She found him eagerly
interested in it, to a degree which surprised her; and they passed from
it only to go zealously together into various plans for the future of
mother and daughter--plans as intelligent as they were generous. The buzz
of a motor coming up the drive surprised them. There were no visitors in
the house, and none expected. Victoria rose in amazement as Undershaw
walked into the room.
"A horrible thing has happened. I felt that you must know before
anybody--with those two poor things in your house. Dixon has told me that
Miss Melrose saw her father this afternoon. I have come to bring you the
sequel."
He told his story. Mother and son turned pale looks upon each other.
Within a couple of hours of the moment when he had turned his daughter
from his doors! Seldom indeed do the strokes of the gods fall so fitly.
There was an awful satisfaction in the grim story to some of the deepest
instincts of the soul.
"Some poor devil he has ruined, I suppose!" said Tatham, his grave young
face lifted to the tragic height of the event. "Any clue?"
"None--except that, as I have told you, Faversham himself saw the
murderer, except his face, and Dixon saw his back. A slight man in
corduroys--that's all Dixon can say. Faversham and the Dixons were alone
in the house, except for a couple of maids. Perhaps"--he hesitated--"I
had better tell you some other facts that Faversham told me--and the
Superintendent of Police. They will of course come out at the inquest.
Pages:
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446