Part 22 (1/2)
”No, not that. But when the word women occurs in connection with the murder of a rich and influential man, there's bound to be surmise,--at least.”
”Oh, I suppose so. Well, do you want me down here? I'd like to go up to see my aunt.”
”Wait a minute. Have you ever thought, Mr Bates, that the feud between your aunt and Mrs Everett is a mighty queer affair?”
”I've often thought that, but,--pardon me,--don't get outside your own proper boundaries!”
”Oh, I'm not. Now, a queer thing, like that feud, has to be taken into consideration.”
”Not in connection with the murder of my Uncle Binney.”
”Maybe not in direct connection, but as a side light. You know the feud has a decided bearing on your affair with Miss Everett.”
”I object to your use of the word 'affair.' My friends.h.i.+p with Miss Everett is in spite of, even in defiance of, the feud between her mother and my aunt. I make no secret of it to you, but as I advise you, the matter is confidential. I'm treating you as a fellow-man, Corson, and I don't want you to abuse my confidence in your fellows.h.i.+p, or your--manliness.”
Corson fidgeted a little and returned, ”I've got to do my duty, Mr Bates, and part of my duty seems to me to be to tell you that I'm not allowed to observe confidences if they affect my orders.”
”They don't! How can your investigations of this murder case be affected by my friends.h.i.+p for Miss Everett?”
”They can,--in a way. You see, I know a lot about this feud business. I know how inimical, how full of vicious hatred those two women are, and have been for years. And I know how your recent special interest in Miss Everett has roused the renewed anger of not only your aunt, but her mother----”
”Phew! You do know it all, don't you?”
”I do. Therefore, I felt I must inform you of the extent of my knowledge, so you and I can understand each other. Now, drop the subject for the moment, for I've other matters to speak of. Where do you suppose the weapon is?”
”I've not the slightest idea! How could I have?”
”Do you know what the weapon was?”
”Only what the doctor said, a very sharp knife of some sort.”
”Yes; now did you know that the doctor has also said that the stroke delivered by that same sharp knife was so well planted, so skillfully driven home, that it implies the work of some one with a knowledge of anatomy?”
”A doctor?”
”Not necessarily,--unless a woman doctor. But, what other idea suggests itself?”
”Oh, I don't know. Don't ask me riddles.”
”A nurse, then. Can't you see the reasonableness of suspecting a trained nurse, after Dr Pagett's opinions?”
”All right; where's your trained nurse in Sir Herbert's bright galaxy of beauty?”
”That's a point to be looked up. But, I may tell you that Julie Baxter studied nursing before she took up telephone work.”
”H'm. Might be coincidence.”
”Of course it _might_. But we have to investigate coincidences. You don't know of any nurse or ex-nurse in your uncle's circle of friends?”