The Opal Serpent Part 41

After all, Hurd did not send Jessop to town as he threatened to do.

Evidently the captain had told him all he knew, and appeared to be innocent of Krill's death. But, in spite of his apparent frankness the detective had an idea that something was being kept back, and what that something might be, he determined to find out. However, his thoughts were turned in another direction by a note from Beecot addressed to him at "The Red Pig," asking him to come at once to the Jubileetown Laundry.

"I believe we have discovered the person who stole the opal brooch from me," wrote Paul, "and Deborah has made a discovery connected with Norman which may prove to be of service."

Wondering what the discovery might be, and wondering also who had taken the brooch, Hurd arranged that Jessop and Hokar should remain at Christchurch under the eyes of two plain-clothes officials. These managed their duties so dexterously that Matilda Junk was far from guessing what was going on. Moreover, she informed the detective, who she thought was a commercial gent, that she intended to pay a visit to her sister, Mrs. Tawsey, and demanded the address, which Hurd gave readily enough. He thought that if Matilda knew anything--such as the absence of Mrs. Krill from the hotel during the early part of July--Deborah might induce her to talk freely.

Hokar had proved a difficult subject. Whether he was too grateful to Mrs. Krill to speak out, or whether he really did not understand what was asked of him, he certainly showed a talent for holding his tongue.

However, Hurd saw well enough that the man was afraid of the Sahib's law, and when matters came to a crisis would try and prove his innocence even at the cost of implicating others. Therefore, with an easy mind the detective left these two witnesses being watched at Christchurch and repaired to town, where Aurora informed him of the interview with Hay.

Billy approved of the way in which his sister had managed matters.

"I guessed that Hay was the man who put Mrs. Krill on the track of her husband," he said, with satisfaction; "but I wasn't quite sure how he spotted the man."

"Oh, the one eye identified him," said Aurora, who was eating chocolate as usual, "and Norman's fainting at the sight of the brooch confirmed Hay's belief as to who he was. I wonder he didn't make a bargain with Norman on his own."

Hurd shook his head. "It wouldn't have paid so well," said he, wisely.

"Norman would have parted only with a small sum, whereas this murder will bring in Hay a clear five thousand a year when he marries the girl.

Hay acted cleverly enough."

"But I tell you Hay has nothing to do with the murder."

"That may be so, though I don't trust him. But Mrs. Krill might have strangled her husband so as to get the money."

"What makes you think she did?" asked Aurora, doubtfully.

"Well, you see, from what Jessop says, Mrs. Krill is devotedly attached to Maud, and she may have been anxious to revenge her daughter on Krill.

He acted like a brute and fastened the child's lips together, so Mrs.

Krill treated him in the same way."

"Hum," said Miss Qian, reflectively, "but can you prove that Mrs. Krill was in town on the night of the murder?"

"That's what I'm going to find out," said Hurd. "All you have to do is to keep your eyes on Hay--"

"Oh, he won't cut, if that's what you mean. He thinks everything is square, now that I've got those boys to stop chattering. He'll marry Maud and annex the money."

"He may marry Maud," said Hurd, emphatically, "but he certainly won't get the five thousand a year. Miss Norman will."

"Hold on," cried Aurora, shrewdly. "Maud may not be Lemuel Krill's child, or she may have been born before Krill married the mother, but in any case, Sylvia Norman isn't the child of a legal marriage. Krill certainly committed bigamy, so his daughter Sylvia can't inherit."

"Well," said Hurd, "I can't say. I'll see Pash about the matter. After all, the will left the money to 'my daughter,' and that Sylvia is beyond doubt, whatever Maud may be. And I say, Aurora, just you go down to Stowley in Buckinghams.h.i.+re. I haven't time to look into matters there myself."

"What do you want me to do there?"

"Find out all about the life of Mrs. Krill before she married Krill and came to Christchurch. She's the daughter of a farmer. You'll find the name in this." Hurd pa.s.sed along a copy of the marriage certificate which Mrs. Krill had given to Pash. "Anne Tyler is her maiden name. Find out what you can. She was married to Krill at Beechill, Bucks."

Miss Qian took the copy of the certificate and departed, grumbling at the amount of work she had to do to earn her share of the reward. Hurd, on his part, took the underground train to Liverpool Street Station, and then travelled to Jubileetown. He arrived there at twelve o'clock and was greeted by Paul.

"I've been watching for you all the morning," said Beecot, who looked flushed and eager. "Sylvia and I have made such a discovery."

Hurd nodded good-humoredly as he entered the house and shook hands with the girl.

"Miss Norman has been doing some detective business on her own account,"

he said, smiling. "Hullo, who is this?"

He made this remark, because Mrs. Purr, sitting in a corner of the room with red eyes, rose and dropped a curtsey.

"I'm called to tell you what I do tell on my Bible oath," said Mrs.

Purr, with fervor.

"Mrs. Purr can give some valuable evidence," said Paul, quickly.

"Oh, can she? Then I'll hear what she has to say later. First, I must clear the ground by telling you and Miss Norman what I have discovered at Christchurch."

So Mrs. Purr, rather unwillingly, for she felt the importance of her position, was bundled out of the room, and Hurd sat down to relate his late adventures. This he did clearly and slowly, and was interrupted frequently by exclamations of astonishment from his two hearers. "So there," said the detective, when finis.h.i.+ng, "you have the beginning of the end."

"Then you think that Mrs. Krill killed her husband?" asked Paul, dubiously.

"I can't say for certain," was the cautious reply; "but I think so, on the face of the evidence which you have heard. What do you say?"

"Don't say anything," said Sylvia, before Paul could reply. "Mr. Hurd had better read this paper. It was found by Deborah in an old box belonging to my father, which was brought from Gwynne Street."

She gave the detective several sheets of blue foolscap pinned together and closely written in the shaky handwriting of Aaron Norman. Hurd looked at it rather dubiously. "What is it?" he asked.

"The paper referred to in that unfinished sc.r.a.p of writing which was discovered behind the safe," explained Paul. "Norman evidently wrote it out, and placed it in his pocket, where he forgot it. Deborah found it in an old coat, she discovered in a box of clothes brought from Gwynne Street. They were Norman's clothes and his box, and should have been left behind."

"Debby won't hear of that," said Sylvia, laughing. "She says Mrs. Krill has got quite enough, and she took all she could."

"What's all this writing about?" asked Hurd, turning over the closely-written sheets. "To save time you had better give me a precis of the matter. Is it important?"

"Very I should say," responded Paul, emphatically. "It contains an account of Norman's life from the time he left Christchurch."

"Hum." Hurd's eyes brightened. "I'll read it at my leisure, but at the present moment you might say what you can."

"Well, you know a good deal of it," said Paul, who did the talking at a sign from Sylvia. "It seems that Norman--we'd better stick to the old name--left Christchurch because he was afraid of being accused of murdering Lady Rachel."

"Was she really murdered?"

"Norman doesn't say. He swears he knows nothing about the matter. The first intimation he had was when Jessop came down with the news after blundering into the wrong bedroom. But he hints that Mrs. Krill killed her."

"Can he prove that?"

"No. He can't give any proof, or, at all events, he doesn't. He declares that when his wife and daughter--"

"Oh! does he call Maud his daughter?"

"Yes! We can talk of that later," said Paul, impatiently. "Well, then, Norman says he went fairly mad. Jessop had bolted, but Norman knew he would not give the alarm, since he might be accused himself of killing Lady Rachel. Maud, who had seen the body, wanted to run out and call the neighbors."

"How old does Norman say she was?"

"About fifteen; quite old enough to make things unpleasant."