The Solitary Farm Part 43

"Inspector Inglis and constables," said that officer. "Where have you come from, miss?"

"From the Manor-house. I went to see my aunt, and saw her run away with her husband. Where is she? Where is he?"

"There is Mrs. Vand," said Cyril, pointing to the still insensible woman, "and her husband is dead in Durgo's arms."

Bella shrieked. "Is Durgo dead?"

"Yes, unfortunately. Vand clutched his throat and dragged him under."

"But so weak a man----"

"He sacrificed his own life to kill Durgo," said Cyril. "What's to be done now, inspector?"

Inglis acted promptly. "One of my men can stay here to look after the old woman," he said officially, "and the rest can help me to take the bodies of Vand and the n.i.g.g.e.r back to the Manor-house. We must take possession of that place until everything is made clear at the inquest.

What will you do, Miss Huxham? Better get home. This is no place for a lady."

"I must stay and revive my aunt," said Bella, who already was bending over the woman and had the gla.s.s of brandy in her hand.

"Good," said Inglis, motioning his men to file out. "I'll come back and question her when you get her right again. Mr. Lister!"

"With your permission, Mr. Inspector, I'll wait here with Miss Huxham,"

said Cyril significantly. "I don't trust these two women"--he looked at Granny and the Romany girl--"also Luke Tunks might be lurking about. If Miss Huxham were left here alone--" his shrug completed the sentence.

"Dutton will keep guard at the door," said Inglis, selecting the village constable, a fresh-faced, powerful young man, "and if these women try any games he can take them in charge. Also, Dutton"--he turned to the man, who had already posted himself as directed--"you can hold Luke Tunks should he turn up. I want to question him also," after which orders Inglis with a nod went out. Cyril followed.

The bodies were duly found, and the inspector uttered an exclamation of surprise when he saw that Durgo was nude. "What does this mean?"

"Mean!" said Cyril, who looked over his shoulder, "simply that Durgo, in spite of his Oxford training, was a savage at heart. He arranged a trap to catch the Vands, and stripped so as to be prepared for any emergency."

"Rum notion," said Inglis, who looked puzzled. "But what had he to do with all this murder business?"

"He was my father's friend," explained Lister, "and--" he stopped on seeing the eager faces around him, adding in lower tones, "what I have to explain is for your own ear in the first instance, inspector."

Inglis looked grave, and even suspicious. "There seems to be much to explain, Mr. Lister," he said seriously. "However you can stay here. I shall take the bodies to the Manor-house and thoroughly search the place. When I return I hope to hear your story and to examine Mrs. Vand.

It seems to me," added the officer, as he turned away, "that the mystery of the Huxham murder is about to be solved at last."

"I think so myself," a.s.sented Lister soberly; and after seeing the six men take up their burden of the dead, he returned to the hut in silence.

Here he found Mrs. Vand, pale but composed, sitting up on the floor with her back propped up against the wall. Granny Tunks, looking very sulky, was on her hunkers before the fire smoking her cutty pipe, and the Romany girl could be seen lying on Luke's vacated bed in the inner room.

Only Bella was attending to the woman she had called aunt for so long, and who had so persecuted her. She was urging Mrs. Vand to speak out.

"You must tell the truth now," said Bella, "for the police will arrest you."

Mrs. Vand could not grow paler, for she was already whiter than any corpse, but a terrified look came into her eyes. "You'll be glad of that, Bella?"

"No," said the girl earnestly; "I am not glad to see you suffer. You have been cruel to me, and I thought that I should like to see you punished; but now that you have lost your husband and are so miserable, I am very sorry, and both Cyril and I will do our best to help you. Tell all you know, Aunt Rosamund, and perhaps you will not be arrested."

"If I tell all I know I am sure to be arrested," said Mrs. Vand sullenly.

"But surely you did not murder your own brother?"

"No, I didn't. Badly as Jabez treated me I did not kill him, although I don't deny that I wished for his death. Well, he is dead and I got his money, and now--" she buried her shameful face in her hands wailingly--"oh! my poor dear Henry, I have lost him and lost all. As to you"--she suddenly lifted up her head to glare furiously at Cyril, who was leaning against the door-post a few yards from the watching policeman--"you have been the evil genius of us all. Where are my jewels?"

"They are in this bag," said Lister, holding it up, "and they belong to Bella."

"Jabez left everything to me," began Mrs. Vand, when Cyril interrupted.

"These jewels were not his to leave. They were the property of Maxwell Faith, who was a trader and----"

"I know all about that," said Mrs. Vand, cutting him short, "and Bella is his daughter, you were going to say."

"Yes; therefore the jewels are her property. Who told you of----"

"Luke Tunks told me."

"That's a lie!" snarled Granny from her stool near the fire.

"It's the truth," gasped Mrs. Vand, taking another sip of the brandy which Bella held to her lips. "Luke was dodging round the house on the night of the murder and peeped in at the study window. He overheard the interview between Jabez and Edwin Lister."

"What!" Cyril took a step forward in sheer surprise. "You know my father's name also?"

"I know much, but not all," said Mrs. Vand in a stronger voice, for the spirit was taking effect. "For instance, I don't know what became of Edwin Lister, but Luke does."

"Then Luke shall be arrested and questioned."

"He shan't!" muttered Granny venomously. "Luke's escaped--a clever boy."

Bella put her arm round Mrs. Vand to render her more comfortable. "How much did Luke tell you?" she asked softly.

"Only so much as cheated us--Henry and I--into paying him money."

"Oh," said Cyril quietly, "so that is why Luke got so drunk."

"He spent his money in drink," said Mrs. Vand indifferently. "We paid him a good deal. He never would have left us, and intended to go to America with us to-night, as he knew too much for our safety."

"How did you intend to escape?" asked Cyril sharply.

"We intended to row down the channel to the swamps; that is why Henry got the boat a few weeks ago. Then we intended to cut across the marshes to the high road, where a motor-car, hired by Henry, awaited us. It would have taken us to London, and there we could have concealed ourselves until a chance came to get to the States. Everything was cut and dried, but you----"

"No," said Lister seriously; "it was not I who stopped you, but Durgo."

"That negro? Then I am glad he is dead!" cried Mrs. Vand, who was getting more her old self every minute. "However, it's all done with now. You have the jewels, Henry is dead, and I don't care what becomes of me."

"But who murdered my father?" asked Bella earnestly.

"Jabez wasn't your father. Maxwell Faith was your father, for Luke overheard Edwin Lister say as much to Jabez."

"And what became of Edwin Lister?"