Part 19 (1/2)

”I wonder if the men are in the 'ouse now?” suggested the maid-servant suddenly, the word ”man” being always very expressive in the vocabulary of the kitchen.

”Not likely,” declared the constable. ”They've gone long ago. I wonder who they were?”

”Perhaps they thought that only Mrs Parham and Jane were at home,”

remarked the cook's brother. ”And then, when they found Lane, my sister and Emily they got frightened, and cleared out.”

”Most probably,” was the policeman's reply. ”They were disturbed by something; that's very evident. They intended to have the silver, because it's easy got rid of. Perhaps it's the gang what worked Norwood a couple of months ago. Two of 'em got five years at the Old Bailey last week.”

”They were a desperate pair, whoever they were,” I said. ”Men don't carry scarves like these and chloroform all ready if they don't mean to do some big piece of business. The affair, whatever it was, must have been well planned.”

”They had their pals outside this house, no doubt. Men like those don't work without spies watching the house to give alarm.”

His words caused me to ponder.

If one of the gang had been outside, then I had certainly been noted, for I had stood before the gate for quite a minute. I had been noticed, without a doubt! They knew that I had seen that thin, tall figure crossing the room so stealthily!

Perhaps I had quite unintentionally frightened them and prevented them from fully carrying out their object! When I had gone the spy outside might have given the signal which caused them to make their escape.

Now that I recollected, I remembered most distinctly that while I had spoken to the lamplighter, somebody a little distance down the road was whistling gaily a music-hall air.

There was a m.u.f.fin-man, too, who had suddenly commenced to ring his bell as I had stopped to speak and was balancing his tray upon his head as he pa.s.sed by us, glancing into my face.

Was he the spy?

I was in the study, discussing the affair with the constable, when the doctor was announced.

I followed him into the drawing-room and noted his surprise when he saw Mrs Parham lying there.

Quickly he made his examination and relieved our minds by declaring that she would before long return to consciousness.

Then he crossed to the maid Jane, placed his hand upon her heart, opened her eyes, felt her hands, and bent the fingers.

For a long time he scrutinised her very carefully, taking up a small mirror and holding it close to her mouth, while we stood anxiously awaiting his verdict.

At last he turned to us, shook his grey head, and said,--

”The poor girl is dead?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

RELATES WHAT WE DISCOVERED.

While the doctor occupied himself with restoring the mistress of the house to consciousness, I stood by watching, and then turned to the window abstractedly, and awaiting my opportunity, succeeded in transferring the photograph of the dead unknown to my overcoat pocket.

Suddenly the housemaid, on returning to the room with some water, pointed to a corner, exclaiming,--

”Why? Look there, sir!”

We all glanced in the direction she indicated, and noticed that from the corner of the room the blue carpet had been torn up, and lay back disclosing about a foot of flooring.