Part 32 (1/2)
”No; we won't tell,” promised Bates. ”Unless, of course, we find you haven't told the truth, or the whole truth,--in that case, you'll be shown up! I never suspected any connection of yours with the whole matter, but if you've told the truth just now, it will go no further. I know you're not given to frisking about, and I think myself it's just as well Moore shouldn't know of this one occasion. By the way, did you study to be a nurse?”
”I began the course of training, but the work was too hard for me and I gave it up the first year and took up telephoning.”
”Did you,” asked Gibbs, suddenly, ”did you know any one else in the hospital, or wherever you were, who studied nursing, and who is in any way connected with the people interested in this murder?”
Julie hesitated and her face flushed a little.
”I don't think I ought to mention it,----” she began, and Gibbs cried:
”Of course you ought to mention it! If you're innocent it can do you no harm, and if the one you tell us of is innocent it can do her no harm.”
”But it may stir up suspicion quite wrongly,” objected the girl.
”Then the suspicion will fall to the ground. Don't be afraid; you are only helping justice along. If it's a real help you must give it, and if not, it won't be followed up.”
But Richard Bates looked grave.
”Oh, I don't know, Gibbs,” he said; ”somebody must have started this trend toward my aunt, and it's made me pretty miserable already. Now, need we take up a new trail with only a sort of surmise on this girl's part. For, surely, she is by no means ready to make a positive accusation.”
”Out with it, Julie,” commanded the detective with no apparent notice of Bates' demurrer.
”Well, it's only this,” and Julie looked relieved at the thought of unburdening herself; ”when I was in training, the girls used to talk of Kate Holland, who was there many years before, but who seemed to be a sort of a star pupil. I don't remember much that they said, only she was renowned for her surgical skill, and when I heard Bob tell how the murderer of Sir Binney was a knowing one, I couldn't help thinking about her. You know she's Mrs Everett's maid.”
”Oh, Lord!” Bates groaned, ”don't drag the Everetts into this thing!
It's bad enough to have my people spoken of without attacking the Everetts too!”
”n.o.body has attacked them yet,” said Gibbs, dryly; ”don't go too fast.”
”But you will! You'll suspect Kate because of what Julie has said, and then you'll go on to Mrs Everett and----”
”H'm,--you seem to inherit your aunt's trait of hasty speaking. Better stop where you are, Bates. Don't put ideas into my head!”
”I don't have to! You're all primed to take up this new outlook. I knew Julie's tales would upset things! Just because Mrs Everett's maid has had training, doesn't argue her a murderess!”
”n.o.body said it did!” exclaimed Gibbs, angered at the young man's words, partly because they were so in line with his own thoughts.
”In fact,” and Bates looked very sober, ”in fact, Gibbs, I'd rather you'd suspect my aunt than the Everett crowd!”
”But n.o.body has voiced any suspicion of the Everett crowd----”
”You don't have to voice it, for me to know what you have in your mind----”
”And that Kate Holland is a terrible woman----” began Julie.
Richard silenced her with a look.
”Julie,” he said, sternly, ”don't you dare mention one word of Kate Holland in connection with this matter! If you do, I'll tell both Moore and the house management of your Chinatown trip.”
”That's right,” agreed Gibbs. ”You're not to mix into this thing in any way, Julie. You run along now, and remember, it's just as Mr Bates said; if you breathe a word of anything you've heard or said in here with us, we'll show you up good and plenty, and we may do a little exaggerating, too! Is it a bargain?”
”Yes, sir, it is!” and Julie Baxter went out of the room, glad to be a.s.sured of the safety of her own secret.