The Middle Temple Murder J. S. Fletcher (the reading strategies book .txt) đ
- Author: J. S. Fletcher
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âI donât know. Probably. They know something. Andâ âlook here!â
Spargo put his hand in his breast pocket and drew something out which he handed to Breton, who gazed at it curiously.
âWhatâs this?â he demanded. âStamps?â
âThat, from the description of Criedir, the stamp-dealer, is a sheet of those rare Australian stamps which Maitland had on himâ âcarried on him. I picked it up just now in Cardlestoneâs room, when you were looking into his bedroom.â
âBut that, after all, proves nothing. Those maynât be the identical stamps. And whether they are or notâ ââ
âWhat are the probabilities?â interrupted Spargo sharply. âI believe that those are the stamps which Maitlandâ âyour father!â âhad on him, and I want to know how they came to be in Cardlestoneâs rooms. And I will know.â
Breton handed the stamps back.
âBut the general thing, Spargo?â he said. âIf they didnât murderâ âI canât realize the thing yet!â âmy fatherâ ââ
âIf they didnât murder your father, they know who did!â exclaimed Spargo. âNow, then, itâs time for more action. Let Elphick and Cardlestone alone for the momentâ âtheyâll be tracked easily enough. I want to tackle something else for the moment. How do you get an authority from the Government to open a grave?â
âOrder from the Home Secretary, which will have to be obtained by showing the very strongest reasons why it should be made.â
âGood! Weâll give the reasons. I want to have a grave opened.â
âA grave opened! Whose grave?â
âThe grave of the man Chamberlayne at Market Milcaster,â replied Spargo.
Breton started.
âHis? In Heavenâs name, why?â he demanded.
Spargo laughed as he got up.
âBecause I believe itâs empty,â he answered. âBecause I believe that Chamberlayne is alive, and that his other name isâ âCardlestone!â
XXXI The Penitent Window-CleanerThat afternoon Spargo had another of his momentous interviews with his proprietor and his editor. The first result was that all three drove to the offices of the legal gentleman who catered for the Watchman when it wanted any law, and that things were put in shape for an immediate application to the Home Office for permission to open the Chamberlayne grave at Market Milcaster; the second was that on the following morning there appeared in the Watchman a notice which set half the mouths of London a-watering. That notice; penned by Spargo, ran as follows:â â
âOne Thousand Pounds Reward.
âWhereas, on some date within the past twelve months, there was stolen, abstracted, or taken from the chambers in Fountain Court, Temple, occupied by Mr. Stephen Aylmore, M.P., under the name of Mr. Anderson, a walking-stick, or stout staff, of foreign make, and of curious workmanship, which stick was probably used in the murder of John Marbury, or Maitland, in Middle Temple Lane, on the night of June 21â ââ 22 last, and is now in the hands of the police:
âThis is to give notice that the Proprietor of the Watchman newspaper will pay the above-mentioned reward (one thousand pounds sterling) at once and in cash to whosoever will prove that he or she stole, abstracted, or took away the said stick from the said chambers, and will further give full information as to his or her disposal of the same, and the Proprietor of the Watchman moreover engages to treat any revelation affecting the said stick in the most strictly private and confidential manner, and to abstain from using it in any way detrimental to the informant, who should call at the Watchman office, and ask for Mr. Frank Spargo at any time between eleven and one oâclock midday, and seven and eleven oâclock in the evening.â
âAnd you really expect to get some information through that?â asked Breton, who came into Spargoâs room about noon on the day on which the promising announcement came out. âYou really do?â
âBefore today is out,â said Spargo confidently. âThere is more magic in a thousand-pound reward than you fancy, Breton. Iâll have the history of that stick before midnight.â
âHow are you to tell that you wonât be imposed upon?â suggested Breton. âAnybody can say that he or she stole the stick.â
âWhoever comes here with any tale of a stick will have to prove to me how he or she got the stick and what was done with the stick,â said Spargo. âI havenât the least doubt that that stick was stolen or taken away from Aylmoreâs rooms in Fountain Court, and that it got into the hands ofâ ââ
âYes, of whom?â
âThatâs what I want to know in some fashion. Iâve an idea, already. But I can afford to wait for definite information. I know one thingâ âwhen I get that informationâ âas I shallâ âwe shall be a long way on the road towards establishing Aylmoreâs innocence.â
Breton made no remark upon this. He was looking at Spargo with a meditative expression.
âSpargo,â he said, suddenly, âdo you think youâll get that order for the opening of the grave at Market Milcaster?â
âI was talking to the solicitors over the phone just now,â answered Spargo. âTheyâve every confidence about it. In fact, itâs possible it may be made this afternoon. In that case, the opening will be made early tomorrow morning.â
âShall you go?â asked Breton.
âCertainly. And you can go with me, if you like. Better keep in touch with us all day in case we hear. You ought to be thereâ âyouâre concerned.â
âI should like to goâ âI will go,â said Breton. âAnd if that grave proves to beâ âemptyâ âIâllâ âIâll tell you something.â
Spargo looked up with sharp instinct.
âYouâll tell me something? Something? What?â
âNever mindâ âwait until we see if that coffin contains a dead body or lead and sawdust. If thereâs no body thereâ ââ
At that moment one of the senior messenger boys came in and approached Spargo. His countenance, usually subdued to an official stolidity, showed signs of something very like excitement.
âThereâs a man downstairs asking for you, Mr. Spargo,â he said. âHeâs been hanging about a bit, sirâ âseems very shy about coming up. He wonât say what he wants, and he wonât fill up a form, sir. Says all he wants is a word or two with you.â
âBring him up at once!â
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