William Le Queux - The Seven Secrets стр 7.

It looks very much as though someone in the house had done it, whispered the inspector seriously to me, having first glanced at the door to ascertain that it was closed.

Yes, I admitted, appearances certainly do point to that.

Who was the young lady who met us downstairs? inquired the detective sergeant, producing a small note-book and pencil.

Miss Ethelwynn Mivart, sister to Mrs. Courtenay.

And is Mrs. Courtenay at home? he inquired, making a note of the name.

No. We have sent for her. Shes staying with friends in London.

Hulloa! Theres an iron safe here! exclaimed one of the men rummaging at the opposite side of the room. He had pulled away a chest of drawers from the wall, revealing what I had never noticed before, the door of a small fireproof safe built into the wall.

Is it locked? inquired the inspector.

The man, after trying the knob and examining the keyhole, replied in the affirmative.

Keeps his deeds and jewellery there, I suppose, remarked one of the other detectives. He seems to have been very much afraid of burglars. I wonder whether he had any reason for that?

Like many old men he was a trifle eccentric, I replied. Thieves once broke into his country house years ago, I believe, and he therefore entertained a horror of them.

We all examined the keyhole of the safe, but there was certainly no evidence to show that it had been tampered with. On the contrary, the little oval brass plate which closed the hole was rusty, and had not apparently been touched for weeks.

While they were searching in other parts of the room I directed my attention to the position and appearance of my late patient. He was lying on his right side with one arm slightly raised in quite a natural attitude for one sleeping. His features, although the pallor of death was upon them and they were relaxed, showed no sign of suffering. The blow had been unerring, and had no doubt penetrated to the heart. The crime had been committed swiftly, and the murderer had escaped unseen and unheard.

The eider-down quilt, a rich one of Gobelin blue satin, had scarcely been disturbed, and save for the small spot of blood upon the sheet, traces of a terrible crime were in no way apparent.

While, however, I stood at the bedside, at the same spot most probably where the murderer had stood, I suddenly felt something uneven between the sole of my boot and the carpet. So intent was I upon the examination I was making that at first my attention was not attracted by it, but on stepping on it a second time I looked down and saw something white, which I quickly picked up.

The instant I saw it I closed my hand and hid it from view.

Then I glanced furtively around, and seeing that my action had been unobserved I quickly transferred it to my vest pocket, covering the movement by taking out my watch to glance at it.

I confess that my heart beat quickly, and in all probability the colour at that moment had left my face, for I had, by sheer accident, discovered a clue.

To examine it there was impossible, for of such a character was it that I had no intention, as yet, to arouse the suspicions of the police. I intended at the earliest moment to apprise my friend, Ambler Jevons, of the facts and with him pursue an entirely independent inquiry.

Scarcely had I safely pocketed the little object I had picked up from where the murderer must have stood when the inspector went out upon the landing and called to the constable in the hall:

Four-sixty-two, lock that door and come up here a moment.

Yes, sir, answered a gruff voice from below, and in a few moments the constable entered, closing the door after him.

How many times have you passed this house on your beat to-night, four-sixty-two? inquired the inspector.

About eight, sir. My beats along the Richmond Road, from the Lion Gate down to the museum, and then around the back streets.

Saw nothing?

I saw a man come out of this house hurriedly, soon after I came on duty. I was standing on the opposite side, under the wall of the Gardens. The lady whats downstairs let him out and told him to fetch the doctor quickly.

Ah! Short, the servant, I observed.

Where is he? asked the inspector, while the detective with the ready note-book scribbled down the name.

He came to fetch me, and Miss Mivart has now sent him to fetch her sister. He was the first to make the discovery.

Oh, was he? exclaimed the detective-sergeant, with some suspicion. Its rather a pity that hes been sent out again. He might be able to tell us something.

Hell be back in an hour, I should think.

Yes, but every hour is of consequence in a matter of this sort, remarked the sergeant. Look here, Davidson, he added, turning to one of the plain-clothes men, just go round to the station and send a wire to the Yard, asking for extra assistance. Give them a brief outline of the case. Theyll probably send down Franks or Moreland. If Im not mistaken, theres a good deal more in this mystery than meets the eye.

The man addressed obeyed promptly, and left.

What do you know of the servants here? asked the inspector of the constable.

Not much, sir. Six-forty-eight walks out with the cook, Ive heard. Shes a respectable woman. Her fathers a lighterman at Kew Bridge. I know em all here by sight, of course. But theres nothing against them, to my knowledge, and Ive been a constable in this sub-division for eighteen years.

The man whats his name?  Short. Do you know him?

Yes, sir. Ive often seen him in the Star and Garter at Kew Bridge.

Drinks?

Not much, sir. He was fined over at Brentford six months ago for letting a dog go unmuzzled. His greatest friend is one of the gardeners at the Palace a man named Burford, a most respectable fellow.

Then theres no suspicion of anyone as yet? remarked the inspector, with an air of dissatisfaction. In criminal mysteries the police often bungle from the outset, and to me it appeared as though, having no clue, they were bent on manufacturing one.

I felt in my vest pocket and touched the little object with a feeling of secret satisfaction. How I longed to be alone for five minutes in order to investigate it!

The inspector, having dismissed the constable and sent him back to his post to unlock the door for the detective to pass out, next turned his attention to the servants and the remainder of the house. With that object we all descended to the dining-room.

Ethelwynn met us at the foot of the stairs, still wearing the shawl about her head and shoulders. She placed a trembling hand upon my arm as I passed, asking in a low anxious voice:

Have you found anything, Ralph? Tell me.

No, nothing, I replied, and then passed into the dining-room, where the nurse and domestics had been assembled.

The nurse, a plain matter-of-fact woman, was the first person to be questioned. She explained to us how she had given her patient his last dose of medicine at half-past eleven, just after Miss Mivart had wished her good-night and retired to her room. Previously she had been down in the drawing-room chatting with the young lady. The man Short was then upstairs with his master.

Was the deceased gentleman aware of his wifes absence? the inspector asked presently.

Yes. He remarked to me that it was time she returned. I presume that Short had told him.

What time was this?

Oh! about half-past ten, I should think, replied Nurse Kate. He said something about it being a bad night to go out to a theatre, and hoped she would not take cold.