Fergus Hume

“ Donna Maria was a tropical flower, burning and gorgeous; and the splendour of her beauty, the passion of the spirit which flamed in her eyes, and governed the inflexions of her voice, moved the heart of Darrel strangely. The miracle of the man's life had occurred; and--although he scarcely knew it--he was in love. And why should not love be born of a glance? The improbable is always the possible. ”

“ Out of his pocket, Torry produced two little clay images in the shape of mummies, each six inches in length, and coloured a deep blue. The lifeless faces, the swathings and bandages of the rigid forms, were perfectly modelled in clay, and on the breast of each was a representation of the sun rayed round with spiral flames. These idol-s--as they doubtless were--appeared to be of great antiquity, and were, undoubtedly, fine specimens of ceramic art. That the relics of a dead and gone civilisation should be connected with a modern criminal case, amazed Frank not a little. ”

“ Torry," she cried, "that the telegram concerns me and no one else. I decline to shew it to you."
"I quite believe that, as it has to do with this murder."
"You dare to accuse me of that?" gasped Lydia, jumping up.
Torry shrugged his shoulders. "No," he said coolly, "I don't think you killed the man yourself; but you know who did."
"It is a lie," said the governess in a passionate voice, and sat down again.
"It is the truth," said Donna Maria gravely, and when Lydia turned an amazed face towards her she repeated solemnly: "It is the truth." ”

“ Darrel commiserated the detective, but could not forbear eulogising the girl, much to Torry's disgust.
"Upon my soul," said he grumbling, "I believe your sympathies are with her, merely because she has a pretty face."
"Pretty!" echoed Frank, indignantly. "If there is one word in English tongue which does not apply to Donna Maria Sandoval, that word is 'pretty.' Why, man, she is one of the most beautiful women in the world!"
"She is certainly the most obstinate," said Torry drily. "I am satisfied she knows something likely to lead to the detection of the criminal." ”

“ Leighbourne became even paler than before, and pushed back his chair with a quick, nervous movement. "A detective!" he muttered faintly. "Why--why does a detective call on me?"
"To inform you of Mr. Grent's death," interposed Darrel, astonished at this unnecessary display of emotion.
"Dead! Mr. Grent dead!" Frederick Leighbourne rose in an indescribable state of emotion. "Why, on Friday last, when he said good-bye to me, he was in excellent health."
"Health has nothing to do with the death," said Torry drily. "Have you heard of this Mortality-lane murder?" ”

“ Then, by means of this warrant, I shall so play on his fears that he will confess the truth."
"And so fall out of the frying-pan into the fire," said Darrel cynically. "If he holds his tongue, you arrest him on suspicion; if he confesses, you arrest him on certainty. So, in either case, he is bound to go to gaol. Silence is golden in his case, Torry; he won't confess."
"He might not if he was a hardened criminal," said the detective coolly. "But the man is a weak, hysterical fool, alive with nerves. He wept at the news of Grent's death; he fainted on seeing the Blue Mummy. ”

“ I have been making a few inquiries about that good young man, and I have found out that he leads a double life. With his respectable ass of a father he is all that is worthy and decent, but under this pious surface he is a scamp and a debauched spendthrift. Money runs through his hands like sand, and he is in debt to half the tradesmen in London. Wine, women, cards and racing, Frederick Leighbourne indulges in them all, and is now at his wits' end to conceal his iniquities from his father. ”

“ Darrel said nothing, but he was quite satisfied that he knew the extent of Grent's villainy. He had stolen the ten thousand pounds in such a way as to throw the blame on Vass, and he had intended to fly to South America with Lydia Hargone, deserting his wife for a woman who had deceived him at last. But Providence, which rules all things, had thwarted his evil plans, and instead of getting away with the fruits of his iniquity he had met with a cruel death at the hands of an unknown man. ”

“ When Torry was assured of the truth, she spoke to him with composure and some insolence.
"You see, sir," said she, "I did not wear my ring on that day, nor did I visit Mr. Ghent's chambers. You owe me an apology for your doubts."
"It would seem so," replied Torry with affected humility. "Do you think I owe Mr. Leighbourne one also?"
"Mr. Leighbourne?" echoed Miss Hargone coolly. "You mean the elder?"
"I mean the younger, the one from whom you received a telegram."
The unexpectedness of this query threw Lydia off her guard. "How do you know I received a telegram from him?" she asked. ”

“ For the next week Torry was engaged in advertising for the tramp who had found the body of Julia Brawn. It struck him that Julia might have worn some jewellery--a brooch, a ring, or a locket--of which the tramp had probably robbed her. Could he see such jewellery, he might find some trace of her supposed lover; since lovers usually make such gifts to those they adore. ”

“ It seemed madness that a man guilty of a double crime should thrust himself willingly in the way of danger and risk betrayal. To be sure, he knew that Vass had stolen the money, and believed that he still had it in his possession, so he, no doubt, believed that terror of arrest and the desire to keep his spoil, might influence the secretary in holding his tongue. If the assassin knew that the money had been returned, and that Vass had repented of his iniquity, he might have been chary of risking a meeting ”

“ Grent are doubtless the moneys of the society. Failing Mr. Grent, who is dead, the society represented by Manuel will no doubt hold the bank responsible; and if the moneys are not refunded, may attempt to kill those who represent the bank. Stay you, Mr. Leighbourne, and Mr. Vass here."
"Bah!" cried Leighbourne, with a forced laugh. "You are trying to frighten us. People don't do such things nowadays."
"Don't they?" rejoined Torry drily. "What about the Anarchists? But I'll tell you one thing, gentlemen: whichever one of you is killed, the image of a Blue Mummy will be found beside him." ”

“ Leighbourne. In a few minutes his bell rang and they were shown into a soberly-furnished room, which was occupied by a handsome young man. He was about thirty years of age with curly black hair and a small black moustache smartly pointed so as to give him quite a jaunty air. Elegantly dressed he seemed rather like a West End dandy than a sedate, methodical banker. With all the composure of a man of the world he received his visitors, but there was an uneasy look about him which did not escape the vigilant eyes of Torry. ”

“ But the god of love, who will not be denied, and who sooner or later, asserts his empire over all born of the flesh, had come to Frank Darrel, in all his might, and the heart-free man of an hour since was now in danger of becoming the slave of a woman. ”

“ I am alluding to the third cab which was not on the stand when you returned at one o'clock."
"I don't see what that cab has to do with the business."
"Mr. Darrel! Mr. Darrel!" cried Torry gently. "You may be a good novelist, but, if you'll pardon my saying so, sir, you are a very bad detective. Is it not reasonable to suppose that the woman, anxious to get as far as possible from the scene of her crime would come up Mortality-lane and jump into the third cab? Also you must not forget that she had a rendezvous at Cleopatra's Needle, and, perhaps had to drive quickly to be in time." ”

“ The mere fact that the red-haired man--as in the absence of an actual name it is convenient to call him--was in the habit of dealing with Harcot and Harcot, shewed that he must have been, if not rich, at least fairly well off. The shop, as Darrel knew, was a very expensive one, and the goods it supplied were sold at much above their market value, from the fact that they were supposed to be particularly fashionable. Darrel carried with him the shirt of the dead man which had been confided to him by Torry; and this he displayed to the eyes of the senior partner. ”

“ She had arranged to elope with Grent; at least, she fooled him into believing so, but instead of going she sent Julia Brawn, disguised in that fawn-coloured mantle. Then Grent was killed."
"By whom?" asked Maria, much agitated.
"I can't say. Perhaps that Centa you speak of got wind that Grent was bolting with the money to Italy, and followed to kill him. But who can tell? It is all a mystery."
"I don't wish to speak ill of the dead," said Maria, with a sigh, "but it seems to me that my uncle was acting very badly. That he should deceive my poor aunt, who loved him so!" ”

“ Now I wonder what took so respectable a man into so disreputable a neighbourhood. In disguise, too. H'm it looks queer. Mr. Grent is not so good as I thought him."
"You may as well speak in the past, Torry; the man is dead."
"Dead! Murdered!" said the detective, thoughtfully. "A sad ending for a virtuous man. Tell me all that you learnt from Harcot."
"I have told you all," replied Darrel. "The shirt was made for Jesse Grent, of Waybridge, and of Grent and Leighbourne, Bankers, Fleet-street." ”

“ To confuse the police, should there be any trouble about the robbery, I made Julia disguise herself as a man. She only wore a pair of trousers above her underclothes, a long great coat, a soft hat, and a black wig and beard. I put on her dress and petticoat, wore her hat, and Lydia's fawn-coloured mantle, for Grent to recognise, and a veil. We dressed thus simply as I intended, to further confuse the police, that we should change in some obscure spot as soon as the robbery was accomplished. When we went to keep the appointment I took with me my Spanish bowie-knife, but only for protection. ”

“ Darrel could not help laughing. "My dear lady," said he, "I am afraid Mr. Grent must have been a very credulous man. The law does not countenance wholesale murder in this country, whatever it may do in Peru."
"But you forget!" cried Donna Maria angrily. "My uncle's foreboding came true. He was murdered by the society, as the token of the Blue Mummy left beside him proves; but whether by Manuel or Centa I cannot say." ”

“ Darrel, I am not at all satisfied with Lydia. If she played fast and loose with Grent, she will some day do the same with me. She seems to know more of this black business than she should do, and I'll marry no woman who is under such a cloud. I'll ask her to explain all about this Mortality-lane business, and if she can't explain to my satisfaction, I'll give her up."
"Indeed, I think you will be wise to do so, Roderick. I don't think she is a good woman. ”

“ She never loved Grent."
"No, nor Blake either; she only loves herself. By the way," added Frank, "do you think that the story told by Grent to Donna Maria was true?"
"Not all of it. He lied about the society, and that man he called Centa. For my part, I don't believe Centa exists. No, Darrel; all Grent's lies were invented to enable him to clear off with the money.
"Well, Nemesis overtook him."
"Yes; as it overtook Blake. It is no use trying to escape Fate. But both those men were scoundrels. The only one I pity is Julia, who only sinned out of love for Vass. She is the true victim. ”

“ The society is too clever to put all its eggs into one basket or in one country. In France, Italy, Germany, and Spain there are representatives, who look after and have in their possession a portion of the funds; so if one man proves a traitor and embezzles the money, the others will, probably, remain staunch. I don't know much about Captain Manuel, save that I have met him once or twice at Wray House, but it is my opinion that he is the treasurer of the society in London. ”

“ But I was going to ask you, what about Donna Maria?"
Darrel grew red and confused, as a lover should. "She is going back to Lima with her aunt. Poor Donna Inez, she has been terribly upset by all this public scandal and the discovery of her husband's perfidy."
"Pooh, pooh! she is better without the old libertine; but women never know when they are well off. It is a pity, though, she has lost all her money.
"Not all. Old Leighbourne says he can save her a thousand a year out of the general wreck."
"And that is opulence in Peru," said Torry. "Are you going to Peru also?" ”

“ Like yourself, I fancy she knows something, and is shielding someone. Should I trace the person who changed these notes, he may turn out to be the individual she is shielding. If I tell her the name, and assure her that restitution has been made, she may tell all she knows."
Torry nodded his head approvingly. "There is something in that," said he. "I give you leave to make a confidant of Donna Maria; but let me tell you, sir, if you succeed in getting a confession out of her, you will be the cleverest man in the world."
"I'll take my chance of that!" replied Darrel, and they parted. ”

“ Leighbourne, and without words. You love Miss Hargone."
"Yes, I do," said Frederick sullenly, "and it is a lie that she visited Grent."
"It is true," retorted Torry, "and I'll prove it to you in a few days, sir. More, I believe that she was about to elope with Grent to Italy when his death put an end to her schemes.
"No, No; I'll not believe it. She did not love Grent, she does not love Blake. I am the only one she cares for."
"It is my opinion that she cares only for herself."
"At any rate, she has nothing to do with this crime," muttered Frederick. ”