The Middle Temple Murder J. S. Fletcher (the reading strategies book .txt) đ
- Author: J. S. Fletcher
Book online «The Middle Temple Murder J. S. Fletcher (the reading strategies book .txt) đ». Author J. S. Fletcher
âHave I? How do you know they didnât entrust me with these cheques as their agent?â exclaimed Myerst. âAnswer me that! Or, rather, let them answer if they dare. Here you, Cardlestone, you Elphickâ âdidnât you give me these cheques as your agent? Speak up now, and quick!â
Spargo, watching the two old men, saw them both quiver at the sound of Myerstâs voice; Cardlestone indeed, began to whimper softly.
âLook here, Breton,â he said, whispering, âthis scoundrelâs got some hold on these two old chapsâ âtheyâre frightened to death of him. Leave them alone: it would be best for them if they could get some rest. Hold your tongue, you!â he added aloud, turning to Myerst. âWhen we want you to speak weâll tell you.â
But Myerst laughed again.
âAll very high and mighty, Mr. Spargo of the Watchman!â he sneered. âYouâre another of the cocksure lot. And youâre very clever, but not clever enough. Now, look here! Supposingâ ââ
Spargo turned his back on him. He went over to old Cardlestone and felt his hands. And he turned to Breton with a look of concern.
âI say!â he exclaimed. âHeâs more than frightenedâ âheâs ill! Whatâs to be done?â
âI asked the police to bring a doctor along with them,â answered Breton. âIn the meantime, letâs put him to bedâ âthere are beds in that inner room. Weâll get him to bed and give him something hot to drinkâ âthatâs all I can think of for the present.â
Between them they managed to get Cardlestone to his bed, and Spargo, with a happy thought, boiled water on the rusty stove and put hot bottles to his feet. When that was done they persuaded Elphick to lie down in the inner room. Presently both old men fell asleep, and then Breton and Spargo suddenly realized that they themselves were hungry and wet and weary.
âThere ought to be food in the cupboard,â said Breton, beginning to rummage. âTheyâve generally had a good stock of tinned things. Here we are, Spargoâ âthese are tongues and sardines. Make some hot coffee while I open one of these tins.â
The prisoner watched the preparations for a rough and ready breakfast with eyes that eventually began to glisten.
âI may remind you that Iâm hungry, too,â he said as Spargo set the coffee on the table. âAnd youâve no right to starve me, even if youâve the physical ability to keep me tied up. Give me something to eat, if you please.â
âYou shanât starve,â said Breton, carelessly. He cut an ample supply of bread and meat, filled a cup with coffee and placed cup and plate before Myerst. âUntie his right arm, Spargo,â he continued. âI think we can give him that liberty. Weâve got his revolver, anyhow.â
For a while the three men ate and drank in silence. At last Myerst pushed his plate away. He looked scrutinizingly at his two captors. âLook here!â he said. âYou think you know a lot about all this affair, Spargo, but thereâs only one person who knows all about it. Thatâs me!â
âWeâre taking that for granted,â said Spargo. âWe guessed as much when we found you here. Youâll have ample opportunity for explanation, you know, later on.â
âIâll explain now, if you care to hear,â said Myerst with another of his cynical laughs. âAnd if I do, Iâll tell you the truth. I know youâve got an idea in your heads that isnât favourable to me, but youâre utterly wrong, whatever you may think. Look here!â âIâll make you a fair offer. There are some cigars in my case thereâ âgive me one, and mix me a drink of that whiskyâ âa good âunâ âand Iâll tell you what I know about this matter. Come on!â âanythingâs better than sitting here doing nothing.â
The two young men looked at each other. Then Breton nodded. âLet him talk if he likes,â he said. âWeâre not bound to believe him. And we may hear something thatâs true. Give him his cigar and his drink.â
Myerst took a stiff pull at the contents of the tumbler which Spargo presently set before him. He laughed as he inhaled the first fumes of his cigar.
âAs it happens, youâll hear nothing but the truth,â he observed. âNow that things are as they are, thereâs no reason why I shouldnât tell the truth. The fact is, Iâve nothing to fear. You canât give me in charge, for it so happens that Iâve got a power of attorney from these two old chaps inside there to act for them in regard to the money they entrusted me with. Itâs in an inside pocket of that letter-case, and if you look at it, Breton, youâll see itâs in order. Iâm not even going to dare you to interfere with or destroy itâ âyouâre a barrister, and youâll respect the law. But thatâs a factâ âand if anybodyâs got a case against anybody, I have against you two for assault and illegal detention. But Iâm not a vindictive man, andâ ââ
Breton took up Myerstâs letter-case and examined its contents. And presently he turned to Spargo.
âHeâs right!â he whispered. âThis is quite in order.â He turned to Myerst. âAll the same,â he said, addressing him, âwe shanât release you, because we believe youâre concerned in the murder of John Marbury. Weâre justified in holding you on that account.â
âAll right, my young friend,â said Myerst. âHave your own stupid way. But I said Iâd tell you the plain truth. Well, the plain truth is that I know no more of the absolute murder of your father than I know of what is going on in Timbuktu at this moment! I do not know who killed John Maitland. Thatâs a fact! It may have been the old man in there whoâs already at his own last gasp, or it maynât. I tell you I donât knowâ âthough, like you, Spargo, Iâve tried hard to find out. Thatâs the truthâ âI do not know.â
âYou expect us to believe that?â exclaimed Breton incredulously.
âBelieve it or not, as you likeâ âitâs the truth,â answered
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