CHAPTER V

THE TALK OF THE TOWN

Nowadays, events, political, social, and criminal, crowd so closely on

one another's heels that what was formerly a nine days' wonder is

scarcely marvelled at the same number of minutes. Yet in certain cases

episodes of a mysterious or unexpected nature engage the attention of a

careless world for a somewhat longer period, and provoke an immense

amount of discussion and surmise. In this category may be placed the

crime committed in Geneva Square; for when the extraordinary

circumstances of the case became known, much curiosity was manifested

regarding the possible criminal and his motive for committing so

apparently useless a crime.

To add to the wonderment of the public, it came out in the evidence of

Lucian Denzil at the inquest that Berwin was not the real name of the

victim; so here the authorities were confronted with a three-fold

problem. They had first to discover the name of the dead man; second, to

learn who it was had so foully murdered him; and third, to find out the

reason why the unknown assassin should have slain an apparently harmless

man.

But these hidden things were not easily brought to light; and the

meagre evidence collected by the police failed to do away with any one

of the three obstacles--at all events, until after the inquest. When the

jury brought in a verdict that the deceased had been violently done to

death by some person or persons unknown, the twelve good men and true

stated the full extent of knowledge gained by Justice in her futile

scramble after clues. Berwin--so called--was dead, his assassin had

melted into thin air, and the Silent House had added a second legend to

its already uncanny reputation. Formerly it had been simply haunted, now

it was also blood-stained, and its last condition was worse than its

first.

The dead man had been found stabbed to the heart by some long, thin,

sharp-pointed instrument which the murderer had taken away with him--or

perhaps her, as the sex of the assassin, for obvious reasons, could not

be decided. Mrs. Kebby swore that she had left the deceased sitting over

the fire at eight o'clock on Christmas Eve, and that he had then been

fairly well, though far from enjoying the best of health. When she

returned, shortly after nine, on Christmas morning, the man was dead and

cold. Medical aid was called in at the same time as the police were

summoned; and the evidence of the doctor who examined the body went to

prove that Berwin had been dead at least ten hours; therefore, he must

have been assassinated between the hours of eleven and twelve of the

previous night.

Search was immediately made for the murderer, but no trace could be

found of him, nor could it be ascertained how he had entered the house.

The doors were all locked, the windows were all barred, and neither at

the back nor in the front was there any outlet left open whereby the

man--if it was a man who had done the deed--could have escaped.

Blinders, the policeman on duty at the entrance of the square, gave

evidence that he had been on duty there all night, and that although

many servants and owners of houses belonging to the square had passed in

from their Christmas marketings, yet no stranger had entered. The

policeman knew every one, even to the errand-boys of the neighbourhood,

who brought parcels of Christmas goods, and in many cases had exchanged

greetings with the passers-by; but he was prepared to swear, and, in

fact, did swear at the inquest, that no stranger either came into or

went out of Geneva Square.

Also he deposed that when the traffic died away after midnight he had

walked round the square, and had looked at every window, including that

of No. 13, and had tried every door, also including that of No. 13, only

to find that all was safe. Blinders declared on oath that he had not on

Christmas Eve the slightest suspicion of the horrid tragedy which had

taken place in the Silent House during the time he was on duty.

When the police took possession of the body and mansion, search was made

in bedroom and sitting-room for papers likely to throw light on the

identity of the victim, but in vain. No letters or telegrams, or even

writing of any kind, could be discovered; there was no name in the dead

man's books, no mark on his clothes, no initials on his linen.

The landlord of the house declared that the deceased had hired the

mansion six months before, but had given no references, and as the

landlord was glad to let the haunted No. 13 on any terms, he had not

insisted upon having them. The deceased, said the landlord, had paid a

month's rent in advance in ready money, and at the end of every month he

had discharged his liability in the same way. He gave neither cheque nor

notes, but paid always in gold; and beyond the fact that he called

himself Mark Berwin, the landlord knew nothing about him.

The firm who had furnished the rooms made almost the same report, quite

as meagre and unsatisfactory. Mr. Berwin--so the deceased had given his

name--had ordered the furniture, and had paid for it in gold.

Altogether, in spite of every effort, the police were obliged to declare

themselves beaten. They could not find out the name of the victim, and

therefore were unable to learn his past life, or trace thereby if he had

an enemy likely to harm him.

Beyond the report given by Lucian of his conversation with the man,

which showed that Berwin certainly had some enemy whom he dreaded, there

was nothing discovered to show reason for the committal of the crime.

Berwin--so called--was dead; he was buried under his assumed name, and

there, so far as the obtainable evidence went, was an end to the strange

tenant of the Silent House. Gordon Link, the detective charged with the

conduct of the case, confessed as much to Denzil.

"I do not see the slightest chance of tracing Berwin's past," said he to

the barrister. "We are as ignorant about him as we are of the name of

the assassin."

"Are you sure there is no clue, Mr. Link?"

"Absolutely none; even the weapon with which the crime was committed

cannot be found."

"You have searched the house?"

"Every inch of it, and with the result that I have found nothing. The

surroundings of the case are most mysterious. If we do not identify the

dead we cannot hope to trace the murderer. How the wretch got into the

house is more than I can discover."

"It is strange," admitted Lucian thoughtfully, "yet in some secret way

people were in the habit of entering the house, and Berwin knew as much;

not only that, but he protected them from curiosity by denying that they

even existed."

"I don't quite follow you, Mr. Denzil."

"I allude to the shadows on the blind, which I saw myself a week before

the murder took place. They were those of a man and a woman, and must

have been cast by bodies of flesh and blood. Therefore, two people must

have been in Berwin's sitting-room on that night; yet when I met Berwin

who was absent at the time--he denied that anyone could have entered his

house without his knowledge. More, he actually insisted that I should

satisfy myself as to the truth of this by examining the house."

"Which you did?"

"Yes, but found nothing; yet," said Lucian, with an air of conviction,

"however the man and woman entered, they were in the house."

"Then the assassin must have come in by the same way; but where that way

can be, or how it can be found, is more than I can say."

"Does the landlord know of any secret passages?"

"No; I asked him," replied the detective, "but he stated that houses

nowadays were not built with secret passages. When Berwin denied that

anyone was in the house, was he afraid, Mr. Denzil?"

"Yes, he seemed to be nervous."

"And he told you he had enemies?"

"He hinted that there were people who wished to see him dead. From the

way he spoke and the language he used I am satisfied that he was hiding

from the vengeance of some one."

"Vengeance!" repeated Link, raising his eyebrows. "Is not that word a

trifle melodramatic?"

"Perhaps; but to my mind there is more melodrama in actual life than

people fancy. However, Mr. Link," added Lucian, "I have come to certain

conclusions. Firstly, that Berwin was in hiding; secondly, that he saw

people secretly who entered in some way we cannot discover; and

thirdly, that to solve the problem it will be necessary to look into the

past life of the dead man."

"Your third conclusion brings us round to the point whence we started,"

retorted Link. "How am I to discover the man's past?"

"By learning who he is, and what is his real name."

"An easy task," said the detective sarcastically, "considering the

meagre material upon which we have to work. And how is the business to

be accomplished?"

"By advertisement."

"Advertisement!"

"Yes. I wonder the idea did not strike you before, seeing how often it

is used in similar cases. Advertise a full description of the man who

called himself Berwin, note his physical peculiarities and looks, and

circulate such description by means of handbills and newspapers."

Link looked angry, and laughed rather contemptuously, as his

professional pride was touched by the fact of being advised by an

individual not of his calling.

"I am not so ignorant of my business as you think," he said sharply.

"What you suggest has already been done. There are handbills describing

the appearance of Berwin in every police office in the kingdom."

"In the newspapers, also?" asked Lucian, nettled by the detective's

tone.

"No; it is not necessary."

"I don't agree with you. Many people in private life are not likely to

see your handbills. I don't pretend to advise, Mr. Link," he added in

soothing tones, "but would it not be wise to use the medium of the daily

papers?"

"I'll think of it," said Link, too jealous of his dignity to give way at

once.

"Oh, I quite rely on your discretion," said Denzil hastily. "You know

your own business best. But if you succeed in identifying Berwin, will

you let me know?"

Link looked keenly at the young man.

"Why do you wish to know about the matter?" he asked.

"Out of simple curiosity. The case is so mysterious that I should like

to watch you unravel it."

"Well," said Link, rather gratified by this tribute to his power, "I

shall indulge your fancy."

The result of this conversation was that Lucian observed in the

newspapers next day an advertisement describing the looks and name, and

physical peculiarities of the deceased, with special mention of the loss

of the left hand's little finger, and the strange cicatrice on the right

cheek. Satisfied that the only way to learn the truth had been adopted

by the authorities, Lucian impatiently waited for the development of the

scheme.

Within the week he received a visit from the detective.

"You were right and I was wrong, Mr. Denzil," admitted Link generously.

"The newspapers were of more use than the handbills. Yesterday I

received a letter from a lady who is coming to see me to-morrow at my

office. So if you care to be present at the interview you have only to

say so."

"I should like it above all things," said Lucian eagerly. "Who is the

lady?"

"A Mrs. Vrain, who writes from Bath."

"Can she identify the dead man?"

"She thinks she can, but, of course, she cannot be certain until she

sees the body. Going by the description, however," added Link, "she is

inclined to believe that Berwin was her husband."