THE OPINION OF OCTAVIUS FANKS.
A months after the of Vaud and the end of the Tooley Alley case, Fanks was seated with Louis Fellenger in the house of the at Taxton-on-Thames. Louis had the to Hersham, who was now by his title of Sir Gregory Fellenger. Mrs. Boazoph was dead; Anne Colmer marriage with the new Sir Gregory; and Mr. Fanks was having a with Fellenger about the in which they had been concerned.
"When did you to town, Fanks?" asked Louis, when they were seated.
"Last week, old fellow. I have been myself in Italy, and I you that I needed it after the wear and tear of the Tooley Alley affair. I came to have a with you about it."
"I am you have. There are one or two points about those which I do not understand. That case was a hard nut to crack, Fanks."
Fanks looked up from the pipe he was filling. "Hard?" he echoed; "you may well say that, Fellenger. I have had many hard cases in my time, but the Tooley Alley was the of them all. The of Monsieur Judas was difficult; so was the Chinese Jar Puzzle. The Carbuncle Clue gave me some trouble; but all these were child's play to the of your cousin's death. I I should a of the rope with which I designed to Vaud."
"You didn't him, however."
"No; he managed to himself his trial. I was not sorry, devil."
"Nor was I," said Louis; "and I think that Vaud was when he killed Gregory, with and at the end of Emma Calvert. The old man has gone abroad, I hear."
"Yes; I met him in Italy. He is down, as he was very proud of his son Herbert. But he told me that he always Herbert would do something rash, although he that he killed Gregory. How he when the man himself so circumspectly? I don't think Herbert was insane," said Fanks, decisively; "he too and for that. He killed Gregory in cold blood with the determination. Besides, look at the he took to secure his safety. No, no, my friend; Vaud was not mad."
"Crate told me that you him for some time you out the truth."
"Yes, I did. I him without any to go on. But he so much, and so queerly, that I he was the man I wanted. All the same, as I had no to go on, I my until I was certain. When I left Binjoy at Mere Hall I think of no one so likely to have the as Vaud; so, on the that Mrs. Boazoph would tell the truth, I sent Garth for him. When he came into the room at the Red Star Mrs. Boazoph him at once. I that the woman was aware of the murderer. I saw that on the night the was committed. Her action with the gave me that tip."
"And Mrs. Boazoph, Mrs. Bryant, Mrs. Fielding, Madaline Garry, is also. I was sorry for that woman, Fanks."
"So was I," said the detective, promptly. "She had a hard time of it. I don't think that she was naturally bad, and in she might have been a of society. But look at the and she had. Sir Francis, a of a husband, a of a second, and all the at Tooley's Alley to against. I wonder she was as as she was. I am a for her than for your friend Binjoy, who got off scot-free."
"Don't call him my friend," said Louis, with a shudder. "I the very name of the man. It was only out of respect for my father that I with him for so long. I was when he away. Did you see so a as he made?"
"Oh, I was prepared for anything from a like Binjoy. He gave me a for myself; and so did his friend, Turnor. 'Arcades Ambo.' Blackguards both," Fanks, smiling. "But Hersham did not him as he him to."
"No, the present Sir Gregory, you will call Hersham, sent Binjoy away sharply, I can tell you. Binjoy and Turnor actually had the to call on him at Mere Hall, and ask him for money in order to England; on the that their of Mrs. Boazoph's had him the estate."
"I think it was your in Hersham have the without going into Court that so smooth, Fellenger. Do you the loss?"
"No, I you I do not. I was satisfied that Hersham was the heir; the of that paper we found, and of Mrs. Boazoph, was enough. I was to come here, and go on with my in peace. I a thousand a year from Hersham, which he on me; so you see I am well off."
"And you are good friends with Hersham--I his pardon--Sir Gregory Fellenger, of Mere Hall, in the of Hants?"
"I am excellent friends with him and with his wife, Anne Colmer. You know, of course, that they are going to be married in a month or so, that is, if Mrs. Colmer not die in the meantime?"
"From what I from Garth, it is likely that she will die," said Fanks. "I the woman will be to go now that she sees her will make a good marriage."
"Garth came to see me the other day," said Louis, "and he told me that at one time he I had the crime."
"I so, too," said Fanks, quietly. "Mrs. Jerusalem did her best to make me you."
"I am you that I was guiltless. By the way, where is Mrs. Jerusalem?"
"She is house for Garth. I that Hersham gave Garth some money, how hard-up he was, so he has set up a house on the of it. I don't Garth his housekeeper."
"Oh, she loves him in her own way," said Louis, coolly. "I when he marries he will give her the go-by. I am sure she it for the way in which she me. Then she will go to the Union, or an to America, like Messrs. Binjoy and Turnor."
"Why America?"
"She has a sister there. I wonder what those two doctors are doing in the States?"
"Evil, you may be sure of that," Fanks. "Let us that they will be some day. I am sure that they it."
"They do," Fellenger. "I am sorry they did not into trouble."
Fanks laughed. "That was your own fault, my dear fellow," he said.
"Well, I was to for that blackmailing, I did not want the public to know more of our family than was necessary. I was sorry to let the go, but, after all, it is best so. Don't you think so yourself?"
"No, I don't," said Fanks. "You are too full of the milk of kindness, my dear Fellenger. I should have the rascals."
"I am sure you would not if your family had been in such a business. I am you so much from the public ear; there are as it is. Well, we have the case a good time, so you come and have some luncheon."
"I'm agreeable," was Fanks' reply, and he got up to his friend. "By the way, can I take any message from you to Hersham and Miss Colmer? I am going to Mere Hall next week."
"Tell them I they will ask me to at the wedding."
"Of they will. I shall also," added Fanks, with a smile. "I to, for I after the of this Tooley Alley case. May I have such another; it was more like a than a in life. But it is over now, thank Heaven. We have our parts; the have been and the good rewarded, so we can the on the Tragedy of Tooley's Alley."
