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attachment； he had left that conviction on all of them。 What was
the meaning of it？
A directory was on the mantelpiece。 It was the next afternoon。 I
had called upon him in his chambers。 It was just an idea that came
to me。 I crossed over and opened it； and there was his name；
〃Ellenby and Co。； Ships' Furnishers；〃 in a court off the Minories。
Was he helping her for the sake of his dead mastertrying to get
her away from the man。 But why？ The woman had stood by and watched
the lad murdered。 How could he bear even to look on her again？
Unless there had been that something that had not come out
something he had learnt laterthat excused even that monstrous
callousness of hers。
Yet what could there be？ It had all been so planned； so
cold…blooded。 That shaving in the dining…room！ It was that seemed
most to stick in his throat。 She must have brought him down a
looking…glass； there was not one in the room。 Why couldn't he have
gone upstairs into the bathroom； where Hepworth always shaved
himself； where he would have found everything to his hand？
He had been moving about the room； talking disjointedly as he paced；
and suddenly he stopped and looked at me。
〃Why in the dining…room？〃 he demanded of me。
He was jingling some keys in his pocket。 It was a habit of his when
cross…examining； and I felt as if somehow I knew； and； without
thinkingso it seemed to meI answered him。
〃Perhaps；〃 I said； 〃it was easier to bring a razor down than to
carry a dead man up。〃
He leant with his arms across the table； his eyes glittering with
excitement。
〃Can't you see it？〃 he said。 〃That little back parlour with its
fussy ornaments。 The three of them standing round the table；
Hepworth's hands nervously clutching a chair。 The reproaches； the
taunts； the threats。 Young Hepworthhe struck everyone as a weak
man； a man physically afraidwhite； stammering； not knowing which
way to look。 The woman's eyes turning from one to the other。 That
flash of contempt againshe could not help itfollowed； worse
still； by pity。 If only he could have answered back； held his own！
If only he had not been afraid！ And then that fatal turning away
with a sneering laugh one imagines； the bold； dominating eyes no
longer there to cower him。
〃That must have been the moment。 The bullet； if you remember；
entered through the back of the man's neck。 Hepworth must always
have been picturing to himself this meetingtenants of garden
suburbs do not carry loaded revolvers as a habitdwelling upon it
till he had worked himself up into a frenzy of hate and fear。 Weak
men always fly to extremes。 If there was no other way； he would
kill him。
〃Can't you hear the silence？ After the reverberations had died
away！ And then they are both down on their knees； patting him；
feeling for his heart。 The man must have gone down like a felled
ox； there were no traces of blood on the carpet。 The house is far
from any neighbour； the shot in all probability has not been heard。
If only they can get rid of the body！ The pondnot a hundred yards
away！〃
He reached for the brief； still lying among his papers； hurriedly
turned the scored pages。
〃What easier？ A house being built on the very next plot。
Wheelbarrows to be had for the taking。 A line of planks reaching
down to the edge。 Depth of water where the body was discovered four
feet six inches。 Nothing to do but just tip up the barrow。
〃Think a minute。 Must weigh him down； lest he rise to accuse us；
weight him heavily； so that he will sink lower and lower into the
soft mud； lie there till he rots。
〃Think again。 Think it out to the end。 Suppose； in spite of all
our precautions； he does rise？ Suppose the chain slips？ The
workmen going to and fro for watersuppose they do discover him？
〃He is lying on his back； remember。 They would have turned him over
to feel for his heart。 Have closed his eyes； most probably； not
liking their stare。
〃It would be the woman who first thought of it。 She has seen them
both lying with closed eyes beside her。 It may have always been in
her mind； the likeness between them。 With Hepworth's watch in his
pocket； Hepworth's ring on his finger！ If only it was not for the
beardthat fierce； curling； red beard！
〃They creep to the window and peer out。 Fog still thick as soup。
Not a soul； not a sound。 Plenty of time。
〃Then to get away； to hide till one is sure。 Put on the mackintosh。
A man in a yellow mackintosh may have been seen to enter； let him be
seen to go away。 In some dark corner or some empty railway carriage
take it off and roll it up。 Then make for the office。 Wait there
for Ellenby。 True as steel； Ellenby； good business man。 Be guided
by Ellenby。〃
He flung the brief from him with a laugh。
〃Why； there's not a missing link！〃 he cried。 〃And to think that not
a fool among us ever thought of it！〃
〃Everything fitting into its place；〃 I suggested； 〃except young
Hepworth。 Can you see him； from your description of him； sitting
down and coolly elaborating plans for escape； the corpse of the
murdered man stretched beside him on the hearthrug？〃
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃But I can see her doing it； a woman who for
week after week kept silence while we raged and stormed at her； a
woman who for three hours sat like a statue while old Cutbush
painted her to a crowded court as a modern Jezebel； who rose up from
her seat when that sentence of fifteen years' penal servitude was
pronounced upon her with a look of triumph in her eyes； and walked
out of court as if she had been a girl going to meet her lover。
〃I'll wager；〃 he added； 〃it was she who did the shaving。 Hepworth
would have cut him； even with a safety…razor。〃
〃It must have been the other one； Martin；〃 I said； 〃that she
loathed。 That almost exultation at the thought that he was dead；〃 I
reminded him。
〃Yes；〃 he mused。 〃She made no attempt to disguise it。 Curious
there having been that likeness between them。〃 He looked at his
watch。 〃Do you care to come with me？〃 he said。
〃Where are you going？〃 I asked him。
〃We may just catch him；〃 he answered。 〃Ellenby and Co。〃
* * *
The office was on the top floor of an old…fashioned house in a
cul…de…sac off the Minories。 Mr。 Ellenby was out； so the lanky
office…boy informed us； but would be sure to return before evening；
and we sat and waited by the meagre fire till； as the dusk was
falling； we heard his footsteps on the creaking stairs。
He halted a moment in the doorway； recognising us apparently without
surprise； and then； with a hope that we had not been kept waiting
long； he led the way into an inner room。
〃I do not suppose you remember me；〃 said my friend； as soon as the
door was closed。 〃I fancy that； until last night； you never saw me
without my wig and gown。 It makes a difference。 I was Mrs。
Hepworth's senior counsel。〃
It was unmistakable； the look of relief that came into the old； dim
eyes。 Evidently the incident of the previous evening had suggested
to him an enemy。
〃You were very good；〃 he murmured。 〃Mrs。 Hepworth was overwrought
at the time； but she was very grateful； I know； for all your
efforts。〃
I thought I detected a faint smile on my friend's lips。
〃I must apologise for my rudeness to you of last night；〃 he
continued。 〃I expected； when I took the liberty of turning you
round； that I was going to find myself face to face with a much
younger man。〃
〃I took you to be a detective；〃 answered Ellenby； in his soft；
gentle voice。 〃You will forgive me； I'm sure。 I am rather short…
sighted。 Of course； I can only conjecture； but if you will take my
word； I can assure you that Mrs。 Hepworth has never seen or heard
from the man Charlie Martin since the date of〃he hesitated a
moment〃of the murder。〃
〃It would have been difficult；〃 agreed my friend； 〃seeing that
Charlie Martin lies buried in Highgate Cemetery。〃
Old as he was； he sprang from his chair； white and trembling。
〃What have you come here for？〃 he demanded。
〃I took more than a professional interest in the case；〃 answered my
friend。 〃Ten years ago I was younger than I am now。 It may have
been her youthher extreme beauty。 I think Mrs。 Hepworth； in
allowing her husband to visit herhere where her address is known
to the police； and watch at any moment may be set upon heris
placing him in a position of grave danger。 If you care to lay
before me any facts that will allow me to judge of the case； I am
prepared to put my experience； and； if need be； my assistance； at
her service。〃
His self…possession had returned to him。
〃If you will excuse me；〃 he said； 〃I will tell the boy that he can
go。〃
We heard him； a moment later； turn the key in the outer door； and
when he came back and had made up the fire； he told us the beginning
of the story。
The name of the man buried in Highgate Cemetery was Hepworth； after
all。 Not Michael； but Alex； the elder brother。
From boyhood he had been violent； brutal； unscrupulous。 Judging
from Ellenby's story； it was difficult to accept him as a product of
modern civilisation。 Rather he would seem to have been a throwback
to some savage； buccaneering ance