abstracted the contents, and replaced itagain. Just as I was about to leave the room with the money in my handsI heard a footstep on the stairs. I knew it was mistress! I slippedbehind the screen, hoping to escape observation. Scarcely had shecrossed the threshold when I heard another person following stealthily.It was the foreign gentleman. `Have you decided?' he asked, in a lowwhisper. `Yes,' she replied, starting at his sudden reappearance; `oncefor all, I tell you I will rid myself of you.' He appeared mad withanger. He pushed the door to, and placed his back against it. Then helaughed a low, harsh laugh, replying, `That's not so easy, my prettyone: remember our secret bond.' She turned upon him furiously, crying,`Leave this house at once! Do you wish to compromise me besidesendeavouring to rob me of my money? Ah! you think I do not know you.We have been friends because it suited my purpose; but if you dare touchthat money I will tell what I know! I will give the police theinformation they seek regarding the Villeneuve affair!' This speech hada strange effect upon him. `_Dieu_!--she knows,' he ejaculated,involuntarily. Glaring at her with an expression of murderous hatred,he watched her every movement. `Will you hand me over the money?' hedemanded, sternly. `No; you shall never have it. Leave this house; andif you remain in England another week I'll carry my threat into effect.If you fancy you can practise the confidence trick on me you aremistaken--so, go!'
"`I shall not!' he replied, fiercely. `I will have that money,' and hebent down in the act of drawing the bag from beneath the sofa. `Touchit at your peril!' she cried, hoarsely. `I see you now in your truelight; you would rob a woman of her means of existence. God knows youhave brought me enough misery already!' Again he tried to obtainpossession of the bag, but once more she frustrated his design. Thenthey struggled for the mastery. His face was ashen pale, and hisfingers gripped her bare arms, leaving great red marks; but she was notto be easily vanquished, and fought like a tigress. `To-morrow,' shesaid, in a terrible half-whisper, `the world shall know who stole theVilleneuve diamonds, and I will rid myself of you forever. I willexpose your accursed villainy!' He grasped her by the wrist and draggedher towards him. `You--you say this--to me,' he hissed, in a frenzy ofpassion. `You have spoken your last words--you--you shall die.' I sawa knife uplifted in his hand, and he plunged it in my mistress's breastwith a dull, sickening sound. She sank upon the floor, uttering ashrill cry. For a few seconds he bent over her and seemed to berearranging her dress, then he snatched up the bag, took the roll ofnotes from the mantelshelf, and thrusting them into his pocket, stolenoiselessly out by the back-door. I stood for a few seconds, notknowing what to do. At last I summoned courage to approach my poormistress, who lay motionless; but just as I was stepping from myhiding-place I heard some one descending the stairs. It was master! Herushed into the room, but stopped suddenly, in horror, as he caughtsight of his wife. Bending over her, he was about to lift her, when hiseyes caught sight of something, which I suppose was the seal afterwardsfound. With a loud cry of despair, and uttering words in a foreignlanguage, he kissed her calm white face. `I must fly,' he said, aloud,`or I shall be suspected,' and without another word he also hurried outof the house.
"When he had gone, I placed the money I had stolen in a small hand-bag,and crept out by the front door. A few days later my young man andmyself sailed for Australia, and that is all I know of the murder."
There was a long pause when the voluble witness had concluded herbreathless recital.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.
BY WHOSE HAND?
"This is a most remarkable statement," observed the judge, regarding thewoman keenly. "You swear positively that the prisoner was not themurderer?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then surely you would be able to recognise the man whom you assertstabbed your mistress? Have you seen him since?"
"Never."
"Don't tell me his name, but answer me; do you know it?"
"No; my mistress always called him Victor, and told me, whenever hecame, to announce him as Monsieur. He, too, always addressed her by herChristian name."
"Why did you not give information to the police at the time?" asked hislordship.
"Because I should have been prosecuted for robbery," she replied,confusedly.
"I have only one question, m'lord," exclaimed counsel for theprosecution, rising. Turning to the witness, he asked: "When was thefirst occasion upon which you saw the prisoner?"
"Half-an-hour ago."
"And you positively swear you never saw him before to-day?"
"I do."
"Witness," said the judge, "you will give the police a detaileddescription of the man you saw commit the murder. That will do."
Mr Roland and Vera were in earnest conversation. He appeared to bedubious about some point upon which she was trying to convince him.
The spectators were eager for the next development of the curious case.They had followed the verbal duel with the same interest as thatinspired by a thrilling drama performed by first-class artistes.Several times already applause had almost broken out, and was onlysuppressed by the dread of the Court being cleared.
"The next witness, m'lord, will be Boris Seroff," Mr Roland said,glancing hesitatingly at his brief, while Vera retired to a seat where Icould not observe her.
"Seroff!" I repeated to myself, "who can he be? Surely he must be arelation of Vera's; and yet I've never heard of him!"
The name was shouted down the corridor outside the Court; then there wasa movement among the eager crowd which stood about the door, and a manadvanced towards the witness-box.
Instantly I recognised him. It was the murderer!
What fresh intrigue was this?
I leapt from my chair, and leaning over the dock, cried:
"My lord, that man who is going to give evidence, is--"
"Enough?" interposed the judge. "If you cannot be silent, you will beremoved to the cells during the remainder of your trial."
The warder at my side grasped me roughly by the arm, and forcing me intomy chair, whispered, "Don't be a fool! Such excitement can do you nogood."
I saw how utterly helpless I was, yet I was determined to denounce thisman by some means. The midnight scene in the Dene came back to me inall its hideous reality. Vera's lips defiled by those of a murderer!
The thought goaded me to desperation. Springing to my feet again I wason the point of proclaiming his guilt, when the first question was putby my counsel.
"Now, Mr Seroff, what are you?"
With bated breath I awaited his answer.
"I am brother-in-law of accused. His wife is my sister."
His sister! Then at least I had no cause for jealousy, and had judgedVera wrongly.
"Tell us, please, what you know of the circumstances attending themurder of Mrs Inglewood."
The witness twirled his moustache nervously, and glanced at me; then, ashe saw my eyes fixed upon him, he scowled and turned away.
Yes. I felt convinced it was he. I could see guilt written upon hisface.
"The story is a rather long one, and there are some matters which Icannot explain; however, I will tell you what occurred on the night inquestion. The murdered woman, who, for certain reasons, assumed thename of Mrs Inglewood, was my wife. She was called Rina Berangerbefore I married her, a schoolfellow of my sister's, at Warsaw. Afterour marriage it was imperative she should live in England, and for thatreason she left me. I resumed my position, that of an officer ofCossacks, and for a year we were parted. At last I obtained leave andtravelled from St Petersburg to London. I landed at Hull on theafternoon of the fifteenth of August, and at once telegraphed to my wifeannouncing that I should arrive about midnight."
"Did you sign that telegram?" asked Mr Roland.
"With my initial only."
"Is that the message?" counsel asked, handing up the telegram which hadbeen put in as evidence against me.
"Yes; it is."
"I would point out, your lordship," observed Mr Roland, "that theletter B. stands for B
oris, as well as Burgoyne, the prisoner."
Continuing, the witness said: "I arrived home soon after twelve atnight, and was admitted by the woman I see sitting in the well of theCourt. Supper was laid in an upstairs room, and my wife, who I thoughtappeared unusually nervous, called for it to be served at once. I donot remember how long we sat together talking; it might have been acouple of hours for aught I know. My wife was telling me certainthings, which it is unnecessary to repeat here, they being purelybusiness matters, when suddenly she recollected that she had a letter togive me. It was downstairs in the drawing-room, she said, and beggingme to remain where I was she left the room, closing the door."
"Was this only