CHAPTER X.
Although Ann Maples was not so very talkative, it would be romantic tosuppose that Mrs. Shelfer had failed to learn my entire history, so farat least as her cousin knew it.
Having now disposed of one Grove Street, I was about to try the samerude tactics with another, viz. that in Hackney; when my landlady gave alittle nervous knock, and hurried into the room. "Oh, Miss Vaughan, isit about them willains you are wandering about and taking on so, andfrightening all of us nearly to death?"
"Mrs. Shelfer, I shall feel obliged by your leaving me to manage my ownaffairs."
"Bless you, Miss, so I will. I wouldn't have them on my mind for theBank of England, and Guildhall, paved with Lombard Street, and so I toldCharley last night. Right, my good friend, quite right, you may dependupon it." Here she tapped her forehead, and looked mysterious.
"That being so, Mrs. Shelfer, I need say nothing more;" and with that Iwas going away.
"No, no, to be sure not. Only listen to me, Miss, one minute; and Iknows more about willains, a deal more than you do of course, Miss.Why, ever since that rogue who come to Miss Minto's with brandyballs andrabbitskins on a stick."
"Once more, Mrs. Shelfer, I have no time to spare for gossip--"
"Gossip! No, no, Miss Vaughan; if you ever heard any one say PattyShelfer was a 'gossip,' I'll thank you for their name. Gossip! A mercyon me with all I has to do, and the days drawing in so, and how theydoes charge for the gas, and the directors holds a meeting first Tuesdayin every month, and fills up the pipes with spittle, that's the reasonit sputters so, Charley told me."
"Good bye, Mrs. Shelfer."
"No, no. One minute, Miss Vaughan; you are always in such a hurry.What Charley and me was talking about last night was this. My UncleJohn, a very high class man, first-rate, first-rate, Miss Vaughan, hasbeen for ever so long in the detective police. There's nothing he don'tknow of what goes on in London, from the rats as comes up the drainpipes to the Queen getting up on her throne. A wonderful man he is. Isaid t'other day--"
"Is he like you, Mrs. Shelfer?"
"Like me, my good friend! No, no. And I wouldn't be like him forsomething. With all them state secrets upon him. Why he daren't sneezeout of his hat. But if you'll only put off going again till to-morrow,he'll be here this very night about the plate they stole in the Square.And I'm sure you can't do better than hear what he thinks about you.He'll be sure to know all that was done at the time. Bless you, he hasgot to make all the returns; what that is, I don't know. It's a kind oftobacco Charley says, that they smokes in the Queen's pipe. But I thinkit's the convicts as returns from Botany Bay."
"Well, Mrs. Shelfer, I'll think of what you say, and I am much obligedto you for the suggestion; but I can't bear the idea of coming beforethe Police again, with a matter in which they failed so signally."
"But you know, my good friend, it need not be put on the books at all.He'll tell us what he thinks of it, private like, and for the love ofthe thing."
"If I see him at all, I must beg to see him alone."
"To be sure, my good friend. Quite right, Miss Vaughan, quite right.I'm sure I would rather have the plumber's ladle put to my ear, than oneof them horrible secrets."
"Mrs. Shelfer, have I told you any? Now remember, if you ever againallude to this subject before me, I leave your house that day. Youought to know better, Mrs. Shelfer."
"You are quite right, Miss Vaughan; I ask your pardon, you are quiteright. The very words as Charley said to me the other night. 'Youought to have knowed better, Patty, that you did.'"
Away she went, smoothing her apron, patting the fray of her hair--forshe never wore side-combs--and mumbling down the stairs. "Quite right,my good friend, quite right, I ought to have knowed better, poor thing."
She brought up my dinner and tea, without a single word, but with manysly glances at me from her quick grey eyes. Once or twice she was atthe point of speaking, and the dry smile she always spoke with flutteredupon her face; but she closed her lips firmly and even bit them to keepherself in. I could scarcely help laughing, for I liked the odd littlething; but she was so free with her tongue, that the lesson was sadlywanted.
Late in the evening, she came to say that Inspector Cutting was there,and would come up if I wished it. Upon my request he came, and one lookwas enough to show that his niece had not misdescribed him. An elderlyman, but active looking and wiry, with nothing remarkable in hisfeatures, except the clear cast of his forehead and the firm set of hismouth. But the quick intelligence that shot from his eyes made it seemwaste of time to finish telling him anything. For this reason, politethough he was, it became unpleasant to talk to him. It was somethinglike shooting at divers--as my father used to describe it--for whom theflash of the gun is enough.
Yet he never once stopped or hurried me, until my tale was done, and allmy thoughts laid bare. Then he asked to see all my relics and vestigesof the deed; even my gordit did not escape him.
"L.D.O." he said shortly, "do you speak Italian?'
"I can read it, but not speak it."
"Is it commoner for Italian surnames to begin with an O, or with a C?"
"There are plenty beginning with both; but more I should think with aC."
When all my particulars had been told, and all my evidence shown, Iasked with breathless interest--for my confidence in him grew fast--whathis opinion was.
"Allow me, young lady, to put a few questions to you, on matters youhave not mentioned. Forgive me, if they pain you. I believe you feelthat they will not be impertinent."
I promised to answer without reserve.
"What was your mother's personal appearance?"
"Most winning and delicate."
"How old was she at the time of her marriage?"
"Twenty-one, I believe."
"How old was your father then?"
"Twenty-five."
"How many years were they married?"
"Sixteen, exactly."
"When did your guardian first leave England?"
"In the course of a year or two after the marriage."
"Had there been any misunderstanding between him and your father?"
"None, that I ever heard of."
"Did your father, at any time, travel on the continent?"
"Only in Switzerland, and part of Italy, during his wedding tour."
"Your guardian returned, I believe, at intervals to England?" I hadnever told him this.
"Yes. At least I suppose so, or he would not have been in London."
"Did he visit then at Vaughan Park?"
"Not once within my memory."
"Thank you. I will ask no more. It is a strange story; but I haveknown several much more strange. Of one thing be assured. I shall catchthe criminal. I need not tell you that I heard much of this case at thetime."
"Were you sent down to Gloucestershire?"
"No. If I had been--well, I will not say. But I was not then in mypresent position. Had I been so, it would have become my specialdepartment."
"Pray keep me no more in suspense. Tell me what you think."
"That I must not do, or you should know it at once, for my opinion isformed. It would be a breach of duty for me to tell you now."
"Oh," I cried in my disappointment, "I wish I had never seen you."
"Young lady, you have done your duty in placing the matter before me,and some day you will rejoice that you did so. One piece of advice Iwill give you: change your name immediately, before even the tradesmenabout here know it."
"Change my name, Inspector Cutting! Do you think I am ashamed of myname?"
"Certainly not. You have shown great intelligence when a mere child;exert but a little now, and you will see the good sense, or rather thenecessity, of my recommendation. When you have gained your object, youmay resume your name with pride. You have given your information, MissVaughan, as clearly as ever I knew a female give it."
If I detest anythin
g, in the way of small things, it is to be called a"female." So I said coldly; "Inspector Cutting, I thank you for thecompliment. It would be strange indeed if I could not tell withprecision, what I have thought of all my life."
"Excuse me, Miss, it would not be strange at all, in a female. And nowI will wish you 'good night.' You shall hear from me when needful.Meanwhile, I will take charge of these articles."
He began, in the coolest manner, to pack up my sacred relics, dagger,casts, and all.
"Indeed you won't," I cried, "you shall not have one of them. What areyou thinking of?"
He went on with his packing. I saw he was resolute; so was I. I sprangto the door, locked it, and put the key in my pocket. He said nothing,but smiled.
"Now," I exclaimed in triumph, "you cannot take those away, unless youdare to outrage a young lady."
I was wholly mistaken. He passed by, without touching me, drew someinstrument from his waistcoat pocket, and the door stood open beforehim. All my treasures were in his left hand. I flew at, and snatchedthem, and then let go with a scream. A gush of blood poured from myhand. He had taken the dagger folded in paper only, and I was cut tothe bone. I sank on a chair and fainted.
When I came to myself, Mrs. Shelfer was kneeling before me, with herfeet in a basin of water, while two other basins, and numberless towels,were round. Mrs. Shelfer was rubbing my other hand, and crying andtalking desperately about her bad luck that day, and a man with eyescrossed whom she had met in the morning. In the background stood Mr.Shelfer himself, whom I had hitherto failed to see, though I believe hehad seen me often. He had a pipe in his mouth about a yard long, andseemed wholly undisturbed. "All right, old 'ooman," he saiddeliberately through his nose, as he saw that I perceived him, "she'lldo now, if you don't make too much rumpus." And with that hedisappeared, and I had time to pity myself. The hand the poor farmerused so to admire, and which I was proud of no doubt, in my way, lay ina dishcloth covered and oozing with blood. But my relics were on thetable, all safe. A quick step was heard on the stairs, and InspectorCutting came in, carrying a small phial.
"Out of the way, Patty," he cried, "you are doing more harm than good."
He took up a basin of cold water, and poured half the contents of thelittle phial into it.
"Now hold her arm up, Patty, as high as you can. I never knew arnicafail."
My hand was put into the water, and the bleeding was stanched in aminute or two. However he kept it there for a quarter of an hour, tillit was quite benumbed.
"Now you may look at your hand, Miss Vaughan; it will not be disfiguredat all. There will be no inflammation. Patty, fetch me some cambricand the best lard; put the young lady to bed at once, and prop her armup a little."
I looked at my hand, and found three parallel gashes across it, forevery edge of the weapon was keen. But only one wound was deep, viz.that across the palm, which was very deep under the thumb. I have themark of it still. All the wounds were edged with a narrow yellow line.
"Inspector Cutting," I cried, "no power will move me from here, untilyou promise not to steal my property. Stealing it is, and nothing else.You have no warrant, and my information to you was wholly unofficial."
The last word seemed to move him. They all like big words, howeverclear-headed they are.
"Miss Vaughan, under these special circumstances, I will promise whatyou require; upon condition that you give me accurate drawings, for Isee that you can make them."
"Certainly, when my hand is well enough."
"Believe me, I am deeply concerned at what has occurred. But the faultwas all your own. How dare you obstruct the Police? But I wish some ofmy fellows had only half your spirit. A little more experience, andnothing will escape you. Come, Miss Vaughan, though you are a lady, orrather because you are one, give me your left hand, in token that youforgive me."
I did so with all my heart. I liked him much better since I haddefeated him; and I saw that it was well worth the pain, for he would dohis utmost to make amends. He wished me good night with a mostrespectful bow. "I will come and inquire how you are to-morrow, MissVaughan. Patty, quiet, and coolness, and change the lard frequently.No doctor, if you please; and above all hold your queer little tongue."
"Never fear me, Uncle John; you are right, my good friend, it is alittle tongue, but no queerer than my neighbours."
Inspector Cutting would have formed a far lower opinion of my spirit, ifhe had seen how I cried that night; not from the pain of the wounds, Iam sure, but to think of the fuss dear mother would have made aboutthem.