The Solitary Farm

by Fergus Hume

  CHAPTER XXII

  MRS. VAND'S REPENTANCE

  Afterwards, Cyril, when questioned, could never clearly recollect whattook place. Vand's oar had missed his head, but had struck his rightshoulder with considerable force, so that his revolver shot had gonewide of its intended mark. When Bella shut off the beam--and Cyrilwondered at the time why she did so--everything was dark and confused.What with the gloom, the rain and curses from Vand and Durgo, who werestruggling in the water, and the shrieks of Mrs. Tunks, added to thoseof the half-drowned woman, Cyril felt his head whirl; also the blow fromthe oar had confused him, and he became sick and faint for the moment.

  Granny Tunks with commendable forethought had brought out a bullseyelantern, which she must have stolen from some policeman. Flashing thison to the water-way, its light revealed Durgo and the cripple locked ina deadly embrace, and Mrs. Vand clinging to the bank with one hand whileshe clutched her shawl with the other. Cyril thereupon plunged down theincline and dragged the wretched woman out. Thinking she was about to bearrested she fought like a wild cat, and would have forced thehalf-dazed young man into the water again, but that Mrs. Tunks brought achunk of wood with considerable force down on her head.

  "What the devil did you do that for?" gasped Cyril furiously; "you'vekilled her, you old fool!"

  "What do I care, deary?" cried Granny shrilly. "I'd kill them both if Icould, for the master wants them killed, curse them both!" and shetottered down to the boundary channel, while Cyril carried the inanimateform of Mrs. Vand into the hut. Here he laid her on the floor, andhastily bidding the Romany girl attend her, hurried out again.

  "They're dead, both of them! Oh, the master's dead!" yelled GrannyTunks.

  With the lantern raised she stood on the bank peering into the water,but there was scarcely enough light to see what was taking place. Allsounds had ceased, however, and only the drench of the rain could beheard. But even as Granny spoke, the Romany girl, anxious to see whatwas taking place, darted out of the cottage with a kind of torch,consisting of tow at the end of a stick steeped in kerosene. This flaredredly and flung a crimson glare on the water-ways, and flung also itsscarlet light on the bodies of Durgo and the Cripple. These lay half-inand half-out of the water, fast locked together in a death grip. Therewas no wound apparent on either body, so Cyril conjectured that in thestruggle both had been drowned. Durgo's mighty arms were clasped tightlyaround the slender body of the cripple, but Vand's lean hands wereclutching the negro's throat with fierce resolution. Both were quitedead, and even in death Cyril, although he tried, could not drag themapart. That so delicate a man as Vand could have contrived to drown thepowerful negro seemed incredible to Cyril: but he soon saw that to killDurgo the cripple had been willing to sacrifice himself. Probably he haddragged Durgo under water, and having a grip on the man's throat hadsqueezed the life out of him with a madman's despairing force. The weakhad confounded the strong on this occasion in a most pronounced manner.

  Meanwhile, Granny Tunks was bewailing the loss of her master, and thesharp-featured Romany girl echoed her cries. The screams of both broughtout Luke, who appeared at the fire-lighted door of the hut looking muchbetter than Cyril expected him to be, seeing how severe had been hislast illness. He had something in his hands, and in the flaring light ofthe torch Lister saw that it was a somewhat small black bag. In a momentthe young man guessed that Luke Tunks had been robbing the unconsciousMrs. Vand, as he remembered that she had kept a close grip of somethingunder her shawl even while she was struggling with him.

  "The jewels!" cried Cyril, too excited to be cautious, and leaped forthe gipsy. "Give me the jewels."

  "They're mine, blast you!" growled Luke, trying to evade him. "Missusgave 'em to me. Leave me alone. Granny, help me!"

  Mrs. Tunks ran to the rescue, for the mention of jewels stirred heravaricious blood like the call of a trumpet. But already Cyril hadplucked the black bag from the still weak gipsy, and Luke was not strongenough yet to make a fight for it. Aided vigorously by the Romany girl,the old woman would have closed in, but that a shout from the oppositebank made all turn. A dozen bullseyes were flashing over the stream.Cyril, gripping the bag, dashed the woman and the man aside and sprangto the verge of the channel.

  "Is that you, Inspector Inglis?" he shouted.

  "Yes; who are you?" came the sharp official tones.

  "Cyril Lister. Come over yourself, or send some men. Vand and Durgo, thenegro, are dead."

  There was a confused muttering of surprise amongst the constables. Thencame Inglis's clean-cut speech. "We heard a shot. Is----"

  "No. Durgo struggled with Vand in the water-way, and they were bothdrowned. These gipsies here are making trouble, and Mrs. Vand isunconscious in the hut. Come across and take charge."

  "How the devil can we get across here?" demanded Inglis. "It's twentyfeet of water. Here you men, go round by the bridge."

  "It's broken down," yelled Cyril.

  "Who broke it?"

  "Durgo. Let go, you old devil!" and Cyril swung Granny Tunks aside. Thewoman was still trying to clutch the jewels. "Inglis, you'll have toswim across. There's no other way."

  No sooner had Lister suggested this expedient than Inglis obeyed it withthe promptitude of an Englishman. Several heavy bodies were heardplunging into the water, and the bullseye lanterns were seen approachinglike moving glow-worms as their swimming owners held them above theirseveral heads. Had Granny Tunks been strong enough she would haveattempted to prevent the landing of this hostile force; but Luke wasuseless and the Romany girl still more so. All she could do was to enterthe fortress of her hut and bar the door, which she accordingly did,while Luke, mindful that he might be arrested for the murders as anaccomplice after the fact, slunk hastily into the standing corn. ShortlyCyril was shaking hands with a dripping police inspector, and surroundedby six dripping constables. As the half dozen men and their officer werealready wetted to the bone by incessant rain, the plunge into thechannel did not trouble them in the least; indeed, they looked as thoughthey rather enjoyed the adventure.

  "But we may as well get under shelter to hear your story," suggestedInglis, and knocked loudly at the door of the hut. As Granny would notopen, he simply turned to his men and gave a sharp order. "Break itdown," said Inglis, and in less than a minute the constables weremarching into the small apartment over the fallen door.

  "I'll have the law on you for this!" screeched Mrs. Tunks, shaking herfist.

  "You'll get a stomach-full of law, I have no doubt, before I have donewith you," retorted Inglis. "Who is this?" and he stared at theinanimate form on the earthen floor amidst pools of water.

  "Vand's wife, who was trying to escape with him," said Cyril. "She isinsensible from a blow this old demon gave her."

  "She'd have had you in the water else," hissed Mrs. Tunks scornfully.

  "It wasn't unlikely, seeing how she fought. Have you any brandy?"

  "A trifle for my spasms," admitted Granny sullenly.

  "Then bring it out and revive Mrs. Vand," said Inglis impatiently. "Itwill be necessary for me to question her. Mr. Lister"--he brought hismouth very close to the young man's ear and spoke in a whisper--"is whatthat nigger told me quite true?"

  "About Vand murdering Huxham? I believe it is, but I can't be sure. Igot these, however, from Mrs. Vand. Don't let the old hag come near orshe'll try and loot them."

  "Loot what?" demanded Inglis, on seeing Cyril open the black bag, afterhe had motioned the constables to surround the table. "Oh, by Jupiter!"

  His surprised ejaculations were echoed by his men, for Lister emptied onthe table many glittering stones, cut and uncut. Chiefly they werediamonds, but also could be seen sapphires, rubies, pearls, andemeralds, all glowing with rainbow splendour in the fierce radiance ofthe bullseye lanterns. Mrs. Tunks whimpered like a beaten dog when shesaw what she had missed, and tried to dart under a policeman's arm. "Noyou don't!" said the man gruffly, and gripped her lean wrist as her handstretched greedily over the flaming heap of gems. />
  "Whose are these?" asked the inspector, quite awed by this wealth.

  "Miss Huxham's," said Cyril, making a ready excuse until such time asthe matter could be looked into, for he did not wish Inglis to takepossession of Bella's fortune. "Her father left her these and the houseto Mrs. Vand; but the woman withheld the jewels from her niece, andtried to-night to bolt with them. Then Luke Tunks attempted to stealthem from her, while she lay unconscious here. Luckily I was enabled torescue them, and now I can restore them to Miss Huxham."

  "Where is Luke Tunks?" asked the inspector, while Cyril packed the gemsin a chamois leather bag which he found in what Granny had called in hertrance the portmanteau.

  "Gone where you won't get him," grunted Mrs. Tunks, who was holding aglass of brandy to Mrs. Vand's white lips.

  "You must get him, Inglis," said Cyril insistently. "He knows all aboutthe murder of Huxham, and has been blackmailing the Vands."

  "So that nigger said. By the way, we must see to the bodies." Inglisturned to the door, then looked back at Lister. "I wish I knew what thisall meant, sir," he remarked, much puzzled.

  "You shall know everything in due time, and a very queer story it is."

  The inspector might have gone on asking questions, but at that momentBella Huxham, breathless and wet, appeared in the doorway. In thesemi-darkness she could scarcely see her lover, and called him. "Cyril!Cyril! what has happened?" she panted. "I have run all the way, and--whoare these?"

  "Inspector Inglis and constables," said that officer. "Where have youcome from, miss?"

  "From the Manor-house. I went to see my aunt, and saw her run away withher husband. Where is she? Where is he?"

  "There is Mrs. Vand," said Cyril, pointing to the still insensiblewoman, "and her husband is dead in Durgo's arms."

  Bella shrieked. "Is Durgo dead?"

  "Yes, unfortunately. Vand clutched his throat and dragged him under."

  "But so weak a man----"

  "He sacrificed his own life to kill Durgo," said Cyril. "What's to bedone now, inspector?"

  Inglis acted promptly. "One of my men can stay here to look after theold woman," he said officially, "and the rest can help me to take thebodies of Vand and the nigger back to the Manor-house. We must takepossession of that place until everything is made clear at the inquest.What will you do, Miss Huxham? Better get home. This is no place for alady."

  "I must stay and revive my aunt," said Bella, who already was bendingover the woman and had the glass of brandy in her hand.

  "Good," said Inglis, motioning his men to file out. "I'll come back andquestion her when you get her right again. Mr. Lister!"

  "With your permission, Mr. Inspector, I'll wait here with Miss Huxham,"said Cyril significantly. "I don't trust these two women"--he looked atGranny and the Romany girl--"also Luke Tunks might be lurking about. IfMiss Huxham were left here alone--" his shrug completed the sentence.

  "Dutton will keep guard at the door," said Inglis, selecting the villageconstable, a fresh-faced, powerful young man, "and if these women tryany games he can take them in charge. Also, Dutton"--he turned to theman, who had already posted himself as directed--"you can hold LukeTunks should he turn up. I want to question him also," after whichorders Inglis with a nod went out. Cyril followed.

  The bodies were duly found, and the inspector uttered an exclamation ofsurprise when he saw that Durgo was nude. "What does this mean?"

  "Mean!" said Cyril, who looked over his shoulder, "simply that Durgo, inspite of his Oxford training, was a savage at heart. He arranged a trapto catch the Vands, and stripped so as to be prepared for anyemergency."

  "Rum notion," said Inglis, who looked puzzled. "But what had he to dowith all this murder business?"

  "He was my father's friend," explained Lister, "and--" he stopped onseeing the eager faces around him, adding in lower tones, "what I haveto explain is for your own ear in the first instance, inspector."

  Inglis looked grave, and even suspicious. "There seems to be much toexplain, Mr. Lister," he said seriously. "However you can stay here. Ishall take the bodies to the Manor-house and thoroughly search theplace. When I return I hope to hear your story and to examine Mrs. Vand.It seems to me," added the officer, as he turned away, "that the mysteryof the Huxham murder is about to be solved at last."

  "I think so myself," assented Lister soberly; and after seeing the sixmen take up their burden of the dead, he returned to the hut in silence.

  Here he found Mrs. Vand, pale but composed, sitting up on the floor withher back propped up against the wall. Granny Tunks, looking very sulky,was on her hunkers before the fire smoking her cutty pipe, and theRomany girl could be seen lying on Luke's vacated bed in the inner room.Only Bella was attending to the woman she had called aunt for so long,and who had so persecuted her. She was urging Mrs. Vand to speak out.

  "You must tell the truth now," said Bella, "for the police will arrestyou."

  Mrs. Vand could not grow paler, for she was already whiter than anycorpse, but a terrified look came into her eyes. "You'll be glad ofthat, Bella?"

  "No," said the girl earnestly; "I am not glad to see you suffer. Youhave been cruel to me, and I thought that I should like to see youpunished; but now that you have lost your husband and are so miserable,I am very sorry, and both Cyril and I will do our best to help you. Tellall you know, Aunt Rosamund, and perhaps you will not be arrested."

  "If I tell all I know I am sure to be arrested," said Mrs. Vandsullenly.

  "But surely you did not murder your own brother?"

  "No, I didn't. Badly as Jabez treated me I did not kill him, although Idon't deny that I wished for his death. Well, he is dead and I got hismoney, and now--" she buried her shameful face in her handswailingly--"oh! my poor dear Henry, I have lost him and lost all. As toyou"--she suddenly lifted up her head to glare furiously at Cyril, whowas leaning against the door-post a few yards from the watchingpoliceman--"you have been the evil genius of us all. Where are myjewels?"

  "They are in this bag," said Lister, holding it up, "and they belong toBella."

  "Jabez left everything to me," began Mrs. Vand, when Cyril interrupted.

  "These jewels were not his to leave. They were the property of MaxwellFaith, who was a trader and----"

  "I know all about that," said Mrs. Vand, cutting him short, "and Bellais his daughter, you were going to say."

  "Yes; therefore the jewels are her property. Who told you of----"

  "Luke Tunks told me."

  "That's a lie!" snarled Granny from her stool near the fire.

  "It's the truth," gasped Mrs. Vand, taking another sip of the brandywhich Bella held to her lips. "Luke was dodging round the house on thenight of the murder and peeped in at the study window. He overheard theinterview between Jabez and Edwin Lister."

  "What!" Cyril took a step forward in sheer surprise. "You know myfather's name also?"

  "I know much, but not all," said Mrs. Vand in a stronger voice, for thespirit was taking effect. "For instance, I don't know what became ofEdwin Lister, but Luke does."

  "Then Luke shall be arrested and questioned."

  "He shan't!" muttered Granny venomously. "Luke's escaped--a clever boy."

  Bella put her arm round Mrs. Vand to render her more comfortable. "Howmuch did Luke tell you?" she asked softly.

  "Only so much as cheated us--Henry and I--into paying him money."

  "Oh," said Cyril quietly, "so that is why Luke got so drunk."

  "He spent his money in drink," said Mrs. Vand indifferently. "We paidhim a good deal. He never would have left us, and intended to go toAmerica with us to-night, as he knew too much for our safety."

  "How did you intend to escape?" asked Cyril sharply.

  "We intended to row down the channel to the swamps; that is why Henrygot the boat a few weeks ago. Then we intended to cut across the marshesto the high road, where a motor-car, hired by Henry, awaited us. Itwould have taken us to London, and there we could have concealedourselves until a chance came
to get to the States. Everything was cutand dried, but you----"

  "No," said Lister seriously; "it was not I who stopped you, but Durgo."

  "That negro? Then I am glad he is dead!" cried Mrs. Vand, who wasgetting more her old self every minute. "However, it's all done withnow. You have the jewels, Henry is dead, and I don't care what becomesof me."

  "But who murdered my father?" asked Bella earnestly.

  "Jabez wasn't your father. Maxwell Faith was your father, for Lukeoverheard Edwin Lister say as much to Jabez."

  "And what became of Edwin Lister?"

  "I don't know; Luke never told me that. All he said was that he saw andheard the two talking. Then he left the window, and only returned to seeHenry stab my brother."

  "Oh!" Cyril and Bella both uttered ejaculations of horror.

  "Yes, you may say 'oh' as much as you like, but it's true," said Mrs.Vand with great doggedness. "Henry came with me to the Manor-house onthat night at ten o'clock. He did not stop at the boundary channel, ashe declared. He only said that to save himself. But he came with me, andwe saw my brother, who was in his study. We confessed that we weremarried, and then Jabez grew angry and said he would turn me as a pauperout of the house next morning. He drove Henry and myself out of theroom. I fainted in the kitchen, and when I came to myself Henry wasbending over me, very pale. He said he had killed Jabez with a knifewhich he found on the floor. I had seen the knife before when we weretelling Jabez about our marriage. But in the excitement I didn't pick itup."

  "Was there blood on the knife?" asked Cyril, remembering Granny Tunks'trance, as reported by Bella.

  "I can't say; I don't know. I was too flurried to think about thematter. All I know is that Henry killed Jabez with that knife whichJabez brought from Nigeria, and then dropped it behind the desk."

  "What took place exactly?" asked Cyril hastily, while Bella closed hereyes.

  "Ask Luke; ask Luke," said Mrs. Vand testily. "He knows all," and sherefused to say another word.