"I must again interrupt you," said T. B. easily. "The person you are
referring to was Dr. Thomas Goldworthy, who has recently returned from
an expedition organized by the London School of Tropical Medicine, in
Congoland; but your story does not quite tally with the known fact that
Dr. Goldworthy arrived in Great Bradley the night before your party, and
you interviewed him then. He brought with him a wooden box which he had
collected at the Custom House store at the East India Docks. An attempt
was made by two burglars to obtain possession of that box and its
contents, a fact that interested me considerably, since a friend of mine
is engaged upon that somewhat mysterious case of attempted burglary. But
that is confusing the issue. These are the facts." He tapped the table
slowly as he enumerated them. "Dr. Goldworthy brought this box to Great
Bradley, telegraphed to you that he was coming, and you interviewed him.
It was subsequent to the interview that you returned to London for your
party. Really, Lady Constance, your memory is rather bad."
She faced him suddenly resolute, defiant.
"What are you going to do?" she asked. "You do not accuse me of the
murder of your two friends; you cannot even accuse me of the attempt on
Mr. Farrington. You know so much of my history," she went on, speaking
rapidly, "that you may as well know more. Years ago, Mr. Smith, I was
engaged to a man, and we were passionately fond of one another. His name
was George Doughton."
"The explorer," nodded T. B.
"He went abroad," she continued, "suddenly and unexpectedly, breaking
off our engagement for no reason that I could ascertain, and all my
letters to him, all my telegrams, and every effort I made to get in
touch with him during the time he was in Africa were without avail. For
four years I had no communication from him, no explanation of his
extraordinary behaviour, and then suddenly I received news of his death.
At first it was thought he had died as a result of fever, but Dr.
Goldworthy who came to see me convinced me that George Doughton was
poisoned by somebody who was interested in his death."
Her voice trembled, but with an effort she recovered herself.
"All these years I have not forgotten him, his face has never left my
mind, he has been as precious to me as though he were by my side in the
flesh. Love dies very hard in women of my age, Mr. Smith," she said,
"and love injured and outraged as mine has been developed all the tiger
passion which women can nurture. I have learnt for the first time why
George Doughton went out to his death. He used to tell me," she said, as
she rose from her chair, and paced the room slowly, "that when you are
shooting wild beasts you should always shoot the female of the species
first, because if she is left to the last she will avenge her
slaughtered mate. There is a terrible time coming for somebody," she
said, speaking deliberately.
"For whom?" asked T. B.
She smiled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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