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appeared utterly indifferent。 Only once had she been betrayed into
a momentary emotion。 It was when her solicitors were urging her
almost angrily to give them some particulars upon a point they
thought might be helpful to her case。
〃He's dead！〃 she had cried out almost with a note of exultation。
〃Dead！ Dead！ What else matters？〃
The next moment she had apologised for her outburst。
〃Nothing can do any good；〃 she had said。 〃Let the thing take its
course。〃
It was the astounding callousness of the woman that told against her
both with the judge and the jury。 That shaving in the dining…room；
the murdered man's body not yet cold！ It must have been done with
Hepworth's safety…razor。 She must have brought it down to him；
found him a looking…glass； brought him soap and water and a towel；
afterwards removing all traces。 Except those few red hairs that had
clung； unnoticed； to the carpet。 That nest of flat…irons used to
weight the body！ It must have been she who had thought of them。
The idea would never have occurred to a man。 The chain and padlock
with which to fasten them。 She only could have known that such
things were in the house。 It must have been she who had planned the
exchange of clothes in Hepworth's office； giving him the key。 She
it must have been who had thought of the pond； holding open the door
while the man had staggered out under his ghastly burden； waited；
keeping watch； listening to hear the splash。
Evidently it had been her intention to go off with the murdererto
live with him！ That story about America。 If all had gone well； it
would have accounted for everything。 After leaving Laleham Gardens
she had taken lodgings in a small house in Kentish Town under the
name of Howard； giving herself out to be a chorus singer； her
husband being an actor on tour。 To make the thing plausible； she
had obtained employment in one of the pantomimes。 Not for a moment
had she lost her head。 No one had ever called at her lodgings； and
there had come no letters for her。 Every hour of her day could be
accounted for。 Their plans must have been worked out over the
corpse of her murdered husband。 She was found guilty of being an
〃accessory after the fact；〃 and sentenced to fifteen years' penal
servitude。
That brought the story up to eleven years ago。 After the trial；
interested in spite of himself； my friend had ferreted out some
further particulars。 Inquiries at Liverpool had procured him the
information that Hepworth's father； a shipowner in a small way； had
been well known and highly respected。 He was retired from business
when he died； some three years previous to the date of the murder。
His wife had survived him by only a few months。 Besides Michael；
the murdered son； there were two other childrenan elder brother；
who was thought to have gone abroad to one of the colonies； and a
sister who had married a French naval officer。 Either they had not
heard of the case or had not wished to have their names dragged into
it。 Young Michael had started life as an architect； and was
supposed to have been doing well； but after the death of his parents
had disappeared from the neighbourhood； and； until the trial； none
of his acquaintances up North ever knew what had become of him。
But a further item of knowledge that my friend's inquiries had
elicited had somewhat puzzled him。 Hepworth's clerk； Ellenby； had
been the confidential clerk of Hepworth's father！ He had entered
the service of the firm as a boy； and when Hepworth senior retired；
Ellenbywith the old gentleman's assistancehad started in
business for himself as a ships' furnisher！ Nothing of all this
came out at the trial。 Ellenby had not been cross…examined。 There
was no need for it。 But it seemed odd； under all the circumstances；
that he had not volunteered the information。 It may； of course；
have been for the sake of the brother and sister。 Hepworth is a
common enough name in the North。 He may have hoped to keep the
family out of connection with the case。
As regards the woman； my friend could learn nothing further beyond
the fact that； in her contract with the music…hall agent in
Rotterdam； she had described herself as the daughter of an English
musician； and had stated that both her parents were dead。 She may
have engaged herself without knowing the character of the hall； and
the man； Charlie Martin； with his handsome face and pleasing sailor
ways； and at least an Englishman； may have seemed to her a welcome
escape。
She may have been passionately fond of him； and young Hepworth…
…crazy about her； for she was beautiful enough to turn any man's
headmay in Martin's absence have lied to her； told her he was
deadlord knows what！to induce her to marry him。 The murder may
have seemed to her a sort of grim justice。
But even so； her cold…blooded callousness was surely abnormal！ She
had married him； lived with him for nearly a year。 To the Jetsons
she had given the impression of being a woman deeply in love with
her husband。 It could not have been mere acting kept up day after
day。
〃There was something else。〃 We were discussing the case in my
friend's chambers。 His brief of eleven years ago was open before
him。 He was pacing up and down with his hands in his pockets；
thinking as he talked。 〃Something that never came out。 There was a
curious feeling she gave me in that moment when sentence was
pronounced upon her。 It was as if； instead of being condemned； she
had triumphed。 Acting！ If she had acted during the trial；
pretended remorse； even pity； I could have got her off with five
years。 She seemed to be unable to disguise the absolute physical
relief she felt at the thought that he was dead； that his hand would
never again touch her。 There must have been something that had
suddenly been revealed to her； something that had turned her love to
hate。
〃There must be something fine about the man； too。〃 That was another
suggestion that came to him as he stood staring out of the window
across the river。 〃She's paid and has got her receipt； but he is
still 'wanted。' He is risking his neck every evening he watches for
the raising of that blind。〃
His thought took another turn。
〃Yet how could he have let her go through those ten years of living
death while he walked the streets scot free？ Some time during the
trialthe evidence piling up against her day by daywhy didn't he
come forward； if only to stand beside her？ Get himself hanged； if
only out of mere decency？〃
He sat down； took the brief up in his hand without looking at it。
〃Or was that the reward that she claimed？ That he should wait；
keeping alive the one hope that would make the suffering possible to
her？ Yes；〃 he continued； musing； 〃I can see a man who cared for a
woman taking that as his punishment。〃
Now that his interest in the case had been revived he seemed unable
to keep it out of his mind。 Since our joint visit I had once or
twice passed through the street by myself； and on the last occasion
had again seen the raising of the blind。 It obsessed himthe
desire to meet the man face to face。 A handsome； bold； masterful
man； he conceived him。 But there must be something more for such a
woman to have sold her soulalmost； one might sayfor the sake of
him。
There was just one chance of succeeding。 Each time he had come from
the direction of the Edgware Road。 By keeping well out of sight at
the other end of the street； and watching till he entered it； one
might time oneself to come upon him just under the lamp。 He would
hardly be likely to turn and go back； that would be to give himself
away。 He would probably content himself with pretending to be like
ourselves； merely hurrying through； and in his turn watching till we
had disappeared。
Fortune seemed inclined to favour us。 About the usual time the
blind was gently raised； and very soon afterwards there came round
the corner the figure of a man。 We entered the street ourselves a
few seconds later； and it seemed likely that； as we had planned； we
should come face to face with him under the gaslight。 He walked
towards us； stooping and with bent head。 We expected him to pass
the house by。 To our surprise he stopped when he came to it； and
pushed open the gate。 In another moment we should have lost all
chance of seeing anything more of him except his bent back。 With a
couple of strides my friend was behind him。 He laid his hand on the
man's shoulder and forced him to turn round。 It was an old；
wrinkled face with gentle； rather watery eyes。
We were both so taken aback that for a moment we could say nothing。
My friend stammered out an apology about having mistaken the house；
and rejoined me。 At the corner we burst out laughing almost
simultaneously。 And then my friend suddenly stopped and stared at
me。
〃Hepworth's old clerk！〃 he said。 〃Ellenby！〃
* * *
It seemed to him monstrous。 The man had been more than a clerk。
The family had treated him as a friend。 Hepworth's father had set
him up in business。 For the murdered lad he had had a sincere
attachment； he had left that conviction on all of them。 What was
the meaning of