THE HAMPSTEAD MYSTERY. _The Hampstead Mystery._ A Novel. BY FLORENCE MARRYAT, AUTHOR OF ‘LOVE’S CONFLICT,’ ‘VÉRONIQUE,’ ‘MY OWN CHILD,’ ‘MY SISTER THE ACTRESS,’ ‘HOW LIKE A WOMAN,’ ‘PARSON JONES,’ ETC., ETC. _IN THREE VOLUMES._ VOL. II. LONDON: F. V. WHITE & CO., 14 BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1894. _CONTENTS._ PAGE CHAPTER I., 1 CHAPTER II., 24 CHAPTER III., 48 CHAPTER IV., 76 CHAPTER V., 96 CHAPTER VI., 123 CHAPTER VII., 150 CHAPTER VIII., 172 CHAPTER IX., 199 CHAPTER X., 219 THE HAMPSTEAD MYSTERY. _The Hampstead Mystery._ CHAPTER I. In a few seconds the door opened again, to admit Frederick Walcheren, leaning on the arm of his cousin, Philip. At first the jury wished the latter to withdraw, but he refused to do so. ‘Is it not sufficient,’ he cried, ‘for you to look at this unfortunate man, to see what he is suffering, and that he is incapable of confronting you alone? I refuse to leave him; if you insist upon it, we will both withdraw. This is a court of inquiry, not of justice; how dare you treat this gentleman as if he were a criminal?’ ‘I am not aware that the jury were doing so, Mr Walcheren,’ retorted Mr Procter. ‘However, as he seems ill, and you insist upon remaining by his side, let it be so. It is not, however, the usual thing for a witness to be examined in the presence of another person.’ ‘I don’t care if it is the custom or not,’ replied Philip firmly. ‘You may commit me for contempt of court, if you like, but my cousin is too ill to stand by himself, and I refuse to leave him.’ ‘Very well, sir, very well!’ replied the coroner tartly, ‘if Mr Frederick Walcheren answers the questions put to him, nothing more will be said about it.’