London (England) -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Mystery fiction
"To identify a dead person is always most difficult," Winsloe remarked
with assumed disinterestedness. "I've heard of cases where half a dozen
different families have laid claim to one dead body--wives, mothers,
children and intimate friends. No doubt lots of people are buried from
time to time under names that are not their own. Richards, of any
doctor, will tell you that a countenance when drawn by death is most
difficult to recognise."
By those remarks I saw that he was trying very ingeniously to arouse
doubt within Jack's mind, in order to prevent him making any statement.
His attitude increased the mystery a hundredfold.
I recollected the secret Sybil had revealed to me on the previous
afternoon when we had stood together in the Long Gallery--how she had
told me that she intended to many Winsloe. What he had said now aroused
my suspicions.
Winsloe knew the victim. That he had identified him I was fully
convinced, and yet he held his tongue. What motive had he in that? Was
he, I wondered, aware of the terrible truth?
Fortunately, I held in my possession those injudicious letters of
Sybil's, and that miniature; fortunately, too, I knew the real facts,
and was thus enabled to watch the impression produced upon Winsloe by
sight of the victim.
As we left the barn I walked by his side.
"A queer affair, isn't it?" I remarked. "Strange that a man could be
murdered here, close to the village in broad daylight, and nobody hear
the shot!"
"But we were shooting until late yesterday afternoon, remember," he said
quickly. "The villagers thought it was one of our shots, I expect."
"I wonder who he is?" I exclaimed.
"Ah! I wonder," he said. "He walked a long way, evidently. He's
probably some tramp or other. He might have quarrelled with his
companion--who knows? Perhaps the police will find out all about him."
"It will be interesting to see if they discover anything," I said,
glancing at him at the same instant.
"Yes," he said, "it will," and then he turned to speak with Wydcombe,
who was walking at Booth's side.
Whatever his knowledge, his self-command was marvellous. The others,
who had not seen that expression on his face when he had first gazed
upon the dead countenance, had no suspicion of the truth.
Yes. Ellice Winsloe was playing a double game; therefore I resolved to
wait and to watch.
Together we walked up through the park again, discussing the strange
affair. Jack advanced more than one theory.
"Charlton Wood doesn't lead to anywhere," he pointed out. "Therefore
the dead man kept an appointment there. Perhaps he was lured to his
death," he added. "There may have been two or more assassins."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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