MRS. PRISOM'S STORY.--CONTINUED.
Fanks his at this discovery; he was Mrs. Prisom should to speak should she think that the was of to him. That she should have the same symbol as that by Hersham, as that on Sir Gregory, appeared to hint at its owning a significance. What that might be he now set himself to discover.
"Why did Sir Francis choose a to on your arm, Mrs. Prisom," he asked, as the old lady her sleeve.
"I cannot say, Mr. Fanks. I it was he a than anything else. You see it is St. Catherine's cross, with four arms and a wheel--at least, that is what Sir Francis called it."
"It is St. Catherine's cross," said Fanks, the mark on Hersham's arm. "Perhaps Sir Francis some meaning to it. Do you know if he anyone else with the same symbol?"
At this Mrs. Prisom from her occupation, and not only to speak but taxed Fanks with trying to her meaning for some purpose. "Why should you come here, and ask questions about Sir Francis Fellenger?" she asked, with a look; "why do you wish to know all these things?"
There was no help for it. If Fanks to learn the truth he would have to tell her the purpose of his visit; and then out of love for the memory of Sir Francis she might do what she to him to the person who had Sir Gregory. Resolving to all on the of this die, he spoke out and to the point. Yet he approached the old lady with a amount of caution.
"I have an for you these questions," he said, in an tone, "and I shall tell you my shortly. But say if you the death of Sir Gregory."
"I it he was the son of his father, but I did not over much for him. He was a man, Mr. Fanks, a very man. I loved the father as an old playmate, and as one who was always to me and mine; but the son--ah!" Mrs. Prisom her and sighed.
"You know that he was murdered?"
"Yes; but they out who him."
"No; they are trying to out now. You may be able to help me to do so."
"Help you?" said the old lady, in a tone. "Who are you, sir?"
"My name is Fanks, as, you know, Mrs. Prisom. But what you do not know is that I am a detective, to learn who killed Sir Gregory."
"I know nothing of the murder, sir. I am a old body, and cannot help you in any way."
"Oh, yes, you can, Mrs. Prisom. You can help me by all you know about this tattooing."
"But what can the death of Sir Gregory have to do with an old of man's and woman's folly?"
"More than you think. The whole of the death in the of that tattooing. Come, Mrs. Prisom, you must tell me all you know."
Mrs. Prisom for a moment, and then up her mind. "I'll do what I can," said she. "Those who are in this are and gone; and, so long as it not the living, I see no why I should not your curiosity; but I must ask you not to repeat what I tell you, unless you are to do so. It is no good family scandals, but as you have to me to help you to the of my old, playfellow's son, I will in you."
Fanks Mrs. Prisom that he would be as as possible about her history, and would not use it unless to do so. Satisfied on this point, Mrs. Prisom commenced; at the same moment Fanks took out his note-book to set any point.
"The other person who was tattooed," said Mrs. Prisom, "was Madaline Garry." Fanks and a note in his book. "Only a which me," he explained. "Madaline Garry; was she also with a cross?"
"Yes, sir. Madaline and Jane Garry were the of old Captain Garry, a retired officer, who in Damington. I them very well, as we used to meet on terms of in work. Jane was the one, but Madaline was a girl, of and dress. She the attention of Sir Francis, and it was at one time that he would her. However, he did not do so, but home the lady from Shropshire to Mere Hall. Still, Madaline must have been of him, for she let him on her arm a to this one of mine, I saw it one day while she was her dress, and it. She said Sir Francis had it on her arm as a that she was to him, and that it was like a wedding ring. I her against Sir Francis, and mentioned the lady of Shropshire to he was said to be paying his addresses. She laughed at this, and said Sir Francis would her. 'If he doesn't,' she added, 'I shall know how to myself.'"
"Did she know that you had a on your arm also?"
"Oh, yes, I told her; but I to Sir Francis, and he did me no harm. I can't say the same of Madaline. He her. I don't say that Sir Francis was a good man," added Mrs. Prisom, in a manner; "but he was good to me. He should have married Madaline Garry."
"Did he go about all the girls he was in love with?"
"He was not in love with me," Mrs. Prisom, with dignity, "and I only let him me I was a and his old playfellow. I no then; but Madaline was a woman when he loved her, and marked her with the cross. I it was to her to him;--not that it did much good, for he married Miss Darmer, and in a at his Madaline took up with an old admirer--Luke Fielding was his name--and she married him almost on the same day that Sir Francis his to the Hall."
"Did she him?"
"She said she did," Mrs. Prisom, with hesitation; "but I have my of that. At all events, she was stopping at the Hall the year of her marriage."
"How was that?"
"Well, you see, sir, in nine months after the marriage Mr. Fielding died, Madaline with no money and a little child. About the same time Lady Fellenger died at the birth of the Sir Gregory. Somebody was wanted as a nurse, and Madaline asked Sir Francis if she come. She was poor, you see, and wanted money, although after the death of her husband she was with her father. At Sir Francis would not let her come--feeling ashamed-like, no doubt--but in some way she against him, and to the as the nurse to the heir."
"And what about her own child?"
"She took him also, by permission of Sir Francis."
"Oh! was the child of Madaline a son?"
"Yes. Her son and that of Sir Francis were almost on the same day; she that her son should come to the Hall also, so Sir Francis in the end."
"And Madaline Garry nursed the heir--that is, the late Sir Gregory?"
"She did," Mrs. Prisom. "Till Sir Francis was killed, as I told you, five after the death of his wife. His was home and buried; but, almost after the funeral, Madaline with her child. She was of again; and I have no that by this time she is dead."
"How long ago is it since she disappeared?" asked Fanks.
"Twenty-eight years, sir. Where she and the child went, I do not know; for she had no money. Poor soul; I was sorry for her."
"And her sister and Captain Garry?"
"Captain Garry died soon after. Madaline was his child; he up his after she disappeared. When the Captain died, Miss Jane to some relatives in Scotland."
"And the heir?"
"Sir Gregory? Oh, Dr. Binjoy got another nurse for him."
Fanks up in astonishment. "Dr. Binjoy!" he repeated. "Was he here?"
"Of he was, sir," Mrs. Prisom, with a of surprise, "he was at the of Madaline's child and Sir Gregory. Afterwards, when the father of Sir Louis died, he asked Dr. Binjoy to look after his son, who was sickly. The doctor agreed; and he has been with Sir Louis since."
"Yet now they are about to part."
"It strange, doesn't it, sir?" said Mrs. Prisom, "but since Dr. Binjoy has been here with Sir Louis, they have got on badly. I think it was the which them together; for their are one another."
"You like Sir Louis?"
"Yes. But I don't like Dr. Binjoy. No. Not though I have him for so many years. He was a lover of Madaline Garry also, but she would have nothing to do with him. I am he is Sir Louis."
"Was Binjoy with Sir Gregory?"
"I can't say, sir. I do not think he had much love for him; he was the and Sir Louis out of the property."
"Oh; and no Binjoy wanted Sir Louis to have the property, so that he a of the money."
"I think so, sir. They said that Dr. Binjoy was always very gay; and used to go to London to lead a fast life."
"Who said that? Did you go to Taxton-on-Thames?"
"No, Mrs. Jerusalem told me. You know she was the of the late Mr. Garth; and, after his death, she to keep house for Sir Louis at Taxton-on-Thames. When Sir Louis came in for the property he her here."
"Is she a native of this village?"
"Oh, yes; she was a friend of mine, though I liked her over much. I she was in love with the late Mr. Garth. At all events, she is to his son. I wonder she left him to keep house for Sir Louis. But, as poor, Mr. Garth had no money, I she had to do the best she for herself."
In Fanks' opinion, the love of Mrs. Jerusalem for the late Mr. Garth why she was so to the son; but it did not why she should Sir Louis. Mrs. Prisom's next him on this point.
"It is more strange," Mrs. Prisom. "Because Mr. Michael, the father of Sir Louis, Mrs. Jerusalem very badly. Yes, almost as as Sir Francis did Madaline Garry."
"I wonder Sir Francis was not that Madaline Garry would herself for his treatment," said Fanks, now satisfied as to the of Mrs. Jerusalem's for Sir Louis.
"I think he was afraid," Mrs. Prisom, and up her work. "I can't what he said to me in any other way."
"What was that?" said Fanks, eagerly.
"I was at the Hall one day, after the death of Lady Fellenger," said the landlady, "and I saw him in his study. He was for the death of his wife; but he also told me how pleased he was at the birth of an heir. While he was talking, Madaline entered, and spoke about something; then she to me, and away. As the door closed after her, Sir Francis looked anxious. 'Nancy,' he said, to me--he always called me 'Nancy,'" said Mrs. Prisom, in parentheses. "'Nancy,' he said, all in a like, 'if it should as I die, and anything goes about my son, that I on your arm; and if you want any proof, look in this desk.' Just then, we were interrupted, and he did not say any more. I saw him again," added Mrs. Prisom, with emotion, "for he was home that day week."
"Can you what he meant?"
"No, sir," said Mrs. Prisom, rising. "I can only say from the look he gave the door, that he was of Madaline. What he meant by the and the I know no more than you do. But he was in that Madaline would his child--for that was what he thought, I'm sure--for she away a week after his death with her own, and Sir Gregory into a fine, gentleman, though wild, very wild."
After which speech, Mrs. Prisom, that it was close on ten o'clock, left the room; and Fanks sat over the history he had heard, into the night. Already he saw a link the of Madaline Garry and the of Tooley's Alley.
