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Page 42
"That's not certain," replied Bryce. "It's said--remember,
I'm only repeating things--it's said that just before the
body was discovered, Dr. Ransford was seen--seen, mind you!
--leaving the west porch of the Cathedral, looking as if he
had just been very, much upset. Two persons saw this."
"Who are they?" asked Mary.
"That I'm not allowed to tell you," said Bryce, who had no
intention of informing her that one person was himself and
the other imaginary. "But I can assure you that I am certain
--absolutely certain!--that their story is true. The fact is
--I can corroborate it."
"You!" she exclaimed.
"I!" replied Bryce. "I will tell you something that I have
never told anybody--up to now. I shan't ask you to respect my
confidence--I've sufficient trust in you to know that you
will, without any asking. Listen!--on that morning, Dr.
Ransford went out of the surgery in the direction of the
Deanery, leaving me alone there. A few minutes later, a tap
came at the door. I opened it--and found--a man standing
outside!"
"Not--that man?" asked Mary fearfully.
"That man--Braden," replied Bryce. "He asked for Dr.
Ransford. I said he was out--would the caller leave his name?
He said no--he had called because he had once known a Dr.
Ransford, years before. He added something about calling
again, and he went away--across the Close towards the
Cathedral. I saw him again--not very long afterwards--lying
in the corner of Paradise--dead!"
Mary Bewery was by this time pale and trembling--and Bryce
continued to watch her steadily. She stole a furtive look at
him.
"Why didn't you tell all this at the inquest?" she asked in a
whisper.
"Because I knew how damning it would be to--Ransford," replied
Bryce promptly. "It would have excited suspicion. I was
certain that no one but myself knew that Braden had been to
the surgery door--therefore, I thought that if I kept silence,
his calling there would never be known. But--I have since
found that I was mistaken. Braden was seen--going away from
Dr. Ransford's."
"By--whom?" asked Mary.
"Mrs. Deramore--at the next house," answered Bryce. "She
happened to be looking out of an upstairs window. She saw him
go away and cross the Close."
"Did she tell you that?" demanded Mary, who knew Mrs. Deramore
for a gossip.
"Between ourselves," said Bryce, "she did not! She told Mrs.
Folliot--Mrs. Folliot told me."
"So--it is talked about!" exclaimed Mary.
"I said so," assented Bryce. "You know what Mrs. Folliot's
tongue is."
"Then Dr. Ransford will get to hear of it," said Mary.
"He will be the last person to get to hear of it," affirmed
Bryce. "These things are talked of, hole-and-corner fashion,
a long time before they reach the ears of the person chiefly
concerned."
Mary hesitated a moment before she asked her next question.
"Why have you told me all this?" she demanded at last.
"Because I didn't want you to be suddenly surprised," answered
Bryce. "This--whatever it is--may come to a sudden head--of
an unpleasant sort. These rumours spread--and the police are
still keen about finding out things concerning this dead man.
If they once get it into their heads that Dr. Ransford knew
him--"
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