“Could I see him, Jimmy?”
Her cousin hesitated.
“I hardly think so,” he said slowly, “at present. Later on if the case really goes to trial there should be no difficulty. Just for the immediate present I shouldn’t make a move. You have done enough for him, writing that letter to the Inspector.”
Lois looked at him searchingly.
“Don’t try to keep me away from him, Jimmy,” she pleaded.
“Of course not. But it would be difficult for you to get an order, and you better wait till we see how things go on. You probably wouldn’t get two orders under any circumstances.”
“If you keep me from him, I’ll never forgive you.”
“Dear girl, don’t get notions. I wouldn’t attempt it. But we’re hardly so far on as that yet. There is his family to consider. Have you seen them?”
“No. Why should I?”
“Just that if they’re going to undertake the defence I don’t quite see where we come in. But we’ll find that out.” He paused and then went on: “Now, old girl, you’ve come to me for professional advice and you’re going to get it. Don’t think I’m trying to keep you away from Austin Ponson, but my advice to you is, don’t make any announcement of your engagement for a day or two yet. You will only distract and worry Ponson, and you won’t do any good. The thing to concentrate on is to get him out of the hands of the police. He’ll want all his wits to help with that. He knows you’re not going to drop him, and that will be enough to comfort him. Take my advice, Lois, and let things alone for the present.”
“But how can I see him or do anything for him if the engagement is not known?”
“What could you do if it was?”
“Well, I could at least take my share of arranging for his defence.”
“Aren’t you doing that now? What more do you think you could do?”
“But how can you approach the family, acting for me, if it’s not known that we’re engaged?”
“Perfectly simply. I’ll see him, explain the facts, and get him to employ me. That will give me ten times the authority that you could, and it will leave his mind at rest about you. Believe me, Lois, that’s the thing to be done.”
“Oh, Jimmy, if you’ll do that it would make just all the difference. How good you are!”
“Rubbish. But remember you’ve got to do your part—to sit tight and say nothing. I’ll see all these people and arrange matters.”
“But you’ll let me know how you get on?”
“Sure. I’ll keep nothing back from you.”
He asked her some more questions, finally seeing her to St. Pancras and putting her into the Halford train.
“By Jove,” he soliloquised as he left the station, “here’s a mess! Whatever happens”—he swore great oaths under his breath—“Lois must be kept out of it. As decent a girl as lives! That’s the way with these extra good women—they will throw themselves away on rotters of all kinds. Heavens, what an idea! To announce an engagement with a man arrested for murder! And now first of all to nip that madness in the bud—if possible.” He hailed a taxi and was driven to Scotland Yard.
“Is Inspector Tanner in?” he asked. “Private business.”
Tanner, it appeared, was just going home, but had not yet left. He returned to his room.
“My name,” began Jimmy, “is Daunt—James Daunt, junior partner of Willington, Daunt & Daunt, Solicitors, of Lincoln’s Inn.”
Tanner bowed.
“I know your firm, sir,” he said quietly.
“I called on behalf of my cousin, Miss Lois Drew, of Halford. You can no doubt guess my business?”
“You are going to act for Mr. Ponson?”
“Not quite. At least I am not sure. It is my cousin I am really interested in. I want to ask your help, Mr. Tanner. My cousin, who is a little—well, fond of her own way, has written you a letter, a compromising letter, one which should never have been written. You probably haven’t received it yet, but in it she asks you to inform Mr. Ponson that she holds him to the engagement that they had just fixed up, and is going to announce it at once. Now, Mr. Tanner, you will see that this is quixotic and absurd, and it musn’t be allowed. I have succeeded in getting her to promise to say nothing for the present, and what I want to ask you is to be so good as to respect her confidence, and keep her name out of it.”
Tanner looked somewhat distressed.
“I should be only too glad,” he answered, “to do as you say, especially as I so greatly respected and admired what I saw of Miss Drew, if only it were possible. But I fear it won’t be. I am afraid the engagement will be an integral part of the Crown case. But I may say that I shall not use Miss Drew’s letter. Both she herself and Mr. Ponson told me of the engagement.”
“You don’t say so? And have you mentioned it to anyone else?”
“Only to my chief.”
“Well, you know the case against Mr. Ponson, and I don’t. I can only ask that you don’t make the fact public until it is absolutely necessary.”
“That I will promise you with pleasure.”
“I am very grateful. And now there is another thing,” and Jimmy explained that he wanted to see Austin, and for what reason.
“I shall certainly raise no objection,” Tanner answered, “but I’m afraid your application will have to go through the usual channel.”
“Of course. When is he to be brought before the magistrate?”
“.”
Two hours later the door of Austin’s cell opened to admit the junior partner of Messrs. Willington, Daunt & Daunt. Austin was sitting with his head on his hands and an expression of deep gloom on his face, but he
