TWO AGAINST ONE.
On at Taxton-on-Thames Fanks had taken up his at the Royal Arms Hotel. It was his to make about Sir Louis Fellenger, Dr. Binjoy, and the of the latter. Ignorant that he had been by Hersham, he had also to Anne Colmer without of time, she see or from her lover. The proved that this girl something which Hersham did not want her to reveal; and in the absence--as Fanks of all warning--he to take her at a disadvantage. In this mood he took his way to her home.
So as the see, his plans almost upon the which he to obtain from this girl the next hours. And in that the of the situation. Being in this of mind, his may be when on the door of Briar Cottage being opened he saw him the man he was at that moment in London. For the minute he was unable to speak, but himself to Hersham on his in the of the law. In Fanks was angered, but he had too much good to give way to temper. It was, in his opinion, to make worse.
"So you have a on me, Hersham," he said sardonically. "I was of your in London; I am still more so now. How did you manage to the I for you?"
"By where they were laid," said Hersham, sullenly. "I you would have the railway watched, so I came here on my bicycle."
"A very idea; you have no Miss Colmer not to answer my questions?"
"Yes," said Hersham, defiantly; "I have done so. As I did not a reply to my telegram, I that you had my message in some way. It has now, when it is too late. To see Miss Colmer, to her, I came here at the of my own safety."
"Oh!" Fanks, taking note of this speech. "That is as much as to say that you being by me. I don't know that you are wrong, my friend. You for your trickery."
"You have against me?"
"I have to your arrest. On the whole, Hersham," said the detective, "I should you to help me. Otherwise I shall you the hour. Take your choice."
Before Hersham answer this question Anne appeared at the door with a and a manner. At once she in the conversation, and herself the two men.
"There is no to threaten, Mr. Fanks," said she, quickly. "Come inside, and let us discuss this calmly. I am sure that Mr. Hersham will agree that this is the best course."
The journalist sullenly, and the two men passed into the house, by Anne. She them into a room, the window of which looked on to the road, and here, when they were seated, she herself more particularly to Hersham.
"You were to speak as you did to Mr. Fanks," she said meaningly. "There is no why you or I should anything. I am perfectly to tell all that I know--which is not much--and to this every in my power."
"You will it if you do, Anne," said Hersham, warningly.
"You will it if you don't," Fanks. "I do not why you should act in this manner. I have always been your friend, yet you me a though I were your enemy."
"You are trying to me."
"If your is clear I do not think you need be of being trapped," Fanks; "but it to for any from you. Perhaps this lady may be more to reason."
"You can upon me to help you, Mr. Fanks," said Anne, calmly.
Hersham rose to his with an look on his face. "I shall you to what you think fit," he declared. "At the same time I wash my hands of the which may result."
And with a look at Anne, he left the room.
Fanks gave him a as he passed through the door. "You had here, Hersham," he said, "as I may want to see you again. Whether you or go I can my hands on you at any moment."
"You are having me watched?" questioned Hersham, fiercely.
"Yes, I am having you watched; and you may thank that you are in so a position. Now, then, will you go to London, or here?"
Hersham for a moment, then, by a look from Anne, he compromised. "I shall in the village," he said, and passed through the open door, the with Miss Colmer.
Strange to say, Fanks was by no means at his with this woman the more so, as he her promise to tell him all she knew. She had him by from the in Half-Moon Street; she might again him with false reports. If she had anything to conceal, this that she would not tell her secret; and the was more of her than of the of Hersham. He might with more or less success, but to with a person like Miss Colmer, a use of all the he possessed. Fanks, therefore, prepared for a of words; and expression, and information, the conversation.
"Well, Mr. Fanks," said Miss Colmer, coolly, "I must you on your in my identity; I when I left you in Sir Gregory's that I should be able to you altogether. I was wrong, it seems; you have me out. Now that you have done so, may I ask what you want to know?"
"I want to know a great many things," said Fanks, her coolness; "but the question is you will to answer all my questions?"
"You can judge for yourself. Ask me what question you will, and I shall answer to the best of my ability. But," added she, pointedly, "before you begin, let me ask you one question. Do you that I have anything to do with the of Sir Gregory?"
"I can't answer that until you have to my questions, Miss Colmer; but, from your to me information, I that you do know something of the matter."
"You are right, I do know something of the matter; but I cannot promise to tell you who killed Sir Gregory. I know that he was murdered--no more; and that I from the newspapers."
Fanks no reply to this remark; Miss Colmer continued: "Why do you think that I know anything about the crime? I met Sir Gregory."
"Why did you come to the rooms of Sir Gregory?" Fanks. "I you with the of that visit."
"If you know the of my sister, you know why I came to Half-Moon Street," said Anne, coldly. "It was to ask the servant, Robert, for a portrait of Emma, that had been taken from her by Sir Gregory."
"I have that photograph, Miss Colmer. Did you want it for the picture, or it had some on the back?"
"What do you mean?" asked the girl, sharply.
Fanks produced the from his pocket. "That is the writing," he said; "whosoever that, also on the of the photograph of your sister. Perhaps you can tell me who is the scribe."
Miss Colmer looked at the envelope, and her head. "I saw that before," she said, decisively.
"Yet you can see that the post mark is of this village."
"So it appears; nevertheless. I cannot name the writer; and I cannot why you it to me."
"Well, Miss Colmer," said Fanks, with this answer, "when I out who this I shall know who killed Sir Gregory."
"I am sorry I cannot help you, Mr. Fanks. I see that you think the came from this house, but I you that you are wrong. Both my mother and myself Sir Gregory a of his of Emma; but we did not wish his death. If you came here to the you have your time. I know nothing about the matter."
"Then what is it that Hersham did not wish you to reveal?"
"Nothing; he me to that I had been at the of Sir Gregory on that day, you should think I had something to do with the murder."
"Oh!" said Fanks, disbelievingly. "And did Hersham wish you to also that you had been in Tooley's Alley on the night of the murder?"
Anne at the of this attack, and took in a plain denial. "I was not there," she said, obstinately. "Neither on that night at any time."
"Pardon me, I saw you myself."
"You must have been mistaken."
"I think not. Yours is not a I easily forget."
"Thank you for the compliment," said Anne, "but in this case I am it is unmerited. I was not at Tooley's Alley on that night. If you me, you can ask my mother."
"No!" said Fanks, after a moment's reflection, "I shall not ask your mother--yet." As a of fact, the was well that mother and had prepared an in case of discovery. Not being to the matter, by of of information, and that Anne would in her denial, he all until a more occasion. He, therefore, on the of it, Anne's assertion, and that Hersham was to her to what had have been told.
To this, Anne replied, promptly: "You must him, Mr. Fanks," she said. "He that I Sir Gregory for his of my sister; and he that my unlucky visit might me in this matter. But I have told you the I there; so you must or me as you see fit."
"I shall do neither, at present," said Fanks, significantly. "But I shall ask you why you ran away from me on that day?"
"I was of you."
"Why, you did not know me; you saw me before."
"I saw your portrait," said Miss Colmer, frankly. "You gave one to Ted--Mr. Hersham--and he told me that you were a detective. When I saw you in those I that you had the case in hand; and I was with a panic you should me to be mixed up in the crime. For that I fled. How did you me?"
"It was of you to go, Miss Colmer," said Fanks, not directly, "and I was naturally of your flight."
"But you don't me now?"
"Not since you have your visit. You ask me how I you. First, from your to your sister; and, secondly, from the post mark on this envelope. As I told you, the on and portrait are the same. You see the connection?"
"Yes. I see the connection. And now, Mr. Fanks, I have told you all I know; is there any other question you wish to ask me?"
"Yes. Where was this photograph taken you wanted?"
"In this village."
"Was it your sister's possession?"
"It was; it was the only photograph we had of her. The negative was and there was no picture of my sister in existence. After the death, my mother wanted this picture; and, as I that it might be at Sir Gregory's chambers, I up for it."
"Did you see it in your sister's she away with Sir Gregory?"
"Yes. She took it from here when she to London."
"Was there any on the then?"
Anne a moment. "No," she said. "There was no on it then."
"Do you think your sister on the of the portrait she suicide?"
"If the on the of the photograph is the same as that on this letter--or rather, envelope--I do not think she it. This is not my sister's handwriting."
"You cannot think who it?"
"No, Mr. Fanks; I am of that."
Needless to say, Fanks took his from Briar Cottage in a very puzzled of mind. Before leaving, he told Miss Colmer that he would call again the next day. When he got to his hotel he asked himself how much of her he believe; and he came to the that not one word of it was true. He was as off as ever.
