Page:The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.djvu/156

152 "And"—hesitating—" did you ever overhear one of these conversations?"

"Yes—one," answered the other, with a nod. "I got riled at the way he cleared us out of our own room, and once, when he shut the door and Gran' went off to get some gin I sat down at the door and listened. He wanted her to give up some papers and she wouldn't. She said she'd die first. But at last he got 'em. and took 'em away with him."

"Did you see them?" asked Madge, as the assertion of Gorby that Whyte had been murdered for certain papers flashed across her mind.

"Rather," said Sal, "I was looking through a hole in the door, an' she takes 'em from under her piller, an' 'e takes 'em to the table, where the candle was, an' looks at 'em—they were in a large blue envelop, with writing on it in red ink—then he puts 'em in his pocket, an' she sings out: 'You'll lose 'em,' an' 'e says: ' No, I'll always have 'em with me, an' if 'e wants 'em 'e'll have to kill me fust afore he gits 'em.'"

"And you did not know who the man was to whom the papers were of such importance?"

"No, I didn't; they never said no names."

"And when was it Whyte got the papers?"

"About a week before he was murdered," said Sal after a moment's thought. "An' after that he never turned up again. She kept watching for him night an' day, an' 'cause he didn't come, got mad at him. I heard her sayin', 'You think you've done with me, my gentleman, an' leaves me here to die, but I'll spoil your little game,' an' then she wrote that letter to Mr. Fitzgerald, and I brought him to her, as you know."

"Yes, yes," said Madge, rather impatiently. "I heard all that at the trial, but what conversation passed between Mr. Fitzgerald and this woman? Did you hear it?"

"Bits of it," replied the other. "I didn't split in court, 'cause I thought the lawyer would be down on me for listening. The fust thing I heard Mr. Fitzgerald sayin' was, 'You're mad—it ain't true,' an' she ses, 'S'elp me G—, it is; Whyte's got the proof;' an' then he sings out, 'My poor girl,' an' she ses, 'Will you marry her now?' and ses he, 'I will; I love her more than ever;' and then she