The Mystery of the Clasped Hands

ling by it, not a little elated by the importance of his errand. On reaching Euston, after promising to meet them at the inquest, Fensden drove off to his club, while Sir Viv

n on the Saturday night, giving him an outline of the affair, and

areful that no breath of scandal attaches itself to your name. Now, as cases like this are somewhat foreign to our experience, I have made up my mind, always, of course, with your permission, that I will introduce you to a gentleman who makes them his particular study. Of course, should you desire it, I will put precedent on one s

He looked more like a trainer of racehorses than a criminal lawyer. He was the possessor of a sharp, keen face, a pair of restless eyes, a clean-shaven mouth and ch

uld be before I was drawn into it. And so, Mr. Henderson, you have the misfortune to be connected with it? As a matter of

ow it?” Godfrey asked, i

come to me for help. I simply put two and two together, with the result aforesaid. Perhaps you will be kind en

re so familiar. The lawyer listened patiently, made a few notes on a sheet of paper as the s

our hotel immediately after you

ly,” Godfr

u take

a cold night, and I though

ve to the ho

dismissed

Do you think the driver

it very probable

, of course, when you paid him, with t

s exactly opposite the door;

these things,” said the lawyer. “An

and soda, and, having

dfrey had elected to lunch, they found that the murder was the one absorbing topic of the day. This was more than Godfrey had bargained for; for, when it was remembered that the deceased woman had been his model, he was cross-qu

s only with difficulty, and after they had explained their errand, that they could gain admittance to the building. Fensden was awa

Probably not more than five persons now in this room ever saw the dead girl, and yet they crow

rey in a low voice. The latter immediately followed him from the ro

ied gentleman, and took his seat, after wh

been a quiet and respectable girl. At any rate, her rent had invariably been paid on the day on which it had become due. He had identified the body as being that of his lodger. During the time she had been with him he had never known her to recei

In answer to a question put by a superintendent of police, who represented the commissioner, he stated that he had never spoken to the deceased, for the reason that he knew no English or Italian, and she was not acquainted with German. He had heard her

had been compelled to dismiss her, not because he had any fault to find with her, but because he was going abroad. This was not the last he had heard of her, for, while on the Nile at Luxor, he had received a letter from her, informing him of her address, in view of any future work he might have for her. At Naples he had again met her, when he was on his way back to England, and had taken her to the Opera in her mother’s company. On the night of the murder, he had again met her in the Strand, quite by accident, when, finding that she was in serious trouble, he had offered to help her. She would not accept his assistance, however. Noticing that she was in a most unhappy state, and not liking to leave her alone in

, did you not inquire the name o

eplied, “but she r

strike you as

he informed me that he was dea

se, that she was not married

she was not; but I coul

was sent you at your country residence, were

ally I

clusions did

that my old friend

you to recogn

le of the second finger, the re

e coroner that he was appearing on behalf of the witn

le discovery, what was

officer in charge of Detwich. It was at once agreed that we should communicate w

, but I believe you are about to be ma

ied on Thursday ne

ouble you any further,” t

t that it was discovered that he had been arrested for assault upon a foreigner a fortnight before the deceased’s return to England, and that h

ered the deceased, and he had recommended her to his friend for the picture of which she was afterward the principal figure. She had always struck him as being a quiet and re

rintendent in charge of the case. “Why was it Mr.

o the case,” said Victor, appealing to the coroner. “I

scarcely be irrelevant,” said the coroner. “I think

moment while the Cour

uperintendent. “Why did the deceas

Godfrey looked at him in sur

of a conversation Mr. Henderson

nversation?” inqu

nsden seemed

sation refer to

di

on might become attached to her, so you used your friendly influence in o

ch Victor’s face was seen

t wa

. Henderson was attac

sure o

derson was aware of the de

th her,” said Victor; “but he said nothing to

ou have endeavoured to dissu

I should think it very probable that I shoul

aware of the deceased

d me of it on my arrival at

uch surprised to hear that

h,” Victo

ything to him u

into another entanglement with her, particularl

Are we, therefore, to understand that

paused befo

suggested to Mr. Henderson that his fianc??e might not care to know that he had been seen drivin

this is the man whom I have trusted and who ha

n, he said, and these reasons he had communicated to the foreman of the jury, who was completely satisfied. The Court thereupon adjourned, and Godfrey presently found himself in the street with Mr. Codey on

ice, “after what they dragged out of m

d quite enough already.” Then, turning to the others, he continued: “Come, gentlem

id that gentleman. “I must have

s impossible for him to be blind to the fact that his kindness to Teresina had been the means of bringing down grave suspicion upon

private office, the door was sh

said Mr. Codey, “what

o the conclusion that I am responsible for the mur

it in that light,” the other replied. “The man Fensden’s evidence,

bore you some ill-will. And yet, do you know, Mr. Codey,” he added, turning to the lawyer, “Mr. Henderson has done everything for that man. He has p

gation in many cases, the deeper the ingratitude. We are wandering from the point, however. Now I am going to be plain-spoken. Te

firmly. “The man who de

saying it. When you left her in Burford S

reet, so far as I c

ht porter let you in at your hotel? Did you

‘I’m afraid I’m rather late,’ then, looking at

that,” said Codey. Then with his usual abruptness, he c

rt Road, along Oxford Stre

ow long it will take. If only that hall porter has a good memory

you do not for a moment suppose that Mr. Hender

they left England hurriedly, the girl following them to Naples. No, no, Mr. Henderson, I beg that you will be silent. Remember, I am telling the story as I should tell it if I were against you instead of for you. As I have said, the girl left for Naples, and I insinuate that she followed you. It can be proved that she corresponded

hurriedly, his face flushing angrily at the

eded to England, and, after a little while in the country, became engaged to the daughter of Sir Vivian, now present. The Italian girl had also gon

aid Godfrey. “As a matter of fact

Why not to

ng from his seat, “you don’t surely mean

quite by chance, met her in the Strand, at midnight. At midnight, and by chance, mark that! Does that meeting look like an accidental one? Could you convince a jury that it was? I doubt it. However, let us proceed. The girl is in trouble, and you take her home in a hansom. The policeman and the cabman will certainly identify you,

an surely be proved that I had nothing whats

oints in your favour are the facts that you were at Detwich when the box containing the dead woman’s hands was sent off at Euston, and that there would not be sufficient time between the moment when the policeman saw you in Burford Street and the time when you arrived

e we go any further, to tell me honestly whether, in yo

the lawyer; “and you may be sure I sh