Elster's Folly - Mrs. Henry Wood (top android ebook reader .TXT) 📗

When I First Applied To You.

I Did Not Mention It Because I Preferred To Let You Go To Work Without

It. Understand Me; That It Is The Same Man,  I _Know_; But There Are

Nevertheless Discrepancies In The Case That I Cannot Reconcile; And I

Thought You Might Possibly Arrive At Some Knowledge Of The Man Without

This Clue Better Than With It."

 

"Sorry To Differ From You,  Mr. Carr; Must Hold To The Belief That George

Gorton,  Employed At Kedge And Reck's,  Was Not The Same Man At All," Came

The Cool And Obstinate Rejoinder. "Have Sifted The Apparent Similarity

Between The Two,  And Drawn Conclusions Accordingly."

 

The Remark Implied That The Detective Was Wiser On The Subject Of George

Gorton Than Mr. Carr Had Bargained For,  And A Shadow Of Apprehension

Stole Over Him. It Was By No Means His Wish That The Sharp Detective And

The Man Should Come Into Contact With Each Other; All He Wanted Was To

Find Out Where He Was At Present,  _Not_ That He Should Be Meddled With.

This He Had Fully Explained In The First Instance,  And The Other Had

Acquiesced In His Curt Way.

 

"You Are Thinking Me Uncommon Clever,  Getting On The Track Of George

Gorton,  When Nothing On The Surface Connects Him With The Man Wanted,"

Remarked The Detective,  With Professional Vanity. "Came Upon It

Accidentally; As Well Confess It; Don't Want To Assume More Credit Than's

Due. It Was In This Way. Evening Following Your Instructions,  Had To See

Managing Clerk Of Kedge And Reck; Was Engaged On A Little Matter For

Them. Business Over,  He Asked Me If I Knew Anything Of A Man Named George

Gorton,  Or Gordon--As I Seemed To Know Something Of Pretty Well

Everybody. Having Just Been Asked Here About George Gordon,  I Naturally

Connected The Two Questions Together. Inquired Of Kimberly _Why_ He

Suspected His Clerk Gorton Should Be Gordon; Kimberly Replied He Did Not

Suspect Him,  But A Gentleman Did,  Who Had Been There That Day. This Put

Me On Gorton's Track."

 

"And You Followed It Up?"

 

"Of Course; Keeping My Own Counsel. Took It Up In Haste,  Though; No

Deliberation; Went Off To Calne,  Without First Comparing Notes With

Gordon's Friend The Surgeon."

 

"To Calne!" Explained Mr. Carr,  While Lord Hartledon Turned His Head And

Took A Sharp Look At The Speaker.

 

A Nod Was The Only Answer. "Got Down; Thought At First As You Do,  Mr.

Carr,  That Man Was The Same,  And Was On Right Track. Went To Work In My

Own Way; Was A Countryman Just Come Into A Snug Bit Of Inheritance,

Looking Out For A Corner Of Land. Wormed Out A Bit Here And A Bit There;

Heard This From One,  That From Another; Nearly Got An Interview With My

Lord Hartledon Himself,  As Candidate For One Of His Farms."

 

"Lord Hartledon Was Not At Calne,  I Think," Interrupted Mr. Carr,

Speaking Impulsively.

 

"Know It Now; Didn't Then; And Wanted,  For Own Purposes,  To Get A Sight

Of Him And A Word With Him. Went To His Place: Saw A Queer Old Creature

In Yellow Gauze; Saw My Lord's Wife,  Too,  At A Distance; Fine Woman; Got

Intimate With Butler,  Named Hedges; Got Intimate With Two Or Three More;

Altogether Turned The Recent Doings Of Mr. Gorton Inside Out."

 

"Well?" Said Mr. Carr,  In His Surprise.

 

"Care To Hear 'Em?" Continued The Detective,  After A Moment's Pause; And

A Feeling Crossed Mr. Carr,  That If Ever He Had A Deep Man To Deal With

It Was This One,  In Spite Of His Apparent Simplicity. "Gorton Went Down

On His Errand For Kedge And Reck,  Writ In Pocket For Mr. Elster; Had

Boasted He Knew Him. Can't Quite Make Out Whether He Did Or Not; Any

Rate,  Served Writ On Lord Hartledon By Mistake. Lordship Made A Joke Of

It; Took Up The Matter As A Brother Ought; Wrote Himself To Kedge And

Reck To Get It Settled. Brothers Quarrelled; Day Or Two,  And Elder Was

Drowned,  Nobody Seems To Know How. Gorton Stopped On,  Against Orders From

Kimberly; Said Afterwards,  By Way Of Excuse,  Had Been Served With Summons

To Attend Inquest. Couldn't Say Much At Inquest,  Or _Didn't_; Was Asked

If He Witnessed Accident; Said 'No,' But Some Still Think He Did. Showed

Himself At Hartledon Afterwards Trying To Get Interview With New Lord;

New Lord Wouldn't See Him,  And Butler Turned Him Out. Gorton In A Rage,

Went Back To Inn,  Got Some Drink,  Said He Might Be Able To _Make_ His

Lordship See Him Yet; Hinted At Some Secret,  But Too Far Gone To Know

What He Said; Began Boasting Of Adventures In Australia. Loose Man There,

One Pike,  Took Him In Charge,  And Saw Him Off By Rail For London."

 

"Yes?" Said Mr. Carr,  For The Speaker Had Stopped.

 

"That's Pretty Near All As Far As Gorton Goes. Got A Clue To An Address

In London,  Where He Might Be Heard Of: Got It Oddly,  Too; But That's No

Matter. Came Up Again And Went To Address; Could Learn Nothing; Tracked

Here,  Tracked There,  Both For Gordon And Gorton; Found Gorton Disappeared

Close Upon Time He Was Cast Adrift By Kimberly. Not In London As Far As

Can Be Traced; Where Gone,  Can't Tell Yet. So Much Done,  Summed Up My

Experiences And Came Here To-Day To State Them."

 

"Proceed," Said Mr. Carr.

 

The Detective Put His Note-Book In His Pocket,  And With His Elbows Still

On The Table,  Pressed His Fingers Together Alternately As He Stated His

Points,  Speaking Less Abruptly Than Before.

 

"My Conclusion Is--The Gordon You Spoke To Me About Was The Gordon Who

Led The Mutiny On Board The _Morning Star_; That He Never,  After That,

Came Back To England; Has Never Been Heard Of,  In Short,  By Any Living

Soul In It. That The Gorton Employed By Kedge And Reck Was Another Man

Altogether. Neither Is To Be Traced; The One May Have Found His Grave In

The Sea Years Ago; The Other Has Disappeared Out Of London Life Since

Last October,  And I Can't Trace How Or Where."

 

Mr. Carr Listened In Silence. To Reiterate That The Two Men Were

Identical,  Would Have Been Waste Of Time,  Since He Could Not Avow How

He Knew It,  Or Give The Faintest Clue. The Detective Himself Had

Unconsciously Furnished A Proof.

 

"Will You Tell Me Your Grounds For Believing Them To Be Different Men?"

He Asked.

 

"Nay," Said The Keen Detective,  "The Shortest Way Would Be For You To

Give Me Your Grounds For Thinking Them To Be The Same."

 

"I Cannot Do It," Said Mr. Carr. "It Might Involve--No,  I Cannot Do It."

 

"Well,  I Suspected So. I Don't Mind Mentioning One Or Two On My Side.

The Description Of Gorton,  As I Had It From Kimberly,  Does Not Accord

With That Of Gordon As Given Me By His Friend The Surgeon. I Wrote Out

The Description Of Gorton,  And Took It To Him. 'Is This Gordon?' I

Asked. 'No,  It Is Not,' Said He; And I'm Sure He Spoke The Truth."

 

"Gordon,  On His Return From Australia,  Might Be A Different-Looking Man

From The Gordon Who Went To It."

 

"And Would Be,  No Doubt. But See Here: Gorton Was Not Disguised; Gordon

Would Not Dare To Be In London Without Being So; His Head's Not Worth A

Day's Purchase. Fancy His Walking About With Only One Letter In His Name

Altered! Rely Upon It,  Mr. Carr,  You Are Mistaken; Gordon Would No More

Dare Come Back And Put His Head Into The Lion's Mouth Than You'd Jump

Into A Fiery Furnace. He Couldn't Land Without Being Dropped Upon: The

Man Was No Common Offender,  And We've Kept Our Eyes Open. And That's

All," Added The Detective,  After A Pause. "Not Very Satisfactory,  Is It,

Mr. Carr? But,  Such As It Is,  I Think You May Rely Upon It,  In Spite Of

Your Own Opinion. Meanwhile,  I'll Keep On The Look-Out For Gorton,  And

Tell You If He Turns Up."

 

The Conference Was Over,  And Mr. Green Took His Departure. Thomas Carr

Saw Him Out Himself,  Returned And Sat Down In A Reverie.

 

"It's A Curious Tale," Said Lord Hartledon.

 

"I'm Thinking How The Fact,  Now Disclosed,  Of Gordon's Being Gordon Of

The Mutiny,  Affects You," Remarked Mr. Carr.

 

"You Believe Him To Be The Same?"

 

"I See No Reason To Doubt It. It's Not Probable That Two George Gordons

Should Take Their Passage Home In The _Morning Star_. Besides,  It

Explains Points That Seemed Incomprehensible. I Could Not Understand

Why You Were Not Troubled By This Man,  But Rely Upon It He Has Found It

Expedient To Go Into Effectual Hiding,  And Dare Not Yet Come Out Of It.

This Fact Is A Very Great Hold Upon Him; And If He Turns Round On You,

You May Keep Him In Check With It. Only Let Me Alight On Him; I'll So

Frighten Him As To Cause Him To Ship Himself Off For Life."

 

"I Don't Like That Detective's Having Gone Down To Calne," Remarked Lord

Hartledon.

 

Neither Did Mr. Carr,  Especially If Gordon,  Or Gorton,  Should Have Become

Talkative,  As There Was Reason To Believe He Had.

 

"Gordon Is In England,  And In Hiding; Probably In London,  For There's No

Place Where You May Hide So Effectually. One Thing I Am Astonished At:

That He Should Show Himself Openly As George Gorton."

 

"Look Here,  Carr," Said Lord Hartledon,  Leaning Forward; "I Don't

Believe,  In Spite Of You And The Detective,  That Gordon,  Our Gordon,  Was

The One Connected With The Mutiny. I Might Possibly Get A Description

Of That Man From Gum Of Calne; For His Son Was Coming Home In The Same

Ship--Was One Of Those Killed."

 

"Who's Gum Of Calne?"

 

"The Parish Clerk,  And A Very Respectable Man. Mirrable,  Our Housekeeper

Whom You Have Seen,  Is Related To Them. Gum Went To Liverpool At The

Time,  I Know,  And Saw The Remnant Of The Passengers Those Pirates Had

Spared; He Was Sure To Hear A Full Description Of Gordon. If Ever I Visit

Hartledon Again I'll Ask Him."

 

"If Ever You Visit Hartledon Again!" Echoed Mr. Carr. "Unless You Leave

The Country--As I Advise You To Do--You Cannot Help Visiting Hartledon."

 

"Well,  I Would Almost As Soon Be Hanged!" Cried Val. "And Now,  What Do

You Want Me For,  And Why Have You Kept Me Here?"

 

Mr. Carr Drew His Chair Nearer To Lord Hartledon. They Alone Knew Their

Own Troubles,  And Sat Talking Long After The Afternoon Was Over. Mr.

Taylor Came To The Room; It Was Past His Usual Hour Of Departure.

 

"I Suppose I Can Go,  Sir?"

 

"Not Just Yet," Replied Mr. Carr.

 

Hartledon Took Out His Watch,  And Wondered Whether It Had Been Galloping,

When He Saw How Late It Was. "You'll Come Home And Dine With Me,  Carr?"

 

"I'll Follow You,  If You Like," Was The Reply. "I Have A Matter Or Two To

Attend To First."

 

A Few Minutes More,  And Lord Hartledon And His Care Went Out. Mr. Carr

Called In His Clerk.

 

"I Want To Know How You Came To Learn That The Man I Asked You About,

Gordon,  Was Employed By Kedge And Reck?"

 

"I Heard It Through A Man Named Druitt," Was The Ready Answer. "Happening

To Ask Him--As I Did Several People--Whether He Knew Any George Gordon,

He At Once Said That A Man Of That Name Was At Kedge And Reck's,  Where

Druitt Himself Had Been Temporarily Employed."

 

"Ah," Said Mr. Carr,  Remembering This Same Druitt Had Been Mentioned To

Him. "But The Man Was Called Gorton,  Not Gordon. You Must Have Caught Up

The Wrong Name,  Taylor. Or Perhaps He Misunderstood You. That's All; You

May Go Now."

 

The Clerk Departed. Mr. Carr Took His Hat And Followed Him Down; But

Before Joining Lord Hartledon He Turned Into The Temple Gardens,  And

Strolled Towards The River; A Few Moments Of Fresh Air--Fresh To Those

Hard-Worked Denizens Of Close And Crowded London--Seemed Absolutely

Necessary To The Barrister's Heated Brain.

 

He Sat Down On A Bench Facing The Water,  And Bared His Brow To The

Breeze. A Cool Head,  His; Never A Cooler Brought Thought To Bear Upon

Perplexity; Nevertheless It Was Not Feeling Very Collected Now. He Could

Not Reconcile Sundry Discrepancies In The Trouble He Was Engaged In

Fathoming,  And He Saw No Release Whatever For Lord Hartledon.

 

"It Has Only Complicated The Affair," He Said,  As He Watched The Steamers

Up And Down,  "This Calling In Green The Detective,  And The News He

Brings. Gordon The Gordon Of The Mutiny! I Don't Like It: The Other

Gordon,  Simple Enough And Not Bad-Hearted,  Was Easy To Deal With In

Comparison; This Man,  Pirate,  Robber,  Murderer,  Will Stand At Nothing. We

Should Have A Hold On Him,  It's True,  In His Own Crime; But What's To

Prevent His Keeping Himself Out Of The Way,  And Selling Hartledon To

Another? Why He Has Not Sold Him Yet,  I Can't Think. Unless For Some

Reason He Is Waiting His Time."

 

He