MRS. BOAZOPH TELLS THE TRUTH.
Immediately after this great discovery, Fanks a from Garth him that Mrs. Jerusalem was in London, at the Red Star. "Mrs. Boazoph," said the writer, "is much better, and is now permitted to her bed; I to the of Turnor. Should you want to any out of Mrs. Boazoph now is the time to do so." The result of this was that Fanks to go at once to town and the landlady.
"You see that I want to something out of Mrs. Boazoph," he said to Louis. "I want her to tell me who killed Sir Gregory."
"Do you think she that?"
"I think she has it all along," Fanks. "You can take it from me, Fellenger, she the when he entered the hotel on that night. For some reason, which I to discover, she has her tongue. I to her to the name by to Hersham, in the event of her to speak."
"Will she tell in order to save Hersham?"
"I think so; and for more than one. You see she when I told her that I prove the against that man. It may be that she how he has been with by Madeline Garry, and therefore she may be to save him trouble."
"But how she learn the of Madeline Garry and the of the children," Fellenger.
"From Anne Colmer, who must have learned it from Dr. Binjoy. I he is at the of the whole affair. I do not say that he killed Gregory; but he can tell us who did."
"How can you prove that?"
"Well, the person who killed Gregory must have that of the of the children, so as to him to let the be on his arm. Dr. Binjoy must have told that person; Dr. Binjoy must have that needle; Dr. Binjoy, my friend, is at the of the whole affair."
"You Madeline Garry; she might have told the about the of the children."
"I don't think so. Madeline would not have been likely to anything to her son; and on the of it she not have to the needle. No, I Binjoy as an the fact. I shall see Mrs. Jerusalem, and her to tell me where to Madeline Garry; though to be sure I have a good of where to her as it is."
"What! Do you know who Madeline Garry is?"
"I think so. A speech of Mrs. Prisom's put me on her track; but I may be so I shall say nothing as yet."
"You are in things, Mr. Fanks. Perhaps you can tell me who killed Gregory?"
"Well," said Fanks, looking at his questioner, "I might go as as that. I do not know for who is the assassin; but I have a notion. I shall have my set at on that point when I see these in town. I shall Mrs. Boazoph, take her confession, and make her it. I shall act in the same way with Binjoy, with Anne Colmer, with Robert, the of the man, and with Turnor, the of your medical friend."
"Do you think they are all in it?"
"I am more than they are," said Fanks in a tone. "Well, Mr. Fellenger, will you come up with me and see the last act of the comedy?"
"No, I shall here with Mr. Crate; and keep an on Dr. Binjoy, But you must me all that you at the Red Star. Do you think that you will the truth in that house?"
"I am of it. Believe me the will end as it began--in the Red Star in Tooley's Alley. I all will go as I wish," added Fanks with a air. "I have had no end of trouble with this case. And although I think I see at last, I must not be too confident. The whole of my with Mrs. Boazoph."
Having thus settled his plans, Fanks left Crate at Mere Hall to look after Dr. Binjoy, and repaired to town. Immediately on his arrival, which took place about noon, he sent for Garth, and questioned him Mrs. Jerusalem. Having satisfactory replies, he a special to the lawyer, and, with a detective, he himself to the Red Star. That with Fanks so Garth, that he on his errand--which had to do with such conversation--in a of great and no little nervousness.
At the Red Star Fanks for Mrs. Jerusalem, and was by Dr. Turnor. The looked as the appeared; and to him from Mrs. Boazoph as he to do. "She is yet weak," he urged, "and I do not think it will be wise of you to talk with her as yet."
"I don't how weak she is," said Fanks, grimly. "I to talk to her, and to you too."
"What can you have to say to me?" Turnor, with an attempt at bravado.
"I'll tell you that after I have Mrs. Boazoph and Mrs. Jerusalem," was the reply. "I know all your doings on the night of the twenty-first, Dr. Turnor; and I am aware of your attempt to Sir Louis Fellenger."
After which speech Fanks to the room by Mrs. Boazoph. At the door he met with Mrs. Jerusalem. She looked at him in an way, and spoke in her cold and manner. Her question was of Fanks' visit to Mere Hall.
"Did you out the truth, sir?" she asked.
"I out the truth; but not the particular truth you for," Fanks, who this woman immensely. "Your master is not guilty."
"Then who is if he is not?"
"I'll that in a moments, Mrs. Jerusalem. I may tell you that I know all about Madaline Garry and the cross, also about Mr. Louis Fellenger."
The woman back, and for the time since Fanks had her, an of across her face. "He said Mr. Louis," she said to herself. "How much he know?"
"He most of the which to the in this house," Fanks, moving the door, "and now with your he is about to learn the rest."
"At all events the truth will be for Louis Fellenger," Mrs. Jerusalem. "If it was to him I would not move a step. As it is," she added, open the door, "come in, Mr. Fanks, and ask Mrs. Boazoph to tell you the she related to me this morning."
Fanks nodded, and without saying a word entered the apartment. In of the warm weather there was a fire in the grate, and it Mrs. Boazoph. She was seated on the her thin hands at the blaze; and she her as the entered. He was at the in her by illness. Her was and with pain; her was about her ears in masses; and the of her dress how she had become. The was but a of the woman who had the police for so long; and at the Fanks saw that death was on her face. If there was anything to be learned from this there was no time to be in it. Nemesis had at least one for the death of Sir Gregory Fellenger;--or Edward Fielding.
"Have you come here to see me die, Mr. Fanks?" asked Mrs. Boazoph, with a smile.
"I it is not so as that," Fanks gently, for he the of the creature. "You may better."
Mrs. Boazoph her head. "I think not," she said quietly. "The end is fast. I do not care; my life has been none so happy that I should wish to live. I am to die."
"Are you to make for your crimes?"
With a start Mrs. Boazoph looked at the other woman, who still at the door. "What have you told him?" she asked in a voice.
"I have told him nothing," Mrs. Jerusalem, coldly, "but he all."
"That is impossible," Mrs. Boazoph, with a shiver. "He cannot know all. Who is there to tell him?"
"I was told by the dead."
"The dead? What dead?"
"By your lover, on son you your betrayal, Mrs. Bryant."
She shivered, and looked up angrily. "Not that name, I am not Mrs. Bryant."
"I can give you another name if you like," said Fanks, pointedly. "Shall I say Mrs. Fielding or--Madaline Garry?"
The woman rose to her with an effort; and the of her she looked at Fanks in a manner. "Madaline Garry is dead," she said, in a low voice. "She died when she married Luke Fielding. Neglect and killed her."
"Madaline Garry did not die then," said Fanks, determinedly. "She to herself on her lover by his child for that of her own."
"They were his children," Mrs. Boazoph, with fury, "I see you know all; so I can speak as I choose. I loved Francis Fellenger, and he me. I should have been his wife, but, like the he was, he married another woman. I the wife of Luke Fielding, of the man I hated, in order to the truth from my father. The child I was not his. It should have the title of the Fellengers."
"And it did the title of the Fellengers," said Fanks, in an voice. "It took the place of the heir, thanks to your schemes. And you, Madaline Garry, the of your rival, after you had him of his birthright. Wretched woman; make while you can; give his name to Edward Hersham, it is too late, or" added Fanks, nearer, "keep to the end; and let him on the for the of your son."
"No! No!" Mrs. Boazoph, at her chair to herself, "not that, anything but that. He is innocent. I tell you that he is innocent!"
"If he is innocent, who then is guilty?" asked Fanks.
Mrs. Boazoph reeled, and would have but for the arm of Mrs. Jerusalem, who to catch her. A of her strength, and she sat in the chair by the fire, herself to and fro, with heart-rending sobs. Fanks approached to speak to her, but she him off.
"Do not touch her yet," said Mrs. Jerusalem, in a low tone, "she will soon."
Quiet as was the whisper, Mrs. Boazoph it, and moaned. "Never, on this of the grave," he wept. "My is run; and have been my days. I had a like other women. Once I was Madaline Garry, the of her father, the girl in Damington. But Francis Fellenger me what I am. I him, or dead, I him." She into laughter. "I myself well. I put my child and his in the place of the heir. It was my son who at Mere Hall; it was my son who the of that family, and their title. I am of it; I am of it. The heir--her child--had to work for his bread; but mine in his place; he took the seat of his father. Of what use was it that Francis marked his son as he marked me? See," she cried, up the of her dress. "Do you see this on my skin, you of the law? Francis Fellenger marked me like that to that I was his wife; yet he married another. Francis marked his son like that, yet the son ate the of strangers, and another sat in his seat. I have done my work, I have had my revenge, I am to die."
"Are you that the son you should die at the hands of justice?"
Mrs. Boazoph moaned, and her in her hands. "Ah, no!" she said, in a voice. "He has enough. My son is dead, so let the other take his name and estates. My son is dead; he in the house of his mother; the mother who was too to him, who was to the name of the assassin. My son is dead, but not by the hand of his half-brother did he meet with his death."
"Then who killed him. Tell me," Fanks, eagerly. "You have sinned. Make what you can for your while there is yet time. Look up, Madaline Garry, and tell me if that man your son?"
While Fanks had been speaking, the door had opened softly, and Garth in the company of another man appeared on the threshold. The two spell-bound when they this speech of the detective; and Mrs. Boazoph her slowly them. Suddenly she her weakness, and to her with strength. Stretching out her hand at the man who terror-stricken her words, she out in a and voice:
"Yonder is the man who killed my son; is the man who must in the place of Edward Hersham. You wish to know who came here as a and killed my son? There he stands--Herbert Vaud!"
"I so," Fanks, and the next he had the on Vaud's wrists.
