The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

ng as when he is talking about himself; and, judging Mrs. Hableton by this statement, she was an extremely fascinating individual, as she never by any chance talked upon any other subject. Wha

had failed to save any. The late Mr. Hableton-for he had long since departed this life-had been addicted to alcohol, and at those times when he should have been earning, he was usually to be found in a drinking shanty spending his wife's earnings in "shouting" for himself and his friends. The constant drinking, and the hot Victorian climate, soon carried him off, and when Mrs. Hableton had seen him safely under the ground

ssiduously than ever. It was little consolation to her that she was but a type of many women, who, hardworking and thrifty themselves, are married to men who are nothing but an in

ecial delight of Mrs. Hableton. It was her way to tie an old handkerchief round her head and to go out into the garden and dig and water her beloved flowers until, from sheer desp

viciously pulling up a weed, "a-spendin' 'is, rent and a

s the garden, and on looking up, she saw a

shaking her trowel at the intruder. "I don't want no a

elusion that the man was a hawker, but seein

oons as belonged to my father's mother 'avin' gone down my 'usband's, throat long ago, an' I ain't 'ad money to buy more. I'm a lone p

f breath, and stood shaking her trowel

the man at the fenc

a school teacher, to answer your questions. I'm a woman as pays my rates an' taxes, and don

ted the man, in a satisfied to

y eyes twinkled like two stars. He was well-dressed in a suit of light clothes, and wore a stiffly-starched white waistcoat, with a massive gold chain

nt?" she ask

hyte live here?" a

like the rest of 'em, but I've put sumthin' in the paper as 'ill pull him up pretty sharp, and let 'im know I ain't a carpet to be trod

tburst, and Mrs. Hableton, having stopped

to you for a

bleton, defiantly. "Go on with you, not as

less blue sky, and wiping his face with a gaudy red sil

time to finish, but walking to

med to overflow with antimacassars, wool mats, and wax flowers. There were also a row of emu eggs on the mantelpiece, a cutlass on the wall, and a gr

shed towards him; he could not help thinking it had been stuffed with stones, it felt so cold and hard. The lady herself sat opposite to him in another

t it gave one the impression that it was moved by strings like

erchief into his hat, placed it on

am a detective. I w

, thinking that Whyte had got into

t," answere

where

ruptly, and watched t

is d

ed back her chair. "No," she crie

him?" queried Mr

intended to say, for, recovering herself wi

r killed

enly, and she returned his

thing more than she chooses to tell, but I'll get it out

sing from her seat, went over to a hard and shiny-looking sideboard, from whence she took a bottle

yes fixed curiously on her, "but you 'ave given me such a turn that I

aid Mr. Gorby, keeping hi

. Whyte kille

n a hansom cab on

et?" she asked in

the ope

w that she was deliberating whether or not to speak, and a word from him might seal her

usband, who was a brute and a drunkard, so, God knows, I ain't got much inducement to think well of the

ection w

ourse," she answ

who e

n't k

re is nob

n't know-I'

ctive wa

you mean?

said Mrs. Hableton, "an' if 'e

is inn

he start," said Mrs. Hableton, "

ssented, an

o, bein' a lone woman, 'avin' bin badly treated by a brute, who is now dead, which I was allays a good wife to 'im, I th

was he

no whiskers nor moustache

peculiar a

on thought

on his left temple, but it was covered with

Gorby to himself, "I'

just come from Englan

"accounts for the corpse not

nt in advance, an' 'e allays paid up reg'ler like a respectable man, tho' I don't b

re his

nowd where 'e went, which is jest like 'em; for they ses they're goin' to work, an' you

cted Mr. Gorb

a Mr. Moreland-who comed 'ere with 'm,

is Mr. More

rly, "but 'is 'abits weren't as good as 'is f

s affair," thought Gorby to himself "Whe

landlady, "'e used to be 'ere reg'lar,

ad. "I should like to see this Mr. Moreland

ll," answered the woman, "'e might call a

ective. "Coincidences happen in real life as well as in novels, and the gentlem

'in which, a gentleman called to see Mr. Why

morning

ess, and wore a light coa

the detective below

e way with men, the brutes. I got up and went into the passage in order to ask 'em not to make such a noise, when Mr. Whyte's door opens, an' the gentleman in the light coat comes out, and bangs along to the door. Mr. Whyte

by, drawing a long

sy since, an' I ain't got no money to get it put rig

ke any rem

d been worried

as the stra

er told me. He was very tall, with a fai

y was sa

o the hansom cab, and murdered Whyte; there's no do

f it?" said Mrs.

is eyes fixed on her, "I think that ther