A Mysterious Disappearance

  CHAPTER III

  THE LADY'S MAID

  The first difficulty experienced by the barrister in his self-imposedtask was the element of mystery purposely contributed by Lady Dykeherself. To a man of his quick perception, sharpened and clarified byhis legal training, it was easy to arrive at the positive factsunderlying the trivial incidents of his meeting with the missing lady atVictoria Station.

  Briefly stated, his summary was this: Lady Dyke intended to go toRichmond at a later hour than that at which his unexpected presence hadcaused her to set out. She had resolved upon a secret visit to some onewho lived in Raleigh Mansions, Sloane Square--some person whom she knewso slightly as to be unacquainted with the exact address, and, as theresult of this visit, she desired subsequently to see her sister atRichmond.

  Sir Charles Dyke was apparently in no way concerned with her movements,nor had she thought fit to consult him, beyond the mere politeness ofannouncing her probable absence from home at the dinner hour.

  To one of Bruce's analytical powers the problem would be more simplewere it, in a popular sense, more complex. In these days, it is astrange thing for a woman of assured position in society to be suddenlyspirited out of the world without leaving trace or sign. He approachedhis inquiry with less certainty, owing to Lady Dyke's own negativeadmissions, than if she had been swallowed up by an earthquake, and hewere asked to determine her fate by inference and deduction.

  It must be remembered that he was sure she was dead--murdered, and thather body had been lodged by human agents beneath an old drain-pipe atPutney.

  What possible motive could any one have in so foully killing abeautiful, high-minded, and charming woman, whose whole life was knownto her associates, whom the breath of scandal had never touched?

  The key of the mystery might be found at Raleigh Mansions, but Brucedecided that this branch of his quest could wait until other transientfeatures were cleared up.

  He practically opened the campaign of investigation at Putney. Mildweather had permitted the workmen to conclude their operations theday before the barrister reached the spot where the body had beenfound--that is to say, some forty-eight hours after he had resolvedneither to pause nor deviate in his search until the truth was laidbare.

  A large house, untenanted, occupied the bank, a house with solid frontfacing the road, and a lawn running from the drawing-room windows to theriver. Down the right side of the grounds the boundary was sharplymarked by a narrow lane, probably a disused ferry road, and access tothis thoroughfare was obtained from the lawn by a garden gate.

  A newly marked seam in the roadway showed the line of the drainage work,and Bruce did not glance at the point where the pipe entered the Thames,as the structural features here were recent.

  He went to the office of the contractor who had carried out thealterations. An elderly foreman readily answered his questions.

  "Yes, sir. I was in charge of the men who were on the job. It was aneasy business. Just an outlet for rain from the road. An old-fashionedaffair; been there thirty or forty years, I should think; all the pipeswere crumbling away."

  "Why were the repairs effected at this moment?"

  "Well, sir, the house was empty quite a while. You see it used to be aschool, a place where young gents were prepared for the army. It wasclosed about a year ago, and it isn't everybody as wants so manybedrooms. I do hear as how the new tenant has sixteen children."

  "The incoming people have not yet arrived?"

  "No, sir."

  "Can you tell me the name of the schoolmaster?"

  "Oh, yes. When I was younger I have done a lot of carpenter's work forhim. He was the Reverend Septimus Childe."

  Bruce made a note of the name, and next sought the localpolice-inspector.

  "No, nothing fresh," said the latter, in reply to a query concerning thewoman "found drowned."

  "I suppose these things are soon lost sight of?" said Bruce casually.

  "Sometimes they are, and sometimes they aren't. It's wonderfuloccasionally how a matter gets cleared up after years. Of course we keepall the records of a case, so that the affair can be looked into ifanything turns up."

  "Ah, that brings me to the most important object of my visit. A smallpiece of iron was found imbedded in the woman's skull."

  The inspector smiled as he admitted the fact.

  "May I see it? I want either the loan of it for a brief period, or anexact model."

  Again the policeman grinned.

  "I don't mind telling you that you are too late, sir."

  "Too late! How too late?"

  "It's been gone to Scotland Yard for the best part of a week."

  So others besides the barrister thought that the Putney incidentrequired more attention than had been bestowed upon it.

  * * * * *

  Bruce concluded his round by a visit to the surgeon who gave evidence atthe inquest.

  The doctor had no manner of doubt that the woman had been murderedbefore being placed in the water, the state of the lungs being proofpositive on that point.

  "It was equally indisputable that she was put to death by maliceaforethought?"

  "Oh, yes. A small iron spike was absolutely wedged into the brainthrough the hardest part of the skull."

  "What was the nature of the injuries that caused death?"

  "This piece of iron penetrated the occipital bone at the lowest part,and injured the cerebellum, damaging all the great nerve centres at thebase of the brain."

  "Would death ensue instantly?"

  "Yes. Such a blow would have the effect of a high voltage electriccurrent. Complete paralysis of the nerve centres means death."

  "Then I take it that great force must have been used?"

  "Not so much, perhaps, as the nature of the wound seems to imply; butconsiderable--sufficient, at any rate, to break the piece of iron."

  "It was broken, you say? Was it cast-iron?"

  "Yes, of good quality. Off some ornament or design, I should imagine.But it snapped off inside the head at the moment of the occurrence."

  "Curious, is it not, for a person to be killed in such a manner by suchan instrument?"

  "I have never before met such a case. Were it not for the way in whichthe body was jammed beneath a hidden drain-pipe, and the effective meanstaken to destroy the identity, I should have inclined to the belief thatsome strange accident had happened. At any rate, the murderer must havecommitted the crime on the spur of the moment, and seized upon the firstweapon to hand."

  "You say she was forcibly placed where found?"

  "Yes; the workmen's description left no other idea."

  "Could not the tide have done this?"

  "Hardly. One cannot be quite emphatic, as such odd things do happen. Butit seems to be almost impossible for the tide at Putney to pack a bodybeneath a jutting drain-pipe in such a manner that the waist, ornarrowest part, should be beneath the pipe and the body remain securelyheld."

  "Yet it is not so marvellous as the coincidence that this particulardrain should need repairs at the precise period when this tragedyhappened."

  "Quite so. It is exceedingly strange. Are you interested in the case?Have you reason to believe that this poor woman--?"

  "I hardly know," broke in the barrister. "I have no data to go upon, butI feel convinced that I shall ultimately establish her identity. You,doctor, can help me much by telling me your surmises in addition to theknown facts."

  The medico looked thoughtfully through the window before he exclaimed:"I am certain that the woman found in the Thames came from the upperwalks of life. Notwithstanding the disfiguring effects of the water andrough usage, any medical man can rapidly appreciate the caste of hissubject. She was, I should say, a woman of wealth and refinement, onewho led an orderly, well-regulated life, whose surroundings were normaland healthy."

  Bruce thanked his informant and hurried back to London. A telegramto Inspector White preceded him. He had not long reached hisVictoria-street chambers when th
e detective was announced. He soon madeknown his wishes. "I want you to give me that small piece of iron foundin the head of the woman at Putney," he said. "If necessary, I willreturn it in twenty-four hours."

  Mr. White's face showed some little sign of annoyance. "It is againstthe rules," he began; but Bruce curtly interrupted him.

  "Very well, I will make direct application to the Commissioner."

  "I was going to say, Mr. Bruce, that although not strictly in accordancewith orders, I will make an exception in your case." And the detectiveslowly produced the _piece de conviction_ from a large pocket-book.

  In sober fact, the police officer was somewhat jealous of the cleverlawyer, who saw so quickly through complexities that puzzled his slowerbrain. He was in nowise anxious to help the barrister in his inquiries,though keenly wishful to benefit by his discoveries, and follow out histheories when they were defined with sufficient clearness.

  Bruce did not at first take the proffered article.

  "Let me understand, Mr. White," he said. "Do you object to my presencein this inquiry? Are you going to hinder me or help me? It will savemuch future misunderstanding if we have this point settled now."

  The detective flushed at this direct inquiry. "I will be candid withyou, Mr. Bruce. It is true I have been vexed at times when you haveoverreached me; but I regret it immediately. It is foolish of me to tryand solve problems by your methods. Kindly forget my momentarydisinclination to hand over the only genuine link in the case."

  "In what case?"

  "In the case of Lady Dyke's disappearance."

  "Ah! Then you think it is in some way connected with the woman found atPutney?"

  "I am sure of it. The woman at Putney, whether Lady Dyke herself or notI cannot tell, wore some of her ladyship's clothes. When we haveascertained the means and the manner of the death of the woman buried atPutney we shall not be far from learning what has become of Lady Dyke."

  "How have you identified the clothes?"

  "I managed to gain the confidence of the lady's maid, who gave evidenceat the inquest. She, of course, is quite positive that the body was notthat of her mistress, but when I had examined some of Lady Dyke's linenI no longer doubted the fact."

  "If you knew all this, how comes it that more did not transpire at thecoroner's inquiry?"

  "In such affairs an inquest is rather a hindrance to the police. It isbetter to lull the guilty person or persons into the belief that thecrime has passed into oblivion. They know as well as we do that LadyDyke is buried at Putney. We have failed to establish her identity bythe evidence of the husband and servants. The linen and clothes, oursole effective testimony, remain in our possession; so, takingeverything into consideration, I prefer that matters should remain asthey are for the present."

  "Really, Mr. White, I congratulate you. You will perhaps pardon me forsaying that some of your colleagues do not usually take so sensible aview."

  The policeman smiled at the compliment. "I am learning your method, Mr.Bruce," he said.

  As he spoke, Smith entered with a note endorsed "Urgent."

  It was in the handwriting of Sir Charles Dyke, and even theimperturbable barrister could not resist an exclamation of amazementwhen he read:

  "MY DEAR BRUCE,--My wife's maid has vanished. She has not been near the house for three days. The thing came to my ears owing to gossip amongst the servants. There is something maddening about these occurrences. I really cannot stand any more. Do come to see me, there's a good fellow."

  "Well, I'm jiggered!" said the detective. "The blessed girl must havebeen spirited away a few hours after I saw her. Maybe, Mr. Bruce, we areall wrong. Has she gone to join her mistress?"

  "Possibly--in the next world."

  Nothing would shake the barrister's belief that Alice, Lady Dyke, wasdead.