The Childerbridge Mystery

itting words the effect produced upon James St

in a voice surcharged with horror. "F

an replied. "It's too terrible fo

side his father's body, James to

together. When calmness returned to him, he rose to his feet, clasped the

et the messenger call at the police-station on the way and ask

room to perform what he knew would be the saddest task of his life. As he desc

the room. "And father too. I shall have to

step towards him. "Has anything happened, Jim?" she enquired, "your face is as white as death." Then Jim told her every

tanderton's residence in the neighbourhood had been, it had, nevertheless, been long enough for them to arrive at a proper appreciation of his worth.

en he joined Jim in the library after he had made his examination. "If

you can do. Stay! There is one question you can answer. I wan

d the medical man. "I s

oubt in your mind as to

ll outward appearances point to the fa

e police officer

he key in my possession. It will be necessary for me to report the matter to the Authorities at once,

an anxious that the mystery surrounding my father's death sha

tened on the inside, so that the assassin, whoever he was, could not have made his entrance b

ort of life he has done for fifty years does n

usiness to ascertain whether any of the windows or doors were open this morning. One more question, Mr. Sta

been in his mind ever since he had m

s a man in Australia who hated m

Australia could scarcely have comm

he and my father had a quarrel. The man was ordered out of the house, and

explained. I must make it my business to dis

It should not be difficult to trace him, however; and if you consider a reward necessary, in order to bring about his apprehens

e doctor remarked. "You will have

shall take a man with me and call at the 'George and D

hereupon furnished the officer with

ourse, be able

ears," Jim answered. "Wilkins, the butler, will also be gl

d. "I will let you know as soon

re, and Jim went in search of his grief-stricken sister. The terrible news had by

tain that Mary Sampson did not see the Black Dwarf for nothing. Why, it's well known by everybody

to whom she spoke s

se, but they forget that this is not the first time a man has been found stran

nk it was the ghost that killed the poor master?" a

it wasn't," that lady replied somewhat ambiguousl

of the crime, and imploring her to come to his sister at once. A servant was

her lover, when he greeted her in the drawing-room. "Oh! Jim, my poor b

g less than an hour it came in the shape of a note from the inspector, to the effect that Murbridge had not returned to the "George and Dragon" until a late hour on the previous night, and that he had departed for London by the train leaving Childerbridge J

came the intimation from the Coroner to the effect that the Inquest

formation that a person of "the name of Robins" desired to see his

ming as he did so a shrewd g

ividual, resembling a Dissenting minister more th

n, speaking in a low, deep voice, th

he other replied. "W

ologise for intruding upon you at such a time, but if the murderer is to be brought to justice, no time mast be lost. I

the murder. He discovered that the detective had already been inform

ed, "is the way in which the man got into the house. You have n

hook hi

eem such a proceeding necessary, you are, of course, quite at liberty to do so. T

d nothing suspiciou

likely that I should do so, as my ro

ble for the lock

tler, W

ith you any le

t since he has been in our service we have found him a most careful and

he had anything to do with the crime itself. It is not outside the bounds of possibility, however, that his honesty may have been tampered with, even to

question the servants. From the account James received of the examina

to rest. He was as certain as a man could be that no lock, bolt, or bar had been moved from its place during

Murbridge was away from the inn at a late hour, and there's evidence enough upstairs to show that somebody made his way into Mr. Standerton's room between

se at a late hour he knew as much about Richard Murbridge's movem

filled, there was not one scrap of writing that could in anyway enlighten him. They were the plain records of a successful business man's career, and, so far as Murbridge was concerned, quite devoid of interest. I do not think James Standerton ever knew how much he loved his father until he went through that drawer. The neat little packets, so carefully tied up and labelled

cking the drawer of the table, and pla

n a few moments later accompanie

when they were alone togethe

e park by the main gates almost on the stroke of half-past eight last night. I have also discovered that he was

m replied. "Go on! Wha

ou may be sure it was not with any good intention. I have made enquiries from the keepers, and they have inform

sed. Lying outside the village as it does, it is a very roundabout wa

r not been living here he would not have come near the place. On receipt of Mr. Standerton's letter, he set off for the house, and did not return to the inn until a late hour. In point of fact, it was between twelve and one o'clock when he did come in. The landlord is unable to give the exact time, for the reason that he was too sleepy to take much notice of it. He does remember, however, that Murbridge was in a very bad temper, and tha

who killed my father, and if it costs me all I am worth in the world, and if I am compelled to spend the rest of my life in doing it, I'll bri

g him a mischief, and also that on the night he uttered this threat the murder was committed. From this it would appear that he is responsible for it. But how are we to prove that he got into the house? No one saw him, and there are no suspicious footprints on the flower-beds outside. At the same time we know that he did not return to the inn until a late hour, and that, when he did, he was in an excited state. Yet why should he not have gone for a

o done. He informed her of the detective's visit, and of the information he had received from him. It was nearly midnight when he left her. The lamp in the hall was still burning, and he descended the great staircase with the intentio

, who, for the moment, was compelled to enterta

master scarcely recognised. "I'd never believe it coul

what?" Jame

s replied; "the ghost of

talk then, and I very much reg

d. "You must have imag

of such a thing, when I happened to look up in the gallery, and there, sir, as sure as I'm alive, was the ghost, leaning on the rail, and looking down at me. His eyes were glaring l