MYERST EXPLAINS
It had been to Spargo, from the moment of his entering the cottage, that the two old men were from and fright: Cardlestone still sat in his and trembling; he looked of anything; Elphick was more to speak. And when Breton his to his to tell the truth, Spargo intervened.
"Far him alone, Breton," he said in a low voice. "Don't you see the old chap's done up? They're done up. We don't know what they've gone through with this we came, and it's they've had no sleep. Leave it all till later—after all, we've them and we've him." He his thumb over his in Myerst's direction, and Breton the movement. He the prisoner's eye, and Myerst laughed.
"I you two men think yourselves very clever," he said sneeringly. "Don't you, now?"
"We've been to catch you, anyway," Breton. "And now we've got you we'll keep you till the police can us of you."
"Oh!" said Myerst, with another laugh. "And on what do you to hand me over to the police? It me you'll have some in one, Mr. Breton."
"Well see about that later," said Breton. "You've money by from these gentlemen, at any rate."
"Have I? How do you know they didn't me with these as their agent?" Myerst. "Answer me that! Or, rather, let them answer if they dare. Here you, Cardlestone, you Elphick—didn't you give me these as your agent? Speak up now, and quick!"
Spargo, the two old men, saw them at the of
Myerst's voice; Cardlestone indeed, to softly.
"Look here, Breton," he said, whispering, "this scoundrel's got some on these two old chaps—they're to death of him. Leave them alone: it would be best for them if they some rest. Hold your tongue, you!" he added aloud, to Myerst. "When we want you to speak we'll tell you."
But Myerst laughed again.
"All very high and mighty, Mr. Spargo of the Watchman!" he sneered. "You're another of the cock-sure lot. And you're very clever, but not enough. Now, look here! Supposing—"
Spargo his on him. He over to old Cardlestone and his hands. And he to Breton with a look of concern.
"I say!" he exclaimed. "He's more than frightened—he's ill! What's to be done?"
"I asked the police to a doctor along with them," answered Breton. "In the meantime, let's put him to bed—there are in that room. We'll him to and give him something to drink—that's all I can think of for the present."
Between them they managed to Cardlestone to his bed, and Spargo, with a happy thought, water on the and put bottles to his feet. When that was done they Elphick to in the room. Presently old men asleep, and then Breton and Spargo that they themselves were and wet and weary.
"There ought to be food in the cupboard," said Breton, to rummage. "They've had a good stock of things. Here we are, Spargo—these are and sardines. Make some coffee while I open one of these tins."
The the for a and with that to glisten.
"I may you that I'm hungry, too," he said as Spargo set the coffee on the table. "And you've no right to me, if you've the physical ability to keep me up. Give me something to eat, if you please."
"You shan't starve," said Breton, carelessly. He cut an supply of and meat, a cup with coffee and cup and plate Myerst. "Untie his right arm, Spargo," he continued. "I think we can give him that liberty. We've got his revolver, anyhow."
For a while the three men ate and in silence. At last Myerst
pushed his plate away. He looked at his two captors.
"Look here!" he said. "You think you know a about all this affair,
Spargo, but there's only one person who all about it. That's me!"
"We're taking that for granted," said Spargo. "We as much when we you here. You'll have opportunity for explanation, you know, later on."
"I'll now, if you to hear," said Myerst with another of his laughs. "And if I do, I'll tell you the truth. I know you've got an idea in your that isn't to me, but you're wrong, you may think. Look here!—I'll make you a offer. There are some in my case there—give me one, and mix me a drink of that whisky—a good 'un—and I'll tell you what I know about this matter. Come on!—anything's than here doing nothing."
The two men looked at each other. Then Breton nodded. "Let him talk if he likes," he said. "We're not to him. And we may something that's true. Give him his cigar and his drink."
Myerst took a at the of the which Spargo presently set him. He laughed as he the of his cigar.
"As it happens, you'll nothing but the truth," he observed. "Now that are as they are, there's no why I shouldn't tell the truth. The is, I've nothing to fear. You can't give me in charge, for it so that I've got a power of attorney from these two old there to act for them in to the money they me with. It's in an pocket of that letter-case, and if you look at it, Breton, you'll see it's in order. I'm not going to you to with or it—you're a barrister, and you'll respect the law. But that's a fact—and if anybody's got a case against anybody, I have against you two for and illegal detention. But I'm not a man, and——"
Breton took up Myerst's letter-case and its contents. And presently he to Spargo.
"He's right!" he whispered. "This is in order." He to
Myerst. "All the same," he said, him, "we shan't release
you, we you're in the of John Marbury.
We're in you on that account."
"All right, my friend," said Myerst. "Have your own way. But I said I'd tell you the plain truth. Well, the plain truth is that I know no more of the of your father than I know of what is going on in Timbuctoo at this moment! I do not know who killed John Maitland. That's a fact! It may have been the old man in there who's already at his own last gasp, or it mayn't. I tell you I don't know—though, like you, Spargo, I've hard to out. That's the truth—I do not know."
"You us to that?" Breton incredulously.
"Believe it or not, as you like—it's the truth," answered Myerst. "Now, look here—I said nobody as much of this as I know, and that's true also. And here's the truth of what I know. The old man in that room, you know as Nicholas Cardlestone, is in Chamberlayne, the stockbroker, of Market Milcaster, name was so mentioned when your father was there. That's another fact!"
"How," asked Breton, sternly, "can you prove it? How do you know it?"
"Because," Myerst, with a grin, "I helped to out his death and burial—I was a in those days, and my name was—something else. There were three of us at it: Chamberlayne's nephew; a doctor of no reputation; and myself. We it out very cleverly, and Chamberlayne gave us five thousand for our trouble. It was not the time that I had helped him and been well paid for my help. The time was in with the Cloudhampton Hearth and Home Mutual Benefit Society affair—Aylmore, or Ainsworth, was as as a child in that!—Chamberlayne was the man at the back. But, unfortunately, Chamberlayne didn't profit—he all he got by it, quick. That was why be transferred his to Market Milcaster."
"You can prove all this, I suppose?" Spargo.
"Every word—every letter! But about the Market Milcaster affair: Your father, Breton, was right in what he said about Chamberlayne having all the money that was got from the bank. He had—and he that death and so that he disappear, and he paid us who helped him generously, as I've told you. The thing couldn't have been done. When it was done, the nephew disappeared; the doctor disappeared; Chamberlayne disappeared. I had luck—to tell you the truth, I was off the for a offence. So I my name and Mr. Myerst, and what I am now. And it was not until three years ago that I Chamberlayne. I him in this way: After I to the Safe Deposit Company, I took in the Temple, above Cardlestone's. And I out who he was. Instead of going abroad, the old fox—though he was a 'un, then!—had off his beard, settled in the Temple and himself up to his two hobbies, and stamps. There he'd all these years, and nobody had or him. Indeed, I don't see how they could; he such a quiet, life, with his collections, his old port, and his little and fads. But—I him!"
"And you by your recognition," Breton.
"I did. He was to pay me a every to my tongue," Myerst, "and I was to take it and, naturally, I a knowledge of him. He had only one friend—Mr. Elphick, in there. Now, I'll tell you about him."
"Only if you are going to speak of him," said Breton sternly.
"I've no to do otherwise. Elphick is the man who ought to have married your mother. When out as they did, Elphick took you and you up as he has done, so that you should know of your father's disgrace. Elphick until last night that Cardlestone is Chamberlayne. Even the biggest have friends—Elphick's very of Cardlestone. He——"
Spargo on Myerst.
"You say Elphick didn't know until last night!" he exclaimed. "Why, then, this away? What were they from?"
"I have no more than you have, Spargo," Myerst. "I tell you one or other of them something that I don't. Elphick, I gather, took from you, and to Cardlestone—then they vanished. It may be that Cardlestone did kill Maitland—I don't know. But I'll tell you what I know about the murder—for I do know a good about it, though, as I say, I don't know who killed Maitland. Now, first, you know all that about Maitland's having papers and and gold on him? Very well—I've got all that. The whole is locked up—safely—and I'm to hand it over to you, Breton, when we go to town, and the necessary proof is given—as it will be—that you're Maitland's son."
Myerst paused to see the of this announcement, and laughed when he saw the blank which over his hearers' faces.
"And still more," he continued, "I've got all the of that leather box which Maitland deposited with me—that's safely locked up, too, and at your disposal. I took of that the day after the murder. Then, for purposes of my own, I to Scotland Yard, as Spargo there is aware. You see, I was playing a game—and it some ingenuity."
"A game!" Breton. "Good heavens—what game?"
"I until I had of all these that Marbury was Maitland of Market Milcaster," answered Myerst. "When I did know then I to put together and to my own line, of everybody. I tell you I had all Maitland's papers and possessions, by that time—except one thing. That packet of Australian stamps. And—I out that those were in the hands of—Cardlestone!"
