THE SECOND WARRANT
Davidge preserved a strict silence as he and Triffitt went down in the
elevator, but when they had reached the ground floor he took the
reporter's arm again, and as they crossed the entrance hall gave it a
significant squeeze.
"You'll see two or three rather heavy swells, some of 'em in evening
dress, hanging about the door," he murmured. "Look like residents,
coming in or going out, puffing their cigars and their cigarettes, eh?
They're my men--all of 'em! Take no notice--there'll be your friend
Carver outside--I gave him a hint. Join him, and hang about--you'll have
something to do a bit of newspaper copy about presently."
Triffitt, greatly mystified, joined Carver at the edge of the pavement
outside the wide entrance door. Glancing around him he saw several men
lounging about--two, of eminently military appearance, with evening
dress under their overcoats, stood chatting on the lower steps; two or
three others, all very prosperous looking, were talking close by. There
was nothing in their outward show to arouse suspicion--at any other
time, and under any other circumstances Triffitt would certainly have
taken them for residents of the Herapath Flats. Carver, however, winked
at him.
"Detectives," he said. "They've gathered here while you were upstairs.
What's up now, Triffitt? Heard anything?"
"Piles!" answered Triffitt. "Heaps! But I don't know what this is all
about. Some new departure. Hullo!--here's the secretary and the
Professor."
Cox-Raythwaite and Selwood just then appeared at the entrance door and
began to descend the steps. Davidge, who had stopped on the steps to
speak to a man, hailed and drew them aside.
"What has gone on up there?" asked Carver. "Anything really----"
Triffitt suddenly grasped his companion's shoulder, twisting him round
towards the door. His lips emitted a warning to silence; his eyes
signalled Carver to look.
Burchill came out of the doors, closely followed by Dimambro. Jauntily
swinging his walking-cane he began to descend, affecting utter
unconsciousness of the presence of Cox-Raythwaite, Selwood, and Davidge.
He passed close by the men in evening dress, brushing the sleeve of one.
And the man thus brushed turned quickly, and his companion turned
too--and then something happened that made the two reporters exclaim
joyfully and run up the steps.
"Gad!--that was quick--quick!" exclaimed Triffitt, with the delight of a
schoolboy. "Never saw the bracelets put on more neatly. Bully for you,
Davidge, old man!--got him this time, anyhow!"
Burchill, taken aback by the sudden onslaught of Davidge's satellites,
drew himself up indignantly and looked down at his bands, around the
wrists of which his captors had snapped a pair of handcuffs. He lifted a
face white with rage and passion and glanced at Cox-Raythwaite and
Selwood.
"Liars!" he hissed between his teeth. "You gave me safe conduct! It was
understood that I was to come and go without interference, you hounds!"
"Not with me, nor I should think with anybody, my lad," exclaimed
Davidge, bustling forward. "Not likely! You forget that you're under
arrest for the old charge yet, and though you'll get off for that, you
won't go scot-free, my friend! I've got a second warrant for you, and
the charge'll be read to you when you get to the station. You'll clear
yourself of the charge of murder, but not of t'other charge, I'm
thinking!"
"Second warrant! Another charge!" growled Burchill. "What charge?"
"I should think you know as well as I do," replied Davidge quietly.
"You're a bigger fool than I take you for if you don't. Conspiracy, of
course! It's a good thing to have two strings to one's bow, Mr. Frank
Burchill, in dealing with birds like you. This is my second string. Take
him off," he added, motioning to his men, "and get him searched, and put
everything carefully aside for me--especially a cheque for ten thousand
pounds which you'll find in one of his pockets."
When the detectives had hurried Burchill into a taxi-cab which suddenly
sprang into useful proximity to the excited group, Davidge spat on the
ground and made a face. He motioned Cox-Raythwaite, Selwood, and the
two reporters to go down the street; he himself turned to Dimambro. What
he said to that highly-excited gentleman they did not hear, but the
Italian presently walked off looking very crestfallen, while Davidge,
joining them, looked highly pleased with himself.
"Of course, you'll stop payment of that cheque at the bank first thing
tomorrow, gentlemen," he said. "Though that'll only be for form's sake,
because I shall take charge of it when I go round to the police-station
presently--they'll have got Burchill searched when I get there. Of
course, I wasn't going to say anything up there, but Mrs. Engledew has
been in with us at this, and she took Burchill and Dimambro in as
beautifully as ever I saw it done in my life! Clever woman, that! We
knew about her diamonds, gentlemen, within a few hours of the discovery
of the murder, and of course, I thought Barthorpe had got them; I did,
mistaken though I was! I didn't want anybody to know about those
diamonds, though, and I kept it all dark until these fellows came on the
scene. And, anyway, we didn't get the real culprit through the diamonds,
either!"
"That's what we want to know," said Selwood. "Have you got the real
culprit? Are you certain? And how on earth did you get him--a man that
none of us ever suspected!"
"Just so!" answered Davidge with a grim laugh. "As nice and quiet-mannered
a man as ever I entered as a candidate for the gallows! It's very often
the case, gentlemen. Oh, yes--it's true enough! He's confessed--crumpled
up like a bit of tissue paper when we took him--confessed everything to me
just before I came along here. Of course we didn't get him through anything
we've heard tonight; quite different line altogether, and a simple one."
"We should like to know about it," said Cox-Raythwaite. "Can't you give
us a mere outline?"
"I was going to," answered Davidge. "No secret about it. I may as well
tell you that after hearing what Barthorpe Herapath insisted on saying
before the magistrate, I began to feel that he was very likely telling
the truth, and that somebody'd murdered and robbed his uncle just before
he got to the offices. But, of course, there was nothing to connect the
murder and robbery with any person that I knew of. Well, now then, this
is how we got on the track. Only two or three days ago a little, quiet
man, who turned out to be a bit of a property-owner down at Fulham, came
to me and said that ever since Mr. Jacob Herapath's murder he'd been
what he called studying over it, and he thought he ought to tell me
something. He said he was a very slow thinker, and it had taken him a
long time to think all this out. Then he told me his tale. He said that
for some time Jacob Herapath had been waiting to buy a certain bit of
land which he had to sell. On November 12th last he called to see Jacob
at these offices, and they agreed on the matter, price to be L5,000.
Jacob told him to come in at ten o'clock next morning, and in accordance
with his usual way of doing business, he'd hand him the money in
cash--notes, of course. Well, the chap called next morning, only to hear
of what had happened, and so his business had fallen through. And it
wasn't until some time later--he's a bit of a slow-witted fellow,
dullish of brain, you understand," continued Davidge indulgently, "that
he remembered a certain conversation, or rather a remark which Jacob
Herapath made during that deal. This man, James Frankton, the manager,
was present when the deal was being effected, and when they'd concluded
terms, Jacob said, turning to Frankton. 'I'll get the money in notes
from the bank this afternoon, Frankton, and if I don't give it to you in
the meantime, you'll find the notes in the top left-hand drawer of my
desk tomorrow morning.' Well, that was what the man told me; said he'd
been bothering his brains in wondering if Jacob did draw that money, and
so on--Frankton, of course, had told him that he knew nothing about it,
and that as Jacob was dead, no more could be done in the matter. Now on
that, I at once began some inquiries. I found out a thing or two--never
mind what--one was to trace a hundred pound note which Frankton had
cashed recently. I found, only yesterday morning, that that note was one
of fifty similar notes paid to Jacob Herapath by his bankers in exchange
for his own cheque on the afternoon of November 12th. And, on that, I
had Frankton watched all yesterday, last night, and today, and as I
said, I arrested him tonight--and, in all my experience I never saw a
man more surprised, and never knew one who so lost his nerve."
"And his confession?" asked Selwood.
"Oh! ordinary," answered Davidge. "Jacob had made an appointment with
him for half-past eleven or so. Got there a bit late, found his master
sitting at his desk with a wad of bank notes on the blotting-pad, a
paper of pearls on one side of him, a lot of diamond ornaments at the
other--big temptation to a chap, who, as it turns out, was hard up, and
had got into the hands of money-lenders. And, oh, just the ordinary
thing in such cases, happened to have on him a revolver that he'd bought
abroad, yielded to temptation, shot his man, took money and valuables,
went home, and turned up at the office next day to lift his hands in
horror at the dreadful news. You see what truth is, gentlemen, when you
get at it--just a common, vulgar murder, for the sake of robbery. And
he'll swing!"
"'Just a common, vulgar murder, and he'll swing!'" softly repeated
Cox-Raythwaite, as he and Selwood walked up the steps of the house in
Portman Square half an hour later. "Well, that's solved, anyway. As for
the other two----"
"I suppose there's no doubt of their guilt with respect to their
conspiring to upset the will?" said Selwood. "And that's a serious
offence, isn't it?"
"In this eminently commercial country, very," answered Cox-Raythwaite,
sententiously. "Barthorpe and Burchill will inevitably retire to the
shelter of a convict establishment for awhile. Um! Well, my boy, good
night!"
"Not coming in?" asked Selwood, as he put a key in the latch.
The Professor gave his companion's shoulder a pressure of his big hand.
"I think," he said, turning down the steps with a shy laugh, "I think
Peggie will prefer to receive you--alone."
THE END
_THE MYSTERY STORIES OF_
_J . S . F L E T C H E R_
"_We always feel as though we were really spreading happiness when we
can announce a genuinely satisfactory mystery story, such as J. S.
Fletcher's new one._"--N. P. D. in the New York Globe.
THE MIDDLE TEMPLE MURDER [1918]
"Unquestionably, _the_ detective story of the season and, therefore, one
which no lover of detective fiction should miss."--_The Broadside._
THE TALLEYRAND MAXIM [1920]
"A crackerjack mystery tale; the story of Linford Pratt, who earnestly
desired to get on in life, by hook or by crook--with no objection
whatever to crookedness, so long at it could be performed in safety and
secrecy."--_Knickerbocker Press._
THE PARADISE MYSTERY [1920]
"As a weaver of detective tales Mr. Fletcher is entitled to a seat among
the elect. His numerous followers will find his latest book fully as
absorbing as anything from his pen that has previously appeared."--_New
York Times._
DEAD MEN'S MONEY [1920]
"The story is one that holds the reader with more than the mere interest
of sensational events; Mr. Fletcher writes in a notable style."--_Newark
Evening News._
THE ORANGE-YELLOW DIAMOND [1921]
". . . A rattling good yarn. . . . An uncommonly well written tale."--_New
York Times._
THE CHESTERMARKE INSTINCT [1921]
"Mr. Fletcher is a master of plot. . . . To tell a story as well as this
is a literary achievement."--_Boston Transcript._
THE BOROUGH TREASURER [1921]
"As mystifying a tale as even Mr. Fletcher himself has written."--_New
York Times._
THE HERAPATH PROPERTY [1921]
Numerous complications lead from the murder of Jacob Herapath and the
search for his will.
SCARHAVEN KEEP [1922]
The mystery of the disappearance of Bassett Oliver, famous actor.
RAVENSDENE COURT [1922]
Two men are struck down by an unseen hand, at the same time in widely
separated places--who killed them?
_$2.00 net each at all booksellers or from the Publisher_
ALFRED A. KNOPF, New York.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
The advertisement "The Mystery Stories of J. S. Fletcher" has been moved
from the front of the book to the back.
Spacing around ellipses and em-dashes is as in the original.
The following corrections have been applied:
Advertisement: "As mystifying{original had mystifyng} a tale as
even Mr. Fletcher himself has written."
Page vi: XXIV{original had XIV} COLD STEEL
Page 18: but when she had left the room to make ready for the
drive Mr.{original omitted period} Tertius turned to Selwood.
Page 66: the detective, armed with a magnifying glass, was
examining the edges of the door, the smooth backs of chairs,
even the surface of the desk, presumably for
finger-marks{original had fingermarks}.
Page 72: "Mr. Selwood!" she exclaimed imploringly. "You--I
can't.{The original text has no em-dash, and it's not clear what
the author's intention was.} You open it, and--"
Page 85: "Pardon," interrupted Burchill, "a{original had A}
holograph?
Page 128: And it was as well that he was not looking{original
had look-} at Triffitt
Page 160: perhaps you'll{original had you'l} drop me a line and
make an appointment at your office some day--then I'll call,
d'you see?"{original omitted closing quotation mark}
Page 166: "So long as justice is done," remarked
Peggie.{original omitted period}
Page 178: There were peculiarities about the fellow, said
Triffitt{original had Triffit}, which you couldn't forget
Page 186: "All right," said Triffitt, "keep{original had Keep} a
still tongue as regards me
Page 186: {original had a quotation mark here}Outside Triffitt
gave his companion's arm a confidential squeeze.
Page 187: Markledew{original had Markledek} listened to
Triffitt's story next day in his usual rapt silence.
Page 196: "Then we'll get to work," said Davidge. "{original
omitted quotation mark}Mr. Triffitt, I can't ask you to come
with us
Page 201: "I haven't{original had haven'} the least objection
to Cox-Raythwaite's presence, nor yours," said Barthorpe.
Page 211: Peggie Wynne, who during Barthorpe's last speech had
manifested signs of a desire to speak, and had begun to produce
a sealed packet from her muff.{original had a superfluous
quotation mark here}
Page 214: as they{original had ast hey} went on, quietly rose
from his chair.
Page 218: Is it not probable that if he wanted to make a will
he{original had be} would have employed me
Page 273: Peggie{original had Peggy} Wynne had never been so
glad of anything in her life as for Selwood's immediate presence
at that moment
Page 287: You follow me? As soon as I've taken action, or run
him to earth, I'll ring up Scotland Yard, and{original had an}
then----"
Page 293: "Nine o'clock," he remarked. "{original omitted this
quotation mark}Come on--we'll go in. Now, then, Mr. Triffitt,"
he continued,
The following unusual spellings are as printed:
Page 143: He flung Markledew's half-sheet of notepaper before
the news editor, and the news editor, seeing the great man's
sprawling caligraphy{sic}, read, wonderingly:--
The following words appear with and without a hyphen. They have been
left as in the original.
bank-notes/banknotes
business-like/businesslike
hearth-rug/hearthrug
note-book/notebook
note-paper/notepaper
parlour-maid/parlourmaid