The last peace Sunday London was to know in many weary months went by, a tense and anxious day.Early on Monday the fifth letter from the young man of the Agony Column arrived, and when the girl from Texas read it she knew that under no circumstances could she leave London now.
It ran:
DEAR LADY FROM HOME: I call you that because the word home has for me, this hot afternoon in London, about the sweetest sound word ever had.I can see, when I close my eyes, Broadway at midday;Fifth Avenue, gay and colorful, even with all the best people away;Washington Square, cool under the trees, lovely and desirable despite the presence everywhere of alien neighbors from the district to the South.I long for home with an ardent longing; never was London so cruel, so hopeless, so drab, in my eyes.For, as I write this, a constable sits at my elbow, and he and I are shortly to start for Scotland Yard.I have been arrested as a suspect in the case of Captain Fraser-Freer's murder!
I predicted last night that this was to be a red-letter day in the history of that case, and I also saw myself an unwilling actor in the drama.But little did I suspect the series of astonishing events that was to come with the morning; little did I dream that the net I have been dreading would to-day engulf me.I can scarcely blame Inspector Bray for holding me; what I can not understand is why Colonel Hughes -But you want, of course, the whole story from the beginning; and Ishall give it to you.At eleven o'clock this morning a constable called on me at my rooms and informed me that I was wanted at once by the Chief Inspector at the Yard.
We climbed - the constable and I - a narrow stone stairway somewhere at the back of New Scotland Yard, and so came to the inspector's room.Bray was waiting for us, smiling and confident.I remember - silly as the detail is - that he wore in his buttonhole a white rose.His manner of greeting me was more genial than usual.He began by informing me that the police had apprehended the man who, they believed, was guilty of the captain's murder.
"There is one detail to be cleared up," he said."You told me the other night that it was shortly after seven o'clock when you heard the sounds of struggle in the room above you.You were somewhat excited at the time, and under similar circumstances men have been known to make mistakes.Have you considered the matter since? Is it not possible that you were in error in regard to the hour?"I recalled Hughes' advice to humor the inspector; and I said that, having thought it over, I was not quite sure.It might have been earlier than seven - say six-thirty.
"Exactly," said Bray.He seemed rather pleased."The natural stress of the moment - I understand.Wilkinson bring in your prisoner.The constable addressed turned and left the room, coming back a moment later with Lieutenant Norman Fraser-Freer.The boy was pale; I could see at a glance that he had not slept for several nights.
"Lieutenant," said Bray very sharply, "will you tell me - is it true that your brother, the late captain, had loaned you a large sum of money a year or so ago?""Quite true," answered the lieutenant in a low voice.
"You and he had quarreled about the amount of money you spent?""Yes."
"By his death you became the sole heir of your father, the general.
Your position with the money-lenders was quite altered.Am I right?""I fancy so."
"Last Thursday afternoon you went to the Army and Navy Stores and purchased a revolver.You already had your service weapon, but to shoot a man with a bullet from that would be to make the hunt of the police for the murderer absurdly simple."The boy made no answer.
"Let us suppose," Bray went on, "that last Thursday evening at half after six you called on your brother in his rooms at Adelphi Terrace.
There was an argument about money.You became enraged.You saw him and him alone between you and the fortune you needed so badly.Then - I am only supposing - you noticed on his table an odd knife he had brought from India - safer - more silent - than a gun.You seized it - ""Why suppose?" the boy broke in."I'm not trying to conceal anything.You're right - I did it! I killed my brother! Now let us get the whole business over as soon as may be."Into the face of Inspector Bray there came at that moment a look that has puzzling me ever since - a look that has recurred to my mind again and again, - in the stress and storm of this eventful day.It was only too evident that this confession came to him as a shock.I presume so easy a victory seemed hollow to him; he was wishing the boy had put up a fight.Policemen are probably like that.
"My boy," he said, "I am sorry for you.My course is clear.If you will go with one of my men - "It was at this point that the door of the inspector's room opened and Colonel Hughes, cool and smiling, walked in.Bray chuckled at sight of the military man.
"Ah, colonel," he cried, "you make a good entrance! This morning, when I discovered that I had the honor of having you associated with me in the search for the captain's murderer, you were foolish enough to make a little wager - ""I remember," Hughes answered."A scarab pin against - a Homburg hat.""Precisely," said Bray."You wagered that you, and not I, would discover the guilty man.Well, Colonel, you owe me a scarab.
Lieutenant Norman Fraser-Freer has just told me that he killed his brother, and I was on the point of taking down his full confession.""Indeed!" replied Hughes calmly."Interesting - most interesting!
But before we consider the wager lost - before you force the lieutenant to confess in full - I should like the floor.""Certainly," smiled Bray.
