The Rainbow Feather

by Fergus Hume

Gran Jimboy was summoned by Lovel to corroborate this evidence. The old gipsy stated that she had met Lucas at eight o'clock, immediately after service in St. Dunstan's Church, and had induced him to come to her tent to hear some information which nearly concerned him. The information was private, and had nothing to do with the murder. Lovel, said the woman, had stayed with her till nearly ten o'clock, and then had walked back to the village by the high road. She knew this, as she had gone part of the way with him.

Thus, by the evidence of Gran Jimboy, an alibi in favour of Lovel was clearly proved; and he was exonerated from any complicity in the crime. Still, Herne did not believe the evidence, as Mexton could see by the mocking smile on his lips. However, he made no attempt to speak, and the proceedings continued.

Eliza, the servant of Dr. Lester, was the next witness, and she told her story with shrill volubility. For the moment she was the most important person in the room, as on her evidence was based the charge which was known to be made against Dr. Lester. Eliza knew that her master would be arrested on the statements she could make against him, and relished the situation exceedingly. She had no idea of the cruelty of her feelings towards the man whose bread she had eaten.

Eliza stated, with many airs and graces, that she was the domestic servant of Dr. Lester, and had been in this situation for some years. Her master was in the habit of getting drunk two or three times in the week; when in this condition, he always went about with a loaded revolver, so that the inmates of the house were in peril of their lives. Dr. Lester had been delighted by the engagement of the deceased to Mr. Herne; and he was angry at the meeting of Miss Lester with Mr. Lovel. Eliza knew that they met, as it was common gossip. On the night of the murder Miss Lester and Miss Link went to church, while the doctor remained at home drinking.

Miss Milly did not return; but Miss Iris did, in the company of Mrs. Drass. When Mrs. Drass departed, Eliza heard high words between the doctor and Miss Link relative to the meetings of the deceased with Mr. Lovel. Afterwards Miss Iris went out to seek Miss Milly, whom she thought was with Mr. Lovel; but Eliza did not know if this were so. Dr. Lester continued drinking, and, fearing lest he should cause trouble, witness watched the door of the consulting-room. Shortly after half-past eight Dr. Lester came out, holding a pistol in his hand; he was mad with drink, and cried out about his daughter and Lovel. Then he rushed out, and witness thought he intended murder. He did not come home till seven in the morning, and then he had no pistol, but his clothes were daubed with red mud, such as is found in the Winding Lane. He began to drink again; but before doing so he changed his clothes. Witness swore that he went out with the intention of killing his daughter, but she did not think he did it deliberately, as he was mad with drink.

Dr. Lester was then called to refute this evidence if he was able. He stated that he had gone out as Eliza described, and with a pistol. He wished to kill Lovel, but he did not know what he said. He did not remember what he did or where he went after leaving the house; but he had an indistinct recollection of meeting someone--man or woman he could not say. His pistol was gone when he returned home at seven in the morning, but he did not know where he lost it. Also his clothes were covered with red mud, so it was possible he might have wandered into the Winding Lane, and have fallen in the moist clay. But he recollected nothing. He had no intention of harming his daughter, as he loved her too much.

Iris Link, recalled, said that Dr. Lester was in the habit of carrying about a loaded revolver when drunk. She did not know if he took it out on the Sunday night, but it was not in its case the next day. She stated also that she heard a shot fired at nine o'clock, when she was standing in the shadow of St. Dunstan's Church. She had never heard Dr. Lester threaten his daughter; but he was certainly very irate at the behaviour of Mr. Lovel.

This was all the evidence which had been collected by Drek; and it certainly was against Lester. His own testimony rather inculpated than exonerated him; and from the faces of the jury Paul saw that they inclined to believe Lester guilty. Mexton himself could not make up his mind; appearances pointed to the perpetration of the crime by Dr. Lester when in a state of intoxication; but it was possible that he might be innocent after all. Still, how his innocence was to be proved it was difficult to say.

"Herne might do it," thought Paul, as he took down the evidence, "for he seems to believe Lovel guilty, although Gran Jimboy's statement goes to clear him. Also Herne knows something in connection with that feather which he picked up. I wonder what that odd-coloured feather has to do with the matter, and whether it could prove the guilt of some person of whom at present we know nothing?"

There was no answer to this question, and Herne made no sign of making any statement about the feather in favour of Lester. He stood quite still, and listened to the summing-up of the coroner--a summing-up which was dead against Lester. The coroner declared that Lester must have been in the Winding Lane on that night, else he could not have got the red clay on his clothes. The question was whether he was there after or before nine o'clock, the hour when, according to Miss Link's evidence, the fatal shot was fired. The coroner was inclined to think that Lester went straight from his own house to the Winding Lane, knowing that was the spot in which his daughter usually met Lovel; and there, finding his daughter waiting for Lovel--who was then in the tent of Gran Jimboy--had fired and killed her. Perhaps he would have killed Lovel had he been present, but in his absence he vented his rage on the deceased. The crime, however, was committed while Lester was drunk, and therefore he was not responsible for his actions.