The Innocence of Father Brown [109]
after shot all over the floor. The suicide saw a fourth shape of death, and made a dash for the window. The rescuer did the only thing he could-- ran after him with the rope and tried to tie him hand and foot. Then it was that the unlucky girl ran in, and misunderstanding the struggle, strove to slash her father free. At first she only slashed poor Royce's knuckles, from which has come all the little blood in this affair. But, of course, you noticed that he left blood, but no wound, on that servant's face? Only before the poor woman swooned, she did hack her father loose, so that he went crashing through that window into eternity." There was a long stillness slowly broken by the metallic noises of Gilder unlocking the handcuffs of Patrick Royce, to whom he said: "I think I should have told the truth, sir. You and the young lady are worth more than Armstrong's obituary notices." "Confound Armstrong's notices," cried Royce roughly. "Don't you see it was because she mustn't know?" "Mustn't know what?" asked Merton. "Why, that she killed her father, you fool!" roared the other. "He'd have been alive now but for her. It might craze her to know that." "No, I don't think it would," remarked Father Brown, as he picked up his hat. "I rather think I should tell her. Even the most murderous blunders don't poison life like sins; anyhow, I think you may both be the happier now. I've got to go back to the Deaf School." As he went out on to the gusty grass an acquaintance from Highgate stopped him and said: "The Coroner has arrived. The inquiry is just going to begin." "I've got to get back to the Deaf School," said Father Brown. "I'm sorry I can't stop for the inquiry."
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