A DARK DEEP.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 78, 29 November 1884, Page 5

A DARK DEEP.

It was Sophy's doing. "Give yourself a bit of a rest in the country, John,'' she said, "the business will gel along well enough under the head clei k till the hot weather's over. Wo w ill take a little house in the country. What we want -at least you do — is tho fresh air of the open country. I declaro you begin to look quite thin, John, dear. I'm really quite concerned about you,' 1 I yielded with a good grace, and ever} evening for a week I came home to rind Sophy with a doyen or so of advertisementof "Desirable Homes in the Country, 1 ' marked for ready reference. After a voluminous correspondence and several hours of inspection, we made a choice at last. It was a semi-detached villa in a secluded locality, and surrounded by commodious grounds thickly shaded with trees. The other house was occupied by a family who, the agent said, had given the best of references, though he know nothing of them personally. The surrounding grounds were divided by a close fence, which completely separated the portions pertaining to the respective halves of the villas ; so, if we didn't care to cultivate our neighbours, we could easily keep aloof. It was se\eral day** before we saw any of the adjoining occupants. The tiisfc of them encountered was a white-headed old man, whom I met ono morning coming out a* if for an eaiiy walk similar to that fiom which I was ]u*t returning. He was bent with years and very veneiablc in appearance, and the bow with which he returned my salute was full of courtesy. At intervals glimpses were cauirht of the remaining inmates, who consisted of adaik, djspeptic-looking man of 00, or thereabouts, a cheeiy-faced little woman tome ti\e years \ounyer, whom Sophy -et down as the daik man's wife, and a dowdyish maid-of-all-w ork. It was not long before we discovcied one drawback to our new abode. The par tition-wall was so thin that we could not help heating all that pa--ed on the other side. So it Mas ascei taine'l that the dyspeptic maa's name was Eldiitch, the old gentleman's Mr Harbine, and the servantmaid'- Biddy : fuithermoie, that Mr \ Harbine was Mi- Eldritch's father, and ! that his life wa- insuied foi hi- daughter.- i benctit, I had always had a special dislike of prying curio-ity ; and ono e\ening, as | Sophy" sat knitting close to the communicative wall— her ta\oimte po.-ition lately — ■\\ith her eyes on her work and one ear cocked attentively, I was in the act of j clearing my throat for a homilly on the sin of over-inquisiti\eness, when Sophy gave a start that nearly tumbled her fiom her ' : chair. Her face tinned white and her i ' whole frame trembled. | : "Good Heaxen?' Come here quick,] John, and listen to this ' " j Sophy's terrified look drcs c the lecture j from my h»ad, and in an instant I was at ! [ her side w ith my ear as closely glued to the I ; partition as her own. "The poiton has done its work eflectu- | ally," said a voice which Sophy whispered was the dark man.-. "Thank goodne-s we're rid of the old! nuisance at last ''' returned another, which j we agreed was the uifeS. J "He's been a terrible pe-t, but he'll j trouble us no more," replied the fhst. Then ths speakers mu.-t have moved aw ay [ a little, or turned their back-, for the next - words were 10-t— all, except something ' about "insuiance money,'" in the man's voice. What was to be done ? I knew not if there was a magistrate in the neighbour- ' hood, or where to find him if there was. ' Besides, Sophy absolutely lefused to be left alone while I v\ent in seaich of one. After much consultation w e resolved upon ' a course of action. There was no danger of Eldritch or his wife trying to escape as long j [ as they had no iea«on to believe them-el\cs suspected. I had a friend in the detective force, to whom I would telegraph from the ' village the first thing in the morning, to ' come immediately, a- I had important '> business for him. | The next day was Sunday, and after send- \ ing my despatch I resoh ed to keep as close ' a watch on our neighbour- a- was practic- ( able without awakening their distrust. [ It was verging towards ten o'clock, when through a chink in the division fence, at • which I was keeping watch, concealed by 1 the shrubbery, I saw the Eldritches, in : Sunday garb, pass through their front gate, looking as placid as if that white-haired old man's murder were not upon their con- - sciences. | I w ent out at our own gate, and followed at a safe distance. The two walked along ' leisurely, the woman's hand on the man's ( arm, till they reached the village, and ' finally, a neat little church, which they entered. j I waited awhile, and then also went ia. Judge of my surprise at seeing in the , pulpit, in the act of giving out the opening ' hymn — whom do you think? As true as j my name's John Hetley, it was none other j than the dark-faced murderer ! I could , hardly xepress a cvy of indignation at such saciilege : and when he w ent on to preach , a sermon on the golden rule, and lull of l brotherly kindness and benevolence, I sat in { stupified amazement at the man's effrontery, , At the close of the service I resumed my watch till I had seen the reverend assassin and his wife enter their own door. Sophy and I listened at the wall, but no sounds • were audible. The neighbouring inmates were either exeicising extraordinary caution, or were in another part of the house. My detective friend came on Monday morning. A few w ords revealed what I had to disclose. "If they've muidercd the old man for the insurance," said my friend, " it's singular that they should conceal his death, as they appear to be doing. They can't get the money w ithout disclosing the man is dead, and every moment's delay would only tend to excite suspicion. It looks as if they had changed their minds about trying to get the insurance, and were now only intent on covering up their crime. I propose that we call at once on Eidritjh, and that you confront him with your discovery before they've had time to hide the body " Our ring was answered by the dowdyish servant, who, at our request, led us into Mr Eldiitch'o presence. " A life lias been taken in this house by pohon !" I said, abruptly and impressively. I expected to f-ee the wretch quail w ith terror, but lie didn't. He looked up calmly, but a little curiously, and with an amused pmile, answered, "I admit the fact." Was there ever such audacity ? > " Where have you bestowed the body?' I demanded. "Come and I'll show you," he replied, without a sign of trepidation. Could the man be in his senses, or would he, after all, escape the gallows on the plea of insanity ? > He rose and led the way to a back garden, we following. Then, removing a few spadefuls of eaith, he revealed to our oxpectant eyes the swollen corpse -don't he ttartled— of a huge rat 1

" The old scamp had pestered us a good whilo," said Mr Eldritch, "and being too cunning to be trapped, and more than a match foi tho cat, at last 1 laid a doso of arsonic for him." "Don't tvitlo with us!" I said sternly. " I overhoavd you talking about insurance money at tho samo timo I heard your confession of the poisoning. You'll hardly claim you had this creature's life insured ?" Mr Eldritch's smilo broadened. "Mj' wife and I have consulted several timos of late," ho replied, "about getting up tho monoy to pay the forthcoming instalment on her father's policy, but you must havo had pretty sharp oars to have heard us." Before I had timo to answer, the whitehaired victim of the supposed murderer made his appearance on the scene, and greeted us a\ ith his accustomed bow. As well as I could for my confusion, I hastened to make a clean breast of it to Mr Eldritch, who laughed heartily and forgavo my espionage in consideration of the motive. We got to be excellent friends afterwards, and I found him to be a very worthy gentleman.—" Prizo Tit-bit."