Taken At The Flood Part 19

There was just a faint soft buzz as the inhabitants of Warmsley Vale craned their necks to look at the tall thin bitter-looking young man who craned their necks to look at the tall thin bitter-looking young man who stood defiantly facing the coroner. stood defiantly facing the coroner.

The preliminaries went rapidly. The coroner continued: "You went to see the deceased on Sat.u.r.day evening?"

"Yes. I received a letter from him asking for a.s.sistance and stating he had known my sister's first husband in Africa." had known my sister's first husband in Africa."

"You have got that letter?"

"No, I don't keep letters."

"You have heard the account given by Beatrice Lippincott of your conversation with the deceased. Is that a true account?" conversation with the deceased. Is that a true account?"

"Quite untrue. The deceased spoke of knowing my late brother-in-law, complained of his own bad luck and of having come down in the world, complained of his own bad luck and of having come down in the world, and begged for some financial a.s.sistance which, as is usual, he was and begged for some financial a.s.sistance which, as is usual, he was quite confident of being able to repay." quite confident of being able to repay."

"Did he tell you that Robert Underhay was still alive?"

David smiled: "Certainly not. He said, 'If Robert were still alive I know he would help me.'" me.'"

"That is quite different from what Beatrice Lippincott tells us."

"Eavesdroppers," said David, "usually hear only a portion of what goes on and frequently get the whole thing wrong owing to supplying the on and frequently get the whole thing wrong owing to supplying the missing details from their own fertile imaginations." missing details from their own fertile imaginations."

Beatrice flounced angrily and exclaimed, "Well, I never -"

The coroner said repressively, "Silence, please."

"Now Mr Hunter, did you visit the deceased again on the night of Tuesday -" Tuesday -"

"No, I did not."

"You have heard Mr Rowley Cloade say that the deceased expected a visitor?" visitor?"

"He may have expected a visitor. If so, I was not that visitor. I'd given him a fiver before. I thought that was quite enough for him. There was him a fiver before. I thought that was quite enough for him. There was no proof that he'd ever known Robert Underhay. My sister, since she no proof that he'd ever known Robert Underhay. My sister, since she inherited a large income from her husband, has been the target of inherited a large income from her husband, has been the target of every begging letter-writer and every sponger in the neighbourhood." every begging letter-writer and every sponger in the neighbourhood."

Quietly he let his eyes pa.s.s over the a.s.sembled Cloades.

"Mr Hunter, will you tell us where you were on the evening of Tuesday?" Tuesday?"

"Find out!"said David.

"Mr Hunter!" The coroner rapped the table. "That is a most foolish and ill-advised thing to say." ill-advised thing to say."

"Why should I tell you where I was, and what I was doing? Time enough for that when you accuse me of murdering the man." for that when you accuse me of murdering the man."

"If you persist in that att.i.tude it may come to that sooner than you think. Do you recognise this, Mr Hunter?" think. Do you recognise this, Mr Hunter?"

Leaning forward, David took the gold cigarette lighter into his hand. His face was puzzled. Handing it back, he said slowly: "Yes, it's mine." His face was puzzled. Handing it back, he said slowly: "Yes, it's mine."

"When did you have it last?"

"I missed it -" He paused.

"Yes, Mr Hunter?" The coroner's voice was suave.

Gaythorne fidgeted, seemed about to speak. But David was too quick for him. for him.

"I had it last Friday - Friday morning. I don't remember seeing it since."

Mr Gaythorne rose.

"With your permission, Mr Coroner. You visited the deceased Sat.u.r.day evening. Might you not have left the lighter there then?" evening. Might you not have left the lighter there then?"

"I might have, I suppose," David said slowly. "I certainly don't remember seeing it after Friday -" He added: "Where was it found?" remember seeing it after Friday -" He added: "Where was it found?"

The coroner said: "We shall go into that later. You can stand down now, Mr Hunter."

David moved slowly back to his seat.

He bent his head and whispered to Rosaleen Cloade.

"Major Porter."

Hemming and hawing a little, Major Porter took the stand. He stood there, an erect soldierly figure, as though on parade. there, an erect soldierly figure, as though on parade.

Only the way he moistened his lips showed the intense nervousness from which he was suffering. from which he was suffering.

"You are George Douglas Porter, late Major of the Royal African Rifles?" Rifles?"

"Yes."

"How well did you know Robert Underhay?"

In a parade-ground voice Major Porter barked out places and dates.

"You have viewed the body of the deceased?"

"Yes."

"Can you identify that body?"

"Yes. It is the body of Robert Underhay."

A buzz of excitement went round the court.

"You state that positively and without the least doubt?"

"I do."

"There is no possibility of your being mistaken?"

"None."

"Thank you, Major Porter. Mrs Gordon Cloade."

Rosaleen rose. She pa.s.sed Major Porter.

He looked at her with some curiosity.

She did not even glance at him.

"Mrs Cloade, you were taken by the police to see the body of the deceased?" deceased?"

She shivered.

"Yes."

"You stated definitely that it was the body of a man completely unknown to you?" unknown to you?"

"Yes."

"In view of the statement just made by Major Porter would you like to withdraw or amend your own statement?" withdraw or amend your own statement?"

"No."

"You still a.s.sert definitely that the body was not that of your husband, Robert Underhay?" Robert Underhay?"

"It was not my husband's body. It was a man I had never seen in my life." life."

"Come now, Mrs Cloade, Major Porter has definitely recognised it as the body of his friend Robert Underhay." the body of his friend Robert Underhay."

Rosaleen said expressionlessly: "Major Porter is mistaken."

"You are not under oath in this court, Mrs Cloade. But it is likely that you will be under oath in another court shortly. Are you prepared then you will be under oath in another court shortly. Are you prepared then to swear that the body is not that of Robert Underhay but of an to swear that the body is not that of Robert Underhay but of an unknown stranger?" unknown stranger?"

"I am prepared to swear that it is not the body of my husband but of a man quite unknown to me." man quite unknown to me."

Her voice was clear and unfaltering. Her eyes met the coroner unshrinkingly. unshrinkingly.

He murmured: "You can stand down."

Then, removing his pince-nez, he addressed the jury.

They were there to discover how this man came to his death. As to that, there could be little question. There could be no idea of accident that, there could be little question. There could be no idea of accident or suicide. Nor could there be any suggestion of manslaughter. or suicide. Nor could there be any suggestion of manslaughter.

There remained only one verdict - wilful murder. As to the ident.i.ty of the dead man, that was not clearly established. the dead man, that was not clearly established.

They had heard one witness, a man of upright character and probity whose word could be relied upon, say that the body was that of a whose word could be relied upon, say that the body was that of a former friend of his, Robert Underhay. On the other hand Robert former friend of his, Robert Underhay. On the other hand Robert Underhay's death from fever in Africa had been established apparently Underhay's death from fever in Africa had been established apparently to the satisfaction of the local authorities and no question had then to the satisfaction of the local authorities and no question had then been raised. been raised.

In contradiction of Major Porter's statement, Robert Underhay's widow, now Mrs Gordon Cloade, stated positively that the body was widow, now Mrs Gordon Cloade, stated positively that the body was not that of Robert Underhay. not that of Robert Underhay.

These were diametrically opposite statements. Pa.s.sing from the question of ident.i.ty they would have to decide if there was any question of ident.i.ty they would have to decide if there was any evidence to show whose hand had murdered the deceased. They evidence to show whose hand had murdered the deceased. They might think that the evidence pointed to a certain person, but a good might think that the evidence pointed to a certain person, but a good deal of evidence was needed before a case could be made out - deal of evidence was needed before a case could be made out - evidence and motive and opportunity. evidence and motive and opportunity.

The person must have been seen by someone in the vicinity of the crime at the appropriate time. If there was not such evidence the best crime at the appropriate time. If there was not such evidence the best verdict was that of Wilful Murder without sufficient evidence to show verdict was that of Wilful Murder without sufficient evidence to show by whose hand. Such a verdict would leave the police free to pursue by whose hand. Such a verdict would leave the police free to pursue the necessary inquiries. the necessary inquiries.

He then dismissed them to consider their Verdict.

They took three quarters of an hour.

They returned a Verdict of Wilful Murder against David Hunter.

Chapter 5.

"I was afraid they'd do it," said the coroner apologetically. "Local prejudice! Feeling rather than logic." prejudice! Feeling rather than logic."

The coroner, the Chief Constable, Superintendent Spence and Hercule Poirot were all in consultation together after the inquest. Poirot were all in consultation together after the inquest.

"You did your best," said the Chief Constable.

"It's premature, to say the least of it," said Spence frowning. "And it hampers us. Do you know M. Hercule Poirot? hampers us. Do you know M. Hercule Poirot?

He was instrumental in bringing Porter forward."

The coroner said graciously: "I have heard of you, M. Poirot," and Poirot made an unsuccessful attempt to look modest. attempt to look modest.

"M. Poirot's interested in the case," said Spence with a grin.

"Truly, that is so," said Poirot. "I was in it, as you might say, before there was a case." there was a case."

And in answer to their interested glances he told of the queer little scene in the club when he had first heard a mention of Robert scene in the club when he had first heard a mention of Robert Underhay's name. Underhay's name.

"That's an additional point in Porter's evidence when the case comes to trial," said the Chief Constable thoughtfully. "Underhay actually to trial," said the Chief Constable thoughtfully. "Underhay actually planned a pretended death - and spoke of using the name of Enoch planned a pretended death - and spoke of using the name of Enoch Arden." Arden."

The Chief Constable murmured: "Ah, but will that be admissible as evidence? Words spoken by a man who is now dead?" evidence? Words spoken by a man who is now dead?"

"It may not be admissible as evidence," said Poirot thoughtfully. "But it raises a very interesting and suggestive line of thought." raises a very interesting and suggestive line of thought."

"What we want," said Spence, "is not suggestion, but a few concrete facts. Someone who actually saw David Hunter at the Stag or near it facts. Someone who actually saw David Hunter at the Stag or near it on Tuesday evening." on Tuesday evening."

"It ought to be easy," said the Chief Constable, frowning.

"If it was abroad in my country it would be easy enough," said Poirot.

"There would be a little cafe where someone takes the evening coffee - but in provincial England!" He threw up his hands. but in provincial England!" He threw up his hands.