X
PERSON OR PERSONS UNKNOWN
I am usually cool-headed and clear-sighted, but as I realized thesignificance of the trend of the coroner's investigation my brain beganto whirl. While I couldn't for a moment imagine Janet guilty of crime,or assistance or connivance thereat, there was much about the girl thatI could not understand. Her sudden fainting spells and her spasms ofconvulsive weeping contrasted strangely with her calm, cold demeanor asshe talked about her uncle. She had shown no grief at his death, but,remembering his cruelty to her I could not wonder at this. Surely, ifever a woman had cause to be glad at a relative's death, she had; andyet--what was I thinking of? Of course Janet, as I had already begun tohope I might some day call her--was incapable of anything but thegentlest and most filial thoughts of her dead uncle. Then my legal mindawoke again, and I said to myself: "I know absolutely nothing of thisgirl, or of her real nature. I am in love with her, I admit, but I havenever spoken with her before today; she is a veritable stranger to me,and I cannot know the secrets of her heart."
Then the thought again occurred to me that, whatever might be the truthof the matter, I had been the one who first called attention to thechain on the door, which was, of course, the unassailable point againstJanet. Since, therefore, I was directly responsible for this bit ofevidence, which might or might not have been brought out otherwise, Ifelt that I owed all assistance in my power to the girl I had sounwittingly placed in an awkward predicament.
Foreseeing what the verdict of the coroner's jury must inevitably be, Iformed my resolve at once. I sat down beside Janet and talked to her ina low tone.
"Miss Pembroke," I said, "the unfortunate circumstances of the case willundoubtedly lead to a trial before a legal jury. This may--though Itrust it won't--cause you some annoyance, and in a merely nominal andformal way you may be held in detention for a few days. I wish,therefore, to ask if you have a family lawyer to whom you wouldnaturally intrust the whole matter?"
"No," said Janet, and again I was repelled by her cold and unresponsivemanner; "I know of no lawyer whom I would wish to consult; nor do I seeany necessity for such consultation."
"Would you not wish to employ Mr. Leroy in this matter?"
I made this remark entirely from a sense of duty, for it seemed to methat the lawyer of the late Mr. Pembroke was the proper one to lookafter the affairs of his niece. And I had a secret sense of virtuerewarded, when I saw on Janet's face a look of utter repugnance to mysuggestion.
"Indeed, no," she said, "in no circumstances could I think of consultingMr. Leroy, or allowing him to advise me."
"Why not?" I asked, so impulsively, that I did not realize how blunt mywords sounded. Indeed, I was so delighted at Janet's positiverepudiation of the idea that I scarce knew what I was saying.
"Pardon me if I refuse to discuss my reasons with a stranger," was theanswer, given in a haughty tone and with a distinct implication that Ihad overstepped the bounds of convention.
"You need not tell me why," I said earnestly, "but, Miss Pembroke, letme impress upon you the advisability of your seeing some one who haslegal knowledge, and who can be of assistance to you in your presentposition."
Janet Pembroke looked at me with an expression on her face which I couldnot understand. We were sitting a little apart from the rest; Laura hadrisen and crossed the room to talk with George Lawrence, and as MissPembroke and I conversed in low tones, we were overheard by no one.
"I have my cousin to help me," she said, after a moment's pause; "and Iwill help him. We are both saddened by Uncle Robert's death, for thoughunkind to us, he was our relative, and as a family, we Pembrokes are ofloyal instinct. And so Mr. Lawrence and myself are sufficient to eachother, I think. There will be no question of financial settlements, as Iknow my uncle's will is definite. And as it is in the possession of Mr.Leroy, of course he will look after that matter. But George will beexecutor of the estate, that I know, and he and Mr. Leroy will attendentirely to carrying out my uncle's will, without necessity of mypersonal attention to the matter."
I was at a loss to know just how to intimate to the girl the seriousposition in which I felt sure she was about to be placed. Apparently shehad not a clear appreciation of the Coroner's suspicions, which wereonly too evident to me. I was not sure that I ought to enlighten her,and yet it seemed to me that it would be better for her to be warned. Iknow that she would have to have a lawyer's assistance, whether shewanted it or not; and moreover, I wanted to be that lawyer. And, asidefrom this, I had the ever recurring remembrance that I was personallyresponsible for the evidence of the night-chain, and that it was thatparticular bit of evidence that had turned suspicion toward Janet.
But before offering my own services, I determined to make one moreeffort to persuade her to retain Leroy, for I knew that such a coursewould seem to anyone else the most rational and natural.
"At risk of offending you," I said; "I must urge you, Miss Pembroke, tofollow my advice in regard to a lawyer. Will you not, at least, discussthe matter with Mr. Leroy as soon as he returns to the city?"
As I had feared, this made Miss Pembroke exceedingly angry. She did notraise her voice, in fact, she spoke in even a lower tone, but with atense inflection that proved the depth of her feeling. Also, her faceturned white, her red lips pressed closely together, and her dark eyesflashed as she replied: "Will you never understand, Mr. Landon, that Iabsolutely refuse to have any dealings with Graham Leroy? Entirely asidefrom my personal attitude toward the man, I know him to be unworthy ofconfidence or trust."
"Graham Leroy untrustworthy!" I exclaimed; "I am sure, Miss Pembroke,your personal prejudice makes you unjust to a well-known and evencelebrated lawyer."
I regretted the words the moment I had spoken them. They were forcedfrom me by an impulse of justice and generosity toward my rival, buteven as I uttered them, I feared the effect they would have on theturbulent mind of the beautiful girl who was facing me.
And then again I was treated to one of the surprises that were ever instore for him who undertook to understand Janet Pembroke. Instead ofresenting my speech, and flinging back some angry or haughty reply, shesaid, very gently:
"Ah, I see you do not know him,--at least, not as I do. I have known Mr.Leroy so long, and so well, that I know much about him that other peopledo not know. He was exceedingly intimate with my Uncle Robert. He is aman of brilliant mind, of remarkable talent; but he is crafty and evenunscrupulous in his legal manoeuvers. It may be that this was partlybecause of his deference to my uncle's wishes. Though Uncle Robert washimself honorable, so far as exact legality was concerned, yet I havecause to know that he allowed Mr. Leroy to carry on transactions for himthat were,----but why should I say this to you? I did not mean to! youhave fairly dragged it out of me!"
Again her eyes were blazing with anger, and by a curious association ofideas, I suddenly remember, that I had once said to sister Laura that Iwould like to see this girl in a towering rage. Well, I was justified inmy supposition! Her strange, almost weird beauty was enhanced by herintense emotion.
I spoke to her quietly. "You have done no harm in speaking to me thus;Graham Leroy is an acquaintance of mine, and a brother lawyer, but Ihave no personal friendship with him. I only suggested your consultinghim, because it seemed to me right that you should do so."
"I thank you, Mr. Landon, for the interest you have shown in my affairs,and I am sure you will excuse me if I beg of you not to trouble yourselffurther about me."
Her sudden change of manner, from a gentle confidence to extreme hauteurwarned me that she was about to conclude the interview, and that if Iwished to carry my point, I must make a bold plunge. So, with anintonation scarcely less frigid than her own, I said:
"But--excuse me, Miss Pembroke, I feel it my duty to tell you that inall probability there will be a necessity for you to have the counsel ofan experienced lawyer; and, since you have no one else at hand, I wantto offer you my services. Do not think me presumptuous, but believe thatI will do my best to serve you
, and--that you will need such service."
The girl looked at me as if unable to comprehend my full meaning.
"Do I understand," she said slowly, "that because the apartment waslocked and chained so that no one could enter, it may be supposed that_I_ killed Uncle Robert?"
"You must admit," I replied, "that to a jury of disinterested outsidersit might seem to be a possibility."
"I!" she said, with a proud gesture and a look of hauteur even morescornful than she had previously shown; then with a sudden and completechange of demeanor she cried out brokenly: "Ah, well, perhaps I did!"and buried her face in her hands.
I was dumfounded. Her rapid alternations between an aggressiveself-assurance and a nervous collapse left me more than ever uncertainas to the true nature of the woman.
But so deeply was I interested that this very uncertainty only whettedmy desire to take up the case that I felt sure was more than probablyimpending.
"Never mind about that," I said calmly, "but please agree, MissPembroke, to consider me as your counsel from this moment."
This was, of course, precipitate, but I was impelled to it by theemergency of the moment. And, too, the conviction was every momentsinking deeper in my heart that this was the one woman in the world Icould ever love. So alone was she, and so pathetic in her loneliness, somysterious was her conduct and so fascinating her personality, that Iresolved to devote all the legal talent I possessed to her aid.
"I will," she said, and she gave me a glance earnest but so inscrutablethat I could make no guess as to its meaning.
If I was surprised at her quick acceptance of my offer, I made no signof it. I had gained my point, and, satisfied, I said no more. Nor had Ibeen mistaken in my premonitions.
The coroner's jury brought in a verdict that Robert Pembroke wasmurdered by some person or persons unknown, between the hours of elevenand one on Wednesday night. They suggested the detaining of MissPembroke and Charlotte, the maid, in custody of counsel who would beresponsible for their appearance when called for.
As this was exactly the verdict I had expected, it was no surprise tome; but it acted like a thunder-bolt on the others.
George Lawrence was white with rage, and rather lost his head as heinveighed angrily against those who could be capable of such anabsurdity as any connection between crime and Miss Janet Pembroke.
"Detain Janet!" he cried; "what nonsense!"
"It is not nonsense, Mr. Lawrence," said the coroner, "but we may callit merely a form, which is advisable in our opinion, until we canfurther investigate the case."
"Indeed we will investigate!" Lawrence declared; "and our investigationwill prove that it was an intruder from outside who killed my uncle. Arobber, a burglar, a professional criminal of some sort! You have enoughevidence of this. Clues, you call them. Well, there they are; let themlead you to the discovery of the man who brought them here."
"But, Mr. Lawrence," objected the coroner, "it has been proved that aburglar, such as you speak of, could not get into this apartment lastnight. How do you suppose he entered?"
"How did he get in? I don't know! that is your business to find out.There you have your precious clues--enough of them to implicate anyburglar. If necessary, get detectives--the best possible. Use any means,stop at no expense; but discover the man who committed this crime! Andin the meantime, retract your absurd and idiotic suggestion of detainingMiss Pembroke."
Though not astonished that George Lawrence should so resent thesuspicion of his cousin, I was surprised that he should express himselfso vehemently and with such an exhibition of passion.
And then I remembered that both he and Miss Pembroke were of stronglyemotional nature, and that since Robert Pembroke had been given tofrequent exhibitions of anger and ill temper, it was probably anhereditary trait.
After the Coroner's words Lawrence said no more, but his firmly setmouth and glaring eyes, betokened the intensity of his thoughts.
The colored girl, Charlotte, was also moved to loud and protestinglamentations. She became hysterical and wailed and moaned in true negrofashion.
"Oh, lawsy me!" she exclaimed! "why didn' I leave befoh dis yer strodegyhappened! Oh, Miss Janet, honey, did yo' really kill Marse Robert? An'did you steal dat money? Oh, I nebber thought my Miss Janet would dodat!"
"Silence!" roared George Lawrence, but the excited woman paid noattention to him.
"She did, she did!" Charlotte went on; "Marse Robert, he told Miss Janethe'd cut her out of his will, ef she didn' marry that Leroy man! So, obco'se, Miss Janet she jes' nachelly had to kill him!"
Although Charlotte's remarks were definite and dreadful, they were soincoherent and so interrupted by her wails and moans, that they madelittle impression on the people present. Moreover, George Lawrence hadgrasped the colored woman by the arm, and was shaking her into asubmissive silence, threatening dire punishment, unless she ceased herrandom talk. I had gathered the trend of Charlotte's story; George andJanet had also understood it, but fortunately the Coroner and jurymenhad been talking together, and had not listened to the servant'shysterical talk.