Classic Audiobook Collection - The Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume ~ Full Audiobook [mystery]

Starting point is 00:00:00 chapter one of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume chapter one a midnight surprise poverty naked and unconcealed one can endure that with some patience as a beaten soldier in the battle of life but genteel pauperism the semi-poverty of the middle class that lives a necessary lie at the cost of incessant worry and constant defeat there you have the true misery of life believe me cass there is no torture like that of an ambition which cannot be attained for lack of money i did not know you were ambitious alice not of setting the thames on fire my desires are limited to a good practice a moderate income a home and a wife to love me these wishes are reasonable enough heaven knows yet some cursed fate prevents their realization and i have to sit down and wait a doctor can do nothing else I must listen with such philosophy as I have for the ring of the doorbell to announce my first patient, and the ring never comes. The heart grows sick, the rain rusty, the money goes, the temper sours, and so I pass the best days of my life.

Starting point is 00:01:16 All things come to him who knows how to wait, said Cass, knocking the ashes out of a well-smoked briar. And the horse is the noblest of all animals, retorted Ellis. I never did find consolation and proverbs of that class. The two men sat in their dingy sitting-room, talking as usual of a problematical future. Every night they discussed the subject, and every discussion ended without any definite conclusion being arrived at. Indeed, only fortune could have terminated the arguments in a satisfactory manner. But as yet the fickle deity showed no disposition to make a third in the conversation. Therefore, Robert Ellis M.D. and Harry Cass, journalist, talked and talked and talked.

Starting point is 00:02:03 They also hoped for the best, a state of mind sufficiently eloquent of their penniless position. Unless they or their relatives are sick, rich people have no need to hope for the best. The second virtue dwells almost exclusively with the poor and ambitious, as do her two sisters. supper was just over, but even cold beef, pickles, and bottled beer, with the after-comfit of a pipe, could not make Ellis happy. The more philosophical Cass lay on the ragged sofa and digested his meal, while the doctor walked up and down the room, railing at fate. He was a tall, young man, clean-limbed and sufficiently good-looking.

Starting point is 00:02:44 Poverty and former opulents showed themselves in the threadbare velveteen smoking-suit he wore, and the past recurred to him as he flicked some ash off this relic of bygone days. "'Oh, Lord,' he said regretfully, "'how jolly life was when I bought these clothes some five years ago. My father had not died a bankrupt country squire then, and I was a rowdy medico with plenty of money and a weakness for the other sex.' "'You haven't strengthened in that direction, Bob?' "'Perhaps not, but I never think of women now, not even of a possible wife.

Starting point is 00:03:20 matrimony is a luxury a poor man must dispense with if he wants to get on i have dispensed with every blessed thing short of the bare necessities of existence yet i don't get any reward every dog has his day they say but the day of this poor cur never seems to dawn you're more bitter than usual ellis because i am sick of my life you have some compensations harry in connection with that newspaper you write for you mix with your fellow-men you exchange ideas you have your finger on the pulse of civilization but i sit in this dismal room or walk about this boe-ishin neighborhood in the vain hope of getting a start i can't rush out and drag in someone to be dozed i can't go from house to house to house soliciting patience i can only wait wait wait until i feel inclined to blow my brains out if you did that bob the folly of the act would prove that you have none said cass come old man buck up something is sure to turn up when you least expect it then nothing will turn up for i am always in a state of expectation i wish i hadn't set up my tent at dukesfield harry it is the healthiest london suburb i know no one seems ill and the great graveyard is almost empty i don't believe people ever fall sick or die in this salubrious spot cass ran his fingers through a shock of bronze-colored hair and laughed at this professional view of the situation haven't you seen any likely patient he asked in his most sympathetic manner not one rejoined ellis sitting down and relighting his pipe oh yes by the way that young moxton who the dose is he A young ass I have met several times in the underground train,

Starting point is 00:05:12 and with whom I have had some conversation at various times. Why do you call him an ass? Because he is one, growled the doctor. He is burning the candle at both ends and killing himself with dissipation. Tallow face, bloodshot eyes, dry lips. Oh, Mr. Moxton is making for the graveyard at racing speed. Why don't you warn him? It isn't my business to metal.

Starting point is 00:05:38 with a stranger i don't care if he lives or dies unless he takes me as his medical attendant even then my interest in him would be purely professional he is a testable young cub there is a want of pity about that speech bob want of money you mean i have no pity for anyone save mine own poor self give me success give me an income and i'll overflow with the milk of human kindness poverty and disappointment is drying at all up. Hello! Come in, Mrs. Basket! This invitation was induced, not by a rap at the door, but by the sound of stertorous breathing outside it. Mrs. Baskett's coming was audible long before she made her appearance. So Ellis, forewarned, usually saved her the trouble of knocking. She rolled heavily into the room, laboring like a Dutch lugger in a heavy sea. Indeed, she was built on similar lines, being squat and enormously stout. So, so bulky indeed that she could hardly push herself through the door like most fat women mrs basket had a weakness for bright colours and now presented herself in a vividly blue dress a crimson shawl and a green-tool cap decorated with buttercups of an aggressive yellow hue

Starting point is 00:06:56 her unshapely figure her large proportions and barbaric splendour would have made the eyes and heart of an artist's ache but as mrs basket's lodgers knew little of art they never troubled it. her about her looks. Moreover, they liked and respected her as a kindly soul, for on several occasions, when funds were low, she had pressed neither of them for rent. Mrs. Baskett was immensely proud of having a medical man under her roof, and always personally polished the brass plate with Robert Ellis M.D. inscribed on it. For Cass, she had less respect, as being merely a writing person, but she tolerated him as the doctor's friend.

Starting point is 00:07:36 like the moon he shone with a reflected and weaker glory lord gentlemen how them stairs do try me said the good lady panting in the doorway and patting her ample breast they're that steep and that nerve as to squeeze the breath out of me you'll stick half-way up some day said cass chuckling then we shall have to send for a carpenter to saw you out mrs basket laughed in no wise offended and announced that she had come to clear away supper which she did with much clatter and hard breathing once or twice she glanced at the doctor's gloomy face and blew a sigh with considerable noise she knew of her lodger's bad fortune and pitied him profoundly but not daring to speak she resumed her work with a mournful wag of the buttercup cap ignoring this by-play which invited conversation the young men resumed the subject of moxton mrs basket dying to join in at once espied an opportunity of doing so the mere mention of the name was enough to set her off lord gentlemen you do turn me cold to my bones moxton why the name makes me shivered and mrs basket shivered duly to prove the truth of her words usually the lodgers did not encourage their landlady to talk as her tongue once set wagging was difficult to stop but on this occasion her speech was so significant of mystery that ellis wheeled round his chair to face her and the reporter on the sofa with true journalistic instinct was at once on the alert for dues mrs basket pleased with these tokens of interest improved upon her speech he has a wife said she and closed her eyes with another shiver as that a remarkable circumstance asked cass dryly perhaps not sir replied mrs basket with great dignity but what that poor young thing suffers the butcher and the baker do know

Starting point is 00:09:38 Does Moxton Eltreat her? Evan only knows what he do, do, doctor. Nobody's ever seen her save the telegraph boy is called after dark to be met with a carving knife. A carving knife? This is interesting. Who had the carving knife, Mrs. Baskett? Mrs. Moxton, of course. She is young and pretty,

Starting point is 00:10:03 I do assure you, gentlemen. Yet she came on the child with a knife in her hand, like Lady Macbeth in the play. What was that for? Mrs. Baskett wagged her head, and the buttercups responded. She told the boy as she thought he was robbers and came out with the weeping to protect the silver, but it looks like lunatics to me. Do you mean to say she is mad?

Starting point is 00:10:28 Doctor, I says nothing, being above scandal, but this I do say, as she ought to be mad if she ain't. That Moxton, Mrs. Bollstone, Mrs. basket shivered like a jelly, goes out night after night, leaving her shut up in that lonely house. Is the house lonely? Mr. Cass,

Starting point is 00:10:48 I won't deceive you. It's that lonely as graveyard's company to it. Mertil Villa, they calls it, and it's the larsed house of the row as is spreading out in the brickfield direction. The other villas are unfinished. The contractor, as was building

Starting point is 00:11:03 him, having died with only Myrtle Viller ready to move into. his relatives is a quarrelling so over his money as they've let the villars be for six months mr and mrs moxton took up house in the larsst of em three months come next week and they're the only pair as lives in that orably lonely road as mrs basket drew breath after this long speech and lifted the tray ellis put a leading question don't they keep a servant no they don't sir not so much as a workhouse orphan she is a all alone in the house night after night as i tell you and it ain't no wonder as she keeps the carving-knife andy where does moxton go so regularly ah mr cass where indeed perhaps the police may know come now mrs basket you have no ground for making such a statement oh aven't i cried mrs basket indignantly why he's well arfin't pass's his days indoors doing nothing how then does he on his money? Why does he leave her alone? What's she doing with no servant in a carving-knife? No grounds? Mrs. Baskett waddled towards the door, nose in air, and paused there to deliver a last

Starting point is 00:12:20 word. I shouldn't be surprised at hearing of a tragedy between him. Oh, that dratted bell! And at half-past eleven, too, decent folk should be amid. The night bell of Ellis's was ringing furiously, and Mrs. Baskett, putting down the tray, squeezed through the door as hurriedly as her unwieldy form permitted. As the tail of her blue skirt whisked out of sight, Cass jumped up from the sofa and smote the doctor's shoulder. "'Here's your first patient, Bob. Fortune is knocking at the door.' "'Ringing, you mean,' said Ellis, joking, to hide his agitation. As he spoke, the voice of Mrs. Baskett was heard in wordy expostulation, and a light-footed visitor fling headed along the passage and into the room the newcomer proved to be a woman young and pretty bareheaded and apparently wild with terror her entrance and appearance were dramatic

Starting point is 00:13:14 a doctor she gasped leaning against the door-post to support her trembling limbs i am a doctor said ellis advancing what is it my husband my husband is dead she paused with a catching in the throat and her voice leaped into alto murdered murdered exclaimed both men with a simultaneous movement forward murdered in the garden doctor come come who is your husband stammered ellis his wits not quite under control what is his name moxton moxton she answered impatiently come doctor don't lose time i am mrs moxton my husband has been murdered End of Chapter 1, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 2 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Don W. Jenkins.

Starting point is 00:14:21 Chapter 2. The writing in blood. The long arm of coincidence was startlingly apparent in this instance. Both men were so amazed at the terrible news, fitting in so neatly not only with the subject of conversation but with mrs basket's prophetic remark when the bell rang that they looked at one another dumbfounded mrs moxton stared at their motionless figures with indignant eyes are you not coming she demanded vehemently seizing the hand of ellis don't i tell you my husband is dead i am coming mrs moxton said ellis hurriedly but if he is dead my presence will be useless this is a case for the police if mrs moxton was pale before she became even paler at this last remark and shrinking back spread out her hands with a terrified gesture no no not the police why the police you say your husband has been murdered cried cass with sudden suspicion therefore the police must be called in at once who murdered the man i don't know murmured mrs moxton then his imperious suspicious tone seemed to stir her indignation she threw back her head haughtily i don't know she repeated deliberately my husband went out this evening i sat up for him as he promised to return about midnight shortly after eleven

Starting point is 00:15:47 here she glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece i heard a cry and thinking something was wrong i ran to the door there was some one moaning on the garden path i went to see who it was and found my husband bleeding to death from a wound in the back he died a minute afterwards and i came for you how did you recognize your husband in the dark i-i had a candle she replied in a low voice with hesitation it's blowing awful wheezed mrs bassett at the door, and the other woman turned towards her abruptly. The landlady's full moon of a face had suspicion written in every wrinkle. "'Had you the carving-knife?' she asked. "'The carving-knife?' "'Yes, the same as you frightened the telegraph boy with.' "'I had no carving-knife,' returned to Mrs. Mockston, haughtily.

Starting point is 00:16:39 "'What do you mean by these questions?' she turned again to the men and burst into furious speech. "'Have I come to a lunatic asylum?' she cried. talk this woman talks and i want help doctor come come at once and you sir go for the police if it is necessary ellis hastily threw on a cap snatched up some needful things for a wounded man and followed mrs moxton out of the house mrs basket and harry were left face to face with the same thought in their minds what did i say about her having the carving-knife sir yes by jove and her talking of exploring with a lighted candle in the this wind. "'She's afraid of the police, too, Mr. Cass,' said Mrs. Baskett in tragic tones. "'She's done for him, sir.' "'Well, she might—'

Starting point is 00:17:29 "'No,' cried Harry, rumbling his hair. "'If she was guilty she would not come for Ellis.' Mrs. Baskett snorted in a disbelieving manner. "'Oh, wouldn't she, sir? You don't know the hussies women are. That Mrs. Moxton's a deepon as ever was.' here cried cass rummaging about for his cap i'm losing time i must go for the police at once come back and tell me if they take sir shouted mrs basket after him with morbid glee i believe she's done it with the carving knife but cass did not hear her as the wind was high and he was already some distance away as he sped along the silent streets storm clouds were racing across the face of a watery moon and a drizzle of rain moistened his face being a reporter cass was friendly with constables and knew the station at dukesfield well having often gone there to glean paragraphs this time he went to give more terrible and sensational news than he had ever received and stumbled almost into inspector drake's arms in his haste

Starting point is 00:18:35 steady there said drake gruffly then recognizing the agitated face of cass in the flaring gaslight he added in a tone of surprise you sir whatever's come over you at this time of night Drake, there has been a murder at Myrtle Villa down the Jubilee Road, leading to the brickfields. A man called Moxton has been stabbed. His wife came for Dr. Ellis, and I ran on to tell you. The inspector heard this startling intelligence with a phlegon begotten by twenty years' experience of similar reports. How done it, Mr. Cass? Does the wife know? No, she says she heard a cry and ran out to find her husband lying on the garden path.

Starting point is 00:19:17 he died in her arms did she see anyone about i don't know i never asked her that is your business drake come along ellis is with her and the dead man oh he is dead then remarked the inspector leisurely putting on his cap and cloak so mrs moxton says come leaving the station in charge of an underling drake called the policeman and followed cass into the windy night the two with the constable tailing after them marked military fashion along several deserted and lampless streets until they turned into the Jubilee Road, a dark thoroughfare of empty, roofless houses and incomplete pavements. Civilization had not yet established order in this region, and the street in embryo ended suddenly on the verge of naked lands. Beyond twinkled the red and green signal lights of the railway, and between piles of bricks were heaped in Babylon-like mounds. Mertil Vila was the last house on the right abutting on this untrimmed plain and the three men were guided to it by a

Starting point is 00:20:23 winking light in the garden it was that of a lantern held by mrs moxton and shed yellow rays on the face of the dead man ellis kneeling beside the corpse completed a startling and dramatic picture oh cried the woman with something like dismay as the light revealed the uniforms the police yes ma'am said drake glancing sharply at her white cheeks we have come to see about this matter. Is the gentleman dead, doctor?' "'I should think so. Look here. Ellis rolled over the body and showed a wound under the left shoulder-blade, round which the blood had coagulated. The poor devil must have died within ten minutes after the blow was struck.'

Starting point is 00:21:04 "'He died in my arms,' moaned Mrs. Moxton. "'Oh, Edgar!' "'Did he tell you who stabbed him, ma'am?' "'No, he never spoke a word.' The inspector took the lantern from her shaking hand and swung it round between corpse and gate. The path was of beaten gravel and no footmarks were visible, but here and there a stain of blood soaked into the ground, and from this Drake drew his conclusions. "'I was stabbed from behind while opening the gate,' he said judicially, and fell forward into the garden. Look at this stain, and this. The poor gentleman had strength enough to crawl these few yards, wanted to reach the door, no doubt. What brought you out, ma'am?'

Starting point is 00:21:47 cry. I was waiting up for him in the back bedroom, and I heard a shriek. At first I was afraid, as this place is very lonely, then I came to the door with a candle and ran down the path. Edgar was moaning dreadfully, and died almost immediately afterwards. The wind is high, ma'am. Mrs. Moxton understood his inference directly. It blew out the candle, she explained, but I ran from the door, shading it with my hand, and as there was a lull for a moment, I had just time to catch a glimpse. glimpse of his face and recognize my husband about what time was this ma'am sometime after eleven i can't say when i did not look at my watch it was exactly half-past eleven when you entered my house said ellis then edgar was murdered between eleven and half-past i wound up my watch for the night at eleven and at that time i had not heard the cry i ran all the way to your house

Starting point is 00:22:45 that would take five minutes more or less said cass and the man must have lived some minutes after the blow to crawl this distance observed the inspector measuring the space with his eye did you come out at once ma'am no replied mrs moxton with some hesitation i was afraid i heard the cry and waited for a time thinking i was mistaken it was about ten minutes more or less before i summoned up courage to open the front door on the whole said ellis it would seem that the murder was committed at a quarter past eleven well mr drake what is to be done nothing can be done until the morning replied drake the man who did this is no doubt far enough away by this time a man cried mrs moxton do you think a man did it the inspector was on the alert immediately have you any reason to think that a woman killed him he asked sharply i no i cannot guess who committed the murder mrs moxton seemed anxious nervous and sorry she had said so much shall we take the body into the house sir she asked in a low tone it will be as well ma'am and i shall leave this constable to look after it for the night thank you thank you said the widow shuddering i should be afraid to stay by myself let me stay also said ellis moved by her beauty and distress oh do do would you mind i'll stay replied the doctor briefly and assisted the others to lift the body they carried it up the path mrs moxton lighting them onward with the lander it was a strange and gruesome procession pacing through the black and stormy night and to imaginative cast the house and garden commonplace as they were reaped of the shambles when the body was laid on the bed drake gave some directions to his subordinate and departed to the

Starting point is 00:24:42 departed with Cass. Ellis and the policeman remained behind, and the doctor's first care was to give Mrs. Moxton a bromide tablet. You are worn out with anxiety and nerves, he said. I saw that at my house, and so brought these tabloids with me. Lie down and sleep. Shall I ever sleep again? sighed Mrs. Moxton. However, she obediently did as she was told, and then the men turned their attention to the corpse. It was that of a lean young man with scanty light hair and a thin fair mustache, the lines of dissipation, the marks of premature aging from debauchery had been smoothed out by death, and the white face was as unwrinkled and placid as a waxen mask. The body was clothed in evening dress with a light-colored overcoat,

Starting point is 00:25:30 and the constable pointed out to Ellis that the watch, chain, studs, and links, all costly, were untouched. "'Rubbers didn't bring about this murder,' said the police-reveller. men. They undressed the body slowly. As Ellis drew off the shirt, the cuffs of which were dappled with blood, he noticed strange marks on the left arm. From wrist to elbow, on the outer part of the arm, various signs appeared on the white skin. These were rudely streaked with blood, and Ellis afterwards copied them into his notebook, thinking they might be useful later on, as indeed they proved to be.

Starting point is 00:26:08 What do these signs mean? he asked the policeman. I don't know, sir, but he did him himself, see, Doctor? And he lifted the right hand of the corpse. Ellis looked eagerly and saw that the forefinger of the hand was black with dried blood. End of Chapter 2. Read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 3 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libervox recording is in the public domain, recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 3, an open verdict.

Starting point is 00:26:52 Next day the body of the unfortunate man was removed to the Duke's Field Morg, and 24 hours later, the coroner held an inquiry in the coffee room of the Lancaster Hotel. Public interest was greatly roused over the matter, and the ubiquitous reporters of the great dailies, amongst them Harry Kemp, ass attended, notebook in hand, to supply their readers with sensational details. A rumor, first set afloat by the babbling tongue of Mrs. Baskett, was prevalent that Mrs. Moxton had killed her husband with a carving-knife. It was known from the same source that she had lived a lonely life since taking up her abode in Myrtle Villa, that Moxton had neglected

Starting point is 00:27:35 her shamefully, that he had left her nightly by herself, and had even denied her the comfort and company of a servant. Hence it was openly declared that cruel treatment and contemptuous desertion had driven Mrs. Moxton to commit the crime. But this theory found no favor in the sight of Dr. Ellis, and he avowed himself the champion of the pretty widow. If she were guilty, she would not have announced the crime as she did, he argued with Cass. It would have been easy for her to let the corpse lie on the path all night and pretend

Starting point is 00:28:08 ignorance when it was discovered by the milkman. Also, if she struck the blow, she had a whole night at her disposal to vanish into the unknown. Flight would have proved her guilt, Bob. Besides, she would have been tracked down on that tacit confession of her crime. I don't agree with you. Nothing is known of the Moxton's, as they kept very much to themselves. Hardly anyone saw her or knew her by sight. She could have disappeared like a drop of water. into the ocean of London without leaving a trace for the most cunning detective to follow instead of doing this her wisest plan if she killed her husband she stays and faces the matter out in all innocence cass produced a newspaper from his pocket i can suggest a theory for her remaining here he pointed to a paragraph in the death column three days ago edgar allan moxton the great picture dealer of bond street died leaving a large fortune behind him. Now this dead man, as I judge from the similarity of Christian

Starting point is 00:29:14 and surname, is probably the son of Moxton. If so, he, had he lived, would no doubt inherit the money. As he is dead, Mrs. Moxton, the widow, may do so. A fortune is worth running some risk for, Bob. But the faith of Vellis was not to be shaken. The similarity of names may be a mere coincidence such as occurs more frequently in real life than in fiction also even if you can prove the relationship it does not show that mrs moxton is waiting for the fortune or that she is even aware of the death give her the benefit of the doubt harry i gave her much more than the jury will do ellis public opinion is against her bah what do the tinker and tailor and candlestick-maker know of the matter they may not know much no much but they will soon be primed with sufficient evidence to give a verdict the jury is chosen from the class you mentioned so contemptuously dr ellis knew this very well and knew moreover that rumour spoke ill of the widow therefore it was with some doubt whether she would have a fair hearing that he attended the inquest by the time he arrived the hotel was so crowded that the people overflowed into the road the young man pushed his way into the public room and found that the proceedings had already commenced he glanced round for mrs moxton and saw her seated near the coroner clothed in black closely veiled and listening attentively to drake's evidence the inspector's testimony was brief and meagre for the police had as yet discovered nothing

Starting point is 00:30:52 he described the finding of the body the futile search for the weapon with which the murder had been committed and the failure of his attempt to learn where the deceased had so regularly spent his nights nevertheless the identity of the dead men had been established for he was the son of a bond street picture dealer edgar allan moxton strange to say father and son had died within a few hours of one another the former in the morning from natural causes the latter shortly before midnight by violence finally drake stated that hitherto the police had found no clue likely to lead to the identification and capture of the murderer which shows that the police don't suspect mrs moxton murmured alice to cass the doctor himself was the next witness and deposed as to his summons by mrs moxon and his examination of the corpse deceased had died from the stab of a broad-bladed knife which had pierced the left lung the blow must have been struck by a strong arm he averred since the blade had penetrated through an overcoat inside coat waistcoat and shirt could a woman have struck such a blow asked one of the jury an exceptionally strong strong woman might have done so responded Ellis. All eyes were turned on the trim slight figure of Mrs. Moxton, and there was a general feeling that the doctor's answer exonerated her from having personally committed the murder. She was of too frail and delicate a physique to have struck

Starting point is 00:32:25 home the knife with so sure and deadly an aim. Yet she might have put the weapon into another's hand, for it seemed incredible that she would be ignorant of the tragedy which took place within a few yards of her. When Mrs. Moxton's name was called out, and she stood up to give evidence, those present drew a long breath and waited eagerly for her to speak. Hitherto public curiosity had been languid. Now the appearance of the principal witness stimulated it to fever heat. From the dead man's widow, if from anyone, the truth of this savage tragedy, should come. Mrs. Moxton threw back her veil when she took the oath and revealed a pretty face, somewhat marred by sleeplessness in the weeping she was colourless red-eyed and low-voiced but gathering courage as she proceeded told her tale with great simplicity and apparent truth the evidence she gave may be condensed as follows

Starting point is 00:33:21 my name is laura moxton i married my husband edgar twelve months ago he was the son of mr moxton of bond street and the heir to great wealth when he met me i was earning my living by typewriting and although i refused twice to marry him he insisted that i should do so at last i yielded it became his wife whereupon his father cut him off with a shilling edgar had some money inherited from his mother and with this we went to monte carlo and with this we went to monte carlo where he tried to increase his fortune by gambling however he was unlucky and we returned to london in eight months poorer than when we left for the sake of economy my husband took myrtle villa as he obtained it at a low rental on account of the unfinished state of the road for the same reason we dispensed with a servant and hired the furniture i did all the housework and for the want of money rarely went outside the house my husband was unkind and neglectful and accused me of being the cause of the quarrel with his father which had cost him his inheritance it is now three months since we took myrtle villa my husband for the first week remained indoors at night afterwards he went out regularly i did not know what he did with himself or where he went as he always refused to tell me and his temper became so morose that i was afraid to insist upon his confidence he always dressed himself carefully in evening dress and usually wore a light overcoat as a rule he returned shortly after midnight sometimes i waited up for him at other times i went to bed i was often afraid during the long evenings in the house as it was so lonely and so near the waste lands where the brickworks stand on the night of the murder my husband went out as usual it was august sixteenth i waited for his return and shut myself up in the bedroom at the back of the house

Starting point is 00:35:19 about eleven i grew tired of waiting and prepared to go to bed i know it was eleven as i wound up my watch at that hour i was brushing my hair when i thought i heard a cry but as the wind was blowing strongly i fancied i was mistaken still the belief was so strong that after doing my hair a-i heard a cry but as the wind was blowing strongly i fancied i was mistaken still the belief was so strong that after doing my hair a I took the candle and went to the door. The light showed me someone lying on the path. Halfway to the gate I also heard a moan. At once I ran down, shading the candlelight in the hollow of my hand. For the moment there was a lull in the wind, and the light burnt long enough to show me that my husband was lying wounded on the path. Then the wind extinguished the light.

Starting point is 00:35:58 I took my husband in my arms. He moaned feebly, but could not speak. Then he gave a gasp and died. I was dreadfully afraid, and without waiting to get my hat or cloak, I ran for Dr. Ellis. I saw no one. I heard no one, and I do not know who killed my husband. In what position was he lying when you came upon him?

Starting point is 00:36:20 On his back. As the light of my candle fell for a moment on his face, I recognized him at once. How did you know he was wounded, saying that the wound was in his back? I saw blood on his shirt front and coat. also his face was so white, and he moaned so much that I guessed he was hurt. When I took him in my arms I felt on my fingers the blood flowing from his back. "'Had your husband, enemies?' "'I do not know. He introduced me to no one he knew.

Starting point is 00:36:50 I lived a lonely life. All the time I was at Myrtle Villa, I saw no one but my husband.' "'Did you know any of his friends abroad?' "'No, he introduced me to no one. did he ever speak of any one as having a grudge against him no he spoke of himself and his father but of no one else did he know that his father was dead when he left the house on august sixteenth not to my knowledge he said nothing to me until i heard dr drake's evidence i did not know myself that mr moxton senior was dead did your husband receive any letter on the day of his death no he never received letters nor did he take in a newspaper we lived quite isolated from the world i did not like my position but i feared to complain on account of my husband's temper was your husband's temper such as would provoke enmity i think so he had a very bad temper did he drink much yes he drank a great deal of brandy and was very morose when intoxicated when i think so he had a very bad temper did he drink much yes he drank a great deal of brandy and was very morose when intoxicated when i had a very very much

Starting point is 00:38:04 When I saw him like that, I used to shut myself in the back bedroom. Did your husband treat you cruelly? He neglected me and spoke harshly to me, but he never struck me. What were your feelings towards him? I loved him when we married, for then he was kind and good. Afterwards I had no feeling towards him save one of terror. On one occasion it is reported that you came to meet a telegraph boy with a carving-knife. Is that true?

Starting point is 00:38:36 Perfectly true, but I did not know who was at the door. It was growing dark and the house was very lonely. I took the knife in case it might be a tramp. Do you usually carry the knife to protect yourself? Oh, no. On that occasion I was in the kitchen and snatched it from the table when the knock came to the door. You never went to the door with it on any other occasion? Certainly not.

Starting point is 00:39:02 No one else ever came after. dark, the tradespeople called always in the daytime. Then I was not afraid. For whom was the telegram? For my husband. I did not open it but left it on the table in the dining room. He got it when he came home that night. Did he tell you what it was about? No, he never mentioned the subject. Do you know anything about the marks in blood on the arm? No, I was shown them by Dr. Ellis, but I was shown them by Dr. Ellis, but I had. do not know what they mean or indeed what they are do they not look to you like secret writing like a cryptogram i don't know anything about secret writing they look like blood smears to me i do not understand them have you any idea why deceased wrote them on his arm not the least in the world did you ever say your husband you is a cipher of that kind never

Starting point is 00:40:04 I never saw him use a cipher of any sort. Did you ever notice marks like them before? No, I know nothing about them. Can you throw any light at all on this murder? None whatever. I was amazed to find my husband dying. He said no word, no name? He did nothing but moan and died in a few moments.

Starting point is 00:40:29 The examination which lasted some considerable time, concluded all available. evidence for the time being. On the meager intelligence to be gleaned from it, the jury framed their verdict and stated that the deceased, Edgar Moxton, had been murdered by some person or persons unknown. End of Chapter 3, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 4 of The Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 4

Starting point is 00:41:11 The Reading of the Blood Signs In these progressive times, the duration of proverbial wonderment has been reduced from nine days to nine hours. The Duke's Field murder case was mysterious and dramatic, yet even with these elements of popularity, it became stale and out of date within the week. The attention of the masses and the classes was more or less concentrated, on the visit of an eastern potentate, whose amazing jewels and still more amazing barbarisms appealed to the popular humor.

Starting point is 00:41:46 Moxton's death and the strange circumstances attendant thereon ceased to be commented upon by the newspapers. They faded out of the public mind and continued to be talked about only in the neighborhood wherein the tragedy occurred. Yet even in Duke's field, after a fortnight of discussion, the interest grew languid. it was just as well for mrs moxton that circumstances stood thus for in defiance of public opinion she still continued to inhabit myrtle villa her husband's maltreated body was quietly buried in the duke's field cemetery so quietly indeed that save the necessary undertaker and his men not a single person followed the unfortunate victim to his untimely grave it is only justice to say that mrs moxton would have done so but for the earnest advice of ellis knowing her unpopularity and its cause he warned her against thrusting herself forward

Starting point is 00:42:43 like a wise woman the widow took the hint but passionately resented the reason for which it was given when the ceremony was at an end ellis came to tell her about it and she defended herself to him after the fashion of women with many words and much indignation as soon as he could obtain a hearing the doctor assured her that in his case such arguments were needless i am a firm believer in your innocence mrs moxton he declared in all earnestness and you must not trouble about the idle gossip of the neighbourhood people will talk and it is just a chance that they did not call you a martyr instead of a criminal it is shameful that a friendless woman should be so abused you are not altogether friendless mrs moxton if you will accept me as your champion i shall be proud to occupy the position the widow looks steadfastly at ellis and something perceptible to a woman only which she saw in his eyes caused her to lower her own she replied indirectly with true feminine evasion i shall always be glad to have you for a friend doctor you have been you are very good to me but after this speech mrs moxton became reserved and hesitating finally silent so that ellis aware that his eyes had revealed too much took his leave in a few minutes by this time he was conscious that he had fallen in love with the pretty widow and marvelled that he should lose his heart after three weeks acquaintance in the opinion of some love at first sight is a fallacy and at one time ellis had been one of these wise-acres now his personal experience proved the truth of the saying mrs moxton was not a supremely beautiful woman but she had a young and comely face in an extraordinarily fascinating manner it was to this last that was to this last a very beautiful woman but she had a young and comely face in an extraordinarily fascinating manner it was to this last that that Ellis succumbed, and he made scarcely any effort to resist its influence.

Starting point is 00:44:39 Yet Mrs. Moxton was a woman with a humble, if not a doubtful, past, and there was a slur on her reputation as the widow of a murdered man. Ellis could not help admitting to himself that she was no wife for a struggling doctor, yet, in spite of such admission, he was bent upon marrying her should the opportunity offer itself. In the meantime, he kept his own counsel, told no one, not even Cass, of this new element in his life. The same evening Ellis and his friends sat down after supper to discuss again their domestic affairs and the state of the ex-chequer.

Starting point is 00:45:17 The outlook was now considerably improved, for Cass had returned with a good piece of news, which he lost no time in imparting to the doctor. "'The gods of things as they ought to be have awakened to the injustice of my terrestrial treatment, Bob, he announced gleefully, I have been made theatrical critic for the early bird, and a story of mine has been accepted by the Piccadilly magazine. Good news, old boy, I congratulate you. What is the reason for this sudden discovery of your merits? Moxton's murder, I think. My editor was pleased with the blood and thunder report I gave of it. Hence he set you to criticize the drama, said Ellis dryly.

Starting point is 00:46:02 i suppose so perhaps he thinks that if i can describe the murder of a human being i can deal with the slaughter of drama and comedy by incompetent actors the profession would be flattered by your preconceived ideas of their capabilities harry nonsense i am thinking of extreme cases only but now that i have a better salary i can help you bob i shall be like the a vignat carrier in balzac's story and aid a great physician to reach his rightful position for the benefit of humanity. Thank you, Harry, but I fear I am not sufficiently gifted to deserve your self-denial. Besides, I have been discovered also. What? You have a patient? Yes, a morbid lady with nerves.

Starting point is 00:46:48 She saw my name in connection with the discovery of that poor devil's body and came to see me about her own trouble. Nerves and murder. I don't see the connection. She did, however, said Ellis with a shrug. and asked me to save her life. It is in no danger, as you may guess. She is nothing but an excitable female with too much money and no employment. I wrote her a prescription, humoured her hypochondria, and so pleased her that she departed

Starting point is 00:47:16 pronouncing me to be a charming young man who thoroughly understood her system. She intends to send all her friends to me. "'That's capital!' cried Cass, shaking hands with his friend. "'Once you get the start, you will soon roll on to you. to fame and fortune. I'll meet you on Tom Tiddler's ground, Bob, and we'll pick up the gold and silver and company. Dr. Robert Ellis of Harley Street, specialist in eye diseases, and Henry Cass, the great, the only novelist. But I say, Bob, added the journalist, don't degenerate into a humbug old man. My dear fellow, in dealing with women, one must be a humbug more or less.

Starting point is 00:47:57 They like it. That is true in every case. Women always perform. the graceful humbugs of this world to the genuine honest creatures. That is why I have not been snapped up by a rich heiress. Ellis laughed absently, being more taken up with his own thoughts than with the humor of his friend. Yes, I believe this patient will send me others, and that sooner or later I shall scrape together a practice in Dukesfield. In years to come, I may even be able to set up as an eye specialist.

Starting point is 00:48:28 "'Then Harley Street, Bob, in Harley Street.' "'In any street, so long as I can make a good income, when I become known as an authority on diseases of the eye—' "'You are known, Bob,' interrupted Cass vigorously. "'That book on the eye you wrote is well known.' "'Stuff! My book fell stillborn from the press. Besides, if it is known, only my medical brethren have the knowledge. I wish to be popular with the masses, Harry, to have a name with them.

Starting point is 00:48:58 for it is the public who pay. "'Well, well, that will come. I believe in your future, Bob. You will have all you wish for, an income, a name, and a wife.' "'A wife,' Ellis turned restlessly in the comfortable old armchair and laughed in a somewhat embarrassed fashion. "'A wife,' he repeated doubtfully.

Starting point is 00:49:20 "'Of course, you don't intend to remain single all your days, do you? You must marry, Bob, for a doctor without a wife, a tactful wife, mind you, is like a coach without wheels. I hope, however, and here Harry's tone became serious, that you will not marry a widow. A widow, I don't understand. Or, continued Cass, inattentive to the interpolation, or the wife of a man who has met with a violent death.

Starting point is 00:49:49 Harry, what makes you think that Mrs. Moxton, so far Ellis proceeded violently, then stopped with the conviction that he had betrayed, secret. The cap fits, I see, remarked Cass pointedly and shut up in his turn. For the next few weeks there was an embarrassed silence, neither man being willing to speak lest a word should act like a spark and a powder magazine. Ellis threw down his pipe, and as was his fashion when annoyed, took to rapid walking in

Starting point is 00:50:17 the limited space of the sitting-room. Cass eased his position on the sofa and waited developments. Yes, it is true, said the doctor, it allowed to. voice so as to drown opposition. I am in love with Mrs. Moxton. Now what do you say? Only this. It is hard enough for you to make a career

Starting point is 00:50:37 without seeking for a clog which will prevent you rising in your profession. How do you know Mrs. Moxton would prove such a clog? I don't know. I surmise only. I am ignorant of the lady's personality save from what I have learnt in chance moments. You are in the like position. i know her better than you do possibly but do you know her well enough to risk making her your wife i didn't say that i intended to ask her to marry me cass laughed

Starting point is 00:51:09 that is a quibble with honourable men a declared passion is always the prelude to marriage but i have not declared my passion argued ellis in vexed tones not yet maybe but you will do so when the time comes after all harry she is a charming woman charming and pretty no doubt but is she the wife for you before you can answer that question you must know her past and whitewash her present dr ellis sat down aghast good heavens cass surely you don't think her guilty i don't know enough about the case to say said cass meditatively but mrs moxton puzzles me i confess for instance she tells lies tells lies pel's lies repeated the widow's champion with great indignation yes and in the most unblushing manner at the inquest she said that she took her husband's body in her arms and felt the blood flowing from the wound in his back now it is my impression that she never touched the body how can you prove that very simply when she came into this room she wore a plain black dress with cuffs of white linen now if she had handled the body and she had handled the body and she had been to this room she wore a plain black dress with cuffs of white linen now if she had handled the body and she had her body and she had to her and had touched the wound it is only natural to suppose that those cuffs would be stained with blood i noticed however that they were not but that is all the stronger proof that she is innocent of the actual murderer may be bob but it does not prove that she is ignorant of who killed the man she told lies about the handling of the body as i said it seems to me added cass reflectively that mrs moxton is shielding the assassin but why should she shield the murderer ah that you must learn from the woman herself but if she is completely in the dark about the matter why does she tell falsehoods then that cipher those blood signs on the arm the dying man wrote them to indicate to his wife the name of the murderer

Starting point is 00:53:12 you can't prove that cried ellis much excited only by deduction why should the man write in cipher if his wife did not know the cipher the information whatever it is might have been intended for someone else i don't think so moxton knew that his wife would be the first to discover his dead body and wrote the message in cipher for her information it is only reasonable to think so mrs moxton says she does not know what the cipher means precisely she is telling lies and shielding the true criminal how do you know that the cipher contains the name of the criminal harry because i can read the cipher was cass's unexpected reply i found out the key yesterday look here bob he jumped up from the sofa and crossing to the writing-table hastily scrawled two diagrams you see he added here is a criss-cross and a st andrew's cross with two letters in each angle which exhausts the alphabet ellis looked at the diagrams with amazement and shook his head i am as much in the dark as ever explain well you use the angles in the central criss-cross square for letters with an added dot for the second letter if you wish to write your name ellis in signs you take the first letter of the third angle in the criss-cross the two second letters of the sixth angle the first letter of the square and the first letter first angle st andrew's cross i see and eliz i see and l being the second letter of the sixth angle you put a dot of course if i wrote k i should put no dot replied harry and took a morsel of paper out of his pocket here he said

Starting point is 00:55:04 is a copy of the sign on the dead man's arm the second letter of ninth angle criss-cross the first letter second angle st andrew's cross and the second letter fourth angle of the same do you see now take this pencil bob and you'll see now take this pencil bob and you'll the key to turn them into letters." Ellis did so and produced three letters on the paper given to him. "'R-U-Z,' he read slowly. "'What does that mean? Is it a word?' "'I don't think so. There is no word spelt ruse in any language that I am acquainted with.

Starting point is 00:55:39 I believe those three letters are the initials of the man who killed Moxton. For some reason the dying man did not desire to give up his murderer to justice, but at the same time he wished to let his wife know who struck the blow, hence the cipher. Mrs. Moxton can read the meaning. Depend upon it, Bob. It seems strange, assented Ellis, surveying the letters thoughtfully. Do you think there are three names here, or only two? I can't say.

Starting point is 00:56:08 Or you may mean Rupert or Rudolph, but I am in the dark so far. I have discovered the letters, Bob, and is for Mrs. Moxton to explain them to you. what about this other sign said the doctor evading a reply well at first i thought it was a serpent but as it has four feet and a wriggle of a tail i concluded as a lizard mere guessing you understand what connection can it have with the letters i don't know ask me something easier or rather said cass with a peculiar smile ask mrs moxton she knows the truth about letters and lizard and murderer but she won't tell it to you why not asked ellis angrily because my poor fellow i firmly believe that the murderer of mr moxton is the lover of mrs moxton end of chapter four read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter five of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this librivox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter v mrs moxton seeks counsel needless to say ellis and his then state of mind declined to believe that the widow had intrigued with a lover or had according to the theory of cass armed his hand with the knife in her evidence she declared that she knew no one in dukesfield and went nowhere and this statement was substantiated by mrs basket the landlady with feminine curiosity about matters which did not concern her was as good as a detective

Starting point is 00:57:56 and from the first coming of the mysterious moxton's to myrtle villa she had watched their movements knowing this ellis made a few inquiries when mrs basket was clearing the breakfast-table harry having already departed to fleet street the doctor was alone and conducted the examination as he pleased and at his leisure mrs basket only too willing to talk chattered like a parrot and indeed her green dress with yellow trimmings resembled the plumage of that bird in no small degree she was a gaudy irresponsible gabbler bless your art sir she didn't know no one declared mrs basket a prisoner and a jane a jay that is what she was at myrtleville her not but what she oughtn't to be in a real one i don't say as that moxton mrs basket shivered wasn't a brute in his treatment of her but she did for him as sure as i'm a living woman she did for him the jury did not think so mrs basket mrs basket snorted a jury of them swindling tradesmen said she contemptuously what do they know of it mrs moxton killed him with the carving-knife and threw it away order words how do you know she threw it away cause it ain't in the house yes you may look and look doctor but it ain't in the house i've been there and know you have been in myrtle villa said ellis astonished do you know mrs moxton then for the sake of law and order and queen's justice i made it my business to know her sir the other morning i went over to offer to buy some of her furniture hearing as she was leaving dukesfield ellis jumped up she is not leaving dukesfield he denied

Starting point is 00:59:50 oh that was my idea of getting into the house explained mrs basket complacently she said she wasn't and told me so in the kitchen where it was i wished to be then she looked so poorly that i offered to make her a cup of tea and she said i might asking me questions about the people here in the meantime what sort of questions oh what was thought of her and if they called her names returned mrs basket incoherently but i made her the tea and she added for a few minutes she went into the front parlour and i looked in all the dresser drawers for the knife but it wasn't there no doctor repeated mrs basket with emphasis i do assure you it wasn't in the ole of that there kitching though i searched most particular some one might have stolen the knife there weren't nobody in the house to steal it not a soul ever went near the villa but tradesmen and they never got no further than the back door sir i do believe as she murdered him with the knife and itted away ardourds p'rawards perhaps in them brickfields concluded Mrs. Baskett vaguely. Well, we can't be sure of that. You are certain that Mrs. Moxton had no visitors? Quite, sir.

Starting point is 01:01:10 And she saw no one? Not a blessed soul, save her husband as she did for. And if you'll excuse me, doctor, I'm my work to look at her, whereupon the gossip waddled away with the breakfast tray. It may appear strange that a cultured man like Ellis should listen to the coarse babblings of an uneducated woman, but he had a reason for doing so for the sake of protecting mrs moxton it was needful that he should know the gossip of the neighbourhood and none could so well enlighten him on this point as mrs basket several times her openly expressed conviction of mrs moxton's guilt made ellis wince and but for the above reason he would have ordered her out of the room however his self-control gained him two pieces of information firstly that mrs moxton had received no mas

Starting point is 01:02:00 visitor since her arrival in dukesfield and secondly that the carving-knife with which the murder from the nature of the wound might have been committed had disappeared ellis was now satisfied the widow had no lover but he was disturbed over the concealment or loss he did not know which to call it of the carving-knife if no one but mrs moxton was or had been in the house she must know the whereabouts of the knife for enlightenment on this point and in order to satisfy his doubts ellis made up his mind to call on the widow and acting on the impulse of the moment did so strangely enough mrs moxton not only welcomed him eagerly but informed him that his arrival was opportune if you had not come i should have sent for you said she and conducted him into a cheerful little sitting-room all white paint chinese matting and furniture covered with bright Hughed chintz. "'What is the matter, Mrs. Moxton? There is nothing wrong, I hope.'

Starting point is 01:03:03 "'Oh, no, but I want your advice. You are my only friend.' "'I am proud of the position, Mrs. Moxton, and I hope you will permit me as a friend to ask you a few plain questions.' The little woman's resolute face grew pale. "'About the death?' she murmured. "'Yes, you know that there is a slur on your name in connection with that. as your friend i wished to remove that slur by assisting you to hunt down the murderer it was an odd but true thing that mrs moxton had the same habit as ellis of walking up and down the room when annoyed at the conclusion of the doctor's last speech she rose suddenly and took a turn to compose her mind it is very good of you to think of helping me she said abruptly but why should you because i wish to be your friend and i know that you are in danger i am in no danger

Starting point is 01:03:56 if you allude to this preposterous accusation that I killed my husband. If needs be, I can protect myself, should the occasion arise. By denouncing someone else, Mrs. Moxton turned on Ellis with a frown. What do you mean? Rumor says that if you did not murder Moxton yourself, you know who did, and that you are shielding him. Him? Oh, I am shielding a man, said the widow, catching at the final word. Set your mind at rest, doctor.

Starting point is 01:04:23 I am shielding no man. mrs moxton why not be candid and tell me all i told all i knew at the inquest she replied sullenly can you swear that you do not know who killed your husband i was on my oath of the inquest i tell you cried the woman passionately i will not swear again to you very good said ellis coldly i see that you doubt me i doubt you i trust you more than you think dr ellis in spite of what i said to you before i am surrounded on all sides by difficulties and dangers one false step and heaven knows what may happen i can't tell you all i dare not but you are my friend and must help me how can i when you won't confess the truth if i only dare mrs moxton took another turn up the room and came back to ellis with a more determined expression on her face listen doctor i will tell you what i can afterwards you can ask me what questions you will and i shall reply to the best of my ability thus we shall understand one another ellis looked at her trim little figure in the black dress at the widow's cap on her fair hair at the candid face beneath it as has been before stated mrs moxton was comely rather than pretty but she had a firmly moulded chin a resolute expression on her lips and in her grey eyes and was on the whole a woman of courage and resource how one so sensible could have tied herself to a brute like moxton and could have submitted to neglect and cruelty for long months was much

Starting point is 01:06:00 more than Ellis could understand. Perhaps it was one of those unanswerable problems of the feminine nature which women themselves cannot explain. Ellis was puzzled, and in the hope of gaining some insight into this apparently contradictory nature, waited eagerly for the promised explanation. On the day after the murder, in the morning, that is, said Mrs. Moxton, I had a visitor. his card with the name richard busham was brought to me by a charwoman i engaged but owing to the events of the previous night i refused to see him he went away saying that he would call again but up to the present he has not done so who is richard busham do you know him not personally i never saw him and he has never met me but he is the cousin of my late husband the nephew of moxton of bond street now i believe that he came to see me about the will and i am vexed not having admitted him why not calling him you have his address i heard it from edgar mr busham is a solicitor and has his office in escher lane near the temple the late mr moxton of bond street was a mean shabby man who employed the cheapest labor he could get and i believe his nephew did all his legal business for him now edgar and mr busham hated one another

Starting point is 01:07:26 and when my husband was disinherited mr busham was declared heir by old moxton if that will held good he would not waste time coming to see me but from the very fact of his visit i believe that edgar's father repented at the last moment and made a new will leaving the property to us you can make certain of that by seeing busham mrs moxton looked troubled i am afraid she said faintly i am terribly afraid i do not see why you should be mr busham called on the morning after the murder he must have learnt then of my loss yet he has never repeated his visit has never written a line i can't conceive his reason for acting in this way unless here she hesitated he believes that i murdered edgar he would not be so foolish as to believe that without evidence and even if he did the inquest must have disabused him of the idea for all that i am afraid to call i have heard edgar talk of mr busham he is a dangerous man dr ellis and for all i know may be laying a trap for me tell me the truth and i will prevent your falling into this trap mrs moxton hesitated and then burst out defiantly what is it you wish to know firstly if you know the meaning of the blood signs on your husband's arm no i do not then i am wiser than you for i am wiser than you for i am but i am wiser than you for i do you mrs moxton bit her lip what do you know let the sign stand for the letters r u z what the lizard as i think it is means i don't know mrs moxton what is the meaning of the three letters r u z i don't know really i don't had your husband any friend with a name beginning r u z or with initials

Starting point is 01:09:21 not that i ever heard of what about the lizard i cannot understand its meaning and you don't comprehend either the letters or the cipher no no no this triple denial was so emphatic that ellis was forced to believe her yet it appeared strange that she should be so ignorant of matters which virtually concerned the death of her husband he looked keenly at her for some sign of confusion but the brow of mrs moxton was as open as the day if she lied she was a wonderful actress but ellis did not believe that she lied being too much in love to consider her so deliberately base well said he making an attempt in another direction to fathom the mystery my landlady mrs basket called to see you the other day to spy out the land oh i saw through her pretended kindness at once she wished to find some proof of my guilt but as i had nothing to conceal i gave her the opportunity of convincing herself that i was innocent the very proof you gave convinced her of your guilt said ellis warmly mrs basket is a dangerous woman mrs moxton one of those well-meaning people who do so much harm she has no special grudge against you but she has got it in her mind that you killed your husband with the carving-knife but i did not it is nonsense talking like that then where is the carving-knife mrs basket searched but could not find it and now she believes that you have hidden it what rubbish said mrs moxton with contempt edgar threw it away threw it away why because he knew that i kept it by me to protect myself against tramps or burglars so out of sheer devilry the week before he died he threw it into the garden behind some bushes is it there now no i searched everywhere for it after the murder and could not find it why do you ask because a broad-bladed knife was used to kill your husband then it might not-and-my

Starting point is 01:11:22 have been the carving knife. The murderer must have picked it up and made use of it, and the woman appeared uneasy and interrupted Ellis. How would the murderer know the knife was in the garden? Only two people knew where it was thrown. One was Edgar, the other myself. I would not advise you to say that in public, Mrs. Moxton, as people might count it as good circumstantial evidence that you killed Moxton. Oh, cried the widow, clenching her fests. Do you believe me, guilty no i do not is there any need to ask me that question why why you have plenty of evidence against me i have placed myself in your hands by confessing about the carving-knife why do you not denounce me as guilty how can you ask cried ellis carried out of his usual equable self by her vehemence don't you know can't you see i love you i love you that is why i believe you guiltless end of chapter five read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter six of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this liverbox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins

Starting point is 01:12:43 chapter six a fresh discovery in placing herself in the dock so to speak mrs moxon had been defiant loud-voiced in reckless daring ellis to her own voice in recluss daring ellis to her own voice to speak mrs moxen had been defiant loud-voiced in reckless daring ellis to to denounce her for a crime of which she knew herself innocent. His refusal and the cause he gave for such refusal took her by surprise. Long since, she had guessed that the doctor loved her, but she did not count on his proclaiming the fact so soon, nor would he have done so had he not been thrown off his guard by her appeal, but her demand and his answer to it produced on both sides a stupefied calm. ellis frightened at his own boldness remained silent after uttering the fatal words mrs moxton on the other hand felt her wrath die away in sheer surprise then her cheeks flushed from an unexplained emotion and a light beamed in her eyes

Starting point is 01:13:39 you love me she murmured softly and looked at ellis something in her regard her tone her whole attitude seemed to melt the frozen silence of the man he sprang forward and touched her hand you are not angry he asked with eagerness the touch recalled mrs moxton to a sense of what she owed to herself and woken her a feeling of wrath at the audacity of the man who could speak the word to a woman lately widowed in so terrible a manner how dare you she cried angrily retreating what must you think of me to talk like that i think the world of you replied ellis doggedly i have said the truth you deceive yourself what you take for the truth is fantasy you cannot love one whom you have only known for three weeks love can be born of a glance in romances i grant but not in real life she paused and burst out laughing oh it is too absurd ellis was peaked i fail to see the absurdity i speak as i feel for the moment mrs moxton appeared to mediate an answer to this plain statement suddenly she bit her lip drew back and shook her head you speak folly you think madness she said consider I am a three-week's widow my husband died by violence and his death is not avenged my name is smirched my no this is no time for such talk let us forget the words you have uttered I cannot forget then I must lose my friend said Mrs. Moxton determinedly I really cannot meet you on these terms I am a new newly-made widow not a possible wife for you but in the future let the future look after itself she cried petulantly what we have to do is to attend to the present you wish to help me do so by leaving this crime to be punished by heaven but your smirched name i can bear that i have borne worse things oh do not look so astonished dr ellis i have had a queer up and down topsy-turvy sort of life some day i may tell it to you but we don't know each other well enough for that yet if i find that you deserve my confidence she broke off the sentence abruptly

Starting point is 01:16:01 never mind that now i have work to do yes i shall take your advice about calling on mr busham this very day i shall call and ask him about the will could you meet me there at three o'clock doctor ellis felt his breath taken away by the boldness of the demand if you wish me to come of course i wish it i would not ask remember doctor you are my friend no don't repeat that folly we are comrades at present nothing more you do not understand me now you will when i explain will you ever explain yes no i can't say so much depends upon what kind of a man i find you to be now go please as i must dress for my visit mind i shall expect you at three o'clock to tell you the result of my interview at three o'clock repeated ellis earnestly and so they parted when the doctor found himself in the broad cheerful sunshine of the jubilee road he was not quite certain if he was asleep or awake to him mrs moxton was more of an enigma than the murder itself he could not understand her attitude nor could he guess what motive she had in acting thus strangely she was apparently pleased that he loved her she was angry at his abrupt declaration he could not gain her confidence yet she requested him to meet her at three o'clock to ask his advice about her visit what was he to understand from such a medley of contradictions he sought in his own mind for every possible explanation but could find none so concluding that it was the more sensible course to possess his soul and patience until this sphinx explained her own riddle he returned home here to his surprise he found a friend of the morbid ladies come to consult him about her heart and in the joy of such promise of an increasing practice he forgot mrs moxton and her eccentricities in a similar situation a woman would not have forgotten but byron's lines give the reason for that

Starting point is 01:18:05 man's love is of man's life a thing apart tis woman's whole existence nevertheless when his mind was less occupied with material things the feeling about mrs moxton revived and he waited impatiently for the hour of three it would seem that circumstances were about to involve him in the drama it might be tragedy of this woman's life and he felt eager for the call to step on the stage what part would be assigned to him he could not guess was he to be the husband of the heroine or merely the friend or would he pose as the foil to that shadowy lover in whose existence and guilt cass believed altogether ellis was in the dark afraid to venture forward for fear of the unknown he waited for a hand to draw him on to his doom in plain english for the hand and guidance of mrs moxton these strange thoughts passing through the doctor's mind made him fear that its usually accurate balance was disturbed Shortly after three o'clock, struck from the brand-new brick tower of the brand-new Duke'sfield Church, he saw her walking briskly down the road. Even in his preoccupation, he noted her trim figure, the decided way in which she set down and lifted her feet, and the general air of alert resolution which stamped her whole

Starting point is 01:19:28 being. Here was a woman of mind, of decision, of character, with few feminine failings, and more than ever ellis wondered at her past history as related by herself at the inquest he began to suspect that there might be something after all in the ideas of harry cass mrs basket declared the woman was a deepened that also might be true good news good news cried mrs moxton when she arrived i have seen mr busham and i am right old moxton made a will leaving the property to edgar but he is dead how do you stand now The widow let the gate click behind her and walked up the path with a wrinkled brow, betokening thought. "'That depends upon Edgar's will.' "'Did he make one?' "'I think so.

Starting point is 01:20:17 In one of his good humours he made a will leaving all his property to me. I believe the will was signed and witnessed at Monte Carlo. He told me about it, but I never saw it.' "'And how do you know it exists?' "'Edgar told me of it,' repeated Mrs. Moxton. "'It will no doubt be in his dispatch box.' or in his room. By this time the pair were again in the cheerful parlor, and her gaze was fixed upon a well-filled bookcase. "'I should not wonder if it was hidden amongst the books,' said Mrs. Moxton,

Starting point is 01:20:48 pensively. Ellis showed some amazement at this strange remark. Why should he have put a valuable document amongst his books, Mrs. Moxton?' The widow sat down and signed to Ellis to do likewise. "'My dear doctor, do you know anything about drunken men?' This was even a stranger remark than the former. I have come into contact with them, said Ellis, with a slight smile, but what has that to do with this will? More than you think, she retorted. Edgar was never very sane at the best of times.

Starting point is 01:21:20 When drunk, as he often was, he took leave of his senses completely. Drunken men, as I dare say you know, have each their various idiosyncrasies which display the true animal within. Edgar's in-dwelling animal was a magpie. Oh, the doctor seized on her meaning at once. You believe that he concealed things. Yes, when drunk he would hide his watch, chain, jewelry, money, and when sober could not remember where he put them.

Starting point is 01:21:49 I was sent to hunt them out, and often found them in the bookcase. Lately he took to hiding papers, so it is not unlikely he concealed his will. However, it may be in his dispatch box, after all. that is in the bedroom and i have the keys so i shall go and look in the meantime doctor would you turn out those books and see if it is concealed there certainly but one moment mrs moxton he added as she was about to leave the room if your husband has left no will what becomes of the property half goes to mr busham as the next of kin and half to me as the widow but of course i get all if edgar left a will in my favour mr busham won't like that no Mrs. Moxton frowned. I'll tell you what he is, she burst out. A mean, grasping miser.

Starting point is 01:22:38 His manner to me was most disagreeable. I feel sure he suspects me of the murder. While he can get half the property, I dare say he will hold his tongue. But if all comes to me, I am certain he will make trouble. About the murder? Yes, but I am not afraid. I can defend myself, and I have you for a friend.

Starting point is 01:22:57 What can I do? Defend me! Mrs. Moxton threw a third. searching glance at the amazed face of Ellis, look for the will, she said abruptly, and left the room. By this time the doctor's capacity for astonishment was completely exhausted. Mrs. Moxton's conduct became more extraordinary at every interview, and it was worse than useless to try accounting for it.

Starting point is 01:23:20 Only further acquaintance and observation could explain her personality in apparently purposeless remarks. Therefore, Ellis, taking this sensible view, devoted himself to the task of searching for the will. The bookcase was of white-painted wood, of no great size and with three shelves. French novels in yellow and green paper covers predominated, and Ellis tumbled these ruthlessly onto the floor. To all appearance, the taste of the late Mr. Moxton had not been over-refined,

Starting point is 01:23:51 for the majority of the novels were by the most sensual Parisian authors. But mingled with these decadent books were a lot of. a number of old-fashioned books, mostly educational, with here and there a slim old-fashioned volume of travels. For the first ten minutes of his search, Ellis paid no attention to these, but looked for the will at the back of the shelves. It was not to be found in any one of them, but he came across an amazing number of music hall programs headed, the Merry Man, Viper Street, Soho. Evidently, somebody had been an assiduous attendant at this place of amusement, if the programs were to be taken as evidence.

Starting point is 01:24:31 Moxton, said Alice to himself, and this idea occurred to him. So this is where he went night after night. He examined the dates of the programs. Yes, all within the last three months, one night after another. Hmm. Mrs. Moxton said that she did not know where her husband went, yet these programs must have informed her even if he held his tongue. Extraordinary woman.

Starting point is 01:24:56 I can't understand her ask. or denials. Failing to find the will on the shelves, Ellis examined the books. One of these, a fat little brown volume entitled The Universal Informer, was inscribed on the fly leaf, Janet Gordon from her father, Thomas Gordon, Edinburgh, both of which names were unknown to Ellis. The book opened of itself at a turned-down page on which was set forth a list of the towns and cities of the world. Now what struck Ellis as strange was the fact that the turned-down page was towards the end of the list and contained the towns beginning with Z. This was one of the letters concealed in the blood signs, and to say the least it is not a letter

Starting point is 01:25:39 generally used. Wondering if he was on the track of a discovery, Ellis glanced down the page. His eye caught the word lizard, and he eagerly read the paragraph in which it was contained. Foreloins informed him that Zirchnitz is a town in Austria, and that in its environs, found a peculiar species of lizard. Ellis reflected. On the arm was the letter Z concealed in a sign and the representation of a lizard. This book, which opens of itself to this particular page, mentions an Austrian town called Zirknits and a peculiar lizard. There must be some connection between the murderer and this paragraph. But I can't see it myself. What can an Austrian town have to do with the crime in Jubilee Road? Finding no one.

Starting point is 01:26:27 answer to this question he pursued his search. The old-fashioned books seemed to belong to Thomas Gordon of Edinburgh, but in one or two he had inscribed their presentation to his daughter Janet or to his daughter Laura. "'Lara,' murmured Ellis. "'That is Mrs. Moxton's name. Perhaps she is the Lara Gordon who owns these books. In fact, she must be. If so, she has a sister Janet. It is the first I have heard of her sister. Hello, what's this? This was a novel of Kutula Mendez,

Starting point is 01:27:02 which had a name scribbled in pencil on the outside. The name was Rudolf Zerknyitz. R-U-Z, said the doctor, staring at the penciled autograph. So it stands for Rudolf Zirkenitz, who evidently takes his name in the totem of the lizard from that Austrian town. At this moment, Mrs. Moxton entered with a disconsolate,

Starting point is 01:27:25 air. Have you found the will, doctor? she inquired. It is not in the dispatch box. No, Mrs. Moxton, I have not found the will, but I have learnt the name of the man who killed your husband. The widow became as gray as the wallpaper and leaned against the door for support. What? Who? I do not understand, she gasped. The murderer is called Rudolf Zirchnitz, explained Ellis. Now who is Rudolph Zirchnitz? Mrs. Moxton made no attempt to answer this question, question. Closing her eyes, she slipped quietly onto the floor and lay at the feet of Ellis, white and insensible. End of Chapter 6, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California.

Starting point is 01:28:14 Chapter 7 of The Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libra Box recording is in the public domain, recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 7, What the Cabman knew. when cass returned from his day's work he found ellis impatiently expecting him the doctor looked ill and worried on hearing his friend's footstep he rushed into the passage and half led half dragged him into the room harry was much surprised at this unusual excitement on the part of ellis what the deuce is the matter bob you're as pale as a muffin and your hair is all over the harry harry never mind my looks i am nearly worried out of my own my life by this this murder or by mrs moxton have you made any discoveries yes i have discovered the meaning of the letters r u z and of the lizard sign by jove cass and his turn became excited well well go on go on the letters are the initials of a man's name the murderer's name i don't say that and yet he might be the criminal i said so to but the name bob the name rudolph zirchnitz hum a foreigner an austrian he takes his name from a town called zirchnitz in austria which has in its environs a particular sort of lizard found nowhere else

Starting point is 01:29:42 ho ho now comes in the totem of our assassin how did you find this out the doctor sat down and rapidly detailed his discoveries and how they were brought about by the search for the will i revived mrs moxton from her faint he concluded but she refused to answer a single question in the end i was forced to leave her and for the last few hours i have been in a state of distraction i am so glad you are back put your sharp wits to work harry and tell me what it all means i told you before replied cass coolly and you flew in a rage with me saying that i had no grounds for the statement now you have learned the grounds and i repeat my belief this zirknitz is the lover of mrs moxton and she is shielding him from the consequences of having killed her husband no doubt at her request i can't i won't believe it of that poor woman harry facts are stubborn things bob the case is as clear as noonday to me ellis still believing in the innocence of the woman he loved would have replied somewhat violently to this declaration but that mrs basket entered with the supper it was now seven o'clock for since cass had been appointed critic to the early bird they had altered the meal from nine to seven in a few minutes mrs basket not being encouraged to chatter on this particular night left the room wondering what could be the matter with her gentlemen ellis trifled with his food feeling too worried to enjoy it but the less nervous cast did full justice to mrs basket's idea of an irish stew between mouthfuls he talked and answered the doctor's objections it is all nonsense mrs basket saying that mrs moxton had no visitors both she and her husband from what you tell me must be shady people poor devil he is dead so let us say no ill of him

Starting point is 01:31:38 but mrs moxton i dare say she received visitors at night when mrs basket and her tradesmen spies were not about you have no grounds for making such an accusation fumed ellis keep calm bob i am speaking without prejudice no grounds well if i have not why did mrs moxton faint at the mention of that name why did she lie about the signs why did she feign ignorance of the place where her husband went every night she must have known i tell you bob that mrs moxton is fighting every inch and i dare say she is angry at your persistence in following up the case come now own up did she not ask you to leave the matter alone well she did admitted the doctor with reluctance i confess that i do not understand mrs moxton her acts are doubtful her words are strange and i agree with you that she knows more about this matter than she chooses to confess all the same harry i am not an absolute fool even where women are concerned and there is something in mrs moxton's looks and manner which satisfies me that she is a true good pure brave woman hum her conduct does not justify the use of a single adjective of that sort i know i know all the same i believe in her because you are in love and love is blind rubbish i don't believe in that worn-out saying i can see mrs moxton's imperfections as plainly as you can she is not a saint by any manner of means but a sinner no harry i cannot believe she is what you make her out if she inspired the murder why does she not run away because she is fighting for her fortune old boy but she is not even certain that a will is in existence so she says replied cass pouring himself out some

Starting point is 01:33:31 here, but I beg leave to doubt that artless pose. It is my firm conviction that she knew of old Moxton's repentance and 11th Hour Testament, that she got her husband to make his will in her favor, and that she induced her lover Zirknits to put him out of the way so they might enjoy the money together. It is to reap the fruits of the crime that she stays on here, Bob. That is all theory. So was my earlier statement, yet it has been proved true, true, by yourself. I dare say, Monsieur Zürchnitz came to see Mrs. Moxton in the evening when her husband was at the Merriman Music Hall. I never heard of that place, Harry. Perhaps not. It has been in existence for only two years. The usual variety entertainment, you know. A man called

Starting point is 01:34:20 Otto Schwartz keeps it. A German? A typical logger-beard German, not at all a bad fellow, either. "'Dr. Ellis slowly lighted his pipe. "'I wonder why Moxton went so regularly to that place,' he said reflectively. "'Well, he might have gone there to make love to one of the ladies who do the turns, "'but I rather think,' said Cass significantly, "'that his object was to gamble. "'From all his wife says about Monte Carlo and other places, "'the man was a confirmed card-sharper.'

Starting point is 01:34:53 "'But gambling is not allowed in London.' "'No doubt. A good-beckon. many vices are not allowed in this most immaculate of cities in this tartuff of capitals, but they exist all the same. I don't know for certain. Nobody does, but it is rumored that there is a secret gambling hall connected with the apparently innocent music hall of Herr Schwarzes. Ellis glanced at his watch. It is getting on for eight o'clock, he remarked. Let us go to Soho tonight. If you like, I have no particular engagement, but your reason? I want to learn all I can about Moxton.

Starting point is 01:35:30 If he went there to gamble, Herr Schwartz will know of him. Also, we might learn something of Zerknitz. As the book proves, the autograph also. He was a friend of Moxton's. So it is not unlikely he went with him to this secret hell you talk of. Very good. Let us go at once, said Cass, rising. But as you and I seem to have become amateur detectives,

Starting point is 01:35:52 let us conduct our case with due discretion. There is one piece of evidence we have overlooked. What is that? The cab stand. The cab stand. And what has that to do with the murder? Bob, Bob, you can write about eyes and their diseases, but you cannot make use of your own optics.

Starting point is 01:36:12 It is probable that the murderer of Moxton, this Zerknitz, wished to get away as speedily as possible from the scene of his crime. So it is equally probable that he made for the cab stand. Or the railway station. that is much further away the cab-stand is comparatively near the jubilee road but no cabman came forward at the inquest i dare say no cabman had any right to suspect his fare of murder but we will question those on the rank before we go to soho let us find out if mr zirknits took a cab between a quarter-past and half-past eleven ellis shrugged his shoulders as you please but it seems to me futile to waste time in asking questions which cannot be answered we have yet to learn if our time is being wasted retorted cass and ending the conversation for the time being the young men left the house by this time cass had become quite eager to solve the mystery and willingly placed his quick wit and indomitable perseverance at the service of his friend he admired ellis greatly and there was quite a david and jonathan feeling between the two

Starting point is 01:37:23 it annoyed cass to think that the doctor might throw away his life on such a woman as he believed mrs moxton to be and he undertook the case in hope of proving her unworthiness at the present moment appearances were decidedly against her yet in the face of such black evidence ellis still clung to his belief in her this instinctive feeling based on no unreasonable foundation was so insisted upon by ellis that his friend became quite angry it is the most sensible men who become the greatest fools on occasions he said with the rough speech of intimate friendship you have known this woman only three weeks and you were absolutely ignorant of her past life save what she has chosen to tell you the circumstance circumstantial and actual evidence points to her not only as a shady person but as a positive criminal yet in the face of it all you look upon her as a saint no i don't i told you so before but i feel sure she is a good woman i can give you no reason but i myself am satisfied without one as to your evidence harry you know the most innocent person can be wrongly accused can be even hanged on evidence which faults as it is appears sufficient there is the le cirque's case for oh the courier of leone i know and i can quote you at least a dozen others all the same i don't believe in mrs moxton well i do for all you know she may be protecting her sister cass stopped short as she a sister he asked i believe so at least in the books i told you about thomas gordon had written the names of his daughters laura and janet gordon the first is a son of his daughter's laura and janet gordon the first is a little bit of his daughter's laura and janet gordon the first is a of course, Mrs. Moxton. The second name must be that of her sister. Perhaps, but the sister may be dead,

Starting point is 01:39:14 may be absent from England. In any event, I do not see how you can connect her at all with the murder. The doctor had no reply to this pertinent observation, as, after all, this remark about the sister had been made vaguely and without any ulterior meaning. A turn of the street brought them to the cabstand at which Cass, as a journalist, was well known. He immediately began to question the men in a chafing popular way. They were ready enough to answer his questions, the more so as these were concerning the murder, but one and all declared that no particular man had hired a cab between eleven and twelve on the night of August 16. "'Old Ike is the one to know, though,' said a red-faced cab man. "'He have a membrane like his own horse.' There was a murmur of assent at this,

Starting point is 01:40:02 and, oh like, shaky, lean, ancient, more like a grey wolf than a man, was routed out of the shelter in which he was refreshing himself with tea. "'A fair, on that murder night, sir? "'Lor, I don't quite know what to say about that. "'Eaven and twelve, was it? "'Well, now, sir, the chapsies at that time were at the station "'waiting the theatre trains. "'Weren't you chapsies?'

Starting point is 01:40:31 "'Oh, that we were. "'But you weren't Ike,' said the red-faced cabman, replying for the others you never does go for them late fares i was at long under rank mr cask now i thinks of it i had a fair to pimlico to geneva square where that silent house murder took place what was the man like asked alice eagerly it weren't no man sir but a gal a short gal with a gray dress and a black cloak straw at fair air plumped bigger and small hands why cass he's describing mrs moxton said ellis wonderingly at what time did she take your cab-yke just afore half-past eleven sir came tearing down the road wild-like and crying fit to break her art just tumbled into mcab she did and told me to drive to pimlico mrs moxton was in our room at half-past eleven said calf when finding that this was all the information obtainable. They walked away. The woman can't be Mrs. Moxton. Yet the description, fair hair, trim figure might pass for her. I wonder who she is. I know, Harry. I was right after all. The woman who cried and fled like a guilty person was

Starting point is 01:41:53 Janet Gordon, the sister of Mrs. Moxton. End of Chapter 7, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 8 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume This Libervox recording is in the public domain, recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 8, a music hall star. It would seem then from this fresh discovery that a third person was implicated in the matter, and that person a woman. Cass and Ellis argued the matter at great length in the train

Starting point is 01:42:35 and continued their argument as they drove from St. James Station to Soho. The doctor was convinced from Old Ike's description that the woman could be no other than Mrs. Moxton's sister, but Cass was more than doubtful. "'It might be a general resemblance,' he said. "'Besides, if Janet Gordon came to see Mrs. Moxon on that night, why does not her sister say so?' "'She is shielding her, I tell you,' insisted Ellis. that accounts for the way in which she keeps silent even to me whom she knows as her friend why should mrs moxton shield her sister bob you don't suspect janet of the crime oh no from the blood signs it is plain that zirknits murdered him i don't know what to think but it is plain that janet was at the house that night and perhaps she fled in terror on seeing the crime committed however i shall ask mrs moxton about the matter

Starting point is 01:43:30 she will tell you nothing now that i have found out so much i think she will if only to exonerate her sister retorted ellis if she refuses i shall go to geneva square in pimlico and interview miss gordon myself she may have seen zirchnitz killed the poor devil and then have fled to avoid being mixed up in the matter well said cass as the cab drew up before a brilliantly lighted portal it seems to me that zirknitz is the man to catch in question we may hear about him here as it appears he was a companion of the dead man but the case gets more involved at every fresh discovery first we suspect mrs moxton then our suspicions rest on the austrian finally an unknown sister seems to be implicated in the matter it will be a queer story when all things are brought to light i hope we shall find zirknits here if he is a wise man you will not replied ellis as they alighted remember a fact simile of these blood signs appeared in all the papers zirchnitz may know the cipher and having read his own initials as no doubt made himself scarce hmm there is something in that we shall see the music hall was vast and palatial with a domed roof two galleries and much ornate decoration the seats were cushioned with red velvet the promenades were carpeted in many corners tall mirrors reflected back the moving crowd and everywhere there are was gilding, light, crystal, and color. The whole place was filled with changing hues like a king opal, and glittered with overpowering splendor in the floods of white radiance pouring

Starting point is 01:45:13 from clusters of electric lamps. A fine orchestra was playing a swinging waltz, the last movement of a ballet, and the stage was filled with a multitude of gyrating, pirouetting women, constantly moving and tossing in gorgeous costumes, like a bed of tulip. and a high wind. For a few moments the two men, coming out of the dark night, were dazzled by the glare and stunned by the crash of the music and babble of voices. Cass drew his friend aside to a marble-top table and ordered drinks while he looked at the program. Suddenly he caught sight of a man he knew and jumped up to shake hands. "'Hullo, Schwartz!' he cried. "'Here's a friend of mine I wish to introduce.

Starting point is 01:45:56 Captain Garrett, I hope I see you well!' the german was a fat fair man quiet in looks and dress and with a somewhat careworn face his companion a tall dissipated military gentleman an accurate evening dress answered to the name of garret and bowed distantly this latter had a bad expression and a pair of shifty eyes ah my good cass said schwartz with a beaming smile you haf not been here for dis long time and your friend dr ellis said cass a well-known medical man who has written a standard work on diseases of the eye ellis laughed and was about to protest against having his greatness thrust upon him when captain garrett turned his worn face towards him with a look of keen interest dr ellis said he in an abrupt voice glad to see you very glad have read your book so has schwartz here that is so my friend it is a good book and i am glad that you come here doctor why did you not say you come cass i would have given tickets both of you have read my book said the doctor considerably taken aback by this unexpected fame and heaven's name why it is unusual for laymen to read a treatise of that kind oh repeated garrett with infinite sadness schwartz and i are old friends and we have good reason to read your book he paused for a moment and then added abruptly my daughter is blind ah that little hilda she has cataract of the eyes poor angel my daughter has cataract of the eyes doctor translated garrett and we have tried every surgeon in europe to cure them but without success

Starting point is 01:47:45 your book impressed us greatly and now that we have met you i hope you will come and see my poor girl come and see her every day doctor i will pay money if that schwartz never finished his speech at that moment a tumult created by some drunken man called him away, and with a nod to Ellis he hurried off. The captain waited only long enough to thrust his card into the doctor's hand and also departed while the two friends resumed their seats at the table. Captain W. E. Garrett, Gert to Cottage, Alma Road, Park Mayor, read Ellis from the cart, why that is the next suburb to Dukesfield. Oh, Schwartz lives on that quarter, does he? No, not Schwartz, Garrett.

Starting point is 01:48:28 that is the same thing replied cass sipping his brandy and soda they live together have done so for years garrett has the gentlemanly looks and schwartz the money a strange pair who are they a couple of adventurers swartz is the better of the two though for from what i hear garret was kicked out of the army for cheating at cards the germans started this show two years ago and took garret to live with him why i don't know unless it was that he is so fond of the dog daughter. Hilda Garrett, said Ellis, recalling the name. Is she blind? I believe so. Swartz is an old bachelor and has given all his heart to the poor girl. She is sixteen years old, I believe, and he takes care of both her and her father. Garrett seems to be fond of his child. Oh, that is a pose for the benefit of Schwartz. If he didn't love Hilda, the German would kick him out. Garrett killed his wife with ill-treatment and was on the fair way to exterminate Hilda when Schwartz interposed and became her good angel.

Starting point is 01:49:33 Now the old scoundrel Garrett behaves well to her, knowing that in such way he can manage Schwartz. You seem to know all about it, Cass. I hear all the gossip, Bob. It may be true or it may not, but I am certain that Schwartz and Garrett have been together these ten years carrying on their rascalities. Are they rascals? Cass laughed and nodded.

Starting point is 01:49:56 rumour says very much so but schwartz is the more lovable scoundrel of the two there is something pathetic in the way in which he clings to that blind girl there lives some soul of good in all things evil quoted ellis well i shall call at gerda cottage and see what i can do for the girl if i can cure her after all the european surgeons have failed it will be a feather in my cap business is rolling in at last old fellow about time said cass in satisfied tones you'll ride in your carriage yet bob the doctor laughed at this prophecy it did not seem so impossible of realization now as it had once been then he turned his attention to the stage on which a stout lady in the shortest of skirts was favouring the audience with a song and interpolated dance of the orthodox pattern till i have a little feller on the string dance and on me and he's put a little ring dance to the little church this little gal he'll cheek she'll kiss him for his own sweet seek and he'll love her as his little bit of keek dance that is polly horley said cass referring to the singer of this gem she is a great favourite here i don't wonder replied ellis drearily the song is senseless enough to please even this brainless audience why must a music-hall diddy consist of bad english and worse grammar delivered with a cockney accent polly horley i know her when i was house surgeon at st jude's hospital she was brought in with a broken leg we were excellent friends our great pals as miss horley would put it let's send round your card and ask for an interview

Starting point is 01:51:48 for what reason i don't want to see that stout female my dear fellow polly has been a star here since schwartz opened the hall and she if any one will know about moxton and zirkinitz by jove that is true harry you are a better detective than i am get that waiter there to take round our cards a small fee soon accomplished this and the venal waiter vanished shortly to reappear with a message that miss hoarly would be pleased to see dr ellis and friend in her dressing-room after the singing of her great patriotic song almost immediately afterwards she marched to the footlights in the costume of britannia and carrying the union jack then followed the usual piece of jingoism about never shall be slaves while the banner waves earth is thick with britannia and carrying the union jack then followed the usual piece of jingoism about never shall be slaves while the banner waves earth is thick with british graves, etc, etc. The flag was duly waved at the end of each verse, and the audience, as in duty-bound, joined in with imperial ardor. While Miss Horley treated the listeners to an extraverse bearing on the local situation, Ellis and Harry Cass were guided into the back regions of the stage by a smart page boy. He led them through a wilderness of scenes along dark passages and past rooms thronged with ballet girls, ultimately ushering them into a small apartment, barely furnished

Starting point is 01:53:13 and flooded with unshaded electric light. Here the visitors were accommodated with two chairs, and shortly Britannia, Flag and all made her noisy appearance. She literally threw herself on the doctor. "'I'm that glad to see you again, Doc,' cried Britannia, effusively. "'Where have you been hiding all this time?' Then without waiting for an answer, she turned to Harry. stranger too, Mr. Cass, but better late than never. I'm glad to see you. You'll both have drinks, I suppose. No, thank you, Miss Horley. We just wish to congratulate you on your new song. Oh, it knocks them, don't it? said the fair, Polly. They never let me off without a triple encore. You are looking ill, doctor. It's that or a murder, eh? What murder? Why, the Duke's field

Starting point is 01:54:00 murder, silly. I saw all about it in the papers. Your name was there, too, and I said, here's my dear old pal ellis who mended my spar oh you said that did you rather it was queer that you should be the doctor to see after that poor chap i call him poor chap because he is dead explained miss hoarly but i never did like that moxton a miserly insulting crab-stick oh so you knew moxton of course i did he came here nearly every night what is more he took his wife here. Ellis was painfully excited. Mrs. Moxton? Was she a music-hall singer? Not she, replied Polly disdainfully. She hadn't the brains to sing. She typed for a living, I believe, but her sister was a program cellar here. Janet Gordon. Oh, you know her, Mr. Cass, do you? No, I don't, but I have heard of her. Then I'll bet you heard nothing but good of her, cried miss hurley warmly that girl is as square a woman as ever lived if it hadn't been for her goodness knows what would have become of that silly little laura i don't call mrs moxton silly said the doctor annoyed by this description

Starting point is 01:55:19 oh don't you doctor than i do she was silly to marry that beast of a moxon that horrid little cad it was against janet's wish that she did so and janet was right a nice mess she made of her life he neglected her and came here to make love to me me a married woman with five of a family but i slapped his face for him said polly complacently that i did mrs moxton met her husband here yes janet let her come to the hall sometimes and she met moxton both girls are decent doc so don't say that i run him down janet is a girl in a thousand she left us a week or two ago i expect she has gone to live with her sister now They will have old Moxton's money, I dare, see. How do you think killed Moxton? asked Cass. My dear boy, ask me something easier, said Polly, applying the powder puff to her nose. I haven't the slightest idea. He was nasty enough to have any quantity of enemies. Do you know a man called Zirknitz, Miss Horley?

Starting point is 01:56:26 Polly turned round with a smile. Do I know the nose on my face? she said lightly. Of course I do. it is funny you should talk of him for he is coming to see me in a few minutes if you'll wait i'll introduce him to you ellison cass exchanged looks of congratulation at this good fortune and the unsuspicious polly little thinking she was weaving a halter for a man's neck babbled on he might have found out the truth if he'd only gone to dukesfield on that night as he intended did he go there asked alice eagerly no janet was there on that night she got leave from schwartz to see her sister zirknitz who was a friend of janet's intended calling for to take her home but moxton got drunk here and zirknits didn't go lest there should be a row so come in she broke off as there was a sharp knock the door opened and a handsome light-haired young man appeared. Oh, here you are, cried Polly jovially.

Starting point is 01:57:29 Doc, this is Mr. Rudolph Zirknits. End of Chapter 8, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 9 of The Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libravox recording is in the public domain, recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 9. the Austrian. Cass and Ellis examined the newcomer swiftly as they returned his bow. It was a foreign bow, including a smart click of the heels. Zirkenitz was tall, slim, and remarkably handsome, his good looks being set off to the fullest advantage by the quiet perfection of his evening dress. He wore no

Starting point is 01:58:21 jewelry, the whitest of linen, the neatest of bows, and a silk hat with a wonderful luster. As the night was chilly he had on a fur-lined coat with sable cuffs and collar and his slender hands encased in gray gloves held the gold-topped bamboo altogether mr or monsieur or herr zirchnitz was to all appearances a man who valued his looks as part of his stock in trade to enable him to carry on his business of adventurer but in spite of his care the hoof betrayed the devil for there was a rakish fast air about him which stamped him as dangerous. Ellis thought that such a scamp would not draw the line at murder so long as he could save himself from punishment. I am charmed to meet your friends, madame, said Zirknitz in good enough English, but with a pronounced foreign accent, and the names?

Starting point is 01:59:20 This is Mr. Cass, that gen is Dr. Ellis. The smile died away on the Austrian's lips. ellis he said in a hesitating manner and a doctor of dukesfield yes monsieur zirknits replied ellis grimly of dukesfield you saw the body of my poor friend moxton yes were you a friend of his the best friend he had monsieur if i knew who killed him so cruelly i would spend my life trying to bring him to justice elas hmm repeated cass so you think a man killed moxton i go by the evidence at the inquest said zirknits with a bow the doctor explained at the inquest that a man must have struck the blow i said that indeed monsieur zirgnitz but a woman may be mixed up in the matter here all of you cried polly with impatient good humor i can't have the three of you talking here all night i want to dress and go home to my chicks rudolph you must come and see me on another night mr cass doctor look up yours truly whenever you get a chance and good-night you my dears in this way the star bustled them out of her dressing-room and the three men repaired to the front of the house it seemed indeed that zirknits was inclined to lead them but after advance at the haggard face of ellis he changed his mind

Starting point is 02:00:52 cass invited him to sit at their table which he did and accepted a lemon squash i never take anything stronger he said gracefully it is bad for the nerves it makes the hand shake i can understand that as applying to a doctor like myself monsieur zirgnitz but to you how does it apply to you what profession do you follow that requires nerve i play cards doctor i earn my living in that way and let me tell you one who does so must have a steady hand a clear brain and nerves of steel as he spoke schwartz all alone strolled past he nodded to the austrian but frowned slightly when he saw him with ellis then pausing by the table he tapped cass on the shoulder with a plump binged hand mr cos my good friend vill you with me gom i have pissness with you that do not wait has there money in it schwartz the german cast another look at zirknitz who was trifling with a cigarette which he took out of a half some silver case. I think so, you said pointedly. In that case I'll come.

Starting point is 02:02:06 Wait for me here, Ellis. Monsieur Zirknitz, I wish you good evening, and Cass went off in high spirits with the fat Schwartz, so that Ellis and the Austrian were left alone. The table at which they were seated was placed at a comparatively secluded corner, out of the crush of people in the glare of the light. Yet quiet though it was, Zirchnitz, after a glance round,

Starting point is 02:02:28 appeared to be annoyed by the position. "'Will you come to my box, monsieur?' he said rising. "'I fancy it is more comfortable there.' "'But my friend Cass?' "'I shall instruct the waiter to bring him to the box when he returns here. "'Come, doctor,' added Zirknitz in a whisper, "'I wish to speak with you about the murder.' A thrill ran through Ellis as he followed the Austrian up the stairs.

Starting point is 02:02:56 Was the man about to confess to his cross? that was hardly probable perhaps he intended to explain the cipher yet that also was doubtful by this time alice had seated himself in a shady corner of the box he was thoroughly puzzled and could conceive of no reason why zirknits should seek this interview the young man closed the door removed his coat and hat and offered ellis a cigarette the doctor refused on the plea that he had smoked enough for he could not bring himself to accept anything from the hands of Monsieur Zirkenitz. They were those of a card-sharper, a swindler, a murderer. In this belief, Ellis decided to let the Austrian do most of the talking, hoping to trap him, if not into confession, at least into damaging admissions. His own role was to say nothing, to know nothing,

Starting point is 02:03:49 and to give Monsieur Zirkenets a sufficiency of rope to weave a halter. The situation was uncomfortable, and Ellis felt as though he were dealing with a graceful but dangerous tiger which required dexterous and diplomatic handling i am glad to meet you doctor said zirknits in his quiet voice indeed had i not done so here by chance i should have called on you with reference to the murder say with reference to mrs moxton and her husband's will also monsieur with reference to her husband's cousin ah busham ah yes that is the name mr richard busham the advocate do you know him moor monsieur no but i hope to know him if he does not behave well to my sister dr ellis leaned back in his chair with a gasp of astonishment your sister mrs moxton or rather i should say my half-sister did you not know quere mage how should i know muttered ellis not yet recovered from his amazement because my sister mrs moxton told me that you were her best friend i hope i am her friend but i confess that i am astonished to hear that you are her brother are you not a foreigner yes to truly speak there is no blood relationship mrs gordon the mother of my sister married my father adolph zirknitz who was a widower the marriage of our parents is the bond

Starting point is 02:05:27 between us i see and you have two sisters we mrs moxton who is laura and miss janet gordon who told you polly miss horley ah muttered zirknits with a look of displeasure she talked so much oh so very much here was a discovery the mythical lover of mrs moxton the murderer of her husband if the blood signs could be believed turned down to her out to be her brother by marriage a queer sort of relationship truly which ellis had not met with before still one sufficiently close to put any question of love out of the case if so what was zirknitz's motive for committing the crime ellis felt that he was floundering in deep water why do you tell me all this he asked suspiciously because laura says that you are her friend and will help her through with this matter of the murder partly and of the will busham is not an easy man to deal with and he is annoyed that old moxton's money should go to laura how do you know it will go to her laura told me she thought there was a will leaving it to her monsieur zirchnitz said alice after a few moments of reflection will you answer a few questions oh yes most certainly i have much confidence in you dr ellis the other did not reciprocate the other did not reciprocate the question but-yes yes most certainly i have much confidence in you dr ellis the other did not reciprocate this sentiment but had sense enough to keep his doubts to himself you knew moxton very well i presume we da zirknit shrugged his shoulders but we were not friends he was always drinking and quarrelling i do not like such men you disliked him no i disliked no person it is troublesome to do that did you visit him at dukesfield i did not he hated me you understand sometimes at night I went to see my sister when all was quiet.

Starting point is 02:07:30 Ellis reflected that these visits must have been conducted with considerable secrecy, seeing that Mrs. Baskett was ignorant of them. But to be sure, they took place after dark. Were you at Myrtle Villa on the night of the murder? No, answered Zirknitz, coolly and promptly. I thought of going for my sister Janet, but I changed my mind. Moxton was drunk, so I fancied he might make trouble. Then you saw Moxton on that night?

Starting point is 02:08:00 Oh, most certainly. He was... Zertnitz hesitated. He was in the secret gambling room of Schwartz, finished Ellis, guessing his thoughts. The Austrian's face became as blank as a sheet of white paper. But I do not understand, he said with a shrug. Oh, well, as you please, returned the doctor coolly.

Starting point is 02:08:22 I know nothing about the matter myself, to continue where we left off. where did you see moxton last on the night he was killed oh at the bar in there zirchnus was clever enough to take his cue he was drunk not very bad but noisy and troublesome he drove away in a cab right down to dukesfield that i do not know i went home to bed myself this was a lie as ellis shrewdly guessed but the austrian carried it off with an air which showed that he was an adept at falsehood when did you hear of the murder i saw it next day in the papers then why did you not go to dukesfield to help mrs moxton why should i said zirknits with a charming smile murder is not pleasant i don't like such things and i might have got into trouble i do not mind saying doctor that mine has been a life of adventure and i care not for the police you are afraid said alice wondering at the selfishness and brutal candour of the confession certamont i am afraid oh think badly of me if you like i am so bad that i can be no worse but i shall help my sister over the money because you hope to get some eh why not i am extravagant ellis felt a strong desire to kick this handsome smiling rascal but he doubted if even a kick would rouse any shame in him

Starting point is 02:09:50 the man seemed to have no moral sense just such a souless brainless being who would commit a crime the doctor began to look upon him as a psychological curiosity and felt more convinced than ever that he had killed moxton the want of money supplied the motive who do you think murdered moxton he asked resolved to startle the man into a confession who do i think murdered moxton repeated zirknits blandly why my dear monsieur i think mr busham did ellis jumped up on what grounds do you make such an accusation ah i will not tell you that now replied zirknits coolly i do not yet know you well if mr mrs moxton agrees i may do so but if you will oh no i tell nothing see the performance is over we must go while the austrian was resuming coat and hat ells felt sorely tempted to tell him about the blood signs and accuse him of killing moxton but as yet he had not sufficient evidence and it was unwise to put zertnets on his guard until he could get him into a corner before he could decide the austrian nodded and still smiling slipped out of the box. Ellis stooped to pick up his stick and followed almost immediately, only to find that Zirknitz had vanished into the crowd.

Starting point is 02:11:17 What his attitude was towards himself, the doctor could not quite determine. I shall question Mrs. Moxton about her brother, he reflected as he went in search of Cass. The journalist was in the office of Schwartz, but came out when he heard Ellis inquiring for him. How did you get on with Zerk? he asked as they hailed a hansom oh pretty well he talked a great deal and declared that busham killed moxton the deuce how can he prove that i don't know he refused to give any proof and cleared out before i could question him further what did schwartz want to see you about to warn you and me against cultivating zirknits is he a bad egg the worst in the nest from all accounts i believe he killed moxton on his own hook. He denies

Starting point is 02:12:07 that he was at Duke's Field that night. Denies it? Like his brass. Why, he left this hall to take Moxton home. Who says so? Schwartz. Do you believe Schwartz? Cass drew a long, long breath. I don't know what to believe, he said.

Starting point is 02:12:28 All these men form part of the gang of rogues. There is more devilry in this case than we know of, Bob. End of Chapter 9, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 10 of The Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libra Box recording is in the public domain. Recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 10, A Strange Denial On arriving at their lodgings, both men were too excited over the case to feel inclined for sleep.

Starting point is 02:13:08 instead of going to bed they made up the fire lighted their pipes and continued the discussion commenced in the hansom it was then that ellis repeated the statement of zirchnitz and his connection with mrs moxton and her sister so you see harry the man is mrs moxton's brother or half-brother not her lover he has really no relation at all retorted cass rather amazed by what he heard mrs moxton's mother married mrs moxton's mother married married the father of zirchnitz did she that makes the young man brother by marriage but so far as parentage and blood go he could marry mrs moxton to-morrow i tell you the man isn't her lover possibly not after what zirknits has told you that is if it is true but he may be the murderer for all that oh i agree with you there said the doctor the creature is one of those selfish soulless beings without moral feelings so long as he could do so without risking his neck i quite believe he would go so far as murder then he is a spendthrift and a siberite so to get this money it is just possible he killed moxton but if he is guilty mrs moxton does not know of his wickedness then why did she faint when his name was mentioned because no doubt she is aware of his dangerous nature and perhaps may think him guilty what i mean is that up to the moment i mentioned the name she did not suspect zirknitz hmm said cass looking at the fire it may be so what do you intend to do now the situation is complicated i will see mrs moxton and tell her that i have met zirknits will you tell her also that he accuses busham yes because from what he said mrs moxton may know the grounds upon which he bases his accusation then she must be inculpated in the crime cried cass decisively

Starting point is 02:15:14 I don't see that, said Ellis, much annoyed. Come what may, I believe that poor little woman is innocent. Because you are in love. It may be so, assented the doctor gloomily. Love warps my mind, perhaps, but the whole case is so extraordinary and mysterious that it is difficult to say who is and who is not concerned in it. In my opinion, the whole water concerned in it, said Cass,

Starting point is 02:15:43 and the desire for money is the cause of the crime. By the way, I ask Swartz about the Gordon sisters. He knows both, I suppose. Yes, but he praises only one, Janet Gordon. Mrs. Moxton, he appears to think very little of. That may be because he does not know her so well. Janet was in the employment of Schwartz as a program seller and attendant, but Mrs. Moxton, being a typewriting girl, only occasionally visited the hall.

Starting point is 02:16:13 all. In any case, I admit that the Gordon girls appear to be shady. Yet you think of marrying one! I shall not do so if I find out anything wrong, said Ellis. It is true that I am in love with Mrs. Moxton. Should her past be a bad one, I am sufficiently reasonable to crush down my feelings. Still, I believe that she is more sinned against than sinning, and it will be my task to solve the mystery of this murder to prove that my belief is a true one. i'm with you there bob and i shall help you with all my heart but i tell you plainly that schwartz has no very good opinion of mrs moxton he declares that she is frivolous vain and foolish she is none of the three harry believe me and janet janet is staunch honest clever and honourable schwartz respects her highly and he is not the man to bestow praise unduly i should like to see this girl said ellis thoughtfully particularly as she may throw some light on the murder from the description of old ike i believe the woman he drove to pimlico was janet gordon

Starting point is 02:17:22 she must know something or she would not have been crying on that night nor would she have given up her situation at the merriman music-hall so suddenly perhaps you consider her guilty no on the authority of those signs on the arm of the dead man, I believe Zirtenitz killed him. Ellis rose and stretched himself. We have a terrible tangle to unravel, Harry, he said after a pause. I don't see why we need trouble ourselves to do it, Bob. I do. Mrs. Moxton must be proved guiltless. Cass shook his head. Even if she is innocent of the murder, her past is shady, he said.

Starting point is 02:18:04 She is not the wife for you, Bob. when the crooked is made straight we shall see about that harry with this confident assertion ellis retired to bed but not to sleep in spite of his love he could not but see that mrs moxton's reputation was in peril so much as he gleaned of her past from herself and other sources was to say the least of it shady the people with whom she had associated were scarcely reputable her husband had been a dissolute scoundrel and zirchnitz the so-called brother was an idle vagabond devoid of self-respect and morals then the sister schwartz praised her but schwartz was not over clean himself in character and the employment of the girl at a second-rate music-hall was not a second-rate music-hall was not a woman but swartz's not a woman of the girl at a second-rate music-hall was not not the style of thing to recommend her to respectable people then again mrs moxton's conduct was shifty and underhand she declined to tell the truth yet from the surrounding circumstances it was plain that she knew it taking these things into consideration many a man would have cut himself off root and branch from the widow but some instinct told ellis that she was not so evil as she appeared to be and made him anxious to sift the matter to the bottom therefore he got up in the morning still bent upon dealing with mrs moxton and her doubtful past after all she might prove in the end worthy of an honest man's love shortly after breakfast mrs basket waddled in with the announcement that mrs moxton was at the door ellis was surprised this was the first time she had come to his house since the terrible night of the murder and their first meeting since her fainting at the name of zirchnitz

Starting point is 02:19:49 the doctor hailed this unexpected visit as a good omen if she were guilty she would scarcely take such a step and it might be that weary of fencing she had come to confess the truth it was with judas-like affability that mrs basket introduced the widow into the room she believed in mrs moxton's guilt she wished to see that guilt made clear and desired that it should be punished yet she smiled and gabbled and was ostentatiously friendly until dismissed by ellis mrs moxton breathed the sigh of relief as the door closed on the treacherous creature she looked pale but was as pretty as ever and ellis felt the charm of her manners sap the doubts he entertained of her honesty at first he thought that she had come to explain about zirchnet but at the outset of the conversation mrs moxton did away with this idea her opening remark revealed the reason for her call i have found it doctor she said producing a legal-looking blue envelope the will of edgar is in this packet where was it hidden mrs you will never guess under the matting of the sitting-room i expect he concealed it there in one of his magpie fits when he was drunk and forgot its whereabouts when he got sober this is the will doctor and it leaves all his property real and personal to me so you are a rich woman mrs moxton said ellis sighing her gravely i congratulate you don't be in too great a hurry to do that she rejoined coolly i have yet to reckon with mr busham and his suspicions you can disprove those can you not i do not know i cannot say i must first learn what his suspicions are and that will be easy enough i have only to show mr busham the will and he will come out with his accusation whether i can refute it remains to be seen and it is for this reason that i wish you to visit the lawyer with me

Starting point is 02:21:49 visit mr busham said ellis considerably astonished at this unusual proof of confidence but what can i do two things firstly you can be a witness to the charges which i feel certain mr busham will bring against me then you trust me so far as to let me hear those charges i do because in the face of all circumstantial evidence to the contrary you believe that i am innocent for that reason i regard you as my friend for that reason i ask you to stand by me in my time of trouble ellis looked at her doubtfully not knowing what to make of this speech which indeed was puzzling enough an honourable woman entangled in the net of villains a scheming adventuress bent upon arriving at her own ends mrs moxton was one or the other and the love which ellis had for her inclined him to believe she was honourable still there must have been some shadow of doubt on his face for mrs moxton became bitter and angry and unmeasured in speech am i mistaken in you she demanded sharply have you repented of what you said to me the other day is it with you as with other men words words words if so tell me and i go go never to trouble you or see you again you must trust me in all or not at all the doctor was astonished at this sudden outburst and hastened to assure mrs moxton that she did him an injustice i firmly believe in your innocence and i feel certain that you can explain away the charges against you they have yet to be made doctor replied the widow cooling down and when they are i wish you to be present that desire will show you whether i can't answer them or not another reason why i desire you to visit mr busham in my company is that i am anxious to show you whether i can answer them or not another reason why i desire you to visit mr busham in my company is that i am anxious to-exam for you to protect me from his violence.

Starting point is 02:23:41 Confound the fellow, cried Ellis, firing up. Will he dare to lay hands on you? Not on me, but on the will. If I defy Mr. Busham, he is quite capable of taking the will from me by force and destroying it. We shall see about that, said Ellis, after a moment's thought. However, I guess from what you say that Busham is a tricky, shifty scoundrel. Certainly I will come with you, Mrs. Moxton.

Starting point is 02:24:06 When are you going? to-morrow morning we can take the underground railway to escher lane very good i will see you in the morning in the meantime will you leave this will for me to look over ellis made this demand with the intention of seeing how far mrs moxton would trust him as it was scarcely fairer that the confidence should be all on one side to his secret astonishment and openly expressed pleasure she agreed at once to the request as you trust me i shall you said mrs moxton keep the will by all means till to-morrow morning but take care of it as it is an original document i will put it away now and ellis locked the document up in a dispatch box which stood near his desk and i thank you for this proof of confidence mrs moxton you will not find it misplaced i am quite sure of that doctor i trust you thoroughly in some ways yes and others know for instance why will you not tell me about zirknits mrs moxton turned pale i cannot tell you about him yet ellis was vexed well there is no need said he a trifle crossly i know about this man about rudolph about yes about your brother by marriage the widow who in her excitement had half risen from her chair fell back into it again thunderstruck where did you meet him she stammered at the merryman musical do you know that place shrieked mrs moxton much agitated i was there last night there i met zirchnitz and he told me of his relationship to you also and here ellis grew grave he informed me who murdered your husband

Starting point is 02:25:54 mrs moxton's capacity for amazement was exhausted by these repeated shocks and she sat limply in her chair the last remark however seemed to brace her up for the moment and who does he say killed edgar she asked with an anxiety she strove vainly to conceal none other than busham the man who mrs moxton interrupted him with a burst of hysterical laughter dr ellis she said in a choking voice i know that is false mr busham did not kill my husband end of chapter ten read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter eleven of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this librivox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter eleven A Half Confession Mrs. Moxton made the statement regarding Busham's innocence with so much decision that Ellis looked at her in surprise.

Starting point is 02:27:05 It was strange that she should defend a man she disliked. How is it that you think him guiltless? he asked anxiously. Because he is a coward and too timid to kill a man. Your husband was stabbed in the back in the darkness. That looks like a coward's deed. All the same. saying, I feel sure he is innocent, persisted the widow. I can see no reason for his killing, Edgar. He knew that old Moxton made another will shortly before dying, and that he would not inherit.

Starting point is 02:27:36 No, look at it which way you will. Mr. Busham is not the murderer. I detest the man, but I must be just to him. What else did Rudolph tell you, or rather, on what ground does he accuse Mr. Busham? He refused to tell me the grounds without your permission. my permission why i know nothing about the matter from what zirknits hinted it it would appear that you do said ellis a trifle dryly then he shall tell his story in your presence rejoined mrs moxton quickly and you will see that i know nothing i shall be glad to be convinced tell me why did you keep silent about this young man because of the blood-marks on the arm of edgar oh so you knew the secret of the cryptographic science and-you know the secret of the cryptographic science in spite of your denial i did i do as a matter of fact i taught that cryptogram to my here mrs moxton closed her mouth with the nervous gesture of one who thinks she is saying too much to your sister finished ellis quietly mrs moxton fenced how do you know that i have a sister from the books in your house some of which contain your name and that of your sister janet also from a cabman in the rank here who described to me a woman so like you that i am convinced she is your sister possibly from the exact likeness your twin sister the widow became the colour of chalk at these words

Starting point is 02:29:05 where did the cabman see her he drove her to pimlico on the night and about the time your husband was murdered for a moment or so mrs moxton looked doubtfully at ellis and passed her tongue over her dry lips the doctor could see that she trembled his unexpected knowledge evidently inflicted a shock on her nerves yet for all her emotions she still strove to baffle his curiosity you seem to know a good deal about my husband she said irritably i do because i am anxious to clear your name and extricate you from a difficult position mrs moxton ellis rose and bent over her with great earnestness why will you not be frank with me you tell me much but you will not tell me all she moaned and moved away from him heaven help me i dare not tell you all yet i am your best friend i know it but you would shrink from me did you know the truth ellis took her hand gently tell me who murdered your husband he whispered urgently i don't know i swear i don't know cried the widow with much vehemence if i did i would tell the blood marks hint at zirchnitz yes yes but i am sure he is innocent rudolph is foolish vain shallow but he never killed edgar i swear yet the name on the dead man's arm i don't know the reason of that i can't say why edgar wrote it i read it myself although i denied all knowledge to you it was for rudolph's sake that i lied that i lied it-i lied it for rudolph's sake that i lied I was afraid lest he should get into trouble. I asked him if he was in Duke's Field on that night, but he denies that he was.

Starting point is 02:30:47 And your sister, Janet? A tremor passed through the frame of Mrs. Moxton. She came to see me on that night, and we quarreled. She left before Edgar came back, and I suppose went crying down the road to take a cab home. Did she see the murder committed? asked Ellis tentatively. I don't know, said Mrs. Moxton under her breast. I am, oh, she burst out.

Starting point is 02:31:12 I can't tell you more. I have had to do with villains and rogues all my life, and I am paying the penalty of their sins, not of my own. I have tried to be a good woman, so do not shrink from me. I swear that I do not know who killed Edgar. Someday I may tell you more, but at present I cannot. I cannot. She hastily let down her veil and stood up to go.

Starting point is 02:31:36 You trust me still? you believe in me yet she said entreatingly with tears i do replied ellis touched by her emotion you puzzle me more than i can say yet i am sure you're innocent of all evil but if you would only tell me some day some day she interrupted hastily but not now yet what you should know you shall know come to me between four and five to-day and you will meet rudolph he shall confess what he means by hinting at my knowledge of mr busham's guilt i will come with pleasure but do you think zirknits will come yes i will telegraph for him now he loves me and trusts me and i have great power over his weak nature in my hands he is like wax and if the truth is in him you shall hear it this afternoon but i know that rudolph is innocent i am certain that mr busham did not strike the blow heaven alone knows the secret of edgar's death good-bye good-bye dr ellis and do not think badly of me indeed indeed when the moment comes i can put myself right in your eyes what other people say or think i do not care but you must be shown that i am more sinned against than sinning good-bye she stretched out her her hand and withdrew it abruptly ere he could touch the tips of her fingers not yet not yet she muttered and swiftly glided from the room before ellis could recover from his surprise the woman was more inexplicable than ever apparently she knew a great deal as could be seen by the information which ellis had dragged out of her yet she refused to be candid although at the same time she admitted that she wished to preserve her friend's good opinion the hints dropped in her last

Starting point is 02:33:21 hasty speech, showed Ellis that he was right in trusting to his instinct concerning her nature. Whatever Mrs. Moxton might be, mysterious, shady, dangerous, she had a straightforward, honest mind. It was warped by the circumstances in which she found herself placed through no fault of her own, and she was forced to fence and lie and act a tricky part for some strong reason which she refused to impart to Ellis. Privately he thought that all her energy, were bent upon shielding her sister as formerly she had striven to shield zirknits by denying all knowledge of the cryptogram could janet gordon be the guilty person ellis twice or thrice asked himself this question but could find no answer to it her hasty flight on the night of the murder her tears her silence her absence from the music hall hinted if not at personal guilt at least at guilty knowledge if she did not kill moxton her herself, and on the face of it she could have had no reason to do so, she must have seen

Starting point is 02:34:27 the crime committed. Perhaps she had met with the assassin face to face, and had fled horror-struck and weeping to the cabstand. The way to learn the truth would be to see her. No doubt she had confessed the cause of her terror to Mrs. Moxton, and it was this secret which Mrs. Moxton, loyally doing violence to her nature, wished to conceal. but if the widow would not speak ellis made up his mind that janet gordon would therefore he resolved to find out the number of her lodging in geneva square and call upon her failing mrs moxton zirchnus might supply the information in her own despite mrs moxton must be rescued from the dangers which appeared to surround her she had confessed with less than her usual caution that she was paying for the sins of others and ellis was bent upon bringing to bring the truth to light and making the actual sinners suffer for their own wickedness.

Starting point is 02:35:23 The fact that he was more deeply in love than ever greatly assisted him in arriving at this conclusion. Yet a wise man, a worldly man, would have called him a fool to still love and trust Mrs. Moxton in the face of all he knew about her. But in this instance instinct was stronger than argument, and Ellis was satisfied that the woman he loved would yet emerge vindicated and spotless from the dark cloud of trouble which obscured her true nature. Precisely at half-past four he presented himself at Myrtle Villa.

Starting point is 02:35:56 The door was opened by Mrs. Moxton herself. Apparently she had been watching for his arrival, and Ellis, guessing as much, felt his heart swell with joy. Strange that his love at this moment should move him to emotion. "'Rudolph is here,' whispered the widow. "'Let me question him. I know how to make him speak out.' ellis nodded and when ushered into the sitting-room was sufficiently composed to meet zirtenance with a smile the austrian looked an adonis in the daytime and was admirably dressed in a smart frock-coat fond-coloured trousers and patent-leather boots of high polish he was a modern dorsay in looks and dress just the handsome kind of scamp to attract silly women ellis had no doubt that one day or another monsieur rudolph would pick up an heiress and become respectable

Starting point is 02:36:47 the young man was shallow and selfish yet if one could judge by his smiling face harmless enough in other ways i am delighted to see you doctor said the austrian blandly you must forgive me for leaving you so abruptly the other night but you were beginning to ask me indiscreet questions so i vanished rudolph always considers himself first observed mrs moxton who was making tea he is the most selfish creature in existence the most selfish assented zirkness i think of no one but myself why should i care bates every man should think of others said ellis hardly knowing what to say in the face of this cool confession oh monseigneur monseur that doctrine is out of date thank you laura i will have some tea three sugar-bits my dear i love sweets and sunshine and pretty girls as a butterfly should mrs moxton looked at the pretty youth with something of contempt you need not blazon forth your follies rudolph i know what you are and dr ellis will soon find you out what is this story you have been telling him about me story none what is it monsieur pont-de-mocry you accuse busham of this murder ah yes now i remember and i refuse to tell you my reasons until permitted by my sister have i your consent my cher laura tell everything you know cried mrs moxton with a frown why you should bring my name into the matter i don't know there is no need for you to explain rudolph you will only romance why do you suspect zirchnus looked at ellis can i speak freely he asked doubtfully certainly the doctor is my best friend ah so charming to have a best friend here then monsieur and you my dear laura when i was at duke's field on the night edgar was killed

Starting point is 02:38:46 why said ellis with something of anger in his tones you told me you were not at duke's field on that night zertnitz shrugged his handsome shoulders i told a lie oh yes i always tell a lie when necessary i did not know laura wished me to speak so i told you what was not true what would you monsieur your questions were indiscreet my answers were false voila never mind excusing yourself rudolph what about mr busham eh my dear sister i believe he killed our poor moxton why not i saw the excellent busham in dukesfield on the night of the death end of chapter eleven read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter twelve of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this librovoc's recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter twelve mr busham solicitor lounging in his chair zirknits made this astonishing statement as though it were the most natural thing in the world mrs moxton looked at ellis in surprise and both looked at rudolph is this true asked delis doubtfully eh mon cher most assuredly i tell lies only when necessary rudolph you must explain how it was you came to be in dukesfield on that night my dear sister did i not say i would come for janet yes and you never kept your promise no chimed in ellis polly horley said the same thing rudolph smiled in a most engaging manner ah that excellent horley how much she knows how much she knows

Starting point is 02:40:40 of what she knows not my sister have i your permission to smoke mrs moxton impatiently nodded in assent but i am waiting to hear how you did not come for janet and yet were in dukesfield on that night with great deliberation zirchnitz selected a cigarette from his silver case and lighted it before making any reply selfish in his every act he offered none to ellis an omission which troubled that gentleman very little he had no great love for this egotistical butterfly my laura said rudolph blowing a whiff of smoke on that night i was playing cards in the salon of the musical and i won twenty pounds from edgar he had not the money but he gave me an i owe you then most furious at his loss he drank and drank until he was as a wild beast i was going for janet and at the station i saw our edgar but to avoid him i went in another carriage at the station of dukesfield i tried to run from him but he saw me and followed kebatees there was trouble and he wished to fight so when he went home i saw it was foolish to come for janet as edgar would be raging i took back another train and a cab to my rooms and bloomsbury voila the story not all the story said alice you have left out the most important part about busham ah that dear busham when edgar was angry with me on the platform of the dukesfield station i see out of my eyes corner that clever advocate he was watching our dear edgar but did not come near him i knew him oh yes i knew his face very well i did not know you were acquainted with him rudolph best of sisters i do not tell you all i know or do you all i know or do our edgar one day took me to see the excellent busham in his office where they did fight oh i tell you monsieur the good busham sent us away with a flea in our ears edgar spoke of his father and said that busham was a rogue wanting the money so we had trouble and we left very enraged so i met busham the pig finished zirtenit smiling and i do not forget his face he was watching edgar on the night of his death

Starting point is 02:43:02 we da he thought i saw him not but i did see him ma foi i have quick eyes laura as you know well he ran out of the station after edgar and i am certain followed to kill him and what time was this on eleven i did hear the clock of the station strike when i was enraged with edgar and moxton was drunk inquired ellis anxiously he was straight drunk for he could walk and cross drunk assuredly since he wished to fight with me but i care not for boxing said mr zirknits gracefully and i go home to bed before twelve of the clock like a good little boy aha monsieur you think i kill edgar do you not eh bien you demand of my landlady if i was not in my bed before twelve of the clock i did not kill our poor edgar why should i when he owes me twenty pounds share ellis you are in the wrong box you had better wait until i accuse you before excusing yourself said ellis dryly but even with this story of busham having been at dukesfield i do not see how you can be certain of his guilt to me it appears clear this clever busham wanted the money of his uncle and murdered edgar to get it rudolph at that time mr busham knew that a second will had been made most certainly share laura if no second will had been made this excellent busham would have not killed edgar we can say nothing for certain until we see busham said ellis after a pause but there is one thing probable mrs moxton if busham accuses you in any way we can turn the tables on him you call on busham lara to-morrow i must see about the will

Starting point is 02:44:48 and the money smiled rudolph eh monsieur forget not the most important thing to you perhaps not to me replied mrs moxton with contempt my object is to get free of all this trouble of course i will help you eh most certainly but ask me not to meet the police i do not like the police for if monsieur zirchnitz said alice cutting short this speech how came it that your name was indicated on the dead man's arm the austrian was in no wise discomposed by this remark ah laura spoke to me of dat i do not know i cannot say but i think ah mafwa i think what do you think rudolph my sister i quarrelled with your good husband at dukesfield station and he went away and raged with me when busham struck him in the back you can't be sure of that interrupted ellis impatiently eh but i am sure insisted zirpness politely and edgar not seeing who stabbed him so cruelly thought that i did so then he wrote on his arm to tell laura but why in cryptographic signs but i cannot say the sign of a lizard was always the good edgar's little jest on me for my name is that of a town in my country where there are many lizards edgar found it in a book and always jested very little jests pleased the good moxton but now i must go said zirknit's rising i have told you all you wish my sister do you desire me to speak more no my good doctor have you a policeman without for my arrest no "'Ah, then, I will take my leave.

Starting point is 02:46:30 "'Not adieu, dear friends, but avois.' When Zirchnis sauntered out of the room, Mrs. Moxton looked after him with a singular expression. "'What do you think of him?' she asked. "'He is clever. "'It is a great pity he does not put his talents to better use.' "'Oh,' Mrs. Moxton shrugged her shoulders, "'I don't ask you about his character.

Starting point is 02:46:54 "'I know about that well enough, "'but do you think he is speaking the truth?' yes he has no reason to tell a lie i dare say he did see busham and do you think busham is guilty i can't say we have not sufficient evidence to go upon mrs moxton turned the conversation abruptly did you read the will yes i see that all the money is left to you i will give you back the document to-morrow what time do you wish me to call about eleven o'clock i have written to mr busham making an appointment for midday. I am glad you are coming with me, said the widow, sighing. It will be a difficult interview. That remains to be seen. At any rate, we are not so defenceless as we were before. If Busham accuses you, although I don't see on what grounds he can do so, we can denounce him on the evidence of Zirknitz. He will deny that he was at Duke's Field.

Starting point is 02:47:51 Zirknits can swear to his presence. No doubt, but will Rudolph do so? He is so afraid of the police ellis reflected for a moment you are not so candid with me as you might be mrs moxton said he seriously therefore you render my task the more difficult but answer me truly now has zirkeness ever done anything for which he is wanted by the police not to my knowledge replied the widow frankly but he is such a coward and his life is so open to danger that the very name of the law terrifies him beyond expression it is for this reason that i am certain of his innocence and for the same reason i shielded him by feigning ignorance of the cryptogram but we can talk of these things later i am tired now in this abrupt way she dismissed alice and he left the house sorely puzzled his constant state of mind in reference to mrs moxham if he did marry her he would marry the sphinx that was clear enough mr richard busham inhabited a dingy set of offices in escher lane adjacent to the temple his staff of clerks consisted of two underfed overworked creatures who scribbled in an outer room for dear life at a miserable wage the inner room which had two dusty windows looking on to bosworth gardens was occupied by their employer this apartment was piled all round the walls with black-tinned boxes with the names of various clients painted on them in white a brass-wired bookcase contained a few calf-bound volumes of legal lore there was a large table covered with green bays two chairs and nothing else a more dreary or barren room can scarcely be conceived but mr busham being a miser it suited him well enough he called himself a lawyer but he was really a usurer and gained a handsome income by squeezing extortionate interest out of the needy

Starting point is 02:49:50 if the walls of busham's private apartment could have spoken they would have protested frequently against the sights they were compelled to witness the holy inquisition tortured people less than did this rat of a lot of he ground down his victims to the lowest he lured them into his spider-web and rejected them only when he had sucked them dry his law was a farce his money-lending a tragedy the man himself resembled in looks fraser the rascally lawyer so admirably drawn by balzac and le cuisand-pontes like fraser busham was small sickly-looking and pimpled his expression was equally as sinister and his heart as hard, that is, if he had a heart which his clients were inclined to doubt. He scraped and screwed and swindled and pinched to collect all the money he could. Yet what benefit he thought he would gain from his hoarding, it is impossible to say. He never spent it. He lived like a hermit, like a beggar, and gratified his sordid pride with the knowledge that

Starting point is 02:50:55 he was becoming a wealthy man. And when he arrived at wealth, what then? Busham never gave this consideration a thought, perhaps, because. he fancied he would never become as wealthy as he wished to be altogether the man was an unwholesome evil creature who should for the good of humanity have been in jail but he was clever enough to keep on the right side of the law he so misinterpreted at midday mrs moxton and ellis presented themselves before this engaging being and looked round the frowsy office with disgust another chair had to be brought in from the outer room for the accommodation of the dog and when his visitors were seated busham welcomed them with a nervous titter which showed that he was not quite easy in his mind regarding the interview indirectly he resented the presence of ellis well mrs moxton said he in a whistling whisper his usual voice is there a will the widow produced the blue envelope and laid it on the table there it is she said it leaves all the property to me busham went green and gasped all the property to you he snatched up the will and hastily read it over i see it does was his answer then after a pause he cast an evil look on mrs moxton and opened a drawer of his desk evidently he was about to bring forward his accusation

Starting point is 02:52:23 since you have shown me the will i have something equally interesting to show you said he quietly what do you think of this mrs moxton and on the table he laid a bone-handled carving-knife on the blade of which were dull dark stains of blood end of chapter twelve read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter thirteen of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this librivox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter thirteen mrs moxton's surrender the widow turned pale when she saw the knife and unable to speak looked at ellis the doctor understood that pleading glance and at once threw himself into the breach where did you get this he asked bushel him sharply. The lawyer, scenting an enemy, looked mistrustfully at the speaker out of his rat's eyes. "'Your pardon, sir?

Starting point is 02:53:32 Who are you?' he demanded, with a kind of snarl in his voice. "'I am Dr. Ellis, who examined the body of Moxton. I am also the friend of Mrs. Moxton, and I came here to assist in this interview.' "'And suppose I refuse to allow you to assist?' "'In that case, I shall know how to account for your possession of that knife.'

Starting point is 02:53:53 busham gave a kind of screech and threw himself half-way across the table shaking with anger you dare to insinuate that i killed my cousin he asked in a whisper why not you were with your cousin on that night it is a lie it is the truth cried mrs moxton finding her voice rudolph saw you following edgar from the station and who is rudolph muncher zirchnitz my brother another of your shady gang i dare you to speak more civilly interrupted ellis starting up or i shall twist that lean neck of yours at once the innate cowardice of busham became apparent shaking in white he dropped back into his chair terrified at the doctor's angry look in venice yet with all he could not curb his venomous tongue violence he gasped you do well mrs moxton to bring your bully here what you will have it cried ellis angrily busham flung himself out of his chair and shot up one of the dirty windows another step and i called the police he whispered do so and i shall give you in charge me in charge for what for killing moxton you were with him shortly before his death with a scared look busham drew down the window and returned to his desk i am safe from your violence i hope he said looking apprehensively at Ellis. "'So long as you are civil to Mrs. Moxton, I won't touch you,' replied to Dr. Cooley,

Starting point is 02:55:29 and in his turn sat down. "'He laughed Busham, nervously rubbing his hands. "'It will be as well to conduct this interview, quietly.' "'I think so,' observed Mrs. Moxton with an expressive glance at the knife. "'For your own sake.' "'Say rather for yours, Mrs. Moxton.' What do you mean? He, that will take some time to explain, if you would rather be alone with me.

Starting point is 02:55:59 Alone with you, repeated the widow in tones of disgust. I'd rather be alone with a serpent. Dr. Ellis shall stay at my particular request. Dr. Ellis has no intention of leaving, remarked that gentleman, unfolding his arms, relapsed into a grim but observant silence. Busham, with a vexed air, scratched his chin with one lean finger. as you please said he with apparent carelessness but he will not think much of you when i tell all you know nothing about that retorted mrs moxton very pale but in a steady voice and i have come here to learn all of what do you accuse me all in good time dear lady said busham harshly this knife was found by me in your garden on the morning that i called to see you after the murder are you sure you did not find it there on the previous night asked the widow sneering i was not in the garden on that night neither was the assassin interposed alice quickly moxton was stabbed as he stepped in at the gate

Starting point is 02:57:06 as he turned to close it retorted busham smartly mrs moxton held her handkerchief to her mouth and shivered but with her eyes on busham's mean face nodded to him to continue the man seeing that she had a vague terror of his threats did so with a chuckle since you know that i was at dukesfield on that night he went on i admit it why should i not i am innocent and can prove as much so monsieur zirchnitz saw me i know that scamp no one better he called here one day with my cousin to extort money on the plea that i had undue influence over my uncle but i soon turned the rascals out i can tell you i am a dangerous man when roused mr busham chuckled and repeated the phrase with relish a dangerous man oh i dare say said mrs moxton to the contemptuous air, which accorded ill with her pale face, an uneasy manner. Dangerous as a fox or a stout, or a weasel might be. You belong to the Berman tribe, you do. Go on with your story, man, directed Ellis curtly. Civil, civil, oh, very civil, snapped Busham. But I'll teach you both manners before I'm done with you.

Starting point is 02:58:27 At Duke's field, was I? Yes, I was. Do you know what I saw there, Mrs. mrs moxton you don't well then i'll tell you and take this for my fee the will gasped mrs moxton as busham clawed the document i thought that was what you wanted leave that will alone growled ellis scowling mr busham immediately pushed the paper away it will come back to me soon said he nodding oh i know i know what the deuce do you know speak out can't you softly dr ellis softly all in good time maybe you won't be so pleased with my knowledge when you are possessed of it i am the best judge of that go on you were at dukesfield on the night of august sixteenth yes i was cried busham with sudden energy i received intelligence of my uncle's death and knowing that a new will had been made that edgar was the heir i wished to inform him of the good news from that skin camp zirknits i learned that edgar went night after night to the merriman music-hall in soho so i sought out the place in the hope of seeing him i did see him sneered busham and as usual he was drunk not in a fit state to talk business when he left the hall to go home i followed his cab in another thinking that the fresh air would sober him but at charing cross underground station he had two more drinks and more intoxicated than ever stumbled into a carriage i went into another thinking it best to see him home lest he might come to harm

Starting point is 03:00:15 you were very solicitous for the safety of one who had robbed you of a fortune said ellis with a cynical look that's just it cried busham slapping the table with the open palm of his hand he was to get the money and i wished to gain his good will and take what pickings i could half a loaf is better than none isn't it if edgar had lived i would have got the money somehow even you mrs moxton would not have prevented that even i repeated the widow bitterly heaven help me i would have been the last person to prevent your robbery i never had any influence over edgar go on mr busham did you succeed in ingratiating herself with my husband by announcing the good news of his father's death death no i didn't snarled the lawyer i saw him quarrel with zirknits on the platform of the dukesfield station and then i watched him leave not only watched him but followed him said ellis yes i wanted to see how he would get home i tried to speak to him but being drunk he swore at me and struck out with his cane seeing that there was no good to be got out of him in his then state and that it would be useless to tell him the news, I resolved to defer the appointment until the next morning, when I hoped to find him sober and repentant.

Starting point is 03:01:44 He went away. I did not follow but remained for some time talking to a policeman. Then I missed my train, and as I had to get home made up my mind to take a cab. An unusual expense for you, jeered Mrs. Moxton. Oh, I wouldn't have taken the cab if I could have walked, said Busham naively, but I was not strong enough to do so. All the cabs at the station had carried away the theatre people, and I went down the road to the cab-rank in the

Starting point is 03:02:15 middle of Duke's Field. There was one cab there, but just as I turned the corner, a woman came running down the road and jumped into it. She was crying and trembling and wringing her hands. I saw her face in the light. It was you, Mrs. Moxton. one moment said the widow as ellis was about to contradict this preposterous statement i never saw you until after the death of my husband and you never saw me how then did you recognize me oh that was easy edgar gave me your picture i should not have thought that edgar was sufficiently friendly with you to do that he was when i lent him money said bushen quietly why did you lend him money because several times he called on me and threatened to see his father i did not want him to do that lest he should be forgiven so i lent him money on condition that he did not go uncertain of what his reception would be he took my bribe and stayed away on one of those occasions he showed me your photograph mrs edgar was forgiven after all said the widow ignoring this last remark yes but the forgiveness did not do him much good

Starting point is 03:03:38 mr busham burst out ellis who could no longer be restrained you did not see mrs moxton enter a cab that night the lady was her sister i know about the sister said busham the twin sister zirknitz told me are you friendly with zirchnitz asked ellis with unconcealed surprise very retorted the lawyer with an ugly grim i lend him money lend money to a scamp like that whom you hate who will never repay you busham scratched his chin oh as to that said he i know what i am about you may be sure so it was your sister mrs moxton bless me how like she is to you a twin of course i see why was she crying and flying she may have cried because we quarrelled on that night said the widow in an agitated tone but she was not flying she merely went home to thirty-two geneva square pimlico i know i know how do you know because i picked up another cab and followed her why did you do that i thought she was you and wished to know where you were going at that hour of night your sister going home ah that explains it so far so good mr busham said ellis weary of this talk but what about the knife i called next morning at myrtle villa after your hearing of the murder. I searched the garden for traces of the criminal and found that knife hidden behind some laurel bushes. It was not hidden, cried Mrs. Moxton. It was thrown there by

Starting point is 03:05:26 Edgar. Ah, you acknowledge that the knife is your property, said Busham. Why should I deny it? That knife is ours. It was tossed into the garden by Edgar. And this is rust on it, no doubt, said the lawyer touching the stains not blood then mrs moxton the widow rose with an agitated face and snatching up the will thrust it into busham's hand take it and say no more she said harshly mrs moxton the will cried ellis jumping up let him destroy it let him take and keep the money thank you and in return i shall hold my tongue if you like you can take the knife said busham mrs moxed and picked it up, thrust it into the pocket of her cloak, and, without a glance at the amazed doctor, left the room. As she did so, Busham stepped across to the grate in which a starved fire was burning and deliberately placed the will on the coals. Before Alice could prevent it, the document was ablaze, and shortly nothing remained but black tender.

Starting point is 03:06:33 "'Now,' snapped Busham, pointing to the door, "'you can follow her.' End of Chapter 13, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 14 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libra Box recording is in the public domain. Recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 14, the Pimlico House. Having seen Busham commit a felony by burning the will, Ellis left the office. He did not even protest against the destruction of the document,

Starting point is 03:07:19 since it was none of his business to do so. Mrs. Moxton, who benefited under the will, had not only handed it over to her enemy, but had advised him to destroy it. She had exchanged it, so to speak, for the knife with which Moxton had been killed, and, in addition, had secured the lawyer's silence by yielding up her property. Silence about what? That was the question Ellis asked himself, and which he put to Cass when reporting the extraordinary scene which had taken place in the Escher Lane office.

Starting point is 03:07:55 I think I can guess what Busham hinted at, said the reporter. He accuses Janet Gordon of the crime? Why should he? She had no motive to kill Moxton, so far as I can see. precisely so far as you can see bob depend upon it busham is certain that janet gordon is guilty and mrs moxton knows that such is the case else she would not give up her property so freely you mean that she allowed the will to be destroyed so that busham should not accuse her sister yes all along i said that mrs moxton was shielding some person now we know who the person is it might be so said ellis reflectively janet gordon may have rushed out of the house with that knife and have killed moxton and afterwards she may have ran weeping to take a cab from so perilous a place but why did she stab the man why why and ellis according to custom began to pace the room ah said cass who was resting on the sofa you must ask mrs moxton for a reply to that question

Starting point is 03:09:06 she won't reply to it for some reason which i cannot fathom she persistently keeps me in the dark hum mused the journalist a dangerous secretive woman don't get your back up bob i am not calling her names but you must admit that she is secretive and secretive people are always very dangerous to those of a more open disposition but how did mrs moxton excuse herself for letting busham burn the well i don't know harry i have not seen her since she left the office with that knife concealed in her pocket what did she not wait for you outside no replied ellis gloomily there was not a sign of her although i searched all around what is queerer still she has not been home since i have called twice at myrtle villa this afternoon but no one is there where i wonder what she is up to after all bob the burning of the will does not amount to much mrs moxton as the dead man's widow retains half the money busham has not got the hole no but he will get it said the doctor vehemently he'll not keep silence in spite of her giving up half he will blackmail her into giving up the hole by threatening to betray her sister you forget by burning the will he has committed a felony if mrs moxton is clever she can checkmate him with that ellis shook his head doubtfully i think not harry she might get him put in prison but then in revenge he could hang her sister no busham is all right on that point he would not have burnt the will had he not known how to protect himself

Starting point is 03:10:50 cass stared at the ceiling and mused for a few moments from what you tell me of zirknits he said at length i am not inclined to trust that man he is too thick with busham and moreover he is a venal creature who would sell any information for money do you think he is in league with busham i would not put him on so high a plane i think he is the tool of busham though i should not be at all surprised to find the whole of this mystery traced to that escher lane office what do you think that busham is guilty no he is too clever to risk his neck zirknitz no the austrian is a coward then what do you mean i hardly know how to explain said cass i fancy old moxton's money is at the bottom of all this business and that busham is the moving spirit watch him bob he is the clue to the mystery hmm i don't know he is too crafty for me to tackle directly but i might get at his secret through other people the person to question harry is janet gordon mrs moxton evidently thinks her guilty and to save her surrendered the property now i wish to see the girl personally and judge for myself mrs moxton won't speak out hitherto she has refused but in the face of the destroyed will she may do so i shall question her closely when i next see her you are still firm in your belief about her honesty yes and i still love her said ellis firmly depend upon it harry when the truth comes to light mrs moxton will not be to blame hum said cass i hope so for your sake since you are so bent upon making her your wife but i tell you one thing ellis the widow won't show herself again to you in a hurry why not because like zirknits she will not risk your indiscreet questions she has gone away to avoid answering them my opinion is that she will remain away for the next few days the arrest of events in connection with the case

Starting point is 03:13:04 seemed to point to a realization of this prophecy. Mrs. Moxton did not return to Myrtle Villa, and it remained shut up and empty. Dr. Ellis called at least once a day, but on no occasion did he find the widow within. From the time she vanished so suddenly from Busham's office, he never set eyes on her. Firm as was his belief in her innocence, Ellis began to have his doubts about her absolute rectitude. why had she vanished? Why did she remain away from her best friend as she considered him to be? Whither had she gone?

Starting point is 03:13:41 Ellis wondered if he could trace her, but after consideration decided in the negative. There was no clue to her hiding place. She had disappeared as a drop of water in a mighty ocean. Failing in his attempt to trace the widow, Ellis made up his mind to follow another clue. For this purpose, four or five days after, Mrs. Moxton's disappearance, he sought out number 32 in Geneva Square, Pimlico.

Starting point is 03:14:08 Here, according to Busham's statement, he expected to find Janet Gordon. Everybody in London knows Geneva Square. It obtained an unpleasant celebrity in connection with the tragedy of the Silent House and was given as a sketch in many weekly papers at the time of the murder. The Silent House is pulled down now in its position occupied by a brand-neutral-neutral. new mansion of red brick, which amongst the sober gray houses of the square looks like a purple patch on a ragged cloak. Number 32 was in the corner of the square, and from the notice in the window Ellis saw that it was a boarding-house. On inquiring for its mistress, a sluttish servant

Starting point is 03:14:51 introduced him into a tawdry drawing-room, where he found himself in the presence of a lean, yellow-faced woman, overdressed and effusive in manner. At one time of her life, Mrs. Amber, such she informed him was her name, must have been very pretty, but the years had turned her into a lean and withered hag of the wrong side of forty. She wore a gaudy pink tea gown, trimmed with cheap black lace, and carried on wrists and neck a considerable number of jingling ornaments, inexpensive and showy. For the sake of her faded beauty, the window-blinds were drawn down, and Ellis'est, found himself in a kind of subdued twilight mrs amber was affected and garrulous but on the whole did not appear to be an ill-natured woman she seemed to have a high opinion of janet gordon

Starting point is 03:15:44 dr ellis said she disposing herself in a graceful attitude in a basket-chair do you wish to see me with a view to becoming a lodger no madam i have come to inquire for miss gordon mrs amber raised her painted eyebrows. They were painted, although the obscurity of the room prevented the fact from becoming too apparent. "'You are a day after the fair, doctor,' said Mrs. Amber, with an artificial laugh. "'I regret to say that Miss Gordon has left us.' "'Left this house,' said Ellis, astonished at this information. "'Three days ago she left us. Her sister came for her and took her away. I am very sorry miss gordon is gone i always had and always shall have the highest opinion of miss gordon of course she was not the kind of person with whom i have been accustomed to associate added mrs amber arranging the bracelets on her lean wrists being only and attended at a low music-hall still she was thoroughly respectable and a thorough lady i will say that you wonder perhaps dr alice that i should have a lodger of that occupation

Starting point is 03:16:59 but i am liberal in my views i was on the boards myself many years ago you must have heard of the beautiful miss tracy who appeared in the burlesque of cupid at the piccadilly theatre i was miss tracy i was cupid and i retired only when i married mr amber sighed the ex-actress he is dead now and i keep a boarding-house such is life as soon as ellis could cut short these biographical reminiscis he did so i'm sure that miss gordon is all you say madam he observed politely but can you tell me where she is now no replied mrs amber promptly i cannot her sister came for her she packed her box and they left the house she gave no address to the driver of the cab mrs moxton simply told him to go to the marble arch i was out at the time mrs moxton arrived and she went straight up to her sister's bedroom i was glad that i returned before miss gordon went away why do you say that asked ellis did you not see her daily mrs amber glanced round apprehensively i wouldn't say it to everybody said mrs amber giving a queer reason for her confidence but as you are a stranger it does not matter since that horrid murder of poor young moxton miss gordon has been very strange she came back from seeing her sister on the night of the crime and from that time until she left remained shut up in her room shut up in her room yes was it not strange in vain i wished to see her she refused to let me into the room sarah my servant took up her meals and told me that miss gordon was in bed the whole time through the door and by sending a message with sarah i implored her to have a doctor but she refused constantly yet when she went away she did not look so ill as mrs moxton

Starting point is 03:19:03 ah said mrs amber expressively she looked ill if you like strange murmured ellis i suppose you knew the moxton's intimately very intimately laura gordon lived here before her marriage and she was married to edgar moxton from this house it was terrible that he should have been killed in so savage a manner dr ellis i never liked mr moxton but i must say i was horrified when i heard of his doom i wonder who killed him that is what i and many other people would like to know said ellis dryly i suppose you guess from my name mrs amber that i am the doctor who examined the body yes i guessed that one i received your card and was certain of it when you asked for miss gordon you know miss gordon of course no i never set eyes on her really then why do you wish to see her asked mrs amber anxiously to see if she knows anything about this murder mrs amber did not reply immediately but trembled so violently that her ornaments jingled like so many little bells dr ellis said she at length in a shaking voice you speak the doubts that are in my own mind what do you think she knows of the murder i am unwilling to harm miss gordon said mrs amber in a scared tone as i have a great respect for her but i fancy she must have seen something on that night or she would not have shut herself up in her bedroom all these weeks and dr ellis do you know i have sometimes suspected her myself of the murder mrs amber nodded i was afraid of getting into trouble if i spoke she said nervously and i really can't bring myself to believe that miss gordon killed her brother-in-law but sarah brought down a pair of cuffs to be washed miss gordon's cuffs and they were spotted with blood end of chapter fourteen read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter fifteen of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this liber box recording is in the public domain

Starting point is 03:21:23 recording by don w jenkins chapter fifteen what mrs amber knew mrs amber made this communication in a whisper and then drew back to see what effect it would have on ellis he appeared to be left to be left to be left to be left to see what effect it would have on ellis he appeared to be left to be left to be left to be left to be left to be a whisper miss surprised than she expected for the scene in busham's office had prepared him to suspect janet gordon therefore he was not astonished to find his suspicions confirmed but he did not go quite so far at his accusation as mrs amber for reasons which i need not repeat said he deliberately i am not so surprised as you expect me to be i have long thought that miss gordon might know of the murder but i most emphatically declined to be-and-a-lawed to be-and-a-merexed to be-merexed to-merexed to-merexed to-merexed to-merexed to believe that she struck the blow herself but the cuffs were stained with blood i washed them myself and told sarah to hold her tongue miss gordon may have handled the body after the death mrs amber but i do not think she killed the man if you read the report of the evidence i gave at the inquest you will remember that i stated no woman could have struck so firm and sure a blow i hold to that opinion moxton was stabbed by a man what man that is what i wish to ask you mrs amber the ex-actress turned pale beneath her rouge and two red spots glowed crudely on her white cheeks i she exclaimed drawing back how do i know who killed mr moxton i do not say that you know but from your experience of the man and from a certain amount of knowledge which you must have of his past life it is not improbable that your suspicions may have fallen on some one who had a grudge against him no declared mrs amber vehemently i suspect no one that is i did suspect miss gordon because of those blood-stained cuffs but from what you say she cannot have struck the blow so i can guess that no one else if i had done so i should have come forward to give evidence it was my personal liking for miss gordon which made me hold my tongue besides i never saw the cuffs until the inquest was over and moxton was buried

Starting point is 03:23:37 finished mrs amber naively you have known mrs moxton and her sister for some time for four years more or less they are twins you know and very much alike but i think janet the cleverer of the two certainly she has the finer character and the more generous spirit laura is fickle and vain ellis did not agree with this and being in love with the laura aforesaid was vexed to hear such deprecatory criticism however he consoled himself with the hackneyed reflection weak in so clever a man that women never spoke well of one another and continued his inquiries mrs moxton earned her money by typewriting did she not yes janet wanted to keep her out of mischief so selected that employment as the best for her laura wished to be an attendant in the merriman music hall also but this janet would not allow i wonder the sisters could not obtain better employment my dear mr ellis they were wretchedly poor and had to take what they could get anything to earn their bread and butter where did they come from i don't know they came to me recommended by herr schwartz and i took them in as cheaply as i could because i fancied janet's face ah me sighed mrs amber i trust i have not been mistaken but so could a girl no in spite of those cuffs i believe in her still why dr ellis janet is worth a dozen of her sister or that scampish brother zirknitz do you know him yes i do replied mrs amber bluntly and i don't like him he was here with the girls for some weeks and let them slave in work while he idled about he left pretty soon as i remonstrated with him on the subject and i wasn't sorry to see his back you know schwartz also it seems of course i was in a theatrical company of his wants cried mrs amber with great vivacity papa

Starting point is 03:25:46 spas schwarz is a dear good man he helped janet by engaging her at the hall she was his private secretary i thought she sold programs oh yes and showed people their seats she did that also but she really was the secretary of papa schwartz sometimes laura went to the hall and it was there she met moxton he fell in love with her and married her she brought her pigs to a pretty market said mrs amber vigorously but vulgarly but she would marry the beast in spite of all that janet could say do you know about captain garrett aunt hilda of course i do they lived with me for some time poor girl she is blind and papa schwartz is devoted to her what about her father mrs amber shrugged her shoulders and jingled her bracelets oh he is well enough said she she in a disparaging tone a broken-down military dandy hilda would be in the workhouse so far as he is concerned it is papa schwartz who keeps them both in spite of his reputation swartz seems to be a good man said ellis musingly you say that he engaged janet gordon as his private secretary how was that he knew her in germany or austria or somewhere indeed have she and her sister lived abroad yes for a considerable time i believe their stepfather was a monsieur zirchnitz as i learnt from that horrid rudolph but i really do not know anything about their past life doctor janet held her tongue and so did laura in spite of her frivolity who they are or where they came from i do not know papa schwartz might i shall see him about it there appears to be some mystery about these girls mrs amber i agree with you doctor but i am certain they are ladies did you see miss gordon when she arrived here after the murder no she came in after midnight and used her latch-key i thought nothing of it at the time as her business kept her out late

Starting point is 03:27:54 but when i wished to see her about the murder which was in the morning papers she refused to let me enter the room i never saw her until two or three days ago when she went away did mrs moxton come to see her no mrs moxton never came near her except this last time to take her away where they have gone i know no more than the man in the moon did any one come to see her while she was in her bedroom papa schwartz did but she refused to admit him i wonder if he will know their whereabouts he might said mrs amber with a nod janet is his secretary she was but she is not now predicted Ellis. She gave up her place. Mrs. Amber's face expressed unqualified amazement. Dear me, how does she intend to live? I don't know. Mrs. Moxton may keep her. But Mrs. Moxton hasn't the shilling. Her husband's father

Starting point is 03:28:52 disinherited him for marrying her. Oh, she will come in for some of the property, said Ellis, trying to explain, without mentioning about the burnt will. Old Moxton died in testate, so half his estate will go to his son's widow but tell me mrs amber do you know a man called busham no i never heard the name he did not call here not to my knowledge who is he mrs moxton's lawyer ellis rose to take his leave well mrs amber he said i am much obliged for the information you have given me for certain private reasons i wish to find out whom murdered moxton but it seems you cannot help me no i know of no one i cannot guess who would be such a villain but if any one knows it will be janet gordon she must have handled the body as those blood-stained cuffs show you knew that she was at duke's field on that night yes she told me she was going that monsieur zirchnis intended to fetch her home that was why i wished to see her next day when the papers were full of the murder i thought she might know something about it and i am sure she does now cried mrs amber else why did she shut herself up in her room all these weeks i wouldn't have stood it from any one but janet gordon i can tell you you appear to have a great admiration for her i have women dr ellis do not as a rule admire one another but when i know how janet gordon has protected that silly sister of hers and looked after her scampish brother i think of her as one of the noblest women i have ever met

Starting point is 03:30:29 with this eulogy bestowed in the opinion of dr ellis on the wrong woman mrs amber parted from him with theatrical effusion the doctor left the pimlico house in a musing frame of mind it was strange that mrs amber who seemed to be a good-natured woman in spite of her many affectations should think so little of mrs moxon ellis piqued himself upon being a reader of character and he could not bring himself to believe that he was mistaken in the widow but he was puzzled to think how completely mrs amber's estimate of her nature differed from his own thinking about mrs moxton recalled his mind to the fact of her disappearance and he wondered if schwartz would know of her whereabouts with this in his mind he hailed a hansom and drove to soho in the meantime pending the discovery of mrs moxton he dismissed all speculations concerning her from his mind so far as he could see time and association were needed to explain her very complex character. After the interview with Mrs. Amber, the doctor considered the little woman more of a sphinx than ever, and he wanted her to speak and unravel the enigma of her being. Schwartz was in his office when Ellis sent in his card and saw the doctor at once. He looked more than a trifle careworn, but his pleasure in seeing Ellis was great, and he advanced

Starting point is 03:31:53 towards him without stretched hands. Nothing could have been more genial than his welcome. ah ha mine good doctor said he in his guttural voice this is kind de gomon zimmy but you have not been to see mine hilda that is wrong i have been very busy mr schwartz and i will pay you a visit next week say on thursday afternoon ah that is good at what time for i must be in mine house when you see the eyes of mine poor hilda four o'clock on thursday next said ellis booking the visit oh yes i know the address, Gerta Cottage, Alma Road, Parkmere. That is so, doctor, I will wait you on that day, and what did you wish to see me about? Mrs. Moxton, she has left Dukesfield, and I wish to learn where she is. The fat face of the German lost its genial expression. Ah, she have gone.

Starting point is 03:32:49 Well, and why do you come to me, doctor? I have been told that you are an old friend of Mrs. Moxton and Miss Gordon. "'So! Who told you?' "'Mrs. Amber of Geneva Square, Pimlico?' "'Ah, she was in a company of mine. I know her. "'Well, yes, I am a friend of Miss Corden, but she have left me. I do not know where she is now.' "'Has she not seen you lately?' "'No, not these many weeks, and Mrs. Moxton have gone?'

Starting point is 03:33:20 "'Yes, she called at Pimlico for her sister and they went off together.' why do you want to find zem because i have something to tell mrs moxton zo about the murder of that boer man well not exactly but busham the the eyes of schwartz suddenly flashed with rage ah he is a pig that man i could kill him do you know him ah i knows him i did throw him out of mine music halls vell do not talk of him or i will be angry if you wish to know of mrs moxton c zirkenitz will he know i think so if he does not no one will with this information ellis was obliged to be content but as he left the hall he observed that the german looked after him with a very singular expression End of Chapter 15, read by Don W. Jenkins, Metro San Diego, California. Chapter 16 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libervox recording is in the public domain, recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 16, another mystery.

Starting point is 03:34:41 The behavior of Schwartz perplexed Ellis, and during his homeward journey, he pondered over the meaning of that glance. Could it be possible that the German was lying, that Janet Gordon had seen him and had confessed what she knew of the crime? Ellis did not know what to think, but he was satisfied that the woman could solve the mystery. But she was not to be found. She had vanished as suddenly as Mrs. Moxton, and it seemed as though both of them were keeping out of the way lest they should get into trouble.

Starting point is 03:35:15 But Ellis was bent upon discovering them at all costs. in order to achieve this necessary purpose he kept a close watch on myrtle villa for the next few days but all in vain the house remained empty and mrs moxton gave no sign of reappearing ellis advertised judiciously in the standard but no notice was taken of his advertisement he waited impatiently for the post but no letter arrived mrs moxton and her sister had vanished as completely as though the earth had swathed followed them up the anxiety began to tell on ellis's help and harry cass advised him to abandon his pursuit of these shadows as an intimate friend cass was brutally candid it is no use mincing matters bob said he the widow never loved you and has made use of you only to secure her own ends she will never return to dukesfield she must harry if only to take the furniture out of her house oh i dare say she will delegate that office to zirknits there is no doubt that janet gordon knows the truth about the murder and has confessed it to mrs moxen that is why both women are keeping out of the way zirknits repeated ellis paying no attention to the latter part of the speech i quite forgot about him he may know where they are if he does he will not tell i'll see to that harry to-morrow i shall call on zirknitz cass shrugged his shoulders but said no more the obstinacy of ellis was not to be overcome by argument so like a wise man the journalist did not waste his breath on futile protestations

Starting point is 03:37:00 secretly he was pleased that mrs moxton should have voluntarily taken herself out of the way as he did not wish ellis to marry her but in his own mind he was satisfied that the widow herself had proved by her her last action that there was little fear of such an alliance taking place to gain her own end she had feigned a passion for ellis now that she saw nothing further was to be got out of him she had put an end to a disagreeable situation by disappearing and this in the opinion of cass was the end of mrs moffston and her shady doings the next day ellis went to see zirchnitz the first thing in the morning as he hoped to catch him before he left home he knew that the austrian was the most indolent of men as mrs moxton had told him as much so it was unlikely that he would find him out of bed before ten o'clock the doctor presented himself at the bloomsbury lodging shortly before eleven and found that even at so late an hour zirknits had not shaken off his slumbers a smart maid-servant conducted him into an elegantly furnished sitting-room and took in his card shortly she returned with a message that monsieur zirchnitz and ten minutes would be at the disposal of his visitor like its owner the room was very pretty wherever zirknitz got the money to pander to his luxurious tastes he certainly knew how to spend it ellis marveled at the luxury by which he was surrounded and wondered in what shady way it had been obtained the walls were hung with japanese silks of marvellous design and coloring the floor was covered with a velvet pile carpet of pale green with a pattern of primroses.

Starting point is 03:38:45 Green silk curtains draped the windows. There were charming pictures in every corner, and the furniture, also a pale green, was in the best possible taste. Near the window stood a piano, opposite to it a satin-wood bookcase filled with French novels, and everywhere articles of useless luxury, evidently bought merely for the sake of buying. While Ellis was wondering at this, bachelor's paradise which more resembled the boudoir of a pretty woman monsieur zirknitz fresh and pink from his bath appeared through an inner door he wore a loose dressing-gown of blue silk and looked wonderfully handsome if a trifle effeminate with a joyous air he advanced to greet his visitor shall me so you have found me out well i am charmed to see you doctor is that chair comfortable good try this cigarette it is a new brand can i offer you any refreshment no

Starting point is 03:39:43 ah you are wiser than the majority of englishmen they eat and drink too much bad for the nerves party over-feeding over-feeding ke betis zirchnitz ran on thus lightly but kept a sharp eye on his visitor as he was anxious to know what had brought him there so early in the morning having fulfilled the duties of hospitality he waited for ellis to explain himself which the doctor did almost immediately i have called muncher zirchnis to inquire if you can inform me of the whereabouts of mrs moxton eh how should i know am i my sister's keeper is she not in myrtle villa dukesfields no she has not been there for five days your sister janet has disappeared from pimlico also how do you know of that my brave doctor demanded zirknits mockingly yet with a shade of anxiety in his manner because i called there mrs amber informed me that mrs moxton had taken away miss gordon she did not know whether they had gone i thought you might have some idea i fear monsieur i cannot assist you i have not seen mrs moxton since that day you spoke to me at dokesfield my sisters leave me much to myself why do you wish to see them i have my reasons said alice stiffly and they are connected with that murder mon cher ellis soi tranquil i do not want to penetrate your secrets i do not know where madame's my sisters are but if i did i should tell you most assuredly in spite of your bad opinion of me.

Starting point is 03:41:23 But I am pleased you have come. Here, Monsieur Zirknitz rose and touched an electric button. You will hear from my landlady that I was here on the night our dear Edgar was killed. I don't want any evidence to prove that, Monsieur Zirkenets. I am satisfied that you are innocent. But there is a doubt in your suspicious English mind which peeps out of your eye. Ah, here is Jane. jane addressing the smart servant will you be so kind as to tell mrs pastor i wish to see her at once a pretty girl jane resumed zirknit says she vanished i like pretty women and all pretty things you think my room's nice eh

Starting point is 03:42:06 charming but i did not know you were so rich rich ma foi i am as poor as a mousy mouse if you before the austrian could explain the source of his domestic magnificence his landlady entered the man the room. She was a formidable-looking woman, as tall as a guardsman, with a severe face in the glance of a predatory bird. Dressed in black with a lace cap and lace apron, she presented a wonderfully dignified and stately appearance. Anyone more unlike the scampish airy zirknits, it would have been impossible to conceive. Yet the relaxing of her iron visage and the softening of her eagle glance showed that Mrs. Pastor was under the spell of her lodger's charm of manner. he greeted her with a sunny smile when she entered and pointed to a chair but mrs pastor tacitly refused to be seated and continued to stand bolt upright in the doorway say madame said zirknits in his most caressing tone this is dr ellis of dukesfield who examined the dead body of my brother-in-law mr moxton he wants to know at what hour i returned here on the night of august sixteenth last the night of the murder

Starting point is 03:43:18 is it possible sir that you suspect monsieur zirchnitz in any way asked mrs pastor solemnly addressing herself to ellis no i do not monsieur zirchnitz is performing a little comedy for his own satisfaction eh bien said rudolph with a graceful wave of his hand then for my own satisfaction madame tell this dear doctor what i ask monsieur zirchnitz returned here at a quarter to twelve said mrs pastor i was still out of bed and i admitted him myself next morning when we were informed of the murder monsieur zirkenitz begged me to take note of the time most assuredly broke in the austrian impetuously for evil people might have accused me of the murder since i was at dukesfield then but you see my brave ellis i was here before twelve as monsieur mon beau-friere met his fate by your own showing about how half-past eleven i must be innocent i quite believe in your innocence said ellis rising there is no need to convince me so thoroughly thank you monsieur zirchnitz for the trouble you have taken in proving your case since you know nothing of the whereabouts of your sisters my errand here is at an end i shall go now ah i am sorry to lose you je sui de soul mon bon amy another cigarette no good-bye au revoir some day-a-a-bye some day we shall meet again mrs pastor may i ask you to conduct monsieur mona me to the door the landlady bowed solemnly and leading ellis from the society of this graceful babbler dismissed him with a second bow into the street and in this unsatisfactory way ended the doctor's visit to the austrian unsatisfactory because he had obtained no information save that zirchnitz was innocent of the imputed charge

Starting point is 03:45:17 a conclusion in which ellis had long since arrived that same evening after supper he informed cass about the alibi but found that the journalist was less ready to accept the information i don't trust zirknets said he emphatically neither does schwartz the man is a bad ag i believe this murder is a family affair to get money zirknits i dare say murdered moxton with that knife janet saw him do so and told mrs moxton and they have both disappeared so that they may not be asked questions likely to lead to their brother's arrest as for busham now that the will is destroyed he will hold his tom but the alibi protested ellis if zirchnus was at bloomberry before midnight he could not have been in dukesfield at half-past eleven the alibi may be a false one you would not say so if you saw the witness to its truth mrs pastor is a regular puritan as rigid and unbending as a piece of iron yet she tolerates that frivolous scamp ellis shrugged his shoulders all women have their weaknesses said he. However, the main point is that Zerknitz could not inform me of his sister's whereabouts. Hmm, would not rather than could not, I should say, observed Cass crossly. I don't believe myself that you will see Mrs. Moxton again, and I fervently hope that such

Starting point is 03:46:47 will be the case. You have now one or two patients, Bob, the nucleus of a good practice, so give up this wild goose chase after the widow and settle down to your work. before ellis could answer this friendly appeal which was made in all good faith mrs basket entered with a note for ellis which had been brought that moment by a boy glark the grocer's son explained the fat landlady i hope doctor it's a new patient for if ever a gent deserved a sick and ailing you are that gent after which expression of sympathy mrs basket waddled out of the room with much noise great heavens cried ellis who was reading the note what is the matter bob for answer ellis threw the note to cass on the sofa and he read it also then the two men looked at one another in amazement and well they might be amazed for the note inviting ellis to call it myrtle villa was from no less a person than janet gordon why should she write to me asked ellis on finding his tongue mrs moxton must have told her about your friendly spirit perhaps she wishes to confide in you and her sister has brought her to myrtle villa for that purpose shall you go bob go i should think so to-night i may learn the secret of the murder and ellis putting on hat and coat immediately left the room in a great hurry he ran rather than walked to myrtle villa and to his joy saw a light in the sitting-room window mrs moxton the woman he loved had returned and ellis

Starting point is 03:48:23 could hardly restrain his joy when the widow herself opened the door to him after greetings hurried and brief were over she conducted him into the sitting-room at once alice looked around for the writer of the note where is your sister he asked she is in the next room you will see her soon but you are making a mistake dr ellis i wrote that note asking you to call you good heavens then you are i am janet gordon it is my son sister who is Mrs. Moxton. End of Chapter 16, read by Don W. Jenkins, Ranch of San Diego, California. Chapter 17

Starting point is 03:49:09 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Liberbox's recording is in the public domain. Recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 17. A Life History. To say that Ellis

Starting point is 03:49:26 was amazed by the discovery that the pseudo Mrs. Moxton was really Janet Gordon would be to give a feeble idea of his feelings. For some moments he was too thunderstruck to speak, and remained staring at Miss Gordon as though she were a ghost. Seeing this, the girl, for she was no more, gently took his hand and guided him to a comfortable chair by the fire. Then she sat down at his elbow and explained herself seriously. She was as pretty as ever, but her cheeks were pale. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she had the nervous, agitated manner of one's suffering from a great strain. "'Yes, I am Janet Gordon,' said she with a sigh,

Starting point is 03:50:09 "'and I have been masquerading as my sister ever since the terrible night of her husband's murder. My reasons for so doing you shall learn later on, for I am determined to tell you the whole truth of this matter so far as it is known to me.' "'This is the secret you have been keeping from me,' said Ellis, much agitated. miss gordon nodded i was afraid to speak before even to so good a friend as yourself but i find that i can bear my burden no longer so i turn to you for help and comfort you must aid me you must see after my unhappy sister who lies in the next room is she guilty of the murder asked the doctor rather harshly no no cried janet trembling she is innocent although appearances are against her you will hear her story about that night from herself but first i intend to relate my life history i do not wish you to have a wrong opinion of me dr ellis i could never have that miss gordon said ellis promptly i always believed that you are more sinned against than sinning i wonder i did not guess that your identity before. Schwartz and Mrs. Amber both spoke highly of you, and I could not reconcile their opinion of Mrs. Moxton with what I knew of you under that name. Your explanation makes it all clear.

Starting point is 03:51:27 How do you know Mrs. Amber? I went there to see the supposed Janet Gordon, and Mrs. Amber told me that you, that is, Mrs. Moxton, had gone. I was afraid to leave my sister there after what Bush and said, replied Janet with the trouble there. i let him burn the will so that he might hold his tongue about laura for i saw that he suspected her i took laura to bayswater where she lived quietly for the last few days but she is ill and seeing no way out of the difficulty and being in want of money i resolved to bring laura here to ask for your help it will be freely given i assure you in spite of the gravity of the situation ellis looked at his companion with so meaning a gaze that her cheek flushed and her eyes dropped before his yet she raised the deprecating hand to quell his emotion no no not yet perhaps never you must hear my story before you can think of me in that way i shall always think the same of you you are the dearest and the noblest of women but i must confess that i am anxious to hear your confession begin at once i am all attention janet folded her hands on her black dress and looked musingly at the fire there was a shadow on her resolute face cast by some bitter memory of the past,

Starting point is 03:52:46 Ellis watched her in silence and noted with pity how weary and worn she looked. Her reverie continued for two or three moments. Then she raised her head and related her unhappy past and quiet, melancholy tones. "'Lara and I are twins,' she began. "'We are very much alike in looks, but entirely different in disposition. I am strong-minded and calm. She is frivolous and highly-exam. excitable. Indeed, sometimes I think she is not right in her senses, so furious are her rages.

Starting point is 03:53:20 She has the fiery Celtic nature inherited from our mother, who was a Highland woman. I am more like my father, who was a calm-tempered persevering man. We were born in Edinburgh, where my parents lived for some years after their marriage. My father was a doctor and made a great deal of money. How strange that I should be a doctor also, said Ellis, meaningly. Janet smiled and shook her head at the interruption. As I say, my father made a great deal of money, she continued, for he had a large and increasing practice, but a chill he contracted while visiting a patient in the country carried him off when Laura and I were ten years old.

Starting point is 03:54:00 My mother was left a widow and well off, so taking a dislike to Edinburgh after her husband's death, she traveled abroad. For some years we wandered on the continent, and Laura and I were edged. at several schools but my mother so wished to keep us beside her that i am afraid we gained little knowledge however we learned to speak french german and italian so we benefited in some degree by our roving for some years things went on like this until at carlsbad my mother met with colonel zirchnitz who was in the austrian army rudolph's father yes rudolph was then eighteen years of age laura and i fifteen my mother fell in love with colonel zirknits and hearing that she was rich he married her but i am sure that he never loved her we went to vienna and lived there for some time our stepfather was not unkind and treated my mother with every courtesy but he was a gambler and a spendthrift i see the vices of zirknits are hereditary janet sighed i suppose so said she but you must not be too hard on rudolph doctor his failings are hardly vices he has many good qualities mostly negative qualities i fear miss gordon you are fascinated by that splendid scamp like every one else that may be rudolph has not a fine character and i have rather a contempt for him all the same i am fond of him although sometimes i feel angry for being so of course rudolph grew up with me so to speak and i look upon him as a brother he was always wild he has never done anything all his life and although i have great influence over him i cannot get him to settle down

Starting point is 03:55:47 as colonel zertnitz alive asked ellis anxious that she should proceed with her story no he died some time ago but lived long enough to spend all my mother's fortune and is she dead also yes she is dead sighed janet she died six months after her husband. I believe the loss of him broke her heart. He was a singularly fascinating man. After seeing the son, I can well believe that. What happened when you found yourself alone in the world? I came back to London with Laura. We were left penniless in Vienna, but Rudolph procured money somehow, by gambling, I fancy, and came to England with us. We left him in London staying at Mrs. Amber's house in Geneva Square, and went to Edinburgh to see if our father's relations would help us. Alas, they would do nothing. So much for the world's charity, said Alice cynically,

Starting point is 03:56:43 Brutes, what made them refuse, or rather what excuse did they make? The excuse that my mother had married a second time. I begged and implored them to help Laura, if not me, but as they refused, we came back to London. Rudolph behaved very well, for he paid our board at Mrs. Ambers for some time. So you see, Doctor, he has some good point. points. I suppose so, replied Ellis, grudgingly. He could do no less. Then you met Schwartz, I suppose. He did. Some years ago in Germany we knew him, and on hearing of our penniless condition,

Starting point is 03:57:20 he gave me first an engagement as an attendant, and afterwards made me his private secretary. He offered to take on Laura also as an attendant, but I knew how frivolous she was, so I got her a situation in a typewriting office instead. I might have found a very much. I might have saved myself the trouble of protecting her from harm sighed janet wearily for look what she has come to why did she marry moxton she was tired of poverty and work moxton was the heir to wealth and he professed to love her deeply against my will she married the man i think she was encouraged by rudolph who fancied moxton as a brother-in-law would lend him money but after the marriage took place edgar had no money to lend his father resented the marriage and cut him off with a shilling with what money he had inherited from his mother edgar went abroad with my sister he gambled and drank and treated laura cruelly as he accused her of being the cause of his ruin they came back to england and lived in this house the life i described at the inquest in the character of mrs moxton ah said ellis now you come to the crucial point why did you impersonate your sister to save her from arrest and perhaps from death replied janet feverishly i knew she could not face the inquest or protect herself and knowing that few people in this district were acquainted with her looks and being very like her myself as her twin sister i seized the advantage offered and stepped into her shoes you are a brave and noble woman miss gordon so all through these terrible months you have been fighting on your sister's behalf yes she could not fight for herself

Starting point is 03:59:05 rudolph of course knew the truth and supported me do you not remember how he called me laura when you met him here i remember replied ellis dryly he never faltered or hesitated once i think the young man has a positive genius for intrigue but now that we have arrived at this point miss gordon i should like to know what really happened on that night i will tell you all i know said janet frankly then you shall see laura and hear her story she paused for a moment and continued in rapid tones i came here on that night to pay a visit to laura as i knew that edgar would be at the merriman music-hall as usual i found laura in a state of nervous rage against her husband as he left her at home night after night kept her short of money and was altogether cruel to her laura as you must know doctor has a neurotic temperament and when angered lets her temper carry her beyond all bounds she inherited this disposition with her highland blood from our mother who was likewise given to these fits of causeless rage often and often i implored edgar not to anger laura knowing how dangerous she was when roused but he neglected my warnings and the pair were always fighting i declare doctor that a dread of what might occur kept me in so nervous a state that i grew quite ill i came down here constantly to soothe laura and never remained absent for any time without expecting to hear of a tragedy i know the kind of irresponsible being your sister is said ellis and i do not wonder you were terrified so the tragedy happened at last it did and on that night answered janet much agitated but it is not as you appear to think doctor laura did not kill her husband what about the carving-knife oh edgar was killed with that without doubt what was said in duke's field about

Starting point is 04:01:03 Laura carrying the knife was true. She was afraid of tramps in her half-hysterical state, and whenever a ring came to the door, after dark, she never opened it without arming herself with the knife. In this way she confronted the telegraph boy who spread the rumor. I wonder you did not take the knife from her, observed Ellis. If I had, she would only have used a smaller knife. Well, continued Miss Gordon, on that fatal night, Laura was particularly angry with Edgar because she had been informed by Rudolph that he was flirting with Polly Horley. However, I managed to soothe her, and, as Rudolph never came for me as he promised, I left this house for the station a few minutes after eleven. When I got near the station,

Starting point is 04:01:48 I found that I had forgotten my purse and returned for it. Then, Dr. Ellis, said Janet, clasping her hands, I came on a terrible sight. Edgar was lying dead on the path, and Laura was lying beside him. The moon showed at intervals, so I saw all quite plainly. Finding Edgar was dead, I thought Laura had murdered him, especially as the carving knife lay on the path beside her. Laura revived very soon, and said she had not killed Edgar. I dragged her into the house, but picking up the carving knife, she said it was the cause of all, and threw it behind some laurels. I had no time to look for it, as my sole object was to get Laura away. I made her put on my hat and cloak and take my purse,

Starting point is 04:02:31 telling her to go to Mrs. Amber's and remain in her bedroom, and that I would impersonate her and see the matter through. Lara was beside herself with terror, saying she was innocent, but she had wit enough to see her danger if she stayed. Therefore, she braced herself up and went away to take a cab to

Starting point is 04:02:49 Pimlico. She got one and arrived at Geneva Square safely. Yes, and remained in her bedroom, as you told her. Mrs. Amber informed me of that, and you miss gordon i said janet simply assumed my sister's character and ran around to call you to see the corpse you know the rest end of chapter seventeen read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter eighteen of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this libervox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter eighteen what really happened after janet had finished her history there ensued a short silence ellis was lost in admiration at the wonderful pluck and resolution of the girl which had enabled her to face and carry through a difficult matter for the sake of her weaker sister now that the worst was over since she had rescued laura moxton from the ordeal of a public accusation janet seemed to be in danger of breaking down after the tension of nerve and will came the inevitable relaxation

Starting point is 04:04:10 the impulse of ellis was to take her in his arms and comfort her with assurances of love and protection but the time was not yet ripe for him to speak of his personal feelings there was much to do much to be learnt before the crooked could be made straight therefore ellis sacrificing himself began to question janet on points which did not seem quite clear to him at his first remark she braced herself and gave him immediate attention if you thought that your sister had killed moxden why did you not hide the carving-knife how could i she threw it away before i could stop her and there was no time for me to search when i sent laura off i had to call in you and the police so i could not go out to look for it in the darkness next morning when i could evade the policeman in charge i slipped out to search but by that time the knife was gone busham took it said alice with a nod i wonder how he found it there was no need for him to search it looks as though he knew beforehand that with such a weapon moxton had been stabbed and came here to secure it janet mused i have my doubts of mr busham she said at last he knows more about the matter than he says indeed i should not be at all surprised to hear that he is the guilty person impossible he declares that he can prove an alibi that at the time of the crime he was talking to a policeman and afterwards followed your sister to penlico have you seen the policeman no but i intend to see him as soon as i learn his name or number from busham he won't tell it to you i can but try at all events to do away with my suspicions he may speak out but miss gordon i have yet to learn how edgar moxton was killed

Starting point is 04:06:06 laura can tell you that said janet rising now that you have heard my story you must listen to what she has to say then doctor you will see how to save her i was forced into the position i took up i shall be glad to hear mrs moxton's story shall i come with you no laura is not so ill as all that she is merely lying down in the next room and i will bring her in shortly she left ellis alone for a few minutes which he employed in considering the possibility of busham being implicated in the crime indeed he himself might be the actual criminal zirchnitz had seen him following moxton from the dukesfield station and his subsequent acts were related by himself as harmless but the story of the conversation with the policeman and the following of mrs moxton to pinnlaco might be invented to hide the truth there was nothing to show that busham had not murdered edgar for at that time he was ignorant that moxton's will was in existence and by getting rid of his cousin he might hope to clutch a portion of his uncle's money ellis made up his mind to do two things first to see busham and learn with whom he had been engaged at the time of the crime second to interview the policeman hinted at and discover if busham was speaking the truth while he was arguing the necessity of this course in his own mind janet returned with mrs moxton leaning on her arm the resemblance between the sisters was striking they were of the same height their figures were moulded to the same contour and in face feature and colouring they were remarkably alike the difference between them lay in the expression in the character of the eye laura's glance was soft and wandering that of janet's steady and calm

Starting point is 04:07:58 the face of mrs moxton was weak the countenance of miss gordon firm janet indeed seemed to be the masculine counterpart of her sister she had all the strength of will and resolution of purpose which the other lacked she was a being of flesh and blood laura a shadow a feather blown by the wind at the first sight of her face ellis no longer wondered that she had married a brute like moxton she would have married any man had had the necessary force of will been exerted. When Ellis beheld this frail creature, when he recalled the evil scampish nature of Rudolph Zerknitz, he admired Janet more than ever for the wonderful manner in which she had controlled the pair. She was a female Prospero, who ruled at once a weakly, flighty aerial and a refined Caliban. It must be admitted, however, that the latter part of the above illustration is too severe on zirknits, as he was rather a lausoon, a duke de Richelieu, a Count Dorsey, than the son of Sycorax. However, he was certainly a scamp and dangerous.

Starting point is 04:09:08 Mrs. Moxton, who looked ill and weary, bowed in silence to Ellis and sank exhausted into the chair vacated by her sister. Janet took a seat beside her and motioned with her head that the doctor should do the same. Ellis obeyed and looked at Mrs. Moxton with some curiosity, but more eagerness, for from her lips he hoped to learn sufficient to indicate the mysterious assassin of Moxton. But the widow, with her eyes fixed on the fire, seemed in no hurry to begin.

Starting point is 04:09:39 "'Lara, dear,' said Janet in a coaxing comb, such as a nurse would use to a fractious child, "'this is our best friend, Dr. Ellis. He is the only one who can help us out of our difficulties and i want you to tell him all you remember about edgar's death mrs moxton uttered a low wail and with a shudder covered her face when she did speak it was in so low a tone that ellis could with difficulty catch what she was saying shall i never forget that horrible night she murmured tell dr ellis about it dear urged janet and after a pause mrs moxton did as she was requested at First her voice was low and nervous, but as she proceeded in the recital it grew powerful. Her nerves responded to the demand made upon them and gave her a surprising strength of speech

Starting point is 04:10:31 in comparison with her frail body. From a physiological standpoint, Ellis was as much interested in her as in the story, she told. Edgar and I quarreled on that night about Polly Horley, she began, for Rudolph told me that he was paying attention to that horrid woman. Edgar swore that it was not true, and I wanted to go to the music hall to see for myself. He refused to take me and flung out of the doors in a great rage. Then Janet came, and her company and conversation calmed me. When she went, and I was left alone, I grew frightened and got out the carving knife.

Starting point is 04:11:10 I heard Edgar come in at the gate, and not thinking I ran to open the door with a knife in my hand. When I met him, he was on the step. but seeing the knife and knowing how furious i could be i suppose he grew frightened at any rate he ran back to the gate i followed calling out edgar edgar what is the matter when i came up to him he must have thought i meant to strike him for he was half drunk at the time his face was white and terrified as i saw in the moonlight although as the night was cloudy that was not very strong i remember the night interpolated ellis it was windy and rainy with a fitful moonlight shorn through the flying clouds well mrs moxton what did your husband do when you came up to him he seized me by the throat said the widow hysterically i believed that being half intoxicated he wished to kill me and i struggled to get away but he held me tightly so that i could not cry out we were pressed right against the gate i held the knife above my head as i was afraid of hurting him with it why did you not drop it asked ellis i don't know i never thought of dropping it the more edgar fought with me the tighter i held it he was strangling me and i could not cry out then i saw all at once a man on the other side of the gate could you describe his looks asked ellis eagerly mrs moxton shook her head remember it was a darkish night with only occasional gleams of moonlight i was struggling with edgar and holding me by the throat he had half strangled me as i said i held up the knife out of the way

Starting point is 04:12:47 the man on the other side of the gate wore a tall hat with a great coat and a fur collar i tried to call out to edgar but he did not see the man suddenly the stranger snatched the knife out of my hand and struck it edgar's back edgar gave a yell which i wonder was not heard all over dukesfield so loud it was he fell forward on me and crushed by his weight worn with the struggle and terrified by the murder i fainted clean away the last thing i remember was that edgar lay over me struggling and moaning was the man still at the gate after he struck the blow i don't know when i came to myself janet was bending over me and i was so frightened that i could explain nothing after that i picked up the knife which was lying by edgar's body and flung it over some bushes against the fence then janet hurried me away and told me she would take my place and deny everything i was so dazed that i did not know what i was doing i ran down to the cab rank and told the cabman to drive me to pimlico he did so and i recovered myself sufficiently in the cab to pay him and slip into the house with the latchkey which janet had pushed into my hand i knew that she still had our old room room so i ran up to it without seeing any one and locked myself in mrs amber told me that you isolated yourself for weeks i did so by janet's advice lest mrs amber should recognise me janet came to see me a few days afterwards and told me about the inquest did you call at geneva square asked alice turning to miss gordon that is strange for mrs amber particularly explained that until a few days ago no one called save schwartz works i paid a visit one night when mrs amber was at the theatre explained janet and i bribed sarah the servant a most venal creature to say nothing about it

Starting point is 04:14:41 it was necessary that i should tell laura what had taken place and hear her story now you know doctor why i fenced with you and refused to tell the truth i was afraid lest my sister should be brought into the matter but mrs moxton is innocent and you knew it protested ellis yes i am innocent wailed mrs moxton but what could i do in the face of all i have told you i cannot hold my tongue like janet or foresee things as she does and one way or another i should have betrayed myself and perhaps been arrested janet was right janet was wise to advise me to stay at pimlico i feigned ill health and would not let mrs amber into my room lest she should get to know too much only sarah knew me as i had to confide in her to get food but she held her tongue she nearly betrayed you though mrs moxton by taking those cuffs to mrs amber that was a mistake said the widow and touching edgar's body i got blood on my cuffs and threw them aside in the bedroom i never thought of hiding them and sarah took them downstairs without consulting me how did you manage to keep up the concealment of your identity to the end i managed that said janet in her firm clear voice i called when i knew that mrs amber was absent and told laura that on account of busham i intended to take her away when mrs amber came back of course she thought that i had been in my bedroom all the time and that laura had called for me she was so deceived added janet smiling that she told me how ill i looked after lying so long in bed but i am afraid i did look ill with all the worry i don't wonder at it said ellis sympathetically i cannot imagine how you have borne up through all the troubles you have had few women would have taken another's burden so bravely on their shoulders as you have done miss gordon indeed she has been the best of sisters exclaimed me mrs moxton with tears in her eyes never shall i forget what janet has done for me at some cost to yourself dear laura said janet patting her sister's hand after all my defence of you has cost you your fortune

Starting point is 04:17:00 i don't mind in the least janet let mr busham take all as long as he holds his tongue i fancy busham will keep silent for his own sake remarked ellis dryly for i feel certain that he has more to do with this murder than you think you don't believe that he killed Edgar i might even go so far as that but i must collect sufficient evidence to justify such a belief however we can talk of that later with reference to the destruction of the will miss gordon you need not worry about that oh but i do laura will lose her father-in-law's money not by the destruction of the will because the original document is in my possession and what bushen burnt was a coffee carefully prepared by myself and my friend mr. Cass end of chapter 18 read by Don W. Jenkins Rancho San Diego California chapter 19 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume this the bravox recording is in the public domain recording by Don W. Jenkins chapter 19 the red pocket book do you mean to say that the paper to Bush him destroyed, was not Edgar's will? asked Janet, while her sister uttered an exclamation

Starting point is 04:18:26 of joy. I do mean it. I reported your conversation about our mutual friend to Cass, and we both agreed that he was not to be trusted with the original will. Cass, who is clever at imitating handwriting, procured a sheet of paper similar to that upon which the will was written, and copied it out, signatures and all. I'm afraid it was a species of forgery, but, as a piece of forgery, but, as it had to be done if we wish to checkmate busham we contrived the crime it was just as well we did so miss gordon as busham had no compunction in destroying the will my wonder is that a clever pedophagher such as he could not see that the document was forged singular obtuseness on his part if it had remained longer in his possession he no doubt would have discovered the truth replied janet but if you remember he merely glanced at it and not crediting me with so clever an idea as substituting a copy for the original took it for the genuine will i can never thank you sufficiently doctor for what you have done or i either chimed in laura who seeing that there was a prospect of recovering her husband's money plucked up her spirits now mr busham will not be able to rob me

Starting point is 04:19:45 hum said janet with a frown putting the will out of the question my dear you are still in the same dangerous position as formerly if he finds out the trick dr ellis has played on him he may denounce you he will do so at his own wrist cried ellis promptly and you may be sure he will never learn the truth from me until it can be told with safety to mrs moxton leave busham to me i shall know how to deal with him in some way or another we must clear up this mystery and exonerate mrs moxton if only there was some clue janet and laura looked meaningly at one another there is a clue although it is only a slight one said miss gordon hesitatingly to the identity of the murderer no but a clue which may lead to his discovery when laura was lying in a faint the man who stabbed edgar robbed him of his pocket-book book. But how could he do that without Moxton recognizing him? asked Ellis. You know that Moxton did not die at once, but lived long enough to scrawl those blood signs on his arm denouncing Zerknitz.

Starting point is 04:20:57 Now I know that your brother is innocent, as he has established an alibi with the assistance of his landlady, Mrs. Pastor. I cannot explain that, Doctor, but undoubtedly Edgar thought that Rudolph stabbed him, and so wrote on his arm to let Lara know. You can read the cryptogram, I presume, Mrs. Moxton. Oh, yes, I know the signs very well. Janet taught them to me, and I showed them to Edgar for amusement. He no doubt wished me to know that Rudolph had stabbed him,

Starting point is 04:21:27 but why he used the signs I cannot say. He hated Rudolph always, and would have got him into trouble if he could. Well, said Ellis, after a pause, I can conceive no reason why he acted as he did. I don't suppose the truth will ever be revealed. "'What about this pocket-book, Mrs. Moxton? "'How do you know that the murderer took it?' "'I only think so.

Starting point is 04:21:50 "'It was a red Morocco pocket-book "'with Edgar's initials on it in gold. "'He had it when he went out that night, "'and I saw him put it into his breast pocket. "'When Janet came to Pimlico, "'I asked her if she had seen it, "'as I thought that there might be some bank-notes in it, "'and we needed money badly.'

Starting point is 04:22:08 "'Did he carry money in it?' "'Yes, when he had any.' on that night were there any notes in the pocket-book i cannot say rudolph declares that he won twenty pounds from edgar on that night edgar could not pay him save with an i o you so i don't think there could have been money in the book "'Then why should the assassin steal it?' "'I indeed,' echoed Janet, who had been silent for some time. "'That is what we wish to find out. "'As Edgar's jewelry was untouched, robbery could not have been the motive of the crime. "'I believe myself that the pocketbook must have contained some papers of value to the murderer.

Starting point is 04:22:47 "'No person but he could have taken it, "'for I examined very carefully the clothes Edgar wore when he was killed "'and could not find the pocketbook. "'Dr. Ellis,' said Janice, it seems to me that if you can find that book you will be able to lay hands on the criminal possibly miss gordon but in what direction am i to look in the autumn many men wear fur-lined overcoats so it is not a strong clue moreover the pocket-book must long since have been destroyed if the murderer valued his neck no on the whole i think it will be best to see busham as i said before my movements will depend upon the sort of information he supplies. He will tell you nothing. Not of his own free will, perhaps, but I may be in a position to force his confidence. It was now late, as this conversation between the three had lasted a considerable time. Laura looked so fatigued and ill that Ellis, in his

Starting point is 04:23:47 capacity of medical man, insisted that she should retire. Take as much rest and sleep as you can, Mrs. Moxton, and don't worry. I will help you all I can in this matter, and I have to have no doubt I shall be able to clear you of all suspicion. Good night. Ellis was accompanied to the door by Janet, who was hopeful of his success. "'You will be certain to solve this mystery, you and Mr. Cass,' said she. "'Think how much you have discovered already by your observation.' "'And if I do solve it, and write your sister, what then, Miss Gordon?' Janet laughed, and in kindly darkness blushed.

Starting point is 04:24:24 "'We can talk of that when the time comes,' she said, answering his son. thought after the manner of women. With this assurance the doctor was fain to be content and departed without gaining the kiss of which he had dreamt. Needless to say, he was more in love than ever, and thanked heaven that he had been brought into contact with so noble and earnest a woman as Janet Gordon. Anxious to hear the result of his friend's visit, Cass was waiting up for him, and into his astonished ears, Ellis poured the whole story which exonerated and cleansed Janet.

Starting point is 04:24:56 Cass admitted that he had been wrong in his estimate of her character. But how was one to read it properly under the circumstances, he said testily. I could not believe in the woman without proof. I did, said Alice, smiling. Because you were in love. Yours was not legitimate belief. On the same mad principle you would have trusted Lucrezia Borgia. Still, your experience is sufficiently strange,

Starting point is 04:25:24 and I am glad that your instinct has been justified. cried miss gordon on the face of it has proved yourself a singularly able and i may say a noble woman but i must see more of her and learn to know her better before i can rescind my former opinion that she is not the wife for you to know her is to love her said ellis with deep emotion ah you see i don't know her therefore i cannot love her if i did you might object however the main question at present is how to extricate her and mrs moxton from their equivocal position. Until the assassin is found and all is made plain, Mrs. Mox then dare not explain our trick to Busham or claim her property. If she did, he might be dangerous. Can he be dangerous? So far as inclination goes, I should say so, but whether he has the power is another question, and one not so easily answered. However, for your satisfaction, Bob, I can tell you that Busham is a liar. While you were at Myrtle Villa, I went round to Drake at the police

Starting point is 04:26:27 office and tried to find out if Busham had spoken to any policeman on that night. If you remember, he declared that he held a long conversation with one at or near the station. He trusts to that for an alibi. But Drake does not know Busham. He could tell you nothing, Harry. Quite so, but he could tell me who was on duty that night. I did not inform him of my reasons, save that I was curious on my own account to learn who killed Moxton, so I found out the names of the police on duty that night. Clearly enough, their term of service has come round again for night duty, so I went out and questioned at least half a dozen about Busham.

Starting point is 04:27:08 Well, asked Ellis impatiently, Well, Busham is a liar. He spoke to none of them, and none spoke to him. They never saw a gentleman of his description about on that night, so I judge that he dodged after Moxton in the shadows to avoid recognition. Now, Bob, your best plan is to see Busham and accuse him. Then we shall see if he can bring forward in his defense this suppositious policeman. Good, I'll call on our mutual friend tomorrow, but I shall see Zirknitz first.

Starting point is 04:27:39 What for? To ask him how Busham was dressed on that night, as the police would not recognize Busham by his face, they might buy his dress. and that way we can learn if any one of them saw him following Moxton after they left the railway station. Having decided upon this course, which under the circumstances was the most sensible, both men retired to bed. Next morning, after a further discussion with Cass, the doctor set out for Bloomsbury. As yet, he had not many patients so he could afford the time,

Starting point is 04:28:12 but his practice was increasing and he foresaw that unless he could bring the matter of the murder to a speedy conclusion, he would be obliged to throw it over altogether. But on Janet's account, he was unwilling to do this. As usual, Monsieur Zirchnitz was still in bed, and Ellis waited for some time in the glorious sitting-room, which its owner apparently had created out of nothing. When the Austrian made his appearance he was as lively as ever and greeted Ellis in his most genial manner.

Starting point is 04:28:44 Ah, Ellis, mon amy, monsieur, so you have arrived at one. is it to take me to a prison or to join me at de june the latter i hope friendship is so much more charming than enmity i have come only to ask you a few questions zertnitz also to tell you something which may astonish you astonish me s'n my vae pleasantre mon cher i am never astonished at anything in this best of all possible worlds you have not read candide in which that saying occurs no ah you should voltaire is the most witty of his race eh bien what is your astonishing news i know your history in that of your sisters and i have learnt how miss gordon took the place of mrs moxton to fight her battles you know that ah well janet must have told you if she did she is right janet can do no wrong she is the dearest and most excellent sister in the world are you the best brother to her i mon ami i am a scamp i have no good in me if i had it would not be so creditable to janet that she is fond of me so she has told you all her intrigues what can i do inform me about busham you saw him on that night we da he followed that poor edgar from the station how was he dressed zirknits reflected it was cold that night he said musingly i put on a fur coat eh ah yes busham had a coat of the same and a tall hat i can say no more than that a fur-lined coat a tall hat this was precisely the scanty description given by laura of her momentary glimpse of the assassin what if the lawyer after all should be the guilty person

Starting point is 04:30:33 full of excitement ellis detailed to zirchnitz his suspicions and cited the fact of the red pocket-book the austrian uttered an exclamation of astonishment on hearing that this was missing edgar excellent edgar had it in his pocket at the music-hall eh yes i quite remember he took out the book to show me a bill a bill what kind of a bill a bill of exchange or a promissory note now you speak mon cher ami it all comes back to me edgar showed me the name of his father on the bill and declared that it was forged a forged bill said ellis and in the pocket-book which was stolen ah this then may be the motive for the crime zirknits did moxton say who had forged the bill eh no he said my rudolph you see what i got from busham this night busham busham could he have forged the bill eh no i think not or he would not give it to edgar still a forged bill obtained from busham and he followed edgar out of the station He wore a tall hat and a fur coat. As the assassin was dressed the same, it might be, By heaven, Zirknitz, I believe that Busham is the guilty person after all.

Starting point is 04:31:51 Zirknit shrugged his shoulders but did not offer an opinion, and as the doctor did not think that there was anything further to be learnt from him, he rose to go. At the door, however, he paused and made a chance remark, which gained him greater results than any of his previous questions. I forgot to tell you, said Alice, that I have tricked Busham. He thinks that he has a claim to a portion of Mrs. Moxton's property because he destroyed the well. But what he destroyed, Monsieur Zirknitz, was a copy made by me.

Starting point is 04:32:21 The original is in my possession. Rudolph's eyes sparkled. Then, Dara will inherit all Moxton's wealth! Undoubtedly, as soon as she can claim it, without risking any danger from Busham, he knows too much. but not as much as i know listen mon ami i can tell you a great deal about busham which will help you save laura eh yes i will see that she gets the money of that poor edgar so that you may get a share of it i suppose said ellis dryly zirchnus laughed and shrugged his shoulders but certainly why not i am her brother i need money if i help her she must help me listen mon cher with this exordium zirchnitz poured forth into ellis's ears a story about the lawyer and about his own treachery which at once pleased and horrified he did not know whether most to hate or admire the scamp but in the end he decided that it would be diplomatic to hide his feelings and so ended his visit

Starting point is 04:33:22 End of Chapter 19, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 20 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libra Box recording is in the public domain. Recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 20, Busham at Bay. It was in a state of subdued excitement that Ellis left the rooms of Zirknits. He now seemed to be nearer solving the means. mystery than he had ever been before. There was no doubt that Moxton had been murdered in order

Starting point is 04:34:02 to obtain the forged bill, but Ellis was uncertain in his own mind whether Busham actually struck the blow. A silk hat and a fur-line coat was not a distinctive dress on a cold evening for any man. A dozen might wear it. Still the coincidence of dress was striking. Busham might be the criminal after all, and Ellis drove directly to Esher Lane for the purpose of satisfying himself on this point. What the doctor particularly wished to know was who had forged the elder Moxton's name. If Busham had done so, he would scarcely have given the bill to Edgar, who had no great love for him. To hand him over an incriminating document and then murder him to get it back again would have been the height of folly. If, therefore, Busham was innocent of the forgery, he would

Starting point is 04:34:52 scarcely risk his life in endeavoring to recover the bill. Thus, if anyone had a reason to desire the death of Edgar, it must have been the forger himself. Having committed one crime, he certainly would not hesitate to commit a second, if only to conceal the first. This theory was excellent, and Ellis wished to prove its truth. To do so, it was necessary that he should learn the name of the man who forged the bill. Busham had given the document to Edgar Moxton, as was asserted by Zirknitz, therefore

Starting point is 04:35:25 Busham could inform him of what he wished to know. But would he do so? Ellis, for want of experience of the man, could not answer this question, and arrived at Escher Lane in a state of perplexity. However, his head was clear and his will determined, a most necessary frame of mind for anyone who had to deal with so crafty a creature as Busham. the office was as dingy and dirty as ever the lean clerk still scribbled in terminable folios and strained their eyes in the uncertain light from the inner room came the rasping cough of busham which showed that he was alive and plotting ellis sent in his card which was received by the lawyer with anything but pleasure however he did not think it wise to betray any fear of his visitor so gave orders that he was to be admitted at once

Starting point is 04:36:17 more than that he threw into his greeting as much cordiality as was possible with one of his detestable nature i'm glad to see you doctor said he pointing to one of the two chairs that seems strange does it not we had a tiff last time we met here eh quite so but i never bear malice not i how is mrs moxton the true mrs moxton is quite well busham's naturally pale face became of a greenish hue what do you mean with your true mrs moxton he demanded narrowing his eyes until they looked like those of a cat what i say and what you know janet gordon to fight her sister's battles took that sister's place you are well informed sneered busham on whose authority i have the best authority miss gordon told me herself how dare you say that i knew of this plot cried the lawyer savagely ridiculous i know nothing about the sisters that is a lie replied ellis coolly you knew everything about them for months you have been watching for an opportunity to get them into your toils who says this rudolph zirknitz bah that's silly fool what does he know more than you think retorted ellis zirknits is a scamp but no fool and he told me all about the questions you had asked him he even mentioned the sums of money you have paid him for his information what information said busham fighting every inch is it necessary for me to inform you questioned ellis with icy contempt what information repeated the lawyer he told you that the supposed mrs moxton was really janet gordon he betrayed his sisters for money like the contemptible creature he is and in turn he has betrayed you

Starting point is 04:38:17 i don't understand your hint of betrayal i think you do but if you wish me to be more explicit i can inform you that zirchnitz saw you following moxton on that night busham sneered and his brow cleared so you said when mrs moxton i beg your pardon miss gordon was here i then admitted that i was at dukesfield on that night and gave my reasons for being there also i gave an account of my actions i know you did mr busham a very pretty account which did justice to your imagination i told the truth cried busham gnawing his lip no you did not you told what suited your purpose you spoke to no policeman on that night for those who were on duty then have all been closely questioned you never followed mrs moxton to pemmlico but you called there later and bribed the servant sarah to tell you the truth who says i did zirknitz i'm afraid you were a trifle overconfident of his silence mr busham zirknits is a liar oh no only a trader who changes sides when he sees a chance of making money he won't make any out of his sisters growled busham i have burnt that will and the moxton property will come to me ellis smiled when he thought on how slight a foundation this belief rested well we will say nothing about the will but even though you have destroyed it mrs moxton takes a portion of her husband's property as his widow she shan't have one penny snarled busham a jade an adventurous and a murderess that is what she is if she refuses to give me the whole of the moxton property i'll denounce her he he and then she will be hanged

Starting point is 04:40:07 i doubt it busham there is a prejudice against hanging women in this country as to your saying that she killed moxton that is a lie and you know it the man who murdered your cousin wore a silk hat and fur coat who says so mrs moxton herself she saw the man strike the blow but could not recognize him oh that is an invention to save her neck scoffed busham a man in a silk hat and a fur coat bosh who is the man well i am not clear on that point replied ellis speaking very slowly but i fancied he might be you busham started from his seat with a kind of screech hardly human i he gasped you dare to accuse me of that crime and on what grounds you wore a similar dress on the night you followed moxham who says i did your dear friend monsieur zirchnitz busham ground his teeth and said something not precisely complimentary to the austrian after a time he recovered his calmness but not his colour you accuse me of murdering moxton he said oh no i don't accuse you i merely state that such might be the case bah the accusation is not worth considering what motive could i have for killing my cousin it is true that his father altered his will at the last moment and left everything to Edgar. What then? I had sufficient influence with him to finger that money, and I certainly intended to do so. Why should I risk my neck to upset all my plans? You might have hoped to get the money after

Starting point is 04:41:43 Moxton's death, or at least a share of it. Don't deceive yourself, snapped the lawyer. I hoped for none of it. Edgar told me that after his marriage he had made a will leaving all to his wife. what motive then had i to commit so purposeless a crime i could manage edgar because i knew him but i never met i never saw mrs moxton and could hope to gain no influence over her especially with that infernal sister in the way if she speak more respectfully of miss gordon interrupted the doctor angrily she is my friend and i will not permit a word against her you say that mrs moxton killed her husband prove it she was always quarrelling with him replied bushen sullenly i know for a fact because edgar told me so he said that he was afraid of his wife that she frequently threatened him with the carving-knife when i heard of the murder next morning i went down to see mrs moxton as i was certain she had killed edgar as i walked up the garden i saw the flash of steel in a laurel bush and on going to it i found a knife stuck in one of the branches it was a carving-knife and there was blood on the blade and the handle i was certain then that mrs moxton was guilty but having my own ends to gain i did not denounce her then but simply slipped the knife up my sleeve and went away i produced it as you saw to make miss gordon for thanks to zirknits i knew my visitor was not mrs moxton give up the will she made the exchange and took away the knife i burnt the will as you saw and by destroying it could hope to get a portion of the property now i mean to have the whole or else i shall denounce mrs moxton

Starting point is 04:43:26 i don't think you'll do that busham for i shall then state that you committed a felony by burning the will no no whatever happens you can't afford to denounce mrs moxton you might frighten her and perhaps as she is only a woman miss gordon but you can't frighten me as to your finding of the knife mrs moxton threw it into the laurel bush after the murderer but she did not use it you will find it difficult to prove that snarled busham beginning to feel beaten if she did not use it who did the man in the fur coat who snatched it from her when she was in her husband's grip and who is the man in the fur coat i think you know busham indeed i don't confound you at least you know the name of the man who endorsed that bill with a gasp the lawyer started out of his chair bill what bill the forged bill which you gave to moxton at the merriman music hall on the night of the murder i gave no bill i know of none oh yes you do moxton showed the bill to zirknits and told him that it was forged on his father it was placed in a red pocket-book mr busham and that pocket-book was stolen from the corpse lies lies oh lies rave busham stamping i know nothing of any bill i don't know who killed moxton alice did not waste words but rising to his feet glanced at his watch with a calm air i must go now said he i shall give you five days to tell the truth mr busham failing that i shall place the whole matter in the hands of the police and re-open the case good day sir and with that last warning ellis walked out of the room

Starting point is 04:45:07 with a white face and a haggard expression busham sat for an hour or more in his chair twice one of his clerks opened the door and looked in but awed by the expression of terror in the lawyer's eyes withdrew at last busham wiped his brow which was beaded with perspiration and rose to his feet shall i fly or stay he asked himself then bringing down his fist on the table he cried no by heaven i'll stay and fight it out end of chapter twenty read by don w jenkins rantial san diego california chapter twenty one of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this libre box recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter twenty one of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume chapter twenty one the blind girl in compliment to the great poet of his nation herr schwartz dignified his english home with the name of garter cottage it was a one-storied house of no great size built somewhat in the style of a bungalow and standing in a fairly large garden at the bottom of a rural cul-de-sac termed alma road shortly after his visit to the lawyer dr ellis called at this place and having advised schwartz of his coming found the german and captain garrett awaiting his arrival so eager were they to welcome him that they appeared at the gate before the bell ceased to jingle mine good doctor cried schwartz beaming with outstretched hands you have gone at last to ze boer little ida what to see you dr ellis said garret jerking out his words in abrupt millic style we have long expected your visit come in the three walked towards the house through a theatrical-looking garden with many coloured glass balls ranged on squat pedestals along the borders of the flower-beds there was also a tiny fountain in which a small triton spouted a smaller stream of water out of a kunk shell an arbor fiery red with virginia creeper and wide walks of white pebbles which threw back a glare even under the pale rays of the late otter

Starting point is 04:47:27 sun. The house was surrounded by a wide veranda of gaily-striped red and white sunblinds, cane lounging chairs, and marble-topped iron tables. Within Ellis found the place luxuriously furnished, but also theatrical in taste, and he was shown into a drawing-room where intrusive colors of scarlet and magenta inflicted torture on a sensitive eye. Schwartz had money and a love of comfort, but the complacent way in which he looked around this terrible apartment showed that he was absolutely without the artistic sense. A woman might have softened the general glaring effect of the room, but the only woman in the house was blind and could have no idea of the crude ill-matched coloring by which she was surrounded. When they sat down, Ellis looked at his companions and was astonished how ill Schwartz appeared to be.

Starting point is 04:48:22 garrett as formerly was haggard lean and gentlemanly with the same military bearing and bored expression evidently he was a man who had as the saying is gone to pace and now in his middle age he was between forty and fifty lacked vitality and zest as usual he was carefully dressed and looked eminently well bred and well groomed beside his patron and friend schwartz himself was less complacent and less complacent and his person and jolly. Also he was lean in comparison with his former portly figure and his clothes hung loosely on his limbs. Instead of his face being smooth and red, it was now pallid and wrinkled, and although he attempted to be his usual happy self, the attempt was an obvious effort. Occasionally he stole a troubled glance at the captain, but the gentleman hardly looked at him and manifested supreme indifference. Only when the conversation had to do with Hilda, did he wake up and take any interest in what was going on you are not looking well yourself her schwartz said ellis when the trio were seated and refreshments had been produced by the hospitable german

Starting point is 04:49:35 ah i am very well replied swartz hastily the hot dimes of the sun have made me then and i have much thinking about the little hilda oh you must keep up your spirits on that i may be able to restore her sight was she born blind no interposed garrett took notice like the other children for a few weeks but afterwards the sight went do you think you can cure her i must make an examination first it is impossible for me to give an opinion before them that's right doctor you will see the little hilda at once i would giff all my monies if you could make her see are you very fond of her her tears came into the german's eyes for after the manner of his nation he was emotional and sentimental and easily touched the little hilda is the light of mine life he said in tones of deep feeling i half laughed her for years and she has to me my own child i am her second mother and mother and everything else jerked garrett much better than a scamp like me no no protested schwartz but with a ring of insincerity in his voice which alice at once detected you are a good man mine friend can i see miss garret now disf very moment cried the german getting up in a violent hurry will you gom with me doctor and you garret i will stay here schwartz better have as few in the room as possible or hilda will be nervous "'Ah, is that so? Then I will not stay. Go on, doctor.' The room at the back of the house into which Schwartz introduced Ellis was like a fairy palace,

Starting point is 04:51:20 a large airy high-roof department, decked and furnished with rainbow hues. Chinese paper of the willow-plate pattern figured on the walls. Curtains blue as a midsummer sky draped the French windows. The carpet was of the same cerulean tint, and the furniture was upholstered in azure and white. Hot-house flowers were placed in every corner. There was a grand piano and many birds and gilded cages made the room re-echo with tuneful strains.

Starting point is 04:51:51 The windows were many and large, admitting ample light and looking out on a velvet lawn bounded by a tall hedge of laurel. Ellis had never seen a more pretty or cheerful apartment and felt sad at the irony which placed amidst all this beauty and light so attractive to the eye a blind girl. She was seated at the piano when they entered, but rose when she heard the door open. Hilda Garrett was tall for her age, in spite of the tender diminutive bestowed on her by Schwartz.

Starting point is 04:52:23 Her face was as pale as marble and as beautiful as that of the Venus de Medici. Indeed, in her white robe with pallid face and still looks she was not unlike a statue, the lack of eyesight took away all expression and she lived and moved in a world of shadows ellis was profoundly touched by her beauty and helplessness and by the tender little cry she uttered when schwartz took her hand my lovely lady i have brought dr ellis to see you he is my good friend and gliver he will make you to zee my heart oh doctor said hilda gasping her hands and speaking in a low but musical boys. Can you give me back my sight? That I cannot say as yet, replied Ellis. I cannot perform miracles. If your sight can be restored, I hope to restore it. But I must first ask you a few questions and examine your eyes. Aha, I will go away. No, no, Papa. You must stay. I wish my father would come in also. I want him to

Starting point is 04:53:29 hold my hand and give me courage. So, replied Schwartz, with a sad expression at the this preference. Wait, my little Hilton, I will bring your water to you. Hilda nodded, and a charming smile overspread her pale face. When Schwartz left the room, she asked Ellis to let her pass her hand over his face, as she wished to know his looks. Ellis readily consented, and Hilda, with a delicate touch of the blind,

Starting point is 04:53:55 ran her fingers over his features. "'You're nice-looking,' she said naively when this was done. "'I like nice-looking people.' Thank you, answered Ellis, laughing. I'm obliged for the compliment, Miss Garrett, and now I must ask you a few questions. To this, Hilda readily consented. It is not necessary to set forth the conversation or examination in extensor, as the questions were purely technical.

Starting point is 04:54:24 Captain Garrett entered and held Hilda's hand while Ellis made an examination of her eyes. This took some time, but was unsatisfactory, as Ellis could not bring himself to pronounce an opinion. Privately he thought that he could cure the cataract by an operation, but lacking the self-confidence which a great man should have, he hesitated to express his private views. "'I must make another examination,' he said after an exhaustive conversation, "'before I can commit myself to an opinion, yet I think I can give you some hope.' "'Oh, father!' Hilda uttered the words in a thrilling voice, and Ellis glanced at Captain Garrett. he did not look pleased indeed he frowned and withdrew his hand from that of his daughter it occurred to ellis that the captain did not wish hilda to regain her sight the expression of anger was only a flash but ellis sought and gained the above impression

Starting point is 04:55:18 had schwartz been in the room the captain might have controlled himself better but schwartz had not returned after hilda's cry for her father even on this short acquaintance ellis could not but think how the good german must have suffered from his voluntary exclusion from his darling. However, Garrett said nothing at the moment, and the doctor addressed himself to Hilda. "'I shall come to see you in two or three days,' he said. "'But you must keep yourself cheerful and not mope. Have you no companion?' "'Schwartz and myself,' put in Garrett.

Starting point is 04:55:53 "'I mean no female companion?' "'Janet Gordon comes to see me sometimes,' said Hilda. "'I am very fond of her. She is so kind and good. wish she would come again she shall come again miss garrett i will speak to her myself garrett uttered an exclamation do you know her doctor very well she is staying at myrtle villa with her sister mrs moxton said the captain with a glance at hilda i don't know if schwartz will like her to come here again why not i will tell you outside or perhaps swartz will tell you himself but i want janet to come cried Hilda piteously. I love her.

Starting point is 04:56:36 Again the flash of anger passed over Garrett's face, but he only patted her hands softly. If Schwartz permits her to come, she shall come, he said. And now, Doctor, we had better go. I think so. Goodbye, Miss Garrett.

Starting point is 04:56:50 I may be able to cure you, and if you want Miss Gordon, you shall have her for a companion. Thank you, Doctor, thank you. And as they left the room, Hilda began to play a triumphal march on the piano. The words of Ellis had inspired her with hope and confidence. Captain Garrett immediately addressed the doctor

Starting point is 04:57:09 when they left the room. "'I could not speak to you plainly and there,' he said abruptly, "'but I have the strongest objection to Miss Gordon coming here.' "'On account of the murder?' "'Yes, Heldon knows nothing of that, therefore I did not explain. If Miss Gordon is her companion she may hear of the crime and think of the shock it would be to her delicate nerves.' "'She will never hear anything of the crime for Miss Gordon. warden that lady is most discreet she is clever i don't deny doctor too clever in my opinion but she is shady she sold programmes at the merriman music-hall she is not the kind of companion i should choose for my daughter

Starting point is 04:57:48 this came well from captain garrett who had been cashiered for cheating who lived on another man's money and who was an out-and-out adventurer ellis felt such a contempt for him that he did not argue the question let's hear what her schwartz has to say he said. Schwartz will be of my opinion, said the captain gravely. But here it appeared Garrett was wrong. Schwartz listened attentively to the recommendation of Ellis that Miss Gordon should be brought to Garrett a cottage as a companion for Hilda. His face grew a shade paler to the doctor's attentive eye

Starting point is 04:58:22 and he appeared to be uneasy. After a sharp glance at Ellis, he made up his mind and spoke it. Miss Gordon shall bum, he declared decisively. "'Schwartz,' said Garrett in a warning tone, whereat the usually placid German flew into a rage. "'I say she shall come,' he cried in his deepest tones. "'Channot is a court girl. She will not dock of murders and wickednesses.

Starting point is 04:58:47 She is clever.' Garrett muttered something not precisely complimentary to Janet and turned away. The German looked after him with an anxious expression, but finally turned to Ellis with a look of relief. "'Dell, Janet to gom,' he said. but she must say nothing's of the murders i'll answer for her there said alice cheerfully and you can make right de little hilda i think so but i can answer you for certain next time i come i shall bring miss gordon with me and so in spite of captain garrett it was arranged end of chapter twenty one read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter twenty two of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this librevox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter twenty two janet's discovery on leaving go to cottage ellis jumped on his bicycle and was soon spinning along the country roads which connected rural park mare with the more urban suburb of dukesfield

Starting point is 05:00:01 usually ellis enjoyed the exhilaration of riding and the pleasure of admiring the scenery but on this occasion beyond the necessary guidance of his machine he was preoccupied it seemed strange to him that garrette should so strongly object to janet as a companion for his daughter the captain was a supremely selfish man as selfish in every way as zirknits and more vicious he was indifferent to his daughter save that he looked upon her as a necessary link to bind him to schwartz schwartz was clever and generous and devoted to hilda he had plenty of money and garret the idle and dissipated could not do with him to schwartz's schwartz was clever and generous and devoted to hilda he had plenty of money and garret the idle and dissipated could not do without him for the furtherance of his plans he usually let schwartz manage hilda and hilda's business as he pleased it was therefore surprising that he should have taken so unusual a step as to object to miss gordon garret and schwartz can have nothing to do with the murder mused ellis they knew moxton only slightly, and they had no motive to get rid of him. Indeed, his untimely death has lost Schwartz a good customer to his gambling table. If that exists, as is reported, at any rate, an assiduous attendant at his music hall. Gerard was anxious on Schwartz's account, hence he warned

Starting point is 05:01:24 him not to have Janet in the house. He thinks she is too clever. Perhaps he fancies she may learn too much. I am too fanciful, too suspicious. Yet Garrett certainly mentioned the murder. What is best to be done? Janet must go to Gerta Cottage to keep Hilda cheerful. But shall I tell her of the objections or this discussion? No, I will not bias her in any way. If there is anything to be found out, she shall discover it herself. To this wise determination, Ellis adhered. On seeing Janet that evening he merely informed her that hilda was mopeish and that he wished her to cheer the girl janet readily consented to this i am very fond of hilda she said earnestly and you may be sure i shall do what i can does mr schwartz want me to come very much tell me miss gordon what is your opinion of him i think he is a good man doctor several times i have been under the necessity of testing his kindness of art and it has never failed me then look how good he is to poor hilda if she depended upon that selfish father of hers how wretched she would be

Starting point is 05:02:37 yet she appears to be more attached to her father than to schwartz i dare say said janet somewhat cynically it is that frame of mind which created the proverb about virtue being its own reward people who do most are thought least of and it is your selfish person who gets all the love and praise look at my own case all my life i have put myself aside for rudolph and laura yet they think nothing of me they say they do mere lip service exclaimed miss gordon they would not do me a good turn however little trouble it might be laura is grateful to me now because she is yet in danger and i stand by her but when all is well she will think nothing of my services as for rudolph he would borrow my last sixpence and see me dying of starvation without returning so much as a single penny oh i am under no disillusion about my own folk doctor what i do i do from a sense of duty with regard to your sister i can say nothing miss gordon as i do not know her sufficiently well but zirchnitz well he is a thoroughly bad lot and would sell his nearest and dearest at a price janet demurred i cannot believe that he is so wicked as that but he is and he proved it to me only the other day he told busham all about your impersonation of mrs moxton betrayed all your schemes and plans while you were fighting single-handed against overwhelming odds and this because busham paid him now thinking mrs moxton will recover her husband's fortune for i told him that the real will still existed he has betrayed all bushim's secret doings to me what do you think of him now he is a scoundrel i will never speak to him again oh doctor if you only knew what i have done for that man i knew he was heartless and selfish but i did not think he was wicked

Starting point is 05:04:35 heartlessness and selfishness usually terminate in wickedness said ellis sententiously however one good result has come out of his evil ways i have learnt all about mr busham's intrigues and i have given him a few days to own up that he killed edgar asked janet breathlessly no he did not kill him at least i don't think so but i have insisted upon his revealing the name of the assassin as i am certain he knows it in another three days he must tell the truth or i shall place the matter in the hands of the police oh but laura she will be arrested no i do this to save her from arrest busham knows nothing about the false will because i do not wish to drive him into a corner by telling him how he has been tricked but he might learn the truth from zirchnitz to whom it had to be told that i might learn his true attitude on this matter if he does learn it he will have mrs moxton arrested only by a threat against himself could i keep him in hand what do you think he will do ah that i can't say i know much but not all and the smallest amount of ignorance in any matter is a bar to giving a reasonable opinion on it however time works for me and i shall be able to defend mrs moxton from her enemies go to gerta college miss gordon and cheer hilda do you think you can give her back her sight perhaps it is a difficult case i shall have to make another examination before i can arrive at any conclusion in the meantime i wish her to be lively and gay so you must realize that wish alas said janet with a melancholy smile i have too much experience of the world to be gay however i will do my best it will be seen from this last observation that janet was rapidly coming under the influence of ellis she was a clever woman and in her own way masterful therefore on finding some one stronger than herself she was prepared to obey him

Starting point is 05:06:36 this sounds paradoxical but it is so especially in the relations of sex a woman must always succumb to a man if he be a man obedience is in the feminine blood notwithstanding the new woman janet knew from experience that Ellis was kind and generous and was willing to help to the extent of his powers, those in whom he believed. Now his duel with Busham, no mean adversary, had given her an impression of his strength. Moreover, she loved him, and perhaps this was why she obeyed him without a struggle. She felt the happier for such obedience, although it was new to her. When a woman finds her master in an honorable, generous, kindly man, her happiness is assured. Therefore, Janet went to Gerta Cottage and was welcomed by Hilda with enthusiasm. The girl was fond of her and loved to be in such pleasant company.

Starting point is 05:07:31 Warned by Schwartz, Janet was careful to avoid the theme of the murder and indulged Hilda in the light gossip of the day, cold from society papers. She talked of literature to the girl and read aloud to her. She played and sang and made herself agreeable in all ways so that Hilda became merry and happy in spite of her blindness. On the occasion of Janet's first visit, Captain Garrett hung about in a nervous manner as though he expected some catastrophe to occur.

Starting point is 05:08:00 But as the sole result of Janet's presence was to make Hilda laugh, the captain did not appear when she called again the next day. What he dreaded, Janet could not conjecture. The second visit was merely a repetition of the first, but had in the end a far-reaching result. hilda chattered and sang and talked to her birds and fluttered about the room like a bird herself she never made a mistake she never stumbled or hesitated the limits of the apartment the disposition of the furniture were known to her as well as though she had eyesight janet watching her gyrations could not forbear to make a remark to that effect upon my word hilda one would think you had eyes oh i know this room in my bedroom so well chattered the blind girl

Starting point is 05:08:48 i have been here for nearly two years you know but the rest of the house is like the centre of africa to me she paused with a childish smile and clapped her hands let us go over it she said certainly if you wish but what good will that do i want to know how the rooms are furnished you shall take my hand and lead me through them describing everything that you see then i shall astonish papa schwartz and my father when they come home i suppose they will have no objection said janet hesitating of course not papa schwartz said that i could go anywhere so long as a friend was with me i stay in this room because i know it from experience and i might go wrong did i leave it but i am not afraid to explore the house with you dear janet you shall be my eyes come let us start on our expedition seeing no harm in this innocent proposal janet assented to it as a means of amusing hilda hand in hand the two girls walked into the drawing-room which janet described with all its hideous colouring hilda was shocked magenta and scarlet she said it sounds dreadful but you know nothing of colours hilda no but my dressmaker does and she said that magenta and scarlet were ugly i can't imagine them myself she saw the drawing-room and i merely re-echoed her opinion what is scarlet like janet it is a bright red but what is red like janet was puzzled she did not know how to described the color to one who had no conception of tint.

Starting point is 05:10:31 "'Red is red,' she said at length. "'I can't say no more. "'Let's go into the dining-room, Hilda.' The salon proved to be less glaring than the drawing-room being papered and curtained and upholstered in dark green. Though windows were few and filled with stained glass so that the general effect was gloomy, in spite of her blindness, Hilda felt this.

Starting point is 05:10:54 "'I don't like this room. it is dark she said abruptly come away janet how do you know it is dark questioned janet as they went out i cannot say i feel happy in my own sitting-room because i know it is bright but here i feel wretched i can give you no reason but is it not curious janet i can always tell dark stuff from light i get a pain in my fingers when i touch anything black nonsense hilda well i can't describe my feelings any better to you one has to be blind to understand these things where are we now janet in mr schwartz's study it is decorated in dark red dark again hilda shuddered i don't like dark where is the death desk just before the window where the light falls strongest lead me to it janet janet jane it obeyed and hilda ran her fingers along the top of the desk then she made a discovery papa has left his keys she cried now i shall open all the drawers and take away the keys just to punish him for being careless oh hilda don't do that he might not like it yes he will papa schwartz is

Starting point is 05:12:13 never angry at what i do no more reason not to abuse his kindness how severe you are cried hilda with a pout well i shall leave the keys but i shall open the drawers after all janet as i am blind i cannot see his secrets janet laughed but as what hilda said was true she made no further opposition while the blind girl was opening the drawers one after the other janet walked to the other end of the room to look at some pictures she was recalled by a joyous laugh from hilda and returned to find all the drawers open janet took the keys from her with gentle force my dear mr schwartz will not be pleased we must close these again oh very well said hilda carelessly i will i will said hilda carelessly i will only joking closed them again janet this miss gordon was already doing she closed and locked the top drawers without looking much at their contents in the bottom right-hand drawer however she made a discovery which amazed her on the top of other articles she saw the red pocket-book end of chapter twenty two read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter twenty three of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this libervox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter twenty three the beginning of the end have you finished locking the drawers janet asked hilda impatiently but janet did not answer. And a tumult of emotion she was staring at the red pocket-book. There it lay in the drawer carelessly thrust in with loose papers and old letters.

Starting point is 05:14:06 No attempt had been made to hide it. No doubt the drawer was locked, and but for Hilda's freak would have been opened by no one but its owner. Schwartz had not thought it necessary to conceal the book more completely. At once it flashed into Janet's mind that the German had murdered Edgar, since no one but the murderer could have become possessed of the pocketbook. In the meantime, Hilda, uneasily at Janet's silence, repeated the question. I am just locking the last drawer, replied Janet, and swiftly making up her mind to risk the consequences, she snatched up the red book and slipped it into her pocket. For her sister's sake, it was necessary to get this evidence into her possession. Having accomplished this, she locked,

Starting point is 05:14:53 the drawer restored the keys to their place on the desk and led hilda out of the room towards the blind girl it was necessary to adopt a cheerful demeanour lest she should suspect that something was wrong but janet found this no easy task hilda my dear she said as they returned to the blue sitting-room i have locked the drawers and replaced the keys so mr schwartz will not guess that his desk has been opened if i were you i would not tell him he might be vexed the blind girl pouted. She did not like her jest to be passed over in silence. Papa Schwartz is never cross with me, Janet. No, but he will be vexed. And I

Starting point is 05:15:35 shall say nothing. I would not vex him for the world. He is very good to me, almost as good as father. You are extremely fond of your father, Hilda. I worship him, said the girl with the exaggerated emotion of youth.

Starting point is 05:15:51 He is the best man in the world. oh there is no one like my father privately janet thought that this was just as well as she had no very great opinion of captain garrett but bad as he was she doubted whether he would have committed murder as schwartz had done it was indeed amazing that the german should have become a criminal for although janet knew well that his character was not above reproach yet she had always thought him a good man it was a shock to her to find that she had been so deceived "'Schwartz, who had been her good friend and benefactor, was a secret assassin. Janet could not blind herself to that terrible fact. "'Now we must have some tea,' said the unsuspicious Hilda. Under the circumstances it was an ordeal to sit at the table and eat and drink with pretended carelessness. But Janet bent her strong will to accomplish the purpose of keeping Hilda in ignorance.

Starting point is 05:16:50 The expression on her face, the frown in her brow, mattered literally. as Hilda was blind, but Janet carefully controlled her voice so that nothing unusual might be noticed. In this she succeeded admirably and deceived Hilda so well that when taking her leave the girl had no thought that anything was wrong. Come again soon, dear, she said, embracing Janet warmly. You are such a comfort to me. Self-controlled to the end, Janet touched Hilda's cheek with her lips and took her leave after a few words of farewell. delivered in a steady voice. But on finding herself alone, she felt so anxious and distraught

Starting point is 05:17:29 and horrified by her discovery that but for the fresh air she would have fainted. As it was, she did not take the Duke's Field bus as usual, but worked off her agitation by walking. Since the discovery of the pocketbook in Schwartz's private desk, she firmly believed that he was the criminal. In the autumn and winter, he almost always wore a fur-lined coat over his,

Starting point is 05:17:53 his evening dress and to complete his costume in accordance with the demands of fashion a silk hat then he lived at parkmere and it was easy for him to walk to gerta cottage after committing the murderer but janet was puzzled to find a reason for the perpetration of the crime she knew nothing about the forged bill as ellis had not informed her in detail of his interview with busham still janet knew the business-like habits of schwartz too well to think that he did anything without a motive and and she could not conjecture that for which he had stained his hands and risked his neck full of these thoughts miss gordon walked all the way to dukesfield no inconsiderable distance and before seeking myrtle villa called on ellis to explain her discovery mrs basket who still believed that janet was mrs moxton received her with the usual show of false kindness but announced that dr ellis was absent no mr cass is in the sitting-room finished the fat landlady mr cass will do let me see him parry was rather amazed to receive janet whom he had not seen at all events to speak to since the night of the murder mrs basket announced you as mrs moxton he said with some hesitation but ellis tells me you are miss gordon yes i am miss gordon but there's no need to let that tattling woman know the truth she but only make mischief dr ellis is away just went out ten minutes ago to see a patient i expect him back in an hour i cannot wait said janet feverishly my sister will want me you will do mr cass dr ellis informed me that you knew all about this business i know everything miss gordon anything i can do did dr ellis tell you about the red pocket-book yes you say it was taken from the dead body what of it janet took the book out of her pocket and placed it on the table and placed it on the table

Starting point is 05:19:49 table. "'There it is,' she said triumphantly. "'All the papers have been taken out of it. But that is the pocket-book which the murderer stole from the corpse. "'Great heavens! How did it come into your possession?' "'I found it by chance in the desk of Herr Schwartz.' Cass started. "'Do you mean to say that Schwartz is the murderer?' "'I do. If he is not, how could he become possessed of that book?'

Starting point is 05:20:14 "'It is strong circumstantial evidence, certainly,' said Cass, after a pause. but schwartz it is incredible i always considered him such a good fellow he is he is said janet with emotion he has been a good friend to me i can't conceive him guilty even if he is i do not wish him punished let him write out a confession exonerating my sister that is all i want if he does that he puts the rope around his own neck miss gordon if your sister is to be exonerated and saved from the malignity of busham the confession would have to be made public then what is to be done i cannot say it present if you will leave the pocket-book to me i will speak to ellis and we can come to some decision certainly i will give you the book said janet rising i have every confidence in you and dr ellis thank you would you mind explaining precisely how you came into possession of the pocket-book not at all said janet and she related in a concise manner how hilda's prank with the desk had but to the discovery of the book having given cass all possible information and answered all possible questions janet tired out with her emotions and with the unusual exercise took her leave cass accompanied her to the door and promised to inform her of all that should happen in connection with this new piece of evidence somewhat relieved janet went home to myrtle villa immediately on the doctor's return cass showed him the pocket-book and repeated janet's story ellis naturally enough was as surprised as his friend and discussed the matter with him at length finally it was decided that ellis should see schwartz that same evening and hear what he had to say for himself

Starting point is 05:21:59 owing to the exigencies of his profession as a critic harry could not accompany his friend the doctor was not sorry as he thought that he could get more out of schwartz when alone with him than in the presence of a third person he did not take the pocket-book with him lest it should be lost for Schwartz was a determined man to deal with. As yet, Ellis could hardly credit that he was guilty, and in spite of the damning evidence found by Janet, he postponed, making up his mind until he heard what the German had to say for himself. In this frame of mind, he started for the Merriman Music Hall. Schwartz was in his private room, and as Ellis had purposely arrived rather late, he was at leisure at the time. So effusively did he welcome Alice that the doctor felt almost ashamed of his errand. But, bracing himself up with the idea that Schwartz, if not the actual criminal,

Starting point is 05:22:51 yet knew something about the crime, he managed to appear sufficiently stern. To the Germans eager inquiries about Hilda's health and Hilda's eyesight, he gave brief and monosyllabic replies. At last, Schwartz was forced to take notice of his visitor's unfriendly attitude. "'What is not right, doctor?' he asked anxiously. ellis glanced round to see that the door was closed and cleared his throat mr schwartz he said in low tones i have come to see you about a very unpleasant business the german turned paler even than he was and his hand shook as he tried to light a cigar ah is that so it is about moxton's murder well well what about ze murder queried schwartz impatiently i should rather put that question to you schwartz why was moxton murdered or rather why was he got out of the way instead of answering his question schwartz in a tremor of nervous excitement rose and locked the door can you speak german he asked in his own tongue on returning to his seat a little i can speak it slowly

Starting point is 05:23:57 then put your questions in that language said Schwartz savagely i can see that you have come to accuse me of being mixed up in this crime was it for this purpose you called it in my house you forget i called that you request to see miss Garrett schwartz sighed ah the little hilda he said in english then slipping back into his own tongue he demanded what Ellis wished to know i wish to know if you can tell me the reason Moxton was murdered said Ellis slowly in German no i cannot i know nothing about it and i must tell you that is i must refresh your memory moxton was murdered by a man who wished to obtain possession of a forged bill the german bit his cigar through and a portion fell on the floor i know nothing of any forged bill he said angrily that bill resumed ellis calmly was placed by moxton in a red pocket-book here schwartz started and groaned zirchnitz saw him put it there when the close of the corpse were examined that pocket-book was missing and strange to say mr schwartz it was found a day in your desk at garter cottage in my desk gasped the man who who found it there miss gordon for a jest miss garret opened all the drawers of your desk because you were foolish enough to leave your keys behind miss gordon closed them again in the lowest drawer she saw and recognized the pocket book of her brother-in-law. That book is now in her possession, or rather in mine, as she gave it to me. There was silence for a few moments, and Schwartz breathed heavily.

Starting point is 05:25:36 "'What do you want me to do?' he said sullenly. "'Confess your guilt.' "'And if I do, what then?' "'Then you must write out and sign a confession as to how you killed Edgar Moxton and why.' "'To hang myself, I suppose,' said Schwartz, who was growing alarmingly red in the face. no miss gordon is too much indebted to you to wish for your death write the confession and then fly from england thus mrs moxton will be exonerated and you will be safe ah it is good of janet said schwartz thickly it is it is ah ah he tried to rise from his seat but suddenly gave a choking cry and fell back purple in the face with staring eyes and foam on his lips ellis rapidly unloosened the old man's cravat tore off his collar and threw open the door come here some one he cried her schwartz is in a fit end of chapter twenty three read by don w jenkins rancho san diego california chapter twenty four of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume this librivox recording is in the public domain recording by don w jenkins chapter twenty four the truth

Starting point is 05:26:57 when schwartz recovered from the fit he was taken home in a cab and for the time being ellis saw no more of him he was really puzzled how to act for the man was evidently guilty as he had not denied the crime for the sake of janet who had received benefits at the hands of schwartz the doctor did not wish to denounce him to the police if he left behind him a written confession exonerating mrs moxton ellis was quite content that he should seek safety and flight certainly he had murdered a man and although his victim was a worthless scoundrel still there was no excuse to be made for so highness a crime but would hanging schwartz do any good ellis thought not neither did cass nor janet if it was busham said harry i would see him swing with the greatest pleasure for he is a thoroughly bad luck but schwartz has so many good qualities that i should like to give him a chance of repentance and the crime was not committed deliberately chimed in janet i feel sure that mr schwartz did not come to duke's field with the intention of murdering edgar no doubt he wanted that forged bill and hoped to rob edgar while he was drunk it was seeing the carving-knife in noir's hand which made him a criminal temptation was put in his way and he snatched at it almost without thinking under those circumstances and because he has been kind to me i should like him to escape he can take his own chance of that said ellis but to counterplot busham it is necessary to get a full confession from schwartz but he may go away without making any confession bob i don't think so not until he has an absolute peril of his life will he leave his idol hilda besides i called at gerta cottage and he is still ill after his fit

Starting point is 05:28:49 did you see him doctor no he refused to see me being engaged with garret but i saw hilda and she is lamenting your absence miss gordon i cannot go round to the cottage now said janet with a mournful shake of her head mr schwartz thinks that i have been a spy and ungrateful indeed you wrong him said ellis quickly he was much touched when i told him that you did not wish the police to be told he would have said more about it only he fell into the fit this conversation took place in ellis's sitting-room on the evening of the day following janet's discovery of the pocket-book schwartz was still ill and as ellis said would see no one the three cass ellis and janet were now anxiously discussing what was best to be done they wanted to thwart busham to save mrs moxton and to spare schwartz but none of these three things were easy to do since alice had given his ultimatum to the lawyer nothing had been heard from escher lane janet was inclined to think that busham afraid of being implicated in the crime had fled but cass and ellis were satisfied that the man with his grasping foxy intriguing nature would stay and face the matter until his personal safety was compromised. While they were discussing this point, the door opened abruptly, and Busham himself entered the room.

Starting point is 05:30:15 It was a case of talk of the devil, and you will see his hoof. The trio were completely taken by surprise at his unlooked-for appearance, and his insolent entry. He-he! Sniggered Busham, who had all his natural impudence about him. I just looked in to see Dr. Ellis. and i find company how do you do miss gordon or mrs moxton which i am janet gordon mr busham i think you know that indeed i do not dear lady you are one of the twins remember a kind of double-faced female janus cease your insolence man said alice angrily and tell me how dare you walk into my room without knocking oh i informed your landlady that i was an old friend of yours so she let me pass she looks a fool doctor you don't offer me a seat well i will anticipate your hospitality and take one and who is this gentleman

Starting point is 05:31:12 my name is cass i'm a journalist said harry enraged at the man's impudence what the deuce do you come here for not to see you my dear sir my business is with dr ellis and possibly with miss gordon have you come to confess asked janet quietly confess i have nothing to confess i came here to make a proposal ellis shrugged his shoulders you have brass enough for anything i think said he well mr busham what is your proposal let mrs moxton surrender all my uncle's property to me now that edgar is dead i am his rightful heir being his nephew and nearest of kin i destroyed the will i don't mind admitting it because mrs moxton is in my power and it is my place to make terms not to be dictated to well then as the will is burnt i take a portion of the property as next of kin but that will not satisfy me i mean the whole and cried busham in a threatening tone i mean to have it what a modest demand jeered cast and if mrs moxton surrenders her property as you wish what then i shall tell you who killed moxton oh you need not look at me as though i was an accessory before the fact i did not see the deed done i knew nothing about it at the time but by putting this and that together in a way sneered busham which you are all too ignorant to understand i have a knowledge of who killed edgar and why he was killed don't mistake me i hold all the threads of this case if i get my price i shall save mrs moxton by revealing the name of the murderer. Should she refuse my just demand? I shall denounce her to the police

Starting point is 05:33:00 and let justice take its course. Justice, echoed Janet with a scorn, and by your own showing my unhappy sister is innocent. I know that, retorted Busham with an ugly look, and I can prove her innocence. No one else can. There was silence for a few minutes, and then Ellis spoke quietly and to the point. Do you know, Busham, that I feel very much inclined to kick you said he you are proposing blackmail call it what you like but give me my price for what for information which we know already busham started from his seat in nervous haste you know already yes do you think mr cass and i have been idle all this time though we have not strained every nerve to baffle a scoundrel like you and protect two innocent women from your blackmail you are a little late mr busham we know who killed moxton you you know stammered the scoundrel white to the lips yes we know and we have discovered the reason why moxton was killed surely you have forgotten our talk about the forged bill before the end of the present week the murderer will have confessed mrs moxton will be exonerated from all complicity in her husband's death and you mr busham well i don't know about you but from what i guess of your share in this tragedy you will be in jail i had nothing to do with it who killed moxton oh laughed cass delighted at the confusion of busham as you know there is no need to tell you the name the baffled liar looked in turn at each of the scornful faces then he rose in a hurry

Starting point is 05:34:39 this is a game of bluff he cried savagely you do not know who murdered edgar and you are trying to get my secret from me without paying for it oh i know you all i can see through you it does you credit said janet contemptuously sneer and cheer as much as you like madam you will not look so merry when your sister is in prison on a charge of murder which she will never be put in ellis we shall see we shall see you think yourself a clever man doctor do you not but i am cleverer oh you don't know what i am you gave me five days to confess as you call it or else threatened to put the matter into the hands of the police the five days are up quite so said ellis smoothly and as you won't hear reason i shall see the police to-morrow i dare you too i dare you too foamed busham who had completely lost his temper i get my price or mrs moxton goes to jail you shall not get your price rocuck cass as furious as busham you will not get one penny of the property shall i not aha you don't know that edgar's will is burnt that is where you are wrong my friend said Ellis calmly. You burnt a copy. The original will given to me by Miss Gordon is in my possession. Buscham stared so wildly that for a moment or so the others thought he was about to have a fit like Schwartz. Ellis snatched up a glass of water on the table and dashed it in the man's face.

Starting point is 05:36:07 The shock brought him round a trifle, but he seemed indisposed to speak further. With the knowledge that his intrigues had proved useless came a collapse of his courage and insolence. With a kind of sob he staggered blindly towards the door and out of the room. Ellis at the window saw him running down the road, reeling from side to side like a drunken man. Busham's nerve was broken. He did not even attempt to question Ellis as to the truth of his statement about the will. Instinctively he knew that the game was up and that all his schemes had recoiled on himself. Never was there so complete a fall, so deserved a punishment. he will tell the police about laura cried miss gordon nervously let him said cass we will have that confession out of schwartz to-morrow and your sister will be proved innocent and when that confession is read miss gordon i shall not wonder if there was sufficient in it to warrant busham's arrest

Starting point is 05:37:02 there added cass pointing to busham's disappearing form that is the last we shall see of him and as subsequent events proved he was a true prophet but the danger was not yet over it was just possible that out of revenge at the failure of his plans busham might denounce laura to the police the only way to prove her innocence would be to get a confession from schwartz ellis took the night to consider this question and next day called at ghett to college between eleven and twelve o'clock he sent in his name but quite expected that schwartz would refuse to see him to his secret surprise he was admitted at once and conducted into the study here he found the german clothed in a loose dressing-gown and seated at the desk schwartz looked terribly ill he had aged considerably since ellis had seen him his cheeks had fallen in his forehead was wrinkled and his eyes had lost their usual genial twinkle with bowed shoulders he sat huddled up in his chair and without offering his hand to the doctor nodded to a seat i'm sorry i could not see you yesterday doctor said schwartz in a faint voice i was very ill and i had much to do but i wish to have some conversation with you to-day if you had not come i should have sent for you ellis replied in the german tongue which schwartz evidently for the sake of secrecy was using you intend to confess then ah then you are certain that i am guilty you must be the pocket-book of the murdered man was found in that desk and we knew it was taken from the dead body the other night when i accused you you did not deny the charge i had no time doctor but i deny it now you say that you are innocent said ellis scarcely believing his ears

Starting point is 05:38:51 perfectly innocent here is the confession of the guilty person and schwartz unlocking a drawer took out two or three sheets of foolscap pinned together and covered with writing this is the confession he said signed and witnessed the confession of busham ah no the confession of the man who murdered moxton my friend hilda's father captain garrett Rancho San Diego, California. Chapter 25 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This the Brabock's recording is in the public domain. Recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 25. A confession.

Starting point is 05:39:46 Do you mean to say that Captain Garrett murdered Moxton? Asked Ellis, in amazement, looking from the confession to Schwartz. In his excitement, he had reverted to English. hush hush replied swarks with an apprehensive look round speak in my language doctor yes garrett is the criminal i have known it for some time ever since i found the pocket-book and yesterday on seeing in what a very dangerous position i was placed i insisted that he should write out a confession of the truth there it is doctor and a great deal of money it has cost me and garret where's garret on the continent by this time he left victoria by the club train last night. I have seen the last of him, said Schwartz with a sigh, and I am glad of it. But Hilda? Ah, poor girl, she thinks that her father has gone away for pleasure. I dare not tell her the truth, but in time I may do so, and then she will be content to stay with old Papa Schwartz

Starting point is 05:40:46 who loves her. It is most extraordinary, murmured Alice, turning over the leaves of the foolscap. I suspected many people, yourself included, but I never thought for it. for a moment, Garrett was guilty. How did it come about? To tell you that, Doctor, I must relate a little of my own history, said Schwartz, reaching for the cigar box. First I will tell you about myself and Garrett, and then you can read what he says of the crime in that paper. Will you not take a cigar? Thank you, said Ellis, and accepted this attention. Now that he knew Schwartz was innocent, he had no objection to being friendly with him. Indeed, he was pleased to think that the

Starting point is 05:41:25 german was guiltless as he ever thought the man a decent fellow in many ways they began to smoke and schwartz still speaking in german in case of eaves dropping related such portions of his early history as dealt with captain garrett and his daughter ten years ago i met with garret near monte carlo said schwartz his wife had died and he wandered about with little hilda then only six years old garret had started life as an officer in your army with money and a well-known name for that which he bears now is not his true name he married an heiress and for years was comfortably settled unfortunately he took to gambling and lost everything having been discovered cheating at cards he was dismissed from your army then his wife died and his house was sold up to pay his debts he took the child and escaped to the continent but his love of gambling still clung to him he took up his quarters in a cheap boarding-house in monaco and haunted the tables the child hilda blind and helpless was left to a careless nurse i was hard up myself then doctor and also lived in that boarding-house i saw hilda and my heart melted she was a dear little child and became fond of me so that in time I came to look upon her as my own daughter. You are a good fellow, Schwartz. Ah, no, my friend.

Starting point is 05:42:48 I am as bad as most people, but I never married. I was a lonely man with much sentiment and emotion. Hilda loved me. She warmed my heart. I saw that she was neglected by her father, and I determined to look after her, poor dear, to make her happy.

Starting point is 05:43:04 I think you have succeeded. I think so, too, yet she loves her father better than me. He was never kind to her, in a careless way. It was always so. Hilda thinks Gareth the best of men, and I have not the heart to tell her how worthless he is. Believe me, my friend, I was never blind to Gareth's badness. What I did for him I did for the little Hilda's sake. Gareth met me at the boarding-house and told me his history. I offered to give him money if he would let me adopt Hilda, but seeing that my heart

Starting point is 05:43:35 was touched, he cunningly refused. I could not part with the child, so I had to take the burden of Garrett's life on my shoulders. I said that I would help him and look after him if he was kind to little Hilda. He consented, and we have been together since. Did Garrett ever make any money? No, he was always idle and wasted everything. Sometimes he won money and spent it on himself, but I had to keep both him and Hilda. It was for her sake that I did so, for otherwise Garrett would have taken her away from me,

Starting point is 05:44:07 and that, added Schwartz with emotion, would have broken. my heart. Why did you not tell Hilda all this? Why should I have done so? replied the good German with great simplicity. It would have broken the child's heart. It would spoil her life, did I tell her now. Poor Hilda, she has enough to bear without my making her wretched.

Starting point is 05:44:29 It is my wish that she should be happy. She is the dearest thing on earth to me. Without that lovely child, I would die. I am glad you have some comfort and reward, said Ellis, touched by this speech. So Garrett, through Hilda, has lived on your money all these years? Yes! Oh, I was quite willing so long as he left me the child. I need not tell you all the troubles I have had these many years, Doctor. I made money, I lost money, I was poor one year, rich another.

Starting point is 05:44:58 But through my fortunes, Hilda has been with me, Garrett also. Three years ago I came to London, and after several failures I started the Merriman Music Hall. It has been a success, and now I am rich. i have settled much money on hilda also this cottage even if i die she will be well off if you died her father would return and rob her i often dreaded that but now my fears are at rest while this confession remains with you doctor i am not afraid garrett admits that he is a murderer so for his own sake he will never return to england now i have told you all i know about garret which brings us up to the time of the murder the rest you can read in those papers i shall do so later replied ellis glancing at the confession and putting it into his pocket but you might tell me the story in your own way what was the reason of the tragedy the forged bill you spoke of the other night who forged the bill garret i refused to give him any more money as he was squandering all i had he was acquainted with young moxton and knew how rich the elder moxton was edgar showed garret a letter from his father so garret forged the old man's signature on a bill he accepted it himself and managed to get money on it of course he thought that if he were discovered i would buy back the bill at any price so that he would not be disgraced he counted on my love for hilda you see

Starting point is 05:46:25 and how was the forgery discovered old moxton found it out just before he died he passed the bill on to busham as his lawyer to take steps to arrest garrett busham did not do anything at the moment then old moxton died in that same night busham brought the bill to edgar at my music-hall ah then in spite of his denial he met edgar on that night garrett told me so replied schwartz i knew very little of edgar moxton save that he was a bad man bushham gave him the bill for edgar on hearing of his father's death insisted upon having it but did he know that the bill was in existence bushham told him about it what edgar inquired after the estates he did not care at all about his father's death he wanted the money and although he was now rich he still wished for more janet gordon had told him how i looked after garret on hilda's account and he knew of course that the music-hall was my property he then followed garret into my room where i was and showing him the bill accused him of the forgery i saw him replace the bill in the red pocket-book and put that in his pocket garret also saw in which pocket he placed it what did moxton want the music hall he had been drinking and was so intoxicated by the money that had come to him he said that if i did not give him the music-hall and make it over legally to him he would have garret arrested what did you do how did you answer the scoundrel asked ellis i refused replied schwartz with energy i had done much for garrett but even for hilda's sake i could not beggar her and myself by giving up my property garret insisted that i should save him at any cost but i said i could do nothing and moxton went away swearing that he would have garret arrested on the morrow and garret finding that i would do nothing he rushed away distracted what i now tell you he told me afterwards by accident he took my furlough

Starting point is 05:48:25 coat and put it on leaving his own behind then he followed edgar home in the hope of robbing him of the bill while he was drunk he saw zirchnitz quarrel with edgar on the dukesfield platform and kept out of the way then he followed moxton when he left the station busham followed also yes but he did not let garret see him busham wished to get back the bill himself as he wanted to keep all power in his own hands that was why he followed edgar from the music-hall on seeing garret he wondered what he was after and watched oh said ellis so this was what busham did his talk with the policeman in pursuit of mrs moxton the pimlico was all lies i don't know about those things doctor garrett followed edgar to the gate of myrtle villa when he saw the door open and mrs moxton rush out with a carving-knife moxton began to struggle with her at the gate she held the knife over him i don't know why she did not wish to hurt him one. Gareth saw the knife flash in the moonlight, so he ran along and seizing it stabbed Moxton in the back. He fell with a cry, and Mrs. Moxton under him. Garrett ran away but returned to find Edgar dead and Mrs. Moxton in a faint. That must have been the time when Edgar wrote the blood signs. Yes, no doubt. Well, Garrett searched for the pocketbook and found it.

Starting point is 05:49:48 He threw the knife beside the corpse, thinking it would be said that Mrs. Moxton had killed her husband then hearing footsteps approaching he went away quickly that must have been miss gordon she returned for her purse and on finding what had happened remained to shield her sister brave woman ah my friend that is so janet is both brave and good but to continue garrett went into a quiet part of dukesfield and took the bill out of the pocket-book as he was burning it for he destroyed it at once by setting light to it with a match busham came up and accused him of the murder. Did Busham see it committed? He did. He followed Garrett and, hidden in the shade, saw him stab Moxton, but he

Starting point is 05:50:32 promised to hold his tongue about it, provided he got Moxton's money. Garrett was relieved by this promise and putting the pocketbook into the pocket of my coat which he wore, he returned to Gertt's cottage. To confess his crime? No, he said nothing,

Starting point is 05:50:48 and even though I heard of Edgar's death, I did not think that Garrett had killed him. but when i put on my coat one evening i found the pocket-book and recognized it as edgar's i then accused garrett of the murder and he told me all i have told you i held my tongue for hilda's sake and as busham was hoping to get the money by accusing mrs moxton of the crime he was silent too i placed the pocket-book in my desk where janet found it i should have destroyed it but i thought no one would open my desk hilda by her folly has ruined her father but i shall not make her heart-ache by telling her so what did you say to garrett i told him that you had the pocket-book and accused me of the crime i refused to suffer for his sake and made him write out the confession which is witnessed by myself and two servants but they do not know the content I threatened to hand Garrett over to the police if he did not tell the truth, as I wished to save myself in Hilda. Then I gave him some money and told him to go away and never let me see him again. He wanted to take Hilda, but I gave him the choice of leaving her with me or suffering for this crime.

Starting point is 05:51:59 In the end, he went away last night, so that is all I can tell you. I think you are well rid of a bad lot, Herr Schwartz. I think so, too, replied the German. I never liked him, but for the sake of Hilda I tolerated him. I will not tell her the truth, but as Garrett is away and will remain away, I have no doubt I can explain sufficient to reconcile her to his absence. So I have my Hilda to myself at last, Doctor, and thank God for that. End of Chapter 25, read by Don W. Jenkins, Rancho San Diego, California.

Starting point is 05:52:34 Chapter 26 of the Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume. This Libervox recording is in the public domain, recording by Don W. Jenkins. Chapter 26, the end of the story. So in this way the truth was discovered, and Ellis returned to show the confession of Captain Garrett to Mrs. Moxton. Laura was so overcome that her innocence was proved, her dread was removed, that she fainted during the recital. While Ellis and Janet were looking after her, Cass arrived.

Starting point is 05:53:17 Mrs. Moxton recovered her senses and retired to lie down, while Harry, having read the confession, discussed what was to be done with it. If you show it to the police, I'm afraid Schwartz will get into trouble as he has permitted a criminal to escape. That is true enough, replied Ellis. For my part, now that we have absolute proof of Mrs. Moxton's innocence, I don't think it is necessary to make the matter public. Mr. Busham may do so out of revenge, said Janet.

Starting point is 05:53:46 Don't you believe it, Miss Gordon? Busham, by the showing of this confession, knew all about the crime. He saw it committed, he tampered with Garrett, and held his tongue in order to secure Moxton's money. On the face of it, he is an accessory after the fact, and terrified by the fear of punishment, will keep silence. Besides, even if he does speak, we can first warn Schwarzschwe. to leave england and then inform the police busham does not know and never will know that schwartz has been implicated in garret's escape what harry says is very true chimed din ellis i think all danger is over

Starting point is 05:54:23 thank god for that cried janet clasping her hands how terrible these past months have been you will have no more trouble if i can help it said the doctor taking her hand what i said when i believed you to be mrs moxton i say now and i ask you to be my honoured wife janet sobbed you forget i have a shady past a noble past you have been tested in the furnace of affliction and have come out pure gold i sold programmes at a low musical my dearest i know all you have done and how good you have been as my wife i hope you will find that happiness which has been denied to you for so long you love me janet do you not yes i love you because you believed in me when no one else did harry laughed in a somewhat shamefaced manner is that meant for me miss gordon if so i recant my former errors i think you are the noblest of women and i congratulate my congratulate bob on getting such a wife hello harry i thought you did not want me to marry janet now i do because i know the truth bless you my children and let me be your best man there is one thing to be said observed ellis uneasily janet cannot marry me here where she is known as mrs moxton mrs basket may make trouble and i cannot afford to give up my practice such as it is leave that to me said janet nodding my sister laura owes you everything and when she gets her fortune she will give you enough money to buy a practice far away from mrs basket and this horrid little place i am sure i do not wish to live in this district after what i have undergone when i leave myrtle villa i leave dukesfield forever but janet i don't like taking money from mrs moxton why not because it is red money red money repeated cass struck by the phrase and what is

Starting point is 05:56:20 red money." Ah, said Janet, smiling, then there is something you don't know of which I am aware. Red money is a term given by gypsies to that which comes by a violent death. My sister inherits her fortune through the murder of her husband. Therefore, according to Romany lore, it is red money. But if Robert will not take the money from Laura, she shall give it to me. She owes me something, I think." She owes you everything, my dearest, said Elis.

Starting point is 05:56:50 ellis, kissing her, and you will do what you please. Oh, by the way, cried Cass suddenly. I thought I had something to tell you. Schwartz has given up his secret gambling salon. Did it ever exist? asked Ellis, skeptically. Yes, replied Janet blushing. I never saw it, but in one way and another I heard of it. Often and often I implored Papa Schwartz to give it up,

Starting point is 05:57:15 telling him he would get into trouble. Well, he has given it up at last. that appears that the police got to know of it and contemplated a raid. So Schwartz shut it up a few nights ago, and I rather think he is going to give up the hall itself. A very wise thing for him to do, said Ellis approvingly. He has made a sufficient fortune. He told me so, therefore he can retire and live happily with his beloved Hilda.

Starting point is 05:57:41 And what about Hilda's eyes, Robert? I think I can cure them by an operation. I am sure you can do anything, said Janet. fervently. But in this, Janet was wrong. Ellis did perform an operation, but it failed principally because Hilda, fretting after her father, could not be kept in a serene frame of mind during recovery. But the cure mattered little, for shortly there came news from Madrid that Garrett had been stabbed in a gambling-house row. By the irony of fate he met with the same death as he meted out to Moxton, and Hilda wept so much that her chance of recovering sight was irrevocably gone.

Starting point is 05:58:20 On hearing of Garrett's death and being set free from a dread that Hilda would be taken from him, Schwartz went to reside in Munich. He sold the music hall in the cottage, invested his money well, and with Hilda he now lives a calm and happy life in the German Athens. And in spite of his late business of a gambling housekeeper, and the many flaws in his character, Schwartz deserved to be happy. He rescued the blind girl from a life of misery. He bore the burdens of her rascally father,

Starting point is 05:58:50 and he made her happy. Under the tender care of Schwartz, Hilda forgot her sorrow. She never knew that her father was a murderer, and always thought of him with tender affection as the best and most unfortunate of men. Schwartz did not disturb this impression, knowing that Garrett was not the first sinner

Starting point is 05:59:08 who had been wrongly canonized as a saint. All the good German desired was the happiness of his beloved Hilda, and in securing it he thoroughly succeeded. That was his reward, and so he passes out of the story. Janet never did have much belief in Laura's gratitude and said as much to Ellis.

Starting point is 05:59:27 Her belief came true, for when Laura, relieved from her terrors, blossomed into a wealthy young widow on her father-in-law's money, she forgot all that her sister had done and sacrificed for her. It was no easy task to settle the estate, for when Busham was informed by letter

Starting point is 05:59:43 that Garrett had confessed, he was seized with panic and went to the states. But he did not go away empty-handed. That was not Mr. Busham's way of doing things. Already he had ample money, but he managed also to secure a good deal of loose cash, which belonged to the Moxton estate, and left behind him an insulting letter to Ellis.

Starting point is 06:00:04 In America, Busham changed his name, but his wickedness was born in him he could not change his nature. What became of him Ellis never heard. He vanished into the vast unknown of the states, but having regard to the money, he took with him, and his known capabilities of screwing it out of others, it is quite possible that he is flourishing at present like a green bay tree.

Starting point is 06:00:27 The wicked are not always punished in this world, and Busham's escape is an illustration of this fact. Still his inherent rascality may someday bring him before Mr. Justice Lynch, and he may end as he deserves. Dr. Ellis worked loyally to put Mrs. Moxton's affairs in order, and received from her the same gratitude as she, she gave to Janet. For very shame's sake, she was obliged to give her sister a sum of money in compensation

Starting point is 06:00:55 for all she had done. Alice did not wish to take a sum so grudgingly given, but Janet looked upon it as her right and took it without false shame. She was as disgusted with Laura as with Rudolph, and was glad to see the last of them. All her years of self-sacrifice and work were as nothing in their eyes, and now that Janet had found a good husband, she thought it was only right. to look after her own happiness. A few months after the discovery of Garrett's guilt,

Starting point is 06:01:24 she was married quietly to Ellis in a Hampstead church, and afterwards departed with him to a country town where Ellis, with Mrs. Moxton's money, bought a practice. Neither Laura nor Rudolph came to the wedding as they had already gone to the continent. After he had confessed his traitorous behavior, Rudolph called on Janet and tried to cajole her into forgiving him. But she was so disgusted with him that she was so disgusted with him

Starting point is 06:01:48 that she refused to have anything more to do with the rascal he was more successful with laura and as she was now rich he paid great attention to her notwithstanding her knowledge of his contemptible character laura went abroad with him and kept him in idleness with her wealth the pair travelled to vienna and there lived as happily as a memory of the terrible past would let them this means that they had not a care in the world for both their natures were too frivolous to be impressed by the perils they had escaped so like busham they flourished also and deserved their immunity from punishment as little mrs basket lamented bitterly when she lost her lodger and tried to find out why and where he was going but ellis having had experience of his fat landlady's malignity refused to gratify her curiosity. Also, he wished to cut himself and Janet off from the old life of trouble at Dukesfield, and so vanished from Mrs. Baskett's gaze. Cass remained with her for a time, and as his circumstances improved, he decided to move into town and took Chambers and St. Clement's Inn. In this way, and in a few years, all the actors of the Moxton tragedy disappeared from Dukesfield, and no reminder was left of it, but the tombstone erected over the wretched man's grave by Laura.

Starting point is 06:03:08 The inscription erected by his sorrowful wife was rather ironical when it was considered how Laura hated the man she thus honored. But Laura was fond of posing as a disconsolate widow. She thought it attracted the man. A year after the tragedy, Harry Cass paid a visit to the country town where Ellis lived, and in which his practice was rapidly increasing. He possessed a charming, on the outskirts of the old town he had set up a carriage and possessed a good hack aided by janet's good sense and strict notions of an economy instilled by poverty the sum of money grudgingly given by laura had done wonders and dr ellis started his new life on an excellent basis

Starting point is 06:03:51 he was not a great position but he was clever and also popular the ladies in the neighborhood called on mrs ellis and found her charming for janet's life and travels and experience led her to adapt herself skillfully to the provincial narrowness of these good people she was quite as popular as her husband and in time there is no doubt that ellis will become the most sought-after physician in the county but harley street bob urged harry as he sat with husband and wife in the garden after dinner what about harley street that must wait left ellis and if it does not come i really don't care do you remember my expressed wishes harry on my on the night moxton was killed a good practice a moderate income a home and a wife to love me well i have got the whole four and that is better luck than falls to the lot of most men i am quite content to stay here and be happy and you mrs ellis after your stormy early life i am content to remain in this haven smiled janet i have a good home and a loving husband what more can a woman want e gad some women want a sight more your story is not known here no replied ellis promptly janet and i have cut ourselves off completely from the past we never think of it except when we are obliged said mrs ellis i received a letter from laura the other day she is going to be married to an austrian officer a young count who is deeply in love with her hmm or with her money said cass however if she buys a title in that way i suppose she will be satisfied and her husband has only been dead a year she is soon consoled i hope she will have better luck with her second husband than she had with her first and zirchnitz

Starting point is 06:05:40 he is in italy in attendance on an american heiress oh poor he will marry her and spend her money laura says nothing about the marriage but it will take place all the same said cass promptly zirknits is the most fascinating scoundrel i ever met even though a woman knew he was a scamp she would love him oh he'll marry money and be rich and having no heart be as happy as the day is long but edgar never liked him i know that elsie would not have accused him of being his murderer as to that said ellis musingly i can never quite understand moxton's reason if he did not wish to harm zirtenitz why did he write the initials of his name at all if he did why put them in a secret writing known only to his wife and janet janet shook her head i think at the last he had some compunction for the way in which he had treated laura he believed that zirchnitz had killed him and wished to give laura power over him lest he should take her money that is not a very satisfactory explanation said cass with a shrug but i suppose no other can be given at all events zirknits did get some of laura's money red money said mrs ellis with a shudder the money of violence well red money has done a lot for me said the doctor putting his armor on his wife's waist it has given me this ease and you not me robert i came to you of my own accord dearest and best of women said ellis and kissed her fondly end of chapter twenty six end of the crimson cryptogram by fergus hume

Classic Audiobook Collection - The Crimson Cryptogram by Fergus Hume ~ Full Audiobook [mystery]

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