Agatha Webb | Page 8

of it. She was by no
means poor, though I myself never knew the extent of her means till
lately. Philemon was a good business man once; but they evidently
preferred to live simply, having no children living--"
"They have lost six, I have been told."
"So the Portchester folks say. They probably had no heart for display or
for even the simplest luxuries. At all events, they did not indulge in
them."
"Philemon has long been past indulging in anything."
"Oh, he likes his comfort, and he has had it too. Agatha never stinted
him."
"But why do you think her death was due to her having money?"
"She had a large sum in the house, and there are those in town who
knew this."
"And is it gone?"
"That we shall know later."
As the coroner arrived at this moment, the minister's curiosity had to

wait. Fortunately for his equanimity, no one had the presumption to ask
him to leave the room.
The coroner was a man of but few words, and but little given to
emotion. Yet they were surprised at his first question:
"Who is the young woman standing outside there, the only one in the
yard?"
Mr. Sutherland, moving rapidly to the window, drew aside the shade.
"It is Miss Page, my housekeeper's niece," he explained. "I do not
understand her interest in this affair. She followed me here from the
house and could hardly be got to leave this room, into which she
intruded herself against my express command."
"But look at her attitude!" It was Mr. Fenton who spoke. "She's crazier
than Philemon, it seems to me."
There was some reason for this remark. Guarded by the high fence
from the gaze of the pushing crowd without, she stood upright and
immovable in the middle of the yard, like one on watch. The hood,
which she had dropped from her head when she thought her eyes and
smile might be of use to her in the furtherance of her plans, had been
drawn over it again, so that she looked more like a statue in grey than a
living, breathing woman. Yet there was menace in her attitude and a
purpose in the solitary stand she took in that circle of board-girded
grass, which caused a thrill in the breasts of those who looked at her
from that chamber of death.
"A mysterious young woman," muttered the minister.
"And one that I neither countenance nor under-stand," interpolated Mr.
Sutherland. "I have just shown my displeasure at her actions by
dismissing her from my house."
The coroner gave him a quick look, seemed about to speak, but
changed his mind and turned toward the dead woman.

"We have a sad duty before us," said he.
The investigations which followed elicited one or two new facts. First,
that all the doors of the house were found unlocked; and, secondly, that
the constable had been among the first to enter, so that he could vouch
that no disarrangement had been made in the rooms, with the exception
of Batsy's removal to the bed.
Then, his attention being drawn to the dead woman, he discovered the
key in her tightly closed hand.
"Where does this key belong?" he asked.
They showed him the drawers in the cupboard.
"One is empty," remarked Mi. Sutherland. "If the other is found to be in
the same condition, then her money has been taken. That key she holds
should open both these drawers."
"Then let it be made use of at once. It is important that we should know
whether theft has been committed here as well as murder." And
drawing the key out, he handed it to Mr. Fenton.
The constable immediately unlocked the drawer and brought it and its
contents to the table.
"No money here," said he.
"But papers as good as money," announced the doctor. "See! here are
deeds and more than one valuable bond. I judge she was a richer
woman than any of us knew."
Mr. Sutherland, meantime, was looking with an air of disappointment
into the now empty drawer.
"Just as I feared," said he. "She has been robbed of her ready money. It
was doubtless in the other drawer."
"How came she by the key, then?"

"That is one of the mysteries of the affair; this murder is by no means a
simple one. I begin to think we shall find it full of mysteries."
"Batsy's death, for instance?"
"O yes, Batsy! I forgot that she was found dead too."
"Without a wound, doctor."
"She had heart disease. I doctored her for it. The fright has killed her."
"The look of her face confirms that."
"Let me see! So it does; but we must have an autopsy to prove it."
"I would like to explain before