MRS. VAND'S REPENTANCE
Afterwards, Cyril, when questioned, could never clearly recollect what
took place. Vand's oar had missed his head, but had struck his right
shoulder with considerable force, so that his revolver shot had gone
wide of its intended mark. When Bella shut off the beam--and Cyril
wondered at the time why she did so--everything was dark and confused.
What with the gloom, the rain and curses from Vand and Durgo, who were
struggling in the water, and the shrieks of Mrs. Tunks, added to those
of the half-drowned woman, Cyril felt his head whirl; also the blow from
the oar had confused him, and he became sick and faint for the moment.
Granny Tunks with commendable forethought had brought out a bullseye
lantern, which she must have stolen from some policeman. Flashing this
on to the water-way, its light revealed Durgo and the cripple locked in
a deadly embrace, and Mrs. Vand clinging to the bank with one hand while
she clutched her shawl with the other. Cyril thereupon plunged down the
incline and dragged the wretched woman out. Thinking she was about to be
arrested she fought like a wild cat, and would have forced the
half-dazed young man into the water again, but that Mrs. Tunks brought a
chunk of wood with considerable force down on her head.
"What the devil did you do that for?" gasped Cyril furiously; "you've
killed her, you old fool!"
"What do I care, deary?" cried Granny shrilly. "I'd kill them both if I
could, for the master wants them killed, curse them both!" and she
tottered down to the boundary channel, while Cyril carried the inanimate
form of Mrs. Vand into the hut. Here he laid her on the floor, and
hastily bidding the Romany girl attend her, hurried out again.
"They're dead, both of them! Oh, the master's dead!" yelled Granny
Tunks.
With the lantern raised she stood on the bank peering into the water,
but there was scarcely enough light to see what was taking place. All
sounds had ceased, however, and only the drench of the rain could be
heard. But even as Granny spoke, the Romany girl, anxious to see what
was taking place, darted out of the cottage with a kind of torch,
consisting of tow at the end of a stick steeped in kerosene. This flared
redly and flung a crimson glare on the water-ways, and flung also its
scarlet light on the bodies of Durgo and the Cripple. These lay half-in
and half-out of the water, fast locked together in a death grip. There
was no wound apparent on either body, so Cyril conjectured that in the
struggle both had been drowned. Durgo's mighty arms were clasped tightly
around the slender body of the cripple, but Vand's lean hands were
clutching the negro's throat with fierce resolution. Both were quite
dead, and even in death Cyril, although he tried, could not drag them
apart. That so delicate a man as Vand could have contrived to drown the
powerful negro seemed incredible to Cyril: but he soon saw that to kill
Durgo the cripple had been willing to sacrifice himself. Probably he had
dragged Durgo under water, and having a grip on the man's throat had
squeezed the life out of him with a madman's despairing force. The weak
had confounded the strong on this occasion in a most pronounced manner.
Meanwhile, Granny Tunks was bewailing the loss of her master, and the
sharp-featured Romany girl echoed her cries. The screams of both brought
out Luke, who appeared at the fire-lighted door of the hut looking much
better than Cyril expected him to be, seeing how severe had been his
last illness. He had something in his hands, and in the flaring light of
the torch Lister saw that it was a somewhat small black bag. In a moment
the young man guessed that Luke Tunks had been robbing the unconscious
Mrs. Vand, as he remembered that she had kept a close grip of something
under her shawl even while she was struggling with him.
"The jewels!" cried Cyril, too excited to be cautious, and leaped for
the gipsy. "Give me the jewels."
"They're mine, blast you!" growled Luke, trying to evade him. "Missus
gave 'em to me. Leave me alone. Granny, help me!"
Mrs. Tunks ran to the rescue, for the mention of jewels stirred her
avaricious blood like the call of a trumpet. But already Cyril had
plucked the black bag from the still weak gipsy, and Luke was not strong
enough yet to make a fight for it. Aided vigorously by the Romany girl,
the old woman would have closed in, but that a shout from the opposite
bank made all turn. A dozen bullseyes were flashing over the stream.
Cyril, gripping the bag, dashed the woman and the man aside and sprang
to the verge of the channel.
"Is that you, Inspector Inglis?" he shouted.
"Yes; who are you?" came the sharp official tones.
"Cyril Lister. Come over yourself, or send some men. Vand and Durgo, the
negro, are dead."
There was a confused muttering of surprise amongst the constables. Then
came Inglis's clean-cut speech. "We heard a shot. Is----"
"No. Durgo struggled with Vand in the water-way, and they were both
drowned. These gipsies here are making trouble, and Mrs. Vand is
unconscious in the hut. Come across and take charge."
"How the devil can we get across here?" demanded Inglis. "It's twenty
feet of water. Here you men, go round by the bridge."
"It's broken down," yelled Cyril.
"Who broke it?"
"Durgo. Let go, you old devil!" and Cyril swung Granny Tunks aside. The
woman was still trying to clutch the jewels. "Inglis, you'll have to
swim across. There's no other way."
No sooner had Lister suggested this expedient than Inglis obeyed it with
the promptitude of an Englishman. Several heavy bodies were heard
plunging into the water, and the bullseye lanterns were seen approaching
like moving glow-worms as their swimming owners held them above their
several heads. Had Granny Tunks been strong enough she would have
attempted to prevent the landing of this hostile force; but Luke was
useless and the Romany girl still more so. All she could do was to enter
the fortress of her hut and bar the door, which she accordingly did,
while Luke, mindful that he might be arrested for the murders as an
accomplice after the fact, slunk hastily into the standing corn. Shortly
Cyril was shaking hands with a dripping police inspector, and surrounded
by six dripping constables. As the half dozen men and their officer were
already wetted to the bone by incessant rain, the plunge into the
channel did not trouble them in the least; indeed, they looked as though
they rather enjoyed the adventure.
"But we may as well get under shelter to hear your story," suggested
Inglis, and knocked loudly at the door of the hut. As Granny would not
open, he simply turned to his men and gave a sharp order. "Break it
down," said Inglis, and in less than a minute the constables were
marching into the small apartment over the fallen door.
"I'll have the law on you for this!" screeched Mrs. Tunks, shaking her
fist.
"You'll get a stomach-full of law, I have no doubt, before I have done
with you," retorted Inglis. "Who is this?" and he stared at the
inanimate form on the earthen floor amidst pools of water.
"Vand's wife, who was trying to escape with him," said Cyril. "She is
insensible from a blow this old demon gave her."
"She'd have had you in the water else," hissed Mrs. Tunks scornfully.
"It wasn't unlikely, seeing how she fought. Have you any brandy?"
"A trifle for my spasms," admitted Granny sullenly.
"Then bring it out and revive Mrs. Vand," said Inglis impatiently. "It
will be necessary for me to question her. Mr. Lister"--he brought his
mouth very close to the young man's ear and spoke in a whisper--"is what
that nigger told me quite true?"
"About Vand murdering Huxham? I believe it is, but I can't be sure. I
got these, however, from Mrs. Vand. Don't let the old hag come near or
she'll try and loot them."
"Loot what?" demanded Inglis, on seeing Cyril open the black bag, after
he had motioned the constables to surround the table. "Oh, by Jupiter!"
His surprised ejaculations were echoed by his men, for Lister emptied on
the table many glittering stones, cut and uncut. Chiefly they were
diamonds, but also could be seen sapphires, rubies, pearls, and
emeralds, all glowing with rainbow splendour in the fierce radiance of
the bullseye lanterns. Mrs. Tunks whimpered like a beaten dog when she
saw what she had missed, and tried to dart under a policeman's arm. "No
you don't!" said the man gruffly, and gripped her lean wrist as her hand
stretched greedily over the flaming heap of gems.
"Whose are these?" asked the inspector, quite awed by this wealth.
"Miss Huxham's," said Cyril, making a ready excuse until such time as
the matter could be looked into, for he did not wish Inglis to take
possession of Bella's fortune. "Her father left her these and the house
to Mrs. Vand; but the woman withheld the jewels from her niece, and
tried to-night to bolt with them. Then Luke Tunks attempted to steal
them from her, while she lay unconscious here. Luckily I was enabled to
rescue them, and now I can restore them to Miss Huxham."
"Where is Luke Tunks?" asked the inspector, while Cyril packed the gems
in a chamois leather bag which he found in what Granny had called in her
trance the portmanteau.
"Gone where you won't get him," grunted Mrs. Tunks, who was holding a
glass of brandy to Mrs. Vand's white lips.
"You must get him, Inglis," said Cyril insistently. "He knows all about
the murder of Huxham, and has been blackmailing the Vands."
"So that nigger said. By the way, we must see to the bodies." Inglis
turned to the door, then looked back at Lister. "I wish I knew what this
all meant, sir," he remarked, much puzzled.
"You shall know everything in due time, and a very queer story it is."
The inspector might have gone on asking questions, but at that moment
Bella Huxham, breathless and wet, appeared in the doorway. In the
semi-darkness she could scarcely see her lover, and called him. "Cyril!
Cyril! what has happened?" she panted. "I have run all the way, and--who
are these?"
"Inspector Inglis and constables," said that officer. "Where have you
come from, miss?"
"From the Manor-house. I went to see my aunt, and saw her run away with
her husband. Where is she? Where is he?"
"There is Mrs. Vand," said Cyril, pointing to the still insensible
woman, "and her husband is dead in Durgo's arms."
Bella shrieked. "Is Durgo dead?"
"Yes, unfortunately. Vand clutched his throat and dragged him under."
"But so weak a man----"
"He sacrificed his own life to kill Durgo," said Cyril. "What's to be
done now, inspector?"
Inglis acted promptly. "One of my men can stay here to look after the
old woman," he said officially, "and the rest can help me to take the
bodies of Vand and the nigger back to the Manor-house. We must take
possession of that place until everything is made clear at the inquest.
What will you do, Miss Huxham? Better get home. This is no place for a
lady."
"I must stay and revive my aunt," said Bella, who already was bending
over the woman and had the glass of brandy in her hand.
"Good," said Inglis, motioning his men to file out. "I'll come back and
question her when you get her right again. Mr. Lister!"
"With your permission, Mr. Inspector, I'll wait here with Miss Huxham,"
said Cyril significantly. "I don't trust these two women"--he looked at
Granny and the Romany girl--"also Luke Tunks might be lurking about. If
Miss Huxham were left here alone--" his shrug completed the sentence.
"Dutton will keep guard at the door," said Inglis, selecting the village
constable, a fresh-faced, powerful young man, "and if these women try
any games he can take them in charge. Also, Dutton"--he turned to the
man, who had already posted himself as directed--"you can hold Luke
Tunks should he turn up. I want to question him also," after which
orders Inglis with a nod went out. Cyril followed.
The bodies were duly found, and the inspector uttered an exclamation of
surprise when he saw that Durgo was nude. "What does this mean?"
"Mean!" said Cyril, who looked over his shoulder, "simply that Durgo, in
spite of his Oxford training, was a savage at heart. He arranged a trap
to catch the Vands, and stripped so as to be prepared for any
emergency."
"Rum notion," said Inglis, who looked puzzled. "But what had he to do
with all this murder business?"
"He was my father's friend," explained Lister, "and--" he stopped on
seeing the eager faces around him, adding in lower tones, "what I have
to explain is for your own ear in the first instance, inspector."
Inglis looked grave, and even suspicious. "There seems to be much to
explain, Mr. Lister," he said seriously. "However you can stay here. I
shall take the bodies to the Manor-house and thoroughly search the
place. When I return I hope to hear your story and to examine Mrs. Vand.
It seems to me," added the officer, as he turned away, "that the mystery
of the Huxham murder is about to be solved at last."
"I think so myself," assented Lister soberly; and after seeing the six
men take up their burden of the dead, he returned to the hut in silence.
Here he found Mrs. Vand, pale but composed, sitting up on the floor with
her back propped up against the wall. Granny Tunks, looking very sulky,
was on her hunkers before the fire smoking her cutty pipe, and the
Romany girl could be seen lying on Luke's vacated bed in the inner room.
Only Bella was attending to the woman she had called aunt for so long,
and who had so persecuted her. She was urging Mrs. Vand to speak out.
"You must tell the truth now," said Bella, "for the police will arrest
you."
Mrs. Vand could not grow paler, for she was already whiter than any
corpse, but a terrified look came into her eyes. "You'll be glad of
that, Bella?"
"No," said the girl earnestly; "I am not glad to see you suffer. You
have been cruel to me, and I thought that I should like to see you
punished; but now that you have lost your husband and are so miserable,
I am very sorry, and both Cyril and I will do our best to help you. Tell
all you know, Aunt Rosamund, and perhaps you will not be arrested."
"If I tell all I know I am sure to be arrested," said Mrs. Vand
sullenly.
"But surely you did not murder your own brother?"
"No, I didn't. Badly as Jabez treated me I did not kill him, although I
don't deny that I wished for his death. Well, he is dead and I got his
money, and now--" she buried her shameful face in her hands
wailingly--"oh! my poor dear Henry, I have lost him and lost all. As to
you"--she suddenly lifted up her head to glare furiously at Cyril, who
was leaning against the door-post a few yards from the watching
policeman--"you have been the evil genius of us all. Where are my
jewels?"
"They are in this bag," said Lister, holding it up, "and they belong to
Bella."
"Jabez left everything to me," began Mrs. Vand, when Cyril interrupted.
"These jewels were not his to leave. They were the property of Maxwell
Faith, who was a trader and----"
"I know all about that," said Mrs. Vand, cutting him short, "and Bella
is his daughter, you were going to say."
"Yes; therefore the jewels are her property. Who told you of----"
"Luke Tunks told me."
"That's a lie!" snarled Granny from her stool near the fire.
"It's the truth," gasped Mrs. Vand, taking another sip of the brandy
which Bella held to her lips. "Luke was dodging round the house on the
night of the murder and peeped in at the study window. He overheard the
interview between Jabez and Edwin Lister."
"What!" Cyril took a step forward in sheer surprise. "You know my
father's name also?"
"I know much, but not all," said Mrs. Vand in a stronger voice, for the
spirit was taking effect. "For instance, I don't know what became of
Edwin Lister, but Luke does."
"Then Luke shall be arrested and questioned."
"He shan't!" muttered Granny venomously. "Luke's escaped--a clever boy."
Bella put her arm round Mrs. Vand to render her more comfortable. "How
much did Luke tell you?" she asked softly.
"Only so much as cheated us--Henry and I--into paying him money."
"Oh," said Cyril quietly, "so that is why Luke got so drunk."
"He spent his money in drink," said Mrs. Vand indifferently. "We paid
him a good deal. He never would have left us, and intended to go to
America with us to-night, as he knew too much for our safety."
"How did you intend to escape?" asked Cyril sharply.
"We intended to row down the channel to the swamps; that is why Henry
got the boat a few weeks ago. Then we intended to cut across the marshes
to the high road, where a motor-car, hired by Henry, awaited us. It
would have taken us to London, and there we could have concealed
ourselves until a chance came to get to the States. Everything was cut
and dried, but you----"
"No," said Lister seriously; "it was not I who stopped you, but Durgo."
"That negro? Then I am glad he is dead!" cried Mrs. Vand, who was
getting more her old self every minute. "However, it's all done with
now. You have the jewels, Henry is dead, and I don't care what becomes
of me."
"But who murdered my father?" asked Bella earnestly.
"Jabez wasn't your father. Maxwell Faith was your father, for Luke
overheard Edwin Lister say as much to Jabez."
"And what became of Edwin Lister?"
"I don't know; Luke never told me that. All he said was that he saw and
heard the two talking. Then he left the window, and only returned to see
Henry stab my brother."
"Oh!" Cyril and Bella both uttered ejaculations of horror.
"Yes, you may say 'oh' as much as you like, but it's true," said Mrs.
Vand with great doggedness. "Henry came with me to the Manor-house on
that night at ten o'clock. He did not stop at the boundary channel, as
he declared. He only said that to save himself. But he came with me, and
we saw my brother, who was in his study. We confessed that we were
married, and then Jabez grew angry and said he would turn me as a pauper
out of the house next morning. He drove Henry and myself out of the
room. I fainted in the kitchen, and when I came to myself Henry was
bending over me, very pale. He said he had killed Jabez with a knife
which he found on the floor. I had seen the knife before when we were
telling Jabez about our marriage. But in the excitement I didn't pick it
up."
"Was there blood on the knife?" asked Cyril, remembering Granny Tunks'
trance, as reported by Bella.
"I can't say; I don't know. I was too flurried to think about the
matter. All I know is that Henry killed Jabez with that knife which
Jabez brought from Nigeria, and then dropped it behind the desk."
"What took place exactly?" asked Cyril hastily, while Bella closed her
eyes.
"Ask Luke; ask Luke," said Mrs. Vand testily. "He knows all," and she
refused to say another word.