fact." It was evident that Miss Iris had struckout her own line of life, and made a very good thing out of it.
"Well, then, Roddie began to grow desperate, and declared he couldn'tlive without me. It was all so genuine that at last I began to thinkseriously of it. There were tons of money, and although I didn't cottonmuch to the sort of life I should have to lead as his wife, still therewere worse things than being Mrs Roderick Murchison, with the futurewell assured, and a handsome settlement."
Davis and his elder sister exchanged wondering glances. So thisbutterfly little girl, whom they had always regarded as rather shallowand feather-brained, had had this wonderful chance of marrying agentleman and a rich man.
"It was difficult to bring myself up to the scratch, in spite of theadvantages, for he was so soft and soppy that he irritated me in athousand-and-one ways, and I knew in a very short time I should grow tohate and despise him. Then one night, after a very excellent champagnesupper at the `Excelsior,' he got me in a yielding mood, and I promisedto marry him."
Brother and sister could only marvel at the girl's extraordinary goodfortune, reluctant as she seemed to avail herself of it.
"He told me that before he went to bed that night he wrote to his familyacquainting them with the news, anticipating fully their objections, butexpressing his strong determination to brook no interference orremonstrance. You see he was his own master, nobody could take hismoney away from him, and he didn't care whether his relatives wereoffended or not."
"And how did the family take it?" queried Davis.
"I am coming to that," replied Iris. She was growing much calmer now.It was a relief to unburden her secret to an audience whom she couldtrust. For she was sure that neither her brother nor sister would everallow her to put herself into real danger.
"I am coming to that," she repeated. "A few days after he had writtenthose letters, one to his widowed mother, one to his elder brother, whohad inherited the bulk of the big fortune, the elder brother called uponme in my flat. He was a very handsome, well-set-up man, although he hadbeen through a good deal in the War. He was very like you, Reggie."
"Ah," ejaculated Mr Davis. He looked at Carrie, keenly watching hersister, with a glance that suggested they would soon be coming to thereal pith of this rambling confession.
"He begged the favour of a short conversation. He was perfectly openand above-board. He told me straight he was Roddie's elder brother, andthat his name was Hugh Murchison. He pointed out to me very kindly thathis brother was an impetuous young ass--a judgment which I privatelyendorsed--that Roddie had been infatuated, in his short day, with quitea number of other girls, although, perhaps, not to the same extent aswith me." Iris, getting back rapidly into her light mind, let hervolatile and easily impressed nature peep out in her next words.
"Oh, Hugh Murchison was a darling, so quiet, so sensible, and so strong.If he had been fool enough to ask me to marry him, I would not havegiven him up for seven thousand pounds."
"But you were prepared to chuck Roddie for that?" suggested her brotherquietly.
"I think I let him go a bit too cheap," answered the fair Iris in areflective voice. "Many girls have got more than I asked forcompromising a breach of promise. But to tell the absolute truth, HughMurchison hypnotised me a bit. He was so quiet and yet so strong that Ifelt he could twist me round his little finger."
"We want to get to Cathcart Square," interjected Davis a littleimpatiently. "We don't seem to be near it yet."
"I must tell my story my own way, it is no use driving me," repliedIris, pouting a little. "Well, as I tell you, he called that day at myflat--that was the beginning of negotiations. Where were we to meet todiscuss details? I couldn't have him at my flat, because Roddie wasalways popping in and out. He couldn't have me at his hotel, becausenobody knew whom we might come across, and Roddie was always comingthere. He said he would think out a plan and telephone or wire me."
"Ah," said Carrie, with a sigh of relief: she was a very practicalperson. "Now, I suppose we are coming to it."
Iris, heedless of the interruption, went on with her story.
"Next day he 'phoned me up, and after ascertaining that I was quitealone, told me to meet him at 10 Cathcart Square to resume ourconversation."
"Why, in the name of all that is wonderful--" began Reginald Davis, buthis sister motioned him to silence.
"Don't interrupt, please, you will know everything in a few minutes. Iwent to Number 10 Cathcart Square at the time appointed. He opened thedoor himself. It was a big house in an old-fashioned square, ages old,I should say, and in the front court was an agent's board, intimatingthat this particular house was to let, furnished."
"I know Cathcart Square well, it's in an old-world quarter ofKensington," interrupted Davis. He added grimly, "I know it well,although I did not have the misfortune to commit suicide there."
"He told me a very funny story. The afternoon of the day before, he hadbeen up to Kensington to visit an old nurse of the family who lived nearby. He had strolled round to Cathcart Square to fill up an idlehalf-hour. He had been struck by the appearance of the house, andloitered before it, when suddenly the door opened, and a somewhatbibulous-looking caretaker came out."
Davis indulged in a sigh of relief. "We are really coming to it now,then?"
"Yes, you are coming to it. He told me a sudden idea had occurred tohim. Here would be a quiet little spot for our meetings, a place whereRoddie would never dream of following us. He accosted the caretaker,evidently a drunken and corrupt creature. He explained that he wantedto rent a couple of rooms where he could receive a certain visitor hewas expecting in the course of the next week or fortnight. It was nouse going to the house agents for that, they would turn down such aproposition. The caretaker, with a couple of five-pound notes in hishand, took an intelligent view of the situation. He gave Hugh a key,and intimated that, if he had sufficient notice, he would make himselfscarce on the occasions when the visitor was expected."
"Of all the mad things--" began Davis, but his sister for the secondtime motioned her brother to silence.
"Not quite so mad as you think. I fancy I can see into his mind. Wecould have met at a dozen different restaurants in London, but Roddiewas here, there and everywhere: at any moment he might have come acrossus. He would never get as far as Kensington." David nodded hissagacious head. "I think I see. Go on."
"I met him there, in all four times, the last meeting was a few daysbefore the tragedy."
"And what took place at that meeting?"
"He paid me the seven thousand pounds in notes. I signed a paperagreeing to give Roddie up. I carried out my bargain. I wrote Roddiethat same night, giving him his dismissal, and assuring him that nothinghe could urge would induce me to reconsider my determination. He sentme frantic telegrams the next day, but I replied to the same effect.After taking his seven thousand pounds, I could not break faith withHugh, could I?"
Davis was not quite sure that Iris would not break faith with anybody ifit suited her purpose. But clearly Hugh Murchison had subjugated her tothe extent of respecting an honourable bargain. No doubt she had fallenin love with him, so far as a person of her shallow temperament couldfall in love.
"And what has become of Roddie?"
"I don't know, and I don't care. He has bored me to extinction for overnine months. I am glad to be shut of him."
Davis put a question. "You say Hugh Murchison paid you in notes. Whathave you done with them? His bank will have the numbers."
"Will they?" cried Iris, the frightened look again coming into her eyes;she knew nothing of business methods. "I paid them into my own account.Now, you see, if you rake this up I might be implicated."
"Your opinion is, then, that the man found in Number 10 Cathcart Squarewas Hugh Murchison?"
"I am as nearly sure as I can be, after reading the caretaker'sevidence. He had some other stunt on beside my own. I was not the onlyvisitor he received."
Davis thou
ght deeply before he spoke. "If I have him dug up, and he isidentified by those who know him, a lot will come to light. Your noteswill be traced, for one thing."
"I am afraid of everything, Reggie. For the love of Heaven, let himrest where he is." Caroline Masters breathed softly to herself. "Youwere half in love with him, or perhaps three-quarters, and you don'twant to know the real truth. Oh, you miserable little, paltry soul!"
And then a sudden thought came to Davis. "Now, Iris, you could neverthink very clearly about things when they got a little bit complicated.You are quite sure the last occasion on which you saw him was a few daysbefore the