The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

ir is taken, and variations embroidered on it, till it becomes a perfect agony to distinguish the tune, amid the perpetual rattle of quavers and demi-semi-quavers. The

with a great deal of power (that is, the loud pedal was down), and with a perpet

iress to whom he was then paying attention, in the hope that she might be induced to take the name of Rolleston. So, when the fair Dora had paralysed her audienc

entally wondering if any of the piano strings had given way at that last crash.

ss Featherweight, with a modest blush. "

it." But he kept this remark to himself, and, screwing his eye-gla

any answer to this, looked down and blushed,

a corner of the room tal

d, "but it is horrible to th

omily; "from all I can hear dying b

e, "especially to a young man so full o

sorry he's dead," s

she asked in

gerald. "But as I detested him when aliv

quickly at his face, and for the first

?" she asked, placing her hand on

out business lately-but come," he said, rising, "let us go outside, for

ight, the sister of Rolleston's inamorata, and Madge stif

into a laugh when they were safely outside

ly, as Julia wailed out, "Meet me once

dah looked out into the beautiful moonlit night. There were a number of people passing along the Esplanade, some of whom stopped and listened to Julia's shrill notes. One man in particular seeme

t man want, Br

as the watcher moved away from the gate and crossed the road on to

nking there was more in it than the music. Pre

ack in a comfortable seat, smoking

ing. "You stop here and finish your cigarette,"

ainly watching the house, for he sat on one of the seats, and kept his eyes fixed on

seen me?" he mutter

ould never recognise me again. Curse Wh

arm, well-lighted room. He did not feel easy in his mind, and he would have felt still less s

yed. Moreland did not know where Fitzgerald lived, and as that was one of the primary facts the

orby to himself, as he took his seat on the Esplanade. "He won't long remain away from he

ng, on his way to Mark Frettlby's mansion, he wor

en he polished Whyte off, and think he won't be recognised. Melbourne ain't Paris or London, that he can afford to be so careless, and when I put the darbies o

. A bevy of girls passed by with their arms round one another's waists. Then a young man and woman, evidently lovers, came walking along. They sat down by Mr. Gorby and looked hard at him,

ss of the night, a sound weird and unearthly. It was Miss Featherweight singing. He saw

ipe; "your conscience is a-smiting you, is it?

black figures disappeared one by one from the m

by at his side, and Madge hanging on her father's

" he said, in a hearty v

" said Madge, kissing him, "

the gate, leaving Brian outsid

f you only knew what I know, you wo

walked on till he was opposite the Esplanade Hotel. Then he leaned his arms

orby, in a regretful tone. "I can hardly bel

rian could see the white wavelets breaking lightly on the sands. The long narrow pier ran out like a black thread into the

er, as the rocks the Titans piled to reach Olympus. Then a break in the woof, and a bit of dark blue sky could be seen glittering with s

at the sky for several minutes, admiring the wonderful beauty of its broken masses of

Gorby. "Not if I can help it." An

beneath, which kept rising and falling in a dreamy rhythm, that soothed and charmed the ear. "Poo

round sharply. The detective saw that his face was ghastl

ou want?" he burst o

by following me al

ollowing you, sir," he said aloud. "I suppose the pier ain't pr

rply on his heel, and walked quickly up t

trolled easily along, keeping the black figure in front well in view. "I'

e comers hurrying into the station. Just as the last bell rang he saw a man rush along, to catch the train. It was the same man who had been watching him the whole evening, and Brian felt confident that he was being followed. He comforted himself, however, with the thought that this pertinacious follower might lose the t

e will follow me to East Melbourne, and find ou

riage, and he felt relieved at this bec

Braddon hollow. There is one thing certain, he won't come between Madge and me again. Poor Madge!" with an impatient sigh. "If she

at, he walked to the other end of the carriage, and threw hi

n't possibly bring forward any evidence to show that I was. Pshaw!" he went on, impatiently buttoning up his coat. "I am like a ch

r. But he saw no one at all like the man he had met on the St. Kilda pier, and with a sigh of relief he left the station. Mr. Gorby, however, was not far away. He was following at a safe distance. Brian walked slowly along

on the opposite side of the street. "You're going to have a l

bourne Club, still suspecting he was followed, he hailed a hansom, and drove away in the direction of Spring Street. Gorby was rath

e of admiration, as he looked round the luxurious hansom, "to choose such a convenient place for a murder; no disturbance and plenty of time for escape after you h

urned down Spring Street, and was being driven rapidly along the Wellington Parade, in the

id to himself. "Shows his nest right

front kept driving on, through an interminable maze of streets, unti

he roof of the hansom, "'ow long's this 'ere game agoin' to larst? My 'oss

the detective, impatien

in Fitzroy by this time, and both cabs turned out of Gertrude Street into Nicholson Street; thence passed on to Evelyn Street and along Spring Street, until Brian's c

was by no means a light one, but over which he had no time to argue, "we'v

ad of him, walking rapidly. It was bright moonlight, and

in the Wood). He knew that each of the statues had queer names, but thought they were merely allegorical. Passing over the bridge, with the water rippling quietly underneath, Brian went up the smooth yellow path to where the statue of Hebe, holding the cup, seems instinct with life; and turning down the path to the right, he left the gardens by the end gate, near which stands the statue of the Dancing Faun, with the great bush of scarlet geranium burning like an altar before it. Then he went along the Welling

dy when he's out, and find out what time he came in on the night of the murder. If it fits in