Untitled

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 158, 8 July 1914, Page 3

[All Rights Restojyed.]

CHAPTER 111. THE INQUEST

Mrs Purden was not an. emotional ! woman, and her nerves were general- , ly in excellent order. Long years' of ; trouble had compelled self-control, since without it she would have been unable to deal with. her. persistent misfortunes. As a girl she had been very/ happy, and been brought up by kind parents in a luxurious home. When married to a man she dearly loved, the happiness had continued, and with the birth -of a daughter came such complete joy that she had nothing else to wish for. Perhaps destiny having given Mrs Purden all that could be given, thought it was time to make a change. At all events a change was made, and for the worse. Within three years of the child's birth Mis Purden's father died unexpectedly, and his business—that of a silk-merchanti — was found to be in dire confusion.; Mr Purden, who was a, partner, did his best to right matters, but not being so clever a man.as his father-in-law, failed to do so. The result wad bankruptcy. This was bad enough, but worse was to.follow. Work and worry broke up Mr Purden's naturally delicate constitution, and he passed! \ away, worn out with trouble. His , wife and child were left almost penniless, a® all they had to live «ori was a small sum of two hundred pounds saved from the wreck of the business. Then, to add to the poor woman's sorrows, her mother died, and as all i these misfortunes happened within twelv^ months, the incessant shock® nearly sent Mrs Purden out of her mind. But for her daughter's sake she braced herself to battle with th© storm, and was aided to do so by her cousin Silas Maur. He was a hard man, and gave his assistance grudgingly, but on the whole he acted with | tolerable charity. Certainly he made j Mrs Purden earn money as a typist, | but he paid entirely for the child's j education, and occasionally gave Mrs J Purden ©mall sunis to tide, over iihis j crisis and that.* Maur was a dour, grasping business man, who did not believe in helping the pdor; but some odd twist in his nature made him j help Mrs Purden, and the sad, meek I woman was very grateful. She did not like- her ,cousin over-much—no one could, as .he was persistently disagreeable to fhose with whom he came into contact—but she didl her best to show how she appreciated his aid. , And in his queer way, Mjaur did Mis best, even to placing" her as \ caretaker at The Firp when her health \ gave way and she could no longer work the typing-machine, without risking paralysis. That change of occupation took place when Lena Purden, the dearly loved daughter of' the unfortunate woman, was fifteen, and had not left school, so for five; : melancholy years Mrs 'Purden had j lived in the big, damp and sinister, house. Lena had now completed her I education and for the last twelve j months had been at» home, if The Firs \ could1 be called home. Mrs Purden ; herself always felt that she was camp- j ing there and might.be moved on at any moment. Indeed, when the catas- j trophe. of Luke Watson's death came ; to pass, Maur suggested that some such move should be made.

"You see, Laura," he remarked, on the morning of the day when the inquest was to be held, "things will i be unpleasant for you if you stay ■. here." ' I

"Why should they be unpleasant?" t asked Mrs Puz-den wearily, and look- , ed round the sitting-room wherein iihey were talking confidentially. "I am comfortable enough here on the whole." j

Maur stoodl at the window pinching his square chin- and "looking more dour and grim than ever. He was not the man to shirk a straightforward! answer, however much it might pain, and of course had very litttle consideration for his cousin's feelings. "You were alone in this house when Luke was .stabbed," he said bluntly, "and of course people will say that you stabbed him. ' ,

"Why should they?" asked the poor woman piteously. "I'm sure I wouldn't hurt a fly." is What Mrs Bloom says," rejoined Maur with a short laugh, "but she's a fool."

"A very sweet-hearted fool, Silas," said Mrs Purden, plucking up spirit; "and I am glad to have at least on« champion. I have told the exact truth; I'm sure I can't do more than that."

"You might have had tlie sense to say that some window or door was left unlocked so that the assassin could, have entered."

"But all tlhe windows and doors were locked, Silas. How the person who murdered Luke entered.l cannot say. I-believe myself that he committed .suicide because he was afraid you would prosecute him for embezzlement."

"Rubbish I I never intended to go i to such lengths," said Maur testily; 'my threat of telling the police was only to frighten him into good be- [ havior, as he must have guessed." ! "He seemed to think that you meant, it, Silas." "Then he was a fool. Suicide indeed. Luke hadn't the courage to take his own worthless life. And if \ he had killed himself the knife would j have been found beside him, if not I in his heart. . A man can't stab i himself and then get rid of t/he : weapon when the heart is pierced. Luke must have seen someone on that night—the person who killed him." t

I don t know anyone who would kill him, Silas. But then I know very little about Luke."

'The less you know the better," snapped the other frowning. "Luke was a very bad lot. I put up with a good deal) as Jazard can tell'yon, before I threatened to prosecute him."

c--i ? u sllo"ldn't have done that, Silas," i>ratested /Mrs Purden plaintively. "If you had not, ho would1 not have come here for-shelter; and j if lie had not come here, lie would j not have been murdered." j

"Well, he has been murdered, so i there s no more to foe said. We will j sec what is said at the inquest about \ rh<> matter," added Mr Mau-r rather '. ; "some evidence may eo>;re to light likely to reveal the truth.- But there is no denying the ■ fact, Laura, that your position is 'an j unpleasant one." i (:Not through my own fault," retorted Mrs Purden, her pale cheeks ! flushing. "I could not refuse to let \ Luke in when he had nowhere else I to, go to. And it was a misty, wet '

[ night too. Of cotirse you can turn ime out< of the "house. Silas, as it is I your own, but my going will seem ; like a confession of guilt. And as I ;am quite innocent J. object to the slightest suspicion being cast upon me." ! "There is more than a suspicion

now," .said Maur sourly. "However we'll let things stand as they are until we see what is said at the in-

quest. Upon my word, Laura, I don't.know why, you .always seem to j get into trouble. Any misfortune ! hanging about always attaches itself to you." * Self-controlled as she was, Mrs Pur- | den burst into tt&ars at this brutal j speech, and sobbed without replying. I As,if her sorrow had summoned as- j distance the sitting-room door open- i ed suddenly and Lena appeared. With an ejaculation of mingled pity and | i annoyance she ran to,her mother and put her arms round her neck, throwing a defiant glance at' Maur meanwhile. She was a tall handsome girl, dark-haired, dark-eyed, and vigorous, quite a contrast to her delicate-looking mother. Poorly dressed as she was, her personality was a' splendidly vitalised creature, high-spirited and frank. Maur admired her in one way, since she was imperially good-looking; he disliked her in another .because she was not afraid of him. And being a bully, Maur always liked those around to bow down and worship. This Lena positively refused to do*, and invariably spoke her mind to the man as she did on the present occasion. "Why have you made her cry?" she asked Maur passionately. "Mother doesn't cry easily.. She has enough to bear without your making things worse." "Lena! Lena! Don't talk to your cousin so." "Yes, I shall, mother. I'm not going to have you bullied, poor darling." "Let her go on/ isaid Maur drily, "words matter very little. I believe in acts." "Do you," retorted Lena equally drily; "then.why don't you behave as if you did? You never do anything unless you're made .to." "Made to! made to!" Silas frowned like a thundercloud. "Be careful what you say,. Lena. No one can ever make me do anything unless I choose to. Who made me help your mother when she was left penniless? Who made me pay for your education and give you and your mother a home here." "A home here!" Lena stood up as straight and tall as one of , the firs seen through the window." "You call this old ramshackle place home. I don't. You only allow us to stay, so that the house can be looked after."

"That being the case," said Maur coolly, "you can both go as soon as the inauest is over." "I shan't go!" cried Mrs Purden, drying her eyes. "That would be to ' admit my. guilt. I shall stiay here . and, live down any scandal." "Who dare® to hint at your guilt?" asked Lena, glaring at Maur fiercely. The grey:, hard man lowered his eyes before her indignant gaze, "i believe that Inspector Offin suspects your mother, V- he growled, evasively. "Then he's a fool; and you're another to repeat what be says." "Lena! Lena!" "Oh, it's, all very well talking, mother, but it makes my blood boil to hear Cousin Silas talk as he does>. I don't know* who killed Luke and I don't much care, but there isn't ihe ..slightest 'chaaice of your being suspected." ■-''-.■ "I rather think that there is," said Maur pointedly. ' "There isn't; there isn't," Lena stamped her foot and looked like a young lioness. "Why can't you talk sense?" "Oh, you want me to talk sense, do you?" snarled Maur, irritated'by this opposition. "Then I shall. What is this between you and my son?" "Love," said Lena, promptly and very directly. "I love Lance and Lance loves me. Now what have you to say?" 'r ' ■ "This. That if Lance marries you he won't have a single penny of my money." . "I didn t know that he had a single : penny, now," she retorted with spirit. "As you know Lance has been working as a literary agent foir the last four years and has supported, himself.'-' "I know that Lane© cost me a pretty penny at Winchester and Cambridge," was Maur's reply, "and that he is wasting his education in taking up such a rubbishy business. However, this is not the time to talk, about these matters. I shall wait until the inquest is over and Luke's body is buried. Then we must come to an understanding about your engagement to Lance, which I don't ap- ) prove of, and we must see whether your mother is to si'ay here or go." "I shall stay here," said Mrs Purden, rising and looking pale but defiant. "I know you can tell me to go, but I refuse. My character is at \ stake, and nothing will induce me to j lend colon* to the accusation." 3 "There is no accusation," cried Lena, turning red and angry. "Inspector Offin doesn't know what he's talking about. As to you, Cousin Silas, you ought to be ashamed not ! to .stand up for mother." | "1 have stood up for her for !,years," said Maur with a shrug. I "But for me, she would have been in j ( the wprkhouse along with you." j f "Oh, I know you have helped • | mother, and perhaps according to j i your lights you have done your best. \ •; But why can't you do a kindness | i without making slaves of people?" I "Slaves! Don't be a fool, girl." ■ "What a weak reply," scoffed Lena, still defiant. "Calling names isn't argument, you know, Cousin Silas." ; Maur walked to the door and { paused tihere to make a final answer. \ "I never argue with a .woman," he j said scathingly, "because I know] women are incapable of argument, j Wait until after the ,inquest. Then j you'll be sorry for your imper- \ tinence," and he disappeared, bang- j ing the door after him. S "Oh, Lena," said Mrs Purden quite ; scared by this final speech, "you /have i made him angry. He will turn, us out of t'his1 house." ' {

"Well, if he does we can go to Lon- S don and I can work for you, mother ! darlinu:, as I know shorthand and can j type, besides being able to talk and I write, both French and German with j a smattering of Italian. We won't j starve. And when Lance and I 1 marry you can live with us.. Lance's j business if growing every day and be- I tween us we can easily keep the wolf ; from the door." . j

"But, Lena, is it quite fair ■to [ Lance, tb make him risk Ihis father's j anger by marriage with you and lose ! a fortune?" - . {

(To be continued.)