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Mrs. Bathurst
by
“Then I said–we was right under the lamp by that arch at the end o’ the Gardens where the trams came round–‘Assumin’ murder was done–or attempted murder–I put it to you that you would still be left so badly crippled, as one might say, that your subsequent capture by the police–to ‘oom you would ‘ave to explain–would be largely inevitable.’ ‘That’s better,’ ‘e says, passin’ ‘is hands over his forehead. ‘That’s much better, because,’ he says, ‘do you know, as I am now, Pye, I’m not so sure if I could explain anything much.’ Those were the only particular words I had with ‘im in our walks as I remember.”
“What walks!” said Hooper. “Oh my soul, what walks!”
“They were chronic,” said Pyecroft gravely, “but I didn’t anticipate any danger till the Circus left. Then I anticipated that, bein’ deprived of ‘is stimulant, he might react on me, so to say, with a hatchet. Consequently, after the final performance an’ the ensuin’ wet walk, I kep’ myself aloof from my superior officer on board in the execution of ‘is duty as you might put it. Consequently, I was interested when the sentry informs me while I was passin’ on my lawful occasions that Click had asked to see the captain. As a general rule warrant officers don’t dissipate much of the owner’s time, but Click put in an hour and more be’ind that door. My duties kep’ me within eyeshot of it. Vickery came out first, an’ ‘e actually nodded at me an’ smiled. This knocked me out o’ the boat, because, havin’ seen ‘is face for five consecutive nights, I didn’t anticipate any change there more than a condenser in hell, so to speak. The owner emerged later. His face didn’t read off at all, so I fell back on his cox, ‘oo’d been eight years with him and knew him better than boat signals. Lamson–that was the cox’s name–crossed ‘is bows once or twice at low speeds an’ dropped down to me visibly concerned. ‘He’s shipped ‘is court-martial face,’ says Lamson. ‘Some one’s goin’ to be ‘ung. I’ve never seen that look but once before when they chucked the gun-sights overboard in the Fantastic.’ Throwin’ gun-sights overboard, Mr. Hooper, is the equivalent for mutiny in these degenerate days. It’s done to attract the notice of the authorities an’ the Western Mornin’ News–generally by a stoker. Naturally, word went round the lower deck an’ we had a private over’aul of our little consciences. But, barrin’ a shirt which a second- class stoker said ‘ad walked into ‘is bag from the marines flat by itself, nothin’ vital transpired. The owner went about flyin’ the signal for ‘attend public execution,’ so to say, but there was no corpse at the yardarm. ‘E lunched on the beach an’ ‘e returned with ‘is regulation harbour-routine face about 3 P. M. Thus Lamson lost prestige for raising false alarms. The only person ‘oo might ‘ave connected the epicycloidal gears correctly was one Pyecroft, when he was told that Mr. Vickery would go up country that same evening to take over certain naval ammunition left after the war in Bloemfontein Fort. No details was ordered to accompany Master Vickery. He was told off first person singular–as a unit—by himself.”
The marine whistled penetratingly.
“That’s what I thought,” said Pyecroft. “I went ashore with him in the cutter an’ ‘e asked me to walk through the station. He was clickin’ audibly, but otherwise seemed happy-ish.
“‘You might like to know,’ he says, stoppin’ just opposite the Admiral’s front gate, ‘that Phyllis’s Circus will be performin’ at Worcester to-morrow night. So I shall see ‘er yet once again. You’ve been very patient with me,’ he says.
“‘Look here, Vickery,’ I said, ‘this thing’s come to be just as much as I can stand. Consume your own smoke. I don’t want to know any more.’
“‘You!’ he said. ‘What have you got to complain of?–you’ve only ‘ad to watch. I’m it,’ he says, ‘but that’s neither here nor there,’ he says. ‘I’ve one thing to say before shakin’ ‘ands. Remember,’ ‘e says–we were just by the Admiral’s garden-gate then–‘remember, that I am not a murderer, because my lawful wife died in childbed six weeks after I came out. That much at least I am clear of,’ ‘e says.