1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:06,559 The black bag left on a door step by Catherine and Louisa Pirkis. It's 2 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:11,199 a big thing, said Loveday Brook, addressing Ebenezer Dyer, chief of the 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:18,120 well known detective agency in Lynchcourt Fleet Street. Lady Cathrow has lost thirty thousand 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:23,359 pounds worth of jewelry. If the newspaper accounts are to be trusted, they 5 00:00:23,399 --> 00:00:28,359 are fairly accurate. This time the robbery differs in a few respects from the 6 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:33,359 usual run of country home robberies. The time chosen, of course, was 7 00:00:33,399 --> 00:00:37,079 the dinner hour, when the family and guests were at table, and the 8 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:42,159 servants not on duty were amusing themselves in their own quarters. The fact of 9 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:47,439 its being Christmas Eve would also, of necessity add to the business and consequent 10 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:52,159 distraction of the household. The entry to the house, however, in this 11 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:56,240 case, was not effected in the usual manner by a ladder to the dressing 12 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,840 room window, but through the window of a room on the ground floor, 13 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,200 a small room with one window and two doors, one of which opens into 14 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:08,560 the hall and the other into a passage that leads by the back stairs to 15 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:14,000 the bedroom floor. It is used, i believe as a sort of hat 16 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:19,359 and coat room by the gentleman of the house. It was, I suppose, 17 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,239 the weak point of the house, quite so, a very weak point. 18 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:29,319 Indeed, Craig and Court, the residence of Sir George and Lady Cathro, 19 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,359 is an oddly built old place, jutting out in all directions, and 20 00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:38,599 as this window looked out upon a blank wall, it was filled in with 21 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:44,280 stained glass, kept fastened by a strong brass catch, and never opened day 22 00:01:44,359 --> 00:01:49,439 or night, ventilation being obtained by means of a glass ventilator fitted in the 23 00:01:49,519 --> 00:01:55,879 upper panes. It seems absurd to think that this window, being only about 24 00:01:55,879 --> 00:02:00,519 four feet from the ground, should have had neither iron bars nor shutters added 25 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,680 to it. Such, however, was the case on the night of the 26 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:10,479 robbery. Someone within the house must have deliberately and of intention unfastened its only 27 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,439 protection, the brass catch, and thus given the thieves easy entrance to the 28 00:02:15,479 --> 00:02:23,479 house. Your suspicions, I suppose, center upon the servants, undoubtedly, 29 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,599 and it is in the servants hall that your services will be required. The 30 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,879 thieves, whoever they were, were perfectly cognizant of the ways of the house. 31 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:38,000 Lady Cathroe's jewelry was kept in a safe in her dressing room, and 32 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,719 as the dressing room was over the dining room, Sir George was in the 33 00:02:40,759 --> 00:02:46,159 habit of saying that it was the safest room in the house. Note the 34 00:02:46,199 --> 00:02:51,120 pun please, Sir George is rather proud of it. By his orders, 35 00:02:51,439 --> 00:02:55,159 the window of the dining room immediately under the dressing room window was always left 36 00:02:55,240 --> 00:03:00,960 unshuttered and without blind during dinner, and as a full stream of light thus 37 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:06,280 fell through it onto the outside terrace, it would have been impossible for anyone 38 00:03:06,319 --> 00:03:10,360 to have placed the ladder there unseen. I see from the newspapers that it 39 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:15,680 was Sir George's invariable custom to fillis house and give a large dinner on Christmas 40 00:03:15,719 --> 00:03:23,280 Eve. Yes, Sir George and Lady Cathrow are elderly people with no family 41 00:03:23,319 --> 00:03:27,400 and few relatives, and have consequently a large amount of time to spend on 42 00:03:27,439 --> 00:03:31,719 their friends. I suppose the key of the safe was frequently left in the 43 00:03:31,719 --> 00:03:37,840 possession of Lady Cathro's maid. Yes, she is a young French girl, 44 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:43,599 Stephanie Delcroix by name. It was her duty to clear the dressing room directly 45 00:03:43,639 --> 00:03:47,000 after her mistress left it, put away any jewelry that might be lying about, 46 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:52,120 locked the safe and keep the key till her mistress came up to bed. 47 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:57,039 On the night of the robbery, however, she admits that instead of 48 00:03:57,159 --> 00:04:01,479 so doing directly her mistress left the dress, she ran down to the housekeeper's 49 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,560 room to see if any letters had come for her, and remain chatting with 50 00:04:05,599 --> 00:04:11,479 the other servants for some time. She could not say for how long It 51 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,680 was by the half past seven posts that her letters generally arrived from Saint Omer, 52 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,040 where her home is. Oh, then she was in the habit of 53 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:24,839 thus running down to inquire for her letters, no doubt, and the thieves, 54 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,040 who appear to be so thoroughly cognizant of the house would also know this. 55 00:04:30,759 --> 00:04:33,720 Perhaps, though at the present moment I must say, things look very 56 00:04:33,759 --> 00:04:38,879 black against the girl. Her manner, too, when questioned, is not 57 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:44,199 calculated to remove suspicion. She goes from one fit of hysterics into another, 58 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,040 contradicts herself nearly every time she opens her mouth, then lays it to the 59 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:54,480 charge of her ignorance of our language, breaks into voluble French, becomes theatrical 60 00:04:54,519 --> 00:04:59,600 in action, and then goes off into hysterics once more. All that is 61 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,399 quite francais, you know, said Loveday to the authorities at Scotland Yard. 62 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:09,800 Lay much stress on the safe being left unlocked that night. They do, 63 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,879 and they are instituting a keen inquiry as to the possible lovers the girl may 64 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,879 have. For this purpose, they have sent Bates down to stay in the 65 00:05:17,959 --> 00:05:23,920 village and collect all the information he can outside the house. But they want 66 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,680 someone within the walls to hobnob with the maids generally and to find out if 67 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,240 she has taken any of them into her confidence respecting her lovers. So they 68 00:05:32,319 --> 00:05:36,480 sent to me to know if I would send down for this purpose one of 69 00:05:36,519 --> 00:05:41,920 the shrewdest and most clear headed of my female detectives. I, in my 70 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,360 turn, Miss Brooke, has sent for you, and you may take it 71 00:05:45,399 --> 00:05:49,079 as a compliment if you like. So please now get out your notebook and 72 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:55,439 I'll give you sailing orders. Loveday Brook, at this period of her career, 73 00:05:55,959 --> 00:05:59,560 was a little over thirty years of age and could be best described in 74 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,839 a series of negations. She was not tall, she was not short. 75 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,839 She was not dark. She was not fair. She was neither handsome nor 76 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:15,040 ugly. Her features were altogether nondescript. Her one noticeable trait was a habit 77 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,199 she had, when absorbed in thought, of dropping her eyelids over her eyes, 78 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:23,079 till only a line of eyeball showed, and she appeared to be looking 79 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:28,120 out of the world through a slit instead of through a window. Her dress 80 00:06:28,199 --> 00:06:33,480 was invariably black, and was almost quakerlike in its neat primness. Some five 81 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:39,240 or six years previously, by a jerk of fortune's wheel, Loveday had been 82 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:45,160 thrown upon the world, penniless and all but friendless. Marketable accomplishments. She 83 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:49,480 had found she had none, So she had forthwith defied convention and had chosen 84 00:06:49,519 --> 00:06:55,199 for herself a career that had cut her off sharply from her former associates and 85 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:00,279 her position in society. For five or six years she drudged away patiently in 86 00:07:00,319 --> 00:07:05,560 the lower walks of her profession. Than chance, or to speak more precisely, 87 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:11,560 an intricate criminal case threw her in the way of the experienced head of 88 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,079 the flourishing detective agency in Lynch Court. He quickly enough found out the stuff 89 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,519 she was made of and threw her in the way of better class work. 90 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:27,079 Work indeed that brought increase of pay and of reputation alike to him and to 91 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:32,199 Loveday. Ebenezer Dyer was not, as a rule given to enthusiasm, but 92 00:07:32,279 --> 00:07:38,680 he would at times wax eloquent over Miss Brooks's qualifications for the profession. She 93 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:43,160 had chosen too much of a lady, do you say, he would say 94 00:07:43,199 --> 00:07:47,680 to anyone who chanced to call and question those qualifications. I don't care Tuppen's 95 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:53,160 hapenny whether she is or is not a lady. I only know she is 96 00:07:53,199 --> 00:07:57,759 the most sensible and practical woman I ever met. In the first place, 97 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,319 she has the faculty so rare among women, of carrying out orders to the 98 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:07,399 very letter. In the second place, she has a clear, shrewd brain, 99 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,920 unhampered by any hard and fast theories. Thirdly, and most important of 100 00:08:11,959 --> 00:08:16,720 all, she has so much common sense that it amounts to genius. Positively 101 00:08:16,759 --> 00:08:22,639 to genius, sir. But although Loveday and her chief as a rule worked 102 00:08:22,639 --> 00:08:26,240 together upon an easy and friendly footing, there were occasions on which they were 103 00:08:26,279 --> 00:08:31,039 wont so to speak to snarl at each other. Such an occasion was at 104 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:37,679 hand. Now Loveday showed no disposition to take out her note book and receive 105 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:43,159 her sailing orders. I want to know, she said, if what I 106 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:48,480 saw in one newspaper is true that one of the thieves before leaving took the 107 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,960 trouble to close the safe door and to write across it in chalk to be 108 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:58,600 let unfurnished, perfectly true. But I do not see that stress needs to 109 00:08:58,639 --> 00:09:01,559 be laid on the fact. The scoundrels often do have that sort of thing 110 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:07,200 out of insolence or bravado. In that robbery at Ryegate the other day, 111 00:09:07,879 --> 00:09:11,120 they went to a lady's Davenport, took a sheet of her note paper and 112 00:09:11,159 --> 00:09:15,840 wrote their thanks on it for her kindness in not having had the lock of 113 00:09:15,879 --> 00:09:18,639 her safe repaired. Now, if you will get out your note book, 114 00:09:20,919 --> 00:09:24,679 don't be in such a hurry, said Loveday, calmly. I want to 115 00:09:24,759 --> 00:09:28,679 know if you have seen this. She leaned across the writing table at which 116 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,919 they sat, one on either side, and handed to him a newspaper cutting, 117 00:09:33,919 --> 00:09:37,279 which she took from her letter case. Mister Dyer was a tall, 118 00:09:37,399 --> 00:09:43,639 powerfully built man with a large head, benevolent bald forehead, and a genial 119 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:48,960 smile. That smile, however, often proved the trap to the unwary for 120 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:52,320 he owned a temper so irritable that a child with a chance word might ruffle 121 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:58,720 it. The genial smile vanished as he took the newspaper cutting from Loveday's hand. 122 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,240 I would have you to remember, miss Brooke, he said severely, 123 00:10:03,879 --> 00:10:07,679 that although I am in the habit of using despatch in my business, I 124 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,840 am never known to be in a hurry hurry, and affairs I take to 125 00:10:11,879 --> 00:10:16,759 be the especial mark of the slovenly and unpunctual. Then, as if still 126 00:10:16,799 --> 00:10:22,559 further to give contradiction to her words, he very deliberately unfolded her slip of 127 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:30,720 newspaper and slowly accentuating each word and syllable, read as follows. Singular discovery. 128 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,480 A black leather bag or portmanteau was found early yesterday morning by one of 129 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:41,679 Smith's newspaper boys on the doorstep of a house in the road running between easter 130 00:10:41,759 --> 00:10:48,080 Brook and Wreford and inhabited by an elderly spinster lady. The contents of the 131 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:52,279 bag include a clerical collar and necktie, a church service, a book of 132 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:58,399 sermons, a copy of the works of Virgil, a facsimile of Magna Carta 133 00:10:58,639 --> 00:11:03,039 with translations a pair of black kid gloves, a brush and comb, some 134 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:09,240 newspapers, and several small articles suggesting clerical ownership. On the top of the 135 00:11:09,279 --> 00:11:15,159 bag, the following extraordinary letter, written in pencil on a long slip of 136 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:20,679 paper was found. The fatal day has arrived. I can exist no longer 137 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,519 I go hence and shall be no more seen. But I would have coroner 138 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,559 and jury know that I am a sane man, and a verdict of temporary 139 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:33,200 insanity in my case would be an air most gross. After this intimation, 140 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,360 I care not if it is fellow to say, as I shall have passed 141 00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:43,960 all suffering, searched diligently for my poor lifeless body in the immediate neighborhood, 142 00:11:45,519 --> 00:11:48,879 on the cold heath, the rail or the river by yonder Bridge, A 143 00:11:48,919 --> 00:11:54,399 few moments will decide how I shall depart. If I had walked aright, 144 00:11:54,799 --> 00:11:56,720 I might have been a power in the church of which I am now an 145 00:11:56,799 --> 00:12:01,480 unworthy member and priest of the damnable sin of gambling got hold on me. 146 00:12:03,159 --> 00:12:05,759 And betting has been my ruin, as it has been the ruin of thousands 147 00:12:05,799 --> 00:12:11,240 who have preceded me. Young Man Shun, the bookmaker and the race course 148 00:12:11,519 --> 00:12:16,960 as you would shun the devil in hell. Farewell, chums of Magdalen, 149 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:22,000 farewell and take warning. Though I can claim relationship with a duke, a 150 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,320 marquise and a bishop, and though I am the son of a noble woman, 151 00:12:26,919 --> 00:12:31,360 yet I am a tramp and an outcast. Verily and indeed, sweet 152 00:12:31,399 --> 00:12:35,480 death, I greet THEE. I dare not sign my name to one and 153 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,840 all. Farewell, oh my poor marchioness mother, A dying kiss to thee. 154 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,360 R I P. The police and some of the railway officials have made 155 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,480 a diligent search in the neighborhood of the railway station, but no poor lifeless 156 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:56,200 body has been found. The police authorities are inclined to the belief that the 157 00:12:56,279 --> 00:13:00,919 letter is a hoax, though they are still investigating the manner. In the 158 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:05,679 same deliberate fashion as he had opened and read the cutting, mister Dyer folded 159 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,159 and returned it to Loveday. May I ask, he said, sarcastically, 160 00:13:09,799 --> 00:13:15,600 what you see in that silly hoax to waste your and my valuable time over 161 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,879 I wanted to know, said Loveday, in the same level tones as before, 162 00:13:22,399 --> 00:13:26,519 if you saw anything in it that might in some way connect this discovery 163 00:13:26,919 --> 00:13:31,320 with the robbery at Craigan Court. Mister Dyer stared at her in utter blank 164 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:37,320 astonishment. When I was a boy, he said sarcastically, as before, 165 00:13:37,159 --> 00:13:41,720 I used to play at a game called what is my thought? Like? 166 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:46,000 Someone would think of something absurd, say the top of the monument, and 167 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:50,200 some one else would hazard a guess that his thought might be, say the 168 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:54,759 toe of his left boot, and that unfortunate individual would have to show the 169 00:13:54,799 --> 00:13:58,879 connection between the toe of his left boot and the top of the monument. 170 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,679 Miss Brooke, I have no wish to repeat the silly game this evening for 171 00:14:03,759 --> 00:14:11,240 your benefit and mine, Oh very well, said Loveday calmly. I fancied 172 00:14:11,279 --> 00:14:13,559 you might like to talk it over. That was all. Give me my 173 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:18,000 sailing orders, as you call them, and I'll endeavor to concentrate my attention 174 00:14:18,519 --> 00:14:24,480 on the little French Maid and her various lovers. Mister Dyer grew amiable again. 175 00:14:26,559 --> 00:14:28,759 That's the point on which I wish you to fix your thoughts, he 176 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,080 said. You had better start for Craign Court by the first train tomorrow. 177 00:14:33,559 --> 00:14:39,200 It's about sixty miles down the Great Eastern Line. Huxwell's the station you must 178 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:43,240 land at there, one of the grooms from the court will meet you and 179 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,919 drive you to the house. I have arranged with the housekeeper there, Missus 180 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:52,240 Williams, a very worthy and discreet person, that you shall pass in the 181 00:14:52,279 --> 00:14:56,919 house for a niece of hers on a visit to recruit after a severe study 182 00:14:56,919 --> 00:15:01,759 in order to pass board school teacher's exams. Naturally, you have injured your 183 00:15:01,759 --> 00:15:05,600 eyes as well as your health with overwork, so you can wear your blue 184 00:15:05,639 --> 00:15:09,080 spectacles. Your name, by the way, will be Jane Smith. Better 185 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:13,519 write it down. All your work will lie among the servants of the establishment, 186 00:15:15,039 --> 00:15:18,759 and there will be no necessity for you to see either Sir George or 187 00:15:18,879 --> 00:15:22,679 Lady Cathrow. In fact, neither of them have been apprized of your intended 188 00:15:22,759 --> 00:15:26,759 visit. The fewer we take into our confidence, the better. I have 189 00:15:26,879 --> 00:15:31,399 no doubt, however, that Bates will hear from Scotland Yard when you are 190 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:35,519 in the house and will make a point of seeing you. Has Bates unearthed 191 00:15:35,519 --> 00:15:41,200 anything of importance? Not as yet he has discovered one of the girl's lovers, 192 00:15:41,559 --> 00:15:46,120 a young farmer of the name of Holt. But as he seems to 193 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:50,440 be an honest, respectable young fellow and entirely above suspicion. The discovery does 194 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:56,759 not count for much. I think there's nothing else to ask, said Loveday, 195 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,559 rising to take her departure. Of course, I'll telegraph should need a 196 00:16:00,679 --> 00:16:07,399 rise in our usual cipher. The first train that left Bishop's Gate for Huxwell 197 00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:11,960 on the following morning included among its passengers love day Brook, dressed in the 198 00:16:12,039 --> 00:16:17,879 neat black supposed to be appropriate to servants of the upper class. The only 199 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,759 literature which she had provided herself in order to beguile the tedium of her journey 200 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:29,759 was a small volume, bound in paperboards and entitled The Reciter's Treasury. It 201 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:34,000 was published at the low price of one shilling and seemed specially designed to meet 202 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:41,080 the requirements of third rate amateurs citers at penny readings. Miss Brooke appeared to 203 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,799 be all absorbed in the contents of this book during the first half of her 204 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,720 journey. During the second, she laid back in the carriage with closed eyes 205 00:16:49,039 --> 00:16:53,960 and emotionless, as if asleep or lost in deep thought. The stopping of 206 00:16:53,960 --> 00:17:00,240 the train at Huxwell aroused her and set her collecting together her wraps. It 207 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,680 was easy to single out the trim groom from Creighton Court from among the country 208 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:08,599 loafers on the platform. Some one else beside the trim groom at the same 209 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:14,160 moment caught her eye. Bates from Scotland Yard got up in the style of 210 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,880 a commercial traveler and carrying the orthodox commercial bag in his hand. He was 211 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:23,400 a small, wiry man with red hair and whiskers and an eager, hungry 212 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:30,319 expression of countenance. I am half frozen with cold, said Loveday, addressing 213 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:36,599 Sir George's groom, if you'll kindly take charge of my portmanteau, I prefer 214 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:41,079 walking to driving to the court. The man gave her a few directions as 215 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:45,400 to the road she was to follow, and then drove off with her box, 216 00:17:45,759 --> 00:17:49,319 leaving her free to indulge mister Bates's evident wish for a walk and confidential 217 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,759 talk along the country road. Bates seemed to be in a happy frame of 218 00:17:53,799 --> 00:17:59,519 mind that morning. Quite a simple affair of this, Miss Brooks, he 219 00:17:59,599 --> 00:18:03,720 said, A walk over the course, I take it with you working inside 220 00:18:03,759 --> 00:18:07,240 the castle walls, and I on our thing without no complications of yet have 221 00:18:07,279 --> 00:18:11,680 arisen. And if that girl does not find herself in jail before another week, 222 00:18:11,759 --> 00:18:17,599 is over her head. My name is not Jeremiah Bates. You mean 223 00:18:17,599 --> 00:18:21,400 the french Maid. Why, yes, of course I take it. There's 224 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:25,440 little doubt. But what she performed the double duty of unlocking the safe and 225 00:18:25,559 --> 00:18:29,359 the window too, You see, I look at it this way, Miss 226 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:33,400 Brooke. All girls have lovers, I say to myself, But a pretty 227 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:37,279 girl like that French maid is bound to have double the number of lovers than 228 00:18:37,319 --> 00:18:41,200 the plain ones. Now, of course, the greater number of lovers, 229 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,640 the greater the chance there is of a criminal being found among them. That's 230 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:51,119 plain as a pike staff, isn't it just as plain? Bates felt encouraged 231 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:56,079 to proceed well, then, arguing on the same lines, I say to 232 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,559 myself, this girl is only a pretty silly thing, not an accomplish criminal, 233 00:19:00,079 --> 00:19:03,720 or she wouldn't have admitted leaving open the safe door. Give her rope 234 00:19:03,799 --> 00:19:07,880 enough, and she'll hang herself in a day or two. If we let 235 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,519 her alone, she'll be bolting off to join the fellow whose nest she has 236 00:19:11,559 --> 00:19:15,200 helped the feather, and will catch the pair of them TwixT here and over 237 00:19:15,279 --> 00:19:19,680 straits, and also possibly get a clue that will bring us on the traces 238 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:23,759 of their accomplices, Ay, miss Brooke, that'll be a thing worth doing. 239 00:19:26,039 --> 00:19:30,359 Undoubtedly, Who is this coming along in the buggy at such a pace? 240 00:19:30,559 --> 00:19:33,880 The question was added, as the sound of wheels behind them made her 241 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:40,960 look round. Bates turned also, Oh, this is young Holt. His 242 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:45,519 father farms land about a couple miles from here. He is one of Stephanie's 243 00:19:45,519 --> 00:19:48,279 lovers, and I should imagine about the best of the lot. But he 244 00:19:48,319 --> 00:19:52,960 does not appear to be favorite. From what I hear. Someone else must 245 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:57,240 have made the running on the sly ever since the robbery. I'm told the 246 00:19:57,279 --> 00:20:03,400 young woman has given him the cold shoulder. As the young man came nearer 247 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,839 in his buggy, he slacken pace, and Loveday could not but admire his 248 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,920 frank, honest expression of countenance. Room for one, Can I give you 249 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:17,200 a lift? He said, as he came alongside of them, and to 250 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:22,200 the ineffable disgust of Bates, who had counted upon at least an hour's confidential 251 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:26,799 talk with her, Miss Brooke accepted the young farmer's offer and mounted beside him 252 00:20:26,799 --> 00:20:33,200 in his buggy. As they went swiftly along the country road, Loveday explained 253 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:38,960 to the young man that her destination was Craigan Court, and that as she 254 00:20:40,079 --> 00:20:42,400 was a stranger to the place, she must trust to him to put her 255 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:48,480 down at the nearest point to it that he would pass at the mention of 256 00:20:48,519 --> 00:20:53,359 Craigan Court, his face clouded. They're in trouble there, and their trouble 257 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,920 has brought trouble on others, he said, a little bitterly. I know, 258 00:20:59,079 --> 00:21:03,880 said Loveday simm pathetically. It is often so in such circumstances as these, 259 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:11,720 Suspicion frequently fastens on an entirely innocent person. That's it, That's it, 260 00:21:11,799 --> 00:21:15,960 he cried, excitedly. If you go into that house, you'll hear 261 00:21:15,079 --> 00:21:19,559 all sorts of wicked things said of her, and see everything setting in dead 262 00:21:19,599 --> 00:21:23,759 against her. But she's innocent. I swear to you. She is as 263 00:21:23,839 --> 00:21:29,759 innocent as you or I are. His voice rang out above the clatter of 264 00:21:29,799 --> 00:21:33,480 his horse's hoofs. He seemed to forget that he had mentioned no name, 265 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:37,480 and that Loveday, as a stranger, might be at a loss to know 266 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:42,759 to whom he referred. Who is guilty? Heaven only knows, he went 267 00:21:42,839 --> 00:21:47,640 on, after a moment's pause. It isn't for me to give an ill 268 00:21:47,759 --> 00:21:51,880 name to anyone in that house. But I only say she is innocent, 269 00:21:52,279 --> 00:21:56,039 and that I'll stake my life on it. She is a lucky girl to 270 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,240 have found one to believe in her and the trust her as you do, 271 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:06,680 said Loveday, even more sympathetically than before. Is she I wish she'd take 272 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,200 advantage of her luck? Then, he answered bitterly. Most girls in her 273 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:15,039 position would be glad to have a man to stand by them through thick and 274 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:18,880 thin. But not she. Ever since the night of that accursed robbery, 275 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,480 she has refused to see me, won't answer my letters, won't even send 276 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,839 me a message. And great Heavens, I'd marry her tomorrow if I had 277 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:33,440 the chance, and dare the world to say a word against her. He 278 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:37,640 whipped up his pony. The hedges seemed to fly on either side of them, 279 00:22:37,039 --> 00:22:41,200 and before Loveday realized that half her drive was over, he had drawn 280 00:22:41,279 --> 00:22:45,880 rein and was helping her to alight at the servant's entrance to Craigan Court. 281 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,359 You'll tell her what I've said to you, if you get the opportunity, 282 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,519 and beg her to see me, if only for five minutes, he petitioned, 283 00:22:55,559 --> 00:23:00,319 before He remounted his buggy, and Loveday, as she thanked the young 284 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:04,240 man for his kind attention, promised to make an opportunity to give his message 285 00:23:04,279 --> 00:23:11,359 to the girl. Missus Williams, the housekeeper, welcomed Loveday in the servants 286 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,359 hall and then took her to her own room to pull off her wraps. 287 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:19,279 Missus Williams was the widow of a London tradesman, and a little beyond the 288 00:23:19,319 --> 00:23:26,200 average housekeeper in speech and manner. She was a genial, pleasant woman who 289 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:30,920 readily entered into conversation with Loveday. Tea was brought in, and each seemed 290 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:36,079 to feel at home with the other. Loveday, in the course of this 291 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:40,920 easy, pleasant talk, elicited from her the whole history of the events of 292 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,519 the day of the robbery, the number and names of the guests who sat 293 00:23:44,559 --> 00:23:49,319 down to dinner that night, together with some other apparently trivial details. The 294 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:56,079 housekeeper made no attempt to disguise the painful position in which she and every one 295 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,960 of the servants of the house felt themselves to be in at the present moment. 296 00:24:00,759 --> 00:24:03,440 We are none of us at our ease with each other now, she 297 00:24:03,559 --> 00:24:08,000 said, as she poured out hot tea for Loveday and piled up a blazing 298 00:24:08,039 --> 00:24:15,119 fire. Everyone fancies that everyone else is suspecting him or her and trying to 299 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,680 rake up past words or deeds to bring in as evidence. The whole house 300 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,880 seems under a cloud, and at this time of year two, just when 301 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:27,119 everything, as a rule is at its merriest. And here she gave a 302 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:32,559 doleful glance to the big bunch of holly and mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. 303 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:38,160 I suppose you are generally very merry downstairs a Christmas time, said Loveday. 304 00:24:38,839 --> 00:24:45,519 Servants balls, theatricals and all that sort of thing I should think we were. 305 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,960 When I think of this time last year and the fun we all had, 306 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:55,279 I can scarcely believe it is the same house. Our ball always follows 307 00:24:55,319 --> 00:24:59,559 my lady's ball, and we have permission to ask our friends to it and 308 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,000 pep it up as late as ever we please. We begin our evening with 309 00:25:03,039 --> 00:25:07,480 a concert and recitations and character. Then we have a supper, and then 310 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:14,119 we dance right on till morning. But this year she broke off, giving 311 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:18,319 a long, melancholy shake of her head that spoke volumes. I suppose, 312 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:23,160 said Loveday, some of your friends are very clever as musicians or reciters, 313 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,839 very clever. Indeed, Sir George and my lady are always present during the 314 00:25:29,839 --> 00:25:33,200 early part of the evening. And I should like you to have seen Sir 315 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:37,240 George last year, laughing fit to kill himself at Harry Emmett, dressed in 316 00:25:37,319 --> 00:25:41,160 prison dress, with a bit of oakum in his hand, reciting the Noble 317 00:25:41,279 --> 00:25:47,279 Convict. Sir George said, if the young man had gone on the stage, 318 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:51,039 he would have been bound to make his fortune. Half a cup, 319 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:55,799 please, said Loveday, presenting her cup. Who was this Harry Emmitt? 320 00:25:55,799 --> 00:26:00,839 Then a sweetheart of one of the maids. Oh, he would flirt with 321 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,079 them all, but he was sweetheart to none. He was footman to Colonel 322 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:08,400 James, who was a great friend of Sir George's. And Harry was constantly 323 00:26:08,519 --> 00:26:15,039 backwards and forwards bringing messages from his master. His father, I think drove 324 00:26:15,039 --> 00:26:18,359 a cab in London, and Harry for a time did so also. Then 325 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,559 he took it into his head to be a gentleman's servant, and great satisfaction 326 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:27,160 he gave as such. He was always such a bright, handsome young fellow, 327 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,359 and so full of fun that everyone liked him. But I shall tire 328 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:36,240 you with all this, and you, of course want to talk about something 329 00:26:36,319 --> 00:26:41,960 so different. And the housekeeper sighed again as the thought of the dreadful robbery 330 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:47,279 entered her brain once more. Not at all, I am greatly interested in 331 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:52,680 you and your festivities. Is Emmett still in the neighborhood. I should amazingly 332 00:26:52,799 --> 00:26:57,279 like to hear him recite myself. I am sorry to say he left Colonel 333 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:02,519 James about six months ago. We all missed him very much. At first. 334 00:27:03,079 --> 00:27:06,440 He was a good, kind hearted young man, and I remember he 335 00:27:06,519 --> 00:27:10,720 told me he was going away to look after his dear old grandmother who had 336 00:27:10,759 --> 00:27:15,680 a sweet stuff shop somewhere or other, but where I can't remember. Loveday 337 00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:21,000 was leaning back in her chair now, with eyelids droops so low that she 338 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:26,480 literally looked out through slits instead of eyes. Suddenly, and abruptly, she 339 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,880 changed the conversation. When will it be convenient for me to see Lady Cathro's 340 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:37,039 dressing room, she asked. The housekeeper looked at her watch. Now at 341 00:27:37,079 --> 00:27:41,400 once she answered, it's a quarter to five now, and my lady sometimes 342 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,880 goes up to her room to rest for half an hour before she dresses for 343 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:49,079 dinner. Is Stephanie still in attendance on Lady Cathro, Miss Brooke asked, 344 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:55,119 as she followed the housekeeper up the back stairs to the bedroom floor. Yes, 345 00:27:55,759 --> 00:27:59,920 Sir George and my lady have been goodness itself to us through this trying 346 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,279 time, and they say we are all innocent till we are proved guilty, 347 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,039 and we'll have it that none of our duties are to be in any way 348 00:28:07,079 --> 00:28:14,240 altered. Stephanie is scarcely fit to perform hers. I should imagine scarcely. 349 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,960 She was in hysterics nearly from morning till night for the first two or three 350 00:28:18,039 --> 00:28:22,960 days after the detectives came down. But now she has grown sullen, eats 351 00:28:23,039 --> 00:28:26,880 nothing, and never speaks a word to any of us except when she is 352 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:33,759 obliged. This is my lady's dressing room. Walk in, Please Loveday entered 353 00:28:33,799 --> 00:28:37,720 a large, luxuriously furnished room and naturally made her way straight to the chief 354 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:42,720 point of attraction in it, the iron safe fitted into the wall that separated 355 00:28:42,759 --> 00:28:48,279 the dressing room from the bedroom. It was a safe of the ordinary description, 356 00:28:48,039 --> 00:28:52,599 fitted with a strong iron door and chub lock, and across this door 357 00:28:53,039 --> 00:28:57,559 was written with chalk and characters that seemed defiant in their size and boldness, 358 00:28:59,039 --> 00:29:04,759 the words to be let unfurnished. Loveday spent about five minutes in front of 359 00:29:04,799 --> 00:29:11,440 the safe, all her attention concentrated upon the big bull writing. She took 360 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:15,160 from her pocketbook a narrow strip of tracing paper and compared the writing on it, 361 00:29:15,279 --> 00:29:19,680 letter by letter with that on the safe door. This done, she 362 00:29:19,799 --> 00:29:25,240 turned to missus Williams and professed herself ready to follow her to the room below. 363 00:29:26,079 --> 00:29:33,839 Missus Williams looked surprised. Her opinion of miss Brookes's professional capabilities suffered considerable 364 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:38,519 diminuation. The gentleman detective, she said, spent over an hour in this 365 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:45,519 room. They paced the floor, they measured the candles. They Missus Williams 366 00:29:45,559 --> 00:29:48,279 interrupted, Loveday, I am quite ready to look at the room below. 367 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:55,519 Her manner had changed from gossiping friendliness to that of the businesswoman hard at work 368 00:29:55,559 --> 00:30:00,640 at her profession. Without another word, Missus Williams life led her way to 369 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,920 the little room, which had proved itself to be the weak point of the 370 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:08,000 house. They entered it by the door which opened into a passage leading to 371 00:30:08,079 --> 00:30:12,680 the back stairs of the house. Loveday found the room exactly what it had 372 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:18,400 been described to her by mister Dyer. It needed no second glance at the 373 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:22,480 window to see the ease with which any one could open it from the outside 374 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,119 and swing themselves into the room when once the brass catch had been unfastened. 375 00:30:27,559 --> 00:30:33,680 Loveday wasted no time here. In fact, much to missus William's surprise and 376 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:37,519 disappointment, she merely walked across the room in at one door and out of 377 00:30:37,599 --> 00:30:41,119 the opposite one, which opened into the large inner hall of the house. 378 00:30:42,319 --> 00:30:48,640 Here, however, she paused to ask a question. Is that chair always 379 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:52,720 placed exactly in that position? She said, pointing to an oak chair that 380 00:30:52,799 --> 00:30:59,079 stood immediately outside the room they had just quitted. The housekeeper answered in the 381 00:30:59,079 --> 00:31:03,960 affirmative, it was a warm corner. My lady was particular that every one 382 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,680 who came to the house on messages should have it a comfortable place to wait 383 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,599 in. I shall be glad if you will show me up to my room, 384 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:17,000 now, said Loveday a little abruptly, and will you kindly send up 385 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:21,400 to me a country trade directory, if that is you have such a thing 386 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:26,880 in the house. Missus Williams, with an air of offended dignity, led 387 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,519 the way to the bedroom quarters. Once more, the worthy housekeeper felt as 388 00:31:30,519 --> 00:31:36,400 if her own dignity had in some sort been injured by the want of interest. 389 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:40,640 Miss Brooke had evinced in the rooms, which at the present moment she 390 00:31:40,799 --> 00:31:45,799 considered the show rooms of the house. Shall I send some one to help 391 00:31:45,799 --> 00:31:49,079 you unpack? She asked a little stiffly at the door of Loveday's room. 392 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,559 No, thank you, there will not be much unpacking to do. I 393 00:31:53,640 --> 00:32:00,000 must leave here by the first up train tomorrow morning. Tomorrow warning why, 394 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:05,559 I have told everyone you will be here at least a fortnight. Ah, 395 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:09,079 Then you must explain that I have been suddenly summoned home by telegram. I 396 00:32:09,119 --> 00:32:13,720 am sure I can trust you to make excuses for me. Do not, 397 00:32:13,839 --> 00:32:17,079 however, make them before supper time. I shall like to sit down to 398 00:32:17,119 --> 00:32:22,319 that meal with you. I suppose I shall see Stephanie. Then, the 399 00:32:22,359 --> 00:32:28,200 housekeeper answered in the affirmative, and went her way, wondering over the strange 400 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,319 manners of the lady, whom, at first she had been disposed to consider 401 00:32:31,799 --> 00:32:37,519 such a nice, pleasant, conversible person. At supper time, However, 402 00:32:38,039 --> 00:32:43,759 when the upper servants assembled at what was to them the pleasantest meal of the 403 00:32:43,839 --> 00:32:49,119 day, a great surprise was to greet them. Stephanie did not take her 404 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,880 usual place at table, and a fellow servant sent to her room to summon 405 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:58,960 her returned saying that the room was empty and Stephanie was nowhere to be found. 406 00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:06,119 Loveday and Missus Williams together went to the girl's bedroom. It bore its 407 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:09,839 usual appearance, no packing had been done in it, and beyond her hat 408 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:15,519 and jacket, the girl appeared to have taken nothing away with her. On 409 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:21,400 inquiry, it transpired that Stephanie had, as usual, assisted Lady Cathrope to 410 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,400 dress for dinner, but after that not a soul in the house appeared to 411 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:30,039 have seen her. Missus Williams thought the matter of sufficient importance to be at 412 00:33:30,079 --> 00:33:35,359 once reported to her master and Mistress, and Sir George, in his turn, 413 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:40,039 promptly dispatched a messenger to mister Bates at the King's Head to summon him 414 00:33:40,079 --> 00:33:47,400 to an immediate consultation. Loveday dispatched a messenger in another direction to young mister 415 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:54,400 Holt at his farm, giving him particulars of the girl's disappearance. Mister Bates 416 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,960 had a brief interview with Sir George in his study, from which he emerged 417 00:33:59,079 --> 00:34:02,920 radiant. He made a point of seeing Loveday before he left the court, 418 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:07,559 sending a special request to her that she would speak to him for a minute 419 00:34:07,559 --> 00:34:13,800 in the outside drive. Loveday put her hat on and went out to him. 420 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:19,760 She found him almost dancing for glee. Told you so, told you 421 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,559 so, now, didn't I, miss Brooke? He exclaimed. We'll come 422 00:34:23,639 --> 00:34:29,599 upon her traces before morning. Never fear, I'm quite prepared. I knew 423 00:34:29,639 --> 00:34:32,679 what was in her mind all along. I said to myself. When that 424 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:37,119 girl bolts, it'll be after she has dressed my lady for dinner, when 425 00:34:37,159 --> 00:34:42,400 she has two good clear hours all to herself, and her absence from the 426 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,800 house won't be noticed. And when without much difficulty she can catch a train 427 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:52,880 leaving Huxwell for Wareford. Well, she'll get to Wreford safe enough, but 428 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:57,840 from Wareford she'll be followed every step of the way she goes. Only yesterday 429 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:00,239 I set a man on there, a keen fellow at this sort of thing, 430 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:06,280 and gave him full directions, and he'll hunder down to her hole properly 431 00:35:07,039 --> 00:35:10,360 taken nothing with her, You say, what does that matter? She thinks 432 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:15,159 she'll find all she wants where she's going the feather nest I spoke to you 433 00:35:15,199 --> 00:35:21,360 about this morning. Haha. Well, instead of stepping into it as she 434 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:25,559 fancies she will, she'll walk straight into a detective arms and land her pale 435 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:30,760 there into the bargain. There'll be two of them netted before another forty eight 436 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:37,039 hours are over our heads or mine name's not Jeremiah Bates. What are you 437 00:35:37,119 --> 00:35:40,280 going to do now, asked Loveday as the man finished his long speech. 438 00:35:42,599 --> 00:35:45,760 Now, I'm back to the King's Head to wait for a telegram from my 439 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:51,199 colleague at Wreford. Once he's got her in front of him, he'll give 440 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:54,719 me instructions at what point to meet him. You see, Huxwell, being 441 00:35:54,760 --> 00:36:00,599 such an out of the way place and only one train leaving between seven ten 442 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:07,079 fifteen makes us really positive that Wreford must be the girl's destination, and release 443 00:36:07,159 --> 00:36:12,920 my mind from all anxiety on the matter, does it? Answered Loveday gravely. 444 00:36:13,639 --> 00:36:17,039 I can see another possible destination for the girl, the stream that runs 445 00:36:17,039 --> 00:36:22,119 through the wood we drove past this morning. Good Night, mister Bates, 446 00:36:22,519 --> 00:36:25,320 it's cold out here. Of course, as soon as you have any news, 447 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:30,000 you'll send it up to Sir George. The household sat up late that 448 00:36:30,199 --> 00:36:37,079 night, but no news was received of Stephanie from any quarter. Mister Bates 449 00:36:37,079 --> 00:36:42,119 had impressed upon Sir George the ill advisability of setting up a hue and cry 450 00:36:42,199 --> 00:36:45,840 after the girl that might possibly reach her ears and scare her from joining a 451 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:52,599 person whom he was pleased to designate as her pal. We want to follow 452 00:36:52,639 --> 00:36:57,400 her silently, Sir George, silently as the shadow follows the man, he 453 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:01,000 had said, grandiloquently. And and then we shall come upon the two, 454 00:37:01,559 --> 00:37:07,719 and I trust upon the booty. Also, Sir George, in his turn, 455 00:37:07,119 --> 00:37:12,880 had impressed mister Bates's wishes upon his household. And if it had not 456 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:16,719 been for Loveday's message, dispatched early in the evening to young Holt, not 457 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:22,960 a soul outside the house would have known of Stephanie's disappearance. Loveday was stirring 458 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:28,400 early the next morning, and the eight o'clock train for Wareford numbered her among 459 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:32,280 its passengers. Before starting, she dispatched the telegram to her chief in Lynch 460 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:38,440 Court. It read rather oddly, as follows, cracker fired am just starting 461 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:45,199 for Wareford. We'll wire you from there. L b Oddly, though it 462 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:49,199 might read, mister Dyer did not need to refer to his cipher book to 463 00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:54,440 interpret it. Cracker fired was the easily remembered equivalent for klue found in the 464 00:37:54,480 --> 00:38:00,440 detective phraseology of the office. Well, she has been quick enough enough about 465 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:05,119 it this time, he soliloquized, as he speculated in his own mind over 466 00:38:05,159 --> 00:38:09,519 what the purport of her next telegram might be. Half an hour later there 467 00:38:09,559 --> 00:38:15,880 came to him a constable from Scotland Yard to tell him of Stephanie's disappearance and 468 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:20,960 the conjectures that were rife on the matter. And he then not unnaturally read 469 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:24,679 Loveday's telegram by the light of this information, and concluded that the clue in 470 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:30,320 her hands related to the discovery of Stephanie's whereabouts as well as to that of 471 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:36,360 her guilt. A telegram received a little later on, however, was to 472 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:40,360 turn this theory upside down. It was like the former one worded in the 473 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:45,320 enigmatic language current in the lynch Court establishment, but as it was a lengthier 474 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:50,480 and more intricate message, it sent mister Dyer at once to his cipher book. 475 00:38:51,679 --> 00:38:55,559 Wonderful she has cut them all out this time, was mister Dyer's exclamation 476 00:38:55,960 --> 00:39:00,960 as he read and interpreted the final word. In another ten minutes, he 477 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:05,119 had given over his office to the charge of his head clerk for the day, 478 00:39:05,679 --> 00:39:08,480 and was rattling along the streets and a hansom in the direction of Bishop's 479 00:39:08,519 --> 00:39:14,480 Gate station. There he was lucky enough to catch a train just starting for 480 00:39:14,559 --> 00:39:19,039 Wareford. The event of the day, he muttered, as he settled himself 481 00:39:19,079 --> 00:39:22,840 comfortably in a corner seat, will be the return journey when she tells me, 482 00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:28,880 bit by bit how she has worked it all out. It was not 483 00:39:29,039 --> 00:39:32,559 until close upon three o'clock in the afternoon that he arrived at the old fashioned 484 00:39:32,599 --> 00:39:37,360 market town of Wareford. It chanced to be cattle market day, and the 485 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:44,079 station was crowded with drovers and farmers. Outside the station, Loveday was waiting 486 00:39:44,119 --> 00:39:46,840 for him, as she had told him in her telegram that she would in 487 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:51,440 a four wheeler. It's all right, she said to him, as he 488 00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:54,320 got in. He can't get away even if he had an idea that we 489 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:59,960 were after him. Two of the local police were waiting outside the house door 490 00:40:00,079 --> 00:40:05,199 with a warrant for his arrest signed by a magistrate. I did not, 491 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:08,440 however, see why the Lynch Court Office should not have the credit of the 492 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:14,800 thing, and so telegraphed to you to conduct the arrest. They drove through 493 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:19,239 the high Street to the outskirts of the town, where the shops became intermixed 494 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:23,039 with private houses led out in offices. The cab pulled up outside one of 495 00:40:23,079 --> 00:40:28,480 these, and two policemen in playing clothes came forward and touched their hats to 496 00:40:28,519 --> 00:40:31,880 mister Dyer. He's in there now, sir, doing his office work, 497 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:36,239 said one of the men, pointing to a door just within the entrance, 498 00:40:36,639 --> 00:40:42,599 on which was painted in black letters the United Kingdom Cab Driver's Beneficent Association. 499 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,239 I hear, however, that this is the last time he will be found 500 00:40:46,239 --> 00:40:52,239 there, as a week ago he gave notice to leave. As the man 501 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:57,119 finished speaking, a man evidently of the cab driving fraternity, came up the 502 00:40:57,159 --> 00:41:01,320 steps. He stared curiously at the little group just within the entrance, and 503 00:41:01,440 --> 00:41:06,079 then, chinking his money in his hand, passed on to the office as 504 00:41:06,159 --> 00:41:09,880 if to pay his subscription. Will you be good enough to tell mister Emmett 505 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:15,599 in there, said mister Dyer, addressing the man that a gentleman outside wishes 506 00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:20,960 to speak with him. The man nodded and passed into the office. As 507 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:24,440 the door opened, it disclosed a view an old gentleman seated at a desk, 508 00:41:24,599 --> 00:41:29,760 apparently writing receipts for money a little in his rear. At his right 509 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:34,119 hand sat a young and decidedly good looking man at a table on which were 510 00:41:34,159 --> 00:41:37,760 placed various little piles of silver and pence. The get up of this young 511 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:43,639 man was gentlemanlike, and his manner was affable and pleasant, as he responded 512 00:41:43,679 --> 00:41:47,000 with a nod and a smile to the cab driver's message. I shan't be 513 00:41:47,039 --> 00:41:51,199 a minute, he said to his colleague at the other desk, as he 514 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:55,079 rose and crossed the room towards the door. But once outside that door, 515 00:41:55,440 --> 00:42:00,639 it was closed firmly behind him, and he found himself in the sense of 516 00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:05,159 three stalwart individuals, one of whom informed him that he held in his hand 517 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:08,199 a warrant for the arrest of Harry Emmett on the charge of complicity in the 518 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:14,239 Kragan Court robbery, and that he had better come along quietly, for resistance 519 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:19,920 would be useless. Emmett seemed convinced of the latter fact. He grew deadly 520 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:24,639 white for a moment, then recovered himself. Will someone have the kindness to 521 00:42:24,679 --> 00:42:29,280 fetch my hat and coat? He said, in a lofty manner. I 522 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:32,119 don't see why I should be made to catch my death of cold because some 523 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:38,000 other people have seen fit to make asses of themselves. His hat and coat 524 00:42:38,039 --> 00:42:42,519 were fetched, and he was handed into the cab between the two officers. 525 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,039 Let me give you a word of warning, young man, said mister Dyer, 526 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:50,679 closing the cab door and looking in for a moment through the window at 527 00:42:50,679 --> 00:42:54,679 Emmett. I don't suppose it's a punishable offense to leave a black bag on 528 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:59,440 an old lady's doorstep. But let me tell you, if it had not 529 00:42:59,519 --> 00:43:01,920 been for them that black bag, you might have got clean off with your 530 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:08,840 spoil. Emmett the irrepressible had his answer ready. He lifted his hat ironically 531 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:14,119 to mister Dyer. You might have put it more neatly, guv'nor, he 532 00:43:14,199 --> 00:43:16,559 said. If I had been in your place, I would have said, 533 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:22,480 young man, you are being justly punished for your misdeeds. You have been 534 00:43:22,559 --> 00:43:25,519 taking off your fellow creatures all your life long, and now they are taking 535 00:43:25,559 --> 00:43:31,320 off you. Mister Dyer's duty that day did not end with the depositing of 536 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,960 Harry Emmett in the local jail. The search through Emmett's lodgings and effects had 537 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:40,400 to be made, and at this he was naturally present. About a third 538 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:45,320 of the lost jewelry was found there, and from this it was consequently concluded 539 00:43:45,559 --> 00:43:50,599 that his accomplices in this crime had considered that he had born a third of 540 00:43:50,599 --> 00:43:54,880 the risk and of the danger of it. Letters and various memoranda discovered in 541 00:43:54,920 --> 00:44:00,400 the rooms eventually led to the detection of those accomplices, and although Lady Catherrew 542 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:06,360 was doomed to lose the greater part of her valuable property, she had ultimately 543 00:44:06,679 --> 00:44:10,480 the satisfaction of knowing that each one of the thieves received a sentence proportionate to 544 00:44:10,519 --> 00:44:15,519 his crime. It was not until close upon midnight that mister Dyer found himself 545 00:44:15,519 --> 00:44:20,599 seated in the train facing Miss Brooke, and had leisure to ask for the 546 00:44:20,679 --> 00:44:23,239 links in the chain of reasoning that had led her, in so remarkable a 547 00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:30,400 manner to connect the finding of a black bag with insignificant contents with an extensive 548 00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:37,199 robbery of valuable jewelry. Loveday explained the whole thing easily and naturally, step 549 00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:42,079 by step, in her usual methodical manner. I read, she said, 550 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:45,760 as I dare say, A great many other people did the account of the 551 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:50,239 two things in the same newspaper on the same day, and I detected, 552 00:44:50,519 --> 00:44:53,039 as I dare say, a great many other people did not a sense of 553 00:44:53,119 --> 00:44:59,079 fun in the principal actor in each incident. I noticed, while all people 554 00:44:59,119 --> 00:45:04,119 are agreed as to the variety of motives that instigate crime, very few allow 555 00:45:04,199 --> 00:45:08,559 sufficient margin for variety of character in the criminal. We are apt to imagine 556 00:45:08,679 --> 00:45:13,079 that he stalks about the world with a bundle of deadly motives under his arm, 557 00:45:13,559 --> 00:45:15,719 and cannot picture him at his work with a twinkle in his eye and 558 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:21,159 a keen sense of fun, such as honest folk have sometimes when at work 559 00:45:21,199 --> 00:45:24,719 in their calling. Here mister Dyer gave a little grunt. It might have 560 00:45:24,760 --> 00:45:31,360 been either of assent or dissent. Loveday went on. Of course, the 561 00:45:31,480 --> 00:45:36,719 ludicrousness of the diction of the letter found in the bag would be apparent to 562 00:45:36,760 --> 00:45:42,039 the most casual reader. To me, the high falutin sentences sounded in an 563 00:45:42,039 --> 00:45:45,480 addition, strangely familiar, I had heard or read them somewhere, I felt 564 00:45:45,519 --> 00:45:51,239 sure, although where I could not at first remember, they rang in my 565 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:54,599 ears. And it was not altogether out of idle curiosity that I went to 566 00:45:54,639 --> 00:46:00,079 Scotland Yard to see the bag and its contents, and to copy, with 567 00:46:00,079 --> 00:46:04,320 the slip of tracing paper, a line or two of the letter. When 568 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:07,880 I found that the handwriting of this letter was not identical with that of the 569 00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:13,639 translations found on the bag, I was confirmed to my impression that the owner 570 00:46:13,679 --> 00:46:16,440 of the bag was not the writer of the letter. That possibly the bag 571 00:46:16,559 --> 00:46:22,800 and its contents had been appropriated from some railway station for some distinct purpose, 572 00:46:22,559 --> 00:46:28,079 and that purpose accomplished, the appropriator no longer wished to be burdened with it, 573 00:46:28,519 --> 00:46:32,320 and disposed of it in the readiest fashion that suggested itself. The letter, 574 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:37,320 it seemed to me, had been begun with the intention of throwing the 575 00:46:37,320 --> 00:46:42,199 police off the scent. But the irrepressible spirit of fund that had induced the 576 00:46:42,199 --> 00:46:46,800 writer to deposit his clerical adjuncts upon an old maid's doorstep had proved too strong 577 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:52,199 for him here and had carried him away. And the letter that was intended 578 00:46:52,239 --> 00:46:57,880 to be pathetic, ended in being comic, very ingenious so far, murmured 579 00:46:57,880 --> 00:47:01,280 mister Dyer. I've no doubt when the contents of the bag are widely made 580 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:07,039 known through advertisements, a claimant will come forward and your theory will be found 581 00:47:07,079 --> 00:47:12,960 correct. When I returned from Scotland, Yard Loveday continued, I found your 582 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:16,079 note asking me to go round and see you respecting the big jewel robbery. 583 00:47:16,920 --> 00:47:21,840 Before I did so, I thought it best to read once more the newspaper 584 00:47:21,880 --> 00:47:24,519 account of the case, so that I might be well up in its details. 585 00:47:25,239 --> 00:47:29,400 When I came to the words that the thief had written across the door 586 00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:34,440 of the safe to be let unfurnished, they at once connected themselves in my 587 00:47:34,599 --> 00:47:39,400 mind with the dying kiss to my Marchioness mother, and the solemn warning against 588 00:47:39,440 --> 00:47:45,039 the race course and the bookmaker of the black bag letter writer. Then on 589 00:47:45,119 --> 00:47:50,119 a flash, the whole thing became clear to me. Some two or three 590 00:47:50,199 --> 00:47:55,360 years back, my professional duties necessitated my frequence attendance at certain low class penny 591 00:47:55,360 --> 00:48:02,000 readings given in the South London slums. These penny readings young shop assistants and 592 00:48:02,119 --> 00:48:07,559 others of their class glad of an opportunity for exhibiting their accomplishments. Declaim with 593 00:48:07,639 --> 00:48:13,760 great vigor, and as a rule select pieces which their very mixed audience might 594 00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:17,800 be supposed to appreciate. During my attendance at these meetings, it seemed to 595 00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:22,159 me that one book of selected readings was a great favorite among the reciters, 596 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:28,519 and I took the trouble to buy it. Here it is here Loveday took 597 00:48:28,519 --> 00:48:35,320 from her coat pocket the reciter's treasury and handed it to her companion. Now, 598 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:37,679 she said, if you will run your eye down the index column, 599 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:42,960 you'll find the titles of those pieces to which I wish to draw your attention. 600 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:50,199 The first is the Suicide's Farewell, the second the Noble Convict, and 601 00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:55,000 the third to be let unfurnished by Jove. So it is ejaculated, mister 602 00:48:55,079 --> 00:49:00,719 Dyer. In the first of these pieces, the Susie decides Farewell occur, 603 00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:07,159 the expressions with which the black Bag letter it begins, the fatal day has 604 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:10,920 arrived, etc. The warnings against gambling, and the allusion to the poor 605 00:49:12,000 --> 00:49:16,599 lifeless body. In the second, The Noble Convict occur, the allusions to 606 00:49:16,639 --> 00:49:22,559 the aristocratic relations and the dying kiss to the marchioness mother. The third piece, 607 00:49:22,920 --> 00:49:27,840 to be Let Unfurnished, is a foolish little poem enough, although I 608 00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:31,039 dare say it has often raised a laugh in a not too discriminating audience. 609 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:37,159 It tells how a bachelor, calling at a house to inquire after rooms to 610 00:49:37,199 --> 00:49:40,400 be let unfurnished, falls in love with a daughter of the house and offers 611 00:49:40,400 --> 00:49:45,199 her his heart, which he says is to be let unfurnished. She declines 612 00:49:45,239 --> 00:49:50,519 his offer and retorts that she thinks that his head must be to let unfurnish 613 00:49:50,639 --> 00:49:54,679 too. With these three pieces before me, it was not difficult to see 614 00:49:54,679 --> 00:49:59,639 a thread of connection between the writer of the black Bag letter and the thief 615 00:49:59,639 --> 00:50:05,159 who wrot across the empty safe at Craign Court. Following this thread I unearthed 616 00:50:05,159 --> 00:50:09,280 the story of Harry Emmett, Footman, Reciter, general, lover and scamp. 617 00:50:10,199 --> 00:50:15,079 Subsequently, I compared the writing on my tracing paper with that on the 618 00:50:15,119 --> 00:50:19,159 safe door, and, allowing for the difference between a bit of chalk and 619 00:50:19,199 --> 00:50:22,159 a steel nib, came to the conclusion that there could be little doubt but 620 00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:28,039 what both were written by the same hand. Before that, however, I 621 00:50:28,079 --> 00:50:31,119 had obtained another and what I considered the most important link in my chain of 622 00:50:31,159 --> 00:50:37,159 evidence. How Emmett brought his clerical dress to use and how did you find 623 00:50:37,159 --> 00:50:42,280 out about that? Now, asked mister Dyer, leaning forward with his elbows 624 00:50:42,320 --> 00:50:46,519 on his knees. In the course of conversation with Missus Williams, whom I 625 00:50:46,559 --> 00:50:52,079 found to be a most communicative person, I elicited the names of the guests 626 00:50:52,320 --> 00:50:55,559 who had sat down to dinner on Christmas Eve. They were all people of 627 00:50:55,679 --> 00:51:00,480 undoubted respectability in the neighborhood. Just before before dinner was announced, she said, 628 00:51:01,159 --> 00:51:06,360 a young clergyman had presented himself at the front door, asking to speak 629 00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:09,519 with the rector of the parish. The rector, it seems, always dines 630 00:51:09,559 --> 00:51:15,239 at Craigan Court on Christmas Eve. The young clergyman's story was that he had 631 00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:19,880 been told by a certain clergyman whose name he mentioned, that a curate was 632 00:51:19,920 --> 00:51:22,440 wanted in the parish, and he had traveled down from London to offer his 633 00:51:22,519 --> 00:51:28,000 services. He had been, he said, to the rectory, and had 634 00:51:28,039 --> 00:51:30,440 been told by the servants where the rector was dining, and, fearing to 635 00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:36,079 lose his chance of the curacy, had followed him to the court Now, 636 00:51:36,119 --> 00:51:38,480 the rector had been wanting a curate, and had filled the vacancy only the 637 00:51:38,519 --> 00:51:44,039 previous week. He was a little inclined to be irate at this interruption to 638 00:51:44,079 --> 00:51:47,079 the evening's festivities, and told the young man that he didn't want to curate. 639 00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:52,000 When, however, he saw how disappointed the poor young fellow looked, 640 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:57,320 I believe he shed its tear or two. His heart softened. He told 641 00:51:57,360 --> 00:52:00,480 him to sit down and rest in the hall before he attempted the walk back 642 00:52:00,519 --> 00:52:04,559 to the station, and said he would ask Sir George to send him out 643 00:52:04,559 --> 00:52:08,079 a glass of wine. The young man sat down in a chair immediately outside 644 00:52:08,119 --> 00:52:12,880 the room by which the thieves entered. Now I need not tell you who 645 00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:15,880 that young man was, nor suggest to your mind. I am sure the 646 00:52:15,960 --> 00:52:20,719 idea that while the servant went to fetch him the wine, or indeed, 647 00:52:21,039 --> 00:52:23,760 so soon as he saw the coast clear, he slipped into that little room 648 00:52:24,079 --> 00:52:28,920 and pulled back the catch of the window that admitted his confederates, who, 649 00:52:28,960 --> 00:52:31,679 no doubt, at that very moment, were in hiding in the grounds. 650 00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:37,960 The housekeeper did not know whether this meek young curate had a black bag with 651 00:52:37,039 --> 00:52:42,039 him. Personally, I have no doubt of the fact, nor that it 652 00:52:42,079 --> 00:52:46,039 contained the cap, cuffs, collar and outer garments of Harry Emmett, which 653 00:52:46,039 --> 00:52:51,440 were most likely redawned before he returned to his lodgings at Wareford, where I 654 00:52:51,480 --> 00:52:55,440 should say he repacked the bag with its clerical contents and wrote his serio comic 655 00:52:55,519 --> 00:53:00,920 letter. This bag, I suppose he must have deposited in the very early 656 00:53:00,960 --> 00:53:06,360 morning before anyone was stirring. On the doorstep of the house in the Easterbrook 657 00:53:06,440 --> 00:53:12,679 Road, mister Dyer drew a long breath in his heart was unmitigated admiration for 658 00:53:12,760 --> 00:53:15,960 his colleague skill, which seemed to him to fall a little short of inspiration 659 00:53:17,199 --> 00:53:22,039 by and by no doubt he would sing her praises to the first person who 660 00:53:22,079 --> 00:53:25,320 came along with a hearty good will. He had not, However, the 661 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:30,320 slightest intention of so singing them in her own ears. Excessive praise was apt 662 00:53:30,320 --> 00:53:36,119 to have a bad effect on the rising practitioner, so he contented himself with 663 00:53:36,199 --> 00:53:40,440 saying, yes, very satisfactory. Now tell me how you hunted the fellow 664 00:53:40,519 --> 00:53:45,280 down to his digs. Oh that was mere abc work, answered loveday. 665 00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:51,360 Missus Williams told me he had left his place at Colonel James about six months 666 00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:54,280 previously, and had told her he was going to look after his dear old 667 00:53:54,320 --> 00:54:00,000 grandmother, who kept the sweet stuff shop, but where she could not remember. 668 00:54:00,239 --> 00:54:05,239 Having heard that Emmittt's father was a cab driver, my thoughts at once 669 00:54:05,320 --> 00:54:07,760 flew to the cabin's vernacular. You know something of it, no doubt, 670 00:54:08,400 --> 00:54:15,000 in which their provident association is designated by the phrase the dear old grandmother, 671 00:54:15,679 --> 00:54:20,159 and the office where they make and receive their payments is styled the sweet stuff 672 00:54:20,199 --> 00:54:25,119 shop haha. And good missus Williams took it all literally, no doubt she 673 00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:30,119 did, and thought what a dear, kind hearted fellow the young man was. 674 00:54:30,559 --> 00:54:35,159 Naturally, I suppose there would be a branch of the association in the 675 00:54:35,199 --> 00:54:39,239 nearest market town, and a local trades directory confirmed my supposition that there was 676 00:54:39,280 --> 00:54:44,639 one at Wareford. Bearing in mind where the black bag was found, it 677 00:54:44,719 --> 00:54:49,559 was not difficult to believe that young Emmett, possibly through his father's influence and 678 00:54:49,599 --> 00:54:53,480 his own prepossessing manners and appearance, had attained to some position of trust in 679 00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:59,519 the Wreford branch. I must confess I scarcely expected to find him as I 680 00:54:59,559 --> 00:55:04,960 did on reaching the place installed as receiver of the weekly Moneys, of course, 681 00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:08,559 I immediately put myself in communication with the police there and the rest. 682 00:55:08,599 --> 00:55:15,000 I think, you know, mister Dyer's enthusiasm refused to be longer restrained. 683 00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:20,320 It's capital from first to last. He cried, you've surpassed yourself this time. 684 00:55:22,000 --> 00:55:24,639 The only thing that saddens me, said Loveday is the thought of the 685 00:55:24,679 --> 00:55:30,840 possible fate of that poor little Stephanie. Loveday's anxieties on Stephanie's behalf were, 686 00:55:30,920 --> 00:55:36,119 however, to be put to flight before another twenty four hours had passed. 687 00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:40,679 The first post on the following morning brought a letter from Missus Williams telling how 688 00:55:40,719 --> 00:55:45,559 the girl had been found before the night was over, half dead with cold 689 00:55:45,559 --> 00:55:50,440 and fright on the verge of the stream running through Creighton Wood. Found too, 690 00:55:50,599 --> 00:55:53,239 wrote the housekeeper, by the very person who ought to have found her, 691 00:55:53,639 --> 00:55:58,400 young Holt, who was and is so desperately in love with her. 692 00:55:59,079 --> 00:56:02,400 Thank goodness, at the last moment her courage failed her, and instead of 693 00:56:02,440 --> 00:56:07,679 throwing herself into the stream, she sank down, half fainting beside it. 694 00:56:07,599 --> 00:56:10,960 Hul took her straight home to his mother, and there at the farm. 695 00:56:12,280 --> 00:56:17,199 She is now being taken care of and petted generally by every one and of 696 00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:22,519 The black bag left on a doorstep by Catherine Louisa Pirkis