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CHAPTER V
LOST IN THE DARKNESS
While the terrible word was yet on the housekeeper's lips, Bernard stepped forward and loosened the handkerchiefs. That round the neck was one of Sir Simon's own, a yellow bandana woven of strong silk, and eminently suited to the deadly purpose it had been used for. But how had the dead man's own handkerchief been so utilised by the murderer? While untying the knot, Bernard wondered; but he gained an inkling into the method pursued when he removed the white handkerchief which had been bound across the mouth. It exhaled a faint odor of chloroform, so it was apparent that the old baronet had been first rendered unconscious, and then strangled with his own bandana. But who was guilty of the crime?
"What do you know of this?" asked Gore, in a hoarse voice, turning to the housekeeper.
She had ceased to cry out, and was staring at him with glittering eyes. At the same time she appeared to be listening intently. Far off could be heard the sound of approaching footsteps echoing along the pavement. Evidently a policeman, summoned by Mrs. Gilroy's shriek, was hurrying to see what was the matter. As the door had been left open he would know where to enter. These thoughts flashed through Mrs. Gilroy's mind as she stared at the pale young man. Also there were sounds in the lower parts of the house hinting that the servants had been aroused. A distant clock struck the three quarters, and even at that terrible moment Bernard remembered that in his vague wanderings after the boy he had been forty-five minutes getting to Crimea Square. And Mrs. Gilroy still looked.
"What do you know of this?" repeated Gore, wondering at her silence.
She gave a gasp. "He is dead," said Mrs. Gilroy. "I wonder if he died hard. He was a strong old man."
Wondering more than ever at this strange speech, Bernard felt the pulse and the heart of his grandfather. There was no doubt that life was extinct, although it could not have been so long. The skin was still warm to the touch, but that might have been because the room was heated. Also, the dead man was seated close to the fire. "How terrible!" muttered Bernard, whose emotions were not yet under control. "I must get help."
He turned to go, but the housekeeper, suddenly becoming endowed with life, flung herself in his path. "No!" she said harshly. "Don't seek help if you value your life."
"What do you mean?" asked Gore, striving to shake off the hand she laid on his sleeve. "The servants are up – a policeman is evidently coming along. Hark! he is entering the hall. I must – "
"You go to the gallow," muttered Mrs. Gilroy clinging to him.
"I!" the perspiration burst out on Bernard's forehead, and he started back. "Are you mad?"
"You are, you are," went on the housekeeper, hurriedly, "you fool! It is known that your grandfather disinherited you, and – "
"You know I did not commit this crime."
"I know nothing. I – I" Mrs. Gilroy put her hand to her head. "It's the only way – the only way," she whispered to herself. "You killed him, you strangled him. I swear to it – I swear to it! Help!" she raised her voice to scream. "Help!"
"Let me go," cried Bernard, thinking he had been drawn into a trap.
But Mrs. Gilroy still clung with a force for which he would not have given her credit. Shrieking aloud she was dragged by the startled young man into the passage and towards the landing. Below, in the hall, the door of which was open, the cook and the housemaid were embracing a burly policeman, and terrified small page was looking up the stairs. On the vision of this alarmed group reeled Mrs. Gilroy, clinging and shrieking to Bernard – "Help me – help me! He will escape!" The policeman blew a shrill whistle and said a sharp word to the page, who scampered out of the door for dear life. The cook and housemaid receded towards the back of the hall as Bernard, dragging Mrs. Gilroy after him, flung himself down the stairs. He saw now that his position was dangerous, but his wits were so bewildered that he hardly knew what he was doing. As he reached the foot of the stair the policeman caught him by the coat. "I arrest you in the King's name," said the officer, promptly.
"Yes, yes! for murder – murder!" cried Mrs. Gilroy, breathlessly.
"Murder!" the other servants shrieked.
"Who is dead?" asked the policeman, with professional stolidity.
"Sir Simon Gore. This is his grandson. He has strangled him."
"It's a lie – a lie!" cried Bernard, very pale. "I did not enter – "
"Anything you say now will be used in evidence against you," said the policeman. "Come up the stairs, we must see this corpse. A titled man, too, and your grandfather – you audacious scoundrel!" and he shook the wretched young man.
"I tell you I am innocent," said Bernard, his lips dry and his face pale. "I came here – "
"To kill Sir Simon. Jane," cried Mrs. Gilroy, turning to the housemaid. "Don't you see who it is?"
Jane staggered forward supported by the cook. "Lor'," she gasped in terror, "it's Bernard. Whatever did you – "
"You know him, then?" asked the officer.
"Yes! he's been making love and visiting me for the last week?"
"I thought so," cried Mrs. Gilroy, triumphantly. "Cook."
"I know him too," said the cook, keeping well out of the way. "It's the young soldier as courts Jane. Bernard's his name."
"I was never in this house before," said Gore, quite unnerved.
"Is your name Bernard?" asked the policeman.
"Yes! but – "
"Then you are guilty."
"He is – he is!" cried the housemaid. "He was here this evening, but went away at six. Sir Simon said he would see him after ten. Oh, Bernard, how could you!" sobbed Jane. "To think I should have took up with a man as 'ull be put in the Chamber of Horrors."
"Policeman, let me go," said Gore, firmly. "There is some mistake."
"The magistrate will decide that. Help will be here soon, and then you'll be lodged in jail."
"Mrs. Gilroy," cried the young man, overwhelmed with horror, "you know I am innocent."
"No," she said fiercely, and with her eyes on his face. "You came to see Sir Simon after ten. I let you in myself. I waited below while you spoke with Sir Simon, and you left fifteen minutes ago. I went upstairs to see my master. He was dead – strangled. I ran out calling murder, and you were almost on the doorstep."
"I had only just come."
"Come back, you mean," said the officer.
"To see if poor master was dead," shrieked the cook.
"Oh, Bernard – Bernard!" sobbed Jane, "how could you kill him! Lor'! that I should have kissed a murderer."
"Hark!" said Mrs. Gilroy, raising her hand, "footsteps. The other police are coming. Take him away to jail, officer."
"This is a trick – a trap!" cried Bernard, struggling to get free. "I never was in the house before – "
"You have visited in the kitchen for over a fortnight," said Jane, weeping copiously.
"Someone like me has, but not me. Look well, girl. Am I the man?"
"Bring him under the lamp, policeman," said Jane, hesitating.
"No!" said Mrs. Gilroy, pushing the housemaid back, "there is no time. Here are the police. We must go upstairs and see Sir Simon. Miss Randolph is at the theatre with Mr. Beryl. Ah – hark!"
There was a sound of approaching wheels, and a moment afterwards a carriage drove up. Out of it stepped Lucy and Julius. They entered the hall and looked amazed, as they well might, on seeing Bernard in the grip of the policeman, and the alarmed women around him.
"What's this?" asked Julius.
"Bernard," cried Lucy, running forward, "what have you done?"
"Murdered his grandfather, miss," said the policeman.
Lucy uttered a wild shriek and sprang up the stairs,