Page:How I Helped to Lay a Ghost.pdf/2

684 Posting my guide as sentinel over the alleyway, his superior greeted me silently, and helped me to turn over the man, who, I was relieved to find, was still breathing. He was neatly dressed in a dark flannel lounge-suit, and, well groomed and spruce, showed no apparent signs of any violence.

"Attempted murder, I should say, sir," observed the constable, drawing a revolver from his pocket.

"Did you find that here?" I asked.

"Yes, lying a little way nearer the door." And he handed me the weapon, of which only one chamber had apparently been loaded and discharged, the others being quite clear and empty.

As I turned the body over in search of any wound which might account for its condition, "Do you know him?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, sir! It's young Mr. Meadowcroft, from the bank. He drives over every week on market-day, and goes back in the afternoon."

Although with Major's help I examined the body thoroughly, carefully scanning the clothing for blood-marks, there was no evidence of hæmorrhage, as would be inevitable from a revolver wound, nor could I see any other trace of violence. There was certainly an abrasion on the left side of his forehead, and Major, when I questioned him, remembered that when first seen that was the side upon which the body lay; but the fact went for little in the presence of the discharged revolver.

"How came you to discover him?" I asked.

"Well, sir, Edwards, my assistant, walking by about five-thirty, noticed that the bank window hadn't been shut, although the door was closed—they always shut it all up at three o'clock. So he knocked to remind old Wells, the porter; but as he couldn't get any answer, he strolled along and came round the back way, expecting to find Wells somewhere about, as he sleeps on the premises. When he got to the backyard gate it was standing open; and when he looked in, there was the young gentleman lying just as you found him."

"And no one about?"

"Not a soul! The back door of the house was open, and Edwards peeped in and called for Wells. But as he didn't come, he went out and sent a boy running round to fetch me. As soon as I saw what had happened I sent Edwards off for you at once; but he met Dr. Sayfield's man just outside, and when he came back I left him in charge of the body while I went into the bank and had a look round; but there was no sign of Wells, though I hunted all over the house for him, and shouted loud enough to be heard in the street."

"But what about the revolver shot? Did no one hear it?"

"Ah! that's just it. You see, no one would be about but Wells. Mrs. Bell there," jerking his head towards the crowd which now seemed to embrace most of the village, "she said just now she heard something, but thought it was the door banging, and just after she heard the trap drive away as usual."

"Who would be driving?"

"Well, Mr. Meadowcroft drives over from Reading in the trap in the morning, and they puts it up under that shed there in the corner, and turns the horse into the stable place, and Wells puts it to at three o'clock or so ready for Mr. Meadowcroft to go back. I'm thinking he was just going to start when this happened, for Mrs. Bell says it was some time between three and four she heard the wheels go, and when I looked over the bank just now, it was all tidy, and no books or anything about, just as if Mr. Meadowcroft had cleared everything up."

"But where is his hat?"

"Just so, sir. And I know he always comes over with some books and a bag—I suppose with some money in it; I've seen him with them often, but they're nowhere about inside."

"Whose is the revolver?"

"That I can't say."

"Well, he doesn't seem to be coming round," I remarked. "We had better take him inside and put him to bed."

"But who's going to look after him," Major objected.

"Why, is there no one living here?"

"Only Wells, and he's a bachelor."

"Awkward!" I remarked. "Well, anyhow, we can't leave him here. There's no cottage-hospital or anything like that in the place, is there?"

"No, sir; no nearer than Reading."

"I suppose you have an ambulance, anyhow?"

"Yes, at the police station."

"Well, if you can bring him along to Dr. Sayfield's, I'll see if we can't put him