Highcombe Street gradually became blocked by the eager crowd always
ready to gather, discuss and microscopically magnify the event that has
been the attraction, and in a very short time it was current that a
dreadful deed had been perpetrated in open daylight at the window of the
ground floor room on the left of the front door. The victim was said to
have been seen shrieking wildly for help, till a man had dragged her
away, closing the window afterward and shutting the shutters, so that,
with the blinds of the upstairs windows drawn down, the whole of the
mansion had a strangely-mysterious aspect which, to the over-heated
brains of many of the lookers-on, exactly suggested the place where, a
murder might have been committed.
It did not occur to the wonder-gulpers that there were several houses in
the same street presenting precisely the same aspect consequent upon
their owners being out of town, and that the mansion next door, with its
gloomy, unkempt aspect and soot-coated windows, was much more
forbidding; but then it had no policeman stationed at the area gate and
two more at the front door, who objected vigorously to boys climbing
over the railings and others trying to peer through the long, slit-like
windows on either side of the entrance.
An Englishman's house is said to be his castle, and serious steps
generally have to be taken by the police before they break in, the great
exception to the rule being in the case of firemen, who as soon as they
are convinced that their enemy is in the place, make no scruple about
using their axes against door or window, setting up a ladder, and
climbing in.
In this case, in despite of the excitement, matters moved slowly, the
principal steps taken being upon the arrival of more police, the
stationing of these at the back where there was the mews, and an attempt
to get in through the garden; but here a difficulty presented itself at
once; there was no garden, the space existing between the houses and
stables at the bottom being built entirely over, and the stables swept
away. There was no back exit, but constables were stationed in the mews
all the same so as to keep an eye upon the stabling to right and left.
Soon after, while the superintendent and sergeant were discussing
proceedings, an occupant of the opposite house pointed out the fact that
one of the drawing-room window blinds was flapping to and fro,
suggesting that a French window in the balcony was a little way open.
The suggestion was acted upon at once. A ladder from the nearest fire
station was brought, and the police were watched with breathless
interest and cheered as they mounted and reached the balcony, another
cheer following as half a dozen entered the great mansion and
disappeared to commence searching the house, the excitement increasing
as they were seen to throw open the shutters of the library windows, in
which room not so much as an overturned chair caught their attention.
It due course the magnificently-furnished place was searched, the only
thing peculiar there being that the bed in a quiet-looking chamber on
the third floor had been evidently made that morning, but lain upon
since, while the key of the door was outside.
No way out at the back was discovered from the ground floor, and after a
careful search for the missing occupants in every room, the police
descended to the basement, everything above being in so quiet and
orderly a state that the whole affair began to assume the aspect of
imagination on the part of the constable who had given the alarm.
"Didn't dream you'd got a case on, Dick, did you?" said the
superintendent, banteringly, as the pantry was entered.
"Don't look like it, do it, sir?" replied the man, triumphantly pointing
to the table, on which lay the freshly-cut rope which had bound the
housekeeper.
"Humph! Don't see much in that," said the superintendent. "There's the
plate-closet. Well, that's all right. Someone's been having wine.
Nothing to wonder at in that when there's plenty. Splendid place; but
the case begins to look to me like a flam."
"Why, there's plenty outside saw the lady, too, sir," grumbled the
constable.
"Then where is she?"
There was no answer, and the various domestic offices were examined,
everything being in perfect order, and the only exit apparent being
through the area door, which was locked, bolted and barred, as were all
the windows.
"Where does this lead?" said the superintendent, as he entered the
passage farther back. "Another cellar, perhaps." They followed to the
end, one of the men striking a match or two, for the extreme part was
dark. "Humph! locked. Well, that can't be a way out, for there is no
mat." Sniff, sniff! "What's that--powder? and what's that empty
Gladstone doing there?"
Just then the constable who had given the alarm suddenly stepped forward
and stooped down.
"What is it, Dick? One of the straws out of the mare's nest?" said the
superintendent.
For answer, the man drew at something quite low down by the floor, and
it came away in his hand, to prove, on being held to the light of a wax
match, a mere scrap of a handsomely-braided silk dress.
"Ah!" cried the superintendent, showing the first signs of excitement,
"smell of powder--that bit of silk!"