CHAPTER XXIV.
On the morning of the trial for duelling Hall entered the court room,looking defiantly at Blount, and took his place full of apparentconfidence--and with reason. Jacobs had learned of Martin's return toEngland, and had also managed to learn two other facts of importance tohis client: first, that Martin was now in fairly good health; andsecond, that he would not appear at the trial.
When the case was called Jacobs answered "ready" with great promptnessand the trial commenced. The prosecution had nothing but the sameletters produced on the commitment, although it had promised to haveample evidence at the trial, and Mr. Jacobs immediately moved for thedischarge of his client. It would be ridiculous, had it not been sooutrageous, he said, to proceed any further. The very man whom it wasasserted by the prosecution on the commitment was at the point of deathat the hands of his client, was actually in England and out riding andshooting daily. Why did not the prosecution produce this man or somewitness of the alleged duel?
The prosecuting officer looked rather blankly at Blount, the latterlooked wickedly at the prisoner and his counsel; but looks break nobones, and Mr. Jacobs's motion to discharge Hall was duly granted. Inthe court room with Blount was Morgan, and as Hall walked out, once morea free man, he had a new shadow.
"Don't let him out of your sight," warned Blount "or he'll fool you ashe once did me. We are getting pretty close to him now--very close.Jaggers and Sanders we have pretty safe on the burglary, but it willnever do to alarm him until everything is ready. I will get to Londonand see what can be done there."
Hall's first act after dining at his hotel with Jacobs, was to write Mr.Stafford, advising him that he would return to Hanley Hall within a dayor two, and hoped to find things in readiness for the marriage.
After this he had a consultation with Jacobs regarding the papers thelatter was having prepared, and incidentally learned, to his immenserelief, that the affair of the stolen draft appeared to have died out.
Hall's letter caused some trouble at Hanley Hall--one result of it beingMartin's departure on the day after its receipt--leaving instructionsfor O'Brien (who had been notified that he could return) to keep out theway of Hall.
There was to all appearances nothing more than the usual regret at thedeparture of a friend exhibited by Kate when Martin announced hisintention of removing his quarters to London, and Mr. Stafford feltcorrespondingly relieved, for he was still suspicious. However,something had actually come between Kate and Martin, and each acted in avery reserved manner toward the other. It had begun with Martinimmediately on their arrival at Hanley Hall, and Kate, quick to noticethe least change, and too proud to ask for a reason, responded inkind--with the result that there was now quite a breach existing betweenthem. Martin had on his part become aware of the change in Kate'sattitude toward him, and when he took her hand before starting for thestation, he thought it odd that she should be the one to misunderstandhim, but before either could speak Carden appeared to drive him and Dr.Fox to the station.
"I will be up after you just as soon as I have had a look at this fellowand hear what he has to say," said Carden, as they drove to the station."I can then judge what is best to be done, and act as circumstances mayrequire; otherwise I would of course be with you, but I guess thedoctor can take care of you for a day or two."
"Oh, I will see that he doesn't run round too much," said the doctor,laughingly.
Martin and the doctor proceeded to London, and at the doctor'ssuggestion secured quarters in the suburbs, instead of at the LondonBridge Hotel, where the former usually put up. Here Blount called,Martin having advised him of his residence at Croydon. He had notforgiven Martin for refusing assistance in the matter of the trial forduelling, and was rather reserved at first; but after detailing thevarious occurrences in which they were both interested, he succumbed tothe admiration expressed by Martin and thawed out a little.
"And there is another thing I had almost forgotten," he continued. "Thisfellow Jacobs is without a doubt forging a will for Hall's use," and hethen related the substance of the arrest of Jacobs' office boy, hissubsequent relations with him and the use he had made of him. "I have acopy of the will as it is being prepared, although it is notsatisfactory yet, according to what the boy tells me. Here it is. As yousee names, places, and amounts are all blank--left to be filled in byMr. Hall when the proper time arrives. This proves that he has notrecovered the papers and that Jaggers tells the truth about 'TheKnifer' having them. When we secure him we then wind up Mr. Hall'saffairs in short order. The locket, the robbery by Jaggers, and theforgery of the will, will be enough to hang him higher than Haman.
"Morgan is now in Paris trying to find who bought the draft, and if aswe suspect it is Hall, then it will not be a hard matter to find thediamond dealer from whom he obtained the cash. And now, Mr. Martin, howmuch time have we, before it will be absolutely necessary to close in onhim?"
"I can't tell yet," returned Martin, "I must wait until Fred Cardeneither comes himself or reports."
He spoke wearily as though tired of the matter, and Blount ascribed itto his late illness. Doctor Fox, who had begun to notice the change inMartin since leaving Hanley Hall, and suspected the true cause, was nowwilling that his patient should become even excitedly interested insomething--anything was better than this dull indifference--and hesought to awaken Martin's interest in various ways, but without success.
The day following Blount's visit brought O'Brien with news that Hall hadarrived, and following O'Brien came Carden.
Blount was off again after "The Knifer," and O'Brien and Doctor Foxwere both out when Carden and Martin met.
"He is back again," said Carden, "and I'm satisfied Kate has no feelingbut dislike for him. What ever induced her to consent to marry him Icannot imagine, and how to prevent it I can't see! And yet it's as plainas day that for some reason she's being sacrificed in the affair!"
Martin listened attentively to Carden, and when the latter began pacingthe floor nervously, he said, slowly, and as though weighing his words:
"Fred, I have something of a confession to make regarding your cousinand myself."
Carden stopped short in the centre of the floor and looked at him.
"Yes, on the day I gave up the trip to London, your cousin, through myweakness, became aware that she was more to me than as the affianced ofanother she should be; but it has gone no further since wereturned--although I am sure she does not care a pin for him, whatevershe may for me. I agree with you that there is something mysteriousabout the affair; but do not talk any more about it now, I am somewhatbothered myself."
There was a weary sadness in his voice that touched Carden. He saidnothing but wrung Martin's hand.
Doctor Fox and O'Brien returned at this juncture, to the relief of thetwo friends, and Carden informed them that Hall had insisted that themarriage should take place as soon as possible; and, assuming everythingto be in readiness, had fixed a week from that day as the time for theceremony. Hall had given as the reason of his haste that he expected tobe compelled to transact a great deal of business while on the longwedding tour he purposed taking--business involving vast interests anddemanding immediate attention.
Harry Blount, the Detective; Or, The Martin Mystery Solved Page 24