She hesitated again, and twisted her hands nervously in her lap.
“I don’t know what to do,” she moaned. “You’re asking me to betray my ’usband—and if I do, it’s only to save ’im from something worse—but it’s prison for me, and prison for ’im at the best of things.”
“That’s so,” declared Baddeley mercilessly, “but a ‘stretch’ is better than the gallows.”
“May I be forgiven then,” said Marshall—“you’ll find the ‘Spider’ at 45, Peabody Buildings, Poplar. And for mercy’s sake, don’t let ’im know who told you.”
Baddeley motioned to Roper. “Get her down to the station, Roper ... I’ll be down later.”
“We must tell Sir Charles, Inspector,” said Anthony, as Roper departed with his charge. “I haven’t mentioned this latest development to him ... I came straight to you with the news.”
“Naturally,” rejoined Baddeley, “naturally. We’ll ask him to step this way. Do you mind, Mr. Cunningham?”
I found the old man in the garden with Mary. The trouble of the whole affair was just beginning to show on their faces.... Considine Manor had by this time become the talk of thousands. Mary seemed very grief-laden ... they turned as I approached.
I gave him Baddeley’s message.
“Certainly, Bill, I’ll come in at once. Is there news, then?”