“There were three talkers, and one silent body. As is usual, I thought that the silent member of the house knew more than the speakers, if she had been inclined to let out her knowledge.”
“Ay, that is a way we have of judging of one another; but it is as often false as true. As many persons are silent because they have nothing to say, as because they are reflecting; and of those who look very wise, about one-half, as near as I can judge, look so as a sort of apology for being very silly.”
“I can’t say how it was with Mrs. Burton, the silent member of the family, in this case; but I do know that her three worthy sisters-in-law are to be classed among the foolish virgins.”
“Had they no oil to trim their lamps withal?”
“It had all been used to render their tongues limber. Never did three damsels pour out words in so full a rivulet, as I was honoured with for the first five minutes. By the end of that time, I was enabled to put a question or two; after which they were better satisfied to let me interrogate, while they were content to answer.”
“Did you learn anything, Mike, to reward you for all this trouble?” again glancing at his notes.
“I think I did. With a good deal of difficulty in eliminating the surplussage, if I may coin a word for the occasion, I got these facts:—It would seem that the German woman was a newly-arrived immigrant, who had strolled into the country, and offered to work for her food, &c. Mrs. Goodwin usually attended to all her own domestic matters; but she had an attack of the rheumatism that predisposed her to receive this offer, and that so much the more willingly, because the ‘help’ was not to be paid. It appears that the deceased female was an odd mixture of miserly propensities with a love of display. She hoarded all she could lay her hands on, and took a somewhat uncommon pleasure in showing her hoards to her neighbours. In consequence of this last weakness, the whole neighbourhood knew not only of her gold, for she turned every coin into that metal, before it was consigned to her stocking; but of the amount to a dollar, and the place where she kept it. In this all agreed, even to the silent matron.”
“And what has become of this German woman?” asked John closing his notes with sudden interest. “Why was she not examined before the inquest? and where is she now?”
“No one knows. She has been missing ever since the fire and a few fancy that she may, after all, be the person who has done the whole mischief. It does wear a strange look, that no trace can be heard of her!”
“This must be looked into closely, Mike. It is unaccountably strange that more was not said of her before the coroner. Yet, I fear one thing, too. Dr. McBrain is a man of the highest attainments as an anatomist, and you will remember that he inclines to the opinion that both the skeletons belonged to females. Now, it may turn out that this German woman’s remains have been found; which will put her guilt out of the question.”