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Updated: May 25, 2025
So it was clearly shown that Miss Marchurst must have been alone in the room when the crime was committed. Now to look into her past life it was certainly not a very creditable one. M. Vandeloup had sworn that she had been his mistress for over a year, and had taken the poison manufactured by himself out of his private desk.
'I do better, he answered, gaily, 'I carry Madame Midas and her luck. Mr Mark Marchurst was a very peculiar man. Brought up in the Presbyterian religion, he had early displayed his peculiarity by differing from the elders of the church he belonged to regarding their doctrine of eternal punishment.
On the other hand, the evidence of the detective Kilsip went to show that no marks were visible as to anyone having been at the window; and another thing which rendered Miss Marchurst's story doubtful was the resemblance it had to a drama in which she had frequently acted, called 'The Hidden Hand'. In the last act of that drama poison was administered to one of the characters in precisely the same manner, and though of course such a thing might happen in real life, still in this case it was a highly suspicious circumstance that a woman like Miss Marchurst, who had frequently acted in the drama, should see the same thing actually occur off the stage.
As anyone with strong views and a clever tongue will find followers, Mr Marchurst soon gathered a number of people around him who professed a blind belief in the extraordinary doctrines he promulgated.
'Are you going to Meddlechip's ball? said Calton to Madame. 'Oh, yes, she answered, nodding her head, 'I and Miss Marchurst are both going. 'Who is Mr Meddlechip? asked Kitty, swinging round on the piano- stool. 'He is the most charitable man in Melbourne, said Gaston, with a faint sneer. 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians, said Calton, mockingly.
'Such a delightful subject, murmured Gaston, closing his eyes, as he guessed what was coming; 'go on, I'm all attention. 'You are going to marry her, said Miss Marchurst, bending towards him and closing her fan with a snap. Vandeloup smiled faintly. 'You don't say so? he murmured, opening his eyes and looking at her lazily; 'who told you this news for news it is to me, I assure you?
So when Miss Marchurst entered the room, she naturally thought that Mrs Villiers was by herself, and would, as a matter of course, refrain from drawing the curtains and looking into the bed, in case she should awaken her proposed victim. There was a glass with drink on the table; she was alone with Mrs Villiers, her heart filled with jealous rage against a woman she thinks is her rival.
Mrs Villiers had stated that the window was open all night, and from the position of the table near it nothing would be easier than for anyone to introduce the poison into the glass as asserted by Miss Marchurst.
The latter course was the one adopted by Miss Marchurst, for she threw open the door and stood there blushing and pouting at the embarrassing situation in which she now found herself. 'I thought I would find Mrs Villiers here, she said, in a low, sweet voice, the peculiar timbre of which sent a thrill through Gaston's young blood, as he arose to his feet.
'Pretty well, returned Miss Marchurst, eyeing the fruit in a disparaging manner; 'peaches are nicer; are Madame's peaches ripe? looking anxiously at him. 'I think they are, rejoined Gaston, gravely. 'Then we'll have some for tea, decided Kitty, taking another bite out of her apple. 'I'm going to stay to tea, you know, she went on in a conversational tone.
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