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"L19,000"
"L19,000"
* * * * *
By BURFORD DELANNOY
* * * * *
_Author of "The Garden Court Murder"
"The Missing Cyclist" Etc. Etc._
* * * * *
[Illustration]
* * * * *
R. F. FENNO & COMPANY
9 and 11 East Sixteenth Street, New York
* * * * *
WARD LOCK & COMPANY, LONDON
Copyright, 1900, by
R. F. FENNO & COMPANY
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE DENTIST'S IN FINSBURY SQUARE 7
II. WHAT WAS FOUND ON THE BODY 16
III. ON BOARD THE AMERICAN LINER 23
IV. THE CITY LAWYER AND THE CLIENT FROM THE WILD AND
WOOLY WEST 30
V. BETWEEN LIVERPOOL AND QUEENSTOWN 38
VI. MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS 45
VII. THE NUMBERS OF THE MISSING NOTES 52
VIII. THE SEALED UP CABIN 61
IX. A WAITING WIFE'S DISCOVERY 68
X. HOW THE DEVIL TEMPTED HIM 76
XI. A LIFE FOR A LIFE 83
XII. FATHER AND CHILD--THE OLD STORY 91
XIII. LOVERS--MORE OF THE OLD STORY 98
XIV. THE METHOD IN SUSAN TODD'S MADNESS 105
XV. BOUND TO THE WHEEL 113
XVI. SUSAN TODD SEES A GHOST 120
XVII. A SICK BED CONFESSION 126
XVIII. A WIFE FOR REWARD 133
XIX. GERALD PUTS HIS NOSE TO THE TRAIL 140
XX. INSIDE THE LAWYER'S OFFICE 148
XXI. THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S ART AND ARTFULNESS 156
XXII. THE HANDCUFFS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART 163
XXIII. AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DENTIST 171
XXIV. AN AMATEUR CARPENTER 178
XXV. A WOULD-BE SUICIDE 181
XXVI. GERALD WALKS INTO THE TRAP 195
XXVII. PECULIAR MESSENGERS 203
XXVIII. A PISTOL AND AN OPEN GRAVE 211
XXIX. THE NEXT MOVE IN THE GAME 218
XXX. AT THE DENTIST'S 226
XXXI. MOON BLINDNESS 234
XXXII. THE LOVERS MEET 241
XXXIII. THIEF! 249
XXXIV. A THEATRICAL MAKE-UP 254
XXXV. NOT A MAN TO STICK AT TRIFLES 262
XXXVI. ONCE MORE ON THE TRACK 270
XXXVII. THE LAWYER LIFTED INTO ANOTHER SPHERE 277
XXXVIII. MRS. DEPEW HOLDS THE REINS 284
XXXIX. MRS. DEPEW HAS THINGS HER OWN WAY 290
CHAPTER I
THE DENTIST'S IN FINSBURY SQUARE
The gong fixed in the door frame sounded.
A man entered as Sawyer hurriedly ceased a perusal of the pages of the
_Boys of the World_, and stuffed that sample of the literature of young
England up his page's jacket.
"Is the boss in?"
"Yes, sir."
"I want a tooth out."
"Yes, sir. Will you take a seat a moment?"
The boy handed the visitor a newspaper as he spoke, and then entered the
inner room. To his employer he said:
"Gent wants a tooth extracted, sir."
He had attained the word "extracted" by diligent practice. It had been
hard work, but he got home with it at last.
There was a hope prevailing in the dentist's breast that in time the boy
would be able to say "gentleman"; at present there were no indications
of the realization of that hope beyond the word's first syllable.
The dentist was wearily glancing out of the window. He looked very down
in the mouth.
That is said of him metaphorically, as, actually, it is part of the
business of a dentist to do that sort of thing. That is patent.
He had little to do but admire the scenery of Finsbury Circus. It is not
an inspiring landscape--weariness naturally follows its frequent
observation.
His brother had rooms a few doors away, and was the proprietor of a
brass plate which bore four letters after his name--Arthur Lennox,
M.R.C.S.
Sawyer was a divided possession. However impossible it may seem for a
man to serve two masters, the boy did--it came cheaper that way.
The surgeon and dentist were not having good times.
Patience is necessary in waiting for patients, and the stock of it they
had laid in when they started in their respective practices was nearly
exhausted.
Overdue rent and unpaid bills stared them in the face. In addition to
their kinship they were brothers in misfortune.
It was such a rare thing for a patient to call that, when the page
announced one, the dentist quite started. Immediately he said:
"Show him in."
The boy did so, and retired. To his visitor, the dentist said:
"Good-morning."
"Good-morning. You are Mr. Charles Lennox?"
There was just that twang about the speaker's voice which some persons
find so "charming"--and others tip their noses at--American.
"That is my name."
"I saw it up on the wire blind with the word 'dentist' after it."
"You need dental attention?"
"I need a tooth out."
"Will you sit down here?"
"Say! Hold on a minute. There's another combination on your blind.
'Painless Dentistry.'"
"Yes."
"I want to sample that kind."
"You mean--gas?"
"I mean the kind where you yank the tooth out without the owner knowing
it. I've heard that it's done that way."
"Oh, yes, very frequently."
"Then fire away, boss."
"I shall have to ask you to wait a minute or two."
"What for?"
"I must send for a medical man to administer the gas."
"Can't do it yourself?"
"No, it is not usual."
"Will it be long?"
"No, my anaesthetist is but a few doors away."
"All right, then."
"It is proper that I should mention that for the administration of gas
an extra fee is charged."
"How do you mean?"
"The charge is half a guinea extra."
"Fifteen and six in all?"
"Yes."
"That's all right. If it really comes out without my knowing it, I
shan't ask for my change out of a sovereign. Money's no object with me
just now."
The dentist looked his opinion of the speaker, and, opening the
communication doors, called the boy.
"Run in to Mr. Arthur, and ask him if he will come in--gas patient
waiting."
The boy ran in--and remained in Mr. Arthur Lennox' rooms, minding them
while the surgeon went to help his brother.
As he entered the dentist's sanctum, the man who had been sent for said:
"Good-morning."
"Good-morning; are you the pain killer?"
"That is my present mission," replied the surgeon, with a smile, as he
drew out the rubber gas bag, and prepared the apparatus.
"What happens after I'm loaded? Sort of balloon business, this. How long
do I stay gassed up?"
"But a minute, and during that minute the tooth is extracted."
"Sure it don't hurt?"
"Not at all--take my word for it. You are conscious, perhaps, of what is
being done, but you will experience no pain."
"All right, then. It's warm in here; do you mind me taking off my coat,
mister?"
"Not at all."
"I've been walking around pretty much all to-day winding things up."
"Ah!"
Politeness induced the surgeon to utter that exclamation; he was wholly
uninterested. He wondered why patients should be so communicative.
"Yes; I'm off back to the States to-morrow. I have been round to Eldon
Street about my passage, and as I walked into Finsbury Circus, blest if
this tooth didn't come on aching a treat. I didn't reckon on any
dentist being aboard the boat, so, when I saw your sign, I popped right
in."
"And now, if you will sit here.... So. That's it."
"Hullo! what's that?"
"Don't be nervous--just the gas. Imagine you are going to sleep. That is
it.... There you are; Charley, he's gone under."
The surgeon walked aside, the dentist took his place, and, instrument in
hand, quickly operated.
As he put the forceps down, and picked up a glass of water, he suddenly
cried:
"Arthur! what's wrong? Arthur, quick!"
The surgeon was at the window, drumming with his finger-tips on the
panes. He turned round hurriedly when he was addressed and inquired:
"What's the matter?"
But he needed no verbal answer. A look at the patient's face told him
much.
He clawed up a towel, and putting it beneath the chin, snatched the
glass of water the dentist was holding, and dashed it on the livid,
colorless face.... It had no effect.
He threw the glass and towel down, and felt the pulse, tore open the
man's vest, and applied his stethoscope; seized the body, laid it on the
floor, and on his knees was astride it.
"Brandy," he said, as he started in his muscular endeavor to restore
animation.
His brother brought brandy, and poured some between the unconscious
man's lips.
"My case is in the bag, Charley," said the surgeon, as he continued his
efforts to pump air into the man's lungs. "Fill the hypo-syringe with
brandy."
The dentist did so, and handed it to his brother.
The injection had no effect. Once more the manual exercise was
tried--tried for nearly half an hour.
The dentist wore a very white face as he watched what was being
done--the exercise kept the color in the surgeon's.
But when presently the latter rose to his feet and wiped the
perspiration from his brow with his handkerchief, the hue of his face
was in close competition with his brother's.
"Lock the outer door, Charley," he said, hoarsely.
The dentist did so without a word, but with a shaking hand. When he
returned, the surgeon was drinking neat brandy.
And when he had finished drinking, he poured out more, and handed the
glass to his brother.
The dentist looked his inquiry. The surgeon answered it:
"Yes. Dead. This happens about once in five thousand cases. Our luck, I
suppose, our luck still helping us."
He said this very bitterly, as they stood looking down at the body.
Presently the dentist inquired:
"What is to be done?"
The other shook his head by way of reply.
Again the dentist broke the silence.
"Shall we send for the police?"
"What good will that do?"
"It is the usual thing, is it----"
"Usual! The whole thing is unusual. The police spells for us ruin. A
thing of this sort gets into the papers, and we might as well put up the
shutters at once."
"Can we avoid----?"
"We must. Let me think--yes."
"You have thought of something?"
"Plain and ordinary enough. It did not want much thinking about."
"What is it?"
"Finsbury Circus is deserted at night?"
"Yes."
"Wait till then. Then throw the body over the rails into the Circus
garden. Let the police find it there."
"Horrible!"
"Why? The man's dead. The police have to find the body. What can it
matter whether it is found in these rooms or the open air? It can't hurt
the dead man to be found there. It will certainly hurt us if he is found
here."
"That's so."
There was no help for it. Their exchequer was low enough down as it
was--they must prevent the happening of anything which would reduce it
still lower.
They had no belief in the proverb that when things were at their worst
they would mend--because their condition was as bad as it very well
could be, and there was an utter absence of any sign of a mend about
it.