The Secret Passage

c, who always imagined herself worse than she really was. Cuthbert had often been summoned to her dying bed, only to find that she was alive and well. He expected t

e should remain, and, unwilling to cause her pain, he did so. It was four days before he returned to London. But his visit to Exeter was not

s brought up one evening. "All his life he has been qu

y," said her son soothingly. "

gotistical. "And I should have adorned the title. Such an old one as it is, too. But I'm gla

evil of the d

both horrid girls and constantly quarrelling. They hardly ever spoke to one another, and how you can contemplate marrying

nt. Had she known that Mrs. Octagon had forbidden the marriage she would have rejoiced, but to save maki

Miss Saul, mot

Selina, and she really did treat him badly, but I believe Miss Saul-such a horrid Hebrew name, isn't it-hypnotized him. He forgot her almost as soon as she died, in spite of his ridiculous idea of shutting up that house.

, Cuthbert was thinking. When she ended, "Why should

killed her. She was just the kind of violent girl who would do a thing like that. And Miss Saul's relatives have waited

about? Caranby told me that Miss Saul had onl

se money, I forget which. I believe the brother was involved also, but I can't be sure. But I only know the

f she had lived, Caranby would have married into

of what you

ter. It's old history now. But I really won't talk any more of these things, Cuthbert

r see Miss S

ack eyes. Rather like Selina and Isabella, for I'm sure they have Jewish blood in their veins.

sister who died are

" said Mrs. Mallow, who was slim and fair, "so coarse. Everyone called those Loach girls pretty, but I never did myself. I n

, mother. Julie

what she considered to be a triumphant manner. Nor would she renew it, though her son tried to learn

in Rose Cottage, and it seemed as though she was afraid of being hurt in some way. Perhaps she even anticipated a violent death. And then Mrs. Octagon hin

y one of the relatives. Caranby said that Selina did not go to the inquest, but pretended she was ill. Then she and her sister went to the continent for two years, and finally, when they returned, Selina instead of tak

h for her, but she was Juliet's mother, and he wanted to avert any trouble likely to cause the girl pain. A dozen times on the journey Cuthbert altered his mind. First he thought he would tell

icle on the crime. The inquest had been held, and the jury had brought in a verdict of "Murder against some person or persons unknown!" But it was plainly stated that th

erne, an old lady and life-long friend of the deceased, and Mr. Hale, a lawyer of repute and the legal adviser of Miss Loach, depart before ten o'clock. In her evidence Mrs. Herne stated that she and Mr. Hale left at half-past nine, and her assertion was corroborated by Mr. Hale hims

er the man heard the door open or shut he was not quite sure. However, thinking his mistress was walking in the garden as usual, the man paid no further attention to the incident. At eleven (precisely at eleven, for the kitchen clock struck), the sitting-room bell rang. Susan

Susan Grant asserts that no one was in the room. There was only one door, out of which she departed. The bedroom of Miss Loach on the basement floor had a door which opened into the passage, as did the sitting-room door. No one could have entered until the servant departed. The passage was lighted with electricity, but she did not observe anyone about, nor did she hear a sound. She showed out Mr. Clancy and

as a high wall running round an unfinished house belonging to the eccentric Lord Caranby blocks the way. Therefore the assassin must have ventured into the roadway. He could then have walked up the lane into the main streets of Rexton, or have taken a path opposite to the gate of Rose Cottage, which leads to the rail

was some time after the closing of the door overheard by Thomas; therefore the assassin could not have escaped that way. Moreover, by this time the policeman was standing blocking the pathway to

escaped then, having committed the crime and found the coast inside and outside the house clear for his flight. But who rang the bell? That is the question we ask. The deceased could not have done so, as, according to the doctor, the poor l

got fixed. Later on, the heat of the room, warping the wood round the ivory button, may have caused it to slip out, and thus the bell would have rung. Of course our readers may say that when pressed down the bell would have rung continuously, but an examination has revealed that the wires were out

h. The weapon cannot be discovered, nor the means-save as we suggest above-whereby the assassin can have made his escape. The whole affair is one of the most mysterious of late years, and will doubtless be relegat

save as the means of making a precis of the case. The theory of the bell appeared exce

ven with the heat, the ringing would have stopped. But the bell rang at eleven, and the girl was in the room two minutes late

? Certainly, having regard to the cards still being on the lap of the deceased, and the closing of the door at a time when the policeman was not in the vicinity, the assassin may have escaped in that way. But how did he come to be hidden in the bedroom, and how did he kill the old lady before she had time to call out or even rise,

ed that the detective should seek him out so promptly, Cuthbert entered his sitting-room. Jennings, who was standing with his back to the window, saluted him with a plea

nnings, w

you a few que

ut w

murder at R

ellow, I know n

ew Miss

ce or twice. But I

the young lady you a

a matter of fact she is," he said wi

ings briskly. "Pardon me, but are

do you mean by coming here to ask

am your friend, and

mean. Do you

t I ask you, why did you give this photograph, with a

photograph, bu

n. She refuses to speak," here the detective spoke l