The Judas Window

them determinedly on the rail. When she spoke of the letter she had helped to write, her eyes had a dry and sanded look; she was keeping back tears with difficulty,

'It was like this,'-she began. 'On the Friday it had been arranged that Dr Spencer Hume and I should go down and spend the week-end with Mary's friends in Sussex. It was to congratulate Mary in person, really. We were to drive down; but we could not start until late Saturday afternoon, because Dr Hume is attached to the staff of St Praed's hospital, and could not get away until late. On Friday evening Mary rang up her father on the telephone from Sussex, and I told her about it. I must tell you all this because -'

Counsel urged her along gently. 'Was Mr Avory Hume to go with you and the doctor on this week-end?

'No, he could not. He had some business to do on Sunday, I think it was Presbyterian Church accounts or the like; and he could not. But he said to give everyone his regards, and we were going to bring Mary back with us.'

‘I see. And on Saturday morning, Miss Jordan?'

'On Saturday morning,' answered the witness, pouring out what had been on her mind for a long time, 'at the breakfast-table, there was a letter from Mary. I knew it was from Mary because of the handwriting. And I wondered why she had written, because she had talked to her father last night.'

‘What has become of that letter?'

'I don't know. We looked for it afterwards, but we could not find it anywhere.'

'Just tell us what Mr Hume did or said.'

'After he had read it, he got up rather quickly, and put the letter in his pocket, and walked over to the window.'

'Yes?'

T said: 'Is anything wrong?' He said: 'Mary's fiancee has decided to come to town to-day, and wants to see us.' I said: 'Oh, then we will not go to, Sussex after all' - meaning, of course, that we must meet Mr Answell, and entertain him to dinner. He turned round from the window and said: 'Be good enough to do as you are told; you will go exactly as you had planned.''

'What was his manner when he said this?'

'Very cold and curt, which is a dangerous sign with him.'

‘I see. What happened then?'

'Well, I said: 'But surely you will invite him to dinner?' He looked at me for a second and said: 'We will not invite him to dinner, or anywhere else.' Then he walked out of the room.'

Slowly counsel leaned back against the bench. The man in the dock looked up briefly.

'Now, Miss Jordan, I understand that about 1.30 on Saturday afternoon you were passing the door of the drawing-room in the hall?'

'Yes.'

'And you heard Mr Hume speaking through the telephone in the drawing-room?' ‘Yes.'

'Did you look into the room?'

'Yes. He was sitting over at the table between the windows, where the telephone is. He had his back to me.'

'Will you repeat, as nearly as you can, the exact words you heard him speak?'

The witness inclined her head calmly. 'He said: 'Considering what I have heard, Mr Answell -''

'You will swear to the words, 'Considering what I have heard -?'

‘I will.'

'Go on, please.'

'Considering what I have heard, I think it best that we should settle matters concerning my daughter.'

The judge turned his small eyes towards counsel and spoke in the same unhurried voice:

'Mr Lawton, do you propose to establish that it was the prisoner speaking at the other end of the telephone?'

'My lord, with your permission, we shall produce a witness who overheard both sides of the conversation on an extension of the telephone at the end of the hall; and will, I think, be willing to testify as to whether or not it was the prisoner's voice speaking.'

From the left side of the front bench issued a vast throat-clearing. It had an evil and war-hunting quality. Up rose H.M. leaning his knuckles on the desk. For some reason the tail of his wig seemed to stick up straight behind like a pigtail. His voice was the first human sound we had heard here.

'Me lord,' rumbled H.M., 'if it's goin' to save the court's time any, we're ready to admit that it was the prisoner speakin’. In fact, we're goin' to insist on it.'

After bows, and a curious feeling of wonder in the court, he thumped down. Under iron politeness the amusement among counsel communicated itself to Mr Lawton's grave bow.

'You may proceed, Mr Lawton,' said the judge.

Counsel turned to the witness. 'You have told us that the deceased said: 'Considering what I have heard, Mr Answell, I think it best that we should settle matters concerning my daughter.' What else did he say?'

'He said: 'Yes, I quite appreciate that' - waiting, you see, as though the other person had said something in the meantime - 'but this is not the place to discuss it. Can you arrange to call at my home?' Then: 'Would six o'clock this evening be convenient?''

'What was his tone when he said this?'

'Very curt and formal.'

'And what happened then?'

'He put up the receiver quite quietly, and looked at the phone for a moment, and then he said: 'My dear Answell, I'll settle your hash, damn you.''

Pause.

'And how did he speak these words?' 'The same way he had spoken before, only more satisfied.'

'You gathered that he was talking to himself: that is to say, speaking his thoughts aloud?' 'Yes.'

Like most witnesses, when coming to tell a story or quoting actual words, she was on the defensive. She seemed to feel that each word she said might be picked up and used against her. Under the shadow of the black hat, with its brim like the peak of a cap, her faded good looks and fashionable glasses seemed to withdraw. If there is such a thing as a severely practical clinging-vine, it was Amelia Jordan. She had a singularly sweet voice, which gave even the mild expletive 'damn' a sound of incongruity.

'What did you do after you had heard this?'

'I went away quickly.' Hesitation. 'I was so - well, so shocked at all this sudden change, and the way he spoke about Mr Answell, that I did not know what to think; and I did not want him to see me.'

'Thank you.' Counsel reflected.'Considering what I have heard' repeated Lawton, in a ruminative way, but with very distinct pronunciation. 'Was it your impression that Mr Hume had heard something against the prisoner which had caused him to change his mind so forcibly?'

The judge spoke without a muscle seeming to move in his face.

'Mr Lawton, I cannot allow that. Counsel has already stated that the Crown attempt to show no definite cause in this matter. You will therefore refrain from implying one.'

'Beg-lordship's-pardon,' said the other with hearty humility, and an immediate turn. 'I assure your lordship that it was far from my intention. Let me try again. Miss Jordan: should you describe Mr Hume as a man whose conduct was governed by whims?'

'No, of all people.'

'He was a reasonable man, influenced by reasons?' ‘Yes.'

'If (let us say) he thought John Smith an intelligent man on Monday, he would not think him a complete imbecile on Tuesday unless he had discovered some good reason for thinking, so?'

The judge's soft voice silenced every creak in the court.

'Mr Lawton, I must insist that you stop leading the witness.'

Counsel, in gentlemanly humility, muttered: 'If-yr-ludship-pleases,' and went on: 'Now, Miss Jordan, let us come to the evening of January 4th. At six o'clock on that evening, how many people (to your knowledge) were in the house?'

'There was Mr Hume, and Dyer, and myself.' 'Are there no other occupants?'

'Yes, Dr Hume and a cook and a maid. But the cook and the maid had the evening off. And I was to pick up