Part 36 (1/2)
”What price?” he asked.
”Their price is ten thousand pounds--cash,” answered Mrs. Engledew, with a little shrug of her shoulders. ”Seems a great deal, doesn't it? But that is their price. They will not be moved from it. If Miss Wynne will agree to pay that sum, they will at once not only give their evidence as to the real murderer of Jacob Herapath, but they will point him out.”
”When?” demanded Selwood.
”Tonight!” replied Mrs. Engledew. ”Tonight--at an hour to be fixed after your agreement to their terms.”
Selwood felt himself in a difficult position. Mr. Tertius was out of town for the day, gone to visit an antiquarian friend in Berks.h.i.+re: Mr.
Halfpenny lived away down amongst the Surrey hills. Still, there was c.o.x-Raythwaite to turn to. But it seemed as if the lady desired an immediate answer.
”You know these men?” he asked.
”One only, who represents both,” answered Mrs. Engledew.
”Why not point him out to the police, and let them deal with them?”
suggested Selwood. ”They would get his evidence out of him without any question of price!”
”I have given my word,” said Mrs. Engledew. ”I--the fact is, I am mixed up in this, quite innocently, of course. And I am sure that no living person knows the truth except these men, and just as sure that they will not tell what they know unless they are paid. The police could not make them speak if they didn't want to speak. They know very well that they have got the whip-hand of all of us in that respect!”
”Of you, too?” asked Selwood.
”Of me, too!” she answered. ”n.o.body in the world, I'm sure, knows the secret but these men. And it's important to me personally that they should reveal it. In fact, though I'm not rich, I'll join Miss Wynne in paying their price, so far as a thousand pounds is concerned. I would pay more, but I really haven't got the money--I daren't go beyond a thousand.”
Selwood felt himself impressed by this candid offer.
”Precisely what do they ask--what do they propose?” he asked.
”This. If you agree to pay them ten thousand pounds, you and Professor c.o.x-Raythwaite are to meet them tonight. They will then tell the true story, and they will further take you and the police to the man, the real murderer,” answered Mrs. Engledew. ”It is important that all this should be done tonight.”
”Where is this meeting to take place?” demanded Selwood.
”It can take place at my flat: in fact, it must, because, as I say, I am unfortunately mixed up,” said Mrs. Engledew. ”If you agree to the terms, you are to telephone to me--I have written my number on the card--at two o'clock this afternoon. Then I shall telephone the time of meeting tonight, and you must bring the money with you.”
”Ten thousand pounds in cash--on Sunday!” exclaimed Selwood. ”That, of course, is utterly impossible.”
”Not cash in that sense,” replied Mrs. Engledew. ”An open cheque will do. And, don't you see, that, I think, proves the _bona fides_ of the men. If they fail to do what they say they can and will do, you can stop payment of that cheque first thing tomorrow morning.”
”Yes, that's so,” agreed Selwood. He glanced at Peggie, who was silently listening with deep interest. ”I don't know how things stand,”
he went on. ”Mr. Halfpenny, Miss Wynne's solicitor, lives a long way out of town. Miss Wynne would doubtless cheerfully sacrifice ten thousand pounds to save her cousin----”
”Oh, twenty thousand--anything!” exclaimed Peggie. ”Don't let us hesitate about money, please.”
”But I don't know whether she can draw a cheque,” continued Selwood. ”At least, for such an amount as that. Perhaps Professor c.o.x-Raythwaite can tell us. Let me ask you a question or two, if you please, Mrs.
Engledew,” he went on. ”You say you only know one of these men. Do you know his name?”
”No--I don't,” confessed Mrs. Engledew. ”Everything is secret and mysterious.”