The Mystery of the Clasped Hands: A NovelBoothby, Guy
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The Mystery of the Clasped Hands: A Novel
Boothby, Guy
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction
For the greater part of the drive into Detwich neither of them spoke.
One had too much upon his mind to be in the humour for conversation,
while the other, who was sorry for his prisoner, and who knew a
gentleman when he saw one, had no desire to thrust himself upon him in
his trouble. As it happened when they reached the station they found
that they had some minutes to spare. They accordingly strolled up and
down the platform, while they awaited the coming of the express. On its
arrival they secured an empty compartment, and settled down for the
journey to London. When Euston was reached they took a cab and drove
direct to Bow Street, where Godfrey Henderson, of Detwich Hall, Detwich,
was formally charged with the wilful murder of Teresina Cardi, artist’s
model. The usual forms having been complied with, he was placed in a
somewhat superior apartment in another portion of the building. Then the
key was turned upon him, and for the first time in his life was a
prisoner.
Early next morning it was announced that two gentlemen had arrived to
see him. They proved to be Sir Vivian Devereux and Mr. Codey, the
lawyer.
“My dear lad, this is indeed a sad business,” said Sir Vivian, as they
shook hands. “I can not tell you how sorry I am for you. But, thank
God, we know you to be innocent and are determined to prove it.”
They sat down, and the lawyer, who had been looking round the room,
which doubtless he had seen on many previous occasions, began to ply him
with questions, which Godfrey answered to the best of his ability. When
they had withdrawn, he was left to himself until the time arrived for
him to set off for the coroner’s court. When he did so, it was in a cab
with a couple of stout policemen beside him to see that he made no
attempt to escape. On reaching it, he found that it was packed to
overflowing. Victor Fensden was there, seated in the space reserved for
the witnesses, but Sir Vivian noticed that he avoided meeting Godfrey’s
eyes. With one exception, the proceedings proved comparatively tame. It
was only when the hall porter referred to Godfrey’s haggard appearance
when he returned to the hotel on the Thursday night, that there was
anything approaching excitement. He deposed that Mr. Henderson, who had
been staying at the hotel, and whom he now recognised as being in Court,
returned to the hotel on the night of the murder between a quarter-past
and half-past twelve. He, the porter, was immediately struck by his
strange appearance. In reply to a question put by a juror, he replied
that he looked very much as if he had been upset by something; his face
was deadly white, and he had an anxious, what he should call frightened,
look in his eyes. At the other’s request, he had procured him some
brandy, and, as he had had some trouble next morning with the head
waiter about it, the fact was the more vividly impressed upon his
memory. The cabman who had driven them from the Strand to Burford Street
was next called.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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