Chapter XV
A TRAGIC AFFAIR IN THE WEST END.
MAD DOCTOR WOUNDS A BURGLAR IN A SOCIETY WOMAN'S BEDROOM.
"There was an extraordinary and tragic sequel to the escape of Dr. Thun from Norwood Asylum, particulars of which appeared in our early edition of yesterday. This morning at four o'clock, in answer to a telephone call, Detective-Sergeant Miller, accompanied by another officer, went to 84, Cavendish Mansions, a flat occupied by Mrs. Meredith, and there found and took into custody Dr. Algernon Thun, who had escaped from Norwood Asylum. In the room was also found a man named Hoggins, a person well known to the police. It appears that Hoggins had effected an entrance into Mrs. Meredith's flat, descending from the roof by means of a rope, making his way into the premises through the window of Mrs. Meredith's bedroom. Whilst there he was detected by Mrs. Meredith, who would undoubtedly have been murdered had not Dr. Thun, who, in some mysterious manner, had gained admission to the flat, intervened. In the struggle that followed the doctor, who is suffering from the delusion of persecution, severely wounded the man, who is not expected to live. He then turned his attention to the lady. Happily an old man who works at the flat, who was sleeping on the premises at the time, was roused by the sound of the struggle, and succeeded in releasing the lady from the maniacal grasp of the intruder. The wounded burglar was removed to hospital and the lunatic was taken to the police station and was afterwards sent under a strong guard to the asylum from whence he had escaped. He made a rambling statement to the police to the effect that General Foch had assisted his escape and had directed him to the home of his persecutors."
Jean Briggerland put down the paper and laughed.
"It is nothing to snigger about," growled Briggerland savagely.
"If I didn't laugh I should do something more emotional," said the girlcoolly. "To think that that fool should go back and make the attemptsingle-handed. I never imagined that."
"Faire tells me that he's not expected to live," said Mr. Briggerland.He rubbed his bald head irritably. "I wonder if that lunatic is goingto talk?"
"What does it matter if he does?" said the girl impatiently.
"You said the other day----" he began.
"The other day it mattered, my dear father. To-day nothing matters verymuch. I think we have got well out of it. I ignored all the lessonswhich my textbook teaches when I entrusted work to other hands. Jaggs,"she said softly.
"Eh?" said the father.
"I'm repeating a well-beloved name," she smiled and rose, folding herserviette. "I am going for a long run in the country. Would you like tocome? Mordon is very enthusiastic about the new car, the bill for which,by the way, came in this morning. Have we any money?"
"A few thousands," said her father, rubbing his chin. "Jean, we shallhave to sell something unless things brighten."
Jean's lips twitched, but she said nothing.
On her way to the open road she called at Cavendish Mansions, and wasneither surprised nor discomfited to discover that Jack Glover wasthere.
"My dear," she said, warmly clasping both the girl's hands in hers, "Iwas so shocked when I read the news! How terrible it must have been foryou."
Lydia was looking pale, and there were dark shadows under her eyes, butshe treated the matter cheerfully.
"I've just been trying to explain to Mr. Glover what happened.Unfortunately, the wonderful Jaggs is not here. He knows more about itthan I, for I collapsed in the most feminine way."
"How did he get in--I mean this madman?" asked the girl.
"Through the door."
It was Jack who answered.
"It is the last way in the world a lunatic would enter a flat, isn't it?He came in with a key, and he was brought here by somebody who struck amatch to make sure it was the right number."
"He might have struck the match himself," said Jean, "but you're soclever that you would not say a thing like that unless you had proof."
"We found two matches in the hall outside," said Jack, "and when Dr.Thun was searched no matches were found on him, and I have since learntthat, like most homicidal lunatics, he had a horror of fire in any form.The doctor to whom I have been talking is absolutely sure that he wouldnot have struck the match himself. Oh, by the way, Miss Briggerland,your father met this unfortunate man. I understand he paid a visit tothe asylum a few days ago?"
"Yes, he did," she answered without hesitation. "He was talking abouthim this morning. You see, father has been making a tour of the asylums.He is writing a book about such things. Father was horrified when heheard the man had escaped, because the doctor told him that he was aparticularly dangerous lunatic. But who would have imagined he wouldhave turned up here?"
Her big, sad eyes were fixed on Jack as she shook her head in wonder.
"If one had read that in a book one would never have believed it, wouldone?"
"And the man Hoggins," said Jack, who did not share her wonder. "He wasby way of being an acquaintance of yours, a member of your father'sclub, wasn't he?"
She knit her brows.
"I don't remember the name, but if he is a very bad character," she saidwith a little smile, "I should say distinctly that he was a member offather's club! Poor daddy, I don't think he will ever regenerate theEast End."
"I don't think he will," agreed Jack heartily. "The question is, whetherthe East End will ever regenerate him."
A slow smile dawned on her face.
"How unkind!" she said, mockery in her eyes now. "I wonder why youdislike him so. He is so very harmless, really. My dear," she turned tothe girl with a gesture of helplessness. "I am afraid that even in thisaffair Mr. Glover is seeing my sinister influence!"
"You're the most un-sinister person I have ever met, Jean," laughedLydia, "and Mr. Glover doesn't really think all these horrid things."
"Doesn't he?" said Jean softly, and Jack saw that she was shaking withlaughter.
There was a certain deadly humour in the situation which tickled himtoo, and he grinned.
"I wish to heaven you'd get married and settle down, Miss Briggerland,"he said incautiously.
It was her chance. She shook her head, the lips drooped, the eyes againgrew moist with the pain she could call to them at will.
"I wish I could," she said in a tone a little above a whisper, "but,Jack, I could never marry you, never!"
She left Jack Glover bereft of speech, totally incapable of arousing somuch as a moan.
Lydia, returning from escorting her visitor to the door, saw hisembarrassment and checked his impulsive explanation a little coldly.
"I--I believed you when you said it wasn't true, Mr. Glover," she said,and there was a reproach in her tone for which she hated herselfafterwards.
The Angel of Terror Page 15
