The Herapath PropertyFletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
General
The Herapath Property
Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
Detective and mystery stories
"And when he got out, which way did he go?" asked Mr. Tertius.
"West, sir--along the High Street, past the Town Hall," promptly
answered the driver. "And there he crossed the road. I see him cross,
because I stopped there a minute or two after he'd got out, tinkering at
my engine."
"Can you tell us what this gentleman was like in appearance?" asked Mr.
Tertius.
"Well, sir, not so much as regards his face," answered the driver. "I
didn't look at him, not particular, in that way--besides, he was wearing
one of them overcoats with a big fur collar to it, and he'd the collar
turned high up about his neck and cheeks, and his hat--one of them
slouched, soft hats, like so many gentlemen wears nowadays sir--was well
pulled down. But from what bit I see of him, sir, I should say he was a
fresh-coloured gentleman."
"Tall and well built, you say?" observed Mr. Tertius.
"Yes, sir--fine-made gentleman--pretty near six feet, I should have
called him," replied the driver. "Little bit inclined to stoutness,
like."
Mr. Tertius turned to Peggie.
"I believe you have some recent photographs of Mr. Herapath," he said.
"You might fetch them and let me see if our friend here can recognize
them. You didn't notice anything else about your fare?" he went on,
after Peggie had left the room. "Anything that excited your attention,
eh?"
The driver, after examining the pattern of the carpet for one minute and
studying the ceiling for another, slowly shook his head. But he then
suddenly started into something like activity.
"Yes, there was, sir, now I come to think of it!" he exclaimed. "I
hadn't thought of it until now, but now you mention it, there was. I
noticed he'd a particularly handsome diamond ring on his left hand--an
extra fine one, too, it was."
"Ah!" said Mr. Tertius. "A very fine diamond ring on his left hand? Now,
how did you come to see that?"
"He rested that hand on the side of the door as he was getting in, sir,
and I noticed how it flashed," answered the driver. "There was a lamp
right against us, you see, sir."
"I see," said Mr. Tertius. "He wasn't wearing gloves, then?"
"He hadn't a glove on that hand, sir. He was carrying some papers in
it--a sort of little roll of papers."
"Ah!" murmured Mr. Tertius. "A diamond ring--and a little roll of
papers." He got up from his chair and put a hand in his pocket. "Now, my
friend," he went on, chinking some coins as he withdrew it, "you haven't
told this to any one else, I suppose?"
"No, sir," answered the driver. "Came straight here, sir."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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