It is dark in the bush

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 136, 30 January 1942, Page 24

It is dark in the bush

SYNOPSIS While seeking a short cut through backblocks bush, David Armstrong discovers the body of a nearby shanty owner, James Collins, strung up on a tree. With Judith Anson he seeks help at the nearest house, where live George Murray, his nephew John, their housekeeper, Mrs. Marsden, and their guests, @ Mr. Graham and his daughter Ann. The inquest reveals that Collins died ot luminal poisoning, and that the body was afterwards hanged. Graham is arrested, Evidence against him is (1) As Charles Preston he suffered a heavy jail sentence in Australia for a crime for which his secretary Peter Langley, alias James Collins, was responsible. (2) He is one of the few men strong enough to have hoisted the body on to the tree. (3) He is known to have bought a bottle of luminal. Ann refuses to marry David till her father’s name is cleared, and Judith, though in love with John Murray, feels that tor the same reason immediate marriage is undesirable. Jchn telis Judith something of his early lite. His mother dicd when he was two, and when he came to live with his uncle, Mrs. Marsden took her place. Knowing Mrs Marsden’s devotion to John, Judith is glad that the older woman approves of her as John’s future wife. The two become fast friends, and Judith stays behind to help Mrs. Marsden with a patchwork quilt while the other three go clue-hunting at the scene of the crime. If there is evidence of another person’s presence there, Preston’s name may yet be cleared. a NOW READ ON. CHAPTER XII. (Cont’d.) [’ was mid-day when Judith heard the thud of cantering hooves upon the gravel drive; something in the pace made her lift her head quickly from her work and listen. In a moment there were raised voices. Judith ran to the window. Yes, it was the three searchers and she was right. Something had happened. They were in the house almost before she could call Mrs. Marsden. "Come. quickly. They’ve found perpen ag Yes, what is it?" "At last," cried David. "A clue at last, I believe." Ann was white and trembling. "It was a piece of stuff. But we mustn’t hope too much. Detective Muir’s got it." " Amazing to think it could lie hidden there. Of course the bit of bark had fallen from the stump right on top of it," said David. "Makes one absolutely certain there must be other things there." " Anyway, someone was there," cried Ann, They were all talking at once, breathless, eager, excited. Judith stood apart, watching the scene, her eyés turning every minute to John’s handsome face. How splendid and triumphant he looked -almost an Adonis, despite his entire lack of self-consciousness. Yes, for all his kindness and sympathy, his natural modesty and unselfishness, his was a life that grief and disappointment had never touched, For a moment there was a sharp. pang of warning at her heart. What lay ahead?

Judith told herself that she was letting her imagination run away with her What peril could possibly be threatening John? Still the tiny fear rankled and teased, obliging her to face it. She did so with steady eyes, vowing that no pain should touch him if she could ward it off. And she would do so; always she would be there. Into her love there flowed a maternal tenderness, a protective eagerness that-might have made an onlooker smile-so strong and magnificent did he appear, so fragile and slender. his protector. Mrs. Marsden spoke in a voice quieter than usual. "Please tell us what you’ve found." HE was sitting down, breathing hurtiedly and very pale; evidently their noise and vitality exhausted her sometimes. John leant over her, a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Poor old Marsy! What a racket we make-and you all fagged out with that beastly tooth. Shut up everyone, and let the young medico speak. After all, he’s the hero." "Well, we’d just about given up," began David eagerly, "when I saw it suddenly — a little scrap of something that wasn’t fern or leaf. It was tucked between the roots of a big stump by the track and a piece of bark had fallen down and almost covered it. It was a bit of stuff, a sort of grey-green colour -linen, Ann says -and it must have come from a woman’s dress." Judith’s voice sounded unnaturally loud in her own ears. "Where is it? Have you got it here?" "Rather not. We know our place. We called Missen and Muir and let them get busy with their cameras and gadgets. Then we left it to them. " And what did you say it was like?" "A piece of greenish stuff evidently torn off a woman’s skirt. There was a

jagged bit of the stump sticking out that had caught it. It was practically invisible because of the bark on top of it." "You don’t think it might have lain there for months?" "No, not by the look of it. The police say it’s only been there for a few weeks. Anyway, they seem to be quite excited about it. They’re going to make a search for the dress it came from. Look out, Mrs. Marsden; what secrets have you got hidden in your wardrobe?" " Now, now," said John in mock concern, "I won’t have you teasing old Marsy. I know all her dresses as well as I know my own shirts, and she’s never worn that colour in her life. You’re not a criminal, are you, old dear?" "TI hope not, John. Certainly not, if that piece of material is to be the test, for I’ve _no frock of that colour in my wardrobe. Ah, here are the police. May I see the stuff, Mr. Muir? No, I’m afraid I can’t help you. I’ve never seen a dress like that worn in this neighbourhood." "No? But of course the women may have many frocks." "Not here. Not in the backblocks, Mr. Muir," said the housekeeper with her quiet smile. " But of course you will want to satisfy yourselves. You'll search in the houses round, I presume? Would you like to begin with my room? Nothing is locked and all my possessions are in the wardrobe, the chests, or the big cupboard. I won’t come with you because these young people are hungry and want lunch." " Did ever you see a woman like that!" cried John in mock pride. "Gives up the secrets of her toilet and her life to a couple of bobbies and goes quietly setting lunch. There’s innocence for you. Where are you off to, Judith, come along and feed the conquering males." "In a moment, you spoilt boy. I’m just clearing away my work." "Ah, the fabulous quilt. Come along and show it to us." "Not just now," said Judith calmly. "T told you that I’d show it when it was done." "You said it would be done this morning. Come along, let’s see the thing. What a rude girl! Marsy, tell Judith not to pull it away from me like that. I’d hate to use brute force." Mrs. Marsden smiled placidly. "Don’t be a bully, John. You'll tear it. It isn’t finished, is it, Judith?" "No. I’ve got one bit to alter. There’s a colour scheme that I don’t want." The girl folded the quilt, tucked it under her arm, and walked sedately from the room. Not for one moment did her eyes encounter those of the housekeeper who was unconcernedly setting the table. CHAPTER XIill. [Tt was ten o’clock when Judith came up the veranda steps with John that night. "But why must you go in so soon? Remember, we’ll be*gone early to-morrow morning." * I must go in, John. I’m worried about ’ "Poor kid! I wish to Heaven she wouldn’t insist on coming up to-morrow! She can do no good."

"What exactly will happen to-mor-row?" "It’s more or less of a formality. The Crown only has to produce enough of its case to show the need for a Supreme Court trial. They'll have no bother about that, I’m afraid." "You won’t have to give evidence?" "No, but David will-about the finding of the body. Nothing for or against Preston. They’ll reserve all the defence." "TI see. Isn’t it queer and disappointing that nothing has come of that find of yours? The police haven’t found any clue as to who tore their frock on the track that day-if it was that day." "It’s queer-but it’s not disappointing. What I was afraid of was that they would find straight away that it was some woman who’d taken a ‘walk up to see the clearing-sale that day or make sure her husband wasn’t getting tight on Langley’s beer. But there wasn’t any beer, was there?" "Not as far as we saw. Then you think that their not finding the owner of the dress is rather hopeful than otherwise?" "T think so, because it must mean one of two things. Either the wearer of the dress had no right to be there and has hidden or destroyed the dress-rather a far-fetched theory in this law-abiding and ill-clad neighbourhood. Or else it was some outsider-and that’s what we’re dying to be able to assert. Once prove that someone-anyone-was there that day who didn’t belong to the district and we open up a whole series of possibilities, even if we never get any farther with them. Anyway, it seems our best chance." "Yes. What exactly did Mr. Preston say in the statement he made to the police?" "He admitted his identity and the connection he’d had before with the man Langley. He also didn’t attempt to deny that he’d bought the luminal-for sleeplessness, he said. The rest of the statement is a total denial of any connection with the murder. He swears that he wasn’t at the cottage that day — had never been at it.". "He sticks to it that he didn’t even know Langley was in the neighbourhood?" " Absolutely. It was all nothing but coincidence, according to him." " John, what do you really think?" "TI don’t think Preston murdered the blackguard. I suppose it sounds jolly feeble, but I just feel he couldn’t have. I got to know him pretty well, and there are some things you feel sure of about a man. Preston couldn’t commit a murder in cold blood any more than-than my uncle could." "TI feel just the same. But, oh John, what’s the good of feeling it, if we can’t prove it?" E stooped and kissed her. " Dearest, don’t break your heart over this business. It’s beastly, but we can only do our best.-I suppose it sounds idiotic, but I never seriously believe that we’re going to fail — but I suppose people always do feel like that." His arm be ae her, Judith felt a moment of indecision. He was so dear, (Continued on next page)

IT 1S DARK IN THE BUSH (Continued from previous page)

so unspeakably beloved to her, that she hated to keep secret from him the strange and perturbing incident to-day. Why not tell him about the little patch of grey-green linen which she had taken out of the quilt as soon as she reached the privacy of her bedroom? But she did not tell him. It was not in her to betray another woman’s secret, and something in Mrs. Marsden’s face checked any real desire to confide, even in John. Judith had been loyal to women all her life; she had never understood why there was a general and cynical belief that you couldn’t trust any married woman with a secret. * Anyway, I’m not going to start betraying my friends till I am married," she told herself with a private shrug. In any case, if this piece of information could not be withheld she would ask Mrs. Marsden herself to tell it, It was not needed for the first hearing in the Magistrate’s Court. If necessary, it could be produced later. \VJHEN Judith looked into Ann’s room she-found her lying, flushed and bright-eyed, hopelessly awake. "My dear, do take some aspirin and go to sleep. You're in for a bad day to-morrow. You really feel you must go?" "Oh yes, of course I must." " You know there’ll not be any defence yet? They won't want you to give evidence. " Yes, I know. David told me that." "They don’t want you to go, Ann. It'll be horrid. People staring and photographers tryifig to catch you unawares," "T know-but I must be there. I want my father to see me there. I want everyone to see me-to know that I believe in him. I want to talk to him afterwards -David says they'll let me. I want to stand by him. Think what a rotten life he’d had. What on earth do my feelings matter?" Judith stooped and kissed her; Ann’ blinked in surprise. She had never connected Judith with kissing. "You're right, Ann. Perfectly right. Good-night, dear-try to sleep." She had hardly gone into her own room when there was a tap at the door and Mrs. Marsden stood on the threshold. She was very pale-or was it merely a trick of the candlelight which she was shading with her hand? "I thought you were still awake. Judith, could you come into my room for a minute? That tooth is worrying me again and I thought perhaps you would plug it for me." Judith realised perfectly well that this was merely for the benefit of Ann, whose door stood open; in her own comfortable bedroom, the housekeeper shut the door softly and set down the candle, Neither dreamt of referring to the imaginary toothache. Instead, Mrs, Marsden took up the quilt that Judith had finished that afternoon and pointed to the square of crimson that had. once been greygreen, "Have you told John?" [Tt was not what Judith had expected her to say, but she shook her head, Mrs. Marsden’s lips trembled and she

sat down on the couch at the foot of the bed. Judith remained standing, looking down at her gravely and without speech. "Yes, I was on the track that day. It is perfectly true that I was there. I have kept silent because I could only harm him more." Judith leant forward, her face white, her breath coming quickly. "Harm him? Do you mean-oh, surely you don’t mean that you saw Mr. Pres-ton-he was there after all?" The woman nodded slowly and again her lips trembléd, so that she put her hand to them for a moment before replying. "Yes, I saw him, I had gone for a walk up the hills. I often do, as you know. But this day the view was so beautiful that somehow I went on. I’ve always been fond of the bush and it looked so cool and tempting just above on the hill. So I climbed the boundary fence and walked along the track, looking for that little bush orchid that grows up on these hills." Her voice faltered and was silent and presently Judith prompted her. " Yes? And then you saw. ., .?" "Presently I heard a crashing noise, a tearing, hurrying sound of something rushing along. I thought it was a cattle beast and I jumped aside and behind a tree. I’m not frightened of cattle but I don’t like to meet them on a bush track like that. But it was not a bullock. It was Charles Preston." "And he was going to that cottage?" "He was walking up the track that leads through the bush and out on to the clearing, rushing along-as if something was chasing him. I was going to step out and speak but I delayed for a moment and in that moment I saw his face." . She stopped and shuddered. " And-and it looked, ;, .?" "It looked-mad. He was a curious greyish colour and his face shone with sweat. He was swinging his arms about and muttering to himself. I — I was frightened, Judith." "So he didn’t know that you saw him?" "No, I stood still and let him go. Ever since I’ve cursed my own cowardice. If only I'd stepped out and spoken quietly to him and got him to come home with me!" "Then you think that he raally did murder that poor man?" HE effect of her words startled Judith, Mrs, Marsden got up quickly and seized the girl’s arm in a grip thet hurt, "No, no. Not that. Never that, r believe he didn’t. I’m sure he didn’tas sure as if I had been there." "Yes, yes," said Judith hurriedly, trying to pacify her. "I feel just like that myself. Perfectly sure. Then why do you wish so much that you had stopped him?" * Because then I could have asked him to go home with me, have stopped him going to that fatal house, brought him to himself," "Then you believe he did go there?" "TI fear that he did." "Then what... why do you think he’s innocent?" ,

" Listen, I believe that Charles Preston went there, but I’m sure that it was through nothing but some dreadful accident. Either Langley was dead before he ever got there, or else he. was out and Preston never saw him. But it was nothing but the most unhappy coincidence, I’m sure, that brought him to this part of the world. I don’t believe for a moment that he knew when he came that Langley was here." "But he knew later, before the murder." "Yes. I’m afraid that he did." "Then how did he find out?" "He saw him come to the back door one day about a week before the murder. I was alone in the house with Mr. Preston, and Langley brought’a message for Mr. Murray. I spoke to him at the back door, and as he went away he went past the side veranda where Mr, Preston was sitting. I don’t see how they could avoid seeing each other." "Did he ask you anything about him?" "No, but he was so strange that night, excited and ‘unlike himself. We all noticed it, but it was only afterwards that I connected it in any way with Langley’s visit." "It didn’t occur to any of the others?" "No. No one else knew that Langley had been there. Mr, Murray thought that he had left the letter in the box at the gate." "And you didn’t undeceive him?" Did the woman’s face flicker for a moment? No, it must have been some trick of the candlelight. Her voice was casual enough. "No. I didn’t happen to mention it. As you know, I’m not a talkative person. I was very glad later that I had notthat no one knew that Langley» and Mr, Preston must have met, that there was: no one but me to disprove his statement that he did not know his old enemy was in the district. "And apparently no one else to disprove the other lie-that he didn’t go near Langley’s farm that- day?" "T hope not. I pray not. Surely it must be safe now?" " ]UDITH," said Mrs, Marsden in a shaking voice, "it has been so dreadful-being afraid all the time that someone would find out that I was there -that I saw him." "Yes. No wonder you haven't been sleeping. You were afraid of being questioned." "Yes. I am like most women, I suppose, nervous of lawyers and of Crossexamination. It would be hard to'lie on oath."

"Dreadful. I don’t wonder you wanted to remain silent." . "And then I have been so full of selfreproach, I’m not usually a coward, and yet that afternoon I failed through cowardice. You see, if I had stopped him, gone quietly home with him, had tea and been talking together when Ann came in, it would all have seemed so much more simple and natural. As it is, I am haunted always by the fear that they will yet find someone who saw him. He was rushing along so recklessly, not trying to hide or be at all furtive." " At any rate that’s all to the good." Again there was doubt and perplexity on Judith’s face; at once the woman saw it and with her sad eyes fixed piercingly on the younger girl she said slowly, "1 need no. proof. I am sure, as sure as | am of anything on God’s earth, that Preston has no murder on his soul." Something in the low, vibrant tones startled the girl, but she said nothing and the other went on. " When he had disappeared I came out and hurried home. On the way I caught my dress and tore it. I didn’t notice it at the time but when I got home I saw the hole. It was a new dress and by the merest chance no one had ever seen me in it. I put it aside to try and patch it and then-then came the news of Langley’s murder. At once I realised that no one must know I had seen Charles Preston that day, though I didn’t know for a time what dreadful inducement the world would think he had to murder Langley. At the moment I didn’t dream that he would be under suspicion. It was some instinct that kept me quiet." "And so you told no. one of the accident to your dress?" "No one. But I was dreadfully worried to know that that torn piece was lying somewhere on the track. I lived in fear that the police would find it and question me and so I kept the dress hidden." " And it’s hidden now?" "No, I burnt it. It was the night when the police arrested Mr. Preston. I knew in a flash that my evidence must never come out then, So I took the dress and stuffed it into the stove fire-I waited till you were all in the drawing roomand then did it, but I was dreadfully afraid you might smell something. I thought I’d burnt all the scraps, too; but somehow I’d overlooked that tiny bit. It was a shock to see it staring up at me from the quilt, Oh, how thankful I was that you had worked at it alone and without Ann-and how grateful to you for the way you took the piece out and asked no questions!" 5 (To be continued next week)