"I
believe Maraquito is the head of the gang, and the fatal woman
that Caranby talks about. She heard that Tyke had been
arrested, and sent the boy to poison him lest he should blab.
I wonder if it was by her direction that the house was fired.
Well, I'll wait. As yet I cannot get a warrant, having
nothing but theory to go on. But the nets are being spread,
and unless Maraquito and her friends clear out with Mrs.
Herne, they will be caught. When they are all in jail there
may be some chance of learning who murdered that unfortunate
woman in Rose Cottage."
Later on, Jennings received the report of the inquest, which
appeared also that evening in the newspapers. It seemed that
Tyke had been poisoned with arsenic, administered in the
whisky bottle. From his appearance he was a hard drinker, and
doubtless the boy had no difficulty in inducing him to drink.
Tyke had drank freely--indeed the doctor said he had taken
enough to kill three men,--and therefore he had died almost
immediately the boy left, and before he had time to speak.
The inspector, who wrote to Jennings, stated that the
constable who had admitted the boy had been dismissed the
force, but the boy himself could not be traced. "I shouldn't
be surprised if he had taken refuge in the cellars of the
house," said Jennings, "that is, if the factory is there. I
must see Caranby and get his permission to remove the rubbish.
Only when I have searched the foundation of that house, will
my suspicions be set at rest.
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