At East's request (for my friend was a man of very great influence) the
police, beyond the unavoidable formalities, took no steps to apprehend
the murderer of Sir Jeffrey. East had a long interview with the dead
man's daughter, and, shortly afterwards, went off to London, leaving me
to my own devices.
The subject of the strange death of the baronet naturally engrossed
my attention to the exclusion of all else. Especially, my mind kept
reverting to the tracks which we had discovered leading from the dead
man's body into the coppice. I scarcely dared to follow my ideas to what
seemed to be their logical conclusion.
That the track was that, not of a child, but of an _ape_, I was now
convinced. No such track approached where the victim had lain; no track
of any kind, other than that of his own heavy footprints, led to the
spot ... but the track of an ape receded from it; and the baronet had
been carrying an ape (inanimate, certainly, according to all known
natural laws), which was missing when his body was found!
"These are the reflections of a madman!" I said aloud. "Am I seriously
considering the possibility of a blue porcelain monkey having come to
life? If so, since no other footprints have been discovered, I shall be
compelled, logically, to assume that the blue porcelain monkey strangled
Sir Jeffrey!"
My friend, East, attached very great importance to the missing curio;
this he had not disguised from me. But, beyond spending half an hour or
so among the trees of the coppice and around the margin of the Black
Gap, he had not to my knowledge essayed any quest for it.
Finding my thoughts at once unpleasant and unprofitable company, I
suddenly determined to make a call at The Warrens, in order to inquire
about the health of poor Miss Baird, and incidentally to learn if there
were any new development.
Off I set, and failed to repress a shudder, despite the blazing
sunlight, as I passed the gap and the spot where we had found the dead
man. A tropical shower in the early morning had quite obliterated the
mysterious tracks. Coming to The Warrens, I was shown into the fine old
library. That air of hush, so awesome and so significant, prevailed
throughout the house whose master lay dead above, and when presently Mr.
Damopolon entered, attired in black, he seemed to complete a picture
already sombre.
As East and I had several times remarked, he was a singularly handsome
man, and moreover, a very charming companion, widely travelled and
deeply versed in those subjects to which the late baronet had devoted so
many years of his life. I had always liked Damopolon, though, as a rule,
I am distrustful of his race; and now, seeing at a glance how hard the
death of Sir Jeffrey had hit him, I offered no unnecessary word of
condolence, but immediately turned the conversation upon Miss Baird.
"She has but just hurried off to London, doctor," he said, to my
surprise. "A telegram from the solicitors rendered her immediate
departure unavoidable."
"She has sustained this dreadful blow with exemplary fortitude," I
replied. "Are you sure she was strong enough for travel?"
"I myself escorted her to the station; and Mrs. Grierson, the late
baronet's sister, has accompanied her to London."
"By the way," I said, "whilst I remember--was Sir Jeffrey carrying a
cane at the time of his death?"
"He had with him a heavy ash stick, as usual, when we parted at
Sotheby's, doctor; but, of course, he may have left it there, as he had
a large parcel to take."
"Ah! that parcel! You can no doubt enlighten me, Mr. Damopolon? What,
roughly, were the dimensions of this Burmese idol?"
"The monkey? I don't think it was actually an idol, doctor; it was,
rather, a grotesque ornament. Oh, it was about the size of a small
Moorish ape, hollow, and weighing perhaps six or seven pounds."
"Was it upon a pedestal?"
"No. It was completely modelled, even to the soles of the feet and the
nails."
"Extraordinary!" I muttered. "Uncanny!"
Some little while longer I remained, and then set out, my doubts in no
measure cleared up, for the cottage. To my surprise--for I had no idea
that I had tarried so long--dusk was come. I will frankly confess it--I
experienced a thrill of supernatural dread at the thought that my path
led close beside Black Gap. However, it was a glorious evening, and I
should have plenty of light for my return journey. I walked briskly
across the moorpath toward the scene of the mysterious crime, hoping
that I should find East returned when I gained the cottage.
Perhaps in a wandering life I have known more thrilling moments than
some men; but never while memory serves shall I forget that, when,
coming abreast of the coppice, and glancing hurriedly into the shadow of
the trees ... I saw a crouching figure looking out at me!
Speech momentarily failed me; I stood rooted to the spot. Then:
"All right, old man!" I heard. "Shall be with you in a moment!"
It was East!
Fear changed to the wildest astonishment. Carrying a strange-looking
bundle, he came out and joined me on the path.
"Did I frighten you?"
"Is it necessary to ask!" I cried. "But--whatever were you doing there
by the Black Gap?"
"Fishing! Look what I have caught!"
He held up for my inspection the object which he carried, by means of
two loops of stout cord bound about it. It was a large china figure of
an ape!
"The blue monkey!" he snapped. "Come! I am going to The Warrens."