When I told Dr. Merrick of my good fortune in finding Rose Strent, or, to use her stage name, Rose Gernon, he was considerably astonished. The case had taken hold of him so completely that he could think of nothing else. He had a large practice, and attended fairly well to his patients, but informed me that he did so in a mechanical fashion, more or less, as his brain was busy with the Fen Inn mystery. We were now wonderfully familiar, considering the short period of our acquaintance, but this was doubtless due to the interest we both took in the case.
"Upon my word, Denham," said Merrick, rubbing his head irritably, "I wish you had not come near me with your hallucinations. Instead of attending to my business I think of nothing but your mysteries. The sooner we unravel this riddle the better will it be for me. You are an idle bachelor, so it does not matter much to you, but I am a busy medical man, and this infernal business worries me greatly. At this moment I ought to be attending to a patient, instead of which I am wasting my time with you."
"Shall I go away?"
"No, confound you! I wish to see the end of this affair, or I'll get no peace of mind. It is too late to remedy the matter, so I must have my curiosity allayed by learning all the ins and outs of this enigma. Come, let us begin. You have found Rose Strent?"
"Yes. She is a burlesque actress, and plays at the Frivolity Theater. Her name in the programme is set down as Rose Gernon, but this is doubtless her stage name. Rose Strent is her real one."
"I'm not so sure of that," said Merrick sharply. "If she went into that Fen Inn business with her eyes open, she doubtless took a false name, so as to baffle inquiry."
"Then what about the landlord, who called himself Edward Strent?"
"Oh, we must find out all about him also. No doubt his name is false also. Did he look like her father?"
"Well, I can't say that there was much likeness between them. He looked to me like a valet."
"A valet," muttered Merrick reflectively. "Queer! I wonder if he really was a valet--valet to Felix."
"In that case he would be with him now."
"It is not impossible. He has Felix in his power, and can stay on just as he likes. It's my opinion he'll stay till he's pensioned off. Case of blackmail, I fancy."
"I think Rose Gernon is blackmailing Felix also."
"Quite so. What else can he expect? Or else," added Merrick, looking straight at me, "it's a case of love and marriage."
"What! Do you think Felix promised to marry Rose if she helped him to get rid of his brother?"
"I think he might lead her to believe he would do so."
"This is absurd, Merrick," said I sharply. "Felix is in love with Olivia. The motive of the crime was to gain possession of Olivia's hand. Rose would not help Felix if she knew that."
"Precisely! If she knew it. But it's my opinion that she does not know it. I believe Felix gulled her into the belief that he would marry her if she gave her assistance, but he has not the slightest intention of keeping his promise."
"And what excuse could he make for wishing to murder his brother?"
"Ah, there you have me! I don't know that. Of course you and I are aware of the real motive of the crime, but Rose is ignorant of it. She thinks she knows, no doubt, but I'm certain she has been put off with a lie."
"But he can't keep the information from her forever. Even if he keeps quiet, someone is bound to tell her that Felix is engaged to Miss Bellin."
"There you are wrong," said Merrick with grim jocularity. "Everyone thinks Francis is engaged to Miss Bellin."
"Yes; but Rose Gernon knows well enough that Francis is dead, and that the engaged man must be Felix posing as Francis."
"There is some truth in that," admitted the doctor, looking puzzled. "I suppose he must have kept that fact from her so far, as I don't see what possible explanation he could give her."
"Always assuming she is in love with him," said I musingly.
"Oh, as to that, I am certain it is so. A woman like Rose Gernon, drawing a good salary, would not mix herself up in such a dangerous business merely for money. There is a stronger motive, and that is love. I'll lay anything," continued Merrick, in sporting phrase--"I'll lay anything that she is madly in love with the fellow."
"Well, and Olivia, thinking Felix is Francis, loves him madly also. If these two women come together, there will be trouble for Felix."
"Eureka!" cried the doctor, jumping up excitedly, "the very thing. When thieves fall out--you know the adage. Let us bring the two women together, and see the upshot."
"There will simply be a row," said I; "what is the use of that?"
"This," retorted Merrick sharply: "that when Rose finds she has been betrayed she will reveal all the mystery out of revenge and assure Olivia that Felix is not Francis."
"That's not a bad idea, Merrick! Also it might occur that Olivia reveals something in her turn."
"Impossible! She can't possibly know the man's villainy, else she would not think of marrying him."
"I suppose not, and yet," I added reflectively, "I wouldn't be surprised if she were cognizant of Felix's movements on the 10th and 11th. She certainly stuck up for him in the most amazing manner at the first interview."
"Of course she did, because she believes he is Francis. Depend upon it, Denham, she knows nothing, and if we bring her and Rose together there will be a revolution and a revelation."
"It's worth trying at all events. But how can it be managed?"
"By working on the natural jealousy of the sex. Tell Olivia that Felix receives a woman in his rooms every evening."
"Oh, hang it, Merrick," said I, reddening, "it wouldn't be delicate even to a married woman, let alone a girl."
"Of course I don't mean you to put it to her in that barefaced manner," said Merrick hastily, "but handle the matter delicately. Wrap it up in sugar. I leave it to your own judgment. In any case you must rouse the jealousy of Miss Olivia Bellin, and induce her to come with you to the chambers of Felix when he is interviewing Rose."
"She wouldn't come without her mother."
"Then bring her mother along with you. This is a serious matter, and it doesn't do to be squeamish."
"Then do it yourself," said I angrily.
"I!" said he, taken aback. "No! I don't know Miss Bellin. You are the proper person. Besides, it's better that she should know the truth, even at the cost of a shock to her delicacy, than be tied to a brute like Felix, as she certainly will be."
"Not if Rose can help it."
"She can't help it if she doesn't know. And the only way to spoil the game of Felix is to bring the two women face to face. Their mutual jealousy will do the rest, and instead of going to the altar Felix Briarfield will find himself bound for the scaffold."
"True enough! Well, I'll try, Merrick, but it's a job I don't like."
He laughed at my scruples, and tried to show me that I was really doing Olivia a service in being so plain-spoken, but in spite of all his arguments I departed from his house in low spirits. I did not relish the idea of interviewing Olivia on so delicate a subject, yet I saw it was imperative, and therefore made up my mind to carry through the business at whatever cost of personal inconvenience to myself. That is the worst of being an amateur detective: one's feelings are not under sufficient control.
The next day I called at Swansea Square, and sent up my card to Olivia. As it so happened, her mother had gone down to Hurlingham with Felix, and she remained at home on the plea of a headache. She sent down a message to the effect that she was unwell, and asked me to excuse her, but I scribbled a few lines on my card asking particularly to see her. This time the servant returned with the information that Miss Bellin would see me for a few minutes, and I was shown into the drawing room. I felt nervous, but, determined to go through with the matter, managed to screw up my courage. It was a most unpleasant task, but very necessary if I wanted to attain my object.
When Miss Bellin entered, I could not suppress a start, so changed was she in outward appearance. As I said before, she was a tall, well-developed, and very beautiful woman, but now she had grown thin, and her face wore an anxious expression. I could not help thinking that she knew something about the tragedy at the Lone Inn, as I could conjecture no other reason for her ill-health and manifest discomposure. She came forward with a nervous smile, and greeted me in a low voice.
"My mother and Mr. Briarfield have gone to Hurlingham," she said, sitting clown on a lounge near which my chair was placed.
"I am not sorry for that," I answered gravely, "as I wish to see you alone."
"What is the matter, Mr. Denham? Have you anything very terrible to tell me?"
"I think it is terrible."
"About Francis?" she demanded anxiously.
"Yes! About Francis!"
"Surely you are not going to begin again about that foolish matter you spoke of at Marshminster."
"No--it is not about that."
Olivia passed her handkerchief across her lips and gave a sigh of relief. The expression of her face was so strange that I was more than ever convinced she suspected the truth.
"I am glad you have given over that mad idea about Francis being Felix," she said at length. "I cannot conceive what made you take up so strange a belief. Felix is in Paris."
"I know that, Miss Bellin. I saw him there."
This I said in the hope of startling her, but she did not move a muscle of her face. Either she was keeping herself well in hand or was cognizant of the fact that Felix had gone to Paris for the purpose of deceiving me. If so, she must have known he was not Francis, and also that my story of the Lone Inn tragedy was true. It was on my tongue to ask her if she was aware of the terrible truth, but on reflection I judged it best to let events evolve themselves. Fate could manage these things better than a mere mortal.
"I knew you would see him there," she said coldly, "but I cannot conceive why you should desire to convince yourself that I spoke truly."
"Because, Miss Bellin, I believe that the man who calls himself Francis is really Felix."
"The same old story," she said impatiently. "You are mad. If you saw Felix in Paris, you must be convinced that you are making a mistake."
"Well, Miss Bellin, we will waive that point for the present. I will call the man to whom you are engaged Francis."
"As he is," she interpolated imperiously.
I let the remark pass, and went on with my speech. "You will no doubt think me highly impertinent, but I wish to warn you against the so-called Francis Briarfield."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Simply this. While at the Fen Inn I was waited on by a woman who called herself Rose Strent. That woman is now in town acting at the Frivolity Theater under the name of Rose Gernon."
"And what have I to do with such a creature?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"Nothing, but your lover has everything to do with her."
"Mr. Denham!"
We were both on our feet by this time, and she was looking at me with wrathful eyes. The crisis I so dreaded had come, but it was now too late to retreat, and there was no help for it but to go on.
"Be angry with me if you like, Miss Bellin," I said, as soon as I was able, "but it is in your own interest I speak."
"My own interest!"
"Yes! This woman Rose Gernon is in love with Francis B----"
"No! no!" she murmured, her face growing white; "you are making a mistake."
"It is true," I said doggedly. "She was with him at his chambers yesterday evening at eight o'clock; she will be there to-morrow evening at the same time. I learned that fact to-day."
"Did you come here to insult me, sir?" asked Olivia in a voice tremulous with rage.
"I came here to do you a service, but if you look upon it in the light of an insult, I may as well take my leave."
"Stop, sir!" she said, placing herself before me; "you shall not leave the room till I am convinced of the truth of your statement. Why should Francis meet Rose Gernon?"
"Why should Rose Gernon play the part of a waiting maid at the Fen Inn?" I retorted.
"How can I tell?"
"To further the schemes of the man who is to marry you, Miss Bellin. She loves him and he loves her."
"No! I tell you it is impossible. I trust him! I love him! He could not be such a mean villain."
"I can prove to you that what I say is true."
"Do so and I will believe it. If it is true," she muttered, clenching her fist--"if it is true, I shall bitterly punish him for the deception."
"Come with me to-morrow evening at eight o'clock to Briarfield's rooms in Jermyn Street, and I'll engage you shall see them together."
"If I thought so--but no," she said, breaking off impetuously. "I cannot come; how can I--how can I?"
"Ask Mrs. Bellin to come with you," I suggested.
"I cannot do that."
"Why not?"
She looked at me strangely for a moment, then walked to the other end of the room. When she returned, her face was flushed with anger.
"Why do you come here with these infamous tales, sir?" she cried excitedly. "I do not believe you!"
"Put me to the proof. Come tomorrow evening and you shall see for yourself."
"You are the enemy of the man I love."
"I am the bitter enemy of the man who pretends to love you, because I believe he killed his brother."
"Mr. Denham, I could tell--but no, no! I must be silent."
"What do you mean?" I asked eagerly, thinking she was about to reveal her suspicions.
Olivia thought for a few moments, then put her hand suddenly into mine.
"I will be with you at a quarter to eight to-morrow, and if it is true what you say--oh, if it is true----"
"Here is my card," said I, forcing it into her hand. "Wear a veil and come to my rooms in Duke Street. I will wait you at the door, and we will go to the chambers of this villain."
"He is no villain."
"I say he is, Miss Bellin, and I'll prove him to be so to-morrow."
"Do it," she said, fixing me with a glance, "and you shall see how bitterly I shall punish his treachery. Now go, Mr. Denham, and meet me to-morrow evening as you have arranged."
I bowed and left the room in silence. As I passed through the door I looked back, and saw she had thrown herself on the couch, crying bitterly. The sight perplexed me.
"Does she know anything," I thought, "or does she believe Felix is really Francis? Well, when she and Rose Gernon come face to face, the truth will be revealed."
The truth was stranger than even I suspected.
My interview with Olivia passed off better than I had expected. If she had ordered me out of the house, I would only have looked on it as the just punishment for what must have appeared my impertinent interference in what did not concern me. The very fact that she listened so quietly proved that she suspected Felix was masquerading as her lover. She could only be assured of this by overhearing his interview with Rose Gernon, and therefore accepted my invitation to go to the Jermyn Street rooms. If their tenant was Francis, he would resent the intrusion of Rose, but if Felix, the two confederates would doubtless talk of their guilty secret.
Thanks to a sovereign judiciously bestowed on the caretaker, I had discovered that Rose Gernon intended to visit Felix at eight o'clock. How the caretaker found out I do not know, but in some mysterious way servants seem to gain all information concerning the doings of their superiors. It sufficed for me that Rose would be in the rooms of Felix on this evening, and that Olivia would catch them in a trap. I had no pity for the guilty pair, but I was genuinely sorry for Olivia. She little knew the torture she was about to undergo. I did, and almost regretted that I had interfered in the matter. However, I consoled myself with the reflection that it was better for her to suffer a few hours' pain than lifelong misery.
That she agreed to go to Jermyn Street at that hour without a chaperon proved how desirous she was of learning the truth. Delicately nurtured, gently bred, she must have felt horrified at the risk she was running of losing her good name, but, seeing that her life's happiness depended upon knowing all, she flung etiquette to the winds and came. When I found her at the foot of the stairs at eight o'clock, I admired and respected her from the bottom of my heart.
"Am I late?" she asked, touching my hand with trembling fingers.
"Only five minutes," said I, looking at my watch. "I have been waiting at the head of the stairs for that time. However, we can soon walk round to Jermyn Street."
"Do you think anyone will know me, Mr. Denham?" said Olivia, taking my arm. "See, I have on a plain dress, and this veil is a thick one."
"No one will recognize you," I answered soothingly; "nor do I think you will meet any one of your acquaintances."
"I should have brought my mother, but that I wished her to know nothing of this treachery. If I find I have been deceived, I shall break off my engagement with Francis. But you will keep silent about my visit, will you not, Mr. Denham?"
"No one shall hear a word from me," I answered earnestly. "But keep up your spirits, Miss Bellin. Even if you find you have been deceived, there will be some consolation in knowing that it is Felix, and not Francis."
"You are wrong there," she replied positively; "it is Francis. I have told you so all along."
I shrugged my shoulders without reply. Evidently nothing could shake her faith in the man. All I could hope for was that the two confederates would betray themselves.
"What are you going to do, Mr. Denham?" asked Olivia anxiously.
"We will go up to the rooms of Briarfield," I answered, "and there overhear their conversation."
"Is that not dishonorable?" she said, shrinking back.
"In most cases it would be," I replied hastily, "but it does not do to be too particular in this matter. If you break in on them, they may deny everything. Thinking they are alone, you will hear the truth. Remember, Miss Bellin, when one deals with a villain, one must beat him with his own weapons. Depend upon it, it is most necessary that we should learn all."
"They can speak of nothing that I do not know."
"Are you aware of the truth?" said I, somewhat startled by this remark.
"I am aware of the truth," she repeated slowly, and before I could question her she flitted up the stairs. There was no time for me to ponder over her words, as it was now past eight o'clock, and Rose Gernon might descend at any time. I therefore spoke a few hasty words to the caretaker, telling him I wished to see Mr. Briarfield, and followed her at once. In two minutes we were both standing before the door of Briarfield's room.
"It is locked," said Olivia faintly.
"Never mind," answered I, producing my latchkey; "this key of mine opens the door; I was, as you are aware, a great friend of Francis, and learned some time ago that my key fitted the lock of his rooms. I have not forgotten the circumstance, so it comes in useful now. See!"
I turned the key and the door opened noiselessly. Motioning to Miss Bellin to precede me, I followed her quietly and closed the door behind us. We heard the murmur of voices in the sitting room. She as well as I knew its whereabouts thoroughly. The door was slightly ajar, and in front of it stretched a tall screen with fretwork at the top. Stepping through the open door in a gingerly manner, we placed ourselves directly behind the screen so that we could both see and hear without danger of being observed. Thus far our enterprise had succeeded in the most fortunate manner, and nothing remained for us to do but to listen to the important conversation now taking place.
Felix, standing with his back against the mantelpiece, looked anxious and angry, while Rose Gernon, her hands on the table, faced him fiercely. Evidently the conversation was not progressing in a satisfactory manner to either.
"No!" she was saying rapidly. "I will accept no money for what I have done. You know the only reward I claim--your love."
"I cannot give it to you," said Felix doggedly; "you know that as well as I do."
"Do I?" she cried passionately. "Do you dare to say that to me after all your vows and protestations? Why did you tell me you loved me if it was but a lie?"
"I did not tell you so."
"Yes, you did, Felix--you did! I remember the hour, the day, when you swore that you would make me your wife."
"Keep quiet," I muttered to Olivia, who made an involuntary movement.
"I tell you, Rose, there is some mistake," said Felix angrily.
"You mean-spirited hound!"
"I am a mean-spirited hound," he answered wearily; "no one knows that better than I do."
"Some women," continued Rose, not heeding his interruption--"some women would have you killed. I am not a woman of that kind. I'll stay and marry you."
"Impossible! I am to marry Miss Bellin."
"You promised to give up Miss Bellin if I helped you to see your brother at the Fen Inn."
"My God!" muttered Olivia, trembling violently.
"Hush!" I whispered; "now we shall hear the truth."
"I have changed my mind," retorted Felix, in answer to the last remark of Rose.
"That may be, but I have not, Mr. Felix Briarfield. I fulfilled my promise and went down with Strent to that lonely inn. Your brother came, and you know that he never left it again. I have fulfilled my promise. I now require you to fulfill yours and make me your wife."
"I cannot! I cannot!" he said in a faint voice, wiping his brow. "For Heaven's sake take this money I offer you and leave me."
"I have mixed myself up with crime for your sake, and you offer to put me off with money. It is useless! Your promise I have, and that promise I require you to keep, or else----"
"Or else----"
"I'll tell the truth to the police."
"And thus involve yourself in ruin with me."
"I don't care," she said sullenly; "anything would be better than the torture I am enduring at your hands."
"And what will you tell the police?" asked Felix in an unnatural voice.
"You know well enough! I shall tell them how you killed your brother."
"It is false!" he said passionately. "I neither saw nor laid a finger on my brother."
"Indeed! Then if you are innocent who is guilty?"
"I don't know!"
"Did you not come to the Fen Inn on that fatal night when Francis came?"
"Yes, but I never saw him."
"You saw him, and killed him."
"It is a lie!"
It was neither Felix nor Rose who spoke, but Olivia, who, in spite of all I could do, broke in on the astonished pair. The man advanced toward her, but she waved him back.
"I defend you, sir," she said proudly, "because I know that this woman speaks falsely, but I have also to demand an explanation from you."
Felix paid no attention to the remark, but simply stared at her in a stupefied manner.
"Olivia!" he said in a low voice, "how did you come here?"
"I brought her, Mr. Felix Briarfield," said I, stepping forward.
"You, Denham! And for what reason?"
I pointed to Rose Gernon, who stood quietly by with a malignant smile on her face.
"There is the reason," I retorted meaningly, "and Miss Bellin----"
"Miss Bellin will speak for herself," said Olivia in a peremptory tone.
"Miss Bellin speaks of what she does not understand," interposed Rose vehemently.
"Because I deny that Francis killed Felix?" questioned Olivia.
"No, because you deny Felix killed Francis."
"What do you mean, Miss Gernon?" I asked rapidly.
"I mean that this man whom Miss Bellin thinks is her lover Francis is Felix Briarfield, and Felix Briarfield," she continued, "is my lover."
"No!" said Felix hurriedly, "it is not true."
I expected to see Olivia grow angry, but in place of this a bright smile irradiated her face as she looked at Felix. I could not conjecture the meaning of her action, and began to grow uneasy. Rose also looked anything but comfortable; evidently she had met with her match in Olivia.
"I overheard part of your conversation," said Olivia, addressing her pointedly.
"Very honorable, I am sure," retorted Rose, with a sneer.
"Honor is thrown away on women like you," answered Olivia scornfully. "I am glad I listened, for it enables me to protect the man I love against your arts."
"That is not the man you love," said Rose spitefully; "he lies in the marshes surrounding the Fen Inn, slain by the hand of his brother."
"That is not true! I swear it is not true!" cried Felix, approaching nearer to Olivia.
"Be quiet, Francis," she said quickly; "let us hear what she has to say."
"I have to say that Felix Briarfield loved me," cried Rose angrily; "he loved me long before he ever saw you, but when you crossed his path, he wanted to leave me. He impersonated his brother Francis, who was at that time in America, and you, poor fool, did not discover the deception."
"You are quite right, I did not," replied Olivia calmly; "go on."
"When his brother Francis came back this month, he thought all would be discovered, and implored me to save him. He told me of a plan whereby he intended to decoy his brother to the Fen Inn, on pretext of explanation. There he intended to kill him."
Olivia made no remark, but placed her hand within that of Felix. I wondered she could do so, seeing that he was accused by his accomplice of a hideous crime, and made no denial.
"I went down to the Fen Inn with a man called Strent----"
"That was not his real name," I interrupted.
"How do you know that?" she said sharply.
"Never mind; I know that it is so."
"I decline to tell his real name," said Rose, darting a furious look at me. "I call him Strent, and by that name you knew him, and knew me at the Fen Inn."
"I certainly did not expect Rose Strent, waiting maid, to change to Rose Gernon, actress."
"You are too meddlesome, Mr. Denham," she said coolly, "and would do better to mind your own business."
"Scarcely, when I have discovered so vile a crime."
"It was he who committed it," said Rose malignantly, pointing to Felix; "he came to the inn and killed his brother."
"It is a lie!" cried Felix, in despair. "I laid no hand on my brother. I did not even see him."
"Wait one moment, Miss Gernon, before you make this accusation," said Olivia. "You say that Felix is your lover?"
"I do."
"And you promised to assist him in removing Francis if he married you?"
"I did."
"For what reason, when the removal of Francis would enable Felix to marry me under his false name?"
"He promised not to do so, and I thought if I helped him to kill Francis I could force him to marry me."
"You love him greatly?"
"I love him better than anyone else in the world."
"I am sorry for that," said Olivia, with a touch of pity, "because Felix is dead."
"Felix dead!" said Rose incredulously. "Then who is this man?"
"This man is my lover, Francis Briarfield, who returned from Chili on the 6th of June."
For the moment I felt but little surprise, as I thought Olivia was but making the same mistake she had made formerly. Yet when I noted that she knew the true date of her lover's return, and remarked the strange expression on the face of Rose, I became instinctively convinced that she spoke the truth. It was Francis Briarfield who stood before me, and the dead man was Felix. How the change of personality had taken place I was unable to guess, but nevertheless felt that it was true.
Rose Gernon, with a look of disappointed rage, was the first to speak. She stamped her foot, and laughed scornfully.
"This is ridiculous," she said contemptuously; "it was Francis who died. He----"
"Francis did not die, as you well know," interrupted the young man. "Felix fell into his own trap, and for safety I assumed his name. I believe you were aware of this all along."
"How can that be? And if I really did know you were Francis, why did you not say so?"
"Because I did not wish to betray myself. For aught I know you slew my brother, and were quite capable of accusing me of his murder."
Rose evaded this question, and, tossing her head with a sneer, moved toward the door. Before she could reach it I blocked her passage.
"Not yet, Miss Gernon," said I meaningly. "Though we have discovered Felix to be Francis, we do not know how the former met with his death."
"I cannot tell you."
"I think you can," said Olivia quickly, "seeing Felix by your own confession made all arrangements with you."
"And yet Felix is dead," scoffed Rose.
"He fell into his own trap."
"I don't know how he died," she said resolutely. "As regards that, I am as ignorant as you are, though I believe Francis killed him."
"Ah! You then acknowledge me to be Francis?" "I acknowledge nothing. Let me pass, Mr. Denham. I have to attend to my business."
"Not till you tell me where your so-called father, Strent, is to be found."
"I don't know," she said sullenly.
"Yes, you do," persisted Olivia, "and you shall not leave this room till you tell all."
"If I do not go to the theater, I shall be ruined."
"That does not matter to us," said Francis mercilessly.
The woman looked at our three faces, and, seeing therein no hope of mercy, compromised the matter.
"Let me have a night to think over it," she entreated anxiously.
"No," said Francis and Olivia in one breath, "you must tell all now."
"There is no time," she urged; "I am late as it is: I must go."
"Let me speak, Briarfield," I interposed, seeing he was about to refuse again. "We do not want to make a public scandal of this--as yet."
Francis consulted Olivia with a look and turned to me.
"You know more about this case than anyone else," he said quietly. "Miss Bellin and myself are quite prepared to leave the matter in your hands."
"Very good. Then Miss Gernon can go to her duties. I undertake that she shall be forthcoming tomorrow. Oh, yes, Miss Gernon," I added ironically, "I have made all my plans. Knowing you were mixed up in this case, I engaged a detective to look after you."
"A detective," she said, with a terrified look.
"Yes! One of the smartest detectives of Scotland Yard. Permit me to escort you to the stage door of the theater and introduce you to this gentleman. Perform your part tonight, and go home. To-morrow come to these rooms at noon and tell us all you know. I am not afraid of your escaping, as my detective will watch you till we see you again."
"Suppose I refuse!" said Rose viciously.
"In that case I'll have you arrested at once as an accessory to the murder of Felix Briarfield."
"You are too strong for me," she said savagely. "I accept your conditions. To-morrow I'll come here at twelve o'clock. Can I go now?"
"Certainly! Provided you accept me as your escort."
"As you please," she replied disdainfully. "As for you, Miss Bellin," she added, turning toward Olivia, "I wish you joy of your bargain. That man is Francis Briarfield, sure enough. I knew it all along, and played on his fears for my own ends. He is a coward, and Felix was worth a dozen of him. For you, Mr. Briarfield, I have nothing but contempt."
With this parting shaft she sailed out of the door, closely followed by me. The detective was waiting on the other side of the street, and followed us closely. Rose glanced uneasily from side to side, but not one word would she speak. Nor did I wish her to talk, having quite enough on my mind for the present. When we arrived at the stage door of the Frivolity Theater, she halted on the step. In the light shed from the lamp above I could see her scornful face.
"What I have promised I shall do, Mr. Denham," she said spitefully; "but to-morrow I can tell you nothing. With all your cleverness as a spy, you have discovered nothing but a mare's nest."
When she entered the theater, I turned round to the detective, whom I found at my elbow.
"You know what you have to do?" I said imperatively.
"Yes, sir. I saw her face in the light. You can depend upon me; I shan't lose sight of her."
"She is to come to Mr. Briarfield's rooms to-morrow at noon."
"That's all right, sir. I'll see she is there."
"Good. Be very careful. She is a clever woman, and would baffle the devil himself."
"She won't baffle me," said the detective confidently, and so departed on his mission.
Having thus provided for the safe keeping of Rose Gernon, I returned to Briarfield's rooms, and found him alone. Miss Bellin had taken her departure during my absence.
"Where is she?" I asked, glancing round.
"Olivia has gone home," explained Francis. "If she is back before nine, her mother will never hear of this escapade, so I put her in a cab and sent her off."
"All the better," said I, taking a seat. "Now that we are alone I wish to hear the story of your transformation from Francis to Felix."
"I told you I was Francis all along," he said reproachfully.
"Yes; in such a way that I thought you were Felix," I answered ironically. "You might have trusted me, Briarfield. It would have been better for us all."
"I have no doubt it would," answered Francis gloomily, "but I was afraid lest you should think I had killed Felix."
"I knew you were incapable of such a thing."
"Thank you," he said gratefully. "Had I known you were so true a friend, I should have made you my confidant. As it was, when I remembered my wild threats of killing Felix, I dreaded lest, finding him dead, you might accuse me of his murder."
"Who killed him?"
"I don't know. When I saw him, he was dead."
"And Strent and Rose?"
"They had left the house."
"What time was this?"
"About six in the morning."
"And I was not up till ten o'clock. You had plenty of time to fly. But what put it into your head to place the dead body of Felix in your bed?"
"It's a long story, and I hardly know if you will understand my motives."
"Yes, I do. You were afraid of being accused of the crime. It was foolish of you to mistrust me. I would have aided rather than blamed you."
"I see that now. It was kind of you to try and avenge my death. Unfortunately, all your industry was dangerous to me, and I had to baffle it."
"You certainly did so very adroitly. But tell me the story. I am anxious to know what took place."
Francis was quite unnerved by the late interview, and, before continuing, poured himself out a glass of brandy. Then, pushing the bottle toward me, he began his strange narrative without further preamble.
"When I went to bed that night," he said slowly, "I could not sleep for ever so long. I kept wondering if your theory could possibly be true about the treachery of Felix. If it were, I considered how I should punish my brother. While thus thinking, I fell asleep, and didn't wake up till close on six o'clock in the morning. All my troubles came on me with full force, and you know how much worse things look at that hour than in broad daylight. There was no chance of further sleep, so I put on my clothes and went downstairs. The first thing I saw was my brother Felix lying dead on the floor."
"Had you any idea who killed him?"
"Not the slightest. I thought it was either Strent or the girl, so I went in search of them. They had fled, for I found my horse gone, so this flight confirmed me in my suspicion. At first I determined to wake you up and explain all, but, remembering my foolish talk of the previous night, I thought you might think me guilty of my brother's death."
"That was a foolish idea."
"Well, put yourself in my place, and you would have thought as I."
"Not a bit of it. I should have had more moral courage."
"I hadn't at that moment. I thought you would denounce me and I would be hanged, so took steps to secure my own safety. I went outside and found my brother's horse at the side of the house. Strent and his daughter had taken mine, and overlooked my brother's in the hurry of their guilty flight. I saw a means of escape and took it."
"But what about the substitution of yourself for Felix?"
"I did that to throw off the scent. I guessed that your idea was right, and that Felix was masquerading as I, so thought I might go back with safety as myself. Felix was far cleverer than I, and it was certain he had provided some reasons for the absence of his real self while he passed himself off as me. The whole plot unrolled itself in a moment before me, and I saw in carrying it through lay my only chance of safety."
"It would have been far easier to have trusted to my friendship."
"I see that now," said Francis penitently, "but I did not then. I wanted to leave the house without your waking, so took the body of Felix softly upstairs, undressed it, and laid it in my bed. Then I folded up my clothes on the chair beside the bed and dressed myself in his suit."
"And the pearl ring?"
"I had to part with that so as to carry out the deception, therefore I slipped it on the finger of the dead man. Then I locked the door of my bedroom and came downstairs again. In a few minutes I was on my way to Marshminster."
"How did you get the horse back to Fundy's stables, and what made you think of going to Bellin Hall?"
"As to the first, I found Fundy's name on the saddle, so knew Felix had hired the horse. I took it back to the stables, and, owing to my resemblance to Felix, easily managed to deceive the hostler. Then as Felix in his letter had told me he was staying at Bellin Hall I went there."
"Was there any suspicion?"
"None at all! I told a footman I had been out for a morning ride, and asked him to bring me a brandy and soda to my room; I needed the drink after all I had gone through, but my principal reason for asking him was to find out my room."
"How so?"
"Well, I made him carry the tray upstairs in front of me. Of course he took it to the room of Felix, and thus I gained my point without exciting suspicion. All the baggage, clothes, etc., of Felix were in the room. I knew all about them, as I had seen them plenty of times. Then I dressed in a morning suit and went downstairs to find Olivia."
"Did she guess the truth?"
"Not at first, but she saw there was something wrong, as she kept referring to events of the previous week about which I knew nothing. Luckily Mrs. Bellin did not come down to breakfast, so I was able to tell her all when the servants left the room."
"Had she recognized that Felix was masquerading as you?"
"She had, more or less, but was not quite certain. When I told her all that had occurred, she believed me at once. In some instinctive way she knew that I was really her lover. Then we set to work to concert measures for my safety. Olivia told me Felix was supposed to be in Paris at the Hôtel des Étrangers and showed me his letters, so it was decided as wisest to keep up that fiction. She told me all that had taken place during my absence, and by the time you came I was thoroughly fitted into the skin of Felix."
"Then I came and insisted you were Felix."
"Yes! You see, I told the truth, and so did Olivia, when I said I was Francis. But, of course, as I had changed clothes with the dead man, we saw where you were making your mistake. I never thought you'd take my death so much to heart."
"Seeing that, Briarfield, you ought to have told me all."
"Olivia suggested as much, but I was afraid. When you asked me to ride out and see the inn, I asked for a night's grace in order to get rid of the body. I rode out during the night and threw it into a pool near the inn."
"I know that pool," said I grimly, "and traced your trail thereto."
"I am afraid I did it badly," said Francis, with a shudder; "it was a horrible task, yet necessary, as I thought when you saw nobody the next day you would think it was a dream or a hallucination."
"I did very nearly," I answered gravely. "And what about Paris?"
"Oh, that was very easy. When you said you were going there to look up Felix, I followed you to London by the same train and crossed over to Paris at once. At the Hôtel des Étrangers I found Felix had bribed the manager to send on those letters to Olivia. He, of course, thought I was Felix and talked quite openly before me. Felix had invented a very ingenious plot to enlist the manager in his service. What it was I need not tell you, but I told the manager what I wanted and he did it well. Of course I paid him lavishly."
"You mean he deceived me by saying you had been six weeks in Paris."
"Yes, and about my going to Italy. Of course when you saw me you thought I was really Felix, and that you were out of your mind."
"How could I do otherwise when your statements were backed up by the manager? I did not know what to make of it."
"Well, that's all I have to tell," said Francis, "and a lot of trouble it has been. I wish I had told you all at first."
"What about Rose Gernon?"
"Oh, she found me out and made believe I was Felix. She wanted to marry me, as you saw. I had great trouble with her."
"We'll settle her to-morrow," said I grimly. "But now, Francis, who do you think killed your brother?"
"I can't say! I don't even know how he died."
"He died," said I, "from a wound in the hand inflicted by a poisoned arrowhead which was taken from Bellin Hall."
"And who wounded him?" demanded Francis, turning pale.
"We'll find that out to-morrow," I answered, "from Rose Strent, alias Rose Gernon."