On account of its mystery the murder of Mrs. Jersey made a great
sensation. The season was dull, and there was nothing of interest in
the newspapers, therefore the mysterious crime was a godsend to the
reporters. They flocked in shoals to Amelia Square and haunted the
Jersey mansion like unquiet ghosts. Whenever any boarder went out for
a walk he or she would be questioned by eager gentlemen of the press.
Idle sightseers of a morbid turn of mind came to look at the place
where the crime had been committed, and pictures of the house appeared
in several papers. From being a peaceful neighborhood, Amelia Square
became quite lively.
The boarders found all this most unpleasant. This rude awakening from
their sleepy life was too much for them, and the majority made
preparations to leave as soon as the inquest was over. Until then they
were under police surveillance and could not leave the neighborhood, a
restriction which in itself was sufficiently unpleasant. Brendon found
it particularly so, as he was anxious to get back to his own rooms at
Kensington and to his work. But even when he told Inspector Quex that
he was merely a visitor and knew nothing about the matter, that
zealous officer objected to his going. Perhaps, had Brendon insisted,
he might have gained his point, but he did not think it was worth
while to make the fact of his stay in the Jersey mansion too public,
and therefore held his peace. He stopped with Leonard as usual, but
the two men were not such friends as they had been.
Why Train had changed toward him Brendon could not understand. But
ever since Leonard had been submitted to the ordeal of seeing the
corpse he had been an altered man. From being gay he was now dull;
instead of talking volubly, as he usually did, he was silent for hours
at a stretch, and he appeared to shun Brendon's company. George knew
that Train was impressionable and sensitive, and thought that the
sight of the dead and the ordeal of the examination had been too much
for his weak nerves. This might have been the case, but Leonard never
gave him the satisfaction of knowing if his diagnosis was correct.
After a time George ceased to ply him with questions, and contented
himself with the usual courtesies of life. But in his heart he felt
the change deeply. Fool as Train was, Brendon liked him sufficiently
to resent his altered demeanor.