THE LOST BAG
Notwithstanding her delicate looks, Audrey possessed a strong spirit,
fully capable of controlling emotions, even when markedly powerful.
The tragic and unexpected news of the murder shattered her nerves
for the moment; but after the first shock of surprise she pushed her
way hastily through the crowd, fully bent upon discovering exactly
what had happened. Ralph, not yet thoroughly acquainted with her
self-control under trying circumstances, followed immediately behind,
urging her in whispers to go home and wait developments. To his
importunities she turned a deaf ear, and addressed herself anxiously
to the officer who guarded the door of the Turkish Shop. He naturally
refused to reply to her questions.
"But I am Lady Branwin's daughter," said Audrey, softly, so that the
crowd might not hear, "and they say that Lady Branwin is dead."
"Very sorry, miss," said the constable, not answering directly, "but
my orders are to admit no one."
Audrey's eyes began to glitter with ill-concealed anger, and Ralph
hastily intervened.
"Who is in charge of this case, officer?"
"Inspector Lanton, sir."
"Then pass my card into him, and--"
"Are you a relative of the deceased, sir?"
"No. But I am engaged to Miss Branwin here, and she--"
"I'll send in the card," interrupted the policeman, quickly; then
raised his voice to rebuke the crowd. "Keep back there; keep back!"
Audrey remained silent, holding her feelings well under, while Ralph
rapidly scribbled her name on his card. The constable knocked at the
door and gave the message to the policeman who opened it. Then the
door was closed again, and the lovers remained on the step anxiously
waiting to see what would come of their application. The mob of people
whispered and pointed, and looked askance at the young couple,
evidently wondering why they were there. The position was highly
unpleasant, and Audrey felt a great sense of relief when she was
permitted to enter with her lover. In a moment they passed through the
jealously-guarded door, and it was closed again the minute they were
inside.
"Wait here, please," said the constable who received them. "Inspector
Lanton is upstairs with Madame Coralie, and will be down shortly."
Audrey laid a detaining hand on his sleeve as he moved away. "Can you
tell me if Lady Branwin--"
"I am not allowed to answer any questions, miss," he replied, and went
away in a stolid manner, as though the business in hand were an
everyday occurrence.
"Won't you sit down, darling?" whispered Ralph, tenderly. "You must
keep up your strength, as there is much to be done."
"My poor mother!" Audrey sank down on to a stool with a gasp. "Who
could have killed her? How was she killed? When did the murder take
place? Oh, it's too awful! Perhaps"--she looked pleadingly up into her
lover's face--"perhaps it is not true."
"It _is_ true, Miss Branwin," said a soft voice before Ralph could
reply; and out of a near alcove came a pretty girl with red eyes and a
tear-stained face. "It's quite true and very terrible."
"Who are you?" asked Audrey, lifting her white face. "How do you come
to know my name?"
"I am Badoura, the forewoman of Madame Coralie," was the reply, "and I
saw you yesterday when you came here with your mother. Poor Lady
Branwin! It is awful to think that she should have been strangled
in--"
"Strangled!" interrupted Audrey, with another gasp. "Who strangled
her?"
"No one knows," said Badoura, shuddering. "Madame found her dead in
her bed when she went at seven this morning to see how she had passed
the night. I heard her say that Lady Branwin had been strangled, and
then she sent for the police at once. It's really dreadful," added the
girl, mournfully, "as everything is upset, and we don't know what is
going to happen. See here!" and she swept aside the pink silk curtain
which was draped over the Moorish arch of the alcove whence she had
emerged.
Here Audrey beheld the other assistants huddled together on the divan,
with tear-stained faces and terror-stricken looks. The catastrophe had
disorganised the whole establishment, and the girls feared lest the
scandal, which certainly would arise from the fact of the murder,
might result in the closing of the shop. This was a very probable
contingency indeed, and none of them could face with equanimity the
dismal prospect of losing her employment. They had been driven like
sheep into the alcove by the police, and waited developments with
strained nerves. As yet not one of the three had been examined.
Badoura, having full possession of her senses, was the most composed,
and seemed glad to find someone to talk to, less upset than her three
friends, "It will ruin Madame's business," she wailed.
"Please tell us exactly what happened," said Ralph, who was anxious to
get at the facts of the case.
"There's nothing to tell, sir. Lady Branwin came with this young lady
yesterday about five, and retired to a back bedroom on the ground
floor almost immediately with Madame, who wished to see what could be
done by way of treatment. Lady Branwin had not even made up her mind
to stop; but after Madame had given her opinion she decided to remain
for the night, and Madame told you, Miss Branwin, that such was the
case, when--"
"When I called here on my way to the theatre," finished Audrey, whose
face was colourless but wonderfully composed. "I remember. When did
Madame Coralie last see my mother?"
"Shortly before eight o'clock, miss. She left her quite comfortable
for the night after she had taken a light supper. We all went to bed
about nine, as we were all so tired with a busy day. Then at seven
this morning Madame came to me while I was tidying up the shop, and
told me that Lady Branwin was dead. She could scarcely speak." Badoura
paused for a moment, then added, as an after-thought: "The window was
open."
"The window?" repeated Ralph, fastening his eyes on her face
searchingly.
"The window of the back bedroom on the ground floor," explained the
girl, readily. "It looks out on to a closed court, which has a high
wall round it."
"Then you think that the assassin entered and left by the window?"
"I didn't say that, for I do not know," replied Badoura, quickly. "All
Madame said was that the bedroom window was open, although she had
closed it on the previous night. But even if the assassin did get into
the room in that way, I don't see how he could leave the court. The
door in the wall of the court is locked, and the key is lost."
"He could climb over the wall, perhaps?" suggested Audrey,
thoughtfully.
"It's a difficult, smooth wall to climb, miss."
"What is on the other side of the wall?" asked Shawe, sharply.
"A narrow alley, which runs into the High Street."
"Then if the assassin could get over the wall, he could easily
escape?"
"Oh, yes, sir; but the wall is difficult to climb."
"Is there no other entrance into the court?"
"Only from the house. There is a door which is kept locked, as no one
ever goes into the court at the back. Besides, no one was in the house
last night but myself, the three girls, Madame, Lady Branwin and a
lady customer."
"What is her name?"
"I can't tell you," said Badoura, hesitating. "Only Madame knows; as
many ladies don't care to give their names, save to Madame, when under
treatment."
"Tell me," said Ralph, waiving this point for the time being, "you
call the assassin 'he.' What reason have you to believe that a man
strangled Lady Branwin?"
Badoura looked surprised. "I only think so, sir, as, of course, I know
nothing. But surely, sir, only a man would have the strength to
strangle?"
Audrey shook her head. "A strong woman could do that also. Especially
as my mother was stout and rather apoplectic. Very little pressure on
her throat would have killed her, I am certain. And then--"
Here Audrey's conjectures were cut short by the entrance of a tall,
soldierly-looking man in uniform. His eyes were grey and steady, and
he looked sharply at the young couple, who rose to meet him. It was
Lanton.
"Miss Branwin and Mr. Ralph Shawe," said the inspector, glancing at
the barrister's card, which he held in his hand. "How is it that you are
here?"
"Let me explain," said Audrey, stopping her lover from speaking. "I
met Mr. Shawe in Kensington Gardens this morning early, as we are
engaged, and called with him to see how my mother was this morning.
We learnt--" Her face worked with emotion, and she sat down again.
"I understand--I understand," said Lanton, comprehending her feelings.
"It is very sad, Miss Branwin, and must have been a great shock to
you."
"Is my mother really dead?"
"Yes," answered the inspector, promptly. "The doctor who examined the
body declares that she was strangled at eight o'clock last night--that
is, a few minutes before or after. If you would like to see the body--"
"No, no," interposed Ralph, hurriedly. "Miss Branwin is not strong
enough to--"
Audrey rose to her feet, and braced herself with an effort. "Yes, I
am," she declared. "It is necessary for me to see my poor mother's
remains. Take me to the room, Mr. Inspector."
"You are a brave young lady," muttered the officer, and led the way
out of the shop without further comment.
The trio--for Shawe naturally went with Audrey--walked along a narrow
corridor, which ran the whole length of the building. It divided the
shop, which likewise stretched from wall to wall of the house, from
four bedrooms, the windows of which looked out on to the closed court
mentioned by Badoura. At the end of the passage, to the right--looking
from the shop--was a door which led into a right-of-way opening on to
Walpole Lane. But this right-of-way did not afford any access to the
court, its upper-end being blocked by a high brick wall with broken
glass on top. The only two ways of gaining admittance to the court
were by the house-door, and the door in the wall of the court itself.
These, as Badoura had said, and as Inspector Lanton had ascertained
from Madame Coralie, were always kept locked. The court was narrow and
paved with flagstones, and had a disused air, which was very natural
since no one ever entered it.
Lanton conducted the couple into one of the bedrooms, and here they
found Madame Coralie in her quaint Turkish dress, and wearing the
filmy black yashmak. She was seated near the door, apparently guarding
the dead from the prying curiosity of anyone in the house. The room
was of no great size, but was luxuriously furnished in green and
silver. There was only one window, draped with curtains, which looked
out on to the court, and the lower sash of this was wide open. In a
far corner, with its head against the inner wall, stood the bed, and
on this, under a sheet, the dead woman was stiffly stretched out.
Owing to the absence of sunlight and the presence of the dead, there
was a chill feeling in the room, and Audrey shivered.
"Can you go through with it?" asked Ralph, anxiously.
"Yes, I must," she replied, in a low tone; and walking towards the bed
she lifted the sheet.
Madame Coralie had risen, and with tightly-clasped hands watched the
girl's every action. Her black eyes peering above the yashmak were
less hard, and the red rims round them showed that she had been
weeping. She had every reason to, for what had happened might ruin her
trade.
"Is it Lady Branwin?" asked Lanton, softly, since Audrey did not
speak.
"Yes," she replied, with a sigh, and apparently could scarcely stand.
On seeing this, Ralph slipped his arm round her waist. "I won't give
way," she added firmly, and withdrew from his support. "Yes, Mr.
Inspector, this is my mother's body. I see from the black marks on her
neck that she has been strangled. Who murdered her, and why?"
Madame Coralie replied. "Ah, my dear young lady," she said, in a
choking voice, "that is what we wish to find out. It will ruin my
business."
"I don't see that," said Lanton, quietly; "you have always conducted
your business respectably."
"It's the first time that I have ever had the police in my house,"
murmured Madame Coralie, in despair. "But a murder!--oh, what lady
will ever come and pass the night here for treatment, when she
may be murdered? I wish I knew the villain who killed poor Lady
Branwin"--Madame Coralie shook her fist in the air--"I should have him
hanged."
"We'll hunt him down yet," said Lanton, confidentially.
"Do you think that the assassin is a man?" asked Ralph, putting the
same question to the inspector as he had done to Badoura.
Lanton looked taken aback. "In the absence of all proof, I believe the
assassin to be a man--unless Lady Branwin had a woman enemy."
"Mamma had no enemies at all," said Audrey, in a firm voice. "Madame,
where were you when my mother was murdered?"
"Upstairs in the still-room," said the woman, quietly. "At about eight
o'clock the murder took place, according to the doctor. I was with my
girls--that is, Badoura, Parizade and Zobeide were in the still-room,
and Peri Banou in the shop. My husband was also there. He went away,
and then I came down to tell you at the door that Lady Branwin would
stop for the night."
"She must have been dead then," muttered Audrey, shivering. "You heard
no noise, or--"
"I heard nothing, neither did my husband or Badoura. I left Lady
Branwin quite comfortable shortly before eight o'clock. The assassin
must have opened the window and murdered her almost immediately after
I left."
"But why was she murdered?" asked Shawe, insistently.
"I can't say, sir, no more than I can say how the assassin managed to
enter the court. Why," added Madame Coralie, quickly, "so sure am I
that the court cannot be entered that the windows of the bedrooms are
never fastened. It would, therefore, not be difficult for the assassin
to enter. I expect that he found Lady Branwin asleep, and--"
"So quickly after you left?" interrupted the inspector.
"I gave Lady Branwin a sleeping-draught," explained Madame Coralie,
"as her nerves were bad and she could not rest. For the treatment
which I intended to give her it was necessary that her nerves should
be in better order."
Audrey nodded. "I remember," she said, gravely, "mamma was very much
agitated when she came here, and very restless."
"Why?" asked Lanton, sharply.
"On account of her desire for this treatment, which she feared Madame
Coralie would not give her. Mamma explained that to me. Then, of
course, there were the diamonds--oh!"--Audrey started--"where are the
diamonds?"
Inspector Lanton pricked up his ears, and looked at Madame Coralie.
"The diamonds!" he repeated. "Where are the diamonds?"
Madame Coralie started back and wrung her hands. "Oh, here is another
trouble--another trouble!" she wailed. "I never knew that Lady Branwin
brought any diamonds. Are you sure--are you certain?"
"Quite sure," said Audrey, excitedly. "Mamma had two thousand pounds'
worth of diamonds in a red morocco bag. She intended to take them to a
jeweller and get them reset, but as she stopped here she took the bag
out of the motor and carried it into this house with her."
"I saw the red bag," said Madame Coralie, much agitated, "but I swear
that I did not know that it contained diamonds. Lady Branwin did not
mention what the bag contained. I paid no attention to it."
"Is the bag in this room?" asked Lanton, looking round.
"It must be--it must be," said Madame Coralie, beginning to search.
"She had such a bag with her. I remember that; but I did not notice
what she did with it. Why should I, not knowing it contained
diamonds?"
A thorough search was made, but without result. Audrey again described
the bag, and mentioned that her mother had attached a small label to
it, so that its owner should be known if it were lost. Inspector
Lanton seized on the last word: "Did she expect it to be lost?"
"No; certainly not. She intended, I understood from her own lips, to
take the diamonds to the jeweller; but, because she remained here, she
took the bag in with her. It must be somewhere."
"In the hands of the assassin, probably," remarked Shawe, nodding.
Lanton looked at him. "Do you think that robbery is the motive for the
murder?"
"Yes, I do, since the diamonds are missing. Else why should Lady
Branwin, who had no enemies, be strangled? The assassin must have
known that she had the jewels with her, and must have climbed the wall
of the court to gain entrance by the window. Are there no footmarks?"
"I have not searched the court," muttered Lanton, doubtfully; "but
this mention of the diamonds puts a different complexion on the case."
He paused for a moment, then scrambled through the window, and crossed
the court. At the foot of the wall, near the closed door, he picked up
a scrap of paper. "It's the label," he called out triumphantly.
"Evidently the string became loose, and it fell off while the thief
was making off with his plunder." He then turned to examine the door,
and uttered a cry as he peered down to look through the key-hole.
"This door has been opened," he declared loudly; "the key is in the
lock on the outside."
"Ah!" said Ralph, with satisfaction, "now we are on the trail of the
assassin."
"Catch him!" screamed Madame Coralie, fiercely. "Catch him and hang
him!"