“Well, maybe so,” said the millionaire, though for a momentthe reproof had brought the old angry gleam into his eyes. “I’mnot pretending to be any better than I am. I guess all my life I’vebeen a man that reached out his hand for what he wanted, and Inever wanted anything more than the love and possession of thatwoman. I told her so.”
“Oh, you did, did you?”
Holmes could look very formidable when he was moved.
“I said to her that if I could marry her I would, but that it wasout of my power. I said that money was no object and that all Icould do to make her happy and comfortable would be done.”
“Very generous, I am sure,” said Holmes with a sneer.
“See here, Mr. Holmes. I came to you on a question of evidence,not on a question of morals. I’m not asking for your criticism.”
“It is only for the young lady’s sake that I touch your case at all,”
said Holmes sternly. “I don’t know that anything she is accusedof is really worse than what you have yourself admitted, that youhave tried to ruin a defenceless girl who was under your roof.
Some of you rich men have to be taught that all the world cannotbe bribed into condoning your offences.”
To my surprise the Gold King took the reproof with equanimity.
“That’s how I feel myself about it now. I thank God that myplans did not work out as I intended. She would have none of it,and she wanted to leave the house instantly.”
“Why did she not?”
“Well, in the first place, others were dependent upon her, andit was no light matter for her to let them all down by sacrificingher living. When I had sworn—as I did—that she should never bemolested again, she consented to remain. But there was anotherreason. She knew the influence she had over me, and that it wasstronger than any other influence in the world. She wanted to useit for good.”
“How?”
“Well, she knew something of my affairs. They are large, Mr. Holmes—large beyond the belief of an ordinary man. I can makeor break—and it is usually break. It wasn’t individuals only. It wascommunities, cities, even nations. Business is a hard game, and theweak go to the wall. I played the game for all it was worth. I neversquealed myself, and I never cared if the other fellow squealed. Butshe saw it different. I guess she was right. She believed and saidthat a fortune for one man that was more than he needed shouldnot be built on ten thousand ruined men who were left withoutthe means of life. That was how she saw it, and I guess she couldsee past the dollars to something that was more lasting. She foundthat I listened to what she said, and she believed she was servingthe world by influencing my actions. So she stayed—and then thiscame along.”
“Can you throw any light upon that?”
The Gold King paused for a minute or more, his head sunk inhis hands, lost in deep thought.
“It’s very black against her. I can’t deny that. And women leadan inward life and may do things beyond the judgment of a man.
At first I was so rattled and taken aback that I was ready to thinkshe had been led away in some extraordinary fashion that wasclean against her usual nature. One explanation came into myhead. I give it to you, Mr. Holmes, for what it is worth. There isno doubt that my wife was bitterly jealous. There is a soul-jealousythat can be as frantic as any body-jealousy, and though my wifehad no cause—and I think she understood this—for the latter,she was aware that this English girl exerted an influence upon mymind and my acts that she herself never had. It was an influencefor good, but that did not mend the matter. She was crazy withhatred and the heat of the Amazon was always in her blood. Shemight have planned to murder Miss Dunbar—or we will say tothreaten her with a gun and so frighten her into leaving us. Thenthere might have been a scuffle and the gun gone off and shot thewoman who held it.”
“That possibility had already occurred to me,” said Holmes.
“Indeed, it is the only obvious alternative to deliberate murder.”
“But she utterly denies it.”
“Well, that is not final—is it? One can understand that awoman placed in so awful a position might hurry home still inher bewilderment holding the revolver. She might even throw itdown among her clothes, hardly knowing what she was doing,and when it was found she might try to lie her way out by a totaldenial, since all explanation was impossible. What is against such asupposition?”
“Miss Dunbar herself.”
“Well, perhaps.”
Holmes looked at his watch. “I have no doubt we can get thenecessary permits this morning and reach Winchester by theevening train. When I have seen this young lady it is very possiblethat I may be of more use to you in the matter, though I cannotpromise that my conclusions will necessarily be such as youdesire.”
There was some delay in the official pass, and instead ofreaching Winchester that day we went down to Thor Place, theHampshire estate of Mr. Neil Gibson. He did not accompany ushimself, but we had the address of Sergeant Coventry, of the localpolice, who had first examined into the affair. He was a tall, thin,cadaverous man, with a secretive and mysterious manner whichconveyed the idea that he knew or suspected a very great dealmore than he dared say. He had a trick, too, of suddenly sinkinghis voice to a whisper as if he had come upon something of vitalimportance, though the information was usually commonplaceenough. Behind these tricks of manner he soon showed himself tobe a decent, honest fellow who was not too proud to admit that hewas out of his depth and would welcome any help.
“Anyhow, I’d rather have you than Scotland Yard, Mr. Holmes,”
said he. “If the Yard gets called into a case, then the local loses allcredit for success and may be blamed for failure. Now, you playstraight, so I’ve heard.”
“I need not appear in the matter at all,” said Holmes to theevident relief of our melancholy acquaintance. “If I can clear it upI don’t ask to have my name mentioned.”
“Well, it’s very handsome of you, I am sure. And your friend,Dr. Watson, can be trusted, I know. Now, Mr. Holmes, as we walkdown to the place there is one question I should like to ask you.
