"Yes; his head was knocked in with his own poker."
"Sir Eustace Brackenstall, the driver tells me."
"Exactly--one of the richest men in Kent. Lady Brackenstall is in themorning-room. Poor lady, she has had a most dreadful experience. Sheseemed half dead when I saw her first. I think you had best see herand hear her account of the facts. Then we will examine the dining-roomtogether."
Lady Brackenstall was no ordinary person. Seldom have I seen so gracefula figure, so womanly a presence, and so beautiful a face. She was ablonde, golden-haired, blue-eyed, and would, no doubt, have had theperfect complexion which goes with such colouring had not her recentexperience left her drawn and haggard. Her sufferings were physical aswell as mental, for over one eye rose a hideous, plum-coloured swelling,which her maid, a tall, austere woman, was bathing assiduously withvinegar and water. The lady lay back exhausted upon a couch, but herquick, observant gaze as we entered the room, and the alert expressionof her beautiful features, showed that neither her wits nor her couragehad been shaken by her terrible experience. She was enveloped in aloose dressing-gown of blue and silver, but a black sequin-covereddinner-dress was hung upon the couch beside her.
"I have told you all that happened, Mr. Hopkins," she said, wearily;"could you not repeat it for me? Well, if you think it necessary, I willtell these gentlemen what occurred. Have they been in the dining-roomyet?"
"I thought they had better hear your ladyship's story first."
"I shall be glad when you can arrange matters. It is horrible to me tothink of him still lying there." She shuddered and buried her face inher hands. As she did so the loose gown fell back from her forearms.Holmes uttered an exclamation.
"You have other injuries, madam! What is this?" Two vivid red spotsstood out on one of the white, round limbs. She hastily covered it.
"It is nothing. It has no connection with the hideous business of lastnight. If you and your friend will sit down I will tell you all I can.
"I am the wife of Sir Eustace Brackenstall. I have been married abouta year. I suppose that it is no use my attempting to conceal that ourmarriage has not been a happy one. I fear that all our neighbours wouldtell you that, even if I were to attempt to deny it. Perhaps the faultmay be partly mine. I was brought up in the freer, less conventionalatmosphere of South Australia, and this English life, with itsproprieties and its primness, is not congenial to me. But the mainreason lies in the one fact which is notorious to everyone, and that isthat Sir Eustace was a confirmed drunkard. To be with such a man for anhour is unpleasant. Can you imagine what it means for a sensitiveand high-spirited woman to be tied to him for day and night? It is asacrilege, a crime, a villainy to hold that such a marriage is binding.I say that these monstrous laws of yours will bring a curse upon theland--Heaven will not let such wickedness endure." For an instant shesat up, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes blazing from under the terriblemark upon her brow. Then the strong, soothing hand of the austere maiddrew her head down on to the cushion, and the wild anger died away intopassionate sobbing. At last she continued:--
"I will tell you about last night. You are aware, perhaps, that in thishouse all servants sleep in the modern wing. This central block is madeup of the dwelling-rooms, with the kitchen behind and our bedroom above.My maid Theresa sleeps above my room. There is no one else, and no soundcould alarm those who are in the farther wing. This must have been wellknown to the robbers, or they would not have acted as they did
.
"Sir Eustace retired about half-past ten. The servants had already goneto their quarters. Only my maid was up, and she had remained in her roomat the top of the house until I needed her services. I sat until aftereleven in this room, absorbed in a book. Then I walked round to seethat all was right before I went upstairs. It was my custom to do thismyself, for, as I have explained, Sir Eustace was not always to betrusted. I went into the kitchen, the butler's pantry, the gun-room,the billiard-room, the drawing-room, and finally the dining-room. As Iapproached the window, which is covered with thick curtains, I suddenlyfelt the wind blow upon my face and realized that it was open. I flungthe curtain aside and found myself face to face with a broad-shouldered,elderly man who had just stepped into the room. The window is a longFrench one, which really forms a door leading to the lawn. I held mybedroom candle lit in my hand, and, by its light, behind the first man Isaw two others, who were in the act of entering. I stepped back, but thefellow was on me in an instant. He caught me first by the wrist and thenby the throat. I opened my mouth to scream, but he struck me a savageblow with his fist over the eye, and felled me to the ground. I musthave been unconscious for a few minutes, for when I came to myself Ifound that they had torn down the bell-rope and had secured me tightlyto the oaken chair which stands at the head of the dining-room table. Iwas so firmly bound that I could not move, and a handkerchief round mymouth prevented me from uttering any sound. It was at this instant thatmy unfortunate husband entered the room. He had evidently heard somesuspicious sounds, and he came prepared for such a scene as he found.He was dressed in his shirt and trousers, with his favourite blackthorncudgel in his hand. He rushed at one of the burglars, but another--itwas the elderly man--stooped, picked the poker out of the grate, andstruck him a horrible blow as he passed. He fell without a groan, andnever moved again. I fainted once more, but again it could only havebeen a very few minutes during which I was insensible. When I opened myeyes I found that they had collected the silver from the sideboard, andthey had drawn a bottle of wine which stood there. Each of them had aglass in his hand. I have already told you, have I not, that one waselderly, with a beard, and the others young, hairless lads. They mighthave been a father with his two sons. They talked together in whispers.Then they came over and made sure that I was still securely bound.Finally they withdrew, closing the window after them. It was quite aquarter of an hour before I got my mouth free. When I did so my screamsbrought the maid to my assistance. The other servants were soon alarmed,and we sent for the local police, who instantly communicated withLondon. That is really all that I can tell you, gentlemen, and I trustthat it will not be necessary for me to go over so painful a storyagain."
"Any questions, Mr. Holmes?" asked Hopkins.
"I will not impose any further tax upon Lady Brackenstall's patience andtime," said Holmes. "Before I go into the dining-room I should like tohear your experience." He looked at the maid.
"I saw the men before ever they came into the house," said she. "As Isat by my bedroom window I saw three men in the moonlight down by thelodge gate yonder, but I thought nothing of it at the time. It was morethan an hour after that I heard my mistress scream, and down I ran, tofind her, poor lamb, just as she says, and him on the floor with hisblood and brains over the room. It was enough to drive a woman out ofher wits, tied there, and her very dress spotted with him; but she neverwanted courage, did Miss Mary Fraser of Adelaide, and Lady Brackenstallof Abbey Grange hasn't learned new ways. You've questioned her longenough, you gentlemen, and now she is coming to her own room, just withher old Theresa, to get the rest that she badly needs."
With a motherly tenderness the gaunt woman put her arm round hermistress and led her from the room.
"She has been with her all her life," said Hopkins. "Nursed her asa baby, and came with her to England when they first left Australiaeighteen months ago. Theresa Wright is her name, and the kind of maidyou don't pick up nowadays. This way, Mr. Holmes, if you please!"
The keen interest had passed out of Holmes's expressive face, and Iknew that with the mystery all the charm of the case had departed. Therestill remained an arrest to be effected, but what were these commonplacerogues that he should soil his hands with them? An abstruse and learnedspecialist who finds that he has been called in for a case of measleswould experience something of the annoyance which I read in myfriend's eyes. Yet the scene in the dining-room of the Abbey Grange wassufficiently strange to arrest his attention and to recall his waninginterest.
It was a very large and high chamber, with carved oak ceiling, oakenpanelling, and a fine array of deer's heads and ancient weapons aroundthe walls. At the farther end from the door was the high French windowof which we had heard. Three smaller windows on the right-hand sidefilled the apartment with cold winter sunshine. On the left was a large,deep fireplace, with a massive, over-hanging oak mantelpiece. Besidethe fireplace was a heavy oaken chair with arms and cross-bars at thebottom. In and out through the open woodwork was woven a crimson cord,which was secured at each side to the crosspiece below. In releasing thelady the cord had been slipped off her, but the knots with which it hadbeen secured still remained. These details only struck our attentionafterwards, for our thoughts were entirely absorbed by the terribleobject which lay upon the tiger-skin hearthrug in front of the fire.
It was the body of a tall, well-made man, about forty years of age.He lay upon his back, his face upturned, with his white teeth grinningthrough his short black beard. His two clenched hands were raisedabove his head, and a heavy blackthorn stick lay across them. His dark,handsome, aquiline features were convulsed into a spasm of vindictivehatred, which had set his dead face in a terribly fiendish expression.He had evidently been in his bed when the alarm had broken out, for hewore a foppish embroidered night-shirt, and his bare feet projected fromhis trousers. His head was horribly injured, and the whole room borewitness to the savage ferocity of the blow which had struck him down.Beside him lay the heavy poker, bent into a curve by the concussion.Holmes examined both it and the indescribable wreck which it hadwrought.
"He must be a powerful man, this elder Randall," he remarked.
"Yes," said Hopkins. "I have some record of the fellow, and he is arough customer."
"You should have no difficulty in getting him."
"Not the slightest. We have been on the look-out for him, and there wassome idea that he had got away to America. Now that we know the gang arehere I don't see how they can escape. We have the news at every seaportalready, and a reward will be offered before evening. What beats me ishow they could have done so mad a thing, knowing that the lady coulddescribe them, and that we could not fail to recognise the description."
"Exactly. One would have expected that they would have silenced LadyBrackenstall as well."
"They may not have realized," I suggested, "that she had recovered fromher faint."
"That is likely enough. If she seemed to be senseless they would nottake her life. What about this poor fellow, Hopkins? I seem to haveheard some queer stories about him."
"He was a good-hearted man when he was sober, but a perfect fiend whenhe was drunk, or rather when he was half drunk, for he seldom reallywent the whole way. The devil seemed to be in him at such times, and hewas capable of anything. From what I hear, in spite of all his wealthand his title, he very nearly came our way once or twice. There wasa scandal about his drenching a dog with petroleum and setting it onfire--her ladyship's dog, to make the matter worse--and that was onlyhushed up with difficulty. Then he threw a decanter at that maid,Theresa Wright; there was trouble about that. On the whole, and betweenourselves, it will be a brighter house without him. What are you lookingat now?"
Holmes was down on his knees examining with great attention theknots upon the red cord with which the lady had been secured. Then hecarefully scrutinized the broken and frayed end where it had snapped offwhen the burglar had dragged it down.