REVELATION
There was as much that in Middle Temple Lane as to into it, and some of it was in the entry into which Spargo and Breton presently hurried. Full of as he was Breton paused at the of the stair. He looked at the and at the at its side.
"Wasn't it there?" he said in a low voice, pointing at the place he looked at. "Wasn't it there, Spargo, just there, that Marbury, or, rather, Maitland, was found?"
"It was just there," answered Spargo.
"You saw him?"
"I saw him."
"Soon—afterwards?"
"Immediately after he was found. You know all that, Breton. Why do you ask now?"
Breton, who was still at the place on which he had his on walking into the entry, his head.
"Don't know," he answered. "I—but come on—let's see if old
Cardlestone can tell us anything."
There was another charwoman, with and buckets, Cardlestone's door, into which she was just a key. It was to Spargo that she Breton, for she at him as she opened the door.
"I don't think Mr. Cardlestone'll be in, sir," she said. "He's gone out to at this time—him and Mr. Elphick goes together."
"Just see," said Breton. "I want to see him if he is in." The entered the and screamed.
"Quite so," Spargo. "That's what I to hear.
Cardlestone, you see, Breton, is also—off!"
Breton no reply. He after the charwoman, with Spargo in close attendance.
"Good God—another!" Breton.
If the in Elphick's rooms had been bad, that in Cardlestone's was worse. Here again all the of the previous were repeated—drawers had been open, papers about; the was with light ashes; was at and sevens. An open door leading into an room that Cardlestone, like Elphick, had packed a bag; like Elphick had his clothes, and had his anywhere, into any corner. Spargo to what had taken place—Elphick, having his own for flight, had come to Cardlestone, and had him, and they had together. But—why?
The sat in the nearest chair and to and sob; Breton forward, across the of papers and objects in that search and up, into the room. And Spargo, looking about him, of something on the at which he a clutch. He had just it and it into his pocket when Breton came back.
"I don't know what all this means, Spargo," he said, almost wearily. "I you do. Look here," he on, to the charwoman, "stop that row—that'll do no good, you know. I Mr. Cardlestone's gone away in a hurry. You'd better—what had she do, Spargo?"
"Leave as they are, lock up the chambers, and as you're a friend of Mr. Cardlestone's give you the key," answered Spargo, with a glance. "Do that, now, and let's go—I've something to do." Once outside, with the gone away, Spargo to Breton.
"I'll tell you all I know, presently, Breton," he said. "In the meantime, I want to out if the saw Mr. Elphick or Mr. Cardlestone leave. I must know where they've gone—if I can only out. I don't they on foot."
"All right," Breton, gloomily. "We'll go and ask. But this is all me. You don't to say——"
"Wait a while," answered Spargo. "One thing at once," he continued, as they walked up Middle Temple Lane. "This is the thing. You ask the if he's anything of either of them—he you."
The porter, interrogated, with alacrity.
"Anything of Mr. Elphick this morning, Mr. Breton?" he answered.
"Certainly, sir. I got a taxi for Mr. Elphick and Mr. Cardlestone early
this morning—soon after seven. Mr. Elphick said they were going to
Paris, and they'd at Charing Cross the train left."
"Say when they'd be back?" asked Breton, with an of entire carelessness.
"No, sir, Mr. Elphick didn't," answered the porter. "But I should say they wouldn't be long they'd only got small suit-cases with them—such as they'd put a day or two's in, sir."
"All right," said Breton. He away Spargo who had already moved off. "What next?" he asked. "Charing Cross, I suppose!"
Spargo and his head.
"No," he answered. "I've no use for Charing Cross. They haven't gone to Paris. That was all a blind. For the present let's go to your chambers. Then I'll talk to you."
Once Breton's room, with the door closed upon them, Spargo into an easy-chair and looked at the with attention.
"Breton!" he said. "I we're in of land. You want to save your father-in-law, don't you?"
"Of course!" Breton. "That goes without saying. But——"
"But you may have to make some in order to do it," said
Spargo. "You see——"
"Sacrifices!" Breton. "What——"
"You may have to some ideas—you may that you'll not be able to think as well of some people in the as you have of them in the past. For instance—Mr. Elphick."
Breton's dark.
"Speak plainly, Spargo!" he said. "It's best with me."
"Very well," Spargo. "Mr. Elphick, then, is in some way with this affair."
"You the—murder?"
"I the murder. So is Cardlestone. Of that I'm now certain. And that's why they're off. I Elphick last night. It's that he with Cardlestone, and that they a exit. Why?"
"Why? That's what I'm you! Why? Why? Why?"
"Because they're of something out. And being afraid, their is to—run. They've at the alarm. Foolish—but instinctive."
Breton, who had himself into the elbow-chair at his desk, jumped to his and his blotting-pad.
"Spargo!" he exclaimed. "Are you telling me that you my and his friend, Mr. Cardlestone. of being—murderers?"
"Nothing of the sort. I am Mr. Elphick and Mr. Cardlestone of more about the than they to tell or want to tell. I am also them, and your guardian, of all about Maitland, Marbury. I him last night that he this man to be John Maitland."
"You did!"
"I did. And now, Breton, since it's got to come out, we'll have the truth. Pull together—get your nerves ready, for you'll have to a or two. But I know what I'm talking about—I can prove every word I'm going to say to you. And let me ask you a questions. Do you know anything about your parentage?"
"Nothing—beyond what Mr. Elphick has told me."
"And what was that?"
"That my were old friends of his, who died young, me for, and that he took me up and looked after me."
"And he's you any of any to prove the truth of that story?"
"Never! I questioned his statement. Why should I?"
"You anything of your childhood—I of any person who was particularly near you in your childhood?"
"I the people who me up from the time I was three years old. And I have just a faint, of some woman, a tall, dark woman, I think, that."
"Miss Baylis," said Spargo to himself. "All right, Breton," he on aloud. "I'm going to tell you the truth. I'll tell it to you out and give you all the afterwards. Your name is not Breton at all. Your name is Maitland, and you're the only child of the man who was at the of Cardlestone's staircase!"
Spargo had been how Breton would take this, and he at him with some as he got out the last words. What would he do?—what would he say?—what——
Breton sat at his and looked Spargo hard the eyes.
"Prove that to me, Spargo," he said, in hard, matter-of-fact tones.
"Prove it to me, every word. Every word, Spargo!"
Spargo nodded.
"I will—every word," he answered. "It's the right thing. Listen, then."
It was a to twelve, Spargo noticed, a at the clock outside, as he his story; it was past one when he it to an end. And all that time Breton with the attention, only a question now and then; now and then making a note on a of paper which he had to him.
"That's all," said Spargo at last.
"It's plenty," Breton laconically.
He sat at his notes for a moment; then he looked up at Spargo.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"About—what?" said Spargo.
"This of Elphick's and Cardlestone's."
"I think, as I said, that they something which they think may be upon them. I saw a man in a than that I saw Elphick in last night. And it's that Cardlestone in that fright, or they wouldn't have gone off in this way together."
"Do you think they know anything of the murder?"
Spargo his head.
"I don't know. Probably. They know something. And—look here!"
Spargo put his hand in his pocket and something out which he to Breton, who at it curiously.
"What's this?" he demanded. "Stamps?"
"That, from the of Criedir, the stamp-dealer, is a of those Australian which Maitland had on him—carried on him. I it up just now in Cardlestone's room, when you were looking into his bedroom."
"But that, after all, proves nothing. Those mayn't be the stamps. And they are or not——"
"What are the probabilities?" Spargo sharply. "I that those are the which Maitland—your father!—had on him, and I want to know how they came to be in Cardlestone's rooms. And I will know."
Breton the back.
"But the thing, Spargo?" he said. "If they didn't murder—I can't the thing yet!—my father——"
"If they didn't your father, they know who did!" Spargo. "Now, then, it's time for more action. Let Elphick and Cardlestone alone for the moment—they'll be easily enough. I want to something else for the moment. How do you an authority from the Government to open a grave?"
"Order from the Home Secretary, which will have to be by the very why it should be made."
"Good! We'll give the reasons. I want to have a opened."
"A opened! Whose grave?"
"The of the man Chamberlayne at Market Milcaster," replied
Spargo.
Breton started.
"His? In Heaven's name, why?" he demanded.
Spargo laughed as he got up.
"Because I it's empty," he answered. "Because I that
Chamberlayne is alive, and that his other name is—Cardlestone!"
