Walter S. Masterman

“ She handed her over to Sister Ursula, who was versed in these cases, who soon had Carlotta smiling, and in a few days her troubles were almost forgotten. Life was fair, and the English June beautiful as a picture. Roses were out in the gardens, the trees were in fresh green, and the flowers along the old wall were such as she had never seen. The Sisters were particularly kind to Carlotta; she was so fragile, with an exotic prettiness, given to sudden crying at times. And there was a wistful look in her eyes, as though gazing out over the sea to her southern home. ”

“ It was a time when a wise man hugs his fire, and is glad to draw the curtains and light a cheery lamp.
There was no light in the small upper room where Collins sat like a sphinx. Sinclair was glowering in the arm-chair, his face slightly grey, and a worried look in his eyes.
The hillside was getting dark, and the church on the top stood out black against the western sky. A straggling group of people were coming down the steep path. There had been a service in the tiny chancel, and curiosity had drawn visitors to attend. ”

“ Roy at Oxford
Doctor Halley grew old in his service for Carlotta, ungrudging and without hope of reward. His hair grew white, and the road to Murano became heaviness to him, but he never complained. As soon as the boy was old enough he quietly took over his education, and watched with growing anxiety the change that was taking place in Carlotta.
She never referred to the past, but seemed to live only for the child, and would gaze expectantly down the garden path, as though she still held a lingering hope. Her beauty paled, and she was more and more withdrawing herself from the world. ”

“ He does not introduce into the story a vast but invisible secret society with branches in every part of the world, with ruffians who can be brought in to do anything or underground cellars that can be used to hide anybody. He does not mar the pure and lovely outlines of a classical murder or burglary by wreathing it round and round with the dirty and dingy red tape of international diplomacy; he does not lower our lofty ideals of crime to the level of foreign politics. He does not introduce suddenly at the end somebody’s brother from New Zealand, who is exactly like him. ”

“ The Sister smiled and stroked her black hair. “My dear, we must do as Our Blessed Lady directs,” she said, “we can seldom choose for ourselves. To some is given the quiet and holiness of a religious life, but others are called to go out into the world, and to face the evil there—perhaps to marry.”
A far away look came into her eyes, and a sigh escaped her.
Carlotta did not see it; she rose and stamped her little foot. “I shall never marry,” she cried with passion “Never! Never!”
“Hush, my child, you must not speak like that,” but she folded her in her arms. ”

“ Allery was standing beside him with an inscrutable smile on his face.
“I came to look for you as we have finished, and I thought you might like a nightcap before turning in.”
“Thanks, I will come along,” said Collins. “I never saw Sir James to speak to. He had a remarkable face. A strange mixture of hardness and sympathy. The mouth is hard as a rock, but the eyes are sympathetic.” ”

“ Before another word could be said there was a cry, a door was flung open, and Ena came into the room. Her eyes were blazing with anger, as she walked straight across to Halley and stood by his side.
“What was this I heard,” she said “Police! Arrest! They must be mad.”
“We shall see about that,” said Fletcher, “when your precious friend is in the Dock.”
“It is untrue,” she said. “Tell them that it is utterly false.” In spite of her complete trust in him there was a terrible lurking suspicion at the back of her mind. ”

“ By the time he had reached Italy he had made up his mind. There was only one more hurdle, the ceremony in London, and then happiness awaited him. The bigamy did not worry him in the least, such trifles were nothing to a Reckavile.
At Venice he waited all day, and a strange feeling of apprehension came to him. Suppose something had happened to Carlotta in his absence; he had left her, a mere girl—alone, with only servants of whom he knew nothing. Suppose she were ill, or even dead. A nervousness never felt before beset him. Impatiently he drove out to Murano, and came to the Villa San Rocco. ”

“ We are not astonished to discover that there is an actor on the stage, as we are (or ought to be) astonished to discover that there is a corpse in the summer-house. We do not feel a momentary incredulity when we are told that the play was written by a playwright, as we do feel (or ought to feel) when we are told that the crime was committed by a curate. We watch a great actor performing Hamlet so well that (if we have luck) we lose for an instant the sense that he is a great actor ”

“ The sunlight outside seemed to accentuate the grim horror within, it was here that the crime had been committed, and the shadow of the dead man was almost visible to their eyes of imagination. Sinclair waited, and in that pause a chill feeling of fear made manifest seemed to pervade the room. In utter silence he waited, then in sharp, incisive words he said “Very well, then we must take extreme measures. Mr. Cook, will you please explain exactly what happened when you came here to see Lord Reckavile on the day of the murder?” ”

“ From a distance it appears to be an imposing edifice. On near approach there is a tiny chancel which still retains a roof, and a nave with no roof. It is all very small, like the chapel of a stronghold in days gone by. At the base of the hill is a public-house of mean appearance, and also some straggling houses.
It was here that Sinclair and Collins had taken up their residence. For three days they had been glued to the spot. A fretful distrust of each other was growing up, which they tried their best to hide.
There had been no talk of going to Sir James’ house. ”

“ Halley saw this, and realised that to a young boy change was essential. For himself, he would have lingered on, dreaming of her, and hoping that in some twilight evening, in the hush before dark, a dream figure would come down the rose garden, and touch his hand, bidding him come to join her, and the man she had loved so well, in a fairer Garden, where there is no marrying nor giving in marriage, but where they might be as the angels in Heaven. ”

“ It was obvious to anyone that Eric Sanders and Mabel had come to an understanding, though a definite engagement so soon after the death of Sir James was repugnant to her.
On the other hand, so long as she had had to fight a battle with her father on behalf of Eric, she had been passionately devoted to him; but now that all opposition had ceased at the gates of the vault, and things had become easy, she almost resented the air of ownership with which Eric treated her. Woman-like she did not like being regarded as being cheaply won. ”

“ There was another who lost everything he had in one night’s sitting at White’s, and left the room smiling like a fiend. He retired to a strip of woodland on the South Coast where Portham now stands, and built himself a ramshackle house. It was half of rubble and half brick, and he designed it himself, with a complete disregard to sanitation or comfort. There with what supplies of brandy he had saved from the wreck of his fortunes, he drank himself to death in a dignified way, timing his last seizure with his final bottle and apologising to his wife for the trouble he was giving. ”

“ But Collins had gone to the old man for another reason. John was standing with his back to a looking-glass, and Collins could see the room. He saw two things, a look of intense annoyance on the face of Sanders, and an expression on Mabel’s face in which gratitude was mixed with relief.
“Mr. Collins is right,” she said. “That is the explanation. I am sure there is nothing else in it. Now don’t worry any more about it.”
“Thank you, sir, thank you, Miss Mabel, it has relieved me a lot,” and the old man went out.
“Well done, Collins,” said Allery, “you have disposed of the ghost in quick time. ”

“ We shall hear no more of them, but this sweet child, no, she shall remain with us. She must not be told. Mother Church does not cast out her children.”
And so another year passed, and the promise of the bud was revealed in the flower. Carlotta ripened early as southerners do, and at sixteen would have lured St. Anthony from his devotions. Black curls fell round her sweet face, and the great, dark, innocent eyes, wondrous as the mirror of the sea, in their changeful emotions, looked out on the world fearless yet timid, dreaming of what lay in the glory of the future. ”

“ Collins thought for a moment.
“Well, you probably don’t know, but it is quite close to Sir James Watson’s place—in fact, it is the station for it.”
“Really?” said Sinclair. “Then of course you know it well?”
“If you are really going there I will run you down in my car. You might like to see Sir James’ place.”
The men looked at each other.
“I would like to see inside your head, and find out what there is there,” said Sinclair. “You’ve something concealed.”
Collins laughed. “That’s just what I was thinking. What are you after? Well, we will each keep his own counsel.” ”

“ When the door had closed, Sefton went up to Halley, and held out his hand. “If you don’t mind shaking hands with a man under suspicion,” he said “I want to apologise for my seeming rudeness.”
Halley understood and shook hands with a hearty grip.
“You need not say anything. I believe I can guess something at any rate; you may rely on me.”
Tears came into Ena’s eyes in spite of herself, if this man could trust her brother, what right had she to have doubts?
“Jack, I will believe you, but do clear up the whole thing, dear.” ”

“ When not engaged professionally, he was a keen sportsman, and enjoyed life to the full.
He was entirely devoid of ‘side’ or ‘swank.’
Sinclair was a very different type. He was more like the Scotland Yard officer of real life than of fiction. After successful work in India, he had applied for and obtained his post. He had just a detective’s training and education. He made no pretensions to be other than a trained official with no particular brilliance, and he was glad to have the help of his friend, who had brains and not his experience.
Collins always came to Sinclair without ceremony. ”