Was this the cipher used by the dead man to communicate with Sybil?
"This will a.s.sist us, no doubt," remarked Eric, scrutinising it beneath the light. "Probably she sent him cipher messages from time to time."
There was also a man"s visiting card, bearing the name,--
"Mr John Parham, Keymer, Sydenham Hill, S.E." As I turned it over I remarked, "This also may tell us something. This Mr Parham is perhaps his friend." The card-case was empty, but a couple of p.a.w.n tickets for a watch and ring, showing them to be p.a.w.ned at a shop in the Fulham Road in the name of Green, completed the miscellaneous collection that I had filched from the dead man"s pockets, and showed that, at any rate, he had been in want of money, even though he had a few shillings upon him at the time of his death.
To say the least, it was a strange, gruesome collection as it lay spread upon the table. To my chagrin one of the blood-stained letters made an ugly mark upon the long hem-st.i.tched linen toilet-cover.
Eric took up letter after letter, and with knit brows re-read them, although he vouchsafed no remark.
Who was the man? That was the one question which now occupied our minds.
"How fortunate we"ve been able to possess ourselves of these!" I remarked. "Think, if they had fallen into the hands of the police!"
"Yes," answered my friend, "you acted boldly--more boldly than I dare act. I only hope that the person who saw us will not gossip. If he does--well, then it will be decidedly awkward."
"If he does, then we must put the best face upon matters. He probably didn"t see us take anything from the body."
"He may have followed and watched. Most likely."
"We"ve more to fear from somebody having seen Sybil go to the spot this afternoon. At that hour people would be at work in the fields, and anybody crossing those turnips must have been seen half a mile off."
"Unless they made a _detour_ and came through the wood from the opposite side, as I expect she did. She would never risk discovery by going there openly."
"But what shall we do with all this?" I asked.
"Burn the lot; that"s my advice."
"And if we"ve been discovered. What then? It would be awkward if the police came to us for these letters and we had burnt them. No," I declared. "Let us keep them under lock and key--at least for the present."
"Very well, as you like. All I hope is that n.o.body will identify the fellow," my friend said. "If they do, then his connection with Sybil may be known. Recollect what the letters say about the maid Mason. She suspects."
"That"s so," I said, seriously. "Mason must be sent to London on some pretence the first thing in the morning. She must not be allowed to see the body."
"It seems that Sybil held some secret of the dead man"s, and yet was loyal to him throughout. I wonder what it was?"
"The fellow was an outsider, without a doubt. Sybil foolishly fell in love with him, and he sought to profit by it. He was an adventurer, most certainly. I don"t like that cipher. It"s suspicious," I declared.
"Then you"ll keep all these things in your possession. Better seal them up and put them in your bank or somewhere safe."
"Yes," I said, "I"ll take them to my bank. At any rate, they"ll be put away from prying eyes there."
"And how shall we face her?" Eric asked.
"How will she face us, that"s the question?" I said, in a low voice.
Then almost at the same moment we were both startled by hearing a low tapping upon my door.
Eric and I turned and looked inquiringly at each other.
"It"s Budd, your man, I expect," he whispered. "He must not see me.
Perhaps he"s heard of the affair and come to tell you. Look, I"ll get in there," and springing across to a big old-fashioned oak wardrobe he slipped inside and I closed the door noiselessly.
Then, quick as thought, I swept up the letters and other articles upon the table, placed them in one of the drawers, and stood awaiting a further summons.
In a moment the low tapping was repeated.
"Who"s there?" I inquired, crossing and drawing aside the heavy _portiere_.
"Wilfrid!" whispered a low voice. "Can you see me? I must speak with you at once."
I started as though I had received a blow. It was Sybil herself!
CHAPTER SIX.
CONTAINS A CURIOUS CONFESSION.
I unlocked the door, and opening it, met the love of my youth standing there in the darkness.
"Wilfrid!" she gasped, in a low whisper, "I--I want to speak to you.
Forgive me, but it is very urgent. Come along here--into the blue room.
Come, there is no time to lose."
Thus impelled, I followed her along the corridor to the small sitting-room at the end, where she had apparently left her candle.
By its light I saw that she was dressed in a black tailor-made gown, and that her face was white and haggard. She closed the door, and noticing that I was still dressed, said,--
"Have you only just come up to bed?"
"Yes," was my answer. "Eric and I have been gossiping. The others went up long ago, but he began telling me some of his African yarns."
"But everyone is in bed now?" she inquired, quickly.
"Of course," I answered, wondering why she had come to me thus, in the middle of the night. She had changed her dinner-gown for a walking dress, but there was still the bow of blue velvet in her gold-brown hair which she had apparently forgotten to remove.
"Wilfrid!" she said, in a low, hard voice, suddenly grasping both my hands. "Although you refused to marry me you are still my friend, are you not?"
"Your friend! Of course I am," I answered rather hoa.r.s.ely. "Did I not tell you so before dinner?"
"I know you did, but--" and she dropped her fine eyes, still holding my hands in hers. Her own hands trembled, and apparently she dared not look me full in the face.
"But what--?" I asked. "What troubles you? Why are you dressed like this?"
"I--I have been very foolish," she whispered. "I am, after all, a woman, and very weak. Ah! Wilfrid--if I only dare tell you the truth-- if I only dare?" she gasped, and I saw how terribly agitated she was.
"Why not? Why not confide in me?" I urged, seriously. "I can keep a secret, you know."
"No, no," she cried. "How can I? No, I only beg and implore of you to help me, and not to misjudge me."