"The mystery that has surrounded the remains of a mutilated human body,
portions of which have been found in various places in Kent and Essex,
has received a partial and very sinister solution. The police have,
all along, suspected that those remains were those of a Mr. John
Bellingham who disappeared under circumstances of some suspicion about
two years ago. There is now no doubt upon the subject, for the finger
which was missing from the hand that was found at Sidcup has been
discovered at the bottom of a disused well together with a ring,
which has been identified as one habitually worn by Mr. John Bellingham.
"The house in the garden of which the well is situated was the property
of the murdered man, and was occupied at the time of the disappearance
by his brother, Mr. Godfrey Bellingham. But the latter left it very
soon after, and it has been empty ever since. Just lately it has been
put in repair, and it was in this way that the well came to be emptied
and cleaned out. It seems that Detective-Inspector Badger, who was
searching the neighborhood for further remains, heard of the emptying
of the well and went down in the bucket to examine the bottom, where he
found the three bones and the ring.
"Thus the identity of the body is established beyond all doubt, and the
question that remains is, Who killed John Bellingham? It may be
remembered that a trinket, apparently broken from his watch-chain, was
found in the grounds of this house on the day that he disappeared, and
that he was never again seen alive. What may be the import of these
facts time will show."
That was all; but it was enough. I dropped the paper to the ground and
glanced round furtively at Jervis, who sat gazing gloomily at the toes
of his boots. It was horrible! It was incredible! The blow was so
crushing that it left my faculties numb, and for a while I seemed
unable even to think intelligibly.
I was aroused by Thorndyke's voice—calm, business-like, composed:
"Time will show, indeed! But meanwhile we must go warily. And don't
be unduly alarmed, Berkeley. Go home, take a good dose of bromide with
a little stimulant, and turn in. I am afraid this has been rather a
shock to you."
I rose from my chair like one in a dream and held out my hand to
Thorndyke; and even in the dim light and in my dazed condition I
noticed that his face bore a look that I had never seen before; the
look of a granite mask of Fate—grim, stern, inexorable.
My two friends walked with me as far as the gateway at the top of Inner
Temple Lane, and as we reached the entry a stranger, coming quickly up
the Lane, overtook and passed us. In the glare of the lamp outside the
porter's lodge he looked at us quickly over his shoulder, and though he
passed on without halt or greeting, I recognized him with a certain
dull surprise which I did not understand then and do not understand
now. It was Mr. Jellicoe.
I shook hands once more with my friends and strode out into Fleet
Street, but as soon as I was outside the gate I made direct for
Nevill's Court. What was in my mind I do not know; only that some
instinct of protection led me there, where my lady lay unconscious of
the hideous menace that hung over her. At the entrance to the Court a
tall, powerful man was lounging against the wall, and he seemed to look
at me curiously as I passed; but I hardly noticed him and strode
forward into the narrow passage. By the shabby gateway of the house I
halted and looked up at such of the windows as I could see over the
wall. They were all dark. All the inmates, then, were in bed.
Vaguely comforted by this, I walked on to the New Street end of the
Court and looked out. Here, too, a man—a tall, thick-set man—was
loitering; and as he looked inquisitively into my face I turned and
reëntered the Court, slowly retracing my steps. As I again reached the
gate of the house I stopped to look once more at the windows, and
turning I found the man whom I had last noticed close behind me. Then,
in a flash of dreadful comprehension, I understood. These two were
plainclothes policemen.
For a moment a blind fury possessed me. An insane impulse urged me to
give battle to this intruder; to avenge upon this person the insult of
his presence. Fortunately the impulse was but momentary, and I
recovered myself without making any demonstration. But the appearance
of those two policemen brought the peril into the immediate present,
imparted to it a horrible actuality. A chilly sweat of terror stood on
my forehead, and my ears were ringing when I walked with faltering
steps out into Fetter Lane.