The Solitary Farm Part 44

"I don't know; Luke never told me that. All he said was that he saw and heard the two talking. Then he left the window, and only returned to see Henry stab my brother."

"Oh!" Cyril and Bella both uttered e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns of horror.

"Yes, you may say 'oh' as much as you like, but it's true," said Mrs.

Vand with great doggedness. "Henry came with me to the Manor-house on that night at ten o'clock. He did not stop at the boundary channel, as he declared. He only said that to save himself. But he came with me, and we saw my brother, who was in his study. We confessed that we were married, and then Jabez grew angry and said he would turn me as a pauper out of the house next morning. He drove Henry and myself out of the room. I fainted in the kitchen, and when I came to myself Henry was bending over me, very pale. He said he had killed Jabez with a knife which he found on the floor. I had seen the knife before when we were telling Jabez about our marriage. But in the excitement I didn't pick it up."

"Was there blood on the knife?" asked Cyril, remembering Granny Tunks'

trance, as reported by Bella.

"I can't say; I don't know. I was too flurried to think about the matter. All I know is that Henry killed Jabez with that knife which Jabez brought from Nigeria, and then dropped it behind the desk."

"What took place exactly?" asked Cyril hastily, while Bella closed her eyes.

"Ask Luke; ask Luke," said Mrs. Vand testily. "He knows all," and she refused to say another word.

CHAPTER XXIII

WHAT LUKE TUNKS SAW

As Mrs. Vand obstinately refused to speak, there was little use for Bella to remain in the hut. The girl was sick and faint with all she had gone through, and wished to get home to rest. Cyril also was anxious to follow Inglis and his officers to the Manor-house to see what had been discovered likely to prove the truth of Mrs. Vand's statements. But before going, Bella made a last attempt to induce her presumed aunt to confess all in detail. "It's your sole chance of getting out of this trouble," said Bella, who was now sorry to see her enemy brought so low.

"I don't care if I get out of the trouble, or if I do not," said Mrs.

Vand wearily. "Henry is dead, just as we were on the eve of happiness, so I don't much care what becomes of me."

"Could you have been happy in America knowing your husband to be a murderer?" asked Cyril, skeptically.

"Certainly," returned the woman with great composure. "I knew all along that Henry had struck the blow; but I daresay Jabez goaded him into doing so, as poor Henry was so good and weak."

"Weak!" echoed Cyril, remembering all. "He was not very weak to kill an active man like Captain Huxham, and a strong negro such as Durgo was."

"Ah!" said Mrs. Vand exultingly, and contradicting herself in a truly feminine way, "Henry was a man--none of your weaklings. If we had only escaped with those"--she stared hard at the black bag which contained the jewels--"but it's no use fretting now. Everything is at an end, and Bella is glad."

"No, I am not, Aunt Rosamund----"

"I am not your aunt; I don't wish to be your aunt."

"All the same, I am very sorry for you," said Bella, with the tears in her eyes, "and if I can do anything to help you let me know. Good-bye, aunt, and may G.o.d watch over you." She bent and kissed the lined forehead.

"Don't you believe that I killed Jabez?" faltered Mrs. Vand, somewhat touched.

"No," said Bella quietly. "I believe what you say. Henry killed Captain Huxham, and like a true wife you held your tongue to save him. I should have done exactly the same had Cyril been guilty."

"You're a good girl, Bella. I'm sorry I was so hard on you. I don't suppose there's much happiness left me in this life, now that Henry is dead. But I shall repay you for those kind words. There! there! Don't kiss me again. I have been mistaken in you. Good-bye," and Mrs. Vand, lying down on the floor in an utter state of despair, turned her face to the wall.

Bella had to leave her in this unsatisfactory condition, as there was no chance of taking her home to Miss Ankers' cottage. Dutton still watched by the door, and probably had overheard all that she had confessed, even though she had not been so explicit as she should have been. But she had detailed quite sufficient to ensure her arrest as an accomplice after the fact, so it was not likely that Dutton would permit her to leave the hut until he received orders from his superior. Under the circ.u.mstances there was nothing to be done, but for the young people to go, which they accordingly did. Granny Tunks flung a curse after them as they pa.s.sed out into the night, and flung also a burning sod to emphasise the curse.

"Old devil!" said Cyril, comforting Bella, who was crying. "Dutton, lend me your lantern, as the path along the channel is dangerous."

Dutton, having received five shillings, made no objection to this, provided he got back his bullseye later in the night. Cyril promised to return it when he came back to the hut with Inglis, and then, taking Bella's arm he led her carefully along the slippery path. The storm had pa.s.sed and the wind had dropped, but the clouds were still thick enough to envelope the earth in murky darkness. They picked their footsteps carefully, until they came to the foot of the corn-path. Here they halted.

"How are we to get across, Cyril?" asked the girl, shivering.

Lister groped in the corn wherein Durgo had flung the planks, and soon recovered these. With the aid of Bella he fixed them again on the tressels sunk in the mud, and the two pa.s.sed dry-shod over the channel.

In walking to Marshely the young man gave Bella the bag. "Take this, dear," he said. "The jewels are in it. Be careful of them."

"Oh, Cyril," said the girl, awestruck, "did Mrs. Vand steal them?"

"Yes, and in spite of what she says I believe she and Henry murdered your father--I mean Captain Huxham--for the sake of the jewels. They were in this bag, marked with the initials 'M. F.'--your father's initials."

"Just as Granny saw it in her trance."

"Very nearly, only she called the bag--and it is a bag, as you see--a portmanteau. Either Granny or the unseen are at fault. But it matters little since the jewels are now in your possession. Keep them carefully."

"But Cyril," said Bella, as they drew near the cottage, "does it seem right for us to keep jewels that already have caused two murders? My father was killed because of these gems by Captain Huxham, and he met with the same fate for probably the same reason."

"I daresay in ages past, many and many a wicked deed has been committed for the sake of these jewels. Do you remember what you heard Granny say in her trance?--that a Roman empress had secured the jewels by crime. My dear girl, all jewels have a history more or less, and if one feared the sort of thing you mention, not a woman would wear jewels. No, dear: G.o.d has given you this fortune, and you have every right to make use of it.

Here's the door, and by the light in the window I see that Miss Ankers is sitting up."

"I promised to tell her why I went out," said Bella, kissing her lover, "so, as she is our good friend; she must know all."

"Just as you please: tell her everything from the beginning. I have to tell Inspector Inglis what I know shortly."

"Will you tell him about your father?" asked Bella faintly.

Lister hesitated. "I must," he said at length with a mighty effort, "for if I do not Luke Tunks may be caught, and he will tell."

"Tell what?"

"I don't know: G.o.d only knows what happened when Luke peeped through that window. From the presence of the b.l.o.o.d.y knife on the floor, and the fact that Vand murdered Huxham, I am inclined to believe that Huxham stabbed my father with that knife."

Bella caught his sleeve. "If so where did Captain, Huxham hide the body?"

Cyril removed her arm gently, although he shivered. "We have had enough of these horrors for one night, dear," he said, kissing her. "Go inside and talk to Miss Ankers. To-morrow I'll come and see you."

"What are you about to do, Cyril?"

"I am returning to the Manor-house, and then shall go to Granny's hut with Inglis. There must be an end to all this mystery to-night.

Bella"--he turned suddenly--"if it is proved that my father is alive, will you still marry me? Think of the disgrace he has brought on me."

"Why? In any case your father didn't murder Captain Huxham."

"No; his hands are free from blood in that respect. But this case will have to be thoroughly inquired into, and much about my father may come out. His doings were shady. As I told you, I had to borrow one thousand pounds to buy back a cheque for that amount which he had forged in the name of an old college friend. Then there's the gun-running in Nigeria, and all manner of doubtful means by which he made his money. Bella, if you marry me, you marry a man with a soiled name."

Her arms were round him on the instant. "_You_ have not soiled it," she whispered, "and that is enough for me."