The Case and the Girl

  CHAPTER XI

  SUSPICION VERIFIED

  Affairs progressed far too rapidly for some hours for West to reflectseriously over this experience. He could only act swiftly, answerquestions, and do all in his power to assist others. The real meaning ofthe tragedy he made no effort to solve; for the time being, at least, hemust leave that to others.

  He stood guard beside the body until servants came and bore it to thehouse, but made no effort to follow. Instead he gave his address toSexton, and continued his journey into the city. After what had passedbetween them he had no desire to again encounter Miss Natalie; and underthese circumstances, actually shrank from meeting her. Just what thisman's death might mean to the girl he could not safely conjecture, yetdeep down in his own heart, he felt convinced that this act ofself-destruction would later prove to be a confession of guilt. Yet, bethat as it may, he was already definitely ruled out of the matter. Not,unless she personally sent for him, could he ever venture to go to heragain in any capacity. To his mind this decision was final.

  He was called for the inquest and gave his testimony. The hearing wasbrief, and the facts ascertained so clear, there remained no doubt in theminds of any one, but what this was a case of suicide. No particularattempt was made to probe into the cause, the personal affairs of thedead man being left for later investigation. West saw Natalie at theinquest for the very few moments she was upon the stand, but their eyesdid not meet, nor did the girl give any evidence of recognition. She waspale, yet calm, answering the questions asked her quietly. Thesepertained entirely to her last meeting with Coolidge, and had no directbearing on the verdict. The moment she was released she retired from theroom; and West merely lingered long enough to learn the decision of thejury. Somehow the impression the young woman had left upon him in thosefew moments was not a pleasant one. He could not clearly analyse thisresult, yet she was either acting a part to conceal her true emotions, orelse she was really indifferent.

  It was not until the following day that reason began to reassert itself,and he succeeded in marshalling the facts of the case more clearly inhis own mind. He even began to doubt and question his own testimony, yet,before he reached any real conclusion, one of the Club servantsapproached his chair.

  "Captain West, there is a man out here asking to see you."

  "A man! Where?"

  "I had him wait in the anteroom, sir. He would give no name, and seems tobe of the working class; so I thought I better tell you first, sir."

  "Very well, Mapes. I'll soon find out what he wants."

  It was Sexton, twirling his hat nervously in his hands, and stillstanding irresolutely in the middle of the floor. As sight of West hetook a hasty step forward, eager to explain the cause of his presence.

  "You'll pardon me, sir," he burst forth in apology. "But I must seeyou, sir."

  "That's quite all right, Sexton. You have some message?"

  "Not--not from any one else, sir. It's just my own business, but--but Ithought you would help me, sir."

  "Certainly; only too glad. Let's step in here where we can talk quietly."

  He pointed the way into a private card room, closing the door behindhis visitor.

  "Take the seat over there, Sexton. You came in to see me from Fairlawn?"

  "No, sir, I didn't. The fact is, I'm not out there any longer."

  "Not there! What do you mean?"

  "I've been discharged, sir, with two other servants, since the funeralyesterday."

  "Discharged! Why I understood you had been employed there for years."

  "Several years, sir."

  "And now discharged! By whom? Not Miss Natalie surely?"

  "Yes, sir. She didn't give no reason; just said we were not wanted anylonger. That's one reason why I came here to see you, sir."

  "But I hardly know how I can be of help. I have no house of my own,and--well, the truth of the matter is, Sexton, just at present I am noton very good terms with the young lady myself."

  "I know that, sir," more confidently. "And it isn't a position I amseeking, at all. I have quite a tidy bit of money laid away, and couldget plenty of work. That's not the point, sir. Why should Miss Natalietell me to go like that? It isn't a bit like her, sir; she ain't seemednatural at all lately, and I tell you there's something wrong goin' onout there. I'm sure o' that, sir."

  "Sure of what?"

  "Well, for one thing, it's my opinion that Percival Coolidge never killedhimself, sir."

  West sat up stiffly, as though struck a blow. These words startled him;drove his own mind into sudden activity.

  "What makes you think that, Sexton?" he questioned slowly.

  "Well, there's more than one thing," as though glad to have made theplunge, and anxious to justify himself. "But first of all that wasn't hisrevolver they found lying beside him. He always had one in his valise,an' it's there now, or was when I looked to see."

  "You didn't tell that to the coroner."

  "No, sir; he never put me on the stand. Besides I didn't know about itthen. After I thought about it, I told Miss Natalie, sir."

  "Oh, you did! and what did she say?"

  "She didn't think that proved anything; that he probably had the other inhis pocket."

  "This was before you were dismissed?"

  "Yes, sir; the evening before, sir."

  West whistled gravely, his gaze on the other's face.

  "And is that all, Sexton?" he asked finally. "Is there any other reasonwhy you doubt Coolidge killed himself?"

  "Did you notice where he was shot, sir?"

  "Behind the right ear; the wound was plainly visible."

  "Not very easy for a man to do himself, sir."

  "No, but possible, nevertheless. The coroner was satisfied on thatpoint."

  "Yes, sir, but the coroner overlooked one thing, sir. He was sure it wasa suicide case, and wanted to get done with it in a hurry. I andSimmons, sir, washed the body to get it ready for burial, an' I combedthe hair down over the bullet wound. There wasn't no powder marks on theskin, an' not a hair was singed, sir. That's what makes me say he neverkilled himself."

  West sat silent and motionless, looking straight at the man opposite,endeavouring to decide on a course of action. Someway in the depth of hisearnestness, Sexton no longer appeared a servant. He was a man, voicing aman's heart. West realized the change instinctively; here was anintelligent loyal fellow, to be met frankly, and for the time being, atleast, on the ground of equality. It would be useless to try to eithermislead, or deceive.

  "Sexton," he began finally, "this is a pretty serious charge you make,my man, but since I have been thinking things over, I confess somesuspicious circumstances have arisen in my own mind. Of course I wasnot aware of these facts you have just related, but they fit in nicelywith some observations of my own. The truth is," he confessed frankly,"I did not tell all I knew to the coroner's jury. I meant to do so, butthe right questions were not asked me, and certain details slipped mymemory until too late. Do you recall a boulder of rock out in thatclover field?"

  "Yes, sir, to the right of the path; it is mostly hidden now bythe growth."

  "Entirely concealed a few yards away. Well, when I crawled through thefence after hearing that shot fired, I saw nothing, and heard nothing. Ihad advanced into the field several rods when I came upon the trail ofsome one leading directly north. It was not a path; merely evidence thata single person had passed that way. I followed, and came to thisboulder. Here there was every proof visible that the previous party hadremained for some time, seated and lying on the ground under protectionof the stone. The occupancy was a recent one. Then evidently, whoever itwas, had advanced to the right in the general direction of the gatethrough the fence, near where Coolidge's body was found. The marks ofadvance did not lead that far, or even to the marked path through thefield. They ended on a little rise, some ten yards from the boulder,where the fellow apparently turned about, and retraced his steps."

  "How far was that from the gate into the road, sir?" he askedbreathle
ssly.

  "Within easy shooting distance for a revolver of that calibre, I shouldsay. Any good marksman could have rung the bell."

  "And you saw no one?"

  "No; not a sign; the fact is I failed at the time to put two and twotogether. The thought of a possible murder never occurred to me. It wasonly afterwards that I began to appreciate what all this might mean, andnow what you have said has driven it home."

  "You think it was murder then, sir?"

  "Yes, I do," replied West gravely. "It has all the marks, but whocommitted the crime? What was the motive? It will never do for us to makesuch a charge, after the coroner's verdict, without positive proof."

  "No, sir."

  "And you know of nothing which might clear this up?"

  "No, sir; I've been with the Coolidges, sir, ever since Miss Natalie wasa little girl, and I ain't heard of any trouble that ought to end inmurder, sir."

  "How old was Miss Coolidge when her father died?"

  "She must have been seventeen, sir."

  "And since then Percival Coolidge had full charge of the estate?"

  "Practically, yes, sir; there was another trustee, but he died; and then,as I understand, Miss Natalie had some funds of her own."

  West took a cigar from his pocket, and lit it. Although not altogetherclear in his own mind, he had begun to see light. For a moment he smokedin silence in an endeavour to figure out his own duty, while Sexton,nervously clinching and unclinching his hands, watched and waited.