat -before he telephoned for the police. To put on the -black cape and hat and to accost the lift-boy was easy -enough on a dark, snowy night in January. And now -all the excitement has died down. The whole thing was -so cleverly planned that the real rascal was never -suspected. Ruggles may have been but nothing could -really be brought up against him. The gems haven't -been found and to all appearances he has not benefited -by the robbery. He is just the faithful, trusted servant -of his master. -</p> - -<p> -"Sir James Narford has got his money from the -Insurance Company and since then has left for abroad. -By the way," the Old Man in the Corner concluded, as -he gathered up his precious bit of string and slipped it -in the pocket of his ulster, "I heard recently that he -has bought some property in Argentina and has settled -down there permanently with his friend Ruggles. I -think he was wise to do that, and if you care to publish -my version of that mysterious affair, you are at liberty -to do so. I don't think that our friend would sue you -for defamation of character, and, anyway, I'll undertake -to pay damages if the case comes into court." -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap11"></a></p> - -<h3> -XI -<br /><br /> -THE MISER OF MAIDA VALE -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -"One of the most puzzling cases I ever -remember watching," the Old Man in the Corner -said to me that day, "was the one known to -the public as that of 'The Miser of Maida Vale.' It -presented certain altogether novel features, and for -once I was willing to admit that, though the police had -a very hard nut to crack in the elucidation of the -mystery, and in the end failed to find a solution, they were -at one time very near putting their finger on the key of -the puzzle. If they had only possessed some of that -instinct for true facts with which Nature did so kindly -endow me, there is no doubt that they would have -brought that clever criminal to book." -</p> - -<p> -I wish it were in my power to convey something of -that air of ludicrous complacency with which he said -this. I could almost hear him purring to himself, like -a lean, shabby old cat. He had his inevitable bit of -string in his hand, and had been in rapturous -contemplation of a series of knots which he had been -fashioning until the moment when I sat down beside him and -he began to speak. But as soon as he embarked upon -his beloved topic he turned his rapturous contemplation -on himself. He just sat there and admired himself, -and now and again blinked at me, with such an air of -self-satisfaction that I longed to say something terribly -rude first, and then to flounce out of the place, leaving -him to admire himself at his leisure. -</p> - -<p> -But, of course, this could not be. To use the funny -creature's own verbiage, Nature had endowed me with -the journalistic instinct. I had to listen to him; I had -to pick his brains and to get copy out of him. The -irresistible desire to learn something new, something -that would thrill my editor, as well as my public, -compelled me to swallow my impatience, to smile at -him—somewhat wryly, perhaps—and then to beg him to -proceed. -</p> - -<p> -I was all attention. -</p> - -<p> -"Well," he said, still wearing an irritating air of -condescension, "do you remember the case of the old miser -of Maida Vale?" -</p> - -<p> -"Only vaguely," I was willing to admit. -</p> - -<p> -"It presented some very interesting features," he -went on, blandly, "and assuming that you really only -remember them vaguely, I will put them before you as -clearly as possible, in order that you may follow my -argument more easily later on. -</p> - -<p> -"The victim of the mysterious tragedy was, as no -doubt you remember, an eccentric old invalid named -Thornton Ashley, the well-known naval constructor, -who had made a considerable fortune during the war -and then retired, chiefly, it was said, owing to ill-health. -He had two sons, one of whom, Charles, was a misshapen, -undersized creature, singularly unprepossessing -both in appearance and in manner, whilst the other, -Philip, was a tall, good-looking fellow, very agreeable -and popular wherever he went. Both these young men -were bachelors, a fact which, it appears, had been for -some time a bone of contention between them and their -father. Old Ashley was passionately fond of children, -and the one desire of his declining years was to see the -grandchildren who would ultimately enjoy the fortune -which he had accumulated. Whilst he was ready to -admit that Charles, with his many afflictions, did not -stand much chance with the fair sex, there was no -reason at all why Philip should not marry, and there had -been more than one heated quarrel between father and -son on that one subject. -</p> - -<p> -"So much so, indeed, that presently Philip cut his -stick and went to live in rooms in Jermyn Street. He -had a few hundreds a year of his own, left to him by -a godmother. He had been to Rugby and to Cambridge, -and had been a temporary officer in the war: -pending his obtaining some kind of job he settled down -to live the life of a smart young bachelor in town, -whilst his brother Charles was left to look after the old -man, who became more and more eccentric as his health -gradually broke up. He sold his fine house in Hyde -Park Gardens, his motor, and the bulk of his furniture, -and moved into a cheap flat in Maida Vale, where he -promptly took to his bed, which he never left again. -His eccentricities became more and more pronounced -and his temper more and more irascible. He took a -violent dislike to strangers, refused to see anybody -except his sons and two old friends, Mr. Oldwall, the -well-known solicitor, and Dr. Fanshawe-Bigg, who visited -him from time to time and whose orders he obstinately -refused to obey. Worst of all, as far as the unfortunate -Charles was concerned, he became desperately mean, -denying himself (and, incidentally, his son) every -luxury, subsisting on the barest necessities, and keeping -no servant to wait on him except a daily 'char.' -</p> - -<p> -"Soon his miserliness degenerated into a regular mania. -</p> - -<p> -"'Charles and I are saving money for the grand-children -you are going to give me one day,' he would -say with a chuckle whenever Philip tried to reason with -him on the subject of this self-denying ordinance. -'When you have an establishment of your own, -you can invite us to come and live with you. -There will be plenty then for housekeeping, I promise -you!' -</p> - -<p> -"At which the handsome Philip would laugh and -shrug his shoulders and go back to his comfortable -rooms in Jermyn Street. But no one knew what -Charles thought about it all. To an outsider his case -must always have appeared singularly pathetic. He -had no money of his own and his delicate health had -made it impossible for him to take up any profession: -he could not cut his stick like his brother Philip had -done, but, truth to tell, he did not appear to wish to -do so. Perhaps it was real fondness for his father that -made him seem contented with his lot. Certain it is -that as time went on he became a regular slave to the -old man, waiting on him hand and foot, more hard-worked -than the daily 'char,' who put on her bonnet -and walked out of the flat every day at six o'clock when -her work was done, and who had all her Sundays to -herself. -</p> - -<p> -"All the relaxation that Charles ever had were -alternate week-ends, when his brother Philip would come -over and spend Saturday to Monday in the flat taking -charge of the invalid. On those occasions Charles -would get on an old bicycle, and with just a few -shillings in his pocket which he had saved during the past -fortnight out of the meagre housekeeping allowance -which he handled, he would go off for the day -somewhere into the country, nobody ever knew where. -Then on Monday morning he would return to the flat -in Maida Vale, ready to take up his slave's yoke, to all -appearances with a light heart. -</p> - -<p> -"'Charles Ashley is wise,' the gossiping acquaintances -would say, 'he sticks to the old miser. Thornton -Ashley can't live for ever, and Oldwall says that he is -worth close on a quarter of a million.' -</p> - -<p> -"Philip, on the other hand, could have had no -illusions with regard to his father's testamentary -intentions. The bone of contention—Philip's celibacy—was -still there, making bad blood between father and son; -more than once the old miser had said to him with a -sardonic grin: 'Let me see you married soon, my boy, -and with a growing family around you, or I tell you -that my money shall go to that fool Charles, or to the -founding of an orphan asylum or the establishment of -a matrimonial agency.' -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Oldwall, the solicitor, a very old friend of the -Ashleys, and who had seen the two boys grow up, threw -out as broad a hint to Philip on that same subject as -professional honour allowed. -</p> - -<p> -"'Your father,' he said to him one day, 'has got that -mania for saving money, but otherwise he is perfectly -sane, you know. He'll never forgive you if you don't -gratify his wish to see you married. Hang it all, man, -there are plenty of nice girls about. And what on earth -would poor old Charles do with a quarter of a million, -I'd like to know.' -</p> - -<p> -"But for a long time Philip remained obstinate and -his friends knew well enough the cause of this -obstinacy; it had its root in a pre-war romance. Philip -Ashley had been in love—some say that he had actually -been engaged to her—with a beautiful girl, Muriel -Balleine, the daughter of the eminent surgeon, Sir Arnold -Balleine. The two young people were thought to be -devoted to one another. But the lovely Muriel had, as -it turned out, another admirer in Sir Wilfred -Peet-Jackson, the wealthy shipowner, who worshipped her -in secret. Philip Ashley and Wilfred Peet-Jackson were -great friends; they had been at school and 'Varsity -together. In 1915 they both obtained a commission in -the Coldstreams and in 1916 Peet-Jackson was very -severely wounded. He was sent home to be nursed by -the beautiful Muriel in her father's hospital in -Grosvenor Square. His case had already been pronounced -hopeless, and Sir Arnold himself, as well as other -equally eminent surgeons, gave it as their opinion that -the unfortunate young man could not live more than a -few months—if that. -</p> - -<p> -"We must then take it that pity and romance played -their part in the events that ensued. Certain it is that -London society was one day thrilled to read in its -<i>Times</i> that Miss Muriel Balleine had been married -the previous morning to Sir Wilfred Peet-Jackson, the -wealthy shipowner and owner of lovely Deverill Castle -in Northamptonshire. Her friends at once put it about -that Muriel had only yielded to a dying man's wish, -and that there was nothing mercenary or calculating in -this unexpected marriage; she probably would be a -widow within a very short time and free to return to -her original love and to marry Philip Ashley. But in -this case, like in so many others in life, the unexpected -occurred. Sir Wilfred Peet-Jackson did not die—not -just then. He lived six years after the doctors had said -that he must die in six months. He remained an -invalid and he and his beautiful wife spent their winters -in the Canaries and their summers in Switzerland, but -Muriel did not become a widow until 1922, and Philip -Ashley all that time never looked at another girl; he -was even willing to allow a fortune to slip away from -him, because he always hoped that the woman whom -he had never ceased to worship would be his wife one -day. -</p> - -<p> -"Probably old Ashley knew all that; probably he -hated the idea that this one woman should spoil his -son's life for always; probably he thought that threat -of disinheritance would bring Philip back out of the -realms of romance to the realities of life. All this we -shall never know. The old man spoke to no one about -that, not even to Mr. Oldwall, possibly not even to -Charles. By the time that Sir Wilfred Peet-Jackson had -died and Philip had announced his engagement to the -beautiful widow, Thornton Ashley was practically a -dying man. However, he did have the satisfaction before -he died of hearing the good news. Philip told him of his -engagement one Saturday in May when he came for -his usual fortnightly week-end visit. Strangely enough, -although the old man must have been delighted at this -tardy realisation of his life's desire, he did not after -that make any difference in his mode of life. He -remained just as irascible, just as difficult, and every bit -as mean as he had always been; he never asked to see -his future daughter-in-law, whom he had known in the -past, though she did come once or twice to see him; -nor did he encourage Philip to come and see him any -more frequently than he had done before. The only -indication he ever gave that he was pleased with the -engagement was an obvious impatience to see the -wedding-day fixed as soon as possible, and one day he -worked himself up into a state of violent passion -because Philip told him that Lady Peet-Jackson was -bound to let a full year lapse before she married again, -out of respect for poor Wilfred's memory. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"Of course a good deal of gossip was concentrated -on all these events. Although Thornton Ashley had, -for the past three years, cut himself adrift from all -social intercourse, past friends and acquaintances had not -altogether forgotten him, whilst Philip Ashley and Lady -Peet-Jackson had always been well-known figures in a -certain set in London. It was not likely, therefore, -that their affairs would not be discussed and commented -on at tea-parties and in the clubs. Philip Ashley was -exalted to the position of a hero. By his marriage he -would at last grasp the fortune which he had so -obstinately and romantically evaded: true love was -obtaining its just reward, and so on. Lady Peet-Jackson, -on the other hand, was not quite so leniently dealt with -by the gossips. It was now generally averred that she -had originally thrown Philip Ashley over only because -Peet-Jackson was a very rich man and had a handle to -his name, and that she was only returning to her -former lover now because Thornton Ashley had already -one foot in the grave, and was reputed to be worth a -quarter of a million. -</p> - -<p> -"I have a photograph here," the Old Man in the -Corner went on, and threw a bundle of newspaper cuttings -down before me, "of Lady Peet-Jackson. As no doubt -you will admit, she is very beautiful, but the face is -hard; looking at it one feels instinctively that she is not -a woman who would stand by a man in case of trouble -or disgrace. But it is difficult to judge from these -smudgy reproductions, and there is no doubt that -Philip Ashley was madly in love with her. That she -had enemies, especially amongst those of her own sex, -was only natural in view of the fact that she was -exceptionally beautiful, had made one brilliant marriage, -and was on the point of making another. -</p> - -<p> -"But the two romantic lovers were not the sole food -of the gossip-mongers. There was the position of -Charles Ashley to be discussed and talked over. What -was going to become of him? How would he take this -change in his fortune? If rumour, chiefly based on -Mr. Oldwall's indiscretions, was correct, he would be losing -that reputed quarter of a million if Philip's marriage -came off. But in this case gossip had to rest satisfied -with conjectures. No one ever saw Charles, and Philip, -when questioned about him, had apparently very little -to say. -</p> - -<p> -"'Charles is a queer fish,' he would reply. 'I don't -profess to know what goes on inside him. He seems -delighted at the prospect of my marriage, but he -doesn't say much. He is very shy and very sensitive -about his deformity, and he won't see any one now, not -even Muriel.' -</p> - -<p> -"And thus the stage was set," the funny creature -continued with a fatuous grin, "for the mysterious tragedy -which has puzzled the public and the police as much as -the friends of the chief actors in the drama. It was -set for the scene of Philip Ashley's marriage to Muriel -Lady Peet-Jackson, which was to take place very -quietly at St. Saviour's, Warwick Road, early in the -following year. -</p> - -<p> -"On the twenty-seventh of August old Thornton Ashley -died, that is to say he was found dead in his bed by -his son Charles, who had returned that morning from -his fortnightly week-end holiday. The cause of death -was not in question at first, though Dr. Fanshawe-Bigg -was out of town at the moment, his <i>locum tenens</i> knew -all about the case, and had seen the invalid on the -Thursday preceding his death. In accordance with the -amazing laws of this country, he gave the necessary -certificate without taking a last look at the dead man, -and Thornton Ashley would no doubt have been buried -then and there, without either fuss or ceremony, but for -the amazing events which thereupon followed one -another in quick succession. -</p> - -<p> -"The funeral had been fixed for Thursday, the thirtieth, -but within twenty-four hours of the old miser's -death it had already transpired that he had indeed left -a considerable fortune, which included one or two -substantial life insurances, and that the provisions of his -will were very much as Philip Ashley and his friends -had surmised. After sundry legacies to various charitable -institutions concerned with the care of children, -Thornton Ashley had left the residue of his personalty -to whichever of his sons was first married within a -year from the time of the testator's death, the other -son receiving an annuity of three hundred pounds. This -clearly was aimed at Philip, as poor misshapen Charles -had always been thought to be out of the running. -Moreover, a further clause in the will directed that in -the event of both the testator's sons being still -unmarried within that given time, then the whole of the -residue was to go to Charles, with an annuity of one -hundred pounds to Philip and a sum of ten thousand -pounds for the endowment of an orphan asylum at the -discretion of the Charity Organisation Society. -</p> - -<p> -"There were a few conjectures as to whether Charles -Ashley, who, by his brother's impending marriage, -would be left with a paltry three hundred pounds a -year, would contest his father's will on the grounds of -<i>non compos mentis</i>, but, as you know, it is always very -difficult in this country to upset a will, and the -provisions of this particular one were so entirely in accord -with the wishes expressed by the deceased on every -possible occasion, that the plea that he was of unsound -mind when he made it would never have been upheld, -quite apart from the fact that Mr. Oldwall, who drew -up the will and signed it as one of the witnesses, would -have repudiated any suggestion that his client was -anything but absolutely sane at the time. -</p> - -<p> -"Everything then appeared quite smooth and above -board when suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, came -the demand from the Insurance Company in which the -late Mr. Thornton Ashley had a life policy for forty -thousand pounds for a <i>post-mortem</i> examination, the -company not being satisfied that the deceased had died -a natural death. Naturally, Dr. Percy Jutt, who had -signed the death certificate, was furious, but he was -overruled by the demands of the Insurance Company, -backed by no less a person than Charles Ashley. -Indeed, it soon transpired that it was in consequence of -certain statements made by Mr. Triscott, a local solicitor, -on behalf of Charles Ashley to the general manager -of the company, that the latter took action in the matter. -</p> - -<p> -"Philip Ashley, through his solicitor, Mr. Oldwall, -and backed by Dr. Jutt, might perhaps have opposed -the proceedings, but quite apart from the fact that -opposition from that quarter would have been impolitic, -it probably also would have been unsuccessful. Anyway, -the sensation-mongers had quite a titbit to offer -to the public that afternoon; the evening papers came -out before midday with flaring headlines: 'The -mystery miser of Maida Vale.' Also, 'Sensational -developments,' and 'Sinister Rumours.' -</p> - -<p> -"By four o'clock in the afternoon some of the papers -had it that a <i>post-mortem</i> examination of the body of -the late Mr. Thornton Ashley had been conducted by -Dr. Dawson, the divisional surgeon, and that it had -revealed the fact that the old miser had not died a natural -death, traces of violence having been discovered on the -body. It was understood that the police were already -in possession of certain facts and that the coroner of -the district would hold an inquest on Thursday, the -thirtieth, the very day on which the funeral was to have -taken place." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"Now I have attended many an inquest in my day," -the Old Man in the Corner continued after a brief -pause, during which his claw-like fingers worked away -with feverish energy at his bit of string, "but seldom -have I been present at a more interesting one. There -were so many surprises, such an unexpected turn of -events, that one was kept on tenterhooks the whole -time as to what would happen next. -</p> - -<p> -"Even to those who were in the know, the witnesses -in themselves were a surprise. Of course, every one -knew Mr. Oldwall, the solicitor and life-long friend of -old Thornton Ashley, and the divisional surgeon, whose -evidence would be interesting; then there was poor -Charles Ashley and his handsome brother, Philip, now -the owner of a magnificent fortune, whose romantic -history had more than once been paragraphed in the Press. -But what in the world had Mr. Triscott, a local lawyer -whom nobody knew, and Mrs. Trapp, a slatternly old -'char,' to do with the case? And there was also -Dr. Percy Jutt, who had not come out of the case with -flying professional colours, and who must have cursed the -day when he undertook the position of <i>locum tenens</i> for -Dr. Fanshawe-Bigg. -</p> - -<p> -"The proceedings began with the sensational evidence -of Dr. Dawson, the divisional surgeon, who had -conducted the <i>post-mortem</i>. He stated that the -deceased had been in an advanced state of uræmia, but -this had not actually been the cause of death. Death -was due to heart failure, caused by fright and shock, -following on violent aggression and an attempt at -strangulation. There were marks round the throat, -and evidences of a severe blow having been dealt on -the face and cranium causing concussion. In the -patient's weak state of health, shock and fright had -affected the heart's action with fatal results. -</p> - -<p> -"All the while that the divisional surgeon gave -evidence, going into technical details which the layman -could not understand, Dr. Percy Jutt had obvious -difficulty to control himself. He had a fidgety, nervous -way with him and was constantly biting his nails. -When he, in his turn, entered the witness-box, he was -as white as a sheet and tried to hide his nervousness -behind a dictatorial, blustering manner. In answer to -the coroner, he explained that he had been acting as -<i>locum tenens</i> for Dr. Fanshawe-Bigg, who was away on -his holiday. He had visited the deceased once or twice -during the past fortnight, and had last seen him on the -Thursday preceding his death. Dr. Fanshawe-Bigg -had left him a few notes on the case. -</p> - -<p> -"'I found,' he went on to explain, 'the deceased in an -advanced stage of uræmia, and there was very little -that I could do, more especially as I was made to -understand that my visits were not particularly wanted. -On the Thursday, deceased was in a very drowsy state, -this being one of the best-known symptoms of the -disease, and I didn't think that he could live much longer. -I told Mr. Charles Ashley so; at the same time, I did -not think that the end would come quite so soon. -However, I was not particularly surprised when on the -Monday morning I received a visit from Mr. Charles -Ashley who told me that his father was dead. I found -him very difficult to understand,' Dr. Jutt continued, -in reply to a question from the coroner, 'emotion had, I -thought, addled his speech a little. He may have tried -to tell me something in connection with his father's -death, but I was so rushed with work that morning, and, -as I say, I was fully prepared for the event, that all I -could do was to promise to come round some time during -the day, and, in the meanwhile, in order to facilitate -arrangements for the funeral, I gave the necessary -certificate. I was entirely within my rights,' he -concluded, with somewhat aggressive emphasis, 'and, as -far as I can recollect, Mr. Charles Ashley said nothing -that in any way led me to think that there was -anything wrong.' -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Oldwall, the solicitor, was the next witness -called, and his testimony was unimportant to the main -issue. He had drafted the late Mr. Thornton Ashley's -will in 1919, and had last seen him alive before starting -on a short holiday some time in June. Deceased had -just heard then of his son's engagement and witness -thought him looking wonderfully better and brighter -than he had been for a long time. -</p> - -<p> -"'Mr. Ashley,' the coroner asked, 'didn't say -anything to you then about any alteration to his -will?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Most emphatically, no!' the witness replied. -</p> - -<p> -"'Or at any time?' -</p> - -<p> -"'At no time,' Mr. Oldwall asserted. -</p> - -<p> -"These questions put by the coroner in quick -succession had, figuratively speaking, made every one sit -up. Up to now the general public had not been greatly -interested, one had made up one's mind that the old -miser had kept certain sums of money, after the fashion -of his kind, underneath his mattress; that some evil-doer -had got wind of this and entered the flat when no -one was about, giving poor Thornton Ashley a fright -that had cost him his life. -</p> - -<p> -"But with this reference to some possible alteration -in the will the case at once appeared more interesting. -Suddenly one felt on the alert, excitement was in the -air, and when the next witness, a middle-aged, dapper -little man, wearing spectacles, a grey suit and white -spats, stood up to answer questions put to him by the -coroner, a suppressed gasp of anticipatory delight went -round the circle of spectators. -</p> - -<p> -"The witness gave his name as James Triscott, -solicitor, of Warwick Avenue. He said that he had known -the deceased slightly, having seen him on business in -connection with the lease of 73, Malvine Mansions, -the landlord being a client of his. On the previous -Friday, that is, the twenty-fourth, witness received a -note written in a crabbed hand and signed, 'A. Thornton -Ashley,' asking him to call at Malvine Mansions -any time during the day. This Mr. Triscott did that -same afternoon. The door was opened by Mr. Charles -Ashley whom he had also met once or twice before, -who showed him into the room where the deceased lay -in bed, obviously very ill, but perfectly conscious and -reasonable. -</p> - -<p> -"'After some preliminary talk,' the witness went on, -'the deceased explained to me that he was troubled in -his mind about a will which he had made some four -years previously, and which had struck him of late as -being both harsh and unjust. He desired to make a -new will, revoking the previous one. I naturally told -him that I was entirely at his service, and he then -dictated his wishes to me. I made notes and promised to -have the will ready for his signature by Monday. The -thought of this delay annoyed him considerably, and he -pressed me hard to have everything ready for him by -the next day. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that. I -was obliged to go off into the country that evening on -business for another client, and couldn't possibly be -back before midday Saturday, when my clerk and typist -would both be gone. All I could do was to promise -faithfully to call again on Monday at eleven o'clock -with the will quite ready for signature. I said I would -bring my clerk with me, who could then sign as a witness. -</p> - -<p> -"'I quite saw the urgency of the business,' Mr. Triscott -went on in his brisk, rather consequential way, -'as the poor old gentleman certainly looked very ill. -Before I left he asked me to let him at least have a -copy of my notes before I went away this evening. -This I was able to promise him. I got my clerk to -copy the notes and to take them round to the flat later -on in the day.' -</p> - -<p> -"I can assure you," the Old Man in the Corner said, -"that while that dapper little man was talking, you -might have heard the proverbial pin drop amongst the -public. You see, this was the first that any one had -ever heard of any alteration in old Ashley's will, and -Mr. Triscott's evidence opened up a vista of exciting -situations that was positively dazzling. When he -ceased speaking, you might almost have heard the -sensation-mongers licking their chops like a lot of cats -after a first bite at a succulent meal; glances were -exchanged, but not a word spoken, and presently a sigh -of eagerness went round when the coroner put the -question which every one had been anticipating: -</p> - -<p> -"'Have you got the notes, Mr. Triscott, which you -took from the late Mr. Thornton Ashley's dictation?' -</p> - -<p> -"At which suggestion Mr. Oldwall jumped up, -objecting that such evidence was inadmissible. There -was some legal argument between him and the coroner, -during which Mr. Triscott, still standing in the -witness-box, beamed at his colleague and at the public -generally through his spectacles. In the end the jury -decided the point by insisting on having the notes read -out to them. -</p> - -<p> -"Briefly, by the provisions of the new will, which -was destined never to be signed, the miser left his -entire fortune, with the exception of the same trifling -legacies and of an annuity of a thousand pounds a -year to Philip, to his son Charles absolutely, in grateful -recognition for years of unflagging devotion to an -eccentric and crabbed invalid. Mr. Triscott explained -that on the Monday morning he had the document quite -ready by eleven o'clock, and that he walked round with -it to Malvine Mansions, accompanied by his clerk. -Great was his distress when he was met at the door by -Charles Ashley, who told him that old Mr. Thornton -Ashley was dead. -</p> - -<p> -"That was the substance of Mr. Triscott's evidence, -and I can assure you that even I was surprised at the -turn which events had taken. You know what the -sensation-mongers are; within an hour of the -completion of Mr. Triscott's evidence, it was all over -London that Mr. Philip Ashley had murdered his father in -order to prevent his signing a will that would deprive -him—Philip—of a fortune. That is the way of the -world," the funny creature added with a cynical smile. -"Philip's popularity went down like a sail when the -wind suddenly drops, and in a moment public sympathy -was all on the side of Charles, who had been done -out of a fortune by a grasping and unscrupulous -brother. -</p> - -<p> -"But there was more to come. -</p> - -<p> -"The next witness called was Mrs. Triscott, the wife -of the dapper little solicitor, and her presence here in -connection with the death of old Thornton Ashley -seemed as surprising at first as that of her husband -had been. She looked a hard, rather common, but -capable woman, and after she had replied to the coroner's -preliminary questions, she plunged into her story in a -quiet, self-assured manner. She began by explaining -that she was a trained nurse, but had given up her -profession since her marriage. Now and again, however, -either in an emergency or to oblige a friend, she -had taken care of a patient. -</p> - -<p> -"'On Friday evening last,' she continued, 'Mr. Triscott, -who was just going off into the country on business, -said to me that he had a client in the neighbourhood -who was very ill, and about whom, for certain -reasons, he felt rather anxious. He went on to say -that he was chiefly sorry for the son, a delicate man, -who was sadly deformed. Would I, like a good -Samaritan, go and look after the sick man during the -weekend? It seems that the doctor had ordered absolute -rest, and Mr. Triscott feared that there might be some -trouble with another son because, as a matter of fact, -the old man had decided to alter his will. -</p> - -<p> -"'I knew nothing about Mr. Thornton Ashley's -family affairs,' the witness said, in reply to a question -put to her by the coroner, and calmly ignoring the -sensation which her statement was causing, 'beyond -what I have just told you that Mr. Triscott said to -me, but I agreed to go to Malvine Mansions and see if -I could be of any use. I arrived at the flat on Friday -evening and saw at once what the invalid was -suffering from. I had nursed cases of uræmia before, and I -could see that the poor old man had not many more -days to live. Still I did not think that the end was -imminent. Mr. Charles Ashley, who had welcomed -me most effusively, looked to need careful nursing -almost as much as his father did. He told me that he -had not slept for three nights, so I just packed him off -to bed and spent the night in an armchair in the -patient's room. -</p> - -<p> -"'The next morning Mr. Philip Ashley arrived and -I was told of the arrangement whereby Mr. Charles got -a week-end holiday once a fortnight. I welcomed the -idea for his sake, and as he seemed very anxious about -his father, and remembering what my husband had told -me, I promised that I would stay on in the flat until -his return on the Monday. Thus only was I able to -persuade him to go off on his much-needed holiday. -Directly he had gone, however, I thought it my duty -to explain to Mr. Philip Ashley that really his father -was very ill. He was only conscious intermittently and -that in such cases the only thing that could be done -was to keep the patient absolutely quiet. It was the -only way, I added, to prolong life and to ensure a -painless and peaceful death. -</p> - -<p> -"'Mr. Philip Ashley,' the witness continued, 'appeared -more annoyed than distressed, when I told him -this, and asked me by whose authority I was here, -keeping him out of his father's room, and so on. He -also asked me several peremptory questions as to who -had visited his father lately, and when I told him that I -was the wife of a well-known solicitor in the neighbourhood, -he looked for a moment as if he would give way -to a violent fit of rage. However, I suppose he thought -better of it, and presently I took him into the patient's -room, who was asleep just then, begging him on no -account to disturb the sufferer. -</p> - -<p> -"'After he had seen his father, Mr. Ashley appeared -more ready to admit that I was acting for the best. -However, he asked me—rather rudely, I thought, -considering that the patient was nothing to me and I was -not getting paid for my services—how long I proposed -staying in the flat. I told him that I would wait here -until his brother's return, which I was afraid would not -be before ten o'clock on Monday morning. Whereupon -he picked up his hat, gave me a curt good-day, and -walked out of the flat. -</p> - -<p> -"'To my astonishment,' the witness now said amidst -literally breathless silence on the part of the spectators, -'it had only just gone eight on the Monday morning, -when Mr. Philip Ashley turned up once more. I must -say that I was rather pleased to see him. I was -expecting Mr. Triscott home and had a lot to do in my -own house. The patient, who had rallied wonderfully -the last two days, had just gone off into a comfortable -sleep, and as I knew that Mr. Charles would be back -soon, I felt quite justified in going off duty and -leaving Mr. Philip in charge, with strict injunctions that -he was on no account to disturb the patient. If he -woke, he might be given a little barley-water first and -then some beef-tea, all of which I had prepared and put -ready. My intention was directly I got home to -telephone to Dr. Jutt and ask him to look in at Malvine -Mansions some time during the morning. Unfortunately, -when I got home I had such a lot to do, that, -frankly, I forgot to telephone to the doctor, and -before the morning was over Mr. Triscott had come -home with the news that old Mr. Thornton Ashley was -dead.' -</p> - -<p> -"This," the Old Man in the Corner continued, "was -the gist of Mrs. Triscott's evidence at that memorable -inquest. Of course, there were some dramatic incidents -during the course of her examination; glances -exchanged between Philip Ashley and Mr. Oldwall, and -between him and the dapper little Mr. Triscott. The -latter, I must tell you, still beamed on everybody; he -looked inordinately proud of his capable, business-like -wife, and very pleased with the prominence which he -had attained through this mysterious and intricate -case. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -"The luncheon interval gave us all a respite from the -tension that had kept our nerves strung up all -morning. I don't think that Philip Ashley, for one, ate -much lunch that day. I noticed, by the way, that he -and Mr. Oldwall went off together, whilst Mr. and -Mrs. Triscott took kindly charge of poor Charles. I caught -sight of the three of them subsequently in a blameless -teashop. Charles was indeed a pathetic picture to look -upon; he looked the sort of man who lives on his -nerves, with no flesh on his poor, misshapen bones, and -a hungry, craving expression in his eyes, as in those of -an under-fed dog. -</p> - -<p> -"We had his evidence directly after luncheon. But, -as a matter of fact, he had not much to say. He had -last seen his father alive on the Saturday morning -when he went off on his fortnightly week-end holiday. -He had bicycled to Dorking and spent his time there -at the Running Footman, as he had often done before. -He was well known in the place. On Monday morning -he made an early start and got to Malvine Mansions -soon after ten and let himself into the flat with his -latch-key. He expected to find his brother or -Mrs. Triscott there, but there was no one. He then went -into his father's room, and at first thought that the -old man was only asleep. The blinds were down and -the room very dark. He drew up the blind and went -back to his father's bedside. Then only did he realise -that the old man was dead. Though he was very -ignorant in such matters, he thought that there was -something strange about the dead man, and he tried to -explain this to Dr. Jutt. But the latter seemed too -busy to attend to him, so when Mr. Triscott came to -call later on, he told him of this strange feeling that -troubled him. Mr. Triscott then thought that as -Dr. Jutt seemed so indifferent about the matter, it might -be best to see the police. -</p> - -<p> -"'But this,' Charles Ashley explained, 'I refused to -do, and then Mr. Triscott asked me if I knew whether -my dear father had any life insurances, and if so, in -what company. I was able to satisfy him on that point, -as I had heard him speak with Mr. Oldwall about a -life policy he had in the Empire of India Life -Insurance Company. Mr. Triscott then told me to leave -the matter to him, which I was only too glad to do.' -</p> - -<p> -"Witness was asked if he knew anything of his -father's intentions with regard to altering his will, and -to this he gave an emphatic 'No!' He explained that -he had taken a note from his father to Mr. Triscott on -the Friday and that he had seen Mr. Triscott when the -latter called at the flat that afternoon, but when the -coroner asked him whether he knew what passed -between his father and the lawyer on that occasion, he -again gave an emphatic 'No!' -</p> - -<p> -"He had accepted gratefully Mr. Triscott's suggestion -that Mrs. Triscott should come over for the weekend -to take charge of the invalid; but he declared that -this arrangement was in no way a reflection upon his -brother. On the whole, then, Charles Ashley made a -favourable impression upon the public and jury for his -clear and straightforward evidence. The only time -when he hesitated—and did so very obviously—was -when the coroner asked him whether he knew of any -recent disagreement between his father and his brother -Philip, a disagreement which might have led to -Mr. Thornton Ashley's decision to alter his will. Charles -Ashley did hesitate at this point, and, though he -was hard-pressed by the coroner, he only gave ambiguous -replies, and when he had completed his evidence, -he left one under the impression that he might have said -something if he would, and that but for his many -afflictions the coroner would probably have pressed him -much harder. -</p> - -<p> -"This impression was confirmed by the evidence of -the next witness, a Mrs. Trapp, who had been the daily -'char' at Malvine Mansions. She began by explaining -to the coroner that she had done the work at the flat -for the past two years. At first she used to come every -morning for a couple of hours with the exception of -Sundays, but for the last two months or so she came -on the Sundays, but stayed away on the Mondays; on -Wednesdays she stayed the whole day, until about six, -as Mr. Charles always did a lot of shopping those -afternoons. -</p> - -<p> -"Asked whether she remembered what happened at -the flat on the Wednesday preceding Mr. Thornton -Ashley's death, she said that she did remember quite -well Mr. Philip Ashley called; he did do that -sometimes on a Wednesday, when his brother was out. He -stayed about an hour and, in Mrs. Trapp's picturesque -language, he and his father 'carried on awful!' -</p> - -<p> -"'I couldn't 'ear what they said,' Mrs. Trapp explained, -with eager volubility, 'but I could 'ear the ole -gentleman screaming. I 'ad 'eard 'im storm like that -at Mr. Philip once before—about a month ago. But -Lor' bless you, Mr. Philip 'e didn't seem to care, and -on Wednesday, when I let 'im out of the flat 'e just -looked quite cheerful like. But the ole gentleman 'e -was angry. I 'ad to give 'im a nip o' brandy, 'e was -sort o' shaken after Mr. Philip went.' -</p> - -<p> -"You see then, don't you?" the Old Man in the Corner -said with a grim chuckle, "how gradually a network -of sinister evidence was being woven around Philip -Ashley. He himself was conscious of it, and he was -conscious also of the wave of hostility that was rising -up against him. He looked now, not only grave, but -decidedly anxious, and he held his arms tightly crossed -over his chest, as if in the act of making a physical -effort to keep his nerves under control. -</p> - -<p> -"He gave me the impression of a man who would -hate any kind of publicity, and the curious, eager looks -that were cast upon him, especially by the women, must -have been positive torture to a sensitive man. -However, he looked a handsome and manly figure as he -stood up to answer the questions put to him by the -coroner. He said that he had arrived at the flat on -the Saturday at about mid-day, explaining to the jury -that he always came once a fortnight to be with his -father, whilst his brother Charles enjoyed a couple of -days in the country. On this occasion, however, he was -told that his father was too ill to see him. Charles, -however, went off on his bicycle as usual, but contrary -to precedent, a lady had apparently been left in charge -of the invalid. Witness understood that this was -Mrs. Triscott, the wife of a neighbour, who had kindly -volunteered to stay over the week-end. She was an -experienced nurse and would know what to do in case -the patient required anything. For the moment he was -asleep and must not be disturbed. -</p> - -<p> -"'I naturally felt very vexed,' the witness continued, -'at being kept out of my father's room, and I may have -spoken rather sharply at the moment, but I flatly deny -that I was rude to Mrs. Triscott, or that I was in a -violent rage. I did get a glimpse of my father, as he -lay in bed, and I must say that I did not think that he -looked any worse than he had been all along. However, -I was not going to argue the point. I preferred -to wait until the Monday morning when my brother -would be home, and I could tackle him on the subject.' -</p> - -<p> -"At this point the coroner desired to know why, in -that case, when the witness was told that his brother -would not be at the flat before ten o'clock, he turned -up there as early as half-past eight. -</p> - -<p> -"'Because,' the witness replied, 'I was naturally -rather anxious to know how things were, and because I -hoped to get a day on the river with a friend, and to -make an early start if possible. However, when I got -to the flat, Mrs. Triscott wanted to get away, and so I -agreed to stay there and wait until ten o'clock, when, -so Mrs. Triscott assured me, my brother would certainly -be home. As a matter of fact he always used to -get home at that hour with clockwork regularity on the -Monday mornings after his holiday. My father was -asleep, and Mrs. Triscott left me instructions what to -do in case he required anything. At half-past nine he -woke. I heard him stirring and I went into his room -and gave him some barley-water and sat with him for -a little while. He seemed quite cheerful and -good-tempered, and, honestly, I did not think that he was -any worse than he had been for weeks. Just before -ten o'clock he dropped off to sleep again. I knew that -my brother would be in within the next half hour and, -as this would not be the first time that my father had -been left alone in the flat, I did not think that I should -be doing anything wrong by leaving him. I went back -to my chambers and was busy making arrangements for -the day when I had a telephone message from my -brother that our father was dead.' -</p> - -<p> -"Questioned by the coroner as to the disagreement -which he had had with his father on the previous -Wednesday, Mr. Philip Ashley indignantly repudiated -the idea that there was any quarrel. -</p> - -<p> -"'My father,' he said, 'had a very violent temper and -a very harsh, penetrating voice. He certainly did get -periodically angry with me whenever I explained to -him that my marriage to Lady Peet-Jackson could not, -in all decency, take place for at least another six -months. He would storm and shriek for a little while,' -the witness went on, 'but we invariably parted the best -of friends.'" -</p> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner paused for a little while, -leaving me both interested and puzzled. I was trying -to piece together what I remembered of the case with -what he had just told me, and I was longing to hear his -explanation of the events which followed that memorable -inquest. After a little while the funny creature resumed: -</p> - -<p> -"I told you," he said, "that a wave of hostility had -risen in the public mind against Philip Ashley. It came -from a sense of sympathy for the other son, who, -deformed and afflicted, had been done out of a fortune. -True that it would not have been of much use to him, -and that in the original will ample provision had been -made for his modest wants, but it now seemed as if, at -the eleventh hour, the old miser had thought to make -reparation toward the son who had given up his whole -life to him, whilst the other had led one of leisure, -independence, and gaiety. What had caused old Thornton -Ashley thus to change his mind was never conclusively -proved; there were some rumours already current -that Philip Ashley was in debt and had appealed -to his father for money, a fatal thing to do with a miser. -But this also was never actually proved. The only -persons who could have enlightened the jury on the -subject were Philip Ashley himself and his brother, -Charles, but each of them, for reasons of his own, chose -to remain silent. -</p> - -<p> -"And now you will no doubt recall the fact which -finally determined the jury to bring in their sensational -verdict, in consequence of which Philip Ashley was -arrested on the coroner's warrant on a charge of -attempted murder. It seemed horrible, ununderstandable, -unbelievable, but, nevertheless, a jury of twelve -men did arrive at that momentous decision after -deliberation lasting less than half an hour. What I -believe weighed with them in the end was the fact that the -assistant who came with the divisional surgeon to -conduct the <i>post-mortem</i> found underneath the bed of the -deceased, a walking-stick with a crook-handle, and the -crumpled and torn copy of the notes for the new will -which Mr. Triscott had prepared. Philip Ashley when -confronted with the stick admitted that it was his. He -had missed it on the Saturday when he was leaving the -flat, as he was under the impression that he had -brought one with him; however, he did not want to -spend any more time looking for it, as he was obviously -so very much in the way. -</p> - -<p> -"Now, both the charwoman and Mrs. Triscott swore -that the patient's room had been cleaned and tidied on -the Sunday, and that there was no sign of a walking-stick -in the room then. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§5 -</h4> - -<p> -"And so," the Old Man in the Corner went on, with a -cynical shrug of his lean shoulders, "Philip Ashley went -through the terrible ordeal of being hauled up before -the magistrate on the charge of having attempted to -murder his father, an old man with one foot in the -grave. He pleaded 'Not Guilty,' and reserved his -defence. The whole of the evidence was gone through -all over again, of course, but nothing new had -transpired. The case was universally thought to look very -black against the accused, and no one was surprised -when he was eventually committed for trial. -</p> - -<p> -"Public feeling remained distinctly hostile to him. -It was a crime so horrible and so unique you would -have thought that no one would have believed that a -well-known, well-educated man could possibly have -been guilty of it. Probably, if the event had occurred -before the war, public opinion would have repudiated -the possibility, but so many horrible crimes have -occurred in every country these past few years that one -was just inclined to shrug one's shoulders and murmur: -'Perhaps, one never knows!' One thing remained -beyond a doubt: old Mr. Thornton Ashley died of shock -or fright following a violent and dastardly assault, -finger-marks were discovered round his throat, and -there were evidences on his face and head that he had -been repeatedly struck with what might easily have -been the walking-stick which was found under his bed. -Add to this the weight of evidence of the new will, -about to be signed, and of the quarrel between father -and son on the previous Wednesday, and you have as -good a motive for the murder as any prosecuting counsel -might wish for. Philip Ashley would not, of course, -hang for murder, but it was even betting that he would -get twenty years. -</p> - -<p> -"Anyway, I don't think that, as things were, any one -blamed Lady Peet-Jackson for her decision. A week -before Philip Ashley's trial came on she announced -her engagement to Lord Francis Firmour, son of the -Marquis of Ettridge, whom she subsequently married. -</p> - -<p> -"But Philip Ashley was acquitted—you remember -that? He was acquitted because Sir Arthur Inglewood -was his counsel, and Sir Arthur is the finest criminal -lawyer we possess; and, because the evidence against -him was entirely circumstantial, it was demolished by -his counsel with masterly skill. Whatever might be -said on the subject of 'motive,' there was nothing -whatever to prove that the accused knew anything of his -father's intentions with regard to a new will; and there -was only a charwoman's word to say that he had -quarrelled with his father on that memorable Wednesday. -</p> - -<p> -"On the other hand, there was Mr. Oldwall and -Dr. Fanshawe-Bigg, old friends of the deceased, both -swearing positively that Thornton Ashley had a peculiarly -shrill and loud voice, that he would often get into -passions about nothing at all, when he would scream -and storm, and yet mean nothing by it. The only -evidence of any tangible value was the walking-stick but -even that was not enough to blast a man's life with such -a monstrous suspicion. -</p> - -<p> -"Philip Ashley was acquitted, but there are not many -people who followed that case closely who believed him -altogether innocent at the time. What Lady Peet-Jackson -thought about it no one knows. It was for her -sake that the unfortunate man threw up the chances -of a fortune, and when it came within his grasp it still -seemed destined to evade him to the end. In losing the -woman for whom he had been prepared to make so -many sacrifices, poor Philip lost the fortune a second -time, because, as he was not married within the -prescribed time-limit, it was Charles who inherited under -the terms of the original will. But I think you will -agree with me that any sensitive man is well out of a -union with a hard and mercenary woman. -</p> - -<p> -"And now there has been another revolution in the -wheel of Fate. Charles Ashley died the other day in -a nursing home of heart failure, following an operation. -He died intestate, and his brother is his sole -heir. Funny, isn't it, that Philip Ashley should get his -father's fortune in the end? But Fate does have a -way sometimes of dealing out compensations, after she -has knocked a man about beyond his deserts. Philip -Ashley is a rich man now, and there is a rumour, I am -told, current in the society papers, that Lady Francis -Firmour has filed a petition for divorce, and that the -proceedings will be undefended. But can you imagine -any man marrying such a woman after all that she -made him suffer?" -</p> - -<p> -Then, as the funny creature paused and appeared -entirely engrossed in the fashioning of complicated -knots in his beloved bit of string, I felt that it was my -turn to keep the ball rolling. -</p> - -<p> -"Then you, for one," I said, "are quite convinced -that Philip Ashley did not know that his father -intended to make a new will, and did not try to murder -him?" -</p> - -<p> -"Aren't you?" he retorted. -</p> - -<p> -"Well," I rejoined, somewhat lamely, "some one did -assault the old miser, didn't they? If it was not Philip -Ashley then it must have been just an ordinary burglar, -who thought that the old man had some money hidden -away under his mattress." -</p> - -<p> -"Can't you theorise more intelligently than that?" -the tiresome creature asked in his very rude and cynical -manner. I would gladly have slapped his face, only—I -did want to know. -</p> - -<p> -"Your own theory," I retorted, choosing to ignore his -impertinence, "seek him first whom the crime benefits." -</p> - -<p> -"Well, and whom did that particular crime benefit -the most?" -</p> - -<p> -"Philip Ashley, of course," I replied, "but you said -yourself——" -</p> - -<p> -"Philip Ashley did not benefit by the crime," the old -scarecrow broke in, with a dry cackle. "No, no, but -for the fact that a merciful Providence removed -Charles Ashley so very unexpectedly out of this wicked -world, Philip would still be living on a few hundreds a -year, most of which he would owe to the munificence -of his brother." -</p> - -<p> -"That," I argued, "was only because that Peet-Jackson -woman threw him over, otherwise——" -</p> - -<p> -"And why did she throw him over? Because old -Thornton Ashley died under mysterious circumstances, -and Philip Ashley was under a cloud because of it. -Any one could have foreseen that that particular -woman would throw him over the very moment that -suspicion fell upon him." -</p> - -<p> -"But Charles——" I began. -</p> - -<p> -"Exactly," he broke in, excitedly, "it was Charles -who benefited by the crime. It was he who inherited -the fortune." -</p> - -<p> -"But, by the new will he would have inherited anyhow. -Then, why in the world——" -</p> - -<p> -"You surely don't believe in that new will, do you? -The way in which I marshalled the facts before you -ought to have paved the way for more intelligent -reasoning." -</p> - -<p> -"But Mr. Triscott——" I argued. -</p> - -<p> -"Ah, yes," he said, "Mr. Triscott—exactly. The -whole thing could only be done in partnership, I -admit. But does not everything point to a partnership -in what, to my mind, is one of the ugliest crimes in our -records? You ought to be able to follow the workings -of Charles Ashley's mind, a mind as tortuous as the -body that held it. Let me put the facts once more -briefly before you. While Philip obstinately remained -a bachelor, all was well. Charles stuck to the old miser, -carefully watching over his interests lest they become -jeopardised. But presently, Lady Peet-Jackson -became a widow and Philip gaily announced his -engagement. From that hour Charles, of course, must have -seen the fortune on which he had already counted -slipping away irretrievably from his grasp. Can you not -see in your mind's eye that queer, misshapen creature -setting his crooked brain to devise a way out of the -difficulty? Can you not see the plan taking shape -gradually, forming itself slowly into a resolve—a resolve to -stop his brother's marriage at all costs? But how? -Philip, passionately in love with Muriel Peet-Jackson, -having won her after years of waiting, was not likely -to give her up. No, but <i>she</i> might give <i>him</i> up. She -had done it once for the sake of ambition, she might do -it again if ... if ... well, Charles Ashley, obscure, -poor, misshapen, was not likely to find a rival who -would supplant his handsome brother in any woman's -affections. Certainly not! But there remained the other -possibility, the possibility that Philip, poor—or, better -still, disgraced—might cease to be a prize in the -matrimonial market. Disgraced! But how? By publicity? -By crime? Yes, by crime! Now, can you see the plan -taking shape? -</p> - -<p> -"Can you see Charles cudgelling his wits as to what -crime could most easily be fastened on a man of -Philip's personality and social position? Probably a -chance word dropped by his father put the finishing -touch to his scheme, a chance word on the subject of a -will. And there was the whole plan ready. The -unsigned will, the assault on the dying man, and quarrels -there always were plenty between the peppery old miser -and his somewhat impatient son. As for Triscott, the -dapper little local lawyer, I suppose it took some time -for Charles Ashley's crooked schemes to appear as -feasible and profitable to him. Of course, without him -nothing could have been done, and the whole of my -theory rests upon the fact that the two men were -partners in the crime. -</p> - -<p> -"Where they first met, and how they became friends, -I don't profess to know. If I had had anything to do -with the official investigation of that crime I should -first of all have examined the servant in the Triscott -household, and found out whether or no Mr. Charles -Ashley had ever been a visitor there. In any case, I -should have found out something about Triscott's -friends and Triscott's haunts. I am sure that it would -then have come to light that Charles Ashley and -Mr. Triscott had constant intercourse together. -</p> - -<p> -"I cannot bring myself to believe in that unsigned -will. There was nothing whatever that led up to it, -except the supposed quarrel on the Wednesday. But, -if that old miser did want to alter his will, why should -he have sent for a man whom he hardly knew and -whom, mind you, he would have to pay for his services, -rather than for his friend, Oldwall, who would have -done the work for nothing? The man was a miser, -remember. His meanness, we are told, amounted to a -mania; a miser never pays for something he can get for -nothing. There was also another little point that -struck me during the inquest as significant. If -Triscott was an entire stranger to Charles Ashley, why -should he have taken such a personal interest in him -and in the old man to the extent of sending his wife to -spend two whole days and nights in charge of an -invalid who was nothing to him? Why should Mrs. Triscott -have undertaken such a thankless task in the house -of a miser, where she would get no comforts and hardly -anything to eat? Why, I say, should the Triscotts have -done all that if they had not some vital self-interest at -stake? -</p> - -<p> -"And I contend that that self-interest demanded that -one of them should be there, in the flat, on the watch, -to see that no third person was present whilst Philip -spent his time by his father's bedside—a witness, such -as Lady Peet-Jackson, perhaps, or some friend—whose -testimony might demolish the whole edifice of lies, -which had been so carefully built up. And, did you -notice another point? The charwoman, by a new -arrangement, was never at the flat on a Monday -morning, and that arrangement had only obtained for the -past two months. Now why? Charwomen stay away, -I believe, on Sundays always, but, I ask you, have you -ever heard of a charwoman having a holiday on a -Monday?" -</p> - -<p> -I was bound to admit that it was unusual, whereupon -the old scarecrow went on, with excitement that grew -as rapidly as did the feverish energy of his fingers -manipulating his bit of string. -</p> - -<p> -"And now propel your mind back to that same Monday -morning, when, the coast being clear, Charles Ashley, -back at the flat and alone with the old man, was -able at last to put the finishing touch to his work of -infamy. One pressure of the fingers, one blow with the -walking-stick, and the curtain was rung down finally -on the hideous drama which he had so skilfully -invented. Think of it all carefully and intelligently," the -Old Man in the Corner concluded, as he stuffed his -beloved bit of string into the capacious pocket of his -checked ulster, "and you will admit that there is not a -single flaw in my argument——" -</p> - -<p> -"The walking-stick," I broke in, quickly. -</p> - -<p> -"Exactly," he retorted, "the walking-stick. Charles -was quick enough to grasp the significance of that, and -on Saturday, while his brother's back was turned, he -carefully hid the walking-stick, knowing that it would -be a useful piece of evidence presently. Do you, for -a moment, suppose," he added, dryly, "that any man -would have been such a fool as to throw his walking-stick -and the crumpled notes of the will underneath his -victim's bed? They could not have been left there, -remember, they could not have rolled under the bed, -as the walking-stick had a crook-handle; they must -deliberately have been thrown there. -</p> - -<p> -"No, no!" he said, in conclusion, "there is no flaw. -It is all as clear as daylight to any receptive intelligence, -and though human justice did err at first, and it -looked, at one time, as if the innocent alone would suffer -and the guilty enjoy the fruits of his crime, a higher -justice interposed in the end. Charles has gone, and -Philip is in possession of the fortune which his father -desired him to have. I only hope that his eyes are -opened at last to the true value of the beautiful Muriel's -love, and that it will be some other worthier woman -who will share his fortune and help him forget all that -he endured in the past." -</p> - -<p> -"And what about the Triscotts?" I asked. -</p> - -<p> -"Ah!" he said, with a sigh, "they are the wicked who -prosper, and higher justice has apparently forgotten -them, as it often does forget the evil-doer, for a time. -We must take it that they were well paid for their share -in the crime, and, if the unfortunate Charles had lived, -he probably would have been blackmailed by them and -bled white. As it is, they have gone scot-free. I made -a few enquiries in the neighbourhood lately and I -discovered that Mr. Triscott is selling his practice and -retiring from business. Presently we'll hear that he has -bought himself a cottage in the country. Then, perhaps, -your last doubt will vanish and you will be ready -to admit that I have found the true solution of the -mystery that surrounded the death of the miser of -Maida Vale." -</p> - -<p> -The next moment he was gone, and I just caught -sight of the corner of his checked ulster disappearing -through the swing doors. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap12"></a></p> - -<h3> -XII -<br /><br /> -THE FULTON GARDENS MYSTERY -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -"Are you prepared to admit," the Old Man in the -Corner said abruptly as soon as he had -finished his glass of milk, "that sympathy, -understanding, largeness of heart—what?—are invariably -the outcome of a big brain? It is the fool who is -censorious and cruel. Your clever man is nearly always -sympathetic. He understands, he appreciates, he -studies motives and understands them. During the war it -was the fools who tracked down innocent men and -women under pretence that they were spies; it was the -fools who did not understand that a German might be -just as fine a patriot as a Briton or a Frenchman if he -served his own country. The hard, cruel man is almost -always a fool; the backbiting old maid invariably so. -</p> - -<p> -"I am tempted to say this," he went on, "because I -have been thinking over that curious case which -newspaper reporters have called the Fulton Gardens -Mystery. You remember it, don't you?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes," I said, "I do. As a matter of fact I knew -poor old Mr. Jessup slightly, and I was terribly shocked -when I heard about that awful tragedy. And to think -that that horrid young Leighton——" -</p> - -<p> -"Ha!" my eccentric friend broke in, with a chuckle, -"then you have held on to that theory, have you?" -</p> - -<p> -"There was no other possible!" I retorted. -</p> - -<p> -"But he was discharged." -</p> - -<p> -I shrugged my shoulders under pretence of being -unconvinced. As a matter of fact, all I wanted was -to make the funny creature talk. -</p> - -<p> -"A flimsy <i>alibi</i>," I said coldly. -</p> - -<p> -"And a want of sympathy," he rejoined. -</p> - -<p> -"What has sympathy got to do with a brutal assault -on a defenceless old man? You can't deny that -Leighton had something, at any rate, to do with it?" -</p> - -<p> -"I did not mean sympathy for the guilty," he argued, -"but for the women who were the principal witnesses -in the case." -</p> - -<p> -"I don't see——" I protested. -</p> - -<p> -"No, but I do. I understood, and in a great measure -I sympathised." -</p> - -<p> -At which expression of noble sentiment I burst out -laughing. I couldn't help it. In view of his preamble -just now his fatuous statement was funny beyond words. -</p> - -<p> -"You being the clever man who understands, etcetera," -I said, as seriously as I could, "and I the -censorious and cruel old maid who is invariably a -fool." -</p> - -<p> -"You put it crudely," he rejoined complacently, "and -had you not given ample proof of your intelligence -before now I might have thought it worth while to -refute the second half of your argument. As for the -first..." -</p> - -<p> -"Hadn't you better tell me about the Fulton Gardens -Mystery?" I broke in impatiently. -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly," he replied, in no way abashed. "I have -meant to talk to you about it all along, only that you -would digress." -</p> - -<p> -"<i>Pax!</i>" I retorted, and with a conciliatory smile I -handed him a beautiful bit of string. He pounced on it -with thin hands that looked like the talons of a bird, -and he gloated on that bit of string for all the world -as on a prey. -</p> - -<p> -"I dare say," he began, "that to most people the -mystery appeared baffling enough. But to me ... Well, -there was the victim of what you very properly call -the cowardly assault, your friend—or acquaintance—Mr. Seton -Jessup, a man on the wrong side of sixty, -but very active and vigorous for his years. He carried -on the business of pearl merchant in Fulton Gardens, -but he did not live there, as you know. He was a -married man, had sons and daughters and a nice house -in Fitzjohn's Avenue. He also owned the house in -Fulton Gardens, a four-storied building of the pattern -prevalent in that neighbourhood. The ground floor, -together with the one above that, and the basement -were used by Mr. Jessup himself for his business: on -the ground floor he had his office and showroom, above -that were a couple of reception rooms, where he usually -had his lunch and saw a few privileged customers, and -in the basement there was a kitchen with scullery and -pantry, a small servants' hall, and a strong-room for -valuables. The top story of all was let to a -surgical-instrument maker who did not sleep on the premises, -and the second floor—that is the one just below the -surgical-instrument maker and immediately above the -reception rooms—was occupied by Mrs. Tufnell, who -was cook-housekeeper to Mr. Jessup, and her niece, -Ann Weber, who acted as the house-parlourmaid. -Mrs. Tufnell's son, Mark, who was a junior clerk in the -office, did not sleep in the house. He was considered -to be rather delicate, and lived with a family -somewhere near the Alexandra Palace. -</p> - -<p> -"All these people, as you know, played important -parts in the drama that was enacted on the sixteenth of -November at No. 13, Fulton Gardens—an unlucky -number, by the way, but one which Mr. Jessup did not -change to the usual 12a when he bought the house, -because he despised all superstition. He was a -hard-headed, prosperous business man; he worked hard -himself, and expected hard work from his employés. -Both his sons worked in the office, one as senior clerk, -and the other as showman, and in addition to young -Mark Tufnell there was another junior clerk—a rather -unsatisfactory youth named Arthur Leighton, who was -some sort of a relation of Mrs. Jessup's. But for this -connection he never would have been kept on in the -business, as he was unpunctual, idle, and unreliable. -The housekeeper, as well as some of the neighbours, -had been scandalised lately by what was picturesquely -termed the 'goings on of that young Leighton with Ann, -the housemaid at No. 13.' -</p> - -<p> -"Ann Weber was a very pretty girl, and like many -pretty girls she was fond of finery and of admiration. -As soon as she entered Mr. Jessup's service she started -a flirtation with Mark Tufnell, then she dropped him -for a while in favour of the youngest Mr. Jessup; then -she went back to Mark, and seemed really in love with -him that time until, finally, she transferred her favours -to Arthur Leighton, chiefly because he was by far the -most generous of her admirers. He was always giving -her presents of jewellery which Mark Tufnell could not -afford, and young Jessup apparently did not care to -give her. But she did not, by any means, confine her -flirtations to one man: indeed, it appears that she had -a marvellous facility for keeping several men hanging -about her dainty apron-strings. She was not on the -best of terms with her aunt, chiefly because the latter -noted with some asperity that her son was far from -cured of his infatuation for the pretty housemaid. -The more she flirted with Leighton and the others the -greater did his love for her appear, and all that -Mrs. Tufnell could hope for was that Mr. Leighton would -marry Ann one day soon, when he would take her right -away and Mark would then probably make up his -mind to forget her. Young Leighton was doing very -well in business apparently, for he always had plenty -of money to spend, whilst poor Mark had only a small -salary, and, moreover, had nothing of the smart, -dashing ways about him which had made the other man -so attractive to Ann." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"And now," the Old Man in the Corner continued -after a while, "we come to that sixteenth of November -when the mysterious drama occurred at No. 13, Fulton -Gardens. As a general rule, it seems, Mr. Jessup was -in his office most evenings until seven o'clock. His -clerks and showmen finished at six, but he would, -almost invariably, stay on an hour longer to go through -his accounts or look over his stock. On this particular -evening, just before seven o'clock, he rang for the -housekeeper, Mrs. Tufnell, and told her that he would -be staying until quite late, and would she send him in a -cup of tea and a plate of sandwiches in about an hour's -time. Mrs. Tufnell owned to being rather disappointed -when she had this order because her son Mark had -arranged to take her and Ann to the cinema that evening, -and now, of course, they could not leave until after -Mr. Jessup had gone, in case he wanted anything, and he -might be staying on until all hours. However, Mark -stayed to supper, and after supper Mrs. Tufnell got -the tea and sandwiches ready and took the tray up -to Mr. Jessup herself. Mr. Jessup was then sitting -at his desk with two or three big books in front of -him, and Mrs. Tufnell noticed that the safe in which -the cash was kept that came in after banking hours -was wide open. -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Tufnell put down the tray, and was about -to leave the room again when Mr. Jessup spoke to her. -</p> - -<p> -"'I expect Mr. Leighton back presently. Show him -in here when he comes. But I don't want to see -anybody else, not any of you. Understand?' -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that he said this in such a harsh and -peremptory manner that Mrs. Tufnell was not only upset, -but quite frightened. Mr. Jessup had always been -very kind and considerate to his servants, and the -housekeeper declared that she had never been spoken -to like that before. But we all know what that sort -of people are: they have no understanding, and unless -you are perpetually smiling at them they turn huffy -at the slightest word of impatience. Undoubtedly -Mr. Jessup was both tired and worried, and no great stress -was laid by the police subsequently on the fact that -he had spoken harshly on this occasion. Even to you -at this moment I dare say that this seems a trifling -circumstance, but I mention it because to my mind it had -a great deal of significance, and I think that the police -were very wrong to dismiss it quite so lightly. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, to resume. Mr. Jessup was in his office with -his books and with the safe, where he kept all the -cash that came in after banking hours, open. -Mrs. Tufnell saw and spoke to him at eight o'clock and he -was then expecting Arthur Leighton to come to him -at nine. -</p> - -<p> -"No one saw him alive after that. -</p> - -<p> -"The next morning Mrs. Tufnell was downstairs as -usual at a quarter to seven. After she had lighted -the kitchen fire, done her front steps and swept the -hall she went to do the ground-floor rooms. She told -the police afterwards that from the moment she got -up she felt that there was something wrong in the -house. Somehow or other she was frightened; she -didn't know of what, but she was frightened. As soon -as she had opened the office door she gave a terrified -scream. Mr. Jessup was sitting at his desk just as -Mrs. Tufnell had seen him the night before, with his -big books in front of him and the safe door open. But -his head had fallen forward on the desk, and his arms -were spread out over his books. Mrs. Tufnell never -doubted for a second but that he was dead, even -before she saw the stick lying on the floor and that -horrible, horrible dull red stain which spread from the -back of the old man's head, right down to his neck -and stained his collar and the top of his coat. Even -before she saw all that she knew that Mr. Jessup was -dead. Terrified, she clung to the open door; she could -do nothing but stare and stare, for the room, the -furniture, the motionless figure by the desk had started -whirling round and round before her eyes, so that she -felt that at any moment she might fall down in a -dead faint. It seemed ages before she heard Ann's -voice calling to her, asking what was the matter. Ann -was lazy and never came downstairs before eight -o'clock. She had apparently only just tumbled out -of bed when she heard Mrs. Tufnell's scream. Now -she came running downstairs, with her bare feet thrust -into her slippers and a dressing-gown wrapped round -her. -</p> - -<p> -"'What is it, Auntie?' she kept on asking as she ran. -'What has happened?' -</p> - -<p> -"And when she reached the office door, she only gave -one look into the room and exclaimed, 'Oh, my God! -He's killed him!' -</p> - -<p> -"Somehow Ann's exclamation of horror brought Mrs. Tufnell -to her senses. With a great effort she pulled -herself together, just in time, too, to grip Ann by the -arm, or the girl would have measured her length on the -tiled floor behind her. As it was, Mrs. Tufnell gave -her a vigorous shake: -</p> - -<p> -"'What do you mean, Ann Weber?' she demanded -in a hoarse whisper. 'What do you mean? Who has -killed him?' -</p> - -<p> -"But Ann couldn't or wouldn't utter another word. -She was as white as a sheet and, staggering backwards, -she had fallen up against the bannisters at the foot of -the stairs and was clinging to them, wide-eyed, with -twitching mouth and shaking knees. -</p> - -<p> -"'Pull yourself together, Ann Weber,' Mrs. Tufnell -said peremptorily, 'and run and fetch the police at -once.' -</p> - -<p> -"But Ann looked as if she couldn't move. She kept -on reiterating in a dry, meaningless manner, 'The -police! The police,' until Mrs. Tufnell, who by now had -gathered her wits together, gave her a vigorous push -and then went upstairs to put on her bonnet. A few -minutes later she had gone for the police. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"I don't know," the Old Man in the Corner went on -glibly, "whether you remember all the circumstances -which made that case such a puzzling one. Indeed, it -well deserved the popular name that the evening papers -bestowed on it—'The Fulton Gardens Mystery'—for it -was, indeed, a mystery, and to most people it has so -remained to this day." -</p> - -<p> -"Not to you," I put in, with a smile, just to humour -him, as I could see he was waiting to be buttered-up -before he would proceed with his narrative. -</p> - -<p> -"No, not to me," he admitted, with his fatuous smile. -"If the members of the police force who had the case -in hand had been psychologists, they would not have -been puzzled, either. But they were satisfied with their -own investigations and with all that was revealed at the -inquest, and they looked no further, with the result -that when the edifice of their deductions collapsed, they -had nowhere to turn. Time had gone on, evidences had -become blurred, witnesses were less sure of themselves -and less reliable, and a certain blackguard, on whom -I for one could lay my fingers at this moment, is going -through the world scot-free. -</p> - -<p> -"But let me begin by telling you the facts as they -were revealed at the inquest. You can then form your -own conclusions, and I dare say that these will be -quite as erroneous as those arrived at by the public -and the police. -</p> - -<p> -"The drama began to unfold itself when Mr. Ernest -Jessup, the younger son of the deceased gentleman, was -called. He began by explaining that he was junior -clerk in his father's office, and that he, along with all -the other employés had remarked on the sixteenth that -the guv'nor did not seem at all like himself. He was -irritable with everybody, and just before luncheon he -called Arthur Leighton into his office and apparently -some very hot words passed between the two. Witness -happened to be in the hall at the moment, getting his -hat and coat, and the housemaid was standing by. -They both heard very loud voices coming from the -office. The guv'nor was storming away at the top of -his voice. -</p> - -<p> -"'That's poor Leighton getting it in the neck,' -witness remarked to Ann Weber. -</p> - -<p> -"But the girl only giggled and shrugged her shoulders. -Then she said: 'Do you think so?' -</p> - -<p> -"'Yes,' witness replied, 'aren't you sorry to see your -devoted admirer in such hot water?' -</p> - -<p> -"Again the girl giggled and then ran away upstairs. -Mr. Leighton was not at the office the whole of that -afternoon, but witness understood, either from his -father or from his brother—he couldn't remember -which—that Leighton was to come in late that night -to interview the guv'nor. -</p> - -<p> -"Witness was next questioned as to the events that -occurred at Mr. Jessup's home in Fitzjohn's Avenue, -while the terrible tragedy was enacted in Fulton -Gardens. It seems that Mr. Jessup had an old mother who -lived in St. Albans, and that he went sometimes to -see her after business hours and stayed the night. As -a general rule, when he intended going he would -telephone home in the course of the afternoon. On the -sixteenth he rang up at about five o'clock and said that -he was staying late at the office—later than usual—and -they were not to wait dinner for him. Mrs. Jessup took -this message herself, and had recognised her husband's -voice. Then, later on in the evening—it might have -been half-past eight or nine—there was another -telephone message from the office. Witness went to the -telephone that time. A voice, which at first he did not -think that he recognised, said: 'Mr. Jessup has gone -to St. Albans. He caught the 7.50, and won't be home -to-night.' In giving evidence witness at first insisted -on the fact that he did not recognise the voice on the -telephone. It was a man's voice, and sounded like -that of a person who was rather the worse for drink. -He asked who was speaking, and the reply came quite -clearly that time: 'Why, it's Leighton, you ass! Don't -you know me?' Witness then asked: 'Where are you -speaking from?' and the reply was: 'From the office, -of course. I've had my wigging and am getting -consoled by our Annie-bird.' Annie-bird was the name -the pretty housemaid went by among the young clerks -at the office. Witness then hung up the receiver and -gave his mother the message. Neither Mrs. Jessup nor -any one else in the house thought anything more about -it, as there was nothing whatever unusual about the -occurrence. Witness only made some remarks about -Arthur Leighton having been drinking again, and there -the matter unfortunately remained until the following -morning, when witness and his brother arrived at the -office and were met with the awful news. -</p> - -<p> -"Both Mrs. Jessup and Mr. Aubrey, the eldest son, -corroborated the statements made by the previous -witness with regard to the telephone messages on the -evening of the sixteenth. Mr. Aubrey Jessup also stated -that he knew that his father was worried about some -irregularities in Arthur Leighton's accounts, and that -he meant to have it out with the young clerk in the -course of the evening. Witness had begged his father -to let the matter rest until the next day, as Leighton, he -thought, had got the afternoon off to see a sick sister, -but the deceased had rejected the suggestion with -obvious irritation. -</p> - -<p> -"'Stuff and nonsense!' he said. 'I don't believe in -that sick sister a bit. I'll see that young blackguard -to-night.' -</p> - -<p> -"The next witness was Mrs. Tufnell, who was -cook-housekeeper at Fulton Gardens. She was a middle-aged, -capable-looking woman, with a pair of curiously -dark eyes. I say 'curiously' because Mrs. Tufnell's -eyes had that velvety quality which is usually only -met with in southern countries. I have seldom seen -them in England, except, perhaps, in Cornwall. Apart -from her eyes, there was nothing either remarkable -or beautiful about Mrs. Tufnell. She may have been -good-looking once, but that was a long time ago. -When she stood up to give evidence her face appeared -rather bloodless, weather-beaten, and distinctly hard. -She spoke quite nicely and without any of that hideous -Cockney accent one might have expected from a cook -in a City office. -</p> - -<p> -"She deposed that on the sixteenth, just before the -luncheon hour, she was crossing the hall at 13, Fulton -Gardens. The door into the office was ajar, and she -heard Mr. Jessup's voice raised, evidently in great -wrath. Mrs. Tufnell also heard Mr. Leighton's voice, -both gentlemen, as she picturesquely put it, going at -one another hammer and tongs. Obviously, though -she wouldn't admit it, Mrs. Tufnell stopped to listen, -but she does not seem to have understood much of -what was said. However, a moment or two later, -Mr. Jessup went to the door in order to shut it, and while -he did so, Mrs. Tufnell heard him say quite distinctly: -</p> - -<p> -"'Well, if you must go now, you must, though I -don't believe a word about your sister being ill. But -you may go; only, understand that I expect you back -here this evening not later than nine. I shall have gone -through the accounts by then, and...' -</p> - -<p> -"At this point the door was shut and witness heard -nothing more. But she reiterated the statements which -she had already made to the police, and which I have -just retold you, about Mr. Jessup staying late at the -office and her taking him in some sandwiches, when -he told her that he was expecting Mr. Leighton at -about nine o'clock and did not wish to be disturbed -by anybody else. Witness was asked to repeat what -the deceased had actually said to her with reference -to this matter, and she laid great stress on Mr. Jessup's -harsh and dictatorial manner, so different, she said, -to his usual gentlemanly ways. -</p> - -<p> -"'"I don't want to see anybody else—not any of -you," that's what he said,' Mrs. Tufnell replied, with -an air of dignity, and then added: 'As if Ann Weber -or I had ever thought of disturbing him when he was -at work!' -</p> - -<p> -"Witness went on to relate that, after she had taken -in the tray of tea and sandwiches, she went upstairs -and found Ann Weber sitting in her room by herself. -Mark, the girl explained, had gone off, very disappointed -that they couldn't all go together to the cinema. -Mrs. Tufnell argued the point for a moment or two, -as she didn't see why Ann should have refused to go -if she wanted to see the show. But the girl seemed -to have turned sulky. Anyway, it was too late, she -said, as Mark had gone off by himself: he had booked -the places and didn't want to waste them, so he was -going to get another friend to go with him. -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Tufnell then settled down to do some sewing, -and Ann turned over the pages of a stale magazine. -Mrs. Tufnell thought that she appeared restless and -agitated. Her cheeks were flushed and at the slightest -sound she gave a startled jump. Presently she said -that she had some silver to clean in the pantry, and -went downstairs to do it. Some little time after that -there was a ring at the front-door bell, and Mrs. Tufnell -heard Ann going through the hall to open the door. -A quarter of an hour went by, and then another. -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Tufnell began to wonder what Ann was up -to. She put down her sewing and started to go -downstairs. The first thing that struck her was that all -the lights on the stairs and landing were out; the house -appeared very silent and dark; only a glimmer came -from one of the lights downstairs in the hall at the -foot of the stairs. -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Tufnell went down cautiously. Strangely -enough, it did not occur to her to turn on the lights -on her way. After she had passed the first-floor -landing she heard the sound of muffled voices coming from -the hall below. Thinking that she recognised Ann's -voice, she called to her: 'Is that you, Ann?' And Ann -immediately replied: 'Coming, aunt.' 'Who are you -talking to?' Mrs. Tufnell asked, and as Ann did not -answer this time, she went on: 'Is it Mr. Leighton?' And -Ann said: 'Yes. He is just going.' -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Tufnell stood there, waiting. She was half-way -down the stairs between the first floor and the hall, -and she couldn't see Ann or Mr. Leighton, but a -moment or two later she heard Ann's voice saying quite -distinctly: 'Well, good-night, Mr. Leighton, see you -to-morrow as usual.' After which the front door was -opened, then banged to again, and presently Ann came -tripping back across the hall. -</p> - -<p> -"'You go to bed now, Ann,' Mrs. Tufnell said to -her. 'I'll see Mr. Jessup off when he goes. He won't -be long now, I dare say.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Oh, but,' Ann said, 'Mr. Jessup has been gone -some time.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Gone some time?' Mrs. Tufnell exclaimed. 'He -can't have been gone some time. Why, he was -expecting Mr. Leighton, and Mr. Leighton has only just -gone.' -</p> - -<p> -"Ann shrugged her shoulders. 'I can only tell you -what I know, Mrs. Tufnell,' she said acidly. 'You -can come down and see for yourself. The office is shut -up and all the lights out.' -</p> - -<p> -"'But didn't Mr. Leighton see Mr. Jessup?' -</p> - -<p> -"'No, he didn't. Mr. Jessup told Mr. Leighton to -wait, and then he went away without seeing him.' -</p> - -<p> -"'That's funny,' Mrs. Tufnell remarked, dryly. -'What was Mr. Leighton doing in the house, then, all -this time? I heard the front-door bell half an hour -ago and more.' -</p> - -<p> -"'That's no business of yours, Aunt Sarah,' the girl -retorted pertly. 'And it wasn't half an hour, so there!' -</p> - -<p> -"Mrs. Tufnell did not argue the point any further. -Mechanically she went downstairs and ascertained in -point of fact that the door of the office and the -show-room on the ground floor were both locked as usual, -and that the key of the office was outside in the lock. -This was entirely in accordance with custom. -Mrs. Tufnell, through force of habit, did just turn the key -and open the door of the office. She just peeped in to -see that the lights were really all out. Satisfied that -everything was dark she then closed and relocked the -door. Ann, in the meanwhile, stood half-way up the -stairs watching. Then the two women went upstairs -together. They had only just got back in their room -when the front-door bell rang once more. -</p> - -<p> -"'Now, whoever can that be?' Mrs. Tufnell exclaimed. -</p> - -<p> -"'Don't trouble, aunt,' Ann said with alacrity. 'I'll -run down and see.' Which she did. Again it was -some time before she came back, and when she did -get back to her room, she seemed rather breathless and -agitated. -</p> - -<p> -"'Some one for Mr. Jessup,' she said in answer to -Mrs. Tufnell's rather acid remark that she had been -gone a long time. 'He kept me talking ever such a -while. I don't think he believed me when I said -Mr. Jessup had gone.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Who was it?' witness asked. -</p> - -<p> -"'I don't know,' the girl replied. 'I never saw him -before.' -</p> - -<p> -"'Didn't you ask his name?' -</p> - -<p> -"'I did. But he said it didn't matter—he would call -again to-morrow.' -</p> - -<p> -"After that the two women sat for a little while -longer, Mrs. Tufnell sewing, and Ann still rather -restlessly turning over the pages of a magazine. At ten -o'clock they went to bed. And that was the end of -the day as far as the household of Mr. Jessup was -concerned. -</p> - -<p> -"You may well imagine that all the amateur detectives -who were present at the inquest had made up their -minds by now that Arthur Leighton had murdered -Mr. Seton Jessup, and robbed the till both before and -after the crime. It was a simple deduction easily -arrived at and presenting the usual features. A flirty -minx, an enamoured young man, extravagance, greed, -opportunity, and supreme temptation. Amongst the -public there were many who did not even think it -worth while to hear further witnesses. To their minds -the hangman's rope was already round young Leighton's -neck. Of course, I admit that at this point it -seemed a very clear case. It was only after this that -complications arose and soon the investigations bristled -with difficulties. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -"After a good deal of tedious and irrelevant evidence -had been gone through the inquest was adjourned, and -the public left the court on the tiptoe of expectation -as to what the morrow would bring. Nor was any one -disappointed, for on the morrow the mystery deepened, -even though there was plenty of sensational evidence -for newspaper reporters to feed on. -</p> - -<p> -"The police, it seems, had brought forward a very -valuable witness in the person of the point policeman, -who was on duty from eight o'clock onwards on the -evening of the sixteenth at the corner of Clerkenwell -Road and Fulton Gardens. No. 13 is only a few yards -up the street. The man had stated, it seems, that soon -after half-past eight he had seen a man come along -Fulton Gardens from the direction of Holborn, go up -to the front door of No. 13 and ring the bell. He was -admitted after a minute or two, and he stayed in the -house about half an hour. It was a dark night, and -there was a slight drizzle; the witness could not swear -to the man's identity. He was slight and of middle -height, and walked like a young man. When he arrived -he wore a bowler hat and no overcoat, but when he -came out again he had an overcoat on and a soft -grey hat, and carried the bowler in his hand. Witness -noticed as he walked away up Fulton Gardens towards -Finsbury this time he took off the soft hat, slipped it -into the pocket of his overcoat, and put on the bowler. -About ten minutes later, not more, another visitor -called at No. 13. He also was slight and tallish, and -he wore an overcoat and a bowler hat. He turned into -Fulton Gardens from Clerkenwell Road, but on the -opposite corner to the one where witness was standing. -He rang the bell and was admitted, and stayed about -twenty minutes. He walked away in the direction of -Holborn. Witness would not undertake to identify -either of these two visitors; he had not been close -enough to them to see their faces, and there was a -good deal of fog that night as well as the drizzle. -There was nothing suspicious looking about either of -the men. They had walked quite openly up to the -front door, rung the bell, and been admitted. The -only thing that had struck the constable as queer was -the way the first visitor had changed hats when he -walked away. -</p> - -<p> -"Witness swore positively that no one else had gone -in or out of No. 13 that night except those two visitors. -How important this evidence was you will understand -presently. -</p> - -<p> -"After this young Tufnell was called. He was a -shy-looking fellow, with a nervous manner altogether out -of keeping with his dark expressive eyes—eyes which -he had obviously inherited from his mother and which -gave him a foreign as well as a romantic appearance. -He was said to be musical and to be a talented amateur -actor. Every one agreed, it seems, that he had always -been a very good son to his mother until his love for -Ann Weber had absorbed all his thoughts and most -of his screw. He explained that he was junior clerk -to Mr. Jessup, and as far as he knew had always given -satisfaction. On the sixteenth he had also noticed -that the guv'nor was not quite himself. He appeared -unusually curt and irritable with everybody. Witness -had not been in the house all the evening. When his -mother told him that neither she nor Ann could go -to the cinema with him he went off by himself, and -after the show he went straight back to his digs near -the Alexandra Palace. He only heard of the tragedy -when he arrived at the office as usual on the morning -of the seventeenth. His evidence would have seemed -uninteresting and unimportant but for the fact that -while he gave it he glanced now and again in the -direction where Ann Weber sat beside her aunt. It seemed -as if he were all the time mutely asking for her -approval of what he was saying, and presently when the -coroner asked him whether he knew the cause of his -employer's irritability, he very obviously looked at Ann -before he finally said: 'No, sir, I don't!' -</p> - -<p> -"After that Ann Weber was called. Of course it -had been clear all along that she was by far the most -important witness in this mysterious case, and when -she rose from her place, looking very trim and neat -in her navy-blue coat and skirt, with a jaunty little -hat pulled over her left eye, and wearing long amber -earrings that gave her pretty face a piquant expression, -every one settled down comfortably to enjoy the -sensation of the afternoon. -</p> - -<p> -"Ann, who was thoroughly self-possessed, answered -the coroner's preliminary questions quite glibly, and -when she was asked to relate what occurred at No. 13, -Fulton Gardens on the night of the sixteenth, she -plunged into her story without any hesitation or trace -of nervousness. -</p> - -<p> -"'At about half-past eight,' she said, 'or it may have -been later—I won't swear as to the time—there was a -ring at the front-door bell. I was down in the pantry, -and as I came upstairs I heard the office door being -opened. When I got into the passage I saw Mr. Jessup -standing in the doorway of the office. He had his -spectacles on his nose, and a pen in his hand. He looked -as if he had just got up from his desk.' -</p> - -<p> -"'"If that's young Leighton," he said to me, "tell him -I'll see him to-morrow. I can't be bothered now." Then -he went back into the office and shut the door. -</p> - -<p> -"'I opened the door to Mr. Leighton,' witness -continued, 'and he came in looking very cold and wet. I -told him that Mr. Jessup didn't want to see him -to-night. He seemed very pleased at this, but he wouldn't -go away, and when I told him I was busy he said that -I couldn't be so unkind as to turn a fellow out into -the rain without giving him a drink. Now I could see -that already Mr. Leighton he'd had a bit too much, and -I told him so quite plainly. But there! he wouldn't -take "No" for an answer, and as it really was jolly -cold and damp I told him to go and sit down in the -servants' hall while I got him a hot toddy. I went -down into the kitchen and put the kettle on and cut a -couple of sandwiches. I don't know where Mr. Leighton -was during that time or what he was doing. I -was in the kitchen some time, because I couldn't get -the kettle to boil as the fire had gone down and we -have no gas downstairs. When I took the tray into -the servants' hall Mr. Leighton was there, and again -I told him that I didn't think he ought to have any -more whisky, but he only laughed, and was rather -impudent, so I just put the tray down, and then I thought -that I would run upstairs and see if Mr. Jessup wanted -anything. I was rather surprised when I got to the hall -to see that all the lights up the stairs had been turned -off. There's a switch down in the hall that turns off -the lot. The whole house looked very dark. There -was but a very little light that came from the lamp -at the other end of the hall, near the front door. I -was just thinking that I would turn on the lights again -when I saw what I could have sworn was Mr. Jessup -coming out of his office. He had already got his hat -and coat on, and when he came out of the office he -shut the door and turned the key in the lock, just as -Mr. Jessup always did. It never struck me for a -moment that it could be anybody but him. Though -it was dark, I recognised his hat and his overcoat, -and his own way of turning the key. I spoke to him,' -witness continued in answer to a question put to her -by the coroner, 'but he didn't reply; he just went -straight through the hall and out by the front door. -Then after a bit Mr. Leighton came up, and I told -him Mr. Jessup had gone. He was quite pleased, and -stopped talking in the hall for a moment, and then -aunt called to me and Mr. Leighton went away.' -</p> - -<p> -"Witness was then questioned as to the other visitor -who called later that same evening, but she stated that -she had no idea who it was. 'He came about nine,' -she explained, 'and I went down to open the door. -He kept me talking ever such a time, asking all sorts -of silly questions; I didn't know how to get rid of -him, and he wouldn't leave his name. He said he -would call again and that it didn't matter.' -</p> - -<p> -"Ann Weber here gave the impression that the -unknown visitor had stopped for a flirtation with her -on the doorstep, and her smirking and pert glances -rather irritated the coroner. He pulled her up sharply -by putting a few straight questions to her. He wanted -to pin her down to a definite statement as to the time -when (1) she opened the door to Mr. Leighton, (2) she -saw what she thought was Mr. Jessup go out of the -house, and (3) the second visitor arrived. Though -doubtful as to the exact time, Ann was quite sure -that the three events occurred in the order in which -she had originally related, and in this she was, of -course, corroborating the evidence of the point -policeman. But there was the mysterious contradiction. -Ann Weber swore that Mr. Leighton followed her up -from the servants' hall just after she had seen the -mysterious individual go out by the front door. On the -other hand, she couldn't swear what happened while -she was busy in the kitchen getting the hot toddy for -Mr. Leighton. She had been trying to make the fire -burn up, and had rattled coals and fire-irons. She -certainly had not heard any one using the telephone, -which was in the office, and she did not know where -Mr. Leighton was during that time. -</p> - -<p> -"Nor would she say what was in her mind when -first she saw her employer lying dead over the desk -and exclaimed: 'My God! He has killed him!' And -when the coroner pressed her with questions she burst -into tears. Except for this her evidence had, on the -whole, been given with extraordinary self-possession. -It was a terrible ordeal for a girl to have to stand up -before a jury and, roughly speaking, to swear away -the character of a man with whom she had been on -intimate terms.... The character, did I say? I might -just as well have said the life, because whatever doubts -had lurked in the public mind about Arthur Leighton's -guilt, or at least complicity in the crime, those doubts -were dispelled by the girl's evidence. For I need not -tell you, I suppose, that every man present that second -day at the inquest had already made up his mind that -Ann Weber was lying to save her sweetheart. No one -believed in the mysterious impersonator of Mr. Jessup. -It was Arthur Leighton, they argued, who had murdered -his employer and robbed the till, and Ann Weber -knew it and had invented the story in order to drag -a red herring across the trail. -</p> - -<p> -"I must say that the man himself did not make a -good impression when he was called in his turn. As -he stepped forward with a swaggering air, and a bold -glance at coroner and jury, the interest which he -aroused was not a kindly one. He was rather a -vulgar-looking creature, with a horsey get-up, high collar, -stock-tie, fancy waistcoat, and so on. His hair was -of a ginger colour, his eyes light, and his face tanned. -Every one noticed that he winked at Ann Weber when -he caught her eye, and also that the girl immediately -averted her glance and almost imperceptibly shrugged -her shoulders. Thereupon Leighton frowned and very -obviously swore under his breath. -</p> - -<p> -"Questioned as to his doings on the sixteenth, he -admitted that 'the guv'nor had been waxy with him, -because,' as he put it with an indifferent swagger, -'there were a few pounds missing from the till.' He -also admitted that he had not been looking forward -to the evening's interview, but that he had not dared -refuse to come. In order to kill time, and to put heart -into himself, he had gone with a couple of friends to -the Café Royal in Regent Street, and they all had -whiskies and sodas till it was time for him to go to -Fulton Gardens. His friends were to wait for him -until he returned, when they intended to have supper -together. Witness then went to Fulton Gardens and -saw Ann Weber, who told him that the guv'nor didn't -wish to see him. This, according to his own picturesque -language, was a little bit of all right. He stayed -for a few minutes talking to Ann, and she gave him -a hot toddy. He certainly didn't think he had stayed -as long as half an hour, but then, when a fellow was -talking to a pretty girl ... eh? ... what? ... -</p> - -<p> -"The coroner curtly interrupted his fatuous -explanations by asking him at what time he had left his -friends, and at what time he had met them again -subsequently. Witness was not very sure; he thought he -left the Café Royal about half-past eight, but it might -have been earlier or later. He took a bus to the -bottom of Fulton Gardens. It was beastly cold and -wet, and he was very grateful to Ann for giving him a -hot drink. He denied that he had been drinking too -much, or that he had demanded the hot drink. It -was Ann Weber who had offered to get it for him. -Jolly pretty girl, Annie-bird, and not shy. Witness -concluded his evidence by swearing positively that he -had waited in the servants' hall all the while that Ann -Weber got him the toddy; he had followed her down, -and not gone upstairs or seen anything of Mr. Jessup -all the time he was in the house. When he left Fulton -Gardens he tried to get a bus back to Regent Street, -but many of them were full and it was rather late -before he got back to the Café Royal. -</p> - -<p> -"It was very obvious that as the coroner continued -to put question after question to him, Arthur Leighton -became vaguely conscious of the feeling of hostility -towards him which had arisen in the public mind. He -lost something of his swagger, and his face under the -tan took on a greyish hue. From time to time he -glanced at Ann Weber, but she obstinately looked -another way. -</p> - -<p> -"Undoubtedly he felt that he was caught in a -network of damnatory evidence which he was unable to -combat. The day ended, however, with another -adjournment; the police wanted a little more time before -taking drastic action. The public so often blame them -for being in too great a hurry to fasten an accusation -on the flimsiest grounds that one is pleased to record -such a noteworthy instance when they really did not -leave a single stone unturned before they arrested -Arthur Leighton on the charge of murder. They did -everything they could to find some proof of the -existence and identity of the individual whom Ann Weber -professed to have seen while Leighton was still in the -house. But all their efforts in that direction came to -naught, whilst Leighton himself denied having had an -accomplice just as strenuously as he did his own -guilt. -</p> - -<p> -"He was brought up before the magistrate, charged -with the terrible crime. No one, the police argued, -had so strong a motive for the crime or such an -opportunity. Alternatively, no one else could have -admitted the mysterious impersonator of Mr. Jessup into -the house, the accomplice who did the deed, whilst -Leighton engaged Ann Weber's attention, always -supposing that he did exist, which was never proved, and -which the evidence of the police constable refuted. -People who dabbled in spiritualism and that sort of -thing were pleased to think that the mysterious -personage whom the housemaid saw was the ghost of poor -old Jessup, who was then lying murdered in his office, -stricken by Leighton's hand. But even the most -psychic-minded individual was unable to give a -satisfactory explanation for the ghost having changed -hats while he walked away from that fateful No. 13. -</p> - -<p> -"Altogether the question of hats played an important -role in the drama of Leighton's arrest and final -discharge. The magistrate did not commit him for trial, -because the case for the prosecution collapsed -suddenly like a pack of cards. It was the question of -hats that saved Leighton's neck from the hangman's -rope. You remember, perhaps, that in his evidence -he had stated that before starting to interview his -irate employer he had been with some friends at the -Café Royal in Regent Street, and that subsequently he -met these friends there for supper. Well, although -it appeared impossible to establish definitely the time -when Leighton left the Café Royal to go to Fulton -Gardens, there were two or three witnesses prepared -to swear that he was back again at a quarter to ten. -Now this was very important. It seems that his -friends, who were waiting at the Café Royal, were -getting impatient, and at twenty minutes to ten by the -clock one of them—a fellow named Richard Hurrill—said -he would go outside and see if he could see -anything of Leighton. He strolled on as far as Piccadilly -Circus where the buses stop that come from the City, -and a minute or two later he saw Leighton step out -of one. He seemed a little fuzzy in the head, and -Hurrill chaffed him a bit. Then he took him by the -arm and led him back in triumph to the Café Royal. -</p> - -<p> -"Now mark what followed," the funny creature went -on, whilst all at once his fingers started working away -as if for dear life on his bit of string. "A hat—a soft -grey hat—with an overcoat wrapped round it, were -found in the area of a derelict house in Blackhorse -Road, Walthamstow, close to the waterworks, and -identified as the late Mr. Seton Jessup's overcoat and -hat. I don't suppose that you have the least idea -where Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow, is, but let -me tell you that it is at the back of beyond in the -northeast of London. If you remember, the point -policeman had stated that the first visitor had called -at No. 13 Fulton Gardens at half-past eight, and -stayed half an hour. He then walked away in the -direction of Finsbury. That visitor, the police argued, -was Arthur Leighton, who had murdered Mr. Jessup -and sent the telephone message to Fitzjohn's Avenue; -then, hearing Ann Weber moving about downstairs and -frightened at being caught by her, he had put on the -deceased's hat and coat and slipped out of the house. -Ann, however, had recognised him. She had -involuntarily given him away when the housekeeper asked -her whom she was talking to, so she invented the -story of having seen what she thought was Mr. Jessup -in order to save her sweetheart. -</p> - -<p> -"It was a logical theory enough, but here came the -evidence of the hat. The man who walked away from -Fulton Gardens at nine o'clock, whom the point -policeman saw changing his hat in the street at that hour, -could not possibly have gone all the way to Walthamstow, -either by bus or even part of the way in a -taxi, and back again to Piccadilly Circus all in the -space of forty-five minutes. And Leighton, mind you, -stepped out of a bus when his friend met him, and I -can tell you that the police worked their hardest to -find a taxi-man who may have picked up a fare that -night in the neighbourhood of Clerkenwell and driven -out to Walthamstow and then back to Holborn. That -search proved entirely fruitless. On the other hand, -Leighton had paid his bus fare from Holborn, and -the conductor vaguely recollected that he had got in -at the corner of Clerkenwell Road. Well, that being -proved, the man couldn't have done in the time all -that the prosecution declared that he did. -</p> - -<p> -"After he was discharged, the Press started violently -abusing the police for not having directed their attention -to the second visitor who called at Fulton Gardens -ten minutes or so after the first one had left. But this -person appeared as elusive and intangible as the -mysterious wearer of Mr. Jessup's hat and coat. The -point policeman saw him in the distance, and Ann -Weber admitted him into the house and chatted with -him for over twenty minutes. She didn't know him, -but she declared that she could easily recognise him -if she saw him again. For some time after that the -poor girl was constantly called upon by the police to -see, and if possible identify, the mysterious visitor. -Half the shady characters in London passed, I believe, -before her eyes during the next three months. But -this search proved as fruitless as the other. The -murder of Mr. Seton Jessup has remained as complete -and as baffling a mystery as any in the annals -of crime. Many there are—you amongst the number—who -firmly believe that Arthur Leighton had, at any -rate, something to do with it. I know that the family -of the deceased were convinced that he did. Mr. Aubrey -Jessup, the eldest son of the deceased, who -was one of the executors under his father's will, and -who had gone through the accounts of the business, -had noted certain irregularities in Leighton's books; he -also declared that various sums which had come in on -the sixteenth after banking hours were missing from -the safe. Moreover, young Leighton himself had -admitted that 'the guv'nor was waxy with him because a -few pounds were missing from the till.' All these facts -no doubt had influenced the police when they applied -for a warrant for his arrest, but there was no getting -away from the evidence of that hat and coat found ten -miles and more away from the scene of the crime, -and of the bus conductor who could swear that out -of forty-five minutes which the accused had to account -for he had spent twenty in a bus." -</p> - -<p> -"It is all very mysterious," I put in, because my -eccentric friend had been silent for quite a long time, -while his attention was entirely taken up by the -fashioning of a whole series of intricate knots. "I am -afraid that I was one of those who blamed the police -for not directing their investigations sooner in the -direction of the second visitor. He seems to me much -more mysterious than the first. We know who the -first one was——" -</p> - -<p> -"Do we?" he retorted with a chuckle. "Or rather, -do you?" -</p> - -<p> -"Well, of course, it was Arthur Leighton," I -rejoined impatiently. "Mrs. Tufnell saw him——" -</p> - -<p> -"She didn't," he broke in quickly. "The house was -pitch-dark; she heard voices and she asked Ann -whether she was speaking to Mr. Leighton." -</p> - -<p> -"And Ann said yes!" I riposted. -</p> - -<p> -"She said yes," he admitted with an irritating -smile. -</p> - -<p> -"And Leighton himself in his evidence——" -</p> - -<p> -"Leighton in his evidence," the funny creature broke -in excitedly, "admitted that he had called at the house, -he admitted that he remembered vaguely that Ann -Weber told him that Mr. Jessup had decided not to -see him, and that to celebrate the occasion he got the -girl to make him a whisky toddy. But, apart from -these facts, he only had the haziest notions as to the -time when he came and when he left or how long -he stayed. Nor were his precious friends at the Café -Royal any clearer on that point. They had all of them -been drinking, and only had the haziest notion of time -until twenty minutes to ten, when they got hungry -and wanted their supper." -</p> - -<p> -"But what does that prove?" I argued with an -impatient frown. -</p> - -<p> -"It proves that my contention is correct; that the -first visitor was not Leighton, that it was some one -for whom Ann Weber cared more than she did for -Leighton, as she lied for his sake when she told her -aunt that she was speaking to Leighton in the hall. -The whole thing occurred just as the police supposed. -The first visitor called, and while Ann Weber was -down in the kitchen getting him something to eat and -drink, he entered the office, probably not with any -evil intention, and saw his employer sitting at his -desk with the safe containing a quantity of loose cash -invitingly open. Let us be charitable and assume -that he yielded to sudden temptation. Mr. Jessup's -coat, hat, and stick were lying there on a chair. The -stick was one of those heavily-weighted ones which -men like to carry nowadays. He seizes the stick and -strikes the old man on the head with it, then he collects -the money from the safe and thrusts it into his pockets. -At that moment Ann Weber comes up the stairs. I -say that this man was her lover; she had returned to -him, as she did once before. Imagine her horror first, -and then her desire—her mad desire—to save him -from the consequences of his crime. It is her woman's -wit which first suggests the idea of telephoning to -Fitzjohn's Avenue: she who thinks of plunging the -house in darkness. And now to get the criminal out -of the house. It can be done in a moment, but just -then Mrs. Tufnell opens her door on the second floor -and begins to grope her way downstairs. It is -impossible to think quickly enough how to meet this -situation. Instinct is the only guide, and instinct -suggests impersonating the deceased, to avoid the danger -of Mrs. Tufnell peeping in at the office door. The -criminal hastily dons his victim's hat and coat, and he -is almost through the hall when Mrs. Tufnell calls to -Ann: 'Is it Mr. Leighton?' And Ann on the impulse -of the moment replies: 'Yes, it is! He is just going.' And -so the criminal escapes unseen. But there is still -the danger of Mrs. Tufnell peeping in at the office -door, so Ann invents the story of having seen -Mr. Jessup walk out of the house some time before. So -for the moment danger is averted; the housekeeper -does peep in at the door, but only in order to satisfy -herself that the lights are out; and the women then -go upstairs together. -</p> - -<p> -"Ten minutes later there is another ring at the -bell. This time it is Arthur Leighton, and Ann Weber -has sufficient presence of mind not to let him see that -there is anything wrong in the house. She asks him -in, she tells him Mr. Jessup cannot see him, she gets -him a drink, and sends him off again. I don't suppose -for a moment that at this stage she has any intention -of using him as a shield for her present sweetheart; -but undoubtedly the thought had by now crept into -her mind to utilise Leighton's admitted presence in the -house for the purpose of confusing the issues. Nor -do I think that she had any idea that night that -Mr. Jessup was dead. She probably thought that he had -only been stunned by a blow from the stick; hence -her exclamation when she realised the truth: 'My God, -he has killed him!' Then only did she concentrate -all her energies and all her wits to saving her -sweetheart—even at the cost of another man. Women -are like that sometimes," the Old Man in the -Corner went on with a chuckle, "the instinct of the -primitive woman is first of all to save her man, never -mind at whose expense. The cave-man's instinct is to -protect his woman with his fists—but she, conscious -of physical weakness, sets her wits to work, and if -her man is in serious danger she will lie and she will -cheat—ay, and perjure herself if need be. And those -flirtatious minxes, of which Annie-bird is a striking -example, are only cave-women with a veneer of -civilisation over them. -</p> - -<p> -"She did save her man by dragging a red herring -across his trail, and she left Fate to deal with -Leighton. Once embarked on a system of lies she had to -stick to it or her man was doomed. Fortunately she -could rely on the other woman. A mother's wits are -even sharper than those of a sweetheart." -</p> - -<p> -"A mother?" I ejaculated. "Then you think that -it was——?" -</p> - -<p> -"Mark Tufnell, of course," he broke in, dryly. -"Didn't you guess? As he could not go with his -beloved to the cinema he thought he would spend a -happy evening with her. What made him originally -go into the office we shall never know. Some trifle -no doubt, some message for his employer—it is those -sorts of trifles that so often govern the destinies of -men. Personally I think that he was very much in -the same boat as young Leighton: some trifling -irregularities in his accounts. The deceased, speaking so -harshly to Mrs. Tufnell that night, first directed my -attention to young Tufnell. He didn't want to see any -of them that night: he was irritated with Mark quite -as much as with Leighton, but out of consideration -for the housekeeper whom he valued he said little -about her son. Perhaps he had ordered the young -man to come to his office; as I said just now, this little -point I cannot vouch for. But if I have not succeeded -in convincing you that the first visitor at No. 13, Fulton -Gardens was Mark Tufnell, that it was he who went -out in Mr. Jessup's hat and overcoat, changed hats in -the street, and wandered out as far as Walthamstow -in order to be rid of the <i>pièces de conviction</i>, then you -are less intelligent than I have taken you to be. Mark -Tufnell, remember, lives in the north of London; he -was supposed to have gone to the cinema that night, -therefore the people with whom he lodged thought -nothing of his coming home late." -</p> - -<p> -"That poor mother!" I ejaculated, "I wonder if -she suspects the truth." -</p> - -<p> -"She knows it," the funny creature said, "you may -be sure of that. There was a bond of understanding -between those two women, and they never once -contradicted each other in their evidence. A worthless -young blackguard has been saved from the gallows; -my sympathy is not with him, but with the women -who put up such a brave fight for his sake." -</p> - -<p> -"Do you know what happened to them all -subsequently?" I asked. -</p> - -<p> -"Not exactly. But I do know that Mr. Seton Jessup -in his will left his housekeeper an annuity of £50. I -also know that young Tufnell has gone out to -Australia, and that if you ever dine with a friend at the -Alcyon Club you will notice an exceptionally pretty -waitress who will make eyes at all the men. Her name -is Ann Weber!" -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap13"></a></p> - -<h3> -XIII -<br /><br /> -A MOORLAND TRAGEDY -</h3> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§1 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner had finished his -glass of milk and ceased to munch his bun; -from the capacious pocket of his huge tweed -coat he extracted a piece of string, and for a while sat -contemplating it, with his head on one side, so like one -of those bald-headed storks at the Zoo. -</p> - -<p> -"I always had a great predilection for that mystery," -he said <i>à propos</i> of nothing at all. "It still -fascinates me." -</p> - -<p> -"What mystery?" I asked; but as usual he took no -notice of my question. -</p> - -<p> -"It was more romantic than the common crimes -of to-day; in fact, I don't know if you will agree -with me, but to me it has quite an eighteenth-century -atmosphere about it." -</p> - -<p> -"If you were to tell me to what particular crime -you refer," I said coldly, "I might tell you whether -I agree with you or not." -</p> - -<p> -He looked at me as if he thought me an idiot, then -he rejoined dryly: -</p> - -<p> -"You don't mean to say that you have never thought -of the Moorland Tragedy!" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes," I said, "often!" -</p> - -<p> -"And don't you think that the story is as romantic -as any you have read in fiction recently?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, I do think that the story is romantic, but -only because of its <i>mise en scène</i>. The same thing -might have occurred in a London slum, and then it -would have been merely sordid. Of course, it is all -very mysterious, and I, for one, have often wondered -what has become of that Italian—I forget his name." -</p> - -<p> -"Antonio Vissio. A queer creature, wasn't he? And -we can well imagine with what suspicion he was -regarded by the yokels in the neighbouring villages. -Yorkshire yokels! Just think of them in connection -with an exotic creature like Vissio. He had a curious -history, too. His people owned a little farm somewhere -in the mountains near Santa Catarina in Liguria, and -during the war an English intelligence officer—Captain -Arnott—lodged with them for a time. They were, it -seems, extraordinarily kind to him. The family -consisted of a widow, two daughters, and the son, -Antonio. As he was the only son of a widow, he was, -of course, exempt from military service, and helped -his mother to look after the farm. His passion, -however—and one, by the way, which is very common to -Italian peasants—was shooting. There is very little -game in that part of Italy, and it means long tramps -before you can get as much as a rabbit or a partridge; -but there was nothing that Antonio loved more than -those tramps with a gun and a dog, and when Captain -Arnott had leisure, the two of them would go off -together at daybreak and never return till late at -night. -</p> - -<p> -"Some time in 1917 Captain Arnott was transferred -to another front. He got his majority the following -year, and after the war he retired with the rank of -Lieut.-Colonel. He hadn't seen the Vissio family for -some time, but he always retained the happiest -recollections of their kindness to him, and of Antonio's -pleasant companionship. It was not to be wondered -at, therefore, that when, in 1919, that terrible -explosion occurred at the fort of Santa Catarina, which was -only distant a quarter of a mile from the Vissios' farm, -Colonel Arnott should at once think of his friends, and, -as he happened to be at Genoa on business at the time, -he motored over to Santa Catarina to see if he could -ascertain anything of their fate. He found the village -a complete devastation, the isolated farms for miles -around nothing but masses of wreckage. I don't know -how many people—men, women, and children—had -been killed, there were over two hundred injured, and -those who had escaped were herding together amongst -the ruins of their homes. It was only by dint of -perseverance and the exercise of an iron will that Captain -Arnott succeeded at last in finding Antonio Vissio. -There was nothing left of the farm but dust and ashes. -The mother and one of the girls had been killed by -the falling in of the roof, and the younger daughter -was being taken care of by some sisters in a -neighbouring convent which had escaped total destruction. -</p> - -<p> -"Antonio was left in the world all alone, homeless, -moneyless; Italy is not like England, where at times -of disaster money comes pouring at once out of the -pockets of the much-abused capitalists to help the -unfortunate. There was no money poured out to help -poor Antonio and his kindred. -</p> - -<p> -"Colonel Arnott was deeply moved at sight of the -man's loneliness. He worked hard to try and get him -a job in England, right away from the scenes of the -disaster that must perpetually have awakened bitter -memories. Finally he succeeded. A friend of his, -Lord Crookhaven, who owned considerable property -in the North Riding, agreed to take Vissio as assistant -to one of his gamekeepers, a fellow named William -Topcoat. Of course this was an ideal life for -Antonio. He could indulge his passion for shooting to -his heart's content, and, incidentally, he would learn -something of the science of preserving, and of the game -laws as they exist in all the sporting countries. -</p> - -<p> -"I don't suppose that Antonio ever realised quite -how unpopular he was from the first in his new -surroundings. The Yorkshire yokels looked upon him as a -dago, and the fact that he had not fought in the war -did not help matters. During the first six months he -did not speak a word of English, and even after he -had begun to pick up a sentence or two, he always -remained unsociable. To begin with, he didn't drink: -he hated beer and said so; he didn't understand cricket, -and was bored with football. He didn't bet, and he -was frightened of horses. All that he cared for was -his gun; but he went about his work not only -conscientiously, but intelligently, took great interest in the -rearing of young birds, and was particularly successful -with them. -</p> - -<p> -"After he had been in England a year he fell madly -in love with Winnie Gooden. And that is how the -tragedy began. -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§2 -</h4> - -<p> -"An Italian peasant's idea of love is altogether -different to that of an English yokel. The latter will -begin by keeping company with his sweetheart: he -will walk out with her in the twilight, and sit beside -her on the stile, chewing the end of a straw and timidly -holding her hand. Kisses are exchanged, and sighs, -and usually no end of jokes and chaff. On the whole -the English yokel is a cheerful lover. Not so the -Italian. With him love is the serious drama of life; -he is always prepared for it to turn to tragedy. His -love is overwhelming, tempestuous. With one arm -he fondles his sweetheart, but the other hand is behind -his back, grasping a knife. -</p> - -<p> -"So it was with Antonio Vissio. Winnie Gooden was -the daughter of one of the gardeners at Markthwaite -Hall, Lord Crookhaven's residence. She was remarkably -pretty, and I suppose that she was attracted by -the silent, rather sullen Italian, who, by the way, was -extraordinarily good-looking. Dark eyes, a soft -creamy skin, quantities of wavy hair; every one -admitted that the two of them made a splendid pair -when they walked out together on Sunday afternoons. -Thanks to the kindness of Colonel Arnott, Vissio had -succeeded in selling the bit of land on which his farm -had stood, so he had a good bit of money, too, and -though James Gooden, the father, was said to be averse -to the idea of his daughter marrying a foreigner, it -was thought that Winnie would talk her father over -easily enough, if she really meant to have Antonio; -but people didn't think that she was seriously in love -with him. -</p> - -<p> -"During the spring of 1922 Mr. Gerald Moville came -home from Argentina, where he was said to be engaged -in cattle-rearing. He was the youngest son of Sir -Timothy Moville, whose property adjoined that of -Lord Crookhaven. His arrival caused quite a flutter -in feminine hearts for miles around, for smart young -men are scarce in those parts, and Gerald Moville was -both good-looking and smart, a splendid dancer, a fine -tennis and bridge player, and in fact, was possessed -of the very qualities which young ladies of all classes -admire, and which were so sadly lacking in the other -young men of the neighbourhood. The fact that he -had always been very wild, and that it was only through -joining the Air Force at the beginning of the war that -he escaped prosecution for some shady transaction in -connection with a bridge club in London, did not -seriously stand against him, at any rate with the ladies; -the men, perhaps, cold-shouldered him at first, and -he was not made an honorary member of the County -Club at Richmond, but he was welcome at all the -tea and garden parties, the dances, and the tennis -matches throughout the North Riding, and in social -matters it is, after all, the ladies who rule the roost. -</p> - -<p> -"The Movilles, moreover, were big people in the -neighbourhood, whom nobody would have cared to -offend. The eldest son was colonel commanding a -smart regiment—I forget which; one daughter had -married an eminent K.C., and the other was the wife -of a bishop; so for the sake of the family, if for no -other reason, Gerald Moville was accepted socially and -his peccadilloes, of which it seems there were more -than the one in connection with the bridge club, were -conveniently forgotten. Besides which it was declared -that he was now a reformed character. He had joined -the Air Force quite early in the war, been a prisoner -of the Germans until 1919, when he went out to Argentina, -where he had made good, and where, it was said, -he was making a huge fortune. This rumour also -helped, no doubt, to make Gerald Moville popular, -even though he himself had laughingly sworn on more -than one occasion that he was not a marrying man: -he was in love with too many girls ever to settle down -with one. He certainly was a terrible flirt, and gave -all the pretty girls of the neighbourhood a very good -time; he had hired a smart little two-seater at -Richmond, and motor-excursions, lunches at the -Wheatsheaf at Reeth, jade earrings or wrist watches—the -girls who were ready to flirt with him and to amuse -him could get anything they wanted out of him. -</p> - -<p> -"But it was soon pretty evident that though Gerald -Moville flirted with many, it was Winnie Gooden -whom he admired the most. From the first he ran -after that girl in a way that scandalised the village -gossips. She, of course, was flattered by his attentions, -but did not show the slightest inclination to throw -Antonio over. She was sensible enough to know that -Gerald Moville would never marry her, and she made -it very clear that though he amused her, her heart -would remain true to her Italian lover. But here was -the trouble. Antonio was not the man to run in -double harness. His fiery Southern blood rose in -revolt against any thought of rivalry. He had won -Winnie's love and meant to hold it against all comers, -and more than once in public and in private he threatened -to do for any man who came between him and Winnie. -</p> - -<p> -"You would have thought that those who were in -the know would have foreseen the tragedy from the -moment that Winnie Gooden started to flirt with -Gerald Moville; nevertheless, when it did occur there -was universal surprise quite as much as horror, and -there seemed to be no one clever enough to understand -the psychological problem that was the true key -of that so-called mystery." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§3 -</h4> - -<p> -"Lord Crookhaven's property, you must know," the -Old Man in the Corner resumed after a moment's -pause, "extends right over Markthwaite Moor, which is -a lonely stretch of country, intersected by gullies, down -which, during the heavy rains in spring and autumn, -the water rushes in torrents. There are one or two -disused stone quarries on the moor, and, except for -the shooting season, when Lord Crookhaven has an -occasional party of sportsmen to stay with him at the -Hall, who are out after the birds all day, this stretch -of country is singularly desolate. -</p> - -<p> -"Topcoat's cottage, where Vissio lodged, is on the -edge of the moor on the Markthwaite side; about a -couple of miles away to the north the moor is -intersected by the secondary road which runs from Kirkby -Stephen and joins up with the main road at Richmond, -and three or four miles again to the north of the -road is the boundary wall that divides Lord Crookhaven's -property from that of his neighbour, Sir Timothy Moville. -</p> - -<p> -"It was in September, 1922, that the tragedy -occurred which made Markthwaite Moor so notorious -at the time. Topcoat was walking across the moor -in the company of the Italian, both carrying their -guns, when about half a mile away, on the further -side of the quarry known as the Poacher's Leap, the -gamekeeper spied a man who appeared to be crouching -behind some scrub. Without much reflection he -pointed this crouching figure out to Vissio and said: -</p> - -<p> -"There's a fellow who is up to no good. After the -birds again, the damned thief. Run along, my lad, -and see if you can't put a shot or two into his legs.' -</p> - -<p> -"Topcoat swore subsequently that when he said this -he had not recognised who the crouching figure was. -But he was a very hard man where poachers were -concerned; he had been much worried with them -lately, and a day or two ago had been reprimanded -by Lord Crookhaven for want of vigilance. This, no -doubt, irritated his temper, and made him rather -'jumpy.' -</p> - -<p> -"Vissio, with his gun on his shoulder, went off in the -direction of the Poacher's Leap. Topcoat watched -him until a bit of sharply-rising ground hid him from -sight. A moment or two later the crouching figure -stood up, and Topcoat recognised Mr. Gerald Moville. -He had always had exceptionally fine sight, and -Mr. Moville had certain tricks of gait and movement which -were unmistakable even at that distance. Topcoat -immediately shouted to Vissio to come back, but -apparently the Italian did not hear him; and the last thing -that the gamekeeper saw on that eventful morning was -Mr. Moville suddenly turn and walk towards the high -bit of ground behind which Vissio had just disappeared. -</p> - -<p> -"And that was the last," my eccentric neighbour -concluded with a chuckle all his own, "that has been seen -up to this hour of those two men—Mr. Gerald Moville -and Antonio Vissio. Topcoat waited for a while on -the moor, and called to the Italian several times, but -as he heard nothing in response, and as it had started -to rain heavily, he finally went home. Vissio did not -turn up at the cottage the whole of that day, and he -did not come home that night. The following -morning, which was a Thursday, Topcoat walked across -to the Goodens' cottage to make enquiries, but no one -had seen the Italian, and Winnie knew nothing about -him. The gamekeeper waited until the Saturday -before he informed the police; that, of course, was a -serious delay which ought never to have occurred, but -you have to know that class of north-country yokel -intimately to appreciate this man's conduct throughout -the affair. They all have a perfect horror of anything -to do with the police: the type of delinquency most -frequent in these parts is, of course, poaching, and the -gamekeepers on the big estates look on themselves -as the only efficient police for those cases. Half the -time they don't turn the delinquent over to the -magistrates at all, and administer a kind of rough justice -as they think best. They hate police interference. -</p> - -<p> -"In this case we must also bear Topcoat's subsequent -statement in mind, which was that at first no -suspicion of foul play had entered his head. He had -not heard the report of a gun, and all he feared was -that the Italian had tried to pick a quarrel with -Mr. Moville and been soundly punished for his -impertinence, and that probably he did not dare show his -face until the trouble had blown over. Topcoat, -however, spent a couple of days scouring the moor for -the missing man, in case he had met with an accident -and was lying somewhere unable to move. On the -second day he found Vissio's gun lying in a gully close -to the Poacher's Leap; it had not been discharged; -and the next day—that is, on the Saturday—he very -reluctantly went to the police. Even then he made no -mention of Mr. Gerald Moville; he only said that his -assistant, an Italian named Antonio Vissio, who lodged -with him, had not been home for three days, and that -he had last seen him on Markthwaite Moor on the -previous Wednesday carrying a gun and walking in -the direction of the Poacher's Leap. Poachers, of -course, were at once suspected; Topcoat referred -vaguely to Vissio having gone after a man whose -movements had appeared suspicious. He was severely -blamed for having delayed so long before informing -the police; even if the Italian had not been the victim -of foul play he might, it was argued, have met with -a serious accident, and been lying for days perhaps -with a broken leg out in the cold and wet, and might -even have perished of exposure and neglect. But this -latter theory Topcoat would not admit. He had -scoured the moor, he declared, from end to end; if -Vissio had been lying anywhere he swore that he would -have found him. -</p> - -<p> -"Another three or four days were now spent by the -police in scouring the moor, and it was only after a -last fruitless search that Topcoat mentioned the fact -that he had seen Mr. Gerald Moville the very morning -and close to the spot where Vissio disappeared: that, -as a matter of fact, he was the man after whom the -Italian had gone, and that the two must have met -somewhere near the north end of the Poacher's Leap. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, to the general public—to you, for -instance—Topcoat's attitude of reticence all this while -must seem positively criminal; but it is useless to -measure the conduct of people of that class in remote -north-country districts by the ordinary rules of -common sense. For a man in Topcoat's position to -connect 'one of the gentry' with the disappearance of a -gamekeeper's assistant—and a foreigner at that—would -seem as preposterous as to imagine that the -King of England would go poaching on his neighbour's -estate. It simply couldn't be, and when the D.C.C. to -whom Topcoat first made this statement rebuked -him with unusual severity, the gamekeeper turned -sulky and declared that he didn't see he had done -anything wrong. -</p> - -<p> -"More than a week you see had elapsed since that -Wednesday morning when Vissio had last been seen -alive; for the past four days the police had worked -very hard, but entirely in the dark. Now at last they -felt that they had a glimmer of light to guide them in -their search. The public, who had taken some interest -at first in the Moorland Mystery, was beginning -to tire of reading about this fruitless search for a -missing dago. But now, suddenly, the mystery had -taken a sensational turn. Topcoat's statement had -found its way into the local papers, and Mr. Gerald -Moville's name was whispered in connection with the -case. And hardly had the lovers of sensation recovered -from this first shock of surprise, when they -received another that was even more staggering. -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Gerald Moville, it seems, had left home on the -very day that Vissio disappeared, and his people were -without news of him. Just think what this sensational -bit of news meant! It evoked at once in the mind of -the imaginative a drama of love and jealousy, a real -romance such as is only dreamt of in the cinema, with -an Italian dago as the jealous lover, and a handsome -young Englishman as the victim of that jealousy. The -police, holding on to this clue, turned their attention -to the investigation of Mr. Gerald Moville's movements -on the morning of that eventful Wednesday: -they had to go very tactfully to work, so as not to -cause alarm to Sir Timothy and Lady Moville. It -seems that Mr. Gerald had on the Monday previously -announced his sudden intention to return immediately -to Argentina. According to statements made by one -or two of the servants, he did this at breakfast one -morning after he had received a couple of official-looking -letters that bore the Buenos Ayres postmark. -Lady Moville had been very distressed at this, and she -and Sir Timothy had tried to dissuade Mr. Gerald -from going quite so soon; but he was quite determined -to go, saying that there was some trouble at the farm -which he must see to at once or it would mean a severe -loss not only to himself, but to his partner. He finally -announced that he would have to go up to London on -the Wednesday at latest to see about getting a berth, -if possible, in a boat that left Southampton for Buenos -Ayres the following Saturday. Preparations for his -departure were made accordingly. On the Tuesday -the chauffeur took his luggage to Richmond and saw -to its being sent off to London in advance. It was -addressed to the Carlton Hotel. On the Wednesday -Mr. Gerald had breakfast at half-past six, as he wished -to make an early start; he was going to drive the -little two-seater back to the place in Richmond whence -he had hired it, and then take the train that would -take him to Dalton in time to catch the express up -to London. He had said good-bye to his parents the -evening before, and, having tipped all the servants -lavishly, he made a start soon after seven. -</p> - -<p> -"Two labourers going to their work saw the little car -speeding along the road that intersects the moor; -according to their statement there were two people in -the car, a man and a woman. They thought that -the man who was driving might have been Mr. Moville, -but the woman had on a thick veil and they had not -particularly noticed who she was. On the other hand, -one witness had seen the car standing unattended on -the roadside within a hundred yards of a group of -cottages, one of which was occupied by Gooden. -Whereupon Winnie was taken to task by the police. -Amidst a flood of tears she finally confessed that she -had seen Mr. Moville on the Wednesday morning. He -had called for her in his car very early; her father -had only just gone to work, so it could not have been -much later than seven o'clock; he told her that he -had some business to attend to in Richmond, would -she like to come for a run and have lunch there with -him. To this she willingly assented. On the way -Mr. Moville told her that as a matter of fact he was -going away for good, and that he could not possibly -live without her. He begged her to come away with -him; he would take her to London first, and buy her -everything she wanted in the way of clothes, and then -they would go on to Paris, and travel all over the world -and be the happiest couple on this earth. -</p> - -<p> -"It seems that the girl at first was carried away -by his eloquence; she was immensely flattered and -thrilled by this romantic adventure, until something he -said, or didn't say, some expression or some -gesture—Winnie couldn't say what it was—but something -seemed to drag her back. Probably it was just sound -Yorkshire common sense. Anyway, she took fright, -turned a deaf ear to Gerald Moville's blandishments, -and insisted on being taken back to her father's cottage -at once. Still to the accompaniment of a flood of -tears Winnie went on to say that Mr. Gerald 'carried -on terribly' when she finally refused to go away with -him, and he reproached her bitterly for having played -with him, all the while that she was in love with that -'dirty dago.' But Winnie was firm, and in the end -the disappointed lover had to turn the car back and -take the girl home again. It was then close upon nine -o'clock. Mr. Gerald drove her to within half a mile -of her father's cottage; here she got out and walked -the rest of the way home. She had not seen Mr. Moville -since; on the other hand, one of the neighbours -told her that soon after she went off in the car -that morning, Antonio Vissio had called at the cottage, -and seemed in a terrible way when he was told that -she had gone out with Mr. Moville. -</p> - -<p> -"As you see the mystery was deepening. Instead -of the one missing man, there were now two who had -disappeared, and the question was what had become -of Mr. Gerald Moville and his car. Enquiries at the -garage where it belonged brought no light upon the -subject. The car had not been returned, and nothing -had been seen in Richmond of Mr. Moville or the car. -Enquiries were then telegraphed all over the place, and -twenty-four hours later the car was traced to a small -place called Falconblane, which is about twelve miles -from Paisley, where it was left at a garage late on the -Wednesday night by a man who had never since been -to claim it. The people at the garage could only give -a vague description of this man. It was about eleven -o'clock, a very dark night, and just upon closing time. -The man wore a big motor coat and a cap with flaps -over the ears; he had on a pair of goggles, and the -lower part of his face looked coated with grime. It -would be next to impossible to swear to his identity, -but the assistant who took charge of the car said that -the man spoke broken English. -</p> - -<p> -"The police searched the car and found a hand-bag -containing a number of effects, such as a man would -take with him if he was going on a long train journey: -brush and comb, a novel, a couple of handkerchiefs, -and so on. Some of these effects bore the initials -'G.M.' -</p> - -<p> -"Pursuing their investigations further, the police -discovered that a man wearing a big motor coat, goggles, -and a cap with flap ears had taken a first-class ticket -for Glasgow at Beith, which is a small place on a local -branch line, in the early morning of Thursday, and -had travelled to Glasgow by the 7.05 a.m. Glasgow -being a very busy terminus, no one appears to have -noticed him there, but one of the porters found a motor -coat, a cap, and a pair of goggles in one of the -first-class carriages on the local from Beith, and a certain -Mr. Etty, who was a gentleman's outfitter in the Station -Road, stated that he had a customer in his shop -early on Thursday morning who purchased a tweed -cap and an overcoat off the peg. He had come in -without either hat or coat, his face and hands were -black with grime, and his hair looked covered with -coal dust. He explained that he was an engineer who -had been engaged all night on some salvage work down -the line where there had been a breakdown, and that -he had somehow lost his coat and his cap. He paid -for the goods with a five-pound note, which he took -from a case out of his pocket, and the case appeared -to be bulging over with notes. Mr. Etty thought that -he might possibly be able to identify the man if he saw -him again; one thing he did note about him, and that -was that he spoke broken English. -</p> - -<p> -"But from that moment, in spite of strenuous efforts -on the part of the police, all traces of the man with -the dirty face, who spoke broken English, vanished -completely. And what's more, all trace of Mr. Gerald -Moville had also vanished. He did not go up to -London, and all this while his luggage was at the -Carlton Hotel waiting to be claimed. Nor was it ever -claimed by him, because about a month after that -tragic Wednesday in September the body of Mr. Gerald -Moville was found in a 'gruff' or gully about -three-quarters of a mile from the Poacher's Leap. When I -say that the body was found, I am wrong, for it was -only a part of the body, and that, of course, was -completely decomposed. The head was missing, and it -was never found, in spite of the most strenuous efforts -on the part of professional and amateur detectives, -and lavish expenditure of money, thought, and trouble -on the part of Sir Timothy Moville. It lies buried, -I imagine, somewhere on the moor. The clothes, -though sodden, were, however, still recognisable, also -the unfortunate man's wrist watch which had stopped -at five minutes past eleven, his cuff-links, and his signet -ring, which had fallen from his fleshless finger and lay -beside it in the 'gruff.' -</p> - -<p> -"And about seventy yards higher up the gully a -search party found a knife of obviously foreign make, -which still bore certain stains, which scientific analysis -proved to be human blood. That knife was identified -by Topcoat as the property of Vissio." -</p> - -<p><br /></p> - -<h4> -§4 -</h4> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner had been silent for a little -while, as was his habit when he reached a certain -stage of his narrative. At such moments it always -seemed as if nothing in the world interested him, except -the fashioning of innumerable and complicated knots -in a bit of string. It was my business to set him -talking again. -</p> - -<p> -"Of course, there was an inquest after that," I said -casually. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, there was," he replied dryly, "but it revealed -nothing that the public did not already know. A few -minor details—that was all. For instance, it came to -light that when Mr. Moville left home on that fateful -morning he was wearing the coat, cap, and goggles -which were subsequently found in the train at Glasgow -Station. It was easy to suppose that the murderer -had stolen these from his victim; the cap and goggles -being especially useful for purposes of disguise. The -same supposition applies to money. Vissio, it was -argued, had probably only a few shillings in his pocket -when in a moment of mad jealousy he killed Gerald -Moville. That, of course, was the universally accepted -theory; it was only desperate necessity that pushed -him on to robbing the dead. Topcoat and others who -knew Antonio well declared that he was quite -harmless except where Winnie Gooden was concerned; but -it was more than likely that that morning he was -tortured by one of his jealous fits. He had hated Gerald -Moville from the first, and, according to the girl's own -admissions, she must have given him definite cause for -jealousy. That very morning he had called at her -cottage and found that she had gone out with his rival. -Perhaps he knew that Moville was going away for -good. Perhaps he guessed that he would try and -induce Winnie to go with him. With such torturing -fears in his heart, what wonder that when he met his -rival on the lonely moor he 'saw red' and used his knife, -as Southerners, unfortunately, are only too apt to do? -</p> - -<p> -"The coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful -murder against Antonio Vissio, and the police hold a -warrant for his arrest. But more than two years have -gone by since then, and Vissio has succeeded in eluding -the police. For many weeks the public were deeply -interested in the mystery; the evening papers used to -come out with the headlines: 'Where is Antonio Vissio?' -and one great daily offered a reward of five hundred -pounds for information that would lead to his -apprehension. But, as you know, it has all been in vain. -The public want to know how a man of unusual -personality and speaking broken English could possibly -lie <i>perdu</i> so long in this tight little island. -</p> - -<p> -"And if he did leave the country, then how did he -do it? He hadn't his passport with him, as that -remained with his effects at Topcoat's cottage. How -then did he evade the passport officials at Glasgow or -any other port of embarkation? It is done sometimes, -we all know that, and in this case Vissio had four -days' start before Topcoat gave information to the -police, but somehow the newspaper-reading public felt -that if Vissio got out of the country, something would -have betrayed him, some one would have seen him and -furnished the first clue that would lead to discovery. -</p> - -<p> -"And so the disappearance of the Italian has been -classed as one of the unsolved mysteries in the annals -of crime. But to me the only point on which I am -not absolutely clear (although even there I hold a -theory), is why Gerald Moville should have gone -wandering about the moor after he had parted from Winnie -Gooden, and when he hadn't very much time left to -catch his train, if he didn't want to miss his connection -at Dalton. That point did strike Inspector Dodsworth -of the C.I.D., who had been sent down from London -to assist the local police in the investigation of the -crime. I know Dodsworth very well, and he and I -discussed that point once or twice. Of course, I was -not going to give him the key to the whole mystery—a -key, mind you, which I had discovered for myself—but -I didn't object to talking over one or two of the -minor details with the man, and I told him that in my -opinion Moville undoubtedly went out on the moor -in order to meet Vissio, and have it out with him on -the subject of Winnie. -</p> - -<p> -"He wanted Winnie—badly—to come away with -him, and I believe that he was just the sort of man -who would think that he could bribe the Italian to -stand aside for him by offering him money. I believe -those half-bred Spaniards and Portuguese out in -Argentina are a most corrupt and venal crowd, and -Gerald Moville classed Vissio amongst that lot. I -have no doubt whatever in my mind that Moville was -walking across the moor to see if he couldn't find Vissio -in Topcoat's cottage. It was obviously not for me -to tell the police that the Poacher's Leap is in a direct -line between that cottage and the place where the -two-seater was seen at a standstill on the roadside. -But Dodsworth had to admit that I was right on that -point." -</p> - -<p> -"Then you think," I rejoined, "that Mr. Moville, -after he parted from Winnie Gooden, set out to seek -an interview with Antonio Vissio with a view to -entering into an arrangement with him about the girl?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes!" my eccentric friend assented with a nod. -</p> - -<p> -"He wanted to bribe Vissio to stand aside for him?" -</p> - -<p> -"Exactly." -</p> - -<p> -"Then," I went on, "he met Vissio on the moor?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes!" -</p> - -<p> -"Came out with his proposition?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes!" -</p> - -<p> -"Which so enraged the Italian that he knocked the -other man down and finally knifed him in accordance -with the amiable custom of his country." -</p> - -<p> -"No," the Old Man in the Corner retorted dryly, "I -didn't say that." -</p> - -<p> -"But we know that the two men met and that——" -</p> - -<p> -"And that one of them was killed," he broke in -quickly. "But that man was not Gerald Moville." -</p> - -<p> -"He was seen," I argued, "at Falconblane, at Beith, -and at Glasgow. The man with the dirty face, the -motor coat, and the goggles." -</p> - -<p> -"Exactly," he broke in once more. "The man in the -cap with the flap ears, and wearing motor goggles; the -man whose face and hair were, in addition, covered -with grime. An excellent disguise; as it indeed proved -to be." -</p> - -<p> -"But the foreign accent? The man spoke broken -English." -</p> - -<p> -"There are few things," he said with a sarcastic -smile, "that are easier to assume than broken English, -especially when only uneducated ears are there to -hear." -</p> - -<p> -"Then you think——" -</p> - -<p> -"I don't think," he replied curtly, "I know. I know -that Gerald Moville met the Italian on the moor, that -he quarrelled with him over Winnie Gooden, that he -knocked him down, and that Vissio was killed in the -fall. I can see the whole scene as plainly as if I had -been there. Can't you see Moville realising that he -had killed the man?—that inevitably suspicion would -fall on him? Topcoat had seen him, witnesses had -seen his car in the road, he was known to be the -Italian's rival in Winnie's affections! Already he could -feel the hangman's rope round his neck. But we must -look on Gerald Moville as a man of resource, a man, -above all, up to many tricks for drawing a red herring -across the trail of his own delinquencies. I will spare -you the details of what I can see in my own mind as -having happened after Moville had realised that Vissio -was dead: the stripping of the body, the exchange of -clothes down to the vest and shirt, the mutilation of -the corpse with the victim's own knife, and the dragging -of the body to a distant 'gruff,' where it must inevitably -remain hidden for days, until advanced decomposition -had set in to efface all identification marks. Fear, no -doubt, lent ingenuity and strength to the miscreant; -and, as a matter of fact, Gerald Moville is one of the -few criminals who committed no appreciable blunder -when he set to work to obliterate all traces of his -crime; he left the knife with its tell-tale stains on the -spot, and that knife was identified as the property of -the Italian, and the head, which alone might have -betrayed him, even if the body were not found for weeks, -he took away with him to bury somewhere far -away—goodness only knows where, but somewhere between -Yorkshire and Scotland. -</p> - -<p> -"I can see Gerald Moville after he had accomplished -his grim task making his way back to his car—the -loneliness of this stretch of country would be entirely in -his favour, more especially as it had begun to rain; I -can see him driving along putting mile upon mile -between himself and the scene of his crime. At one place -he stopped—a lonely spot it must have been—where he -disposed of his gruesome burden; then on and on, past -the borders of Yorkshire, of Westmoreland and -Cumberland and into Scotland, till he came close to the -network of railway round about Paisley and Glasgow. -Falconblane, a village tucked away on a lonely bit of -country but boasting of a garage, must have seemed an -ideal spot wherein to abandon the car altogether and -take to the road, and this Moville did, trusting to the -long night, and also to luck, to further efface his traces. -Again I can see him wandering restlessly through the -dark hours of that night, not daring to enter a house -and ask for a bed, determined at all costs to obliterate -every vestige of his movements since the crime. -</p> - -<p> -"Then in the morning he takes train for Glasgow, -the busiest centre wherein a man can disappear in a -crowd; in the train he takes the precaution of divesting -himself of the motor coat, the goggles and the cap, but -not of the grime that covers his face and hair. We -know how he provided himself with a more suitable -hat and coat; we know how all through his wanderings -he kept up his broken English. At Glasgow all traces -of him vanish; he has become a very ordinary-looking -man, wearing quite ordinary clothes, and in Glasgow -people are far too busy to take much notice of passers-by. -</p> - -<p> -"We can easily conjecture how easy it was for -Moville to leave the country altogether. He had plenty -of money, and it is never difficult for a man of resource -to leave a British port for any destination he pleases, -especially if he is of obviously British nationality. -Money, we all know, will accomplish anything, and -rogues will slip through a cordon of officials where -the respectable citizens will be chivied about and -harassed with regulations. Moreover, we must always -bear this in mind, that the police were not on his track, -nor on that of the Italian, for that matter. Moville -was free to come and go, and you may be sure that -he was quite clever enough not to behave in any way -that might create suspicion." -</p> - -<p> -The Old Man in the Corner paused quite abruptly. -A complicated knot was absorbing his whole attention. -I felt thoughtful, meditative, and after a few minutes' -silence I put my meditations into words. -</p> - -<p> -"That is all very well," I said, "but, personally, I -don't see that you have anything definite this time on -which to base your theory. Both the men have -disappeared; the police say that Vissio killed Moville; -you assert the reverse, and declare that Moville -deliberately dressed up the body of the Italian in his -own clothes, but you have nothing more to go on for -your assertion than the police have for theirs." -</p> - -<p> -"I was waiting for that," he rejoined with a dry -chuckle. "But let me assure you that I have at least -three psychological facts to go on for my assertion, -whereas the police only go on two very superficial -matters for theirs; they base their whole argument -firstly on the clothes, watch, jewellery, and so on found -on a body that was otherwise unidentifiable, and, -secondly, on a blood-stained knife known to have belonged -to the Italian. Now I have demonstrated to you, -have I not, how easy it was for Moville to manufacture -both these pieces of evidence. So mark the force of -my argument," the funny creature went on, gesticulating -with his thin hands like a scarecrow blown by the -wind. "First of all, why did Moville suddenly declare -his intention of leaving England? In order to look -after his partner's affairs? Not a bit of it. He left -England because of some shady transaction out there -in Argentina which was coming to light, and because -of which he thought it best to disappear altogether for -a time. My proof for this? you will ask. The simple -proof that his parents accepted his disappearance for -a whole week without making any enquiries about him -either in Richmond, or London, or the shipping company -that controls the steamers to Buenos Ayres. Can -you imagine that Sir Timothy Moville, having seen the -last of his son on the Tuesday evening, would say -and do nothing, when he was left eight days without -news; he would have enquired in London; he knew to -which hotel his son intended to go; some one would -have enquired at Richmond whether the car had been -left there. But no! There was not a single enquiry -made for Gerald Moville by his parents, or his brothers -and sisters, until after Topcoat had mentioned his name -to the police and the latter had started their -investigations. And why? Because his people knew where -he was; that is to say, they knew—or some of them -knew—that Gerald had to lie low, at any rate for a -time. Of course his supposed death under such tragic -circumstances must have been a terrible shock to them, -but it is a remarkable fact, you will admit, that the -offer of a substantial reward for the apprehension of -the murderer did not come from Sir Timothy Moville; -it came from one of the big dailies, out for publicity. -</p> - -<p> -"My whole argument rests on psychological grounds, -and in criminal cases psychology is by far the surest -guide. Now there was not a single detail in connection -with the Moorland Tragedy that in any way suggested -the hand of a man like Antonio Vissio. Can you see -an Italian peasant who, moreover, has lived all his -life with a gun in his hand, solemnly laying that gun -down before embarking on a quarrel with his rival? -And yet the gun was found undischarged, lying in a -gully. Vissio was much more likely to have shouldered -it at sight of the man he hated, and shot him dead; -more especially as the Englishman would have an -enormous advantage in a hand-to-hand fight, even if -the other man had suddenly whisked out a knife. -Vissio was not the type of man who would think of -the consequence of his crime. Maddened by jealousy, -he would kill his man at sight, but in his own country -and also in France, there would be no disgrace attached -to such a deed—no disgrace and very little punishment. -The man who last year shot the English dancing girl on -the Riviera because he thought that she was carrying -on with another man, only got five years' imprisonment; -Vissio would not realise that he would be amenable -to English law, which does not look at Homicide -quite so leniently. -</p> - -<p> -"Having killed his rival, the Italian would, in all -probability, have swanked as far as the nearest village, -had a good drink to steady his nerves, and then have -boasted loudly of what he had done, certain that he -would be leniently dealt with by a judge, and -sympathised with by a jury, because of the torments of -jealousy which he had endured until he could do so no -longer. You can't imagine such a man sawing off his -victim's head and wrapping it up in a newspaper taken -out of the dead man's pocket. -</p> - -<p> -"And this brings me to the final point in my argument, -and one which ought to have struck the police -from the first: the question of the car. How would -Vissio know that he would find Moville's car conveniently -stationed by the roadside? He would have to -know that before he could dare walk across the moor -carrying his gruesome parcel. Now Vissio couldn't -possibly know all that, and what's more, though he -might not have been altogether ignorant of driving, he -certainly was not expert enough to drive a car all by -himself for over a hundred miles, at top speed, and -for several hours in the dark. To my mind, if this -fact had been driven home to the jury by a motoring -expert they never would have brought in a verdict -against Vissio, and if you think the whole matter over -you will be bound to admit that there is not a single -flaw in my argument. From the point of view of -possibility as well as of psychology, only one man could -have committed that crime, and that was Gerald -Moville. I suppose his unfortunate parents will know the -truth one day. Soon, probably, when the young -miscreant is short of money and writes home for -funds. -</p> - -<p> -"Or else he may return to Argentina and under -an assumed name start life anew. They are not -over-particular there as to a man's antecedents. They -would perhaps think all the more of him, when they -knew that where a girl is concerned he will stand no -nonsense from a rival. Think it all over, you'll come -to the conclusion that I'm right." -</p> - -<p> -He gathered up his bit of string and took his -spectacles from off his nose. For the first time I saw his -pale, shrewd eyes looking down straight at me. -</p> - -<p> -"I shan't see you again for some time," he said with -a wry smile. "Won't you shake hands and wish me -luck?" -</p> - -<p> -"Indeed I will," I replied, "but you are not going -away, are you?" -</p> - -<p> -He gave a curious, short, dry chuckle: -</p> - -<p> -"I am going out of England for the benefit of my -health," he said coolly. -</p> - -<p> -I hadn't shaken hands with him, because the very -next moment he had turned his back on me as if he -thought better of it. The next morning I read in -the papers a curious account of some extensive -robberies committed in the neighbourhood of Hatton -Garden. The burglar had managed to escape, but the -police were said to hold an important clue. A curious -feature about those robberies was the way in which -a knotted cord had been used to effect an entrance -through a skylight. The newspaper reporters gave a -very full description of this cord: it was photographed -and reproduced in the illustrated papers. The knots -in it were of a wonderful and intricate pattern. -</p> - -<p> -They set me thinking—and wondering! -</p> - -<p> -I have often been to that blameless teashop in Fleet -Street since. -</p> - -<p> -But the Old Man in the Corner is never there now, -and the police have never been able to trace the large -consignment of diamonds stolen from that shop in -Hatton Garden and which has been valued at £80,000. -</p> - -<p> -I wonder if I shall ever see my eccentric friend again. -</p> - -<p> -Somehow I think that I shall. And if I do, shall -I see him sitting in his accustomed corner, with his -spectacles on his nose, and his long, thin fingers -working away at a bit of string—fashioning knots—many -knots—complicated knots—like those in the cord by -the aid of which an entrance was effected into that shop -in Hatton Garden and diamonds worth £80,000 were -stolen? -</p> - -<p> -I wonder!! -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3"> -THE END -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNRAVELLED KNOTS ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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