Mr. Ferdinand's Fate

Chapter 5: The Detective

 

C. Emerson Copperhead heard a steady rhythmic sound. He opened his eyes. He was in a railway carriage. A man in a bright blue bowler sat opposite him reading the London Times. The man looked up at Emerson and Emerson took the opportunity to ask, "How long have I been asleep? Ten years? Twenty?"

The man huffed and harruffed. "Fifteen minutes, I'd say, milord."

Emerson looked out the window. Oh yes, the Dumphries case. A case! Eddings had told him there was a murder involving some continental royal rubbish of some sort or another, plus some interesting problems involving unconscious acrostics. Eddings had first contacting that Holmes fellow, but changed his mind. Well, anything Holmes can do I can do better.

The train was slowing. Perhaps that's what woke me up. Nearer the destination. It's a pity my amanuensis--what was his name again?--was shot by a jealous wife, pity that. All a misunderstanding....

The train stopped and Emerson got out with just his little black bag to his name. On the platform was just one person: Eddings himself.

"Emerson, it's good to see you again."

"Right-o. Nice to be here. Back in the great game."

Eddings led Emerson to his dog-cart and they both got on. Eddings whipped lightly at his horse Bronco and they were off.

Eddings said, "It's not far."

"Not far indeed. So. A murder."

"The gardener, Ferdinand."

"Yes. And Franz Ferdinand murdered two days ago."

"They may have been related. There's a photograph. With a big moustache."

"Ah, those Austrians, eh? Nothing but trouble."

"Well. Be that as it may, some other odd occurrences have been met."

"Oh? How so?"

"Lady Helen and Lord Dumphries both said non-sensical things."

"How non-sensical?"

"Lady Helen said, 'Double-u-tee-ef' and Lord Dumphries thought there was someone involved named Hitler."

"Someone involved how?"

"As if this character was involved with the war-to-come."

"Is there to be a war?"

"That's what everyone is saying."

"Between whom and whom?"

"Apparently the Germans against everyone else."

"Bad luck! No idea who this 'Hitler' is?"

"None."

"And what's this about an acrostic?"

"It's in a poem by Lady Margaret. She says she didn't put it there."

"So the three of them--the father and his two daughters--have done things that are unexplained and apparently unexplainable."

"On top of the murder."

"Oh yes, the murder. No puzzle there."

"No puzzle there?"

"I suspect there's a gypsy in the area."