CHAPTER XVIII
THE TRUTH OF THE WHOLE MATTER
The Atkinses had departed, and Merritt and I were again alone.
"Well," I exclaimed, "the Rosemere mystery doesn't seem any nearer tobeing solved, does it?"
"You ought to be satisfied with knowing that your friend, Mrs. Atkins,is exonerated."
"Of that I am heartily glad; but who can the criminal be?"
The detective shrugged his shoulders.
"You don't know?" I asked.
"Haven't an idea," he answered.
"But what about that pretty criminal you've been talking so much about?"
"Well, Doctor, to tell you the truth this case has proved one too manyfor me. You see," he went on, settling himself more comfortably in hischair, "there isn't enough evidence against any one to warrant ourholding them an hour. Mrs. Atkins knew the man and had a motive forkilling him, but had no place in which to secrete the body, nor did shemake any effort to obtain that key. Against Argot the case is stronger.One of the greatest objections to the theory that it was he who murderedBrown is that, as far as we can find out, the man was a perfect strangerto him. But as he did not know his wife's lover by sight, it seems tome not impossible that he may have mistaken Brown for the latter, andthought that in killing him he was avenging his honour. The Frenchmanis also one of the few persons who could have abstracted the key of thevacant apartment. On the other hand, it would have been impossible forhim to have either secreted or disposed of the body without his wife'sknowledge. And unless Madame Argot is an actress and a liar of veryunusual talent, I am willing to swear that she knew and knows nothing ofthe crime!"
"I am sure of it," I assented.
"Furthermore, I can think of no way by which Argot could have run acrossBrown. He would naturally follow the man whom he believed to be hiswife's lover, and not only did Madame Argot tell you that her husbandran out the back way in pursuit of her cousin, but that seems to me thething which he would most likely do. And yet, having left by that door,he could not possibly have got into the house again unperceived.Therefore, I cannot imagine how he could have met Allan Brown. No,there is really not a scrap of real evidence against the Frenchman. Now,there remains Miss Derwent. She could easily have obtained the key; shecould also have hidden the body. But there is absolutely nothing toconnect her with the murder, or the victim--nothing. And yet, Doctor, Ihave always believed that she knew more about this crime than she waswilling to acknowledge, and I may as well tell you now that the reason Itook such pains to inform Miss Derwent of Mrs. Atkins's plight, was thatI thought that, rather than allow an innocent person to suffer, shewould reveal the name of the true author of the crime. You see, I hadexhausted every means of discovering her secret, without the leastresult. My only hope of doing so now lay with her. But my ruse failed.She has given no sign, although, for aught she knows, Mrs. Atkins may belanguishing in a prison, or is being hunted from house to house or fromcity to city. I am therefore forced to believe that Miss Derwent'smysterious secret has absolutely nothing to do with the Rosemeremurder."
"I have always been sure of it."
"But the fact remains that the man was killed. And yet every person whocould by any possibility have committed the crime has practically beenproved guiltless. I'm getting old." And he sighed deeply.
"So you have given the case up!"
"No, sirree. But I confess I'm not very hopeful. If I failed to pick upa clue while the scent was fresh, there ain't much chance of my doing itnow. So I guess you've won your bet, Doctor," he went on, as he pulled aroll of bills out of his pocket.
"Certainly not. I bet that a man committed the crime, and that has notbeen proved, either."
"That's so! Well, good-day, Doctor. Hope I'll see you again. I tell youwhat, you should have been on the force." And so we parted.
He had hardly shut the door behind him, when my boy came in with a note.The handwriting was unknown to me. I tore the envelope open, and threwit down beside me. This is what I read:
DEAR DR. FORTESCUE,
I am in great trouble and beg you to come to me as soon as you possibly can.
Sincerely yours, MAY DERWENT.
"Any answer, sir?"
"No." I should be there as soon as the messenger.
I was so dreadfully alarmed that I felt stunned for a moment. Pullingmyself together, I started to my feet, when my eyes fell on theenvelope, lying beside my plate. A large crest was emblazoned on itsback. I stood spell-bound, for that crest was, alas, not unfamiliar tome. I could not be mistaken--it was identical with the one engraved onthe sleeve-link which had been found on the body of the murdered man.What did this similarity mean? Was it possible that the victim's realname was Derwent? That would account for the coincidence of the twoAllans, and all I knew of one was equally applicable to the other.Merritt had told me that Brown was supposed to have been born agentleman, and often posed as an Englishman of title. But if the corpsewas indeed that of her brother, why had May not recognised it? No, theprobabilities were, as the detective had said, that the crest meantnothing.
Still deeply perturbed, I hastened to the hotel. On giving my name I wasat once ushered into the Derwent's private sitting-room. It was empty,but a moment later May appeared. She was excessively pale, and heavydark rings encircled her eyes. I longed to take her in my arms, but allI dared to do was to detain her small hand in mine till after severalefforts on her part to free herself--very gentle efforts, however--Ifinally relinquished it.
"It is kind of you to come so soon."
"You knew I would come the moment I received your message."
"I hoped so. All night long I have lain awake, praying for courage tomake a confession, knowing all the time that if I do so it will breakmy mother's heart."
"Your mother's heart!" I repeated, bewildered.
"It must be done, it is right that it should be done--but I can't do it.I have, therefore, decided to tell you the whole story, and then you canrepeat it to her very gently, very calmly, which I could not do. And youwill remain to comfort her when I am gone, won't you?"
"Don't talk in this way," I commanded, forcibly possessing myself of herhands. "You are not going to die."
"Don't touch me," she entreated, tearing herself away from me. "Youwon't want to, when you know the truth. I have not only committed adreadful crime, but have allowed an innocent person to suffer in mystead. I should have confessed to the detective yesterday that I knewMrs. Atkins had not killed the man, because--because--I myself killedhim."
I was so overcome with horror and surprise at hearing this confession,that for a moment I was paralysed.
"My poor darling," I exclaimed at last, "how did this accident occur?"
She had evidently expected me to express horror and indignation, andthat I did not do so was such an unexpected relief, that the poor childburst into tears. This time she did not repulse me. When she had becomea little calmer, she said:
"I am glad that there is one person at least who, hearing thatadmission, does not at once believe me guilty of a dreadful crime.Oh, I assure you, I swear to you, that I never meant to killthe--the--fellow." She shuddered.
"Of course you didn't. Tell me all about it, and let me see if I can'thelp you in some way."
A faint gleam of hope shot across her face.
"It is a long story," she began. "You remember that I told the Coronerabout a certain gentleman who called on me on that fatal Tuesdayevening?"
"Yes."
"Well, that was all true. Mr. Greywood (for, of course, you now knowthat that was my visitor's name) and I quarrelled (no matter why), andwe parted in anger. This is no news to you. What happened later is whatI have tried so hard to conceal. Mr. Greywood had hardly left when I wasstartled by a violent ringing at the door-bell. Thinking that it was mylate visitor who had returned, to apologise, probably, I hurried to thedoor, and incautiously opened it. In the dim light, the man before meresembled Mr. Greywood so closely that I did not doubt that it was he,and moved asid
e to allow him to enter. As he did so, he pushed roughlyagainst me. I stared at him in astonishment, and to my horror,discovered that I was face to face with a perfect stranger. The fellowbanged the door behind him, and stood with his back against it. He wasmumbling something I couldn't catch, and his head rolled alarmingly fromside to side. That the man was insane was the only thing that occurredto me, and as I realised that I was locked into an apartment with alunatic, I became panic-stricken, and lost my head. Instead of making adash for the upper floor, where I could either have barricaded myselfinto one of the bed rooms, or perhaps have managed to escape by the backstairs, I stupidly ran into the drawing-room, which is only shut offfrom the hall by portieres, and has no other outlet. The brute, ofcourse, followed me, and stood in the door way, barring my exit. I wascaught like a rat in a trap. He lurched in my direction, mutteringimprecations. His speech was so thick that I could only understand aword here and there. I made out, however, that he wished me to give himsomething that night, which, he said, I had promised to let him have thenext day. As he staggered toward me, I uttered a piercing shriek, buteven as I did so, I knew that there was little or no chance of anybody'shearing me. The building was almost empty, and the street at that hourpractically deserted.
"In the middle of our room opposite the fire place, stands a largesofa. When his eyes fell upon that he paused a minute. 'Perhaps I'll goto bed,' I heard him say, and forthwith he proceeded to take off hiscoat and waistcoat. Meanwhile, I was cowering near the window. As he hadapparently forgotten me, I began to hope that I might possibly succeedin creeping past him unobserved. But, unfortunately, as I was attemptingto do so, my skirt caught in something, and I fell forward on my handsand knees. The noise attracted his attention, and he paused in hisundressing to look at me. I sprang to my feet. We stared at each otherfor a few seconds, and I thought I saw a ray of comprehension come intohis dull eyes. 'I don't think I ever met this lady before,' he mumbled.
"He tried to pull himself together, and made me an awkward bow. I stoodperfectly still. The wretch smiled horridly at me. Of course, I now seethat I ought to have humoured him, instead of which I was injudiciousenough to meet his advances with a fierce scowl. That apparentlyinfuriated the fellow, for he sprang towards me, cursing loudly. I hadnot thought him capable of such agility, so was unprepared for theattack. He caught my wrist. I tried to wrench it from him, but he wasvery strong, and I soon realised that I was quite powerless in hisgrasp. Yet I would not give in, but continued to struggle fiercely. Oh,it was too awful!"
The unfortunate girl paused a moment and covered her face with herhands, as if she were trying to shut out the memory of that terriblescene.
"At last the end came. He had got me into a corner. Escape wasimpossible. My back was against the wall, and in front of me towered thewretch, his hands on my shoulders, his poisoned breath blowing into myface. Now, remember, before you blame me for what followed, that I wasperfectly desperate. As I glanced frantically around, hoping againsthope to find some way out of my awful situation, my eyes fell upon ahat-pin, which lay on a table by my side, well within reach of my righthand. It was sticking in my hat, which I had carelessly thrown downthere when I came in from dinner a few hours before. It may be that itsdesign, which was that of a dagger, suggested my putting it to the use Idid. I don't know. At any rate, I seized it, and managed to get it inbetween me and my assailant, with its sharp point pressing against hischest. By this time I had become convinced that the man was simplyintoxicated, and, hoping to frighten him, I cried: 'Let me go. If youdon't, I will kill you.' Yes, I said that; I acknowledge it. But I hadno real intention of doing such a thing. I didn't even dream that I heldin my hand a weapon. What happened then I don't quite know. Whetherhe tripped over something, or whether he was so drunk that he lost hisbalance, I can't tell. At all events, he fell heavily against me. If Ihad not been braced against the wall he certainly would have knocked medown. As it was, I was stunned for a minute. Recovering myself, I pushedhim from me with all my strength. He reeled back, staggered a few steps,and then, to my surprise, fell flat upon the floor. As I stood staringat him, too frightened still to take advantage of this opportunityto escape, I heard a queer rattling in his throat. What could be thematter, I wondered, and what was that sticking out of his shirt, rightover his heart? Could it be my hat-pin? I looked down at my hands; theywere empty. Slowly the truth dawned upon me. I rushed to his side,looked into his glazing eyes, saw the purple fade from his face, and agreenish hue creep into its place. As the full horror of my position wasborne in upon me, I thought I should go mad. I seized the pin and triedto drag it out, actuated by an unreasoning hope that if I could onlyextract it from the wound the man might even yet revive. But my handsmust have been paralysed with fear, for, although I tugged and tugged,I failed to move it. At last, after an especially violent effort, Isucceeded in pulling it out, but unfortunately in doing so the headbroke off. I peered again at the man. Still no sign of life, but I couldnot, would not believe the worst. Overcoming my horror of the fellow, Ibent down and shook his arm. I shall never forget the sensation it gaveme to touch him. I could doubt the awful truth no longer: the man wasdead, and I had killed him. Then for a time I lost consciousness.Unfortunately I am young and strong, and soon revived. When I did so Ifound myself lying on the floor not a foot away from that horrible thingthat had so lately been a man. I feared him as much dead as alive, and,staggering to my feet, I fled from the room. Oh, the darkness, thefrightful darkness which confronted me everywhere! In my terror of itI rushed hither and thither, leaving the electric light shining in mywake. I felt I must know, that I must be able to see, that he, who wouldnever stir again, was not still following me. Stumbling up stairs in myhaste, I locked myself into my bedroom. There I tried to think, but allI could do was to crouch, trembling, behind the door, listening for Iknew not what. Several times I thought I heard footsteps stealing softlyup the stairs.
"At last, the day dawned and brought with it comparative calm. I wasnow able to consider my position. It was, indeed, a desperate one.What should I do? Whom could I appeal to? My mother? Another helplesswoman--never! Then Mr. Norman occurred to me. I felt I could rely onhim. He would save me if any one could. I decided to go to him as soonas possible. I knew that I must be most careful not to do anythingwhich might arouse suspicion. I, therefore, made up my mind not toleave the house before half-past seven at the earliest. I could then besupposed to be going out to breakfast. The hours crept wearily by. Iwatched the hot, angry sun rise superbly above the horizon, and fanciedthat it glared contemptuously down on my ruined life. To make mattersworse, my watch had stopped, and I had to guess at the time by thevarious signs of reawakening which I could observe in the street beneathme. At last I decided that I might safely venture forth. Burning withimpatience to be gone, I turned towards the door. Suddenly I rememberedthat my hat still lay in the room below. I started back, trembling inevery limb. Never, never should I have the courage to enter there alone.Then I thought of the alternative. Summoning the police--the awfulpublicity, a prison cell and perhaps finally--no, no, I couldn't facethat. Anything rather than that. No one will ever know how I felt as Islowly unlocked my door. My teeth chattered notwithstanding the heat,and half-fainting with terror I staggered down-stairs. Everywhere thelights still glowed feebly--sickly reminders of the horrors of thenight. I don't remember how I got into the drawing-room, but thescene that greeted my eyes there can never be erased from my memory.The blazing August sun shone fiercely down on the disordered room,mercilessly disclosing the havoc which the recent struggle had wrought.In the midst of this confusion, that ghastly, silent object lay, gapingat the new day. His sightless eyes seemed to stare reproachfully at me.I turned quickly away. This was no time for weakness. If I indulged myfears I should be unable to accomplish what I had to do. Fixing my eyeson the thing I was in search of, I walked steadily past the corpse, but,having once seized what I had come for, I rushed frantically from theroom and the apartment. The heavy outer door securely fastened be
hindme, made a sufficiently formidable barrier between the dead and myselfto give me a sense of comparative safety. Still panting with excitement,I paused a moment on the landing. Reminding myself of how important itwas that nothing about me should excite remark, I put on my hat andadjusted my thick veil with the utmost care, although my stiff, shakingfingers were hardly able to perform their task. Then, summoning up allmy self-control I was ready to face the world again."
She stopped, and sank back exhausted.
"Go on," I begged; "what did you do then?"
"I knew that if Mr. Norman was in town at all, he would be at hisfather's house," May continued, more quietly.
"Hailing a cab, I drove directly there. You can imagine in what anoverwrought state I was when I tell you that the idea that I was doinganything unusual never occurred to me. I rang the bell and asked forMr. Stuart Norman without the least embarrassment. The butler's look ofsurprise and his evident unwillingness to admit me, recalled me a littleto my senses. But even when I saw how my conduct must strike others, Idid not turn back, and I finally persuaded the man to call his master.The latter hurried from the breakfast table to see who the mysteriousand importunate female might be who had come knocking so early at hisdoor. Notwithstanding my veil, he recognised me at once. Ushering meinto a small reception room he closed the door behind him; then turningtowards me he took me by the hand and, gently leading me to a sofa,begged me to tell him what had happened. I told my dreadful story asbriefly as possible. You can imagine with what horror he listened.Strangely enough, I remained perfectly calm. I was astonished at my owncallousness, but at the moment I felt as if all that had occurred wasnothing but a hideous nightmare, from which I had happily awakened. WhenI had finished, Mr. Norman did not speak for some time, but paced up anddown the room with ill-concealed agitation. Trying to appear calm, heagain sat down beside me.
"'I have come to the conclusion that the only thing for you to do is toreturn at once to the Rosemere,' he said at last. This suggestion atonce dispelled the numbness which had come over me, and the painfulfluttering of my heart convinced me that the power of suffering had,alas, not left me. I first thought that he intended me to go back alone,but that I knew I could _not_ do. He soon reassured me on that point,however, and promised that as long as I needed him, or wanted him, hewould never desert me. He seemed to understand intuitively how I shrankfrom returning to the scene of the tragedy, and I felt sure he wouldnot urge me to do so if he did not think it absolutely necessary. Hepointed out that the body must be removed from our apartment as soonas possible. Where to put it was the question. We thought of variousplaces, none of which seemed practicable, till I remembered the vacantsuite on our landing. As soon as I told him of it, and that at presentpainters and paper-hangers were working there, he decided that we couldnever find a more convenient spot, or one where the discovery of thedead man was so little likely to compromise any one. How Mr. Norman wasto get into our apartment was the next question. For obvious reasonshe could not do so openly. At last, he hit on the idea of disguisinghimself as a tradesman. He suggested that we should both enter thebuilding at the same time, I by the front, and he by the back door. Iwas then to let him in through the kitchen, which could easily be donewithout anybody's being the wiser. This seemed the most feasible plan,and I agreed to it. It would take him only a few minutes to dress, heassured me, but while I was waiting he begged me to have some breakfast.I told him that it would be impossible for me to eat, but he insisted.As it was most important that the servants should not recognise me, hetook me to a quiet restaurant round the corner. There he ordered anample breakfast, and stayed (notwithstanding my protests) till hesatisfied himself that I had done full justice to it. He was gone anincredibly short time, and when he did return I had some difficulty inrecognising him, so faultless, to my inexperienced eyes, did his get-upappear. He did not enter the restaurant, but lounged outside, chewinga straw with apparent carelessness. That straw was a very neat touch,for it permitted him to distort his mouth without exciting remark. Abattered straw hat, drawn well over his eyes, a large apron, and amarket-basket completed the transformation. Even if he had come face toface with a party of friends, I doubt if they would have known him. Forwho could suspect a man like Mr. Norman of masquerading as a tradesman?People would therefore be inclined to attribute any likeness theyobserved to an accidental resemblance."
So he was the tradesman I had seen leaving the Rosemere! I felt aterrible pang of jealousy, but managed to ask: "What did his servantsthink at seeing their master go out in such costume?"
"Later on, he told me that he had been able to leave the houseunperceived," she replied; "at least, he thought so, as all the servantshappened to be at breakfast. He had crept softly up-stairs, put on anold suit and hat, both of which had suffered shipwreck; then, withinfinite precautions, he had stolen into the butler's pantry, seized anapron, stuffed it inside his coat, which he buttoned over it, and, afterwatching till the street was clear, slipped quietly out. When he turnedthe corner, and fancied himself unobserved, he pulled out the apron andtied it on. Then, walking boldly into Bloomingdale's, he purchased amarket-basket, into which, with great forethought, he put a few needfulgroceries. All this, as I said before, he told me later. At the time, Ileft the restaurant without even glancing in his direction. We boardedthe same car, but sat as far apart as possible. All went off as we hadarranged, and half an hour later I had let him into our kitchen withouthaving aroused anybody's suspicions." She paused a moment.
"Mr. Norman went at once into the room where the body lay," shecontinued. "He went alone, as I dared not follow him. When he came outhe told me that he had pulled down all the shades, as, owing to theintense heat, he feared that some one might be tempted to climb to theopposite roof, in which case a chance look would lead to the discoveryof my ghastly secret. The quiet and business-like way in which he talkedof our situation was most comforting, and I was surprised to find myselfcalmly discussing the different means of obtaining possession of thekey to the vacant apartment. This must be my task, as he could not gooutside the door, for fear of being seen. So I stole out on the landingto reconnoitre. To my joy, I saw the key sticking in the lock. When Mr.Norman heard of this piece of good luck, it did not take him long todecide on a plan of action. Hastily scribbling a few lines to hisbutler, he gave them to me. He then told me to go out again and ring forthe elevator. While waiting for it to come, I was to saunter casuallyto the threshold of the adjoining flat, and, leaning on the door-knob,quietly abstract the key. Should any one notice me, my curiosity wouldbe a sufficient excuse for my presence. Having got the key and enclosedit in the envelope he had given me, I was to hurry to a districtmessenger office (taking care to select one where I was not likely tobe known), send the note, and there await the answer, which would beaddressed to Miss Elizabeth Wright. In this note he gave orders to havethe key duplicated as quickly and secretly as possible. Mr. Normanthought that the butler, who was a man of great discretion, and had beenwith the family for many years, could be entrusted with this delicatemission, but anyhow we had to risk it as the only alternative (my goingto a locksmith myself) was not to be thought of. The police would besure to make inquiries of all such people, and if they discovered that agirl answering to my description had been to them on such an errand, itwould fasten suspicion upon me and prove a perhaps fatal clue. I thoughthis plan most ingenious, and promised to follow his instructions to theletter. I had no difficulty in obtaining the key, although my extremenervousness made me so awkward that I almost dropped it at the criticalmoment. After that everything else was easy. It seemed, however, aninterminable time before I at last held both keys in my hand. I flewback to the Rosemere. Impatience lent wings to my feet. But here adisappointment awaited me. On stepping out of the elevator, I foundthe hall full of workmen, noisily eating their luncheons. There wasno help for it--I must postpone returning the key till later. Thisagitated me very much, as I feared every moment that its absencewould be discovered. Mr. Norman, however, took the dela
y much morephilosophically than I did, and reassured me somewhat by saying that hedid not believe any one would think of the key till evening. Still, asit was advisable to run as few risks as possible, I decided to makeanother attempt as soon as the men returned to their work. Peepingthrough a crack of our door, I waited till the coast was clear beforeventuring out. After ringing the elevator bell, I walked boldly forward,and had already stretched out my hand towards the key-hole, when a queergrating noise made me pause. A tell-tale boot was thrust suddenly out,and to my horror I discovered that a man was standing directly behindthe door, busily scraping off the old paint. The narrowness of my escapemade me feel quite faint. Another moment and the click of the lock wouldhave betrayed me, and then--but I could not indulge in such conjectures.Swallowing my disappointment, I got into the lift. There was no helpfor it; I dared not try again till later in the day. In the meantime, Idecided to do some shopping, as I wanted to be able to give that as anexcuse for my prolonged stay in town. After spending several hours inthis way, I concluded that I might again make an effort to replace thekey, and this time I was successful, for although I met one of theworkmen, yet I am sure he had not noticed that I had been fumbling withthe lock. I found Mr. Norman, on my return, as calm and cheerful asever. He urged me not to stay in the apartment, and although I feltashamed to leave him to face the situation alone, yet the place was sodreadful to me that I yielded to my fears and his entreaties, and wentout again and wandered aimlessly about till it grew so dark that I nolonger dared to remain out alone. It is impossible for me to describethe ensuing evening. We sat together in the kitchen, as being the spotfarthest from the scene of the tragedy. At first we tried to talk, butas the hours crept by, we grew more and more taciturn. We had decidedthat at two o'clock we would attempt our gruesome task, for that is thetime when the world sleeps most soundly. Mr. Norman suggested that Ishould muffle myself up as much as possible, so that in case we werediscovered, I might yet escape recognition, or, what would be evenbetter, observation. I therefore put on a dark shirtwaist I foundhanging in my closet, drew on a pair of black gloves to prevent my handsattracting attention, and tied up my hair in a black veil, which I couldpull down over my face in case of emergency. Two o'clock at last struck.We immediately--but why linger over the gruesome details of whatoccurred during the next fifteen minutes? Fortunately, no one surprisedus as we staggered across the landing with our burden, and we managed toget back to the shelter of our four walls unobserved. As we stood fora moment in the hall congratulating ourselves on having got rid of thebody so successfully, I noticed a long, glittering object lying at myfeet. Bending down, I picked it up. It was the fatal hat-pin. I droppedit with a shudder. Mr. Norman asked me what it was. I told him. Hepicked it up again and examined it closely. 'Where is the head of thispin?' he asked. I had no idea. I remembered that it had broken off inmy hand as I wrenched it out of the body, and I thought that in allprobability it still lay somewhere in the drawing-room, unless it hadbeen carried elsewhere by the same chance which had swept its other partinto the hall. Mr. Norman looked very grave when he heard of this loss,and said he would look for it immediately. He insisted, however, on mygoing to my room and trying to get some sleep. But sleep was, of course,out of the question, and at six o'clock I crept down stairs to bid mykind friend good-bye. We had concluded that at that hour he could easilyleave the building unobserved.
"I had to wait till later, and just as I thought the time for my releasehad come the janitor brought me a request, a command rather, from theCoroner, to the effect that I was to remain on the premises till he hadseen me. If McGorry had not been so excited himself he must have noticedmy agitation, for I jumped at once to the conclusion that my secret wasdiscovered. Luckily, I had time enough before I was finally called toregain my self-possession, and to decide how I had better behave so asto dissipate suspicion, even if it had already fastened upon me. I knewthat to show too much emotion would be fatal. I must try and prove tothem that I was not particularly affected by the sight of the corpse,and yet must be careful not to go to the other extreme and appearcallous. How could I do this? Had I enough self-control to risk raisingmy veil when I entered the room where the dead man lay? If I did thisand showed a calm, grave face, I believed it would go far towardsestablishing my innocence in the minds of those who would be watchingme. And I think I _did_ hide my agitation till the detective asked me aquestion I was quite unprepared for."
"You did, indeed," I assured her.
"When the ordeal was at last over, and Mr. Merritt had handed me into acab, I really thought that I had allayed all suspicion. On arriving atThirty-fourth Street Ferry, I was detained by a collision which hadoccurred between two vehicles, and as I was afraid of missing my train Ijumped out in the middle of the street. As I was paying my fare, anotherhansom dashed up and I saw the man who was in it making desperateefforts to attract the driver's attention. Having at last succeeded indoing so, the horse was pulled up on its haunches and the man sprangout, knocking against me as he did so. He apologised profusely, andI noticed that he was an insignificant-looking person, a gentleman'sservant, perhaps, and thought no more about him. I did not see him onthe ferry, but after I had taken my seat in the cars I turned around andsaw that he was sitting almost directly behind me. It then occurred tome that I ought to have telegraphed to my mother and asked her to sendthe carriage to meet me. I looked at my watch. The train would not startfor six minutes. I got off and hurried towards the telegraph office,but, catching sight of the station clock, I saw that my watch had beenslow and that I had barely time to regain my seat. Turning abruptlyaround, I almost ran into a man's arms. I started back and recognised,to my surprise, the same fellow I had already noticed twice before. Ithen made up my mind that he was following me. I jumped on to the lastcar and stood outside on the platform. A moment later the man appeared.Seeing me he hurried forward, but I had found out what I wanted to know.
"I walked back to my seat, outwardly calm, but inwardly a prey to themost dreadful emotions. What could I do? Nothing. On arriving at mydestination the fellow also alighted, and as I drove home I felt he wasstill following me. After that, knowing that I was being shadowed, I hadnot a moment's peace. I dared not go beyond the gate. I dared not roamaround the garden. I hardly knew what I feared, for of course they couldhave arrested me as easily in the house as outside. At last, I couldbear the strain no longer and sent for Mr. Norman. His presence gave mea wonderful sense of security, and as I did not see my persecutor forseveral days, I really began to hope that the Rosemere tragedy wouldalways remain a mystery, when, picking up the paper one morning, I readthat a wretched Frenchman was suspected of the--the death. Of course,there was nothing else for me to do; I must give myself up. Then, you,Doctor, suggested that it might not be necessary, after all--oh, yougave that advice quite unconsciously. I knew that. But when you told methat the man, Argot, was hopelessly insane, and would in any case spendthe rest of his days in a lunatic asylum, I wondered if the sacrifice ofmy life were indeed demanded. At any rate I felt I must go to New Yorkso as to be on hand in case something unexpected occurred, and towatch developments. You can now understand why I begged you so hard topersuade Mamma to bring me here. When I had at last induced you all tolet me come, I went out for a walk and was terribly frightened by atramp whom I mistook for a detective. On reaching New York, I foundthere was nothing to be done here, and yet I have felt much more calmthan I did in the country. Then, yesterday, I met Mr. Merritt, whotold me that Mrs. Atkins was suspected, and had fled from her homein consequence. I might hold my tongue where a poor mad creature wasconcerned, whom my confession could not benefit, but in this case it wasnot to be thought of. I had a great many last things to attend to, so Idecided not to give myself up till to-day. That is the end of my story."
And it is very nearly the end of mine. I easily persuaded May that tomake her confession public would do no good to any one. When the inquestwas held Mrs. Atkins told what she knew of the deceased, and althoughseveral people considered tha
t her conduct had been suspicious, yet noone, I think, questioned that the verdict that Allan Brown met his death"by a person or persons unknown," was the only one which could have beenrendered. I have never really learned whether the name of the Rosemerevictim was Derwent or Brown. As May had not seen her brother since heleft his home many years before as a beardless boy, it is quite possiblethat her failure to recognise him was simply due to the great changewhich dissipation, as well as years, had wrought in him. However, asyoung Derwent was never again heard of, I have always believed that itis he who lies in some unnamed grave in the potter's field. But that hisfate may never become known to his mother and sister, is my most ardentwish.
Years have passed since these occurrences took place, and May Derwentis, I am glad to say, May Derwent no longer.
From time to time I see Merritt, but as he will talk of nothing butthe Rosemere murder, I avoid him as much as possible. I am sure that,although he has never been able to discover a single damaging factagainst my wife, yet his detective instinct tells him that she alonecould solve, if she wanted to, the mystery of "The House Opposite."
THE END.
The House Opposite: A Mystery Page 18
