UNEXPECTED EVIDENCE
When Torry stated so coldly that Julia Braw was dead, Donna Maria
turned pale, trembled violently, and would have fallen but that
Darrel, noticing her fainting condition, sprang forward in time to
catch her in his arms. In a moment, however, she hastily withdrew
herself from his embrace, and recovered her self-composure. Seating
herself on a sofa, she remained silent for a few moments, but the
pallor of her face, and the trembling of her lips, shewed how
difficult it was for her to command her feelings. When she found her
voice again, it was to explain the reason of her emotion.
"After the death of my uncle," she said, in low tones, "anything of
the same nature frightens me. That poor girl! It seems terrible that
she should have met with the same tragic end as Mr. Grent."
Donna Maria spoke excellent English, with but a slight foreign accent,
so it was evident that her teacher, Miss Hargone, had instructed her
thoroughly well. Darrel, who, as a writer, had some claim to be a
judge, was amazed by the fluency of her speech and the extent of her
vocabulary. Apparently the young girl was a born linguist since she
spoke, almost faultlessly, a tongue other than her own; but, perhaps,
her undeniable beauty affected the heart of Darrel sufficiently to
render him enthusiastic in his judgment. Torry, less susceptible, paid
little attention to the girl's beauty or intelligence. He saw in her
merely a witness to be interrogated, not a woman to be wooed, and
forthwith proceeded to examine her in a cold-blooded manner,
sufficiently exasperating to his ardent companion.
"Will you permit me, miss, to ask you a few questions?" he said
politely.
"On what subject?" asked Donna Maria, with haughty astonishment.
"On the subject of this murder."
"I know nothing about it."
"You know the name of the dead woman?"
"If she wore that hat, which I gave her only a fortnight ago, I
believe her to be my maid, Julia Brawn. But, on the other hand, sir,
she may have given the hat to someone else."
"That is very true," replied Torry, gravely, while Darrel sat silently
admiring the beauty of Maria Sandoval; "but this woman was tall and
fair, with blue eyes and a scar on her right temple."
"That is her; that is Julia," cried Maria quickly. "She got that scar
from falling from a tree when she was a girl. Poor creature! When was
she killed?"
"A little over a week ago."
Donna Maria started and fixed her black eyes on Torry. "A week ago?"
she repeated. "On what day?"
"On a Sunday morning; half an hour, more or less, after Mr. Grent was
murdered."
"Holy Virgin!" cried the girl, half rising. "Where?"
"Near Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames Embankment."
"I read in the newspapers that a crime had been committed there," said
Maria hurriedly, "but I did not think----"
"That there was a connection between her murder and that of Mr.
Grent," finished Torry, with significance.
This time Maria fairly rose to her feet, and seemed much agitated.
"Connection?" she stammered. "Impossible; what could Julia have to do
with Mr. Grent?"
"That is what I wish to find out, miss. Julia Brawn met Mr. Grent in
Mortality-lane and----"
"Killed him?"
"No; but she was accompanied by some unknown man, who did. Afterwards
she and her confederate went to Cleopatra's Needle, and there she was
killed."
"By her confederate?"
Darrel uttered an ejaculation. "That is a new idea," he said
approvingly. "It might be so."
"Impossible," said Torry roughly. "If Julia was killed by her
accomplice there would have been no need for the second Blue Mummy.
Eh?"
The query was drawn from the detective by a sudden start on the part
of Maria when he mentioned the Blue Mummy. "What do you know about it,
miss?" he asked brusquely.
"About--about what?" she said nervously.
Ever confident in the power of a surprise to extort the truth, by
unexpectedly startling the nerves. Torry drew the Blue Mummy, which he
always carried with him, from his pocket, and tossed it lightly into
the lap of Maria. "About that," he said abruptly.
The girl gave a faint cry, and looked down into her lap as though a
snake were coiled in it, then quietly swooned away.
"Ah!" said Torry unmoved, "a guilty conscience!"
"You brute!" cried Darrel, starting to his feet, "don't you see the
poor girl has fainted? Ring the bell? call the servants."
"Do neither," shouted the detective savagely; "Leave the matter to me.
Get water out of that vase of flowers, and sprinkle it on her face. I
have smelling salts here, which I always carry for cases of this kind.
Oh, it is not the first time I have seen ladies faint when brought
into contact with the law."
"What do you mean?" asked Darrel angrily, as he sprinkled the white
face with water.
"I mean," said Torry, holding a bottle under Maria's nostrils, "That
we shall have some strange revelations when this lady recovers."
"She is recovering now," cried Frank eagerly, "Thank God."
Donna Maria heaved a long sigh, and the colour began to come back
slowly to her cheeks. Then she opened her eyes languidly and sat up
with an effort. Torry had been judicious enough to put the image into
his pocket again, and, at the first moments of her recovery, Maria
could not collect her scattered senses sufficiently to remember what
had occurred. All at once the memory came back, and, flushing a deep
crimson, she staggered to her feet, and made as if to leave the room.
Torry placed himself in her way.
"No, madam," said he, sternly, "you do not leave until you explain."
"Excuse me, sir, I am not well," faltered Maria appealingly.
But the detective was not to be moved by such feminine wiles, "You
must remain and answer my questions," he said coldly.
"Torry," cried Frank, who was moved by the obvious distress of the
girl, "this lady is ill. You can question her another time."
"I intend to question her now."
"You shall not do so unless she consents."
"Oh," said Torry, sneering, "of course, if Miss Sandoval is afraid--"
"I afraid?" interrupted Maria, her courage and coolness coming back at
the contemptuous word. "Enough, sir. I shall remain and answer any
questions you choose to put to me."
She seated herself like a queen about to receive the homage of
courtiers, but found time to flash a glance of gratitude on Darrel for
his championship. The young man felt his pulses thrill at the look in
those glorious dark eyes, and sat down with rapidly-beating pulses.
Torry the cold-blooded, long past the age of sentiment, merely nodded
in dry approval of the lady's sense, and produced his notebook in
order to set down her replies.
"Why did you faint at the sight of the Blue Mummy, miss?"
"Because it is connected in my mind with Mr. Grent, and the memory of
his tragic death was too much for my nerves."
"What had Mr. Grent to do with the mummy?"
"I don't know. One day I saw an image, such as the one you shewed me,
on his desk. I asked him what it was, and he explained that it was the
symbol of a society."
"Of a _secret_ society?"
"Yes."
"Let us say of a Peruvian secret society."
Maria hesitated. "Mr. Grent said that the image came from Peru, but he
did not explain that the society belonged to the same place."
"What do you know about this society?"
"Nothing more than I have told you."
"But you are a native of Peru, miss?"
"I am; the daughter of Mrs. Grent's brother, and born in Lima. I came
over to England to be a companion to my aunt."
"Then you must have heard about this secret society in your native
land?"
"You mistake, sir," replied Donna Maria coldly. "I heard nothing."
"Was no mention made of the Blue Mummy?"
"Not in my hearing. My sole knowledge of the image you speak of was
gained from Mr. Grent."
"You have told me everything?" he said.
"Everything."
Torry reflected. "Do you know if Mr. Grent was mixed up with this
society in any way?"
"He never said so. I cannot say."
"Well," said Torry, rather disappointed at the failure of his efforts,
"let us return to the subject of your maid. Her name was Julia Brawn?"
"It was."
"How long was she in your service?"
"Close on a year."
"When did she leave you?"
"About a week before the murder of Mr. Grent."
"You dismissed her?"
"No," said Maria calmly; "She was an excellent servant, and I was
sorry to lose her. She left me of her own free will."
"For what reason?"
"I understood she was about to be married."
"Aha!" murmured Torry, "so there was a lover after all, and I daresay
he killed Grent out of jealousy. Perhaps Julia is not so much an
accomplice as a victim." He thought for a few moments, then continued
his examination. "Do you know the name of the man she intended to
marry?"
"No; I never heard her mention his name."
"Do you know if any man called to walk out with her?"
"Sir!" cried Maria indignantly. "I do not take sufficient interest in
my servants to spy on them."
"Beg pardon--beg pardon," said Torry hastily, "Quite right. I should
not have asked that question. So Julia Brawn left you?"
"Yes; and I gave her that hat when she went away."
"Did Mr. Grent take any notice of her while she was in the house?"
"Not that I know of," replied Donna Sandoval coldly. "I do not think
he was even aware of her existence."
"Strange! Yet he met her in Mortality-lane."
"You say so," said Maria scornfully.
"Oh, it is true! I can prove it. She----"
"Don't trouble yourself to explain, sir. If Julia met Mr. Grent, she
must have had some motive; but I tell you, he quite overlooked her
here. I can think of no reason why a gentleman of my uncle's position
should make an appointment with a servant."
"About as much reason as he had for disguising himself."
Maria sighed and shook her head. "It is a mystery," she declared. "I
cannot understand it at all. Do you wish to ask me further questions,
sir?"
"Yes. Did you visit Mr. Grent's rooms in Duke-street on the day of his
death?"
The girl bit her lip and clenched her hands. "No," she said coldly.
"No."
"Humph!" thought Torry. "That is a lie."