THE END OF GERALD ARKEL.
Wholly unaware of the fate which had overtaken her brother, Miriam was sorely puzzled how to act on the letter she had received from him the previous evening. If anything happened to him, he had said, it would be through Farren, and she was, therefore, in such event, to give notice to the police immediately that Farren himself was guilty of Mr. Barton's murder, and call upon Shorty to prove it. She would know where to find them both.
The letter had made her horribly uneasy; she had had but little sleep all night, thinking about it. She could only comfort herself with the thought that as no further news had come by the morning post the probability was that Jabez had got clear away.
While she was thus thinking the Major made his appearance. He had never been to see her at that hour of the morning before, and she could not repress an exclamation of surprise on greeting him. Directly she saw his face she knew that something was wrong.
"Miriam, I came at once—I thought you would rather, I hated the idea of your being alone——"
"My God, what is it? What has happened? I know nothing. Tell me."
"You know nothing? Have you not seen the paper?"
"No; what?" she snatched it up from the side-table where it was lying still unfolded.
"Jabez!—he is dead."
"Jabez! Dead? Poor Jabez! he said he would not be taken alive."