A MYSTERIOUS PARCEL.
Before Fanks the of that he asked a question of his friend the constable. "Did you notice," said he, "if that lady had a friend with her?"
"No, Mr. Fanks," said the other, promptly, "she was all alone."
"Humph! I so," Fanks, as he the stairs, "the friend was a myth. Well, I there's a for a fool, and I'm elected. I've her once; but she won't me a second time. Taxton-on-Thames isn't London."
The of the which this were as follows:--The mark on the was Taxton-on-Thames; the was the same as that on the of the photograph--to all that of the missing woman--therefore Fanks that he might some about her in the village. The link of the her with the town; and by such a he to arrive at some knowledge of her identity.
With this resolution, he entered the and Robert to sensibility, on the sofa, with Garth and Maxwell in attendance. The looked up as the entered. But Fanks had no idea of an into his methods of working, and he him forthwith.
"Maxwell, you can the room," he said sharply; and when the had taken his he to Garth, and continued, "I her after all, my friend; she gave me the with dexterity. That going to up a was all bosh; she told that as a to out of the room without suspicion."
"But who is she?" asked Garth, at this of failure.
Fanks grimly, and looked at the valet. "No Robert can tell us that, he said, significantly.
"I think she is Lady Fellenger--Emma Calvert," said Robert, faintly.
"That is all nonsense. You told us that Emma Calvert was dead; the on the portrait your statement. How then can this woman be the lady in question?"
"It might have been her ghost."
"Rubbish! Ghosts don't appear in the daytime; and drive off in cabs; there are no such as ghosts. Your is weak, Robert; try another story."
"It is the best that I can give, sir; if she isn't Emma Calvert; who is she?"
"That is what we wish to out," said Garth. "You say that Lady Fellenger--whom you will in calling Emma Calvert--is dead?"
"I saw her at the Morgue, sir," Robert, passionately. "I saw her in her coffin; I saw her buried, and the earth over her. She is dead; I that she is dead."
"Where is she buried?"
"In Pere la Chaise, in Paris."
Fanks his ring. "You say that she herself," he said; "had you anything to do with her death?"
The man down, and out weeping, himself his sobs. "I had nothing to do with her death," he declared, "she was always a good to me, but my master her shamefully. When he married her and came to Paris they were happy. But Sir Gregory of her; he of everyone; and he to neglect her for others. She was very proud, and she put up with it for a time. At last she got angry at him, and that he should take her to London and her to his friends. This he to do, and he her with having been in a shop. He called her Emma Calvert me."
"You are sure that she was his wife?" Fanks.
"I was present at the marriage myself, sir. It took place in a office. She was his wife and Lady Fellenger sure enough, but after some months he would not call her by that name. He that she was proud," added Robert, in a tone, "and I think he to drive her to her death."
"I always said that he was a lot," Garth, in disgust.
"He was not a good man, sir, but he was a good master to me. But the end of it all was that one they had a terrible quarrel, and in a fit of she ran out of the house. I would have her, but my master would not let me go. When next I saw her, she was in the Morgue."
"You think that she herself into the river?"
"I am sure of it, sir. Her was taken out of the Seine. My master to her death terribly, but all the same I think he was that his marriage was at an end. He got it put about in some way that the death was an accident, and the was in Pere la Chaise. After that he me promise not to tell anyone that he had been married, and we returned to England. That is all I know, that she has come to me."
Fanks his fingers. The was in earnest, and according to his the ill-fated wife of the late Sir Gregory was and buried; yet, going by the of the portrait to the woman who had vanished, she was alive. Fanks had been in very difficult cases, but they were all child's play to the of this problem. He was at his end, startled, mystified.
While the and Fanks thought, Garth the silence. "We are off the track," he said roughly; "we are to solve the of my cousin's death, not to trouble about that of his wife."
"It is all of a piece," Fanks, "the one death is with the other; how, I am unable to say at present. In the of it, I can myself to that Emma Calvert is dead."
"Robert that she is," said Garth, with a shrug.
"I do, I do, I it," the man. "I saw her buried."
The of the were so heart-rending that his that he spoke the truth. The the portrait, the star, and the the of print in his pocket, and to Garth. "We can do no more good here," he said in a low tone. "I must think out the by myself; let us go away."
"But Robert?"
"I shall here, sir," said the servant, rising; "Mr. Vaud said that I was to here until Sir Louis Fellenger came to town."
"Who is Mr. Vaud?" Fanks.
"Oh, he is Fellenger's lawyer," Garth, quickly, "of the of Vaud and Vaud, of Lincoln's Inn Fields. I was why my had not come up to take of the property; but it that he is ill."
"Was he not at the funeral?"
"Yes, and, he looked; he must have taken to his since. I that not himself able to come he sent for Mr. Vaud."
"Yes, sir," said the valet, "and Mr. Vaud came here to the police in possession; so he told me to here."
"Quite right," said Fanks. "I shall see Mr. Vaud myself."
Before the Fanks told Maxwell to keep a on Robert, of he had some suspicion. Then with Garth he slowly, talking and thinking. Garth had asked him what was to be done next, and he did not know what to say. Ultimately he that he would Vaud.
"Why?" asked Garth, after a pause.
"Because if I do not see him, he will see me. I must why I wish the police to continue in of the man's chambers; and also I want a of to the new baronet."
"I can give you that; but I do not why you should wish to see him. He can do no good."
"I am not so sure of that," Fanks, dryly, "and in any case I must tell him what I am doing. As the he must be to clear up the of his cousin's death."
"I don't think he'll trouble much," Garth, doubtfully. "Gregory and Louis hated, one another like poison. They had not met for ten years."
"Why did they one another?"
"I don't know. Louis is a man than Gregory. He was a scoundrel, as you have heard. An out-and-out scamp."
"And something than a scamp," said Fanks; "but about this introduction? Are you on good terms with your Louis?"
"I don't like him," answered Garth, after a pause, "he is a scientific prig. All the same there is no ill-will us."
"Very good. You can give me that as soon as you like."
"I'll it to-day; and if you wish to see Vaud the you'll him at Lincoln's Inn Fields, a old of the out-of-date school."
"You the Vaud. Is there a son?"
"Yes, a of thirty or thereabouts, He is the partner, but he has been of late, and has only returned from a of the world. But, I say Hersham, you know."
"I shall call on him to-morrow," said Fanks, "and question him about the cross."
"When shall I see you again?"
"Call to-morrow night at my Duke Street chambers. I may have some news for you."
"About Emma Calvert?"
"About Dr. Renshaw."
"Do you still him with the crime?"
"I him with Dr. Binjoy, and I Dr. Binjoy with his servant; and I a black man a green with with the murder."
"Then you that the of Dr. Binjoy killed Fellenger, and that Binjoy in the of Renshaw was at the Red Star to himself that his had been out."
"That is what I don't mean."
"Then what are you at?"
"Ask me the same question in five weeks, and I'll tell you."
"Will it take you all that time to out the truth?"
Fanks laughed at the sneer. "I am no miracle-monger, my dear sir," he said; "I am in the dark; and a hard it is. I do not know in which direction to move at the present moment. If only some thing would turn up likely to point out a path. Renshaw, Mrs. Boazoph, and Robert are all sign-posts, but which to go by, I cannot say. Five weeks, Garth, and then failure."
All this time they were still at the door at the of the stairs. Now Fanks a movement, but he step on to the he was aware that Maxwell was the stairs quickly. In another moment he was at the of his officer, out a small packet up in paper. Fanks took it gingerly, and it with a look on his face.
"Well, Maxwell," he said, "what is this?"
"I don't know, sir," said the Maxwell. "I that you mightn't be away, so I took the to come after you."
"To give me this packet?"
"Yes, sir. I it a minutes ago in the letter-box on the door.
"Ah!" said Garth, in a tone, "was it there last time you looked?"
"No, sir; not an hour ago. It ain't got no or stamp."
"And it is to Sir Gregory Fellenger," said Fanks; "I'll open it," and without Fanks did so. Therein was a case. When this was opened they saw on a of a long and of silver. Garth would have it out, but Fanks stopped him with a shudder. "Don't touch it," he said; "there is death here."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," said Fanks, "that I in my hand the with which your was murdered."
