Page:The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.djvu/83

Rh vessel of safety, "there seems to be a whole fleet of arks!"

As to Mr. Felix Rolleston, it was a time of great joy to him, knowing as he did all the circumstances of the case, and the dramatis personæ. When any new evidence came to light, Rolleston was the first to know all about it, and would go round to his friends and relate it, with certain additions of his own, which rendered it more piquant and dramatic. But when asked his opinion as to the guilt of the accused, he would shake his head sagaciously, and hint that both he and his dear friend Calton—he knew Calton to nod to—could not make up their minds upon the matter.

"Fact is, don't you know," observed Mr. Rolleston, wisely, "there is more in this than meets the eye, and all that sort of thing—think 'tective fellers wrong myself—don't think Fitz killed Whyte; jolly well sure he didn't."

Then, of course, after such an observation, a chorus chiefly feminine would arise: "Then who killed him?"

"Aha," Felix would retort, putting his head on one side, like a meditative sparrow; "'tective fellers can't find out; that's the difficulty. Good mind to go on the prowl myself, by Jove."

"But do you know anything of the detective business?" some one would ask.

"Oh, dear, yes," with an airy wave of his hand; "I've read Gaboreau, you know; awfully jolly life, 'tectives."

Mr. Rolleston, however, in spite of his asseverations, had no grounds for his belief that Fitzgerald was innocent, and in his heart of hearts thought him guilty. But then he was one of those people who, having either tender hearts or obstinate natures—more particularly the latter—always make a point of coming forward as champions of those in trouble with the world at large. There are, no doubt, many people who think that Nero was a pleasant young man, whose cruelties were merely an overflow of high spirits; and who regard Henry VIII. as a henpecked husband, who was unfortunate in having six wives. It is these kind of people who delight in sympathizing with great criminals of the sort, and look upon them as embodiments of heroism, badly treated by the narrow understanding of the law. There is a proverb to the effect that the world kicks