United States or Mongolia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Rhoda doesn't seem to share your sentiments," said Denzil drily. "No, I don't!" cried the servant, frowning. "I hated Mr. Wrent!" "Why did you hate him?" "Never you mind, sir," retorted Rhoda grimly. "I hated him." "Yet he bought you this cloak." "No, he didn't!" contradicted the girl. "He got it from the lady!" "What!" cried Lucian sharply. "Are you sure of that?"
With a cry for help she eluded him and sprang towards the bedroom door for protection. The next moment the four watchers were in the room wrestling with Wrent. When he felt the grip of their hands, and knew that he was betrayed, he cried out savagely, and fought with the strength of two men.
'Old Bill, says they, 'will have his little joke. Then they brings up some iron stowed in the hold, and with ropes and chains they ties well-nigh half a ton of it to my legs and arms, then lowers me over the side. Down I wrent, in course, which made 'em larf louder than afore; and I were fathoms and fathoms under water afore I stopped hearing them larf.
Clear had stated that Vrain, when under her charge, escaped several times, and had remained away for several days, until brought back again by the Count. Again, the appearance of Wrent, as described by Rhoda, was precisely the same as the looks of Vrain when Lucian saw him in the Hampstead asylum; so it seemed that there might be some truth in the story.
He had suspected Lydia as guilty of the crime; he had credited Ferruci with its commission, and he had been certain of the guilt of Clyne, alias Wrent; but to discover that the red-headed servant was the culprit entirely bewildered him. She had no motive to kill the man; she had given evidence freely in the matter, and in all respects had acted as an innocent person.
"Do you know a man called Wrent?" asked Lucian abruptly. "I do not, Mr. Denzil," said Ferruci at once. "Why do you ask?" "Well, I thought he might be the man to disguise himself. But no," added Lucian, remembering Rhoda's account of Wrent's white hair and beard, "it cannot be him. He would not sacrifice his beard to carry out the plan; in fact he could not without attracting Rhoda's attention."
This is one of them; and, so far as I can see, this unknown assassin will be punished on Judgment Day not before." "Then you don't think that Signor Ferruci is guilty?" said Diana. "No. He has had nothing to do with the matter; nor has Mrs. Vrain brought about the death in any way." "You cannot say who killed my father?" "Not for certain, but I suspect Wrent."
"And took you to 'The Haven, at Hampstead, on Christmas Eve." "That's true. He took me from Wrent's house in Jersey Street. You need not go on, Mr. L. D. I admit the whole business." "You do?" cried Lucian and Diana together. "Yes, if only to spite that old villain Wrent, who has not paid me the money he promised." Before Lucian and Miss Vrain could express their pleasure at Mrs.
"Wrent?" said Ferruci, smiling in a sneering way. "Ah! you wish to know who Wrent is? Well, excuse me for a few minutes, and I'll bring you something to show who he is." With a nod to Lucian he passed into his bedroom, leaving the barrister much astonished. He thought that Ferruci was Wrent himself, and had gone away to resume the disguise of wig and beard.
This inability was due to the police, who, anxious to capture those concerned in the conspiracy to obtain the assurance money of the Sirius Company, kept everything they could out of the papers, lest Lydia and Wrent should be put on their guard, and so escape. Lucian had been forced to report the death of Ferruci to the authorities.
Word Of The Day