The jury did so very promptly, as not one of them, and not one of the listeners to the evidence, had any doubt but that Osip was the guilty person. Therefore, after bringing in a verdict of "Wilful murder against Alfred Osip," the inquest was brought to an end, and the jurymen, very well satisfied with themselves, went home. But although the verdict had been given, the criminal was still at large; and now that he had commenced operations in Crumel, it was doubtful when he would stop. The locksmiths of Crumel did a fine trade during the next few days, as everyone wanted bolts and bars, patent locks, and ingenious alarms. The quiet little Essex town was terribly scared by the presence of this unseen beast of prey.
During the inquest, Clarice, looking round to see who was present, noticed a fashionably-dressed young lady, with a wonderful complexion and copper-coloured hair. At once she recognised her as the notorious Butterfly. Sarah--or Zara--Dumps was seated by her mother and greatly resembled the elder woman. But her mouth was firmer and her eyes were more deep-set. Notwithstanding the boldness of her appearance and the frivolity of her attire, she nevertheless looked clever and quite capable of dominating the weaker nature of Ferdy Baird. Once or twice Butterfly met the grave gaze of Clarice, and, rather to the latter's surprise, immediately dropped her eyes with a quick flush. This was strange, considering the known boldness of the girl, and Clarice wondered what it might mean.
When the inquest was over, and the jurymen were leaving the house along with the rest of the crowd, Clarice noticed the girl again. She was chatting in a low voice to Ferdy, while Mrs. Dumps sailed ahead with the Coroner, explaining how he should have managed the case. Rather annoyed that her brother should thus publicly flaunt his acquaintance with so notorious a young woman, Clarice pressed through the throng, in order to touch Ferdy's arm, and draw him away. But before she could carry out her purpose, a single sentence, falling from the lips of Zara, made her change her mind. Butterfly's lips were almost touching Ferdy's ear, and she spoke in a low and rapid voice, but sufficiently loudly for keen-eared Miss Baird to overhear.
"Now that Osip is accused," whispered Zara, softly, "there can be no danger."
[CHAPTER XI]
THE DOG
Clarice quite intended to ask Ferdy what was the meaning of Zara's strange remark, but other things took up her attention, and for the time being she forgot the saying. As regards the murder, of course, neither Clarice nor any one else thought that there was any mystery about the death of Mr. Horran. Undoubtedly Osip had killed him, in due accordance with the traditions of the Purple Fern. Only in this instance it was difficult to guess why the crime had been committed on an inoffensive man. The other seven victims, men and women, had been selected for their wealth, and in every case either the body had been robbed of jewellery, or the house of the dead--when the especial murder took place in a house--had been looted. In the case of Horran, nothing had been stolen, therefore robbery--as in the other cases--could not be the motive for the crime.
However, Clarice did not trouble her head much about the matter, although the facts of Mr. Horran (according to Ackworth) having been in the company of Osip at the Shah's Rooms, and the curious observation of Zara to Ferdy, might have urged her to make enquiries. Still, there was no mystery about the death, save the want of a motive, and, therefore, there was nothing to unravel. Horran was dead, the hue and cry was out against his assassin, and two days after the inquest the funeral took place. Owing to the publicity of the death, and the respect in which Horran was held by his fellow-townsmen, there was a great crowd at the cemetery. Ferdy acted as chief mourner along with Dr. Jerce, the life-long friend of the deceased, and Mr. Clarke read the burial service. Clarice, according to custom, stopped at home while her unfortunate guardian was being laid in his untimely grave. It was then that she remembered Zara's observation, and wondered anew what it meant.
Did the girl mean that now Osip was accused there could be no danger to Ferdy? Clarice asked herself this question, but without receiving any answer from her consciousness. The facts of the murder were sufficiently plain, save as to the motive, so in any case it had nothing to do with Ferdy. Moreover, if Zara meant that Ferdy was implicated in the matter--and on the face of it that seemed absurd--such an accusation, if made, could be rebutted by Clarice herself, since she had locked Ferdy in his room on the night when the purposeless crime was committed. Miss Baird used the word purposeless because she could not conjecture why Horran should have been killed in so tragic a manner. Unless, of course, the motive for the committal of the crime was connected with Horran's acquaintanceship with Osip. Why the dead man had been at the Shah's Rooms, and in Osip's company, was yet to be explained, but only the assassin could give the reason for that secret visit to London, and he was not likely to come forward, considering that there was a price on his head. Clarice, at the suggestion of Dr. Jerce, had offered a reward of two hundred pounds for the apprehension of the man in grey, and the London detective, Sims, had gone back to Town with the firm determination to win that sum of money. But he admitted to Miss Baird herself, with a rueful smile, that it was like looking for a needle in a haystack to capture the remaining member of the Purple Fern Triumvirate.
As yet Barras had not put in an appearance, although he had been expected to be present at the funeral. A telegram from him stated that he would be down immediately afterwards, and would come to The Laurels to read the will of the deceased. There had been some difficulty in finding Mr. Barras in Paris, and only at the eleventh hour had he returned to England.