MRS. BENKER REAPPEARS
The more Giles thought about Franklin, the more he was certain that he
was the man for whom search was being made. To be sure there was no
distinguishing mark of identification; the evidence that he was one and
the same amounted to the facts that he had large black eyes, and that
his height and figure resembled the so-called Wilson. Moreover, although
other people in the village had seen the clerk, no one but Giles seemed
to recognize him. In fact, this recognition was rather due to an
instinct than to any tangible reason. But in his own mind he was
convinced. He recalled how the man had suddenly removed his scarf as
though he were stifling on that night. He remembered the wan face, the
dark, anxious face, and the rough red beard and hair.
To be sure Franklin was dark-haired and sallow in complexion; also he
was clean-shaved, and even when not--according to Mrs. Parry--had worn a
full black beard. But the red hair and whiskers might have been assumed
as a disguise. Giles did not know very well how to verify his
suspicions. Then he determined to confide in Morley. Steel had told him
that the proprietor of The Elms was an ex-detective, and Giles thought
that for the sake of avenging Daisy's death he might be induced to take
up his old trade. With this idea he called at The Elms.
Morley was delighted to see him and welcomed him in the most cheerful
manner. He and Giles were always good friends, and the only subject of
contention between them was the question of Anne's guilt. Morley still
believed that the governess had committed the crime and asked after her
at the outset of the interview.
"Have you found her?" he asked, just as Mrs. Parry had done.
Giles knew quite well of whom he was speaking. "No, I have not," he
answered; "and if I had I certainly should not tell you."
"As you please," replied the little man complacently; "you will never
see the truth."
"It is not the truth. But see here, Morley, what is the use of our
discussing this matter? You believe Miss Denham to be guilty. I am
certain that she is innocent. Let the difference between us rest there.
Still, if I could prove the innocence of Miss Denham----"
"I should be more than delighted," responded Morley quickly, "and would
make all the amends in my power for my unjust suspicions. But you have
first to prove them unjust. Believe me, Ware, I admired Miss Denham as
much as my wife did, and thought much of her. I defended her from poor
Daisy's aspersions, and would have stood her friend all through but for
this last act of hers. Well! Well, don't get angry. I am willing to be
shown that I am wrong. Show me."
Giles reflected for a moment, then went straight to the point.
"I have been with Steel," he said abruptly, "and he tells me that you
have been in the detective line yourself."
Morley nodded. "Quite so," he answered, "although I asked Steel to say
nothing about it. I am a private gentleman now, and I don't want my
former occupation to be known in Rickwell. A prejudice exists against
detectives, Ware. People don't like them, because every one has
something to conceal, and with a trained man he or she is afraid lest
some secret sin should come to light."
"It may be so, although that is rather a cynical way of looking at the
matter. But you are really Joe Bart?"
"Yes. And quite at your service. Only keep this quiet."
"Certainly. I quite appreciate your reasons for wanting the matter kept
quiet. But see here, Mr. Morley--I shall call you so."
"It will be better," replied the ex-detective cheerfully, "and I have a
sort of right to the name. It was my mother's."
"Very good. Then as Morley why should you not exercise your old skill
and help me to find out who killed Daisy?"
"I should be delighted, and what skill remains to me is at your service.
But I am rusty now, and cannot follow a trail with my old persistence or
talent. Besides, my mind is made up as to the guilt----"
"Yes, yes," interposed Giles hastily, "you think so, but I don't agree
with you. Now listen to what I have to tell you, and I am sure you will
think that it was the man who killed Daisy."
"But he had no motive."
"Yes, he had. I'll tell it to you concisely."
Morley looked surprised at Giles' insistence, but nodded without a word
and waited for an explanation. Giles related all that he had learned
about Wilson, and how Steel had connected him with the supposed clerk
who had served the summons on Morley. Then he proceeded to detail
Steel's belief that the so-called Wilson was a burglar, and mentioned
the fact of the yacht with the strange name. Morley listened in silence,
but interrupted the recital with a laugh, when the scarlet cross was
mentioned in connection with the robbery at Lady Summersdale's house.
"Steel has found a mare's nest this time," he said coolly. "He knew
better than to come to me with such a cock and bull story, although he
has imposed very successfully on you and on that Hungarian Princess you
talk of. I had the Summersdale case in hand."
"I know. Steel said that you carried it through successfully."
Morley demurred. "I don't know if you can say that I was successful,
Ware. It was not one of my lucky cases. I certainly got back the jewels.
I found them in their London hiding-place, but I did not catch one of
the thieves. They all bolted."
"In _The Red Cross_ yacht."
"Oh, that's all rubbish," said Morley frankly; "there were a great many
yachts at Bexleigh on that occasion. I don't remember one called _The
Red Cross_. And even if one of that name was there, it does not say that
it is the same that was off Gravesend the other day."
"Six months ago," corrected Giles gravely; "but how do you account for
the fact that wherever that yacht has been burglaries have taken place?"
"I can't account for it, and Steel has yet to prove that there is any
connection between the yacht and the robberies. He thinks it a kind of
pirate ship evidently. Not a bad idea, though," added Morley musingly;
"the goods could be removed easily without suspicion on board a
good-looking yacht."
"And that is what has been done."
"It wasn't in the matter of Lady Summersdale's jewels," retorted the
ex-detective. "I found those in London, and have reason to believe that
they were taken there by train. Besides, there was no connection between
the yacht and that robbery."
"Steel said that a scarlet cross was found in the safe, and----"
"And," interrupted Morley, "there you have the long arm of coincidence,
Ware. That cross belonged to Lady Summersdale, and was one of the
trinkets left behind. If you want proof on this point, you have only to
ask Lady----no, I forgot, she is dead. However, I daresay her son or
daughter will be able to prove that the cross was hers."
Giles was much disappointed by this explanation, which seemed clear
enough. And if any one should know the truth, it would be the man who
had taken charge of the case. Failing on this point, Giles shifted his
ground.
"Well, Morley," he said, "I am not very anxious to prove this man Wilson
a burglar. He is a murderer, I am sure, and the greater crime swallows
up the lesser."
"That sounds law," said Morley, lighting a cigar.
"Well, Ware, I don't see how I can help you. This man Wilson, whether he
is innocent or guilty, has vanished; and, moreover, his connection, if
any, with the Summersdale robbery of ten years ago won't prove him
guilty of my poor ward's death."
"I only mentioned that to show his connection with the yacht at
Gravesend. But as to this Wilson, I know where he is."
Morley wheeled round with an eager light in his eyes. "The devil you do.
Where is he?"
"At the Priory."
"Is this a joke?" cried Morley angrily. "If so, it is a very poor one,
Ware. The man who lives at the Priory is my friend Franklin----"
"He is also the man who was in the church on New Year's Eve--the man who
killed Daisy, as I truly believe."
Giles went on to state what his reasons were for this belief. All at
once Morley started to his feet. "Ah! I know now why something about him
seemed to be familiar to me. What a fool I am! I believe you are right,
Ware."
"What? That he is this man Wilson?"
"I don't know what his former name was," replied Morley, with a shrug,
"but now you mention it I fancy he is the man who served the summons on
me."
"You ought to know," said Ware dryly; "you saw him in this room, and in
a good light."
"True enough, Ware; but all the time he kept his collar up and that
white scarf round his throat. His chin was quite buried in it. And then
he had a rough red--wig, shall we say? and a red beard. I didn't trouble
to ask him to make himself comfortable. All I wanted was to get him out
of the way. But I remember his black eyes. Franklin has eyes like that,
and sometimes I catch myself wondering where I have seen him before. He
tells me he has lived in Florence these six years and more. I fancied
that when I was a detective I might have seen him, but he insisted that
he had not been to London for years and years. He originally came from
the States. And I was once a detective! Good Lord, how I have lost my
old cleverness! But to be sure I have been idle these ten years."
"Then you think Franklin is this man?"
"I think so, but of course I can't be sure. Naturally he will deny that
he is, and I can't prove the matter myself. But I tell you what, Ware,"
said Morley suddenly, "get that woman Wilson lodged with down, and see
if she will recognize Franklin as her former lodger. She, if any one,
will know him, and perhaps throw him off his guard."
Ware rose. "A very good idea," he said. "I'll write to her at once. I am
certain this is the man, especially as he has inherited Daisy's money.
He killed her in order to get the fortune, and that was why he kept
asking Asher's office boy about money left to people."
"Ah!" Morley looked thoughtful. "So that was the motive, you think?"
"I am sure of it, and a quite strong enough motive for many people,"
said Ware grimly. "If Mrs. Benker can verify this man, I'll have him
arrested. He will have to explain why he came here instead of the office
boy, and why he fled on that night."
"Yes, yes!" cried Morley excitedly. "And he might perhaps explain why
the governess helped him to escape."
"Ah!" Giles' face fell. "So he might; but if he dares to inculpate her
in this crime----"
"Ware," said Morley, laying his hand on the young man's shoulder, "if I
were you I should do nothing rash. Every one thinks that Miss Denham is
guilty. If this Franklin is the man who fled with her, he will accuse
her to save himself. Certainly there is the motive of the money, but
that might be explained away."
"I don't see how it can."
"Nor I; still, there is always the chance. Again, he may take
alarm--always presuming he is the man--and fly. I tell you what, Ware,
you bring Mrs. Benker down, and take her into the grounds of the Priory.
I will arrange that Franklin, without suspecting her or us, shall meet
her, accidentally, at some place where we can hide. Then we can overhear
if he is the man or not."
"He'll deny that he is."
"Why should he? There is nothing, so far as he knows, that Mrs. Benker
can lay hold of. If he is the man he will admit his identity, if not, he
will explain who he is. Whereas if we show ourselves and show that we
suspect him, he will be on his guard. No, Ware; better let the woman
meet him by chance."
"It's a good plan," replied Giles, shaking hands heartily with Morley.
"I am delighted that you should co-operate with me. We will yet prove
that Anne is innocent."
"I hope so," cried his host, slapping Giles on the back. "Off with you,
Ware, to do your part. I'll attend to Franklin. But say no word of our
plan to any one. Upon my word," cried he jubilantly, "I feel just as
though I were in the profession again." And thus laughing and joking, he
sent his visitor away in the best of spirits.
Delighted that he had some one to help him, Giles lost no time in
performing his part of the business. He sent a letter to Mrs. Benker,
asking her to come down for a couple of days. It was his intention to
invite Alexander also, as the boy would also be useful in identifying
Franklin as his mother's former lodger; but since leaving Asher's
Alexander had been taken up by Steel, who saw in him the makings of a
good detective. If Alexander learned anything he would certainly tell
his master, and then Steel would come down to interfere. Ware did not
want him to meddle with the matter at present. He wished to be sure of
his ground first, and then would ask the assistance of the detective to
have Franklin arrested. Of course, he had every confidence in Steel, but
for the above reason he determined to keep his present action quiet.
Also, Steel was on the south coast, hunting for evidence concerning _The
Red Cross_ yacht, and would not be pleased at being taken away to
follow what might prove to be a false trail. Ware therefore said nothing
to Mrs. Benker about what he desired to see her, but simply asked her to
come down on a visit.
There was a prospect of his having another visitor, and one he did not
much wish to meet. This was the Princess Karacsay. Several times he had
called to see her, but she had always put off her promised explanation
on some plea or another. Instead of attending strictly to the business
which had brought them together, she made herself agreeable to
Giles--too agreeable he thought, for he had by this time got it into his
head that Olga Karacsay was in love with him. He was not a vain young
man, and tried to think that her attentions were merely friendly; but
she was so persistent in her invitations and--in the slang phrase--made
such running with him, that he grew rather nervous of her attentions.
Several times she had proposed to come on a visit to Rickwell, but
hitherto he had always managed to put her off. But her letters were
becoming very imperative, and he foresaw trouble. It was quite a relief
to Giles when the post arrived without a letter from this too persistent
and too charming lady. However, she did not trouble him on this especial
occasion, and he was thus enabled to give all his time to Mrs. Benker.
That good lady duly arrived, looking more severe than ever and with
several new tales about the iniquities of Alexander. She expressed
herself greatly obliged to Giles for giving her a day in the country,
and got on very well with the old housekeeper. But when Ware told her
his reason for asking her, Mrs. Benker grew rather nervous, as she did
not think how she could support an interview, and, also, she wanted to
know what the interview was for. To some extent Giles had to take her
into his confidence, but he suppressed the fact that he suspected
Franklin of the crime. He merely stated that Steel--who had introduced
Giles to Mrs. Benker--had reason to believe that the so-called Wilson
was wanted by the police. All that Mrs. Benker had to do was to see if
Franklin was really her former lodger. After much talk and many
objections, she consented to do what was wanted.
This was to wander in the park of the Priory and meet Franklin
accidentally near a ruined summer-house, near what was known as the
fish-ponds. Morley had arranged that Franklin should meet him there, and
was to be late, so as to afford Mrs. Benker an opportunity of speaking
to the man. Morley and Ware concealed themselves in the summer-house and
saw Mrs. Benker parading the grass. Shortly Franklin arrived, walking
slowly, and Mrs. Benker saluted him.