"That time you asked for a day's holiday," said the farmer, "was whenyou went to meet the boat, I suppose?"
"Yes. It is a hard thing to say of your husband, farmer, but there is nohelp for it now, if I am to tell all. My husband robbed you."
"Robbed me!"
"Yes. Of nineteen thousand pounds."
The farmer did not speak. He simply looked at the woman.
The story of the tying to the mill wheel had roused his suspicions as toher sanity--this last speech convinced him.
Nineteen thousand pounds! He had never in his life possessed such a sumor anything like it.
The little nest egg he added to year by year for those he might leavebehind him did not count a nineteenth part of that sum.
Nineteen thousand pounds! He smiled.
"You think I am mad?" queried the woman, reading it in his face. "I amnot. You had an aunt named Depew living in England?"
The farmer started. The smile left his face. He said:
"How do you know that?"
"Through Josh. She is dead. She died worth a lot of property--nineteenthousand pounds."
The farmer looked in amazement; he was too astonished to speak.
The woman continued:
"Josh used to open all your letters. One day one came from an Englishlawyer to say your aunt was dead, and had left you all her money."
The farmer gasped. The woman continued:
"The idea occurred to Josh to take your place."
"Take my place!"
"Yes. He did. He went over to England in your name. Said he was you.Took documents to prove it. He got the money and cabled me that he wascoming back on the boat you came by."
She looked at Danvers as she finished speaking, and he said suddenly:
"Now, I see. On his portmanteau there would be the initials 'G. D.' forGeorge Depew."
"Yes. They were painted on before he left New York. He thought ofthat."
"Well," said Gerald thoughtfully, "it is the most extraordinarycoincidence----"
"Coincidence be damned," interposed the farmer; "where's my nineteenthousand pounds?"
He had got rid of the theory of insanity now. Had almost lost sight ofthe idea of Josh's supposed murder.
His own loss was predominant.
"My man has been robbed of it, I expect," said the woman; "that would bewhy he was murdered. Some one must have known he had the money, andkilled him for it."
"Have you the cable your husband sent you?" inquired Gerald.
"Yes, and a letter, too. Open that top drawer and you'll see thembetween the leaves of the Bible under my handkerchiefs."
Gerald opened the drawer and found the documents. He read them both.
The letter commencing "Dear old Girl," and ending "Your loving husband,Josh," told the story.
Gerald was by no means a fool, and he read between the lines of thatletter--read the character of the writer; the rejoicing in the successof his villainy; the rogue meets rogue clause; the aching tooth and thefear of pain at the dentist's.
Indeed, it did not require a very shrewd brain to read between thelines of that letter, and understand the nature of the man who pennedit.
"Your knowledge ends there, Susan?"
"Yes."
"May I take these letters? They may prove a clue."
"Yes."
"Will you accept my assurance that I will do all possible to have thismatter out, and clear it up satisfactorily?"
"Yes."
"Very well, then; for the present, good-bye. Next time I see you I mayhave something to report."
The two men left the room. Gerald seemed a changed man.
His ability to look after other people's affairs in better fashion thanhis own has been mentioned. He proposed looking after the presentbusiness.
"Farmer," he said, "you believe all you have just heard?"
"Of course, and a damned nice----"
"Let me take this matter in hand for you."
"For me?"
"Yes. There's nineteen thousand pounds hanging to it."
"Stolen, if Susan's story is right."
"Let me trace the money."
"You?"
"Yes. I was in a private detective's agency once, and I know how to setabout an affair of this sort."
"What would you do?"
"Get to New York, ascertain all about the man who figured in your name.Get identification. See if the man who was 'packed' was Josh Todd."
"Yes."
"Then ascertain how he shipped. Go across the Atlantic, and find out whopaid him the money, and how."
"Yes."
"It is not likely that any man would take nineteen thousand pounds ingold--it would be too weighty."
"No."
"If he took notes, the numbers are traceable."
"True."
"It is worth inquiring into. Being a murder case, the police will giveevery assistance. What do you say?"
"I don't believe in throwing good money after bad. I fancy that money,if it has been stolen, will never be seen again."
"And I think you are wrong. Fifty pounds wouldn't affect you. Spendthat. Let me have it for passage over, and necessary expenses. It is nota great sum even if it is lost. It's a small stake to try to getnineteen thousand pounds with."
"M' yes."
"It shall not cost you more. There's much in that letter Todd wrote toSusan. It bristles with clues if they can only be followed. I believe Ican follow them."
"You seem confident."
"Because I know what I am talking about. What do you say?"
"I'll go to the fifty pounds--but, mind, not a cent more. I am not awealthy man, and fifty pounds is fifty pounds to me."
"I know that. By the same rule, nineteen thousand pounds would beacceptable."
"Acceptable! When I think of that villain Josh, I----"
"Don't get excited. Does no good. Just tell me all about your aunt wholeft you this money."
"I have not seen her for years. I was with her when a little boy. Ithink I am the only relation she had."
"Well, I can soon trace out the property, the name of her lawyers, andwhat her property was."
"You can?"
"Certainly. The will's been proved. I go to Somerset House and pay asearch fee; reading the will over does the rest."
"I see."
"Now, give me a check on the Oakville branch of the New York CentralBank, and let me get to work at once."
"How about your own payment?"
"I don't ask for any now. Wait till I find the money. Payment shall bebased on result."
"What is the payment to be?"
"Not money."
"Not money!"
"No. If I am successful--the hand of your daughter, Tessie."