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Page 95
John Borden was giving evidence. He was on the up platform
seeing a friend off by the 3.55 on Tuesday afternoon. He had
noticed a man on the platform with coat collar turned up and a
scarf round his chin. He had wondered why the man should do this
on such a hot day. The man seemed to be trying to escape
observation. Directly the train came in, he hurried into a
carriage. And so on.
"There's always a John Borden at every murder case," said Antony
to himself.
"Have you ever seen Mark Ablett?"
"Once or twice, sir."
"Was it he?"
"I never really got a good look at him, sir, what with his collar
turned up and the scarf and all. But directly I heard of the sad
affair, and that Mr. Ablett was missing, I said to Mrs. Borden,
'Now I wonder if that was Mr. Ablett I saw at the station?' So
then we talked it over and decided that I ought to come and tell
Inspector Birch. It was just Mr. Ablett's height, sir."
Antony went on with his thoughts ....
The Coroner was summing up. The jury, he said, had now heard all
the evidence and would have to decide what had happened in that
room between the two brothers. How had the deceased met his
death? The medical evidence would probably satisfy them that
Robert Ablett had died from the effects of a bullet-wound in the
head. Who had fired that bullet? If Robert Ablett had fired it
himself, no doubt they would bring in a verdict of suicide, but
if this had been so, where was the revolver which had fired it,
and what had become of Mark Ablett? If they disbelieved in this
possibility of suicide, what remained? Accidental death,
justifiable homicide, and murder. Could the deceased have been
killed accidentally? It was possible, but then would Mark Ablett
have run away? The evidence that he had run away from the scene
of the crime was strong. His cousin had seen him go into the
room, the servant Elsie Wood had heard him quarrelling with his
brother in the room, the door had been locked from the inside,
and there were signs that outside the open window some one had
pushed his way very recently through the shrubbery. Who, if not
Mark? They would have then to consider whether he would have run
away if he had been guiltless of his brother's death. No doubt
innocent people lost their heads sometimes. It was possible that
if it were proved afterwards that Mark Ablett had shot his
brother, it might also be proved that he was justified in so
doing, and that when he ran away from his brother's corpse he had
really nothing to fear at the hands of the Law. In this
connection he need hardly remind the jury that they were not the
final tribunal, and that if they found Mark Ablett guilty of
murder it would not prejudice his trial in any way if and when he
was apprehended .... The jury could consider their verdict.
They considered it. They announced that the deceased had died as
the result of a bullet-wound, and that the bullet had been fired
by his brother Mark Ablett.
Bill turned round to Antony at his side. But Antony was gone.
Across the room he saw Andrew Amos and Parsons going out of the
door together, and Antony was between them.
CHAPTER XX
Mr. Beverley is Tactful
The inquest had been held at the "Lamb" at Stanton; at Stanton
Robert Ablett was to be buried next day. Bill waited about
outside for his friend, wondering where he had gone. Then,
realizing that Cayley would be coming out to his car directly,
and that a farewell talk with Cayley would be a little
embarrassing, he wandered round to the yard at the back of the
inn, lit a cigarette, and stood surveying a torn and
weather-beaten poster on the stable wall. "GRAND THEATRICAL
ENTER" it announced, to take place on "Wednesday, Decem." Bill
smiled to himself as he looked at it, for the part of Joe, a
loquacious postman, had been played by "William B. Beverl," as
the remnants of the poster still maintained, and he had been much
less loquacious than the author had intended, having forgotten
his words completely, but it had all been great fun. And then he
stopped smiling, for there would be no more fun now at the Red
House.
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