The Borough Treasurer Read online

  CHAPTER XXVII

  MR. WRAYTHWAITE OF WRAYE

  Had the Mayor of Highmarket, lying there sullen and suspicious, onlyknown what was taking place close to him at that very moment, only knownwhat had been happening in his immediate vicinity during the afternoonand evening, he might have taken some course of action which would haveprevented what was shortly to come. But he knew nothing--except that hewas angry, and full of doubts, and cursed everything and everybody thathad led to this evil turn in his fortunes, and was especially full ofvindictiveness towards the man and woman in the next room, who, as hefelt sure, were trying to take advantage of his present helplessness.And meanwhile, not far away, things were going on--and they had beengoing on all that day since noon.

  Brereton, going away from Highmarket Town Hall after the dramaticdischarge of Cotherstone, was suddenly accosted by a smart-looking youngman whom, at first glance, he knew to be in some way connected with thelaw.

  "Mr. Gifford Brereton?" inquired this stranger. "I have a note for you,sir."

  Brereton took the note and stepped aside into a quiet corner: the youngman followed and stood near. To Brereton's surprise he found himselflooking at a letter in the handwriting of a London solicitor who had twoor three times favoured him with a brief. He hastily glanced through itscontents:--

  "THE DUKE'S HEAD HOTEL" _Norcaster._

  "DEAR MR. BRERETON,--

  "I have just arrived at this place on business which is closely connected with that which you have in hand. I shall be much obliged if you join me here at once, bringing with you the daughter of your client Harborough--it is important that she should accompany you. The bearer will have a car in readiness for you.

  Yours sincerely, "H. C. CARFAX."

  Brereton put the note in his pocket and turned to the messenger.

  "Mr. Carfax wishes me to return with you to Norcaster," he remarked. "Hementions a car."

  "Here, Mr. Brereton--round the corner--a good one, that will run usthere in twenty minutes," replied the messenger.

  "There's a call to make first," said Brereton. He went round the cornerwith his companion and recognized in the chauffeur who waited there aman who had once or twice driven him from Norcaster of late. "Ah!" hesaid, "I daresay you know where Mrs. Northrop lives in this town--upnear the foot of the Shawl? You do?--run us up there, then. Are you oneof Mr. Carfax's clerks?" he asked when he and the messenger had gotinto the car. "Have you come down with him from London?"

  "No, sir--I am a clerk at Willerby & Hargreaves' in Norcaster," repliedthe messenger. "Carfax and Spillington are our London agents. Mr. Carfaxand some other gentlemen came down from town first thing this morning,and Mr. Carfax got me to bring you that note."

  "You don't know what he wants to see me about?" asked Brereton, who wasalready curious to the point of eagerness.

  "Well, sir, I have a pretty good idea," answered the clerk, with asmile, "but I think Mr. Carfax would rather tell you everything himself.We shall soon be there, Mr. Brereton--if the young lady doesn't keepus."

  Brereton ran into Northrop's house and carried Avice off with scantceremony.

  "This, of course, has something to do with your father's case," he said,as he led her down to the car. "It may be--but no, we won't anticipate!Only--I'm certain things are going to right themselves. Now then!" hecalled to the driver as they joined the clerk. "Get along to Norcasteras fast as you can."

  Within half an hour the car stopped at the old-fashioned gateway of theDuke's Head in Norcaster market-place, and the clerk immediately led histwo companions into the hotel and upstairs to a private sitting-room, atthe door of which he knocked. A voice bade him enter; he threw the dooropen and announced the visitors.

  "Miss Harborough--Mr. Brereton, Mr. Carfax," he said.

  Brereton glanced sharply at the men who stood in the room, evidentlyexpectant of his and his companion's arrival. Carfax, a short,middle-aged man, quick and bustling in manner, he, of course, knew: theothers were strangers. Two of them Brereton instantly set down asdetectives; there were all the marks and signs of the craft upon them.They stood in a window, whispering together, and at them Brereton gavebut a glance. But at the fourth man, who stood on the hearthrug, helooked long and hard. And his thoughts immediately turned to the nighton which he and Avice had visited the old woman who lived in the lonelyhouse on the moors and to what she had said about a tall man who had metHarborough in her presence--a tall, bearded man. For the man who stoodthere before him, looking at Avice with an interested, somewhat wistfulsmile, was a tall, bearded man--a man past middle age, who looked as ifhe had seen a good deal of the far-off places of the world.

  Carfax had hurried forward, shaken hands with Brereton, and turned toAvice while Brereton was making this rapid inspection.

  "So here you are, Brereton--and this young lady, I suppose, is MissHarborough?" he said, drawing a chair forward. "Glad you've come--and Idaresay you're wondering why you've been sent for? Well--all in goodtime, but first--this gentleman is Mr. John Wraythwaite."

  The big man started forward, shook hands hastily with Brereton, andturned more leisurely to Avice.

  "My dear young lady!" he said. "I--I--the fact is, I'm an old friend ofyour father's, and--and it will be very soon now that he's allright--and all that sort of thing, you know! You don't know me, ofcourse."

  Avice looked up at the big, bearded figure and from it to Brereton.

  "No!" she said. "But--I think it was you who sent that money to Mr.Brereton."

  "Ah! you're anticipating, young lady!" exclaimed Carfax. "Yes--we've alot of talking to do. And we'd better all sit down and do itcomfortably. One moment," he continued, and turned away to the two menin the window, who, after a few words with him, left the room. "Nowthen--we'll do our first part of the business, Brereton!" he went on, asthey all took seats at a table near the fire. "You, of course, don'tknow who this gentleman is?"

  "Not at all," replied Brereton.

  "Very good!" continued Carfax, rubbing his hands as if in enjoyment ofthe situation. "Then you've some interesting facts to hear about him. Tobegin with, he's the man who, when your client, this young lady'sfather, is brought up at these coming Assizes, will prove a complete_alibi_ on his behalf. In other words, he's the man with whom Harboroughwas in company during the evening and the greater part of the night onwhich Kitely was murdered."

  "I thought so," said Brereton. He looked reflectively at Mr.Wraythwaite. "But why did you not come forward at once?" he asked.

  "My advice--my advice!" exclaimed Carfax hastily. "I'm going to explainthe reasons. Now, you won't understand, Brereton, but Miss Harborough, Ithink, will know what I mean, or she'll have some idea, when I say thatthis gentleman is now--now, mind you!--Mr. Wraythwaite of Wraye."

  Avice looked up quickly with evident comprehension, and the solicitornodded.

  "You see--she knows," he went on, turning to Brereton. "At least, thatconveys something to her. But it doesn't to you. Well, my dear sir, ifyou were a native of these parts it would. Wraye is one of the oldestand most historic estates between here and the Tweed--everybody knowsWraye. And everybody knows too that there has been quite a romance aboutWraye for some time--since the last Wraythwaite died, in fact. ThatWraythwaite was a confirmed old bachelor. He lived to a great age--heoutlived all his brothers and sisters, of whom he'd had several. He leftquite a tribe of nephews and nieces, who were distributed all over theworld. Needless to say, there was vast bother and trouble. Finally, oneof the nephews made a strong claim to the estate, as being the eldestknown heir. And he was until recently in good trim for establishing hisclaim, when my client here arrived on the scene. For he is the eldestnephew--he is the rightful heir--and I am thankful to say that--onlywithin this last day or two--his claim has been definitely recognizedand established, and all without li
tigation. Everything," continuedCarfax, again rubbing his hands with great satisfaction, "everything isnow all right, and Mr. Wraythwaite of Wraye will take his proper andrightful place amongst his own people."

  "I'm exceedingly glad to hear it," said Brereton, with a smile at thebig man, who continued to watch Avice as if his thoughts were with herrather than with his solicitor's story. "But--you'll understand that I'dlike to know how all this affects my client?"

  "Ye--yes!" said Mr. Wraythwaite, hastily. "Tell Mr. Brereton,Carfax--never mind me and my affairs--get on to poor Harborough."

  "Your affair and Harborough's are inextricably mixed, my dear sir,"retorted Carfax, good-humouredly. "I'm coming to the mingling of them.Well," he continued, addressing himself again to Brereton. "This is howthings are--or were. I must tell you that the eldest brother of the lateSquire of Wraye married John Harborough's aunt--secretly. They had notbeen married long before the husband emigrated. He went off toAustralia, leaving his wife behind until he had establishedhimself--there had been differences between him and his family, and hewas straitened in means. In his absence our friend here was born--and atthe same time, sad to say, his mother died. The child was brought up byHarborough's mother--Mr. Wraythwaite and Harborough are foster-brothers.It remained in the care of Harborough's mother--who kept the secret ofthe marriage--until it was seven years old. Then, opportunity occurring,it was taken to its father in Australia. The father, MatthewWraythwaite, made a big fortune in Australia, sheep-farming. He nevermarried again, and the fortune, of course, came at his death to hisonly son--our friend. Now, he had been told of the secret marriage ofhis father, but, being possessed of an ample fortune himself, heconcerned himself little about the rest of the old family. However, ayear or so ago, happening to read in the newspapers about the death ofthe old Squire, his uncle, and the difficulty of definitely deciding thereal heirship, he came over to England. But he had no papers relating tohis father's marriage, and he did not know where it had taken place. Atthat time he had not consulted me--in fact, he had consulted no one. Ifhe had consulted me," continued Carfax, with a knowing wink at Brereton,"we should have put him right in a few hours. But he kept offlawyers--and he sought out the only man he could remember--hisfoster-brother, Harborough. And by Harborough's advice, they metsecretly. Harborough did not know where that marriage had takenplace--he had to make inquiries all over this district--he had to searchregisters. Now and then, my client--not my client then, of course--cameto see Harborough; when he did so, he and Harborough met in quietplaces. And on the night on which that man Kitely was murdered,"concluded the solicitor, "Harborough was with my client from nineo'clock until half-past four in the morning, when he parted with himnear Hexendale railway station. Mr. Wraythwaite will swear that."

  "And fortunately, we have some corroboration," observed Brereton, with aglance at Avice, "for whether Mr. Wraythwaite knows it or not, hismeeting with Harborough on the moors that particular night waswitnessed."

  "Capital--capital!" exclaimed Carfax. "By a credible--andcreditable--witness?"

  "An old woman of exceptional character," answered Brereton, "except thatshe indulges herself in a little night-poaching now and then."

  "Ah, well, we needn't tell that when she goes into the witness-box,"said Carfax. "But that's most satisfactory. My dear young lady!" headded, turning to Avice, "your father will be released like--like oneo'clock! And then, I think," he went on bustling round on the new Squireof Wraye, "then, my dear, I think Mr. Wraythwaite here----"

  "Leave that to me, Carfax," interrupted Mr. Wraythwaite, with a nod atAvice. "I'll tell this young lady all about that myself. In themeantime----"

  "Ah, just so!" responded Carfax. "In the meantime, we have something notso interesting or pleasing, but extremely important, to tell Mr.Brereton. Brereton--how are things going? Has any fresh light beenthrown on the Kitely murder? Nothing really certain and definite yousay? Very well, my dear sir--then you will allow me to throw some lighton it!"

  So saying, Carfax rose from his chair, quitted the room--and withinanother minute returned, solemnly escorting the two detectives.