Daisy Ashford: Her Book Part 37

This was all written in violet coloured ink by Cyril himself; but at the bottom of the paper a few lines were hastily scrawled in pencil.

"I hereby add that all my share of the money I stole from Mr. John Winston is in the black leather bag at the back of the chest. Helen will recognise the bag. Not a farthing has been spent and it is all to go to Helen. Dated October 14.

"That was written on the day of Mr. Sheene's departure announced Mr.

Spriggs as he replaced the paper in its envelope, and this is the bag I suppose," he added dragging at a black leather bundle in a remote corner of the chest.

The bag it certainly was and on being opened 100 in ready gold tumbled on to the desk, and with it a slip of paper on which the reader will remember John Winston had written, "all this gold is bequeathed to my daughter Helen on the day when I shall be called upon to die," and was sealed with the writer's prifate seal.

Nothing else of great importance appeared except a bundle of white ma.n.u.script carefully tied up and sealed, addressed to Helen and marked "private."

"I know what that is!" cried Netherby excitedly "it is the story Mr.

Sheene wrote about, look here sir" and he picked up Cyril's letter which had dropped from Helen's hand when she was lifted into the cab.

Mr. Spriggs carefully read the letter and placed it in the chest, "ah yes" he said addressing Lord Beaufort and Lawrence, "that story is evidently for Miss Winston's private eye, so it must be locked up till she is able to read it."

"Which wont be for a good while judging from her present condition,"

said Lawrence, "but now to business, what about this office, it is a difficult matter to carry it on without Mr. Sheene."

"As far as I can see, it must be kept on till Miss Winston's recovery"

replied Mr. Spriggs "if no more news is heard of Mr. Sheene till then well Miss Winston can come and procure her money and various other papers which will of course be hers and then this place can be sold."

"Yes" said Lord Beaufort and I suppose Mr. Netherby will be the head man till then.

"Well yes" replied Mr. Spriggs "he must certainly be here to look after the place, and of course I shall look in occasionally to see all goes well; another young man can be got to be under Mr. Netherby as Mr.

Wilson has gone to prison for attempted robbery; do you agree to that Mr. Netherby?"

"Oh yes sir" eagerly replied the clerk, who would not have disagreed for the world.

"And if it comes to the place being sold" added Lord Beaufort "you can come to me Mr. Netherby, I may have arranged something by then"

"Thank you very much sir" replied Netherby and after a few more matters had been arranged the three men left the office leaving Netherby in charge.

By the time Lord Beaufort and Lawrence got back home, a doctor had seen Helen. He said that when she recovered her senses, perfect rest and quiet would be all she needed, her brain being in a dazed condition. She would not be able to leave her bed for some time probably though nothing serious was the matter.

Helen remained unconscious all night and next day she was very delirious but towards 4 o'clock she dropped asleep and woke up about seven o'clock, her right senses returned to her, but still in a weak condition.

CHAPTER 28

THE PROPOSAL

It was not untill the evening after Helen's recovery that Lawrence and Lord Beaufort had an oppertunity of conversing together.

Mulberry Beaufort was seated in his luxurious study partaking of some Burgundy wine and reading a detective story, when the door opened and Lawrence, entered, tired after a long day in the city.

"Well Mulberry" he said throwing himself down in an arm chair and lighting a cigar, "no news of Sheene in the Star I suppose?"

"Not a word" replied Mulberry, "it is a most misterious affair altogether."

"Yes the odd part of it is that Palsey has made off too" answered Lawrence.

"You dont mean that!" cried Mulberry.

"Yes I do" said Lawrence, "it appears the villain got off while I was away; you know I locked him in the drawing room and as the landlady had the key he would not have made his exit in that way.

"No" replied Mulberry "he certainly could not but you forget the window."

"No I dont" responded Lawrence, "that is just where he did get out, for when I opened the door of the drawing room, the window was wide open at the bottom, and a bit of rope was fastenned to a hook on the window ledge and hanging out of the window, so the wreatch made his escape that way; it is a wonder he was not detected for the police are every where on the look out for him and I am sure if ever a man deserved the gallows he does."

"Yes indeed" replied Mulberry lazily puffing at his cigar "but in my opinion the disappearance of Sheene is the most extraordinary it was so very sudden and unexpected, but it was not at all an unlikely thing for Palsey to do, he was so angry at being locked in."

"My idea is" answered Lawrence "that they both had their own reasons for wis.h.i.+ng to leave so abruptly. I shouldnt be at all supprised if the villian Palsey knowing the police were on his track, dropped some hint as to Sheene's share in the murder and so got the blame partly s.h.i.+fted from himself."

"Then you think Sheene did share in the murder do you?" asked Mulberry, his black eyes flas.h.i.+ng.

"I do" replied Lawrence, "I bet you a s.h.i.+lling that story of Sheene's will reveal everything. It strikes me Sheene made off on account of the police too----"

"Well I only hope Miss Winston will soon be well enough to read the story" replied Mulberry.

"I hope so too responded Lawrence heartily.

"I suppose Netherby still stays at the office?" enquired Mulberry.

"Oh yes" answered Lawrence, "but it will be a good thing for him as soon as he can leave, he gets very little pay and he is really a very good fellow indeed."

"Yes he is" rejoined Mulberry "I will try and get something for him as soon as possible."

Just then the door opened and in came Gladys looking very pretty in her evening dress of rose coloured silk.

She blushed on seeing the two men, but came forward gracefully enough.

"I came to see if you were coming into the drawing room" she said "dinner will soon be ready and I have just been to see Helen."

"Oh how is she?" asked Lawrence.

"Better I think" replied Gladys "I am going up again after dinner."

"Well I will come to the drawing room" said Mulberry putting aside his tumbler.

"Will you come too Lawrence?"

"Not yet thanks" replied Lawrence "I have a letter to write, I will join you at dinner"

"We expect a few guests tonight" said Mulberry.

"Oh" said Lawrence "I'll change presently."