CHAPTER XXV. SERGEANT USHER'S VIEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2239, 13 November 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XXV. SERGEANT USHER'S VIEWS.

• Of course you never saw John Fossdyke,' said Phil, after a pause for some minutes' duration. ' Certainiy not; nor you as I understand, Foxborough. The likeness is odd, devilish odd, rejoined Morant. Phil Soaroea smoked on musingly for some seconds, and then said : ' It's a curious thing that thi* extraordinary likeness between the two men han never been touched on as yet by any witness in the case. You were present at the inquest, and know it was never alluded to. You're quite sure you're making no mistake ?' 1 Quite, if you had not told me that was the photograph of Mr Fossdyke, I'd have swore to it's being a likeness of Fox. borough.' Onoe again did Phil Soames mediate be* fore he spoke, and if phlegmatic and slow of thought as the traditional Dutchman. Then he said— 'This is a bit of information that I don't consider I am entitled to communicate to the police without your sanction; but, Herbert, Sergeant Usher, of the Criminal Investigation department, who has charge of the case, is in the town at the present moment, and I have an idea that he would consider this important." • Why!" rejoined Morant briefly. • Well, there you beat me,' replied Phi!. 'I don't know; it's a mere idea of my own, but I confess to be considerably impressed with Sergeant Usher. He seems to me to use Mark Twain's expression, a lightning detective.' ' That may be, but my dear Phil, situated as I am with the Foxborough family, it is not clear to me that assisting a lightning detective at this moment would be for their benefit altogether.' • Certainly not, if you believe Foxborough guilty, but you have already tonight avowed your total disbelief in his criminality. If you stand by that the discovering of the truth is most desirable for his sake. I go for seeing the thing fairly out and I have a right to speak, little as you think it, Herbert, we are almost in the same boat.' • The same boat ? Why, what on earth do you mean ?' exclaimed Morunt. I It's rather a singular thing, Herbert; and the knowledge only came to me some two days ago, but the girl I hope to make my wife is a half-sister to Miss Foxborough.' , 'Impo«sible ! James Foxborough has only one child —his daughter Nid.' •That may be, but Mrs Foxborough had a daughter before 'she ever married Foxborough—a child who has been brought up by her mother's sister. I don't wish to go further into her history than this. I only mention it now to show that I have almost equal right with you to decide upon what we shall make of the discovery we hare just made. If Foxborough is an innocent roan, the more light thrown upon poor Fospdy kes tragical end the better for him ; and then, again, we have no moral right to suppress an important piece of testimony like this.' II Hum ! I don't know; I've a sort of idea that standing staunch to one's pals is a primary duty in life, and I don't think I should bother myself much about moral obligations when fulfilling them threatened to turn to their detriment.' • I don't believe, as I said before, that this will be to James Foxborongh'e detriment. Like jou, I hold that even if he is the man who caused poor Fossdyke'a death it was a case of manslaughter and not deliberate murder, but remember that, except the one fact of the identification of the weapon, the evidenoe against Foxborough is all somewhat conjectural. Look here, we will submit this in the first place to Dr. Ingleby, and ask his advice about it." 'I don't half like it/ Phil rejoined Morant gloomily, * and wish I had never seen your confounded photograph book.' ' But you have, you see; you have virtually given a bit of evidence impossible to recall. I cannot tell you why I think it important, but I do.' 'Now,' rejoined Herbert, ' I'll jjive in. I know these two things —that your head is better than mine, and that y.m are sure to do what you think lest for both the Foxboroughs and ourselves. Tuat.'s so- i««r>'t it?" in^n,] M.i-m' $omewi a' nnv< u-h I * Sn' '■■ 'lun\' 9 in.; mai. P'ayia o

straight may be playing bold, but it's very often marvellously effeotive.' As usual the stronger spirit had carried his point, and before the pair separated, that Dr. Injjleby should be informed of the curious discovery wan thoroughly settled. Moraut was somewhat astonished at the importance the dootor appeared to attaoh to it; indeed it neemed moro consequence in other people's eyes a good deal than his own ; but Dr. Ingleby was quite clear on the one point that it ought to be communicated to Sergeant Usher without delay, and the sergeant was aooordin^rly sent for. The message found Mr Usher in somewhit gloomy cogitation. The story of Miss Hyde he had no doubt was a piece in the puzzle, but by no means a prominent one, and he was just as far as ever from arriving at one of those centre pieoos upon which those pictured problems invariably depend. *We have a bit of news for you, sergeant,' said Dr. Ingleby as Mr Usher entered the room. ' Sit down and listen to what we have to tell you.' 'Good evening, gentlemen,' replied the sergeant, with a comprehensive bow, and without further speech Mr Usher quietly seated himself. In his vocation the sergeant was perfectly aware of the supreme advantage of the listener, more especially of that very rare specimen, the attentive listener. Was not his business to acquire information, not to dispense it ? Loquacity as a ru^e leaked ; silence absorbed. But that Dr. Ingleby's account of the extraordinary likeness of John Fossdyke and his reputed murderer interested the sergeant there could be little doubt with anyone acquainted with that officer's peculiarities. His quick grey eyes glistened as the doctor recounted Morant's curious mistake about Fossdyke's photograph. He uttered no word till Dr. Ingleby had finished, and then said quietly, " Would Mr Morant permit me to ask him a question or two T 1 Certainly,' replied Herbert. 4 You know Mr Foxborough well?' 1 Fairly so ; I have seen him a good many times, but I wouldn't swear to twenty, remember. 'No matter. You cannot be mistaken about his identity ?' ' Certainly . not 1 I know him quite well enough to be perfectly sure of recognising him should T ever meet him again, unless, of course, disguised.' 'Thank yon, Mr Morant. Now Mr Soames, I am going to ask you to lend me Mr Fossdyke'd carte-de-visit j if you have any objection, no doubt I can get it in the town. I don't suppose you have ?' 'Not at all,' replied Phil; *I have ! brought it in my pocket on purpose ; here it is.' The sergeant looked at. it attentively, and then said, " I never saw this poor gentleman alive, but I should call this an excellent photograph.' 1 Undoubtedly,' rejoined Phil. ' Excellent,' echoed Dr. Ingleby. 'Now, pentle:nen,' said Sergeant Usher, 'you are entitled to know what I think of all this. Two of you are, at all events I presume, somewhat interested in proring James Foxborough an innocent man. Well, you never did him or his a better turn than you have done to-night. I have not ciphered it all out in my own head yet, but I fancy this means what they call at St. Stephen's when the Government works round and takes up the politics of the party it has turned out ' a new departure.' ' ' You don't seem to think much of the principles of our legislators,' observed the doctor, laughing. 1 Lord, sir,' rejoined the sergeant, ' I never trouble my head about politics, all I meant was that whether they were Whigs or Tories, Radicals or Irish members, their policy is pretty much that of the gentry I pass my life in opposition to, one of expediency. They pass acts of spoliation or levy taxes just as my clients commit burglaries or pick pockets. The necessities of the moment must be complied with, and whether it's 6tipper or place, a man goes for what he wants badly. Bnt, good night, gentlemen. I shall have something to tell you before forty-eight hours are over, unless lam very much mistaken, It's been an intricate puzzle all along, but it's coming out, although I don't pretend I see it as yet. Once more, good night, gentlemen.' ' You agree with me this is important evidence, doctor,' said Phil, as the street door closed upon the sergeant. ' It must be, wheu we come to think of it. This extraordinary likeness between the two men cannot have been overlooked. Yet the people at the Hopbine never alluded to ifc, nor could the mysterious stranger who sat next Totterdell have been Foxborough. Neither Totterdell nor any of the Baumborough people could have overlooked such a startling likeness as this seems to have been. It must either have been some other Foxborough ; somebody who assumed his name ; or he must have had a confederate.' They continued to talk over the affair in somewhat desultory fashion for some time, but got no further than they should all be extremely anxious to hear what Sergeant Usher might have to say to them when he next condescended to be confidential. The doctor alone knew how very little was comprehended in the sergeant's confidences, and thought it more than possible that Mr Usher's next communication would contain nothing, but that he did lay considerable stress on the night's news the doctor felt no manner of doubt. The sergeant, as he walked homewards, turned this ' ' latest intelligence " in his mind, and became more impressed with its importance the more he thought about it. There can be no doubt whatever now about the confederate, he muttered. Iv fact, although Foxborough likely enough instigated the murder, it is quite open to question whether he had anything to do with it personally. Armed with that large command of ready money to which Mr Sturton testified, he could purchase the services of almost any scoundrel he chose, and nothing is more probable than it was something connected with Miss Hyde's history caused his compassing Fossdyke's death. The latter might have been Miss Willoughby's first lover, and Miss Hyde the consequence of that affair. That is probably the case, and what led Foxborough to seek his life is easy of explanation on those grounds. It's curious, and it never seems to have struck any of those gentlemen as yet, that we have not so far fallen upon any witness that knew Moth men, and yet there were two or three people present at the inquest, Mr Morant one, who, had they viewed the body must have been at once struck with the marvellous likeness to the accused. Totterdell, without further questioning, is conclusive evidence that Foxborough was not present at the opening of the Baumborough Theatre. He could not possibly have overlooked such a likeness as this. He is a wandering, very wandering witness, but he tries to tell the truth as far as his conceit and natural tendency to talk will allow him. It strikes me that I had better be off to town tomorrow and see if any of the people at the Syringa recognise this extraordinary likeness. The sergeant was a man of election, and the first train next morning saw him on his way to London. He had slept on the thing, anil thought it well out and arrived at the conclusion that further fiahnig at preset in the somewhat stagn*nt waters of Ruubury and BaumStorough would be productive of no reflulta, but that is casting net next time

must be thrown in the wide ocean of the metropolitan waters. The confederate or rather the real proprietor of the crime waa the man he wanted. Foxborouqh at most could be put an accessory in the eye of the law, although probably the instigator of the murder, and v that he had fled the country Mr Usher began to deem improbably. That the principal ports had been closely watch was a matter of course, but that his brethren had been beaten before in this respect the sergeant was only too well aware of.