The Washington herald., 1906-11-28
CHAPTER VII.
Bernard's Friends.

BePnard's Friends.
The report Of the murder caused great
excitement In London. Il seemed terrible
that so old a man. and a titled man at
that, should be murdered in his own
house and by his prohigate grandson.
The general opinion was that Bernard
should not only be hanged, but drawn
and Quartered as his crime amounted to
parricide. But this yengeful demand was
made only by the extreme people, and
the newspapers were on the whole very
fair in their statements Although it
seemed quite certain that young Gore
was guilty. yet the journals gave him the
benefit Of the doubt Not till after the
inquest did any newspaper venture to
state that the man had really committed
the crime. But this was as it should be,
If the pair-play instinct of the English
race is to be lived up to-
Durham attended the inquest as Sir
Simon's lawyer and executor, and Miss
Plantagenet attended It with him. She
saw the solicitor only for a few minutes,
and they had little time to exchange
opinions. But Durham assured Miss
Berengaria that he was certain Bernard
was innocent, upon which the old gentle
woman clapped him on the back. Her
good opinion was strengthened at the in
quest by the sturdy way IN which the
lawyer maintained this point
Beryl was also present with Inspector
Groom. He looked pale and some
what worried, and when his eyes
fell on the withered. resOlute face Of
Ffprnnrr1rTa Ia rrrfu
was firm friend to his cousin. AS yet
the body OF the young man had not been
found, and both Durham and Miss Plan
tagenet were certain that Bernard was
sun alive. But the general opinion was
that he had been drowned while escap-
ing Mrs. Gilroy was also present with
Lucy. and these sat IN the body of the
court near Miss Berengaria. That old
dame knew well that the housekeeper
was no friend 20 the man accused, but
she was not certain as regards Lucy. As
Miss Randolph was engaged TO Beryl
whom Miss Berengaria disliked heartily
she was prepared TO think badly Of the
gir, going by the proverb that like
draws 20 Ike. She therefore waited to
hear Lucy's evidence before speaking 10
her, and although she was quite near
her never turned her head 10 look OF
make any sign Of recognition.
Inspector Groom. who was called first,
detailed how he had been summoned in 20
see the dead body Of the baronet and re-
lated what evidence he had gathered, and
gave also the names Of the witnesses he
proposed 10 call Amongst these were
Jane and the cook, also the page. for
these three dOmestiCs had frequently
seen the soldier who had courted Jane.
and who was believed to De Bernard
Gore. Durham. on the authority OF Ber-
nard. did not believe this, but he waited
his time before ContTadicting the evil
dence.
After Groom came a doctor. who de-
posed 10 having examined the body. and
gave IL as his opinion that the deceased
had been strangled some time after 10
O'Clock. Before being strangled. he had
been rendered unconscious by ChlorO-
form. thus had fallen an easy victim
20 the assassin. Mention was made
Of the bandana handkerchief with
which the strangulatiOn had been
effected, and il was produced in court;
but the handkerchief STEPPED IN chloro-
form which had been bound round
the mouth was missing. It was a
white one, according 10 the evidence OF
the hOusekeeper. and had been loosened
from the mouth by Bernard himself when
she brought him Up 10 look on his victim.
Groom expressed annoyance at this, as
the handkerchief was an important piece
Of evidence Being white. il could not
have belonged 10 the deceased, VINO used
only cOlored bandana handkerchief.
Therefore it was probable that the assas-