The natural feelings of Sir Francis Hartleton’s heart would have prompted him on the instant to tell Albert that he fully believed what he said, but while he never, when acting in his magisterial capacity, forgot that he was a man, he now felt the necessity of remembering that a sworn deposition had taken place. With some difficulty then he mastered his feelings, and said,—
“I shall proceed at once to the house where the deed in question has been committed, and be assured that all shall be done to discover the truth. Till then you must remain here in custody. As a magistrate I can only act upon sworn evidence.”
Sir Francis now went to the door, and giving one of the officers whispered instructions to allow no one to see the prisoner, nor suffer him to leave the room, he left him as a guard over Albert, while with hasty steps, and accompanied by one of his most trusty officers, he proceeded to the house of Jacob Gray.
CHAPTER CVIII.
Albert’s Despair.—The Tests of Truth.
With far pleasanter feelings as regarded Ada and her fortunes than he had ever experienced since his opinion of the unworthiness of Albert Seyton, Sir Francis arrived at the house where so awful a scene of bloodshed had taken place. He was immediately saluted with respect by a constable who had remained in charge of the shattered door, and upon entering the house, the first person belonging to it he saw was Jacob Gray’s landlady, who sat in her parlour wringing her hands, and lamenting the death which had taken place under such horrible circumstances in her house, and which as she feelingly remarked, was “a uncommon wicked thing considering she was a lone woman, and lived principally by letting her lodging for nobody wouldn’t come and live in the house now, because Mr. Gray’s ghostesses would, as a matter of course, haunt the attic and the staircase, so it would.”
“Now, my good woman,” said Sir Francis Hartleton, “I am a magistrate, so tell me now how all this happened.”
“Lord love you, sir, if you was six magistrates, I couldn’t tell you. All I knows is, as I am a ruinated woman.”
“Well, well, something must be done for you, but I want to know what you heard about this murder.”
“Oh! Dear me, sir. Master Gray was such a great man, he was, and his relations must be wretches.”