Page:How I Helped to Lay a Ghost.pdf/5

Rh heard this matter-of-fact explanation, and added: "I suppose you will be able to trace the notes?"

"Certainly. The numbers and all information were sent to the Bank of England and Scotland Yard the same evening; while the cheques and papers in the bag would be, of course, quite valueless to Wells or anyone else. I would have staked my life on that man's honesty; but I suppose he gave way to a sudden temptation. Well, good-evening. I hope if the patient remembers any more you will let me know; perhaps, too, you wouldn't mind treating it with due secrecy." He added, as I was about to make the natural protestation, "I mean that quite apart from your professional attitude, I hope you won't acquaint the police with anything fresh until we have had an opportunity of talking it over together, as the bank doesn’t care for too many details to be made public."

The next day was Saturday, and rather a busy one, so that I had no chance of speaking at any length with Meadowcroft. He seemed on the whole to be a little more collected; but as he made no reference to the affair I was only too glad to avoid the subject. But it was fated that I should hear a good deal about it from other sources.

Returning from my morning rounds, I found Major awaiting me. His manner was portentous, and for reply to my query as to any fresh developments he silently handed me a shapeless lump of metal.

"Whatever is this?" I asked; and then, as I began to see in it a flattened mass of lead, "Is it the missing bullet?"

"That's it, sir. It took a little finding, but I spent nearly the whole of yesterday afternoon at the bank, for I knew that bullet must be somewhere about, and sure enough, after hunting round the back-doorway for about an hour, I saw some fresh-looking splinters on the eaves a little to the right. So I got the ladder from the stable, and with a little more damage to the place, as you might say, I dug this here out of it."

"Good!" I exclaimed, and then with a recollection of the manager's caution, "How do you suppose it got there?"

"Well, I've been thinking that Mr. Meadowcroft may have had his hand knocked up just as he was firing on Wells when he attacked him; or it may have been the other way, and he may have knocked Wells's hand up as Wells was firing at him. It's a puzzle anyhow, and one we shan't get to the bottom of till one of them tells us. Has Mr. Meadowcroft said anything about it?"

"Nothing fresh," I answered curtly.

"Well, it's one more step, this finding of the bullet, so I hope he'll say something soon, for there's but a poor chance of finding Wells, seemingly."

"He certainly has a good start."

"Ah, yes, doctor; but, you see, he's got the money." Here Major's voice sank to a whisper, and he continued, "Bag found in the Loddon this morning—caught in some rushes—ripped open and quite empty."

"The same bag?"

"Stamped with the bank's name and all! Well, I must be getting on, sir. I just looked in on my way up to London. I've had a wire to go up to Scotland Yard about this case. Sorry you can't tell me more."

In the afternoon I had intended to have a talk with Meadowcroft, when a patient arrived, and then another and another, until I found the evening work was about to form a fitting close to a busy day. One of the women was specially garrulous and hard to dispose of, this affair having got on her nerves, as, indeed, it bid fair to get on mine. There was some excuse, however, for her, as she was the wife of the new bank porter, Jackson, and complained of nervousness and insomnia; was sure the bank was haunted; ghostly noises were to be heard at night (of course) near the scene of the tragedy; no one else heard them; her husband never heard anything—would snore while she was being murdered. She seemed otherwise a sensible woman, and crediting her with a vivid imagination, I dismissed her with a mysterious tonic, and soon forgot her in the press of other work. At length I was free, but it was then too late to talk with Meadowcroft; so I postponed my interview until the next day, when, as will be seen, it was practically forced upon me.

I had arranged an easy morning's work, and returning about noon was told by the housekeeper that Meadowcroft was asking for me. I should observe that I had allowed him to read the newspaper the previous day, so that when I went upstairs the sight of a Sunday paper in his hand gave me no surprise; but I had cause to regret my permission when he showed me a report of the case, which in full detail extended to nearly a column. An enterprising newspaper