the bittermeads mystery-第33部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him　pack　them；　and　I　took　them　away　the　night　Mr。　Dunsmore　came　and
gave　them　to　a　man　wearing　a　mask。　　My　stepfather　said　it　was　just　a
secret　family　matter　he　was　helping　some　friends　in；　and　later　on　I
saw　the　same　man　in　the　woods　near　here　one　day　…　the　day　Mr。　Clive
was　killed　by　the　poachers　…　and　when　he　came　another　time　to　the
house　I　thought　I　must　try　to　find　out　what　he　wanted。　　I　listened
while　they　talked　and　they　said　such　strange　things　I　made　up　my
mind　to　try　to　warn　Mr。　Dunsmore；　for　I　was　sure　there　was　something
they　were　plotting。〃

〃There　was　indeed；〃　said　Rupert　grimly。　　〃And　but　for　that　warning
you　sent　me　they　would　have　succeeded。〃

〃Somehow　they　found　out　what　I　had　done；〃　Ella　continued。　　〃As　soon
as　I　got　back　he　kept　looking　at　me　so　strangely。　　I　was　afraid　…　I
had　been　afraid　a　long　time；　for　that　matter　…　but　I　tried　not　to
show　it。　　In　the　afternoon　he　told　me　to　go　up　to　the　attic。　　He
said　he　wanted　me　to　help　him　pack　some　silver。　　It　was　the　same
silver　I　had　packed　before；　for　some　reason　he　had　got　it　back　again。
This　time　I　had　to　pack　it　in　the　little　boxes；　and　after　I　had
finished　I　waited　up　there　till　suddenly　he　ran　in　very　quickly
and　looking　very　excited。　　He　said　I　had　betrayed　them；　and　should
suffer　for　it；　and　he　took　some　rope　and　he　tied　me　as　tightly　as
he　could；　and　tied　a　great　handkerchief　over　my　mouth；　and　pushed
me　inside　the　wardrobe　and　locked　it。　　I　think　he　would　have
killed　me　then　only　he　was　afraid　of　Mr。　Dunsmore；　and　very　anxious
to　know　what　had　happened；　and　why　Mr。　Dunsmore　had　come　home；　and
if　there　was　any　danger。　　And　I　was　a　long　time　there；　and　I　heard
a　great　noise；　and　then　Mr。　Dunsmore　opened　the　door　and　took　me　out。〃



CHAPTER　XXXI

CONCLUSION


Three　months　had　passed；　and　in　a　quiet　little　cottage　on　the
outskirts　of　a　small　country　town；　situated　in　one　of　the　most
beautiful　and　peaceful　vales　of　the　south…west　country；　Ella　was
slowly　recovering　from　the　shock　of　the　dreadful　experiences
through　which　she　had　passed。

She　had　been　ill　for　some　weeks；　but　her　mother；　fussily
incompetent　at　most　times；　was　always　at　her　best　when　sickness
came；　and　she　had　nursed　her　daughter　devotedly　and　successfully。

As　soon　as　possible　they　had　come　to　this　quiet　little　place　where
people；　busy　with　their　own　affairs　and　the　important　progress　of
the　town；　had　scarcely　heard　of　what　the　newspapers　of　the　day
called　〃The　Great　Chobham　Sensation。〃

But；　in　fact；　very　much　to　Rupert's　relief；　comparatively　little
had　been　made　known　publicly；　and　the　whole　affair　had　attracted
wonderfully　little　attention。

The　one　public　proceeding　had　been　the　inquest　of　Deede　Dawson；　and
that　the　coroner；　at　the　request　of　the　police　eagerly　searching　for
Walter　Dunsmore；　had　made　as　brief　and　formal　as　possible。　　Under　his
direction　the　jury　had　returned　a　verdict　of　〃justifiable　homicide；〃
and　Ella's　illness　had　had　at　least　one　good　result　of　making　it
impossible　for　her　to　attend　to　give　her　evidence　in　person。

At　a　trial；　of　course；　everything　would　have　had　to　be　told　in　full；
but　both　Allen；　Deede　Dawson's　accomplice；　and　Walter　Dunsmore；　his
instigator　and　employer；　had　vanished　utterly。

For　Walter　the　search　was　very　hot；　but　so　far　entirely　without
result。　　Now　could　Allen　be　found。　　He　was　identified　with　a　fair
degree　of　certainty　as　an　old　criminal　well　known　to　the　authorities；
and　it　was　thought　almost　certain　that　he　had　had　previous　dealings
with　Deede　Dawson；　and　knew　enough　about　him　to　be　able　to　force
himself　into　Bittermeads。

Of　the　actual　plot　in　operation　there　he　most　likely　knew　little
or　nothing；　but　probably　Deede　Dawson　thought　he　might　be　useful；
and　the　store　of　silver　found　in　the　attic　that　Ella　had　been
employed　in　packing　ready　for　removal　was　identified　as　part　of
the　plunder　from　a　recent　burglary　in　a　northern　town。

It　was　thought；　therefore；　that　both　Allen　and　Deede　Dawson　might
have　been　concerned　in　that　affair；　that　Deede　Dawson　had　managed
to　secure　the　greater　share　of　the　booty；　and　that　Allen；　on　the
night　when　Rupert　found　him　breaking　into　Bittermeads；　was
endeavouring　to　get　hold　of　the　silver　for　himself。

But　the　actual　facts　are　not　likely　now　ever　to　be　known；　for　from
that　day　to　this　nothing　has　been　heard　of　Allen。　　His　old　haunts
know　him　no　more；　and　to　his　record；　carefully　preserved　at　Scotland
Yard；　there　have　been　no　recent　additions。

One　theory　is　that　Deede　Dawson；　finding　him　troublesome；　took
effectual　steps　to　dispose　of　him。　　Another　is　that　Deede　Dawson
got　him　away　by　either　bribes　or　threats；　and　that；　not　knowing
of　Deede　Dawson's　death；　he　does　not　venture　to　return。

In　any　case；　he　was　a　commonplace　criminal；　and　his　fate　is　of
little　interest　to　any　one　but　himself。

It　was　Walter　for　whom　the　police　hunted　with　diligence　and　effort；
but　with　a　total　lack　of　success；　so　that　they　began　to　think　at
the　end　of　three　months　that　he　must　somehow　have　succeeded　in
making　his　way　out　of　the　country。

During　the　first　portion　of　this　time　Rupert　had　been　very　busy
with　a　great　many　things　that　needed　his　attention。　　And　then　Lord
Chobham；　his　health　affected　by　the　crimes　and　treachery　of　a
kinsman　whom　he　had　known　and　trusted　as　he　had　known　and　trusted
Walter；　was　attacked　by　acute　bronchitis　which　affected　his　heart
and　carried　him　off　within　the　week。　　The　title　and　estates　passed；
therefore；　to　General　Dunsmore；　and　Rupert　became　the　Honourable
Rupert　Dunsmore　and　the　direct　heir。　　All　this　meant　for　him　a　great
deal　more　to　see　to　and　arrange；　for　the　health　of　the　new　Lord
Chobham　had　also　been　affected　and　he　left　practically　everything
in　his　son's　hands；　so　that；　except　for　the　letters　which　came
regularly　but　had　been　often　written　in　great　haste；　Ella　knew　and
heard　little　of　Rupert。

But　today　he　was　to　come；　for　everything　was　finally　in　order；　and；
though　this　she　did　not　know　till　later；　Walter　Dunsmore　had　at
last　been　discovered；　dead　from　poison　self…administered；　in　a
wretched　lodging　in　an　East　End　slum。　　　Rupert　had　been　called　to
identify　the　body　and　he　had　been　able　to　arrange　it　so　that　very
little　was　said　at　the　inquest；　where　the　customary　verdict　of
〃Suicide　during　temporary　insanity〃　was　duly　returned　by　a　quite
uninterested　jury。

That　the　last　had　been　heard　of　the　tragedy　that　had　so　nearly
overwhelmed　his　life；　Rupert　was　able　now　to　feel　fairly　well
assured；　and　it　was　therefore　in　a　mood　more　cheerful　than　he　had
known　of　late　that　he　started　on　his　journey　to　Ella's　new　residence。

He　had　sent　a　wire　to　confirm　his　letter；　and　it　was　in　a　mood　that
was　more　than　a　little　nervous　that　she　busied　herself　with　her
preparations。

She　chose　her　very　simplest　gown；　and　when　there　was　absolutely
nothing　more　to　do　she　went　into　their　little　sitting…room　to
wait　alone　by　the　fire　she　had　built　up　there；　for　it　was　winter
now　and　today　was　cold　and　inclined　to　be　stormy。

Rupert　had　not　said　exactly　when　she　was　to　expect　him；　and　she　sat
for　a　long　time　by　the　fire；　starting　at　every　sound　and　imagining
at　every　moment　that　she　heard　the　front…door　bell　ring。

〃I　shall　not　let　him　feel　himself　bound；〃　she　said　to　herself　with
great　decision。　　〃I　shall　tell　him　I　hope　we　shall　always　be　friends
but　that's　all；　and　if　he　wants　anything　more；　I　shall　say　No。　　But
most　likely　he　won't　say　a　word　about　all　that　nonsense；　it　would
be　silly　to　take　seriously　what　he　said　…　there。〃

To　Ella；　now；　Bittermeads　was　always　〃there；〃　and　though　she　told
herself　several　times　that　probably　Rupert　had　not　the　least　idea
of　repeating　what　he　had　said　to　her　…　there　…　and　that　most　likely
he　was　coming　today　merely　to　make　a　friendly　call；　and　that　it
would　never　do　for　either　of　them　to　think　again　of　what　they　had
said　when　they　were　both　so　excited　and　overwrought；　yet　in　her
heart　she　knew　a　great　deal　better　than　all　that。

But　she　said　to　herself　very　often：
　
〃Anyhow；　I　shall　certainly　refuse　him。〃

And　on　this　point　her　mind　was　irrevocably　made　up　since；　after　all；
whether　Rupert　would　accept　refusal　or　not　would　still　remain
entirely　for　him　to　decide。

At　half…past　three　she　heard　the　garden…gate　creak；　and　when　she
ran　to　the　window　to　peep；　she　saw　with　a　kind　of　chill　surprise
that　there　was　a　stranger　coming　through。

〃Some　one　he's　sent；〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃He　doesn't　want　to
come　himself　and　so　he　has　sent　some　one　else　instead。　　I　am　glad。〃

Having　said　this　and　repeated　again　the　last　three　words；　and　having
gulped　down　a　sob　…　presumably　of　joy　…　that　unexpectedly　fluttered
into　her　throat；　she　went　quickly　to　open　the　door。

The　newly…arrived　stranger　smiled　at　her　as　she　showed　herself　but
did　not　speak。　　He　was　a　man　of　middle　height；　quite　young；　and
wrapped　in　a　big；　loose　overcoat　that　very　completely　hid　his　figure。
His　face；　clean…shaven；　showed　clear；　strongly…marked　well…shaped
features　with　a　firm　mouth　round　which　at　this　moment　played　a　very
gentle　and　winning　smile；　a　square…cut　chin；　and　extremely　bright；
clear　kindly　eyes　that　were　just　now　smiling　too。

When　he　took　off　his　hat　she　saw　that　his　hair　was　cut　rather
closely；　and　very　neatly　brushed　and　combed；　and　she　found　his
smile　so　compelling　and　so　winning　that　in　spite　of　her
disappointment　she　found　herself　returning　it。

It　occurred　to　her　that　she　had　some　time　or　another　seen　some　one
like　this　stranger；　but　when　or　where　she　could　not　imagine。

Still　he　did　not　speak；　but　his　eyes　were　very　tender　and　kind　as
they　rested　on　her　so　that　she　wondered　a　little。

〃Yes？〃　she　said　inquiringly。　　〃Yes？〃

〃Don't　you　know　me；。　　Ella？〃　he　said　then；　very　softly；　and　in　a
voice　that　she　recognized　instantly。

〃Is　it　you　…　you？〃　she　breathed。

Instinctively　she　lifted　her　hands　to　greet　him；　and　at　once　she
found　herself　caught　up　and　held；　pressed　passionately　to　his
strongly…beating　heart。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　***

An　hour　later；　by　the　fire　in　the　sitting…room；　Ella　suddenly
remembered　tea。

〃Good　gracious！　　You　must　be　starving；〃　she　cried；　smitten　with
remorse。　　〃And　there's　poor　mo