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THE ANGEL OF TERROR
The characters in this book are entirely imaginary, and have no relationto any living person.
To F.L.S. A MAN OF LAW
First Printed, May, 1922
32nd Edition, September, 1934
Made and Printed in Great Britain for Hodder and Stoughton Limited,by Wyman & Sons Ltd., London, Reading and Fakenham
The Angel of Terror
Chapter I
The hush of the court, which had been broken when the foreman of thejury returned their verdict, was intensified as the Judge, with a quickglance over his pince-nez at the tall prisoner, marshalled his paperswith the precision and method which old men display in tense momentssuch as these. He gathered them together, white paper and blue and buffand stacked them in a neat heap on a tiny ledge to the left of his desk.Then he took his pen and wrote a few words on a printed paper beforehim.
Another breathless pause and he groped beneath the desk and brought outa small square of black silk and carefully laid it over his white wig.Then he spoke:
"James Meredith, you have been convicted after a long and patient trialof the awful crime of wilful murder. With the verdict of the jury I amin complete agreement. There is little doubt, after hearing the evidenceof the unfortunate lady to whom you were engaged, and whose evidence youattempted in the most brutal manner to refute, that, instigated by yourjealousy, you shot Ferdinand Bulford. The evidence of Miss Briggerlandthat you had threatened this poor young man, and that you left herpresence in a temper, is unshaken. By a terrible coincidence, Mr.Bulford was in the street outside your fiancee's door when you left, andmaddened by your insane jealousy, you shot him dead.
"To suggest, as you have through your counsel, that you called at MissBriggerland's that night to break off your engagement and that theinterview was a mild one and unattended by recriminations is to suggestthat this lady has deliberately committed perjury in order to swear awayyour life, and when to that disgraceful charge you produce a motive,namely that by your death or imprisonment Miss Briggerland, who is yourcousin, would benefit to a considerable extent, you merely add to yourinfamy. Nobody who saw the young girl in the box, a pathetic, and if Imay say, a beautiful figure, could accept for one moment your fantasticexplanation.
"Who killed Ferdinand Bulford? A man without an enemy in the world. Thattragedy cannot be explained away. It now only remains for me to pass thesentence which the law imposes. The jury's recommendation to mercy willbe forwarded to the proper quarter...."
He then proceeded to pass sentence of death, and the tall man in thedock listened without a muscle of his face moving.
So ended the great Berkeley Street Murder Trial, and when a few dayslater it was announced that the sentence of death had been commuted toone of penal servitude for life, there were newspapers and people whohinted at mistaken leniency and suggested that James Meredith would havebeen hanged if he were a poor man instead of being, as he was, themaster of vast wealth.
"That's that," said Jack Glover between his teeth, as he came out ofcourt with the eminent King's Counsel who had defended his friend andclient, "the little lady wins."
His companion looked sideways at him and smiled.
"Honestly, Glover, do you believe that poor girl could do so dastardly athing as lie about the man she loves?"
"She loves!" repeated Jack Glover witheringly.
"I think you are prejudiced," said the counsel, shaking his head."Personally, I believe that Meredith is a lunatic; I am satisfied thatall he told us about the interview he had with the girl was born of adiseased imagination. I was terribly impressed when I saw JeanBriggerland in the box. She--by Jove, there is the lady!"
They had reached the entrance of the Court. A big car was standing bythe kerb and one of the attendants was holding open the door for a girldressed in black. They had a glimpse of a pale, sad face ofextraordinary beauty, and then she disappeared behind the drawn blinds.
The counsel drew a long sigh.
"Mad!" he said huskily. "He must be mad! If ever I saw a pure soul in awoman's face, it is in hers!"
"You've been in the sun, Sir John--you're getting sentimental," saidJack Glover brutally, and the eminent lawyer choked indignantly.
Jack Glover had a trick of saying rude things to his friends, even whenthose friends were twenty years his senior, and by every rule ofprofessional etiquette entitled to respectful treatment.
"Really!" said the outraged Sir John. "There are times, Glover, when youare insufferable!"
But by this time Jack Glover was swinging along the Old Bailey, hishands in his pockets, his silk hat on the back of his head.
He found the grey-haired senior member of the firm of Rennett, Gloverand Simpson (there had been no Simpson in the firm for ten years) on thepoint of going home.
Mr. Rennett sat down at the sight of his junior.
"I heard the news by 'phone," he said. "Ellbery says there is no groundfor appeal, but I think the recommendation to mercy will save hislife--besides it is a _crime passionelle_, and they don't hang forhomicidal jealousy. I suppose it was the girl's evidence that turned thetrick?"
Jack nodded.
"And she looked like an angel just out of the refrigerator," he saiddespairingly. "Ellbery did his poor best to shake her, but the old foolis half in love with her--I left him raving about her pure soul and herother celestial etceteras."
Mr. Rennett stroked his iron grey beard.
"She's won," he said, but the other turned on him with a snarl.
"Not yet!" he said almost harshly. "She hasn't won till Jimmy Meredithis dead or----"
"Or----?" repeated his partner significantly. "That 'or' won't come off,Jack. He'll get a life sentence as sure as 'eggs is eggs.' I'd go a longway to help Jimmy; I'd risk my practice and my name."
Jack Glover looked at his partner in astonishment.
"You old sportsman!" he said admiringly. "I didn't know you were so fondof Jimmy?"
Mr. Rennett got up and began pulling on his gloves. He seemed a littleuncomfortable at the sensation he had created.
"His father was my first client," he said apologetically. "One of thebest fellows that ever lived. He married late in life, that was why hewas such a crank over the question of marriage. You might say that oldMeredith founded our firm. Your father and Simpson and I were nearly atour last gasp when Meredith gave us his business. That was our turningpoint. Your father--God rest him--was never tired of talking about it. Iwonder he never told you."
"I think he did," said Jack thoughtfully. "And you really would go along way--Rennett--I mean, to help Jim Meredith?"
"All the way," said old Rennett shortly.
Jack Glover began whistling a long lugubrious tune.
"I'm seeing the old boy to-morrow," he said. "By the way, Rennett, didyou see that a fellow had been released from prison to a nursing homefor a minor operation the other day? There was a question asked inParliament about it. Is it usual?"
"It can be arranged," said Rennett. "Why?"
"Do you think in a few months' time we could get Jim Meredith into anursing home for--say an appendix operation?"
"Has he appendicitis?" asked the other in surprise.
"He can fake it," said Jack calmly. "It's the easiest thing in the worldto fake."
Rennett looked at the other under his heavy eyebrows.
"You're thinking of the 'or'?" he challenged, and Jack nodded.
"It can be done--if he's alive," said Rennett after a pause.
"He'll be alive," prophesied his partner, "now the only thing is--whereshall I find the girl?"