by Tom Gallon
CHAPTER XII
WANTED—A DEAD MAN!
For quite a long minute, Ogledon stared at the tremblingCripps—knitting his brows, and biting his lips at him—the while heturned this thing over in his mind. And the more he stared at Cripps,the more did that gentleman continue to babble of Dandy Chater dead,and Dandy Chater alive and with the diamond necklace. Presently, thestrong common sense of the bigger man seemed to assert itself; hecaught Cripps by the shoulder, and shook him again, and compelled hisattention.
“Now—listen to me, you chattering idiot!” he said. “Are you certainthat you took Dandy Chater’s body from the river?”
Dr. Cripps nodded vehemently. “Certain of it,” he replied.
“Where?”
“Just below Woolwich.”
“Just as I thought,” muttered Ogledon to himself. Aloud, hesaid,—“You’ve been drinking, you little scoundrel, and the sight of abody has upset you. You’ve been drinking spirits—and seeing ’emafterwards. Now—listen to me again; it will be worth your while. ThisDandy Chater, being dead, everything he possesses belongs to me; I amthe next-of-kin. I’m going now straight to Chater Hall; you’ll have togo with me; and your business will be to hold your tongue, and followall that I do, and take your cue from me. Dandy Chater come to lifeagain!” he added, with a sneer, giving Cripps a final shake, andcasting him roughly off. “You’re killing yourself with all the liquoryou take, my friend.”
After listening carefully for some little time, and hearing nodisturbing sounds to break the silence all about them, he set offcautiously in the direction of the Hall, followed closely by Cripps.And, as he went along, he reviewed his position.
“Now—I must not forget,” he muttered to himself—“that I have but justreturned from a journey, and know nothing of what has happened in myabsence. If they know of Dandy’s death, I must be properly horrified atthe news; if he has merely disappeared, and they have heard nothing ofhim—(which I suspect will be the case)—I must be filled with surpriseand alarm accordingly. In any case, I play the innocent, and takeadvantage of what I know, and of what turns up. And I must carry offeverything with a bold face.”
Acting upon this resolve, Ogledon made his way to Chater Hall, andloudly rang the bell. It being now nearly midnight, the house was incomplete darkness; but, after a time, shuffling feet were heard within,bolts were drawn, and the great doors were slowly opened. Ogledon,advancing boldly, with Cripps sticking close at his heels, confronted acouple of astonished and sleepy-eyed men-servants; pushed past them,and went into the great dining-room.
“Evening, Simms—evening, Barker—or, perhaps I should say, almostmorning,” said Ogledon, pleasantly. “I’ve only just arrived from a longjourney, and am tired and hungry. You need not disturb any one else; Idare say you can get me—and my friend here,” he added, as anafter-thought—“something to eat, and to drink. Anything cold will do;only be quick.”
The men hastened away, to do his bidding. But, just at that moment, asharp clear voice sounded from upstairs, calling to the men, anddemanding to know who had arrived.
Ogledon, listening intently, heard the men give his name, and statewhat they were doing for his comfort. But this did not appear tosatisfy the owner of the voice; for, a few moments afterwards, a rustleof garments was heard on the staircase, and then in the hall; and, thedoor opening, displayed the figure of Mrs. Dolman the housekeeper, inan antiquated wrapper, and with a light shawl over her head.
“Truly, Mr. Ogledon—truly, gentlemen”—this latter, as she caughtsight of Cripps—“I trust you will excuse so informal a reception. Ofcourse, had we expected you, preparation should have been made, and theservants waiting. But, of course, I did not know——”
“Of course not, Mrs. Dolman—of course not,” broke in Ogledon,cheerfully. “No excuses are necessary, I assure you; both myself and myfriend—permit me; Dr. Cripps—Mrs. Dolman—the worthy housekeeperhere—are quite prepared to take pot-luck, I can assure you.”
Now, when the housekeeper had entered the room, Dr. Cripps, after onemomentary glance at her, had turned his back, and pretended to be busywith some books upon a side table; but, having now to turn, inacknowledgment of the introduction, he gave the old lady one searchingglance, bowed, and turned away again. But not before she had lookedquite as keenly at him, and had clasped her hands, in suddenrecognition and astonishment.
“Well—dear me!” cried Mrs. Dolman—“if my eyes do not deceive me, I amknown to this gentleman—though it’s many years since I had thepleasure——”
“You are perfectly right,” replied Cripps grudgingly, seeing that therewas no help for it. “I am the Dr. Cripps who used to practice in thisplace, and who——”
“Who brought Master Dandy into the world!” cried the old woman,clasping her hands again.
The Doctor nodded, and turned away, as if to put an end to theconversation; Ogledon was watching him curiously.
“And little did I think, those many years ago, that ever it should havecome to this, gentlemen,” went on the old lady, with tears starting toher eyes—“with Master Dandy gone, God knows where, and lying tongueswagging about him, and he not here to defend himself.”
Ogledon took her up quickly. “Lying tongues, Mrs. Dolman? And what,pray, are they daring to say about our dear Dandy?”
“It seems, sir, that there has been a body found—of a young girl whobelonged to these parts—in a wood near by; and, because Master Dandyhas been seen talking to her once or twice—(as young men will, andalways have done, since the good Lord made young men and women!)—theymust needs go whispering about that Master Dandy made away with her.”
Ogledon drew in his breath sharply, and rose from his seat; confrontedMrs. Dolman for a moment, in an amazed silence; and finally spoke, in avoice which shook a little with his anxiety.
“I don’t understand,” he said. “Do you suggest that Mr. Chater isaccused of murder?”
“That’s what they dare to say, sir,” replied the old lady. “And as he’sbeen gone from here—and left no word as to where he is—sinceWednesday——”
Ogledon, who had turned partially from her, even while he listenedintently to all she said, swung round quickly, and interrupted her. “Mygood woman—what day did you say?”
“Wednesday, sir. Master Dandy went from here very late.”
Ogledon looked at her, for a moment, in blank amazement and terror; puthis hand to his shirt collar, and tugged at it, as though he found adifficulty in breathing; moved away a step or two, and then came backto her, smiling in rather a ghastly fashion. He spoke with some littleimpatience, and yet very clearly and distinctly.
“I—I want to be very—very clear about this, Mrs. Dolman,” he said,speaking in a gasping, breathless sort of fashion, as one deeplyagitated, and yet striving to keep control of himself. “I—I have beenaway in France—Paris—and have only just returned. Mr. Chater and I,as you know, left here a week ago—a week this night—I went to Londonin the morning—he came on late at night, and met me there. We—weparted—that night; I”—the man passed his hand quickly over hisforehead, and tugged again at his shirt collar—“I have not seen himsince.”
“Well, sir,” replied the housekeeper—“he came back the next day,sir—Saturday——”
The expression on Ogledon’s face stopped her; she looked at himuneasily. He recovered his composure somewhat, and was about to startagain to question her on that disquieting matter, when the two servantsentered the room, with the materials for supper. Dr. Cripps had, longbefore this, discovered a decanter of spirits, and had been helpinghimself rather liberally to the contents. He came up to the table now,still carrying the decanter, and moaning out a song in a wheezy andcracked voice; sat down, with the decanter at his elbow, and—utterlyoblivious of every one else—began his supper; taking a great deal todrink, and very little to eat.
Ogledon being in no mood, with that question still unanswered, for anymeal, waited u
ntil the men had withdrawn, and then once more approachedMrs. Dolman. White-faced and in deadly anxiety though he was, his smilewas soft and kindly, and his voice—albeit a trifle impatient at timesof what he supposed to be the good woman’s perversity—as soft andkindly as his smile.
“Now—my dear Mrs. Dolman—pray excuse my pestering you with questionsat such an hour, I beg—I am desperately anxious about my cousin, Mr.Chater. You say you saw him on Saturday; are you sure you are notconfusing the dates?”
It was the housekeeper’s turn to stare now; after doing so for amoment, in evident perplexity, she shook her head vigorously. “No, Mr.Ogledon—certainly not,” she said; “Master Dandy came down onSaturday—driving from the station in a fly. I sent down to ask if youwere expected, sir—and he said he did not know.”
Here a remarkable and ghostly interruption came, in the form of a longwailing chant from Dr. Cripps, who suddenly broke forth, in a quaveringtreble, with a stave of—“Down Among the Dead Men.” Ogledon, turningfuriously, fell upon his friend, and shook him so vigorously, that thelittle man seemed, for a few moments, in danger of being shaken out ofexistence altogether. When, however, Ogledon desisted, Cripps merelylooked round about him dizzily; smiled, quite as though it were anexercise to which he was accustomed; and set to work drinking harderthan ever.
Meantime, Ogledon had turned again to the housekeeper—and began oncemore to peg away at that subject of the dead man, as though he couldnever leave it alone.
“Did—did Mr. Chater seem—seem well?” he asked, with some assumptionof carelessness.
“I never saw him looking better, Mr. Ogledon,” replied the housekeeper,tranquilly. “And now, gentlemen,” she added—“seeing that you have allyou require, I will take the liberty of going to bed.”
“By all means,” responded Ogledon, appearing to wake suddenly from aheavy musing fit which had been upon him. “By all means, Mrs. Dolman.You are quite sure, Mrs. Dolman—quite sure that you have made nomistake about the date?”
“Quite certain, Mr. Ogledon,” she replied, a little coldly. “I am notlikely to make such mistakes as that, sir; it was impressed upon me themore, perhaps, because Master Dandy got up very early the nextmorning—Sunday that was—and afterwards went to church.”
“Dandy Chater went to church!” exclaimed Ogledon; and, at the meresuggestion of such a thing, he smiled in good earnest, despite theseriousness of the matter to him. His face cleared a little; he seemedto see an easy solution of the business. “My good soul—you havecertainly been dreaming; Dandy Chater would never have gone to church!”
Mrs. Dolman looked at him for a moment, in majestic silence; drewherself up to her full height, as though about to make a witheringspeech; remembered her position, and merely bade him “Good-night”; andwalked, in a stately fashion, from the room.
For a long time, Ogledon paced the room restlessly—stopping every nowand then, on the opposite side of the table to Cripps (who had fallenasleep, with an arm thrown lovingly round the decanter) to look at thatgentleman doubtfully, as though half inclined to wake him, andendeavour to get something out of him. But at last, a new thoughtstriking him, he rang the bell, and waited near the door until one ofthe sleepy men-servants answered the summons.
“Simms,” he said—not looking at the man, but keeping his eyes fixed onthe floor—“has Harry Routley gone to bed?”
“Hours ago, sir,” replied the man.
“Wake him at once; tell him I want to see him.”
Some ten minutes later, Harry knocked at the door, and came in; havingdressed hurriedly, and having all the appearance of one rousedunexpectedly from sleep. Ogledon nodded to him, with a smile.
“Harry—I’m sorry to trouble you, at such an hour as this, but I amworried about Mr. Chater.”
At the mention of that name, the lad suddenly became rigid, and set hislips, as though with the determination to say nothing. Ogledon, after apause, went on again, evidently disconcerted.
“We—Mr. Chater and I—have somehow—somehow missed each other. I wascalled—called abroad; I parted from him rather—hurriedly. Coming backto-night I hear from Mrs. Dolman that he—that he has gone away again.”
“Yes, sir. Last Wednesday.”
If Harry had suddenly dealt Ogledon a heavy blow, he could not havestaggered or surprised him more. Recovering instantly, however, he cameat the other with a rush, and caught him by the throat; his dark facealmost livid with passion.
“You hound!” he said, in a sort of hoarse whisper—“this is a trick—alying tale, hatched up amongst you here. Do you want to drive me mad?”Then, seeing the look of blank amazement and growing wrath in theother’s eyes, his mood changed swiftly, and he dropped his hands, andpassed one over his forehead, in the same nervous fashion as before.“I—I beg your pardon, Harry; I had no right to speak to you in such away. But I—I have been ill—and am faint—faint and weak, from a longjourney, and but little food. Take—take a glass of wine, Harry—andthen answer me clearly.”
He turned to the table, and poured out wine with a shaking hand;carried it—spilling a little as he did so—to the lad. But Harry shookhis head, and seemed to put away the glass with his hand. He wassuspicious of every one and everything at that time.
“I can answer you quite clearly, sir,” he said, brusquely.
“Mr. Chater went with me to London—not with me, but on the same day;we met in London—a week ago. I have not seen him since. Have you?” Heseemed to listen for the answer of the other, as though his life hungupon it.
“Yes, sir. Master Dandy came down the next day, quite unexpectedly;went to church——”
Ogledon signed to him with his hand to go away. “That will do,” hesaid. “You can go to bed.”
When he was left alone in the room with the sleeping Cripps, he wentalmost mechanically, as it seemed, to the table, and unsteadily pouredout some brandy, and drank it. Then, with an awful eager hurry uponhim, he ran round the table, and caught Cripps by the shoulders, anddragged him to his feet.
“Wake up, you drunken fool—wake up!” he cried, in a voice but littlegreater than a whisper. “I shall go mad, if I stop here alone, withthis thing weighing upon me. Come—open your eyes; listen to what Ihave to say!”
Dr. Cripps, striving hard to go to sleep again, even while held uprightby his friend, tried a line or two of his former lugubrious ditty, andsmiled feebly. Ogledon, all impatience however, brought him rapidly tosomething of sobriety, by unceremoniously emptying the remains of aglass of spirits over him; whereupon he shuddered, and shivered, andopened his eyes fully; and stood upright without assistance.
“Now, Cripps—just attend to me—for I mean business. If you deceiveme, by so much as a word, it’ll be the worse for you. You tell me youtook this body from the river? What day was that?”
The Doctor blinked his eyelids, moistened his lips with his tongue, andlooked extraordinarily grave. “Thish afternoon—no—thish is to-morrowmornin’—ain’t it? Yeshterday afternoon, I mean——”
“I know what you mean; you mean a few hours since—say, ten or adozen—eh?” cried Ogledon, impatiently, yet always in that low,cautious tone.
“Thash it,” replied the Doctor, fast merging into sleep again.
“Very well then. You understand your business, I suppose; how long hadthis man—this body—been in the water?”
“Five—shix days—p’raps a week,” said the other. Then, suddenlybecoming more sober, at the recollection of what had so recentlyhappened, the little man waved his arms wildly, and exclaimed, in histhin piping voice—“But that’s nothing—nothing ’t all. Dandy Chatercame to meeting; took bank-notes—his own—yours, too——”
“What the devil are you talking about?” cried Ogledon, almost as wildlyas the other. “What meeting—what notes?”
“Tuesday. The boys divided up—share and share alike—Dandy took yoursand his own. And to-night—ugh!—he was in that damned garden, and tookthe necklace. He takes everything.”
Ogledo
n wiped his face, and even his hands, and poured out more brandy.Drinking it, he looked over the top of the glass at Cripps; set theglass down, and stood nervously beating his hands together, and bitinghis lips.
“Cripps,” he said at last, in a whisper—“this thing has got the betterof me. As sure as Heaven, Dandy Chater is—is dead.”
The Doctor saw something in Ogledon’s eyes which completely soberedhim; he sank down helplessly in a chair. “You don’t mean—” he began.
Ogledon nodded. “We—we had a row. We’ve had—had rows before.Besides—the fool was in my way—in my way everywhere. I’d got out ofhim all I wanted. I followed him down to the river, a week ago, andstruck him down there—from behind. I know he was dead; I felt for hisheart. Then I made a bolt for it; got to Paris, so as to be out of theway—and came back here only to-day. I’ve watched the papers, for aweek; I came back, expecting to hear that the body had been found, andthat this house was in mourning. Cripps—as Heaven’s above us, there issome devilish Thing going about—from the grave—from anywhere youwill—in the likeness of this man we both know to be dead.”
The little Doctor was trembling from head to foot; not sober enough yetto understand the magnitude of the thing, and having, after that lapseof twenty-eight years, but a dim and fleeting recollection of the birthat Chater Hall. Indeed, then, as now, he had been always in so hazy acondition, that it is doubtful if he remembered the real circumstances.
“It has been seen at this meeting; it came here; it dogged us to-night.I’m—I’m choking, Cripps; I must have one of these windows open.”
He crossed the room hurriedly, and flung back a heavy curtain, whichhung across the long French window which opened on to the terrace. But,the next moment, he started back with a scream, and covered his facewith his hands; for there, in the clear cold light of the moon, stoodthe living image of Dandy Chater, looking calmly at him.
