“I’m going after F. Chevreuse,” he explained. “Can I have one of your horses?”
He stopped only for Annette’s reply: “Take anything you want!” then hurried on up the hill.
The little cottage by the church was all alight, and people were hurrying about, and standing in the open door and the entry.
“Now, recollect, ma, you must keep quiet, and not get in anybody’s way,” was the daughter’s last charge as they drew near; then they went into the house.
Honora Pembroke met Annette at the door of the inner room. The two girls clasped hands in silence. They understood each other. The one was strong to endure with calmness, the other strong to do with calmness; and, till F. Chevreuse should come, all rested on them. Mrs. Gerald, weaker of nerve, could only sit and gaze about her, and do what she was told to do. Jane was in the hands of officers, who were trying to find out what she knew, and prevent her saying too much to others. It was not an easy task; for what the woman knew and what she suspected were mingled in inextricable confusion, and the only relief her excitement could find was in pouring out the whole to whoever would listen. An argument was, however, found to silence her.
“You will help the rogue to escape if you tell one word,” the detective said. “If you want him to be punished, you must hold your tongue. Have you told any one?”
“Nobody but Lawrence Gerald,” Jane answered, recovering her self-control. It would be hard to keep silence, but she could do it for the sake of punishing that man.
“Well, say nothing to any one else. Look now, and remember how it looks, then forget all about it till you are asked in court.”
Jane and the two policemen in the little room with them drew nearer and scrutinized closely the contents of a slip of paper that the detective held in his hand. It was an inch or so of grey worsted fringe torn from a shawl; and, clinging to the fragment, a single human hair, of a peculiar light-brown shade.
Poor Mother Chevreuse! This little clue had been found clenched in her stiffening fingers when they took her up.