A Midnight Mystery. A novel

Front matter

LONDON! GALE 4, POLDEN, Ltd. AMEN CORNER. Paternoster Row. E.C NEW SHILLING NOVELS Published by GALE & POLDEN, Ltd. By Captain F. M. PEACOCK. A SOLDIER AND A MAID. FROM REVEILLE TO LIGHTS OUT. A MILITARY CRIME. RONALD THE FUSILIER, or, FOES UNDER ONE FLAG. By CONWAY CREGAN. A CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE. A STRANGE CASE OF A MISSING MAN. tej*tSNNIE CARRUTHERS. A LEPT-HANDED MURDER. j 24-FF ?-' By FERGUS HUME. THE BLACK CARNATION. A MIDNIGHT MYSTERY. By ERNEST BOWEN-ROWLANDS. THE WHITE-EYED WOMAN. By KILSYTH STELLIER. TAKEN BY FORCE. The above are obtainable at all Booksellers and Railuray Book Stall* or Per Pod from the Publishers. a nut-el. ex FERGUS HUME. AUTHOR op " The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," "Monsieur Judas," " Madam Midas," " A Creature of the Night," " The Black Carnation," etc. IN ONE VOLUME.

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Chapter I

The Seagate Mystery. In the month of May, a young man was walking slowly up and down the London, Chatham and Dover platform of the Victoria station. It was close on twelve and he glanced from the clock to the train, which was timed to leave for Margate at noon. This intended passenger was dressed in deep mourning and there was a haggard expression on his face which betrayed anxiety. Judging from his garb and ill-suppressed grief, he had but lately lost a near relative. " Nearly twelve o'clock," he muttered, looking at his watch to verify the station time, "and the train starts at five past. I am afraid Dillock will be late." Even as he spoke the man whom he expected emerged from the ticket office, and walked straight towards him. A tall, sober-looking individual was the new comer, with a keen inquisitive look on his clean-shaven face.

His appearance, smart and alert, was that of a barrister, and he was frequently mistaken for a member of the legal profession. As a matter of fact, if not a lawyer, he was closely connected with the law, for he was well known as Dillock, one of the cleverest of London detectives. Taken in conjunction with the mourning garb of the young man, his appearance on the spot was ominous of evil. It looked as though Dillock were engaged in the investigation of a possible crime. " Just in time, Mr. Dillock." " Very sorry, Mr. Halston, couldn't get here any sooner," replied the detective smartly. " I came as quick as a hansom could bring me. After all I am in time, with five minutes to spare." " Well, about this case — " began Halston, when the other cut him short. " You can tell me all about it in the train.

Can we get a carriage to our selves ? " •' Here you are," said Halston, beckon ing to the guard. " I engaged one on purpose so that we should not be disturbed." Dillock jumped in, followed by Halston, the guard locked the door, and in a few minutes the train moved slowly out of the station. The two men settled themselves comfortably and proceeded to discuss the matter which had brought them together. Halston lighted a cigar and offered his case to the detective. Dillock declined the courtesy, and pro ducing his pocket-book for the purpose of taking notes, plunged at once into business. He was a man who knew the value of time. " I had no time to speak this morning, Mr. Halston," he said, apologetically, "as I had to finish off another case, else I could not have got away to-day. Consequently, beyond a glimpse of the papers, I know nothing of this matter.

You must tell me about it as minutely as possible." "I'll tell you all I know," said Halston, gloomily, " unfortunately, I was not at Seagate when my cousin was killed." " Rudolph Carrant is the name of the deceased," observed Dillock, glancing at the newspaper, " your cousin ! " " Yes, My cousin ! He was two years older than I, and engaged to be married to Miss Granville." "Oh, indeed!" said the detective, in a vague kind of way, as though such an engagement had no special interest for him, " He was to be married. Very sad ! Very sad indeed. By the way," he added, looking up from his paper, " this report says he fell over the cliff and was killed. Is that correct?" " Yes ! It was supposed he fell over," said Halston, with marked emphasis. "Supposed ! eh ? " was the significant comment of Dillock, " I have my suspicions.

They may be groundless ; still, I can't help sus pecting that — " " That he was pushed over," finished Dillock, putting the idea into words. " Precisely ! That he was pushed over. It was not an accident, but a murder." " Have you any idea of the motive for the crime?" queried Dillock, looking keenly at the gloomy face of the other. " I believe robbery was the motive. In fact, I am certain of it." " Robbery ! Hm ! Money ? Jewels ? " " No, papers ! " said the young man, with evident reluctance. " Yes, papers ! " " Papers ! Have you any idea of their nature ?" " No. I have not the least idea. I know nothing of my cousin's private affairs." " Then why do you suspect that your deceased cousin was robbed of papers, or why, Mr. Halston," added Dillock, slowly, " why do you think there was any foul play in the matter.

It might be, as the papers say, an accident." Cecil Halston had a fair and delicate complexion like that of a woman, and blushed with indignation at this speech. Knowing what he did, it seemed absurd that any one should hold a contrary opinion. He was prepared to sub stantiate his suspicions. "It was not an accident," he said, hurriedly. " My cousin was murdered and robbed. I do not agree with the jury. Their verdict is wrong." For answer, Dillock read aloud the description of the case reported in " The Morning Courier." It was bald and unsatisfying. " An inquest was held yesterday on " the body of Mr. Rudolph Carrant, " who fell over the cliff at Seagate on " the fourteenth day of this month. The " deceased was found on the morninoof " the fifteenth lying at the foot of the " cliff with his neck broken.

Dr. " Maxwell said death must have been " instantaneous. The unfortunate gentle " man was engaged to be married to " Miss Catherine Granville, daughter of ' Sir Algernon Granville, and was at " his house on the night of the accident. " He left there at ten o'clock for the " purpose of going to his hotel, and it " is supposed that he mistook the path " and so fell over the cliff. The jury " brought in a verdict of death by " misadventure. Much sympathy is felt "in the district for Miss Granville." When he finished reading this de lectable report, Dillock laid the paper on the seat beside him, and proceeded to discuss the matter. Halston was prepared for this cross-examination. " Is that report correct, Mr. Halston ?" he asked, rubbing his chin. . - " In the main it is perfectly correct," replied the other, doubtfully.

" And the jury brought in a verdict of accidental death ?" " So it seems," said Halston, coldly ; "but I don't agree with that verdict." " You believe Mr. Carrant was mur dered ? " "I do! Murdered and robbed! " Robbed of papers, you say?" queried Dillock, looking down. " Yes. At least, that is the only motive I can conjecture as reasonable." " You were not called as a witness at the inquest." " No. There was no reason that I should be called," said Halston, promptly. " Besides, I was in Paris when the inquest was held. I was not subpœnaed." " What ! Not when you guessed your cousin had been murdered ? " " I did not know that at the time," responded the young man with some hesitation. " You see my cousin died on the fourteenth of this month. It is now the twentieth. The inquest, as you see, has been held, and he is now buried.

I returned to England for the funeral. It was then that I fancied the cause of his death was other than accidental." "What made you think so?" " A conversation I had with Sir Algernon Granville." "Oh !" said Dillock, suddenly. "Then this idea of foul play is not your own?" " No. It is the idea of Sir Algernon." " But I don't understand, Mr. Hal ston." "I will explain. On the night of the fourteenth, Rudolph was at Sir Algernon's place at Seagate. There was some card playing and my cousin won ten pounds. Sir Algernon gave him a bank note for that amount and he placed it in his pocket-book. I know that pocket-book very well," added Halston, speaking rapidly, " having often seen it in my cousin's possession. It is of shagreen, with his crest and monogram in silver on the outside, and the corners are also bound with silver.

You follow me?" " Perfectly," replied Dillock, scribbling this description in his note-book, " and Mr. Carrant had it in his possession on the night in question — Had it in his pocket." " So Sir Algernon says. He saw Rudolph place the ten-pound note therein. Then he went away and the next morning was found dead at the foot of the cliff. But the pocket-book was gone." " Ah ! The pocket-book was gone," said Dillock, in a casual kind of fashion. " Yes. It had been abstracted from his breast-coat pocket." "Was he not in evening dress?" " He was, certainly. But he had a breast pocket in his dress coat, an inner pocket, and it was there that Sir Algernon saw him place the book con taining the note. " So you think that Mr. Carrant was robbed and murdered for the sake of that ten-pound note?" " I don't see what other conclusion one can arrive at."

" You said something about papers," hinted Mr. Dillock, artfully. " Well, he might have been robbed for papers, or for money, I don't know which," replied Halston, impatiently. "To tell you the truth, Mr. Dillock, my cousin was not a very reputable person. He knew many scamps, and it is just possible that his pocket-book may have contained papers likely to be of value to some of his disreputable acquaintances. You know from experience what these kind of people are." " It might be so, certainly," said Dillock, thoughtfully, " it is more likely that a man would rob your cousin of papers which he knew were in his possession than of a ten-pound note of which he knew nothing." " He might have guessed Rudolph had money on him." " Possibly ! But that special ten-pound note was only won off Sir Algernon at cards on the night in question.

No one could have known Mr. Carrant had that in his possession when he left the house." " Except Sir Algernon," said Halston, significantly. Dillock played with his watch chain and did not answer this question directly. " I don't see how you can throw suspicion on him," he said, at length, raising his eyebrows, "if he had any thing to do with this matter he would have held his tongue about the robbery, particularly as the jury brought in a verdict of accidental death." " You then agree with me that my cousin was murdered ? " "The loss of that pocket-book is suspicious," said Dillock, declining to commit himself to any opinion. "If your cousin had fallen accidentally over the cliff, it is probable that the pocket book would still be in his possession — unless, " added the detective, after a momentary pause, "someone had a grudge against him and took away the pocket-book so as to foster the idea of robbery."

" Certainly it might be that. A murder, and to avert suspicion, a pretended robbery." " Do you know anyone who had a grudge against him ? " asked Dillock, seeing his cpmpanion answered some what absently and was in deep thought. Halston wriggled uncomfortably and dropped his eyes before the keen gaze of the detective which seemed to read his very soul. " I don't like to cast suspicion on anyone," he said, at length, with a frown. " Have you any suspicions ? " asked Dillock, sharply. " Yes and no." " What does that mean. You speak in riddles. Give me the key to them. You mean — " " Simply this ! " burst out Halston, rapidly. " I say that my cousin was robbed, if not of money, at least of some papers he carried in that shagreen pocket-book." "That is Sir Algernon's idea," corrected the detective, " not your own.

I wish to know your own suspicions." " I have none. At least, I have no very definite suspicions of any consequence." "Oh, yes you have," persisted Dillock. " Come, Mr. Halston, you have told me everything so far, why not continue to repose confidence in me." " I might say that Rudolph's death was accidental." " You might, but you will not do so. Your story of the pocket-book gives the lie to that. Come, Mr. Halston," he said, again in a persuasive manner. " You suspect some one. I can read your face like an open book. You suspect some one." "Well, I do," responded Halston, with manifest reluctance. " And his name ? " " Hugh Oliphant ! He is the man I suspect, but I am by no means certain." "Who is he?" asked Dillock, taking no notice other than the name. "A gentleman of independent fortune," sneered Halston, " and a discarded lover of Miss Granville's." "Indeed," said Dillock, pricking up his ears, " then he was naturally jealous of Mr. Carrant."

" Very jealous indeed. Of course, I don't speak from personal knowledge, as I know Oliphant but slightly. I simply say what was told to me by Rudolph." "What did he tell you? " " That Oliphant hated him because he was going to marry Miss Granville, and would gladly put him out of the way if he could." " Had Mr. Carrant any tangible reason for such an opinion ? " "Ah, that I cannot tell you," responded Halston, frankly. " He said no more than that. My idea is that Oliphant met Rudolph on that fatal night and that in a quarrel which ensued my cousin fell over the cliff." " Put it in plain words, Mr. Halston," said Dillock, quietly. "You mean that Oliphant pushed Carrant over the cliff." " I don't say so," answered Halston, fencing with his questioner. "No, but you think so," persisted the detective, looking at him steadily.

Halston bit his lips in an angry fashion and looked gloomily downward. " You forced it out of me," he declared, sullenly. " I did not wish to tell you. I have no grudge against Oliphant, but I really and truly believe that he knows more about my cousin's death than anyone else." " I quite appreciate your reluctance, Mr. Halston," said the detective, quietly, "it is very chivalrous but, if you will pardon me saying so, very foolish. It is your duty to discover the assassin of your cousin, and if you suspect Oliphant you are quite right to say so." " But he may be innocent," demurred Halston, faintly. " You may be sure I shall give him the benefit of every doubt," responded Dillock, drily. " By the way, did Miss Granville love Oliphant ? " " I don't know ; as she was to marry Rudolph I suppose she did not."

" She might have been engaged to your cousin against her will, hence the jealously between the two men. Was your cousin rich ? " " Very rich. He had twenty thousand a year. I am his heir." " I congratulate you," said Dillock gravely, " and Sir Algernon ? " "Is as hard up as it is possible for any one to be." " Then he doubtless forced his daughter to marry Carrant on account of its being a good match." " I don't know. I can't say." Halston was growing restive under this prolonged examination which had now lasted over two hours. The train would soon be in at Seagate, so as Dillock had learned nearly all he wished to know, he desisted from further questioning, and permitted his companion to busy himself in a book. Meanwhile he glanced over his notes and did his best to think out the case. It perplexed him greatly.

There were two theories equally feasible. One that Carrant was killed to gain possession of certain valuable papers, and the other that Oliphant had deliberately murdered him in a frenzy of jealous passion The former was the most probable, as it was scarcely likely Oliphant would be so foolish as to commit a crime for such a trivial cause as jealously. Certainly, it appeared trivial to the detective, but it might not be so to Oliphant, yet Dillock could not comprehend the state of mind which could drive a man into periling his neck for the sake of a woman. He was rather misogamistic. "I must see this Oliphant," he thought, as the train gradually slowed down ; " from his demeanour I can tell plainly his attitude towards this girl and her dead lover. As to the pocket-book — if that has been stolen it will be a more difficult matter to trace it — unless," he considered with an after-thought, " the note affords a clue."

As soon as this idea entered his brain he asked Halston a question. " Do you know if Sir Algernon has the number of that ten-pound note he gave to Carrant in payment of his loss at cards?" " I'm sure I don't know," responded Halston, promptly. "He's not the man to do anything in a business-like way. I shouldn't think it likely. Why do you ask ?" " Because," said Dillock, slowly, " if I can trace that note I'll be able to lay my hand on the man who killed your cousin."

Chapter II

The Busybody. Sir Algernon Granville could hardly be called an estimable personage. He was profoundly egotistical and deemed his fellow creatures were created for the purpose of ministering to his pleasures. Married at an early age when he had some thought for others, his wife had died after three years of married life leaving him a comfortable fortune and one daughter. She desired to settle the fortune on her child but Sir Algernon persuaded her from adopting this sensi ble course, and promised faithfully to hold the money in trust for Catherine. As a matter of fact, he had no intention of exercising such self-denial. The child at that time was only two years of age and therefore had no necessity for money. Thus argued her father, and placing Catherine under the care of his only sister, Mrs. Devereaux, proceeded to enjoy himself.

He did this so excellently well and showed such skill in spending money, that by the time Catherine was of age he had scarce a sixpence to bless himself with. To make matters worse, Mrs. Devereaux died at this very critical time and Catherine was sent back to her father. Sir Algernon had hoped that his sister would leave the girl a second fortune of which he might have the spending, but such proved not to be the case. All Mrs. Devereaux possessed was an annuity and as this passed away when she died, Catherine was returned to her indignant parent as poor as when she left him. The baronet was seriously angry and frequently asked himself how he was to support this young lady who required money, dresses and amusements. He quite forgot that he had spent the money which was rightfully hers and felt himself very much aggrieved at the prospect of taking charge of his child.

Matters, however, could not be altered, so he made a virtue of necessity and took charge of Catherine with many protestations that he intended to be a model father. His idea of the role was getting the girl married to a wealthy husband, and he set to work at once. Unfortunately, in his own set, a rather fast one, there was no very eligible suitor, so he looked round to see who was worthy, in point of income, to be his son-in-law. Ultimately he fixed upon Rudolph Carrant, who had a large fortune and no morals. This latter state of things mattered little to Sir Algernon so long as the money was safe, and having presented Carrant to his daughter as a suitor he commanded her to inveigle him into marriage by all the feminine arts at her command. To his wrath and astonishment, Catherine, a handsome, high-spirited girl, absolutely refused to adopt this ignoble course.

She did not like Carrant, who was a gambler and a profligate, and declined to sell herself for a comfortable home. Her own was miserable enough, what with straitened means and a cantankerous father, but she preferred even such misery to the degradation of becoming the wife of a man whom she knew to be an uncon scionable blackguard. Moreover, this was the strongest reason of all, she was in love with Hugh Oliphant. He was the scion of an old Scotch family with a long pedigree and a lean purse. Three hundred a year represent ed his entire income, and when he hinted to Sir Algernon that he loved Catherine and would gladly make her his wife, the baronet was filled with wrath at the idea of a pauper daring to aspire to the hand of his child. With furious words he turned Oliphant out of the house, and despite Catherine's indignant tears, ordered her to marry Carrant at once.

Furthermore, to make things safe and put an end to Oliphant's foolish hopes, he took his daughter down to Seagate, at which place he hoped to marry her to Rudolph Carrant. To do the latter justice, he was very much in love with Catherine, and swore if he married her, to give up his wild ways and bad companions. He came down to Seagate at the request of Sir Algernon, and there took up his abode at the nearest hotel. At this time he behaved himself excellently well and was most devoted in his attentions to the girl he adored. She did not want his attentions, she did not care about his promises of reformation ; all she desired was to marry Hugh Oliphant, and this desire she was unable to gratify. Her father watched her like a lynx. Carrant had promised to allow him a good income after the marriage, so Sir Algernon was quite prepared to sell his daughter in order to secure the same.

He was determined to lose no oppor tunity of obtaining this settlement, and never let his daughter out of his sight. At all hours he was by her side, much to the admiration of the neighbourhood, who greatly admired such a devoted parent. The neighbourhood was quite unaware that the aforesaid devoted parent was on the eve of selling his child to a drunkard for the furthering of his own selfish ends. Hugh Oliphant was left behind in town to forget Catherine as he best could, but not being a mild young man, declined to acquiesce in this infamous arrangement which, if carried through, would rob him of his promised wife, and devote her to life-long misery. He came down to Seagate, and despite the keen eyes of Sir Algernon, managed to have some conversation with Catherine. In this interview he represented that she owed nothing to so selfish a parent and would assuredly be forced to marry Carrant if she stayed, therefore, he pro posed that she should fly with him.

It required but little persuasion to gain Catherine's consent to this course, for she was herself heartily sick of her heartless father and debauched lover. To the joy of Oliphant she agreed to elope with him, and he made all preparations for flight, but, on the very eve of fulfilment, their house of cards was knocked down by the hand of Fate. On the 1 6th of May they arranged to get married in London. On the 14th of May the obstacle to their union was removed by the death of Rudolph Carrant. Under these circumstances Catherine judged it best to wait, and if possible, persuade her father into a more reasonable frame of mind. Hugh consented to this course as there was no help for it, but he sorely grudged the postponement of the day which would turn Catherine Granville into Mrs. Hugh Oliphant.

Sir Algernon was not to be trusted in any way. After that untoward death of Carrant's, the spirits of Sir Algernon fell to zero. He wanted money very badly, and it seemed hard to him to lose the big fish for which he so arduously angled. There was no one else to whom he could marry his daughter, yet he did not despair, and once more looked around for a wealthy and com plaisant son-in-law. His daughter hinted at Oliphant, but Sir Algernon put his foot down on that with determination. " Oliphant, indeed," he said, angrily, " a beggarly younger son with a pauper's income. I suppose he thinks because Carrant is dead that I'll let you marry him. I'll do no such thing. As you can't marry poor Rudolph you must marry his cousin and heir-at-law, Cecil Halston." " What, that effeminate looking person," cried Catherine, in dismay.

" I shall do nothing of the sort, papa. I wish to marry a man like ." " Like Oliphant, I suppose," sneered her father. " You shall marry whom I choose, and that wretched Oliphant is not my choice. It is my duty as a father to look after your well-being, and I have decided that you shall marry Cecil Halston." " But I don't love him." " That doesn't matter. He can make good settlements." " But he doesn't love me." " Well, perhaps he doesn't love you yet," said Sir Algernon, affably, "but he will do so soon. He told me that he admired you very much." With this prospect Catherine began to think she would ultimately be forced to revert to her old plan and fly with Hugh. But since Carrant's funeral her father never let her out of his sight, and looked over all incoming and out going letters, so she was quite unable to either communicate with, or gain a sight of her lover.

Meanwhile Sir Alg'ernon inQTatiated himself with Halston, and gave his opinion regarding the death of Carrant. The heir was unwilling to take steps on so slender an assumption as robbery and was inclined to agree with the jury in the verdict ascribing the death to an accident. Nevertheless Sir Algernon was so certain that Carrant had met with foul play, that to quieten his scruples, Halston was forced to call in the aid of a detective. Hence his journey to London and his engagement of Dillock to find out the true cause of Rudolph Carrant's death. In his hints that Oliphant was mixed up in the crime, there was without doubt a suspicion of jealousy in the mind of Halston. He knew that Catherine loved Hugh and that Carrant stood in the way of their coming together, therefore he was by no means certain but that Oliphant might not have purposely killed his rival and so removed an obstacle from his path.

These suspicions he imparted to Dillock, though he did so very unwillingly, as he had really no grounds for so base an accusation. What Dillock thought about the matter remains to be seen. He was not a man of many words, and valued his professional reputation too highly to commit himself to a rash opinion. On arriving at Seagate ■*• — about three o'clock, Halston took the detective to his hotel, where they had something to eat, and then walked him along the parade to call on Sir Algernon Granville. The baronet's house was at the extreme end of Seagate, so the detective and his companion had to walk the full length of the parade. Towards the termination of the asphalted walk, Halston touched Dillock on the arm. " Do you see that fair man in the grey tweed suit ? " " Yes. Walking rapidly towards us What about him ?