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"It does, but you throw no light on the mystery, and the fact remains that Parrish was murdered. You have not knocked the bottom out of my theory, and with Cockran's help I am going to put it to the test. For the moment there is nothing more to be done. I must wait until I hear from Cockran. I will wire you some time to-morrow. You must meet me without fail wherever I appoint.
The widow, obeying priestly instructions, announced that her husband had gone to California. Then the soul of William Parrish at Springville was saved to eternal glory; also the soul of his son, Beason.
When, about six months before, Mary and her mother had begun to be regular visitors at Harkings, Hartley Parrish had insisted on giving Mary a boudoir to herself. This, in response to a chance remark of Mary's in admiration of a Chinese room she had seen at a friend's house, Parrish had had decorated in the Chinese style with black walls and black-and-gold lacquer furniture.
"You promise to say nothing about it to any one?" He nodded. "Of course." Without a word the girl gave him the letter. With slow deliberation he unfolded it. The letter was typewritten and headed: "Elias van der Spyck & Co. General Importers, Rotterdam." This was the letter: ELIAS VAN DER SPYCK & CO. GENERAL IMPORTERS ROTTERDAM Rotterdam 25th Nov. Codes A.B.C. Liebler's Personal Dear Mr. Parrish,
"But there was some unpleasantness some months ago ... er ... a county court action, to be precise, about some bills she owed. Mr. Parrish was very angry about it and settled to prevent it coming into court. But there was some talk about it ... in legal circles ..." He threw a rather scared glance at the girl. "Please explain yourself, Mr. Jeekes," she said coldly. "I don't understand ..."
While we fully appreciate your own difficulties with labour at home, you will understand that this is a question which we cannot afford to adjourn sine die. Yours faithfully, pro ELIAS VAN DER SPYCK & CO. "'The last ... warning," Robin read out, "'if you don't ... settle ... by Nov. 27 ... you ... die ...!" He looked up. "Last Saturday," he said, "was the 27th, the day that Parrish died ..."
"If you will come to Harkings with me the day after to-morrow, sir, I shall hope to show you exactly how Mr. Parrish met his death ..." "No, no, Manderton," responded the Chief; "I can't leave here for a bit. There are bigger murderers than Jeekes at liberty in Holland to-day ..." The detective slapped his thigh.
What it comes to is this, Mary heard the shot fired that killed Parrish. Did she hear the shot he fired at his murderer?" "By Gad!" exclaimed Bruce Wright impressively, "I believe you've got it, Robin! Parrish fired at somebody at the window a silent shot and the other fellow fired back the shot that Mary Trevert heard, the shot that killed Parrish. Isn't that the way you figure it out?"
"Then Mary is the only one who can put us right on that point. Assuming that two shots were fired and that bullet mark in the rosery is, I think, conclusive on that head and knowing that she heard the loud report of the one, presumably, if Parrish had the silencer on his automatic, Mary must have heard the muffled report of the other.
"Miss Trevert, ma'am," the butler said in a low voice, "I wouldn't take it upon me to say anything as would get anybody in this house into trouble...." "You saw Mr. Greve go into Mr. Parrish?" The butler raised his hands in a quick gesture of denial. "God forbid, Miss!" he ejaculated in horror. "What, then, do you know that is likely to get anybody here into trouble?"
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