England -- Fiction; Mystery fiction; Trials (Murder) -- Fiction
"I shall tell you all about it to-morrow," answered Jen, soothingly,
and led her out of the room. "At the present moment you must go home
with Mr. Sarby. David, there is a loose cloak of mine in the hall.
Wrap it round her and come into the library. It is best that she
should leave in the way she came."
David did as he was told, and snatched up his own ulster after
wrapping up Isabella. In the library they found the major reopening
the shutters of the window, which he had closed on the girl's entry.
When he flung them aside a gust of wind blew inward, sprinkling him
with moisture.
"Rain," said Jen, drawing back, "All the better; there will be no
spies about, and you can take Miss Dallas home without being
observed."
Taking the girl by the hand, David led her toward the window. She was
in a half-dazed condition, the result of the strong excitement which
had impelled her to make this midnight visit, and her nerves being
thus dulled, she surrendered herself passively to the guidance of
David. Only at the window did she pause and look steadfastly at the
major.
"You must find out what has become of my dear Maurice's body," she
said, quietly.
"I promise you," replied Jen, with a look of stern determination in
his face.
"And you will let me know?"
"I promise you," said Jen again. "Please go. Miss Dallas. There is no
time to be lost, and you must not be found here."
Thus entreated, Isabella stepped out into the night, and in a moment
or so she was swallowed up in the darkness with her companion. Left
alone, the major closed the window, bolted and barred the shutters,
and then hastened back to the death chamber, where he rang the bell.
In a few minutes the footman, half-dressed and half-asleep, made his
appearance; then came the policeman hastily from the kitchen; finally,
as the bell still continued ringing, all the other servants, male and
female, poured into the room. A single glance showed them what had
occurred--the insensible Jaggard, the empty bed, the open window. A
babel of voices ensued.
"Silence, all of you," cried Jen, authoritatively. "We must act, not
talk. Two of you take Jaggard to his room. Tell the groom to ride at
once to Deanminster for Dr. Etwald and Inspector Arkel. Sampson," he
added, turning to the policeman, who was stolidly staring at the empty
bed, "rouse yourself. Take lanterns and search for footmarks. There
must have been more than one person to carry off a dead body."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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