“Rather Miss Gurney and Miss Letitia. If they did it, the Gurney woman struck the blow at the bidding of the other. If the Everetts did it, the Holland woman stabbed at the order of her mistress. But I incline to the Pralls, and that explains Bates’ anxiety to shield his aunt.”
“He’d be equally desirous of shielding his sweetheart’s people, but in any case, I can’t believe he married Molly, either really or by a fake ceremony.”
“It isn’t like the chap,—he’s an all-round straight one; but he’s young, and in a desperate emergency,—well, anyway, things must be brought to a head. I’m going for Bates now.”
The detective found his quarry and asked him for an interview.
The two men went into a small reception-room on the ground floor and Wise closed the door.
“There’s no use in my going on, Mr Bates,” he began, “unless you want to see the thing through to a finish. I must tell you the evidences are pointing to women,—whom you would be sorry to see accused.”
“I know—I know——” and Richard bowed his head in his hands and groaned. “It isn’t my aunt, I’m positive of that. I’ve not only satisfied myself by confidential talks with her, but I’ve proved it by definite facts and testimony of servants and others. Now, I suppose you hold that the only other possibility is——”
“Yes, I’m obliged to think that. I know what you mean, and this is no time to be squeamish. We both mean Mrs Everett and her maid, Kate. If there were any doubt about the written paper,——”
“There isn’t. It’s my uncle’s writing, undeniably. He was found with the pencil just falling from his nerveless hand. There’s no escape from all that. I’ve been over and over it. There’s no chance of the chorus girls or house girls,—oh, I’ve been over all the possibilities,—and there’s only Mrs Everett left. Honestly, Wise, I’d rather it had been my aunt! That may sound dreadful to you, but after all, she’s only my aunt, while Mrs Everett is Dorcas’ mother! And I’d rather bear sorrow and disgrace myself than to have my little love bear it. Can we drop the whole thing?”
“Not very well now. Bates, are you in any coil with Molly?”