I don't know why
she should have said that, as the Professor often went away
unexpectedly."
"Perhaps she heard rumors in the village and put two and two
together. I cannot tell. Some instinct must have told her. But
I daresay Braddock and his accomplice fled under cover of the
mist and in the small hours of the morning. They must have known
that the confession would bring the officers of the law to this
house."
"I hope they will escape," murmured Lucy.
"Well, I am not sure," said Hope hesitatingly. "Of course, I
should like to avoid a scandal for your sake, and yet it is only
right that the two of them should be punished. Remember, Lucy
dear, how Braddock has acted all along in deceiving us. He knew
all, and yet not one of us suspected him."
While Archie was thus comforting the poor girl, Gartley village
was in an uproar. Everyone was talking about this new crime, and
everyone was wondering who had stabbed the unlucky woman. As yet
the confession of Mrs. Jasher had not been placed in the hands of
the police and everyone was ignorant that Cockatoo was the
criminal who had escaped in the fog. Inspector Date speedily
arrived with his myrmidons on the scene and made the cottage his
headquarters.
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