Chapter XII.The Secret Out

Chapter XII.The Secret Out“I don’t see that we are any further towards the solution of the murder,” said Fletcher. “All that we have heard sheds no light on the actual crime at all.”Sinclair remained for a moment in thought, then he said slowly, and with great deliberation, his eyes fixed on vacancy.“Will the murderer confess?”The sunlight outside seemed to accentuate the grim horror within, it was here that the crime had been committed, and the shadow of the dead man was almost visible to their eyes of imagination. Sinclair waited, and in that pause a chill feeling of fear made manifest seemed to pervade the room. In utter silence he waited, then in sharp, incisive words he said “Very well, then we must take extreme measures. Mr. Cook, will you please explain exactly what happened when you came here to see Lord Reckavile on the day of the murder?”The wretched man seemed to crumple into a heap.“Me, sir,” he stammered, his face like chalk. “Oh, God, what do you mean?”He sprang to his feet, and gripped the back of his chair for support. The police officers looked at him with that gaze of proprietorship which they keep for a prospective candidate for the gallows. Brown was unconsciously wondering what length of drop would be required for him, and Andrews was wondering whether he had a pair of handcuffs to fit.“Well,” said Sinclair, “don’t stand there saying nothing. You came and saw Lord Reckavile on the afternoon of the murder, that we know—what happened?”“It is true that I came to him, and gave him his ground rents, as I have always done, but I swear to God that I simply took my receipt and went, I did not even come into this room. I saw him in the hall. That is why I never mentioned it before, I was afraid of being accused of the murder. I was only here a few minutes, Giles knows that don’t you?” and he looked wildly at the old butler.Giles spoke slowly, evidently under deep emotion.“May I say a word, sir,” he said to Sinclair.“Certainly.”“You asked just now who killed Lord Reckavile—I did.”If a bombshell had exploded in the room there could not have been a greater sensation.“At last,” said Sinclair, and there was a note of triumph in his voice. “Thank you, Giles. That is what we wanted. Mr. Cook, I offer you a profound apology for the bad moment we gave you, but it was the only way to get a confession from him. That was why the whole meeting was arranged. It was Mr. Halley’s idea, and you know he has been on the stage.”Then turning sternly to Giles, he said. “I have to warn you that anything you say may be used as evidence against you, but I know most of the story, and I do think a frank confession is your best chance.”“I have no desire to keep anything back, nor do I regret what I have done. An hour ago I wanted to live for one thing, to complete what I had begun, but after what I have heard of all the suffering of Mr. Halley and his mother, that desire has gone.”“But we are all in the dark …” began Fletcher.“You shall know,” said Sinclair. “First, Giles is not his name; he once bore another, is that not so, Mr. Wheatland?”Giles started. “That is so, though how you know it I cannot guess. I am an old man, and I know my days are numbered, so I do not care what happens to me. They can hang me if they like, though I am sorry for Mrs. Giles for she has been a good wife to me.“Well, here is my story. Mr. Sinclair has told you my real name. After the shame and disgrace of the divorce, and the loss of my wife, whom I loved dearly,” his voice broke for a moment, “I lived for one thing only, to be revenged on the man who had robbed me. I was too much of a coward to fight him, but when he married Winnie and then deserted her, I swore to kill him. My business went to pieces, and I seemed to lose heart in it. I sold it up, and brooded over my wrongs. Then I determined to destroy the last of this accursed breed, and waited for him to come to England, and the next thing I heard was that he had been drowned. That would have ended it for me, but Winnie had a son, and I determined that the whole hated race should come to an end, for the blood was rotten. I waited and watched for years, and at last I heard that Winnie was dying, and hurried down to see her.“She hardly knew me at first, but when she recognised me she was overjoyed, and clung to me to the last, imploring my pardon for the wrong she had done me. I will not dwell on that, it is too sacred, but she confided to me the dread secret of the other Reckavile, who was somewhere in the world for all she knew, and might turn up at any time to dispossess her son. I could hardly hide my delight when I heard of the tortures he was enduring, hunted through the world by the thought of that other, but I soothed her last hours, and then set myself to thought. What was the good of killing this Reckavile and leaving the other alive. I wished to destroy them both.”The madness of the old man was plainly in his eyes, and Ena drew away, sick with horror.“I carefully trained myself as a butler, and obtained the post here without much difficulty. It was a sinecure, as Reckavile was nearly always abroad.“All those years I waited. I could have killed him at any time, but then the thought of the other brother coming forward and perhaps gloating over me at my trial stayed my hand. I knew somehow my chance would come, and at last it did. Southgate and I were old friends, and I heard of the stranger who had come to theBlack Horse. Mrs. Southgate told me about him, and from the description I had no doubt as to his identity. I knew he was hidden away somewhere, and Southgate had asked me to let him know when Lord Reckavile came back. How little he realised what he was asking! I found the thought of my hour of triumph coming at last, and everything seemed to play into my hands, as though Fate or the Reckavile Curse was taking a part. I brought Mr. Halley in to Lord Reckavile, and the sight of his face was like wine to me. Already I was having my revenge, and it was sweet. I heard some of their conversation, though not all.“That night Winnie came to see me, and she smiled at me as though to say how pleased she was.“The next day Lord Reckavile sent for me and told me to tell Stevens to get Brown the constable to come up about the poachers. He was to be here just before seven o’clock. How I laughed to myself, I saw his trap. He had arranged for Mr. Halley to be outside his window at seven.“Mr. Cook came in the afternoon and Lord Reckavile saw him in the hall. I knew why—the library he intended to keep as it was for his own vile purpose. He kept it locked all day, but when Mr. Cook had gone I followed him on tiptoe, and when I found he had forgotten to turn the key I knew he was delivered into my hands, and that the time had come. I carried my knife ready, I had kept it always sharp for such an occasion.“I opened the door very slowly and carefully, and peeped in, and nearly spoilt everything by crying out, for the first words I heard were those of Mr. Halley and himself on the previous day. Of course, I guessed he was using his dictaphone. He never would have a secretary or typist in the house, and used to send his records away to London or somewhere to be written out. I don’t think he ever wrote a line at all with his pen except to sign cheques.“I saw his horrible plan at once. He could turn this record on and slip out of the window. Then Mr. Halley would be found in the room with all the marks of a struggle. How I chuckled! Yes, Mr. Halley would fall into the trap all right, but not such as had been devised.“He was bending over the dictaphone and laughing a fiendish laugh, when I stole up to him. He had taken his coat off, and was in his shirt sleeves, when I drove the knife home, wearing a glove to prevent any finger prints showing and shouting out that Winnie was revenged at last, I could see her looking at me and nodding her head to show how grateful she was.“He gave one horrible gasping cry, and I caught him as he fell, and threw the body on the sofa. I put his coat on, as I thought it would look more natural. I had just finished when I heard a knock and knew it was Brown.“I waited sufficient time, as I thought for Mr. Halley to be outside, then went to the door and turned on the Dictaphone, and came back for Brown—but in my excitement I made one fatal mistake, I forgot to open the French window. I could have kicked myself, but it was too late.“While Brown was examining the body I whipped off the record and hid it. That was all. I waited each day, hoping Mr. Halley would be arrested, and then I hoped to get a chance of killing him. If I had known that it was he who was sitting in that chair he would have been a dead man. But I am glad now. After hearing his story I felt he too had suffered, and I should have been content with my revenge. It was only when you accused Mr. Cook, and I thought an innocent man might suffer for my crime that I determined to tell the whole truth. I am an old man and shall not live long now in any case.”He ceased and Sinclair took the statement from Fletcher, who had written it down.“Sign this statement,” he said “if you are satisfied with it.”The old man read it through carefully, and signed it with a firm hand.“Now Giles—or Mr. Wheatland—if you wish to make an act of reparation—it lies in your power. Do you know where the marriage certificate is hidden?”“Why of course. My wife told me when she was dying. I never touched it as I felt it was a magnet which would bring the other Reckavile home some day.”He rose and went to the old desk. Brown carefully walking beside him. Stooping down he touched a secret spring, and a drawer, carefully hidden in the carving at the back, sprang open. Giles drew out a faded package and a record, and placed them on the table.Sinclair opened the packet and handed the contents to Halley who turned white with relief.“At last,” he said taking out the faded document, which meant so much to him. Without a word he handed it to Ena. It was much faded, and had been soaked with sea water, but was still readable.Sinclair rose and put the record on the Dictaphone which he wound up and started. Of all the gruesome things that this room had witnessed this was the strangest. The now familiar words of the quarrel were repeated between the dead and the living.Brown was shaking as though he had seen a ghost, and the others were strangely moved.“Oh, shut it off, for Heaven’s sake,” said Sefton, and at the moment with the final shriek it ceased with a click.All eyes had been rivetted on the instrument, when Sinclair rose with a cry of alarm.“Stop him,” he shouted, pointing a finger at Giles.Brown and Andrews seized the old man, who made no resistance, but smiled at them.“No, you fools, he’s taken poison,” and Sinclair rushed round the table, and forced open the grim jaws, but it was too late, and with a heavy groan the old man collapsed. Sefton sprang to Sinclair’s side and ripped open Giles’ waistcoat. A moment’s examination was sufficient.“He’s dead,” he said solemnly, “it must have been a terribly rapid poison.”Ena had burst into tears, the strain had been too great, and Halley rose and went to her side.“Fool that I was,” said Sinclair. “I might have guessed. This was what was contained in that little leather case we found. Reckavile must have carried it about with him for such a crisis as he knew might occur. You know suicide is in the family,” he added in a low voice so that Halley should not hear. “I have seen something like that in India. It was probably some deadly alkaloid. Giles must have got hold of it from Reckavile, and kept it for such a contingency. Still,” he said musingly “perhaps it is for the best. The old man had become a monomaniac brooding over his revenge, and it would have been dreadful to have sent him to the gallows.”Brown and Andrews carried the body, already stiffening, into the bedroom, and covered it with a sheet.The rest rose to their feet.“You will make a full report on this, Andrews,” said Sinclair when the officer returned, “and I will report in London. There is no particular object in making more of a sensation than we are obliged, but the whole thing will have to come out when Lord Reckavile here makes his claim to the title.”“I will go back to London, sir,” said Fletcher, and his face was white. “I seem to have made a pretty mess of things all round.”Sinclair laid a kindly hand on his shoulder. “Don’t take this too much to heart, my boy, we all have to learn, and you are young yet. Only I think you owe an apology to Lord Reckavile.”Fletcher looked with gratitude at his Chief.“I owe an apology all round, and I tender it now,” he said.He shook hands with each, and when he came to Ena, he smiled sadly, “I wish you both the greatest happiness.”

“I don’t see that we are any further towards the solution of the murder,” said Fletcher. “All that we have heard sheds no light on the actual crime at all.”

Sinclair remained for a moment in thought, then he said slowly, and with great deliberation, his eyes fixed on vacancy.

“Will the murderer confess?”

The sunlight outside seemed to accentuate the grim horror within, it was here that the crime had been committed, and the shadow of the dead man was almost visible to their eyes of imagination. Sinclair waited, and in that pause a chill feeling of fear made manifest seemed to pervade the room. In utter silence he waited, then in sharp, incisive words he said “Very well, then we must take extreme measures. Mr. Cook, will you please explain exactly what happened when you came here to see Lord Reckavile on the day of the murder?”

The wretched man seemed to crumple into a heap.

“Me, sir,” he stammered, his face like chalk. “Oh, God, what do you mean?”

He sprang to his feet, and gripped the back of his chair for support. The police officers looked at him with that gaze of proprietorship which they keep for a prospective candidate for the gallows. Brown was unconsciously wondering what length of drop would be required for him, and Andrews was wondering whether he had a pair of handcuffs to fit.

“Well,” said Sinclair, “don’t stand there saying nothing. You came and saw Lord Reckavile on the afternoon of the murder, that we know—what happened?”

“It is true that I came to him, and gave him his ground rents, as I have always done, but I swear to God that I simply took my receipt and went, I did not even come into this room. I saw him in the hall. That is why I never mentioned it before, I was afraid of being accused of the murder. I was only here a few minutes, Giles knows that don’t you?” and he looked wildly at the old butler.

Giles spoke slowly, evidently under deep emotion.

“May I say a word, sir,” he said to Sinclair.

“Certainly.”

“You asked just now who killed Lord Reckavile—I did.”

If a bombshell had exploded in the room there could not have been a greater sensation.

“At last,” said Sinclair, and there was a note of triumph in his voice. “Thank you, Giles. That is what we wanted. Mr. Cook, I offer you a profound apology for the bad moment we gave you, but it was the only way to get a confession from him. That was why the whole meeting was arranged. It was Mr. Halley’s idea, and you know he has been on the stage.”

Then turning sternly to Giles, he said. “I have to warn you that anything you say may be used as evidence against you, but I know most of the story, and I do think a frank confession is your best chance.”

“I have no desire to keep anything back, nor do I regret what I have done. An hour ago I wanted to live for one thing, to complete what I had begun, but after what I have heard of all the suffering of Mr. Halley and his mother, that desire has gone.”

“But we are all in the dark …” began Fletcher.

“You shall know,” said Sinclair. “First, Giles is not his name; he once bore another, is that not so, Mr. Wheatland?”

Giles started. “That is so, though how you know it I cannot guess. I am an old man, and I know my days are numbered, so I do not care what happens to me. They can hang me if they like, though I am sorry for Mrs. Giles for she has been a good wife to me.

“Well, here is my story. Mr. Sinclair has told you my real name. After the shame and disgrace of the divorce, and the loss of my wife, whom I loved dearly,” his voice broke for a moment, “I lived for one thing only, to be revenged on the man who had robbed me. I was too much of a coward to fight him, but when he married Winnie and then deserted her, I swore to kill him. My business went to pieces, and I seemed to lose heart in it. I sold it up, and brooded over my wrongs. Then I determined to destroy the last of this accursed breed, and waited for him to come to England, and the next thing I heard was that he had been drowned. That would have ended it for me, but Winnie had a son, and I determined that the whole hated race should come to an end, for the blood was rotten. I waited and watched for years, and at last I heard that Winnie was dying, and hurried down to see her.

“She hardly knew me at first, but when she recognised me she was overjoyed, and clung to me to the last, imploring my pardon for the wrong she had done me. I will not dwell on that, it is too sacred, but she confided to me the dread secret of the other Reckavile, who was somewhere in the world for all she knew, and might turn up at any time to dispossess her son. I could hardly hide my delight when I heard of the tortures he was enduring, hunted through the world by the thought of that other, but I soothed her last hours, and then set myself to thought. What was the good of killing this Reckavile and leaving the other alive. I wished to destroy them both.”

The madness of the old man was plainly in his eyes, and Ena drew away, sick with horror.

“I carefully trained myself as a butler, and obtained the post here without much difficulty. It was a sinecure, as Reckavile was nearly always abroad.

“All those years I waited. I could have killed him at any time, but then the thought of the other brother coming forward and perhaps gloating over me at my trial stayed my hand. I knew somehow my chance would come, and at last it did. Southgate and I were old friends, and I heard of the stranger who had come to theBlack Horse. Mrs. Southgate told me about him, and from the description I had no doubt as to his identity. I knew he was hidden away somewhere, and Southgate had asked me to let him know when Lord Reckavile came back. How little he realised what he was asking! I found the thought of my hour of triumph coming at last, and everything seemed to play into my hands, as though Fate or the Reckavile Curse was taking a part. I brought Mr. Halley in to Lord Reckavile, and the sight of his face was like wine to me. Already I was having my revenge, and it was sweet. I heard some of their conversation, though not all.

“That night Winnie came to see me, and she smiled at me as though to say how pleased she was.

“The next day Lord Reckavile sent for me and told me to tell Stevens to get Brown the constable to come up about the poachers. He was to be here just before seven o’clock. How I laughed to myself, I saw his trap. He had arranged for Mr. Halley to be outside his window at seven.

“Mr. Cook came in the afternoon and Lord Reckavile saw him in the hall. I knew why—the library he intended to keep as it was for his own vile purpose. He kept it locked all day, but when Mr. Cook had gone I followed him on tiptoe, and when I found he had forgotten to turn the key I knew he was delivered into my hands, and that the time had come. I carried my knife ready, I had kept it always sharp for such an occasion.

“I opened the door very slowly and carefully, and peeped in, and nearly spoilt everything by crying out, for the first words I heard were those of Mr. Halley and himself on the previous day. Of course, I guessed he was using his dictaphone. He never would have a secretary or typist in the house, and used to send his records away to London or somewhere to be written out. I don’t think he ever wrote a line at all with his pen except to sign cheques.

“I saw his horrible plan at once. He could turn this record on and slip out of the window. Then Mr. Halley would be found in the room with all the marks of a struggle. How I chuckled! Yes, Mr. Halley would fall into the trap all right, but not such as had been devised.

“He was bending over the dictaphone and laughing a fiendish laugh, when I stole up to him. He had taken his coat off, and was in his shirt sleeves, when I drove the knife home, wearing a glove to prevent any finger prints showing and shouting out that Winnie was revenged at last, I could see her looking at me and nodding her head to show how grateful she was.

“He gave one horrible gasping cry, and I caught him as he fell, and threw the body on the sofa. I put his coat on, as I thought it would look more natural. I had just finished when I heard a knock and knew it was Brown.

“I waited sufficient time, as I thought for Mr. Halley to be outside, then went to the door and turned on the Dictaphone, and came back for Brown—but in my excitement I made one fatal mistake, I forgot to open the French window. I could have kicked myself, but it was too late.

“While Brown was examining the body I whipped off the record and hid it. That was all. I waited each day, hoping Mr. Halley would be arrested, and then I hoped to get a chance of killing him. If I had known that it was he who was sitting in that chair he would have been a dead man. But I am glad now. After hearing his story I felt he too had suffered, and I should have been content with my revenge. It was only when you accused Mr. Cook, and I thought an innocent man might suffer for my crime that I determined to tell the whole truth. I am an old man and shall not live long now in any case.”

He ceased and Sinclair took the statement from Fletcher, who had written it down.

“Sign this statement,” he said “if you are satisfied with it.”

The old man read it through carefully, and signed it with a firm hand.

“Now Giles—or Mr. Wheatland—if you wish to make an act of reparation—it lies in your power. Do you know where the marriage certificate is hidden?”

“Why of course. My wife told me when she was dying. I never touched it as I felt it was a magnet which would bring the other Reckavile home some day.”

He rose and went to the old desk. Brown carefully walking beside him. Stooping down he touched a secret spring, and a drawer, carefully hidden in the carving at the back, sprang open. Giles drew out a faded package and a record, and placed them on the table.

Sinclair opened the packet and handed the contents to Halley who turned white with relief.

“At last,” he said taking out the faded document, which meant so much to him. Without a word he handed it to Ena. It was much faded, and had been soaked with sea water, but was still readable.

Sinclair rose and put the record on the Dictaphone which he wound up and started. Of all the gruesome things that this room had witnessed this was the strangest. The now familiar words of the quarrel were repeated between the dead and the living.

Brown was shaking as though he had seen a ghost, and the others were strangely moved.

“Oh, shut it off, for Heaven’s sake,” said Sefton, and at the moment with the final shriek it ceased with a click.

All eyes had been rivetted on the instrument, when Sinclair rose with a cry of alarm.

“Stop him,” he shouted, pointing a finger at Giles.

Brown and Andrews seized the old man, who made no resistance, but smiled at them.

“No, you fools, he’s taken poison,” and Sinclair rushed round the table, and forced open the grim jaws, but it was too late, and with a heavy groan the old man collapsed. Sefton sprang to Sinclair’s side and ripped open Giles’ waistcoat. A moment’s examination was sufficient.

“He’s dead,” he said solemnly, “it must have been a terribly rapid poison.”

Ena had burst into tears, the strain had been too great, and Halley rose and went to her side.

“Fool that I was,” said Sinclair. “I might have guessed. This was what was contained in that little leather case we found. Reckavile must have carried it about with him for such a crisis as he knew might occur. You know suicide is in the family,” he added in a low voice so that Halley should not hear. “I have seen something like that in India. It was probably some deadly alkaloid. Giles must have got hold of it from Reckavile, and kept it for such a contingency. Still,” he said musingly “perhaps it is for the best. The old man had become a monomaniac brooding over his revenge, and it would have been dreadful to have sent him to the gallows.”

Brown and Andrews carried the body, already stiffening, into the bedroom, and covered it with a sheet.

The rest rose to their feet.

“You will make a full report on this, Andrews,” said Sinclair when the officer returned, “and I will report in London. There is no particular object in making more of a sensation than we are obliged, but the whole thing will have to come out when Lord Reckavile here makes his claim to the title.”

“I will go back to London, sir,” said Fletcher, and his face was white. “I seem to have made a pretty mess of things all round.”

Sinclair laid a kindly hand on his shoulder. “Don’t take this too much to heart, my boy, we all have to learn, and you are young yet. Only I think you owe an apology to Lord Reckavile.”

Fletcher looked with gratitude at his Chief.

“I owe an apology all round, and I tender it now,” he said.

He shook hands with each, and when he came to Ena, he smiled sadly, “I wish you both the greatest happiness.”

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