After delivering this address, Jane was called away to assist the doctor
in the bedroom, and along with Archie and Random the constable repaired
to the pink parlor to hear what they had to say. Of course they could
tell him even less than Jane had told, and Archie protested that he was
quite unable to describe the man who had dashed out of the window.
"Ah," said Painter sapiently, "he got out there; but how did he enter?"
"No doubt by the door," said Random sharply.
"We don't know that, sir. Jane says she did not hear the bell."
"Mrs. Jasher might have let the man in, whomsoever he was, secretly."
"Why should she, sir?"
"Ah! now you are asking more than I can tell you. Only Mrs. Jasher can
explain, and it seems to me that she will die."
Meanwhile, in some mysterious way the news of the crime had spread
through the village, and although it was growing late--for it was past
ten o'clock--a dozen or so of villagers came along. Also there arrived
a number of soldiers under a smart sergeant, and to him Sir Frank
explained what had happened. In the fainthearted way--for the mist was
now like cotton-wool--the military and the civilians hunted through the
marshes round the cottage, hoping to come across the assassin hiding
in a ditch. Needless to say, they found no one and nothing, for it was
worse than looking for a needle in a bundle of hay. The man had come out
of the mist, and, after executing the deed, had vanished into the mist,
and there was not the very slightest chance of finding him. Gradually,
as it drew towards midnight, the soldiers went back to the Fort, and the
villagers to their homes. But, along with the doctor and the constable,
Hope and his military friend stopped on. They were determined to get at
the root of the mystery, and when Mrs. Jasher became sensible she would
be able to reveal the truth.
"It's all of a piece with the sending of the emerald," said Random
to the artist, "and that is connected, as we know, with the death of
Bolton."
"Do you think that this man who has struck down Mrs. Jasher is the same
one who strangled Sidney Bolton?"
"I should think so. Perhaps Mrs. Jasher sent the emerald after all, and
this man killed her out of revenge."
"But how would he know that she had the emerald?"
"God knows! She may have been his accomplice."
Archie knit his brows.
"Who the devil can this mysterious person be?"
"I can only reply as you have done, my friend. God knows."
"Well, I am certain that God will not let him escape this time. This
will bring Gartley once more into notoriety," went on Hope. "By the way,
I saw one of the servants from the Pyramids here. I hope the fool won't
go home and frighten Lucy's life out of her."