“Oh, it’s such a mix-up, Mr Wise. You’ll see when you meet the two women. Either of them would do or say anything,—anything at all, if it would annoy or disturb the other.”
“I think I understand, but I think I can discriminate between the truth and the pretense.”
“You’ll be pretty smart if you can,” Richard sighed. “But get busy as soon as possible. Can you get over to-day?”
“Yes; and I must bring my assistant,—a young lady.”
“You’re to use Sir Herbert Binney’s rooms. Where shall I put the girl?”
“Is there a matron or housekeeper? Yes? Then the girl will attend to all that herself. Don’t bother.”
“All right, I won’t. Now, see here, Mr Wise, I want you to get at the truth, of course, but—if it leads——”
“Stop right there, Mr Bates. If I take this case, it’s to get the truth, no matter where it leads. You’ve mentioned the two women most important in your life,—oh, yes, I see the importance of Mrs Everett. You are, you must be, interested in her daughter, for you showed it in your face when you spoke her name. Now, so far, I’ve nothing to connect those two women with the case, except that they are women, and the written paper accuses women. I believe that paper implicitly. I’ve had wide experience and no word of his murderer left by a dying victim is ever anything but the truth. I must see the paper as soon as I can; it may be informative. But, remember, the processes of justice are inexorable,—where the truth leads, I must follow, absolutely irrespective of personal prejudice.”
“If you’re sure it is the truth——”
“Right. I must be sure, beyond all doubt. And I will be before I make any important decisions. You are sole heir?”