CHAPTER V.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 25, 5 March 1881, Page 257

CHAPTER V.

"Without meaning it, I have written ungratefully. _ There were two persons .who saw nothing ridiculous in 1113' resolution to continue the investigation single-handed. One of them was Miss Myljus, and the other was the cook, Priscilla Varley. Miss Myhus was indignant at the resigned manner in which the police accepted their defeat. .She was a little, bright-eyed, why old woman ; and she spoke her "mind to me freely. "This conies home to me," she said. " Just look hock, in London only, for a year or two. There was an old woman's skeleton found in the cellar of a house in Euston Square — and the wretch who hid the hody there is 'still at large. Another murdered old woman was found, in another cellar, in Harley-street. And there, again, nothing has been discovered. I am an old woman too ; and I ask myself if my turn is not coming next. You're nice-looking fellow — and I like your pluck and perseverance. Come here as often as you think right ; and say you are my visitor, if they make any difficulty about letting you in. One thing more ! I have nothing 2>articular to do, and I am no fool. Here, in the parlors, I sec everybody who comes into the house or goes out of the house. Leave me your address — 1 may get some information for you, yet." Priscilla Varley was just as willing, and far better able, to help me, on her side. As it happened, she was now mistress of her own movements. Her fellow-servant, the housemaid, was a London girl. After leaving Mrs. Crosscapel, she got another place, in the district of Blooms-

Iniry. Priscilla was not so successful. She had a natural aversion io lodging-houses ; and she did not possess experience enough to take a cook's place in the service of gentlefolks. Having rather a quick temper, she doubted her own endurance, if .she accepted the only alternative, and served as kitchen-maid under the orders of a stranger. It ended, for the time being, in her hiring a room in a respectable lioii.se, and sirpjJorting herself by her needle. In this case, good employment was easily obtained. Though she disliked the occupation, Priscilla was a good workwoman ; and she had a written recommendation from the clergyman of her parish, which I copy here. It tells her simple story, before she came to London, in the plainest and fewest words : "I gladly recommend Priscilla Varley foxany respectable employment which she may he competent to undertake. Her father and mother arc iniirm old people, who have lately suffered a diminution of their little income ; niul they have a younger daughter to maintain. Rather than be a burden on her parents, Priscilla goes to London to find domestic employment, anil to devote her earnings to the assistance of her father and mother. This circumstance speaks for itself. I have known the family for many years ; and I only regret that I have no vacant place in my own household which I can offer to this good girl. (Signed) " Henry Derrington, Rector of Roth." This copy I made at her own request. It arose out of my telling her that I was resolved to devote every hour of my spare time to tracing the murderer. "It is my notion," I said, "that the proceedings of the persons in Mrs. Crosscapels's house have not been closely enough inquired into yet. I believe Mr. Deluc committed the murder ; and I want to find out if any of the lodgers were in his confidence, or I had any any relations with him, in past times."

She said, " I think your plan is a jrood one. If you Login by satisfying yourself about the servants, let me offer you the means of looking into my past life." With that, she placed the clergyman's certificate in my hands. I thought she was joking ; she was perfectly in earnest ; and she made the copy the certificate. This naturally set me on speaking of the other servant. I asked her if she could tell me anything Avhich associated the housemaid with Mr. Deluc. She was unwilling to answer. "I may be casting suspicion on an innocent person," she said. "Besides, I was for so short a time the housemaid's fellow-servant " I interrupted the rest. "You slept in the same room with her," I remarked ; " and you had opportunities of observing her conduct towards the lodgers. If they had asked you, at the examination, what I now ask, you would have answered as an honest woman." To this argument she yielded. I heard from her certain particulars, which threw a new light on Mr. Deluc, and on the case generally. On that information I acted. It was slow work, owing to the claims on me of my regular duties ; but 1 steadily advanced toward the end that I had in view. You will now, perhaps, understand why I devote some space in my narrative to a person who had only been a cook in a lodg-ing-house. But for Priscilla, I should never have discovered who killed Zebedee. Besides this, I owed another obligation to Mrs. Crosscapel's nice-looking cook. The confession must be made sooner or later — and I may as well make it now. I iirst knew Avhat love was, thanks to Priscilla. I had delicious kisses, thanks to Priscilla. And, when I asked if she Avould marry me, she didn't say No. She looked, I must own, a little sadly ; and she said, ' ' How can two such poor people as we are ever hope to marry?" To this answered, "It won't be long before I lay my had on the clue which my inspector has failed to find. I shall be in a position to marry you, my dear, when th«at times comes." This encouraged her to look to the f uture, almost as hopefully as I looked. At our next meeting, we spoke of her parents. I was now her promised husband. Judging by what I had heard of the proceedings of other people in my position, it seemed to me only right that I should be introduced to her father and mother. She entirely agreed with me; and she wrote home that day, to tell them to expect us at the end of the week. 1 took my turn of night duty, and so gained my liberty for the great part of the next day. It was time stolen from my inquiries — but, as I thought, the occasion justified this. I dressed myself in plain clothes ; and we took oiw tickets on the Kent Kaihvay for Higham, being the nearest station to the village in which Priscilla' s parents lived.