After that momentary gleam of consciousness, Neddy relapsed into
insensibility, and became dead to the world for a long time. Mrs.
Mellin arrived in tears, and insisted that the boy should be removed
to her own poor home, so that he might be nursed and looked after. But
the doctor, who was by this time on the spot, urged that the poor lad
should be taken at once to the Redleigh Hospital, as it was probable
that an operation would be necessary. The rector agreed with this
suggestion, and after a lengthy argument Mrs. Mellin was induced to
consent to the arrangement. A motor-car carried both Neddy and his
mother to Redleigh, and everything possible having thus been done for
the victim, it now remained to find the assailant. It was fortunate
that the boy had been able to give the name of the person who struck
him down, as it made things easier for the police. While Neddy was
being attended to, Edwin wired to Redleigh for Sergeant Purse, and he
was expected to arrive every moment. But before the officer came the
injured boy was removed to the hospital.
While the rector and his wife were talking over the untoward event,
Claudia managed to draw her lover into another room for a private
conversation. This privacy was necessary, as, knowing what they did,
the young couple could not converse freely in the presence of Mr. and
Mrs. Craver. Edwin still wished to keep them in ignorance of what was
going on, as things were not yet shipshape. When Claudia had Edwin to
herself, and bluntly asked what he was going to do, he quite as
bluntly answered her.
"I'm going to tell the whole story to Sergeant Purse," he said,
firmly.
"But you and dad may be arrested if you tell the truth," protested the
girl uneasily.
"I don't think so. Remember, in your presence and in the presence of
my mother, Neddy has accused Mrs. Vence of the crime. Until she is
caught, and the truth of the statement is proved, Purse may have us
watched, but he certainly will not arrest us."
"Do you think that Mrs. Vence is guilty, Edwin?"
"I am sure of it. Otherwise, why should the boy say so."
"Mrs. Vence was certainly uneasy when she let slip the fact that Neddy
was in the house all the time," said Miss Lemby, thoughtfully.
"I quite understand that," replied the young man, promptly. "In the
heat of the conversation she said too much. Like many another clever
criminal, she gave herself away."
"But why should she murder Sir Hector?"
"That is what we have to find out, and will learn when she is
arrested."
"Hiding somewhere, Claudia. From what Mrs. Mellin said, she knew where
the boy was to be found, and probably followed him. I daresay she was
lurking round the barn while Neddy was assisting me with the repairs,
but, owing to my presence, did not get a chance of harming him. Then,
when I came back for the screw, she took the opportunity and, as she
thought, killed the one witness who could prove her guilt."
Claudia nodded. "It seems to be plain enough. But are you wise in
telling the sergeant what you and dad have had to do with the crime?
Would it not be better to wait until Mrs. Vence is arrested and
confesses her guilt?"
"No, Claudia," said Edwin, positively. "I must speak out now. There
has been quite enough of this hole-and-corner work. Your father and I
are both quite innocent, and for our own safety we must put ourselves
under the protection of the law; otherwise the deuce, knows what will
happen."
Claudia, after some consideration, agreed with this view, but begged
Edwin not to confess until her father was consulted. The young man had
no objection to taking this course, and in order to lose no time he
set out for the inn with the intention of bringing Lemby back to the
rectory. Then the three could wait for the arrival of Purse and the
statement could be made. So matters were arranged; but, as Fate would
have it, Claudia and her lover met the sergeant driving along the
esplanade while on their way to the village. He stopped the trap when
he saw them and made inquiries.
"What's this about your having found out who murdered Sir Hector
Wyke?" asked the lean little man, abruptly. "I just received your
message, Mr. Craver, and came on at once. Three or four policemen are
following."
"You will need them all, and need Jervis, too, in order to catch Mrs.
Vence," said Craver, promptly. "She is the culprit."
"Who says so?"
"Neddy Mellin." And Edwin gave a hasty sketch of what had happened, so
as to put Purse in full possession of the facts.
When he had concluded, the sergeant whistled. "Fancy that, now. I
never should have suspected that old woman. She gave her evidence very
clearly at the inquest, and put me off the scent by her very
clearness. I should like to see the boy and question him."
"You can't," said Claudia, quickly. "He only became conscious enough
to tell, in my presence, and in the presence of Mrs. Craver, who had
struck him down. Now he is insensible again, and has been taken to the
Redleigh Hospital."
"Oh, has he? I wish I had seen him before he went. However, I can call
at the hospital when I return."
"That won't do much good, sergeant," said Craver, with a shrug. "The
boy is not able to recognise anyone or to talk at all. Better come
with me and with Miss Lemby, here, to see her father, who is at the
Jack Ashore."
"What for?" asked Purse, suspiciously.
"We have something to tell you."
"In connection with the death of Sir Hector Wyke?"
"Yes. It won't take long to put you in possession of what we know, and
then you can search for Mrs. Vence." Purse drew out his watch. "I'll
give you half an hour," he said, pompously. "We can then go back to
the Rectory. I have told my men to meet me there. In fact, Mr. Craver,
I expected to find you there also."
"You would have," said Edwin drily, "but that the necessity arose of
my going to see Mr. Lemby about what we have to tell you."
"And Miss Lemby?"
"She wishes to be present, although she has nothing to do with the
mater."
"Oh, but I have," chimed in Claudia. "I can tell the sergeant what
Mrs. Vence said to me the other day."
Purse grunted and looked suspiciously at the girl, then, with a nod,
agreed to do as he was asked. The Redleigh trap was dismissed, and the
trio walked on to the inn. There, in the very room wherein the officer
had seen Lemby prior to the inquest, he saw him again. The pirate was
startled and disturbed by this invasion of his privacy, and when Edwin
privately told him of the determination he had arrived at, he hoarsely
objected. But matters had gone too far for these objections to have
any weight, so in the end Mr. Lemby was quite agreeable to say what he
knew. Then the quartette took their seats, and Purse produced his
pocket-book.
"Anything you say will be used in evidence against you," he recited,
in quite a mechanical way. "Now, Mr. Craver."
Edwin related in what way he was connected in the matter, and Purse
started when he heard that the man before him was the hero of the red
bicycle escapade. But he did not interrupt, and speedily noted down
all details. Lemby followed immediately on Edwin's heels, and
recounted the episode of the knife, which he bluntly acknowledged to
be his. Then Claudia took up the tale, and put the sergeant in
possession of all facts connected with the hunt for the assassin,
including her visit to Mrs. Vence and the statement of Neddy that the
old woman was the culprit. All these things the officer took down, and
scribbled furiously. When he had finished, and his book was replaced
in his pocket, he looked steadily at the three people before him.
"You have all acted wrongly," said the sergeant, in a harsh, official
voice. "I should have known of these things long ago."
"We were not bound to incriminate ourselves," said Edwin, smartly.
"I could have helped you."
"Not you, confound it!" growled Lemby, aggressively. "If we had owned
up before the truth became known you would have run us in. Come now,
confess."
"Well, it is probable that I should," admitted the sergeant,
reluctantly. "After all, things look black against you and against Mr.
Craver here."
"Of course. And that is the dashed reason why we held our tongues."
Purse, after reflection, made no answer to this, and rose to intimate
that the conference was at an end.
"The next thing to be done is to find this old woman," said the
sergeant.
"Wait a moment," said Lemby, rising. "How do we stand?"
"Where you were," said Purse, gruffly. "I don't intend to have you
arrested, if you mean that. But until this business is cleared up by
the arrest of Mrs. Vence, I'll keep an eye on you."
"That is only reasonable," said Edwin, readily. "However, I beg one
boon of you, sergeant. Don t let my father or my mother know anything
about what we have told you."
"If Mrs. Vence is arrested, the whole story must come out, sir."
"Then wait until you do arrest the woman. But until Mr. Lemby and I
are free from danger, I don't wish my parents to know."
"Fair enough," growled the sergeant "I'll hold my tongue. Now come
along. She can't have gone far, and we'll soon lay hands on her. The
old wretch, to cheat me so! Hang her! She has pulled the wool over my
eyes."
There was no doubt of this. Mrs. Vence had proved too clever for Purse
at the inquest, and it seemed as though she would again escape him.
All that afternoon search was made throughout Hedgerton, but without
success. The servants at Maranatha stated that Mrs. Vence had left the
house hours ago and had not returned. An inquiry at Mrs. Mellin's
cottage showed that the old woman had not been there. Various people,
questioned by the police, stated that they had seen the housekeeper
wandering about the esplanade, and a coastguard remembered to have
noticed her on the cliffs. These were searched, the beach was
examined, the woods round Hedgerton were explored, and the village
itself was beaten for the fugitive, but all unsuccessfully. It seemed
as though Mrs. Vence had taken wings to herself and had flown away.
Yet it seemed ridiculous to think that so old and so infirm a woman
could escape so easily. By the time it was four o'clock the sergeant
was furious at being made to look such a fool. But swearing did not
help him. Mrs. Vence had vanished, and was nowhere to be found.
"Well," said Purse, when he came across Edwin and Claudia at the barn,
whither they had gone to look at the aeroplane, "what's to be done
now?"
"You can't find her?" said Miss Lemby, anxiously.
"No. You know the old wretch by sight. See here, take this police
whistle, and if you spot her, blow for all you are worth."
"But I am not likely to see her," protested Claudia. "If a clever man
like you can't find her, how do you expect me to?"
"See here, young lady," broke in the irate officer. "Mrs. Vence is
hiding. While the police are about she'll not show. I intend to
collect my men at the rectory and then come along to have a talk with
the coastguard yonder. There is a man there I want to examine. Now,
when Mrs. Vence sees that the coast is clear she may venture out, as
she won't take any notice of you. Keep your eyes open and blow the
whistle if you see her. That's all I ask."
"You ask a great deal, sergeant," said Claudia, drily. "And my
father?"
"He will remain at the rectory with my men. Will you do what I ask?"
"Yes. But I warn you that I don't anticipate success," said Claudia,
slipping the whistle into her pocket.
"Neither do I. But I'm grasping at straws," growled the sergeant, who
was very hot and very angry.
He was turning away from the barn to go to the rectory and collect his
men, when Edwin stopped him for a moment. "Have you any objection to
my taking a flight, sergeant?" he asked. "I want to try my machine now
it is repaired?"
Edwin quite expected the man to object, but, to his surprise, the
sergeant at once assented. "Seeing you going away on the aeroplane
will make Mrs. Vence think that we have given up the hunt, and she
will venture out to escape. Go, by all means, Mr. Craver. I'll come
back to see you start."
Purse hurried away, and Edwin made ready his machine. He only intended
to take a short flight over the water and then return, as he merely
wished to see if the repairs were all right. To provide against
accidents he placed a coil of rope on the pilot's seat. It might be
wanted, and it might not. All the same, it was just as well that it
should be there. Shortly, and just when Purse returned from the
rectory, Edwin was ready, and called two or three coastguards from
their station to assist in the ascent. While they ran the aeroplane
along the ground to give it the impetus to rise, Purse cast his eyes
here, there, and everywhere, in the hope of seeing Mrs. Vence. Why he
expected her to remain in the vicinity of her crime it is impossible
to say. But he could not help thinking that she was lurking about
close at hand. However, his attention was called from watching by the
ascent of the great machine, which rose majestically into the air,
swept round in a great circle, and then turned its nose seaward.
Looking up and following its flight, Purse walked along towards the
coastguard station, leaving Claudia seated in the shadow near the
front of the barn. She was behind one of the double doors, and could
not be seen from within.
For a time Claudia watched the aeroplane swooping and soaring and
dipping and rising in the rainbow-coloured sunset sky. When it
dwindled to a mere black dot she let her eyes sink to the ground, and
blinked to got the dazzle out of them. Suddenly she heard a stealthy
noise, and looked through the aperture between the door and the barn,
where it swung on its hinges. To her surprise, she saw someone
climbing actively down the wall, having emerged from the trapdoor
leading to the loft. There was no ladder, as has been explained, so
the person in question had to descend like a monkey, using feet and
hands to cling to the rough wail, A glint of sunshine showed Claudia a
blue dress and a red knitted shawl, so she was not long in doubt as to
whom the individual was. Evidently Mrs. Vence, after striking down the
boy, had climbed up into the loft in order to hide, and now that she
believed the coast to be clear was trying to escape into the open. No
one had ever thought of searching the loft, so the astute old woman
had shown uncommon sense in choosing her hiding-place.
With bated breath Claudia rose silently and waited patiently, drawing
the whistle from her pocket, Mrs. Vence, quite ignorant that she was
being watched, crept down like a huge bat, and then made a run for the
door. Just as she emerged, Claudia sprang at her and the old woman
uttered a shriek like the cry of a trapped animal. Afterwards she
became silent and fought viciously. But Claudia, knowing what was at
stake, held on tightly. In the struggle the woman's spectacles fell
off, then her bonnet and a mass of false hair. She was unmasked.
"Lady Wyke!" gasped Claudia, "Lady Wyke!"