Part 18 (1/2)
”Was Hugh Mainwaring ever married?” the coroner asked, abruptly.
”I believe he was not generally considered a married man, sir.”
”Was there ever any private marriage?”
Hobson smiled enigmatically. ”You already have the word of the lady herself, sir; that should be sufficient. I cannot reveal any of Hugh Mainwaring's secrets,--unless I am well paid for it!”
Hobson was dismissed without further questions, and the examination being now at an end, the coroner's jury retired to the room in the rear of the library. Very few left the house, for all felt that little time would be required for the finding of a verdict, and comment and opinion were freely exchanged.
”Well,” said Mr. Sutherland, turning towards the secretary with a smile, ”they did not learn one fact from that last witness, for I doubt whether one of the few statements he did make had an iota of truth in it. By the way, Mr. Scott, it's a very fortunate thing that you've got the proofs you have. It would be a risky piece of work to depend on that man's word for proof; he is as slippery as an eel. With those proofs, however, there is no doubt but that you've got a strong case.”
”It will be hard to convince Ralph Mainwaring of that fact.”
”Yes, he looks as though he would hold on to his opinions pretty tenaciously.”
”Not so tenaciously as he would grasp any money coming within his reach!”
At a little distance, Mr. Whitney was engaged in conversation with the Englishmen.
”I never thought he could be in any way connected with it,” he was saying. ”In the first place, there was no motive, there could be none; then, again, I believe he is altogether above suspicion. I know that Mr. Mainwaring had the most implicit confidence in him.”
”Well,” said Mr. Thornton, ”for my part, I'm heartily glad if there is nothing in it. I always liked the young fellow.”
”That's just where I don't agree with you; I don't like him,” Ralph Mainwaring replied in a surly tone. ”He may be all right so far as this matter is concerned; I don't say yet that he is or isn't; but I do say that to defame a man's character after he's dead, in the manner he has, is simply outrageous, and, you may depend upon it, there's some personal spite back of it.”
”Oh, well, as to Hugh's character, I don't think you or I are going to fret ourselves about that,” laughed Mr. Thornton. ”He probably sowed his wild oats with the rest of us, and there may have been some reason for his leaving England as he did.”
”I don't believe it,” Ralph Mainwaring retorted, angrily; but before he could say more, the doors opened and the coroner's jury filed into the room. There was instant silence, and a moment later the verdict had been announced. It was what every one had expected, and yet there was not one but experienced a feeling of disappointment and dissatisfaction.
”We find that the deceased, Hugh Mainwaring, came to his death by the discharge of a revolver in the hands of some person or persons to us unknown.”
CHAPTER X
BEHIND THE SCENES
The crowd dispersed rapidly, pa.s.sing down the oak-lined avenue in twos and threes, engaged in animated discussion of the details of the inquest, while each one advanced some theory of his own regarding the murder. Mr. Sutherland had taken his departure after making an appointment with Scott for the following day, and the latter now stood in one of the deep bow-windows engrossed with his own thoughts. Suspicion had been partially diverted from himself, but only partially, as he well knew, to return like a tidal wave, deepened and intensified by personal animosity, whenever the facts he had thus far so carefully concealed should become known. He gave little thought to this, however, except as it influenced him in planning his course of action for the next few days.
He was aroused from his revery by the sound of approaching steps, and, turning, met Mr. Whitney.
”Ah, Mr. Scott, I was just looking for you. I thought possibly you had slipped back to the city with the crowd. I wanted to say, Mr.
Scott, that, if it will be agreeable to you, I wish you would remain at Fair Oaks for the next few days, or weeks, as the case may be.
Mr. Ralph Mainwaring has retained my services to aid in securing his t.i.tle to the estate, and the will having been destroyed, complications are likely to arise, so that it may take some time to get matters adjusted. Much of the business will, of necessity, have to be transacted here, as all of Mr. Mainwaring's private papers are here, and if you will stay and help us out I will see, of course, that your salary goes right on as usual.”
An excuse fur remaining at Fair Oaks was what Scott particularly desired, but he replied indifferently, ”If it will accommodate you, Mr. Whitney, I can remain for a few days.”
”Very well. I cannot say just how long we may need you, though I antic.i.p.ate a long contest.”
”Against Mrs. LaGrange?”