they went out and left them alone, two people who found in thismoment a heaven which is not beyond the reach of humanity, butwhich is seldom attained to. belinda mary had an eager audienceall to her very self.
"of course she didn't die," she said scornfully. "kara wasplaying on his fears all the time. he never even harmed her - inthe way mr. lexman feared. he told mrs. lexman that her husbandwas dead just as he told john lexman his wife was gone. whathappened was that he brought her back to england - ""who?" asked t. x., incredulously.
"grace lexman," said the girl, with a smile. "you wouldn't thinkit possible, but when you realize that he had a yacht of his ownand that he could travel up from whatever landing place he choseto his house in cadogan square by motorcar and that he could takeher straight away into his cellar without disturbing hishousehold, you'll understand that the only difficulty he had wasin landing her. it was in the lower cellar that i found her.""you found her in the cellar?" demanded the chief commissioner.
the girl nodded.
"i found her and the dog - you heard how kara terrified her - andi killed the dog with my own hands," she said a little proudly,and then shivered. "it was very beastly," she admitted.
"and she's been living with you all this time and you've saidnothing!" asked t. x., incredulously. belinda mary nodded.
"and that is why you didn't want me to know where you wereliving?" she nodded again.
"you see she was very ill," she said, "and i had to nurse her up,and of course i knew that it was lexman who had killed kara and icouldn't tell you about grace lexman without betraying him. sowhen mr. lexman decided to tell his story, i thought i'd bettersupply the grand de denouement."the men looked at one another.
"what are you going to do about lexman?" asked the chiefcommissioner, "and, by the way, t. x., how does all this fit yourtheories!""fairly well," replied t. x. coolly; "obviously the man whocommitted the murder was the man introduced into the room asgathercole and as obviously it was not gathercole, although to allappearance, he had lost his left arm.""why obvious?" asked the chief commissioner.
"because," answered t. x. meredith, "the real gathercole had losthis right arm - that was the one error lexman made.""h'm," the chief pulled at his moustache and looked enquiringlyround the room, "we have to make up our minds very quickly aboutlexman," he said. "what do you think, carlneau?"the frenchman shrugged his shoulders.
"for my part i should not only importune your home secretary topardon him, but i should recommend him for a pension," he saidflippantly.
"what do you think, savorsky?"the russian smiled a little.
"it is a very impressive story," he said dispassionately; "itoccurs to me that if you intend bringing your m. lexman tojudgment you are likely to expose some very pretty scandals.
incidentally," he said, stroking his trim little moustache, "imight remark that any exposure which drew attention to the lawlessconditions of albania would not be regarded by my government withfavour."the chief commissioner's eyes twinkled and he nodded.
"that is also my view," said the chief of the italian bureau;"naturally we are greatly interested in all that happens on theadriatic littoral. it seems to me that kara has come to a verymerciful end and i am not inclined to regard a prosecution of mr.
lexman with equanimity.""well, i guess the political aspect of the case doesn't affect usvery much," said o'grady, "but as one who was once mighty nearasphyxiated by stirring up the wrong kind of mud, i should leavethe matter where it is."the chief commissioner was deep in thought and belinda mary eyedhim anxiously.
"tell them to come in," he said bluntly.
the girl went and brought john lexman and his wife, and they camein hand in hand supremely and serenely happy whatever the futuremight hold for them. the chief commissioner cleared his throat.
"lexman, we're all very much obliged to you," he said, "for a veryinteresting story and a most interesting theory. what you havedone, as i understand the matter," he proceeded deliberately, "isto put yourself in the murderer's place and advance a theory notonly as to how the murder was actually committed, but as to themotive for that murder. it is, i might say, a remarkable piece ofreconstruction," he spoke very deliberately, and swept away johnlexman's astonished interruption with a stern hand, "please waitand do not speak until i am out of hearing," he growled. "youhave got into the skin of the actual assassin and have spoken mostconvincingly. one might almost think that the man who killedremington kara was actually standing before us. for that piece ofimpersonation we are all very grateful;" he glared round over hisspectacles at his understanding colleagues and they murmuredapprovingly.
he looked at his watch.
"now i am afraid i must be off," he crossed the room and put outhis hand to john lexman. "i wish you good luck," he said, andtook both grace lexman's hands in his. "one of these days," hesaid paternally, "i shall come down to beston tracey and yourhusband shall tell me another and a happier story."he paused at the door as he was going out and looking back caughtthe grateful eyes of lexman.
"by the way, mr. lexman," he said hesitatingly, "i don't think ishould ever write a story called 'the clue of the twisted candle,'
if i were you."john lexman shook his head.
"it will never be written," he said, " - by me."
