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diff --git a/32439-h/32439-h.htm b/32439-h/32439-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..faa90b6 --- /dev/null +++ b/32439-h/32439-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3949 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Doctor, His Wife and the Clock, by Anna Katharine Green + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: 1em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; + clear: both; + font-family: "Garamond", Times, serif;} + + h1 {font-weight: normal; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + line-height: 130%;} + + h2.cht {margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + + hr {width: 20%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + height: 1px; + border: 0; + background-color: black; + color: black;} + + body{margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%;} + + p.mtop {margin-top: 2em;} + + p.author {font-size: 120%; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em;} + + p.publisher {margin-top: 3em; + text-align: center; + font-size: smaller; + margin-bottom: 3em; + text-indent: 0em; + line-height: 130%;} + + p.negin {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: -1em; + margin-left: 1em;} + + div.tpage {font-family: "Garamond", Times, serif;} + + div.advertisements {margin-top: 1em; + margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + font-size: smaller; + padding: 1em 2em 1em 2em; + background-color: #FBF5E6; + color: black;} + + img {border-style: none; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + + .dropcap { + float: left; + padding-left: 3px; + font-size: 250%; + line-height: 93%; + overflow: visible; + } + + .firstword { + text-transform: uppercase; + letter-spacing: 0.20ex; + } + + p.newchapter { + text-indent: 0em; + } + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + right: 1%; + font-size: x-small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + font-style: normal; + letter-spacing: 0ex; + text-indent: 0em; + font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif;} + + a:link {text-decoration: none; + color: #104E8B; + background-color: inherit;} + + a:visited {text-decoration: none; + color: #8B0000; + background-color: inherit;} + + a:hover {text-decoration: underline;} + + a:active {text-decoration: underline;} + + .blockquot {margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em;} + + .right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%;} + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + + .figcenter {margin: auto; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Doctor, his Wife, and the Clock, by +Anna Katharine Green + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Doctor, his Wife, and the Clock + +Author: Anna Katharine Green + +Release Date: May 19, 2010 [EBook #32439] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOCTOR, HIS WIFE, AND CLOCK *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Irma Spehar and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/cover01.jpg" width="200" height="405" alt="cover" title="cover" /> +</div> + +<div class="advertisements"> +<h2>THE AUTONYM LIBRARY.</h2> + +<hr /> + +<p>Small works by representative writers, +whose contributions will bear their signatures.</p> + +<p>32mo, limp cloth, each 50 cents.</p> + +<p>The Autonym Library is published in +co-operation with Mr. T. Fisher Unwin, of +London.</p> + +<p class="negin">I. <span class="smcap">The Upper Berth</span>, by F. Marion Crawford.</p> + +<p class="negin">II. <span class="smcap">Found and Lost</span>, by Mary Putnam-Jacobi.</p> + +<p class="negin">III. <span class="smcap">The Doctor, His Wife, and the +Clock</span>, by Anna Katharine Green.</p> + +<p>These will be followed by volumes by +other well-known writers.</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px; padding-top: 2em"> +<img src="images/frontis01.jpg" width="350" height="560" alt="The House" title="The Housse" /> +</div> + + +<div class="tpage"> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px; padding-top: 4em"> +<img src="images/tp01.jpg" width="300" height="60" alt="Anna Katharine Green" title="Anna Katharine Green" /> +</div> + +<hr /> + +<h1>THE DOCTOR<br /> +HIS WIFE<br /> +AND THE CLOCK</h1> + +<p class="center">BY</p> + +<p class="author"><b>ANNA KATHARINE GREEN</b><br /> +<span style="font-size: 80%">(MRS. CHARLES ROHLFS)</span></p> + +<p class="center">Author of “The Leavenworth Case,” “Hand and +Ring,”<br /> “Marked ‘Personal,’” etc., etc.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 30px; padding-top: 3em"> +<img src="images/tp02.jpg" width="30" height="29" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + + +<p class="publisher"><big>G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS</big><br /> + +NEW YORK<span style="padding-left: 7em">LONDON</span><br /> +27 West Twenty-third Street<span style="padding-left: 2em">24 Bedford Street, Strand</span><br /> + +The Knickerbocker Press<br /> +1895</p> + +<p class="publisher"><span class="smcap">Copyright</span>, 1895<br /> +<small>BY</small><br /> +ANNA KATHARINE ROHLFS<br /> +All rights reserved</p> + +<p class="publisher">Electrotyped, Printed and Bound by<br /> +The Knickerbocker Press, New York<br /> +<span class="smcap">G. P. Putnam’s Sons</span></p> +</div> + + +<h1>THE DOCTOR, HIS WIFE, AND<br /> +THE CLOCK<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></h1> + + + +<h2><i>The Doctor, his Wife,<br /> +and the Clock.</i></h2> + +<h2 class="cht">I.</h2> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">O</span>n</span> the 17th of July, 1851, a +tragedy of no little interest +occurred in one of the residences +of the Colonnade in Lafayette +Place.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hasbrouck, a well-known +and highly respected citizen, was +attacked in his room by an unknown +assailant, and shot dead +before assistance could reach him. +His murderer escaped, and the +problem offered to the police was, +how to identify this person who, +by some happy chance or by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +exercise of the most remarkable +forethought, had left no traces behind +him, or any clue by which +he could be followed.</p> + +<p>The affair was given to a young +man, named Ebenezer Gryce, to +investigate, and the story, as he +tells it, is this:</p> + + +<p class="mtop">When, some time after midnight, +I reached Lafayette Place, +I found the block lighted from +end to end. Groups of excited +men and women peered from the +open doorways, and mingled their +shadows with those of the huge +pillars which adorn the front of +this picturesque block of dwellings.</p> + +<p>The house in which the crime +had been committed was near the +centre of the row, and, long before +I reached it, I had learned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +from more than one source that +the alarm was first given to the +street by a woman’s shriek, and +secondly by the shouts of an old +man-servant who had appeared, in +a half-dressed condition, at the +window of Mr. Hasbrouck’s room, +crying “Murder! murder!”</p> + +<p>But when I had crossed the +threshold, I was astonished at the +paucity of the facts to be gleaned +from the inmates themselves. The +old servitor, who was the first to +talk, had only this account of the +crime to give.</p> + +<p>The family, which consisted of +Mr. Hasbrouck, his wife, and three +servants, had retired for the night +at the usual hour and under the +usual auspices. At eleven o’clock +the lights were all extinguished, +and the whole household asleep, +with the possible exception of Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +Hasbrouck himself, who, being a +man of large business responsibilities, +was frequently troubled with +insomnia.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Mrs. Hasbrouck woke +with a start. Had she dreamed +the words that were ringing in her +ears, or had they been actually +uttered in her hearing? They +were short, sharp words, full of +terror and menace, and she had +nearly satisfied herself that she +had imagined them, when there +came, from somewhere near the +door, a sound she neither understood +nor could interpret, but +which filled her with inexplicable +terror, and made her afraid to +breathe, or even to stretch forth +her hand towards her husband, +whom she supposed to be sleeping +at her side. At length another +strange sound, which she was sure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +was not due to her imagination, +drove her to make an attempt to +rouse him, when she was horrified +to find that she was alone in the +bed, and her husband nowhere +within reach.</p> + +<p>Filled now with something more +than nervous apprehension, she +flung herself to the floor, and tried +to penetrate, with frenzied glances, +the surrounding darkness. But +the blinds and shutters both having +been carefully closed by Mr. +Hasbrouck before retiring, she +found this impossible, and she +was about to sink in terror to the +floor, when she heard a low gasp +on the other side of the room, +followed by the suppressed cry:</p> + +<p>“God! what have I done!”</p> + +<p>The voice was a strange one, +but before the fear aroused by +this fact could culminate in a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +shriek of dismay, she caught the +sound of retreating footsteps, and, +eagerly listening, she heard them +descend the stairs and depart by +the front door.</p> + +<p>Had she known what had occurred—had +there been no doubt +in her mind as to what lay in the +darkness on the other side of the +room—it is likely that, at the noise +caused by the closing front door, +she would have made at once for +the balcony that opened out from +the window before which she was +standing, and taken one look at +the flying figure below. But her +uncertainty as to what lay hidden +from her by the darkness chained +her feet to the floor, and there is +no knowing when she would have +moved, if a carriage had not at that +moment passed down Astor Place, +bringing with it a sense of companionship<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +which broke the spell +that held her, and gave her +strength to light the gas, which +was in ready reach of her hand.</p> + +<p>As the sudden blaze illuminated +the room, revealing in a burst the +old familiar walls and well-known +pieces of furniture, she felt for a +moment as if released from some +heavy nightmare and restored to +the common experiences of life. +But in another instant her former +dread returned, and she found +herself quaking at the prospect of +passing around the foot of the +bed into that part of the room +which was as yet hidden from her +eyes.</p> + +<p>But the desperation which +comes with great crises finally +drove her from her retreat; and, +creeping slowly forward, she cast +one glance at the floor before her,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +when she found her worst fears +realized by the sight of the dead +body of her husband lying prone +before the open doorway, with a +bullet-hole in his forehead.</p> + +<p>Her first impulse was to shriek, +but, by a powerful exercise of will, +she checked herself, and, ringing +frantically for the servants who +slept on the top-floor of the house, +flew to the nearest window and +endeavored to open it. But the +shutters had been bolted so securely +by Mr. Hasbrouck, in his +endeavor to shut out light and +sound, that by the time she had +succeeded in unfastening them, all +trace of the flying murderer had +vanished from the street.</p> + +<p>Sick with grief and terror, she +stepped back into the room just as +the three frightened servants descended +the stairs. As they appeared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +in the open doorway, she +pointed at her husband’s inanimate +form, and then, as if suddenly +realizing in its full force the +calamity which had befallen her, +she threw up her arms, and sank +forward to the floor in a dead +faint.</p> + +<p>The two women rushed to her +assistance, but the old butler, +bounding over the bed, sprang to +the window, and shrieked his +alarm to the street.</p> + +<p>In the interim that followed, +Mrs. Hasbrouck was revived, and +the master’s body laid decently on +the bed; but no pursuit was +made, nor any inquiries started +likely to assist me in establishing +the identity of the assailant.</p> + +<p>Indeed, every one, both in the +house and out, seemed dazed by +the unexpected catastrophe, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +as no one had any suspicions to +offer as to the probable murderer, +I had a difficult task before me.</p> + +<p>I began, in the usual way, by +inspecting the scene of the murder. +I found nothing in the room, +or in the condition of the body itself, +which added an iota to the +knowledge already obtained. That +Mr. Hasbrouck had been in bed; +that he had risen upon hearing a +noise; and that he had been shot +before reaching the door, were +self-evident facts. But there was +nothing to guide me further. The +very simplicity of the circumstances +caused a dearth of clues, +which made the difficulty of procedure +as great as any I ever +encountered.</p> + +<p>My search through the hall and +down the stairs elicited nothing; +and an investigation of the bolts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +and bars by which the house was +secured, assured me that the assassin +had either entered by the front +door, or had already been secreted +in the house when it was locked +up for the night.</p> + +<p>“I shall have to trouble Mrs. +Hasbrouck for a short interview,” +I hereupon announced to the +trembling old servitor, who had +followed me like a dog about the +house.</p> + +<p>He made no demur, and in a +few minutes I was ushered into +the presence of the newly made +widow, who sat quite alone, in a +large chamber in the rear. As I +crossed the threshold she looked +up, and I encountered a good +plain face, without the shadow of +guile in it.</p> + +<p>“Madam,” said I, “I have not +come to disturb you. I will ask<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +two or three questions only, and +then leave you to your grief. I +am told that some words came +from the assassin before he delivered +his fatal shot. Did you +hear these distinctly enough to +tell me what they were?”</p> + +<p>“I was sound asleep,” said she, +“and dreamt, as I thought, that a +fierce, strange voice cried somewhere +to some one: ‘Ah! you +did not expect <i>me</i>!’ But I dare +not say that these words were +really uttered to my husband, for +he was not the man to call forth +hate, and only a man in the extremity +of passion could address +such an exclamation in such a +tone as rings in my memory in +connection with the fatal shot +which woke me.”</p> + +<p>“But that shot was not the +work of a friend,” I argued. “If,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +as these words seem to prove, the +assassin had some other motive +than gain in his assault, then your +husband had an enemy, though +you never suspected it.”</p> + +<p>“Impossible!” was her steady +reply, uttered in the most convincing +tone. “The man who +shot him was a common burglar, +and, frightened at having been +betrayed into murder, fled without +looking for booty. I am sure +I heard him cry out in terror and +remorse: ‘God! what have I +done!’”</p> + +<p>“Was that before you left the +side of the bed?”</p> + +<p>“Yes; I did not move from +my place till I heard the front +door close. I was paralyzed by +my fear and dread.”</p> + +<p>“Are you in the habit of trusting +to the security of a latch-lock<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +only in the fastening of your front +door at night? I am told that +the big key was not in the lock, +and that the bolt at the bottom +of the door was not drawn.”</p> + +<p>“The bolt at the bottom of the +door is never drawn. Mr. Hasbrouck +was so good a man he +never mistrusted any one. That +is why the big lock was not fastened. +The key, not working well, +he took it some days ago to the locksmith, +and when the latter failed +to return it, he laughed, and said +he thought no one would ever +think of meddling with his front +door.”</p> + +<p>“Is there more than one night-key +to your house?” I now asked.</p> + +<p>She shook her head.</p> + +<p>“And when did Mr. Hasbrouck +last use his?”</p> + +<p>“To-night, when he came home<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +from prayer-meeting,” she answered, +and burst into tears.</p> + +<p>Her grief was so real and her +loss so recent that I hesitated to +afflict her by further questions. +So returning to the scene of the +tragedy, I stepped out upon the +balcony which ran in front. Soft +voices instantly struck my ears. +The neighbors on either side were +grouped in front of their own windows, +and were exchanging the +remarks natural under the circumstances. +I paused, as in duty +bound, and listened. But I heard +nothing worth recording, and +would have instantly re-entered +the house, if I had not been impressed +by the appearance of a +very graceful woman who stood +at my right. She was clinging to +her husband, who was gazing at +one of the pillars before him in a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +strange, fixed way which astonished +me till he attempted to +move, and then I saw that he was +blind. Instantly I remembered +that there lived in this row a blind +doctor, equally celebrated for his +skill and for his uncommon personal +attractions, and, greatly interested +not only in his affliction, +but in the sympathy evinced for +him by his young and affectionate +wife, I stood still till I heard her +say in the soft and appealing tones +of love:</p> + +<p>“Come in, Constant; you have +heavy duties for to-morrow, and +you should get a few hours’ rest, +if possible.”</p> + +<p>He came from the shadow of +the pillar, and for one minute I +saw his face with the lamplight +shining full upon it. It was as +regular of feature as a sculptured +Adonis, and it was as white.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Sleep!” he repeated, in the +measured tones of deep but suppressed +feeling. “Sleep! with +murder on the other side of the +wall!” And he stretched out his +arms in a dazed way that insensibly +accentuated the horror I myself +felt of the crime which had so +lately taken place in the room behind +me.</p> + +<p>She, noting the movement, took +one of the groping hands in her +own and drew him gently towards +her.</p> + +<p>“This way,” she urged; and, +guiding him into the house, she +closed the window and drew down +the shades, making the street seem +darker by the loss of her exquisite +presence.</p> + +<p>This may seem a digression, but +I was at the time a young man of +thirty, and much under the dominion +of woman’s beauty. I was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +therefore slow in leaving the balcony, +and persistent in my wish +to learn something of this remarkable +couple before leaving Mr. +Hasbrouck’s house.</p> + +<p>The story told me was very simple. +Dr. Zabriskie had not been +born blind, but had become so +after a grievous illness which had +stricken him down soon after he +received his diploma. Instead of +succumbing to an affliction which +would have daunted most men, he +expressed his intention of practising +his profession, and soon became +so successful in it that he +found no difficulty in establishing +himself in one of the best-paying +quarters of the city. Indeed, his +intuition seemed to have developed +in a remarkable degree after +his loss of sight, and he seldom, if +ever, made a mistake in diagnosis.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +Considering this fact, and the personal +attractions which gave him +distinction, it was no wonder that +he soon became a popular physician +whose presence was a benefaction +and whose word a law.</p> + +<p>He had been engaged to be +married at the time of his illness, +and, when he learned what was +likely to be its results, had offered +to release the young lady from all +obligation to him. But she would +not be released, and they were +married. This had taken place +some five years previous to Mr. +Hasbrouck’s death, three of which +had been spent by them in Lafayette +Place.</p> + +<p>So much for the beautiful woman +next door.</p> + +<p>There being absolutely no clue +to the assailant of Mr. Hasbrouck, +I naturally looked forward to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +inquest for some evidence upon +which to work. But there seemed +to be no underlying facts to this +tragedy. The most careful study +into the habits and conduct of the +deceased brought nothing to light +save his general beneficence and +rectitude, nor was there in his history +or in that of his wife any secret +or hidden obligation calculated to +provoke any such act of revenge +as murder. Mrs. Hasbrouck’s surmise +that the intruder was simply +a burglar, and that she had rather +imagined than heard the words +that pointed to the shooting as a +deed of vengeance, soon gained +general credence. But, though +the police worked long and arduously +in this new direction, +their efforts were without fruit, +and the case bade fair to remain +an unsolvable mystery.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<p>But the deeper the mystery the +more persistently does my mind +cling to it, and some five months +after the matter had been delegated +to oblivion, I found myself +starting suddenly from sleep, with +these words ringing in my ears:</p> + +<p>“<i>Who uttered the scream that +gave the first alarm of Mr. Hasbrouck’s +violent death?</i>”</p> + +<p>I was in such a state of excitement +that the perspiration stood +out on my forehead. Mrs. Hasbrouck’s +story of the occurrence +returned to me, and I remembered +as distinctly as if she were then +speaking, that she had expressly +stated that she did not scream +when confronted by the sight of +her husband’s dead body. But +some one had screamed, and that +very loudly. Who was it, then? +One of the maids, startled by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +sudden summons from below, or +some one else—some involuntary +witness of the crime, whose testimony +had been suppressed at the +inquest, by fear or influence?</p> + +<p>The possibility of having come +upon a clue even at this late day, +so fired my ambition, that I took +the first opportunity of revisiting +Lafayette Place. Choosing such +persons as I thought most open to +my questions, I learned that there +were many who could testify to +having heard a woman’s shrill +scream on that memorable night +just prior to the alarm given by +old Cyrus, but no one who could +tell from whose lips it had come. +One fact, however, was immediately +settled. It had not been the +result of the servant-women’s fears. +Both of the girls were positive that +they had uttered no sound, nor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +had they themselves heard any, +till Cyrus rushed to the window +with his wild cries. As the scream, +by whomever given, was uttered +before they descended the stairs, I +was convinced by these assurances +that it had issued from one of the +front windows, and not from the +rear of the house, where their own +rooms lay. Could it be that it had +sprung from the adjoining dwelling, +and that—— My thoughts +went no further, but I made up +my mind to visit the Doctor’s +house at once.</p> + +<p>It took some courage to do this, +for the Doctor’s wife had attended +the inquest, and her beauty, seen +in broad daylight, had worn such +an aspect of mingled sweetness +and dignity, that I hesitated to +encounter it under any circumstances +likely to disturb its pure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +serenity. But a clue, once grasped, +cannot be lightly set aside by a +true detective, and it would have +taken more than a woman’s frown +to stop me at this point. So I +rang Dr. Zabriskie’s bell.</p> + +<p>I am seventy years old now +and am no longer daunted by the +charms of a beautiful woman, but +I confess that when I found myself +in the fine reception parlor on the +first-floor, I experienced no little +trepidation at the prospect of the +interview which awaited me.</p> + +<p>But as soon as the fine commanding +form of the Doctor’s wife +crossed the threshold, I recovered +my senses and surveyed her with +as direct a gaze as my position +allowed. For her aspect bespoke +a degree of emotion that astonished +me; and even before I spoke +I perceived her to be trembling,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +though she was a woman of no little +natural dignity and self-possession.</p> + +<p>“I seem to know your face,” +she said, advancing courteously +towards me, “but your name”—and +here she glanced at the card +she held in her hand—“is totally +unfamiliar to me.”</p> + +<p>“I think you saw me some +eighteen months ago,” said I. +“I am the detective who gave +testimony at the inquest which +was held over the remains of Mr. +Hasbrouck.”</p> + +<p>I had not meant to startle her, +but at this introduction of myself +I saw her naturally pale cheek +turn paler, and her fine eyes, which +had been fixed curiously upon me, +gradually sink to the floor.</p> + +<p>“Great heaven!” thought I, +“what is this I have stumbled +upon!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I do not understand what business +you can have with me,” she +presently remarked, with a show +of gentle indifference that did not +in the least deceive me.</p> + +<p>“I do not wonder,” I rejoined. +“The crime which took place next +door is almost forgotten by the +community, and even if it were +not, I am sure you would find it +difficult to conjecture the nature +of the question I have to put to +you.”</p> + +<p>“I am surprised,” she began, +rising in her involuntary emotion +and thereby compelling me to rise +also. “How can you have any +question to ask me on this subject? +Yet if you have,” she continued, +with a rapid change of manner +that touched my heart in spite of +myself, “I shall, of course, do my +best to answer you.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>There are women whose sweetest +tones and most charming +smiles only serve to awaken distrust +in men of my calling; but Mrs. +Zabriskie was not of this number. +Her face was beautiful, but +it was also candid in its expression, +and beneath the agitation which +palpably disturbed her, I was sure +there lurked nothing either wicked +or false. Yet I held fast by the +clue which I had grasped, as it +were, in the dark, and without +knowing whither I was tending, +much less whither I was leading +her, I proceeded to say:</p> + +<p>“The question which I presume +to put to you as the next-door neighbor +of Mr. Hasbrouck, is this: +Who was the woman who screamed +out so loudly that the whole neighborhood +heard her on the night of +that gentleman’s assassination?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>The gasp she gave answered my +question in a way she little realized, +and, struck as I was by the +impalpable links that had led me +to the threshold of this hitherto +unsolvable mystery, I was about +to press my advantage and ask +another question, when she +quickly started forward and laid +her hand on my lips.</p> + +<p>Astonished, I looked at her inquiringly, +but her head was turned +aside, and her eyes, fixed upon the +door, showed the greatest anxiety. +Instantly I realized what she +feared. Her husband was entering +the house, and she dreaded +lest his ears should catch a word +of our conversation.</p> + +<p>Not knowing what was in her +mind, and unable to realize the importance +of the moment to her, I +yet listened to the advance of her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +blind husband with an almost +painful interest. Would he enter +the room where we were, or would +he pass immediately to his office +in the rear? She seemed to wonder +too, and almost held her breath +as he neared the door, paused, and +stood in the open doorway, with +his ear turned towards us.</p> + +<p>As for myself, I remained perfectly +still, gazing at his face in +mingled surprise and apprehension. +For besides its beauty, +which was of a marked order, as I +have already observed, it had a +touching expression which irresistibly +aroused both pity and +interest in the spectator. This +may have been the result of his +affliction, or it may have sprung +from some deeper cause; but, +whatever its source, this look in +his face produced a strong impression<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +upon me and interested me +at once in his personality. Would +he enter? Or would he pass on? +Her look of silent appeal showed +me in which direction her wishes +lay, but while I answered her +glance by complete silence, I was +conscious in some indistinct way +that the business I had undertaken +would be better furthered by his +entrance.</p> + +<p>The blind have been often said +to possess a sixth sense in place of +the one they have lost. Though +I am sure we made no noise, I +soon perceived that he was aware +of our presence. Stepping hastily +forward he said, in the high and +vibrating tone of restrained passion:</p> + +<p>“Helen, are you here?”</p> + +<p>For a moment I thought she +did not mean to answer, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +knowing doubtless from experience +the impossibility of deceiving +him, she answered with a cheerful +assent, dropping her hand as she +did so from before my lips.</p> + +<p>He heard the slight rustle which +accompanied the movement, and +a look I found it hard to comprehend +flashed over his features, +altering his expression so completely +that he seemed another +man.</p> + +<p>“You have some one with you,” +he declared, advancing another step +but with none of the uncertainty +which usually accompanies the +movements of the blind. “Some +dear friend,” he went on, with an +almost sarcastic emphasis and a +forced smile that had little of +gaiety in it.</p> + +<p>The agitated and distressed +blush which answered him could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +have but one interpretation. He +suspected that her hand had been +clasped in mine, and she perceived +his thought and knew that I perceived +it also.</p> + +<p>Drawing herself up, she moved +towards him, saying in a sweet +womanly tone that to me spoke +volumes:</p> + +<p>“It is no friend, Constant, not +even an acquaintance. The person +whom I now present to you is +an agent from the police. He is +here upon a trivial errand which +will be soon finished, when I will +join you in your office.”</p> + +<p>I knew she was but taking a +choice between two evils. That +she would have saved her husband +the knowledge of a detective’s +presence in the house, if her self-respect +would have allowed it, but +neither she nor I anticipated the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +effect which this presentation produced +upon him.</p> + +<p>“A police officer,” he repeated, +staring with his sightless eyes, as +if, in his eagerness to see, he half +hoped his lost sense would return. +“He can have no trivial errand +here; he has been sent by God +Himself to——”</p> + +<p>“Let me speak for you,” hastily +interposed his wife, springing to +his side and clasping his arm with +a fervor that was equally expressive +of appeal and command. +Then turning to me, she explained: +“Since Mr. Hasbrouck’s unaccountable +death, my husband has +been laboring under an hallucination +which I have only to mention +for you to recognize its perfect +absurdity. He thinks—oh! do not +look like that, Constant; you +know it is an hallucination which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +must vanish the moment we drag +it into broad daylight—that he—<i>he</i>, +the best man in all the world, +was himself the assailant of Mr. +Hasbrouck.”</p> + +<p>Good God!</p> + +<p>“I say nothing of the impossibility +of this being so,” she went +on in a fever of expostulation. +“He is blind, and could not have +delivered such a shot even if he +had desired to; besides, he had +no weapon. But the inconsistency +of the thing speaks for itself, and +should assure him that his mind +is unbalanced and that he is merely +suffering from a shock that was +greater than we realized. He is a +physician and has had many such +instances in his own practice. +Why, he was very much attached +to Mr. Hasbrouck! They were +the best of friends, and though he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +insists that he killed him, he cannot +give any reason for the deed.”</p> + +<p>At these words the Doctor’s face +grew stern, and he spoke like an +automaton repeating some fearful +lesson.</p> + +<p>“I killed him. I went to his +room and deliberately shot him. +I had nothing against him, and +my remorse is extreme. Arrest +me, and let me pay the penalty of +my crime. It is the only way in +which I can obtain peace.”</p> + +<p>Shocked beyond all power of +self-control by this repetition of +what she evidently considered the +unhappy ravings of a madman, she +let go his arm and turned upon +me in frenzy.</p> + +<p>“Convince him!” she cried. +“Convince him by your questions +that he never could have done this +fearful thing.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>I was laboring under great excitement +myself, for I felt my +youth against me in a matter of +such tragic consequence. Besides, +I agreed with her that he +was in a distempered state of +mind, and I hardly knew how to +deal with one so fixed in his hallucination +and with so much intelligence +to support it. But the +emergency was great, for he was +holding out his wrists in the evident +expectation of my taking him +into instant custody; and the sight +was killing his wife, who had sunk +on the floor between us, in terror +and anguish.</p> + +<p>“You say you killed Mr. Hasbrouck,” +I began. “Where did +you get your pistol, and what did +you do with it after you left his +house?”</p> + +<p>“My husband had no pistol;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +never had any pistol,” put in Mrs. +Zabriskie, with vehement assertion. +“If I had seen him with +such a weapon——”</p> + +<p>“I threw it away. When I +left the house, I cast it as far from +me as possible, for I was frightened +at what I had done, horribly +frightened.”</p> + +<p>“No pistol was ever found,” I +answered, with a smile, forgetting +for the moment that he could not +see. “If such an instrument had +been found in the street after a +murder of such consequence it certainly +would have been brought to +the police.”</p> + +<p>“You forget that a good pistol +is valuable property,” he went on +stolidly. “Some one came along +before the general alarm was +given; and seeing such a treasure +lying on the sidewalk, picked it up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +and carried it off. Not being an +honest man, he preferred to keep +it to drawing the attention of the +police upon himself.”</p> + +<p>“Hum, perhaps,” said I; “but +where did <i>you</i> get it. Surely you +can tell where you procured such +a weapon, if, as your wife intimates, +you did not own one.”</p> + +<p>“I bought it that self-same night +of a friend; a friend whom I will +not name, since he resides no +longer in this country. I——” +He paused; intense passion was +in his face; he turned towards his +wife, and a low cry escaped him, +which made her look up in fear.</p> + +<p>“I do not wish to go into any +particulars,” said he. “God forsook +me and I committed a horrible +crime. When I am punished, +perhaps peace will return to me +and happiness to her. I would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +not wish her to suffer too long or +too bitterly for my sin.”</p> + +<p>“Constant!” What love was +in the cry! and what despair! It +seemed to move him and turn his +thoughts for a moment into a +different channel.</p> + +<p>“Poor child!” he murmured, +stretching out his hands by an irresistible +impulse towards her. +But the change was but momentary, +and he was soon again the +stern and determined self-accuser. +“Are you going to take me before +a magistrate?” he asked. “If so, +I have a few duties to perform +which you are welcome to witness.”</p> + +<p>“I have no warrant,” I said; +“besides, I am scarcely the one to +take such a responsibility upon +myself. If, however, you persist +in your declaration, I will communicate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +with my superiors, who +will take such action as they think +best.”</p> + +<p>“That will be still more satisfactory +to me,” said he; “for +though I have many times contemplated +giving myself up to the +authorities, I have still much to +do before I can leave my home +and practice without injury to +others. Good-day; when you +want me, you will find me here.”</p> + +<p>He was gone, and the poor +young wife was left crouching on +the floor alone. Pitying her shame +and terror, I ventured to remark +that it was not an uncommon +thing for a man to confess to a +crime he had never committed, +and assured her that the matter +would be inquired into very carefully +before any attempt was made +upon his liberty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> + +<p>She thanked me, and, slowly +rising, tried to regain her equanimity; +but the manner as well as +the matter of her husband’s self-condemnation +was too overwhelming +in its nature for her to recover +readily from her emotions.</p> + +<p>“I have long dreaded this,” she +acknowledged. “For months I +have foreseen that he would make +some rash communication or insane +avowal. If I had dared, I +would have consulted some physician +about this hallucination of +his; but he was so sane on other +points that I hesitated to give my +dreadful secret to the world. I +kept hoping that time and his +daily pursuits would have their +effect and restore him to himself. +But his illusion grows, and now I +fear that nothing will ever convince +him that he did not commit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +the deed of which he accuses himself. +If he were not blind I would +have more hope, but the blind +have so much time for brooding.”</p> + +<p>“I think he had better be indulged +in his fancies for the present,” +I ventured. “If he is laboring +under an illusion it might be dangerous +to cross him.”</p> + +<p>“<i>If?</i>” she echoed in an indescribable +tone of amazement and +dread. “Can you for a moment +harbor the idea that he has spoken +the truth?”</p> + +<p>“Madam,” I returned, with +something of the cynicism of my +later years, “what caused you to +give such an unearthly scream +just before this murder was made +known to the neighborhood?”</p> + +<p>She stared, paled, and finally +began to tremble, not, as I now +believe, at the insinuation latent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +in my words, but at the doubts +which my question aroused in her +own breast.</p> + +<p>“Did I?” she asked; then with +a great burst of candor, which +seemed inseparable from her nature, +she continued: “Why do I +try to mislead you or deceive +myself? I did give a shriek just +before the alarm was raised next +door; but it was not from any +knowledge I had of a crime having +been committed, but because I +unexpectedly saw before me my +husband whom I supposed to be +on his way to Poughkeepsie. He +was looking very pale and strange, +and for a moment I thought I was +beholding his ghost. But he soon +explained his appearance by saying +that he had fallen from the train +and had been only saved by a +miracle from being dismembered;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +and I was just bemoaning his mishap +and trying to calm him and +myself, when that terrible shout +was heard next door of ‘Murder! +murder!’ Coming so soon after +the shock he had himself experienced, +it quite unnerved him, and +I think we can date his mental +disturbance from that moment. +For he began almost immediately +to take a morbid interest in the +affair next door, though it was +weeks, if not months, before he let +a word fall of the nature of those +you have just heard. Indeed it +was not till I repeated to him +some of the expressions he was +continually letting fall in his sleep, +that he commenced to accuse +himself of crime and talk of retribution.”</p> + +<p>“You say that your husband +frightened you on that night by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +appearing suddenly at the door +when you thought him on his way +to Poughkeepsie. Is Dr. Zabriskie +in the habit of thus going and coming +alone at an hour so late as this +must have been?”</p> + +<p>“You forget that to the blind, +night is less full of perils than the +day. Often and often has my husband +found his way to his patients’ +houses alone after midnight; but +on this especial evening he had +Harry with him. Harry was his +driver, and always accompanied +him when he went any distance.”</p> + +<p>“Well, then,” said I, “all we +have to do is to summon Harry +and hear what he has to say concerning +this affair. He surely will +know whether or not his master +went into the house next door.”</p> + +<p>“Harry has left us,” she said. +“Dr. Zabriskie has another driver<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +now. Besides—(I have nothing to +conceal from you)—Harry was not +with him when he returned to the +house that evening, or the Doctor +would not have been without +his portmanteau till the next day. +Something—I have never known +what—caused them to separate, +and that is why I have no answer to +give the Doctor when he accuses +himself of committing a deed on +that night which is wholly out of +keeping with every other act of +his life.”</p> + +<p>“And have you never questioned +Harry why they separated and +why he allowed his master to come +home alone after the shock he had +received at the station?”</p> + +<p>“I did not know there was any +reason for doing so till long after +he left us.”</p> + +<p>“And when did he leave?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“That I do not remember. A +few weeks or possibly a few days +after that dreadful night.”</p> + +<p>“And where is he now?”</p> + +<p>“Ah, that I have not the least +means of knowing. But,” she +suddenly cried, “what do you +want of Harry? If he did not +follow Dr. Zabriskie to his own +door, he could tell us nothing that +would convince my husband that +he is laboring under an illusion.”</p> + +<p>“But he might tell us something +which would convince us that Dr. +Zabriskie was not himself after the +accident, that he——”</p> + +<p>“Hush!” came from her lips in +imperious tones. “I will not believe +that he shot Mr. Hasbrouck +even if you prove him to have been +insane at the time. How could +he? My husband is blind. It +would take a man of very keen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +sight to force himself into a house +that was closed for the night, and +kill a man in the dark at one shot.”</p> + +<p>“Rather,” cried a voice from the +doorway, “it is only a blind man +who could do this. Those who +trust to eyesight must be able to +catch some glimpse of the mark +they aim at, and this room, as I +have been told, was without a +glimmer of light. But the blind +trust to sound, and as Mr. Hasbrouck +spoke——”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” burst from the horrified +wife, “is there no one to stop him +when he speaks like that?”</p> + + + +<h2 class="cht">II.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></h2> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">W</span>hen</span> I related to my superiors +the details of the foregoing +interview, two of them +coincided with the wife in thinking +that Dr. Zabriskie was in an irresponsible +condition of mind which +made any statement of his questionable. +But the third seemed +disposed to argue the matter, and, +casting me an inquiring look, +seemed to ask what my opinion +was on the subject. Answering +him as if he had spoken, I gave +my conclusion as follows: That +whether insane or not, Dr. Zabriskie +had fired the shot which terminated +Mr. Hasbrouck’s life.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was the Inspector’s own idea, +but it was not shared in by the +others, one of whom had known +the Doctor for years. Accordingly +they compromised by postponing +all opinion till they had themselves +interrogated the Doctor, and I was +detailed to bring him before them +the next afternoon.</p> + +<p>He came without reluctance, his +wife accompanying him. In the +short time which elapsed between +their leaving Lafayette Place and +entering Headquarters, I embraced +the opportunity of observing +them, and I found the study +equally exciting and interesting. +His face was calm but hopeless, +and his eye, which should have +shown a wild glimmer if there was +truth in his wife’s hypothesis, was +dark and unfathomable, but neither +frenzied nor uncertain. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +spake but once and listened to +nothing, though now and then his +wife moved as if to attract his +attention, and once even stole her +hand toward his, in the tender +hope that he would feel its approach +and accept her sympathy. +But he was deaf as well as blind; +and sat wrapped up in thoughts +which she, I know, would have +given worlds to penetrate.</p> + +<p>Her countenance was not without +its mystery also. She showed +in every lineament passionate concern +and misery, and a deep tenderness +from which the element of +fear was not absent. But she, as +well as he, betrayed that some +misunderstanding, deeper than any +I had previously suspected, drew +its intangible veil between them +and made the near proximity in +which they sat, at once a heart-piercing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +delight and an unspeakable +pain. What was this misunderstanding? +and what was the +character of the fear that modified +her every look of love in his direction? +Her perfect indifference +to my presence proved that it was +not connected with the position +in which he had put himself towards +the police by his voluntary +confession of crime, nor could I +thus interpret the expression of +frantic question which now and +then contracted her features, as +she raised her eyes towards his +sightless orbs, and strove to read, +in his firm-set lips, the meaning of +those assertions she could only +ascribe to a loss of reason.</p> + +<p>The stopping of the carriage +seemed to awaken both from +thoughts that separated rather +than united them. He turned his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +face in her direction, and she, +stretching forth her hand, prepared +to lead him from the carriage, +without any of that display +of timidity which had been previously +evident in her manner.</p> + +<p>As his guide she seemed to fear +nothing; as his lover, everything.</p> + +<p>“There is another and a deeper +tragedy underlying the outward +and obvious one,” was my inward +conclusion, as I followed them into +the presence of the gentlemen +awaiting them.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">Dr. Zabriskie’s appearance was +a shock to those who knew him; +so was his manner, which was calm, +straightforward, and quietly determined.</p> + +<p>“I shot Mr. Hasbrouck,” was his +steady affirmation, given without +any show of frenzy or desperation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +“If you ask me why I did it, I +cannot answer; if you ask me how, +I am ready to state all that I know +concerning the matter.”</p> + +<p>“But, Dr. Zabriskie,” interposed +his friend, “the why is the most +important thing for us to consider +just now. If you really desire to +convince us that you committed +the dreadful crime of killing a totally +inoffensive man, you should +give us some reason for an act so +opposed to all your instincts and +general conduct.”</p> + +<p>But the Doctor continued unmoved:</p> + +<p>“I had no reason for murdering +Mr. Hasbrouck. A hundred questions +can elicit no other reply; you +had better keep to the how.”</p> + +<p>A deep-drawn breath from the +wife answered the looks of the +three gentlemen to whom this suggestion<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +was offered. “You see,” +that breath seemed to protest, +“that he is not in his right mind.”</p> + +<p>I began to waver in my own +opinion, and yet the intuition +which has served me in cases as +seemingly impenetrable as this, +bade me beware of following the +general judgment.</p> + +<p>“Ask him to inform you how he +got into the house,” I whispered +to Inspector D——, who sat nearest +me.</p> + +<p>Immediately the Inspector put +the question I had suggested:</p> + +<p>“By what means did you enter +Mr. Hasbrouck’s house at so late +an hour as this murder occurred?”</p> + +<p>The blind doctor’s head fell +forward on his breast, and he hesitated +for the first and only time.</p> + +<p>“You will not believe me,” said +he; “but the door was ajar when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +I came to it. Such things make +crime easy; it is the only excuse +I have to offer for this dreadful +deed.”</p> + +<p>The front door of a respectable +citizen’s house ajar at half-past +eleven at night. It was a statement +that fixed in all minds the +conviction of the speaker’s irresponsibility. +Mrs. Zabriskie’s brow +cleared, and her beauty became +for a moment dazzling as she held +out her hands in irrepressible relief +towards those who were interrogating +her husband. I alone kept my +impassibility. A possible explanation +of this crime had flashed like +lightning across my mind; an explanation +from which I inwardly +recoiled, even while I was forced +to consider it.</p> + +<p>“Dr. Zabriskie,” remarked the +Inspector who was most friendly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +to him, “such old servants as those +kept by Mr. Hasbrouck do not +leave the front door ajar at twelve +o’clock at night.”</p> + +<p>“Yet ajar it was,” repeated the +blind doctor, with quiet emphasis; +“and finding it so, I went in. +When I came out again, I closed +it. Do you wish me to swear to +what I say? If so, I am ready.”</p> + +<p>What could we reply? To see +this splendid-looking man, hallowed +by an affliction so great that in itself +it called forth the compassion +of the most indifferent, accusing +himself of a cold-blooded crime, in +tones that sounded dispassionate +because of the will that forced +their utterance, was too painful in +itself for us to indulge in any unnecessary +words. Compassion took +the place of curiosity, and each +and all of us turned involuntary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +looks of pity upon the young wife +pressing so eagerly to his side.</p> + +<p>“For a blind man,” ventured +one, “the assault was both deft +and certain. Are you accustomed +to Mr. Hasbrouck’s house, that +you found your way with so little +difficulty to his bedroom?”</p> + +<p>“I am accustomed——” he began.</p> + +<p>But here his wife broke in with +irrepressible passion:</p> + +<p>“He is not accustomed to that +house. He has never been beyond +the first-floor. Why, why do you +question him? Do you not +see——”</p> + +<p>His hand was on her lips.</p> + +<p>“Hush!” he commanded. “You +know my skill in moving about a +house; how I sometimes deceive +those who do not know me into +believing that I can see, by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +readiness with which I avoid obstacles +and find my way even in +strange and untried scenes. Do +not try to make them think I am +not in my right mind, or you will +drive me into the very condition +you deprecate.”</p> + +<p>His face, rigid, cold, and set, +looked like that of a mask. Hers, +drawn with horror and filled with +question that was fast taking the +form of doubt, bespoke an awful +tragedy from which more that one +of us recoiled.</p> + +<p>“Can you shoot a man dead +without seeing him?” asked the +Superintendent, with painful effort.</p> + +<p>“Give me a pistol and I will +show you,” was the quick reply.</p> + +<p>A low cry came from the wife. +In a drawer near to every one of +us there lay a pistol, but no one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +moved to take it out. There was +a look in the Doctor’s eye which +made us fear to trust him with a +pistol just then.</p> + +<p>“We will accept your assurance +that you possess a skill beyond that +of most men,” returned the Superintendent. +And beckoning me +forward, he whispered: “This is a +case for the doctors and not for +the police. Remove him quietly, +and notify Dr. Southyard of what +I say.”</p> + +<p>But Dr. Zabriskie, who seemed +to have an almost supernatural +acuteness of hearing, gave a violent +start at this and spoke up for +the first time with real passion in +his voice:</p> + +<p>“No, no, I pray you. I can +bear anything but that. Remember, +gentlemen, that I am blind; +that I cannot see who is about me;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +that my life would be a torture if +I felt myself surrounded by spies +watching to catch some evidence +of madness in me. Rather conviction +at once, death, dishonor, and +obloquy. These I have incurred. +These I have brought upon myself +by crime, but not this worse fate—oh! +not this worse fate.”</p> + +<p>His passion was so intense and +yet so confined within the bounds +of decorum, that we felt strangely +impressed by it. Only the wife +stood transfixed, with the dread +growing in her heart, till her white, +waxen visage seemed even more +terrible to contemplate than his +passion-distorted one.</p> + +<p>“It is not strange that my wife +thinks me demented,” the Doctor +continued, as if afraid of the silence +that answered him. “But +it is your business to discriminate,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +and you should know a sane man +when you see him.”</p> + +<p>Inspector D—— no longer hesitated.</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said he, “give us +the least proof that your assertions +are true, and we will lay your case +before the prosecuting attorney.”</p> + +<p>“Proof? Is not a man’s +word——”</p> + +<p>“No man’s confession is worth +much without some evidence to +support it. In your case there is +none. You cannot even produce +the pistol with which you assert +yourself to have committed the +deed.”</p> + +<p>“True, true. I was frightened +by what I had done, and the instinct +of self-preservation led me +to rid myself of the weapon in any +way I could. But some one found +this pistol; some one picked it up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +from the sidewalk of Lafayette +Place on that fatal night. Advertise +for it. Offer a reward. I +will give you the money.” Suddenly +he appeared to realize how +all this sounded. “Alas!” cried +he, “I know the story seems improbable; +all I say seems improbable; +but it is not the probable +things that happen in this life, but +the improbable, as you should +know, who every day dig deep +into the heart of human affairs.”</p> + +<p>Were these the ravings of insanity? +I began to understand +the wife’s terror.</p> + +<p>“I bought the pistol,” he went +on, “of—alas! I cannot tell you +his name. Everything is against +me. I cannot adduce one proof; +yet she, even she, is beginning to +fear that my story is true. I know +it by her silence, a silence that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +yawns between us like a deep and +unfathomable gulf.”</p> + +<p>But at these words her voice +rang out with passionate vehemence.</p> + +<p>“No, no, it is false! I will +never believe that your hands +have been plunged in blood. You +are my own pure-hearted Constant, +cold, perhaps, and stern, but with +no guilt upon your conscience, save +in your own wild imagination.”</p> + +<p>“Helen, you are no friend to +me,” he declared, pushing her +gently aside. “Believe me innocent, +but say nothing to lead these +others to doubt my word.”</p> + +<p>And she said no more, but her +looks spoke volumes.</p> + +<p>The result was that he was not +detained, though he prayed for +instant commitment. He seemed +to dread his own home, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +surveillance to which he instinctively +knew he would henceforth +be subjected. To see him shrink +from his wife’s hand as she strove +to lead him from the room was +sufficiently painful; but the feeling +thus aroused was nothing to +that with which we observed the +keen and agonized expectancy of +his look as he turned and listened +for the steps of the officer who +followed him.</p> + +<p>“I shall never again know +whether or not I am alone,” was +his final observation as he left our +presence.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">I said nothing to my superiors +of the thoughts I had had while +listening to the above interrogatories. +A theory had presented +itself to my mind which explained +in some measure the mysteries of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +the Doctor’s conduct, but I wished +for time and opportunity to test +its reasonableness before submitting +it to their higher judgment. +And these seemed likely to be +given me, for the Inspectors continued +divided in their opinion of +the blind physician’s guilt, and +the District-Attorney, when told +of the affair, pooh-poohed it without +mercy, and declined to stir in +the matter unless some tangible +evidence were forthcoming to substantiate +the poor Doctor’s self-accusations.</p> + +<p>“If guilty, why does he shrink +from giving his motives,” said he, +“and if so anxious to go to the +gallows, why does he suppress the +very facts calculated to send him +there? He is as mad as a March +hare, and it is to an asylum he +should go and not to a jail.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>In this conclusion I failed to +agree with him, and as time wore +on my suspicions took shape and +finally ended in a fixed conviction. +Dr. Zabriskie had committed the +crime he avowed, but—let me +proceed a little further with my +story before I reveal what lies beyond +that “but.”</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding Dr. Zabriskie’s +almost frenzied appeal for solitude, +a man had been placed in +surveillance over him in the shape +of a young doctor skilled in diseases +of the brain. This man +communicated more or less with +the police, and one morning I received +from him the following extracts +from the diary he had been +ordered to keep.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>“The Doctor is settling into a +deep melancholy from which he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +tries to rise at times, but with only +indifferent success. Yesterday he +rode around to all his patients for +the purpose of withdrawing his +services on the plea of illness. +But he still keeps his office open, +and to-day I had the opportunity +of witnessing his reception and +treatment of the many sufferers +who came to him for aid. I think +he was conscious of my presence, +though an attempt had been made +to conceal it. For the listening +look never left his face from the +moment he entered the room, and +once he rose and passed quickly +from wall to wall, groping with +outstretched hands into every +nook and corner, and barely +escaping contact with the curtain +behind which I was hidden. But +if he suspected my presence, he +showed no displeasure at it, wishing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +perhaps for a witness to his +skill in the treatment of disease.</p> + +<p>“And truly I never beheld a +finer manifestation of practical +insight in cases of a more or less +baffling nature than I beheld in +him to-day. He is certainly a most +wonderful physician, and I feel +bound to record that his mind is as +clear for business as if no shadow +had fallen upon it.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“Dr. Zabriskie loves his wife, but +in a way that tortures both himself +and her. If she is gone from +the house he is wretched, and yet +when she returns he often forbears +to speak to her, or if he does speak, +it is with a constraint that hurts +her more than his silence. I was +present when she came in to-day. +Her step, which had been eager +on the stairway, flagged as she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +approached the room, and he +naturally noted the change and +gave his own interpretation to it. +His face, which had been very +pale, flushed suddenly, and a +nervous trembling seized him +which he sought in vain to hide. +But by the time her tall and +beautiful figure stood in the doorway +he was his usual self again in +all but the expression of his eyes, +which stared straight before him +in an agony of longing only to be +observed in those who have once +seen.</p> + +<p>“‘Where have you been, Helen?’ +he asked, as, contrary to his wont, +he moved to meet her.</p> + +<p>“‘To my mother’s, to Arnold +& Constable’s, and to the hospital, +as you requested,’ was her +quick answer, made without faltering +or embarrassment.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> + +<p>“He stepped still nearer and +took her hand, and as he did so +my physician’s eye noted how his +finger lay over her pulse in seeming +unconsciousness.</p> + +<p>“‘Nowhere else?’ he queried.</p> + +<p>“She smiled the saddest kind of +smile and shook her head; then, +remembering that he could not +see this movement, she cried in a +wistful tone:</p> + +<p>“‘Nowhere else, Constant; I +was too anxious to get back.’</p> + +<p>“I expected him to drop her +hand at this, but he did not; and +his finger still rested on her pulse.</p> + +<p>“‘And whom did you see while +you were gone?’ he continued.</p> + +<p>“She told him, naming over +several names.</p> + +<p>“‘You must have enjoyed yourself,’ +was his cold comment, as he +let go her hand and turned away.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +But his manner showed relief, and +I could not but sympathize with +the pitiable situation of a man +who found himself forced to means +like these for probing the heart of +his young wife.</p> + +<p>“Yet when I turned towards her +I realized that her position was but +little happier than his. Tears are +no strangers to her eyes, but those +that welled up at this moment +seemed to possess a bitterness that +promised but little peace for her +future. Yet she quickly dried +them and busied herself with ministrations +for his comfort.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“If I am any judge of woman, +Helen Zabriskie is superior to +most of her sex. That her husband +mistrusts her is evident, but +whether this is the result of the +stand she has taken in his regard,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +or only a manifestation of dementia, +I have as yet been unable to +determine. I dread to leave them +alone together, and yet when I +presume to suggest that she should +be on her guard in her interviews +with him, she smiles very placidly +and tells me that nothing would +give her greater joy than to see +him lift his hand against her, for +that would argue that he is not +accountable for his deeds or for +his assertions.</p> + +<p>“Yet it would be a grief to see +her injured by this passionate and +unhappy man.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“You have said that you wanted +all details I could give; so I feel +bound to say, that Dr. Zabriskie +tries to be considerate of his wife, +though he often fails in the attempt. +When she offers herself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +as his guide, or assists him with +his mail, or performs any of the +many acts of kindness by which she +continually manifests her sense of +his affliction, he thanks her with +courtesy and often with kindness, +yet I know she would willingly +exchange all his set phrases for +one fond embrace or impulsive +smile of affection. That he is not +in the full possession of his faculties +would be too much to say, +and yet upon what other hypothesis +can we account for the +inconsistencies of his conduct.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“I have before me two visions +of mental suffering. At noon I +passed the office door, and looking +within, saw the figure of Dr. Zabriskie +seated in his great chair, +lost in thought or deep in those +memories which make an abyss in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +one’s consciousness. His hands, +which were clenched, rested upon +the arms of his chair, and in one +of them I detected a woman’s +glove, which I had no difficulty in +recognizing as one of the pair worn +by his wife this morning. He +held it as a tiger might hold his +prey or a miser his gold, but his +set features and sightless eyes betrayed +that a conflict of emotions +was waging within him, among +which tenderness had but little +share.</p> + +<p>“Though alive, as he usually is, +to every sound, he was too absorbed +at this moment to notice +my presence though I had taken +no pains to approach quietly. I +therefore stood for a full minute +watching him, till an irresistible +sense of the shame of thus spying +upon a blind man in his moments<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +of secret anguish seized upon me +and I turned away. But not before +I saw his features relax in a +storm of passionate feeling, as he +rained kisses after kisses on the +senseless kid he had so long held +in his motionless grasp. Yet when +an hour later he entered the +dining-room on his wife’s arm, +there was nothing in his manner +to show that he had in any way +changed in his attitude towards +her.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“The other picture was more +tragic still. I have no business +with Mrs. Zabriskie’s affairs; but +as I passed upstairs to my room +an hour ago, I caught a fleeting +vision of her tall form, with the +arms thrown up over her head in +a paroxysm of feeling which made +her as oblivious to my presence as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +her husband had been several +hours before. Were the words +that escaped her lips ‘Thank +God we have no children!’ or +was this exclamation suggested to +me by the passion and unrestrained +impulse of her action?”</p></div> + +<p>Side by side with these lines, I, +Ebenezer Gryce, placed the following +extracts from my own +diary:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>“Watched the Zabriskie mansion +for five hours this morning, from +the second story window of an adjoining +hotel. Saw the Doctor +when he drove away on his round +of visits, and saw him when he +returned. A colored man accompanied +him.</p> + +<p>“To-day I followed Mrs. Zabriskie. +I had a motive for this, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +nature of which I think it wisest +not to divulge. She went first to +a house in Washington Place +where I am told her mother lives. +Here she stayed some time, after +which she drove down to Canal +Street, where she did some shopping, +and later stopped at the +hospital, into which I took the liberty +of following her. She seemed +to know many there, and passed +from cot to cot with a smile in +which I alone discerned the sadness +of a broken heart. When +she left, I left also, without having +learned anything beyond the fact +that Mrs. Zabriskie is one who +does her duty in sorrow as in happiness. +A rare and trustworthy +woman I should say, and yet her +husband does not trust her. Why?</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“I have spent this day in accumulating<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +details in regard to Dr. +and Mrs. Zabriskie’s life previous +to the death of Mr. Hasbrouck. +I learned from sources it would be +unwise to quote just here, that +Mrs. Zabriskie had not lacked +enemies ready to charge her with +coquetry; that while she had +never sacrificed her dignity in +public, more than one person had +been heard to declare, that Dr. +Zabriskie was fortunate in being +blind, since the sight of his wife’s +beauty would have but poorly +compensated him for the pain he +would have suffered in seeing how +that beauty was admired.</p> + +<p>“That all gossip is more or less +tinged with exaggeration I have +no doubt, yet when a name is +mentioned in connection with +such stories, there is usually some +truth at the bottom of them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +And a name is mentioned in this +case, though I do not think it +worth my while to repeat it here; +and loth as I am to recognize the +fact, it is a name that carries with +it doubts that might easily account +for the husband’s jealousy. +True, I have found no one who +dares to hint that she still continues +to attract attention or to +bestow smiles in any direction +save where they legally belong. +For since a certain memorable +night which we all know, neither +Dr. Zabriskie nor his wife have +been seen save in their own domestic +circle, and it is not into +such scenes that this serpent, of +which I have spoken, ever intrudes, +nor is it in places of sorrow +or suffering that his smile +shines, or his fascinations flourish.</p> + +<p>“And so one portion of my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +theory is proved to be sound. Dr. +Zabriskie is jealous of his wife: +whether with good cause or bad I +am not prepared to decide; for +her present attitude, clouded as it +is by the tragedy in which she and +her husband are both involved, +must differ very much from that +which she held when her life was +unshadowed by doubt, and her +admirers could be counted by the +score.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“I have just found out where +Harry is. As he is in service +some miles up the river, I shall +have to be absent from my post +for several hours, but I consider +the game well worth the candle.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“Light at last. I have seen +Harry, and, by means known only +to the police, have succeeded in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +making him talk. His story is +substantially this: That on the +night so often mentioned, he +packed his master’s portmanteau +at eight o’clock and at ten called +a carriage and rode with the +Doctor to the Twenty-ninth Street +station. He was told to buy +tickets for Poughkeepsie where +his master had been called in consultation, +and having done this, +hurried back to join his master on +the platform. They had walked +together as far as the cars, and Dr. +Zabriskie was just stepping on to +the train when a man pushed himself +hurriedly between them and +whispered something into his +master’s ear, which caused him to +fall back and lose his footing. Dr. +Zabriskie’s body slid half under +the car, but he was withdrawn before +any harm was done, though<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +the cars gave a lurch at that moment +which must have frightened +him exceedingly, for his face was +white when he rose to his feet, +and when Harry offered to assist +him again on to the train, he refused +to go and said he would +return home and not attempt to +ride to Poughkeepsie that night.</p> + +<p>“The gentleman, whom Harry +now saw to be Mr. Stanton, an +intimate friend of Dr. Zabriskie, +smiled very queerly at this, and +taking the Doctor’s arm led him +away to a carriage. Harry naturally +followed them, but the Doctor, +hearing his steps, turned and bade +him, in a very peremptory tone, to +take the omnibus home, and then, +as if on second thought, told him +to go to Poughkeepsie in his stead +and explain to the people there +that he was too shaken up by his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +mis-step to do his duty, and that +he would be with them next morning. +This seemed strange to Harry, +but he had no reasons for disobeying +his master’s orders, and so rode +to Poughkeepsie. But the Doctor +did not follow him the next day; +on the contrary he telegraphed for +him to return, and when he got +back dismissed him with a month’s +wages. This ended Harry’s connection +with the Zabriskie family.</p> + +<p>“A simple story bearing out +what the wife has already told us; +but it furnishes a link which may +prove invaluable. Mr. Stanton, +whose first name is Theodore, +knows the real reason why Dr. +Zabriskie returned home on the +night of the seventeenth of July, +1851. Mr. Stanton, consequently, +I must see, and this shall be my +business to-morrow.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Checkmate! Theodore Stanton +is not in this country. Though +this points him out as the man +from whom Dr. Zabriskie bought +the pistol, it does not facilitate my +work, which is becoming more and +more difficult.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“Mr. Stanton’s whereabouts are +not even known to his most intimate +friends. He sailed from this +country most unexpectedly on the +eighteenth of July a year ago, +which was <i>the day after the murder +of Mr. Hasbrouck</i>. It looks like a +flight, especially as he has failed +to maintain open communication +even with his relatives. Was he +the man who shot Mr. Hasbrouck? +No; but he was the man who put +the pistol in Dr. Zabriskie’s hand +that night, and, whether he did +this with purpose or not, was evidently<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +so alarmed at the catastrophe +which followed that he took +the first outgoing steamer to +Europe. So far, all is clear, but +there are mysteries yet to be +solved, which will require my utmost +tact. What if I should seek +out the gentleman with whose +name that of Mrs. Zabriskie has +been linked, and see if I can in any +way connect him with Mr. Stanton +or the events of that night?</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“Eureka! I have discovered +that Mr. Stanton cherished a mortal +hatred for the gentleman above +mentioned. It was a covert feeling, +but no less deadly on that account; +and while it never led him +into any extravagances, it was of +force sufficient to account for many +a secret misfortune which happened +to that gentleman. Now, if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +I can prove he was the Mephistopheles +who whispered insinuations +into the ear of our blind Faust, I +may strike a fact that will lead me +out of this maze.</p> + +<p>“But how can I approach secrets +so delicate without compromising +the woman I feel bound to respect, +if only for the devoted love +she manifests for her unhappy +husband!</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“I shall have to appeal to Joe +Smithers. This is something which +I always hate to do, but as long as he +will take money, and as long as he +is fertile in resources for obtaining +the truth from people I am myself +unable to reach, so long must +I make use of his cupidity and his +genius. He is an honorable fellow +in one way, and never retails as +gossip what he acquires for our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +use. How will he proceed in this +case, and by what tactics will he +gain the very delicate information +which we need? I own that I am +curious to see.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“I shall really have to put down +at length the incidents of this +night. I always knew that Joe +Smithers was invaluable to the +police, but I really did not know +he possessed talents of so high an +order. He wrote me this morning +that he had succeeded in getting +Mr. T——’s promise to spend the +evening with him, and advised me +that if I desired to be present also, +his own servant would not be at +home, and that an opener of bottles +would be required.</p> + +<p>“As I was very anxious to see +Mr. T—— with my own eyes, I +accepted the invitation to play the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +spy upon a spy, and went at the +proper hour to Mr. Smithers’s +rooms, which are in the University +Building. I found them picturesque +in the extreme. Piles of +books stacked here and there to the +ceiling made nooks and corners +which could be quite shut off by a +couple of old pictures that were set +into movable frames that swung +out or in at the whim or convenience +of the owner.</p> + +<p>“As I liked the dark shadows +cast by these pictures, I pulled +them both out, and made such +other arrangements as appeared +likely to facilitate the purpose I +had in view, then I sat down and +waited for the two gentlemen who +were expected to come in together.</p> + +<p>“They arrived almost immediately, +whereupon I rose and played<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +my part with all necessary discretion. +While ridding Mr. T—— +of his overcoat, I stole a look at his +face. It is not a handsome one, +but it boasts of a gay, devil-may-care +expression which doubtless +makes it dangerous to many +women, while his manners are +especially attractive, and his voice +the richest and most persuasive +that I ever heard. I contrasted +him, almost against my will, with +Dr. Zabriskie, and decided that +with most women the former’s undoubted +fascinations of speech and +bearing would outweigh the latter’s +great beauty and mental endowments; +but I doubted if they +would with her.</p> + +<p>“The conversation which immediately +began was brilliant but +desultory, for Mr. Smithers, with +an airy lightness for which he is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +remarkable, introduced topic after +topic, perhaps for the purpose of +showing off Mr. T——’s versatility, +and perhaps for the deeper +and more sinister purpose of +shaking the kaleidoscope of talk +so thoroughly, that the real topic +which we were met to discuss +should not make an undue impression +on the mind of his guest.</p> + +<p>“Meanwhile one, two, three bottles +passed, and I saw Joe Smithers’s +eye grow calmer and that of +Mr. T—— more brilliant and more +uncertain. As the last bottle +showed signs of failing, Joe cast +me a meaning glance, and the real +business of the evening began.</p> + +<p>“I shall not attempt to relate +the half-dozen failures which Joe +made in endeavoring to elicit the +facts we were in search of, without +arousing the suspicion of his visitor.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +I am only going to relate +the successful attempt. They had +been talking now for some hours, +and I, who had long before been +waved from their immediate presence, +was hiding my curiosity and +growing excitement behind one of +the pictures, when suddenly I +heard Joe say:</p> + +<p>“‘He has the most remarkable +memory I ever met. He can tell +to a day when any notable event +occurred.’</p> + +<p>“‘Pshaw!’ answered his companion, +who, by the by, was +known to pride himself upon his +own memory for dates, ‘I can state +where I went and what I did on +every day in the year. That may +not embrace what you call ‘notable +events,’ but the memory required +is all the more remarkable, +is it not?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span>’</p> + +<p>“‘Pooh!’ was his friend’s provoking +reply, ‘you are bluffing, +Ben; I will never believe that.’</p> + +<p>“Mr. T——, who had passed by +this time into that state of intoxication +which makes persistence in +an assertion a duty as well as a +pleasure, threw back his head, and +as the wreaths of smoke rose in +airy spirals from his lips, reiterated +his statement, and offered to submit +to any test of his vaunted powers +which the other might dictate.</p> + +<p>“‘You have a diary——’ began +Joe.</p> + +<p>“‘Which is at home,’ completed +the other.</p> + +<p>“‘Will you allow me to refer to +it to-morrow, if I am suspicious of +the accuracy of your recollections?’</p> + +<p>“‘Undoubtedly,’ returned the +other.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> + +<p>“‘Very well, then, I will wager +you a cool fifty, that you cannot +tell where you were between the +hours of ten and eleven on a certain +night which I will name.’</p> + +<p>“‘Done!’ cried the other, bringing +out his pocket-book and laying +it on the table before him.</p> + +<p>“Joe followed his example and +then summoned me.</p> + +<p>“‘Write a date down here,’ he +commanded, pushing a piece of +paper towards me, with a look +keen as the flash of a blade. ‘Any +date, man,’ he added, as I appeared +to hesitate in the embarrassment +I thought natural under +the circumstances. ‘Put down day, +month, and year, only don’t go +too far back; not farther than two +years.’</p> + +<p>“Smiling with the air of a flunkey +admitted to the sports of his superiors,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +I wrote a line and laid it +before Mr. Smithers, who at once +pushed it with a careless gesture +towards his companion. You can +of course guess the date I made +use of: July 17, 1851. Mr. T——, +who had evidently looked upon +this matter as mere play, flushed +scarlet as he read these words, +and for one instant looked as if +he had rather flee our presence +than answer Joe Smithers’s nonchalant +glance of inquiry.</p> + +<p>“‘I have given my word and will +keep it,’ he said at last, but with +a look in my direction that sent +me reluctantly back to my retreat. +‘I don’t suppose you want names,’ +he went on, ‘that is, if anything I +have to tell is of a delicate +nature?’</p> + +<p>“‘O no,’ answered the other, +‘only facts and places.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span>’</p> + +<p>“‘I don’t think places are necessary +either,’ he returned. ‘I will +tell you what I did and that must +serve you. I did not promise to +give number and street.’</p> + +<p>“‘Well, well,’ Joe exclaimed; +‘earn your fifty, that is all. Show +that you remember where you +were on the night of’—and with +an admirable show of indifference +he pretended to consult the +paper between them—‘the seventeenth +of July, 1851, and I shall +be satisfied.’</p> + +<p>“‘I was at the club for one +thing,’ said Mr. T——; ‘then I +went to see a lady friend, where I +stayed till eleven. She wore a blue +muslin—— What is that?’</p> + +<p>“I had betrayed myself by a +quick movement which sent a glass +tumbler crashing to the floor. +Helen Zabriskie had worn a blue<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +muslin on that same night. I had +noted it when I stood on the +balcony watching her and her +husband.</p> + +<p>“‘That noise?’ It was Joe who +was speaking. ‘You don’t know +Reuben as well as I do or you +wouldn’t ask. It is his practice, +I am sorry to say, to accentuate +his pleasure in draining my bottles, +by dropping a glass at every +third one.’</p> + +<p>“Mr. T—— went on.</p> + +<p>“‘She was a married woman and +I thought she loved me; but—and +this is the greatest proof I +can offer you that I am giving +you a true account of that night—she +had not had the slightest +idea of the extent of my passion, +and only consented to see me at +all because she thought, poor thing, +that a word from her would set<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +me straight, and rid her of attentions +that were fast becoming obnoxious. +A sorry figure for a +fellow to cut who has not been +without his triumphs; but you +caught me on the most detestable +date in my calendar, and——’</p> + +<p>“There is where he stopped being +interesting, so I will not waste +time by quoting further. And +now what reply shall I make when +Joe Smithers asks me double his +usual price, as he will be sure to +do, next time? Has he not earned +an advance? I really think so.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">“I have spent the whole day in +weaving together the facts I have +gleaned, and the suspicions I have +formed, into a consecutive whole +likely to present my theory in a +favorable light to my superiors. +But just as I thought myself in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +shape to meet their inquiries, I received +an immediate summons +into their presence, where I was +given a duty to perform of so extraordinary +and unexpected a nature, +that it effectually drove from +my mind all my own plans for +the elucidation of the Zabriskie +mystery.</p> + +<p>“This was nothing more nor less +than to take charge of a party of +people who were going to the +Jersey heights for the purpose of +testing Dr. Zabriskie’s skill with a +pistol.”</p></div> + + + +<h2 class="cht">III.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></h2> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">T</span>he</span> cause of this sudden move +was soon explained to me. +Mrs. Zabriskie, anxious to have an +end put to the present condition +of affairs, had begged for a more +rigid examination into her husband’s +state. This being accorded, +a strict and impartial inquiry had +taken place, with a result not unlike +that which followed the first +one. Three out of his four interrogators +judged him insane, and +could not be moved from their +opinion though opposed by the +verdict of the young expert who +had been living in the house with +him. Dr. Zabriskie seemed to +read their thoughts, and, showing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +extreme agitation, begged as before +for an opportunity to prove +his sanity by showing his skill in +shooting. This time a disposition +was evinced to grant his request, +which Mrs. Zabriskie no sooner +perceived, than she added her +supplications to his that the +question might be thus settled.</p> + +<p>A pistol was accordingly +brought; but at sight of it her +courage failed, and she changed +her prayer to an entreaty that the +experiment should be postponed +till the next day, and should then +take place in the woods away from +the sight and hearing of needless +spectators.</p> + +<p>Though it would have been +much wiser to have ended the +matter there and then, the Superintendent +was prevailed upon to +listen to her entreaties, and thus<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +it was that I came to be a spectator, +if not a participator, in the final +scene of this most sombre drama.</p> + +<p>There are some events which +impress the human mind so deeply +that their memory mingles with +all after-experiences. Though I +have made it a rule to forget as +soon as possible the tragic episodes +into which I am constantly +plunged, there is one scene in my +life which will not depart at my +will; and that is the sight which +met my eyes from the bow of the +small boat in which Dr. Zabriskie +and his wife were rowed over to +Jersey on that memorable afternoon.</p> + +<p>Though it was by no means late +in the day, the sun was already +sinking, and the bright red glare +which filled the heavens and shone +full upon the faces of the half-dozen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +persons before me added +much to the tragic nature of the +scene, though we were far from +comprehending its full significance.</p> + +<p>The Doctor sat with his wife in +the stern, and it was upon their +faces my glance was fixed. The +glare shone luridly on his sightless +eyeballs, and as I noticed his unwinking +lids I realized as never before +what it was to be blind in the +midst of sunshine. Her eyes, on +the contrary, were lowered, but +there was a look of hopeless misery +in her colorless face which made +her appearance infinitely pathetic, +and I felt confident that if he +could only have seen her, he would +not have maintained the cold and +unresponsive manner which chilled +the words on her lips and made all +advance on her part impossible.</p> + +<p>On the seat in front of them sat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +the Inspector and a doctor, and +from some quarter, possibly from +under the Inspector’s coat, there +came the monotonous ticking of +a small clock, which, I had been +told, was to serve as a target for +the blind man’s aim.</p> + +<p>This ticking was all I heard, +though the noise and bustle of +a great traffic was pressing upon +us on every side. And I am sure +it was all that she heard, as, with +hand pressed to her heart and eyes +fixed on the opposite shore, she +waited for the event which was to +determine whether the man she +loved was a criminal or only a +being afflicted of God, and worthy +of her unceasing care and devotion.</p> + +<p>As the sun cast its last scarlet +gleam over the water, the boat +grounded, and it fell to my lot to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +assist Mrs. Zabriskie up the bank. +As I did so, I allowed myself to +say: “I am your friend, Mrs. Zabriskie,” +and was astonished to see +her tremble, and turn toward me +with a look like that of a frightened +child.</p> + +<p>But there was always this characteristic +blending in her countenance +of the childlike and the +severe, such as may so often be +seen in the faces of nuns, and beyond +an added pang of pity for +this beautiful but afflicted woman, +I let the moment pass without +giving it the weight it perhaps +demanded.</p> + +<p>“The Doctor and his wife had a +long talk last night,” was whispered +in my ear as we wound our way +along into the woods. I turned and +perceived at my side the expert +physician, portions of whose diary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +I have already quoted. He had +come by another boat.</p> + +<p>“But it did not seem to heal +whatever breach lies between +them,” he proceeded. Then in +a quick, curious tone, he asked: +“Do you believe this attempt on +his part is likely to prove anything +but a farce?”</p> + +<p>“I believe he will shatter the +clock to pieces with his first shot,” +I answered, and could say no more, +for we had already reached the +ground which had been selected +for this trial at arms, and the various +members of the party were +being placed in their several positions.</p> + +<p>The Doctor, to whom light and +darkness were alike, stood with +his face towards the western glow, +and at his side were grouped the +Inspector and the two physicians.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +On the arm of one of the latter +hung Dr. Zabriskie’s overcoat, +which he had taken off as soon +as he reached the field.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Zabriskie stood at the +other end of the opening, near a +tall stump, upon which it had been +decided that the clock should be +placed when the moment came for +the Doctor to show his skill. She +had been accorded the privilege of +setting the clock on this stump, +and I saw it shining in her hand +as she paused for a moment to +glance back at the circle of gentlemen +who were awaiting her +movements. The hands of the +clock stood at five minutes to five, +though I scarcely noted the fact +at the time, for her eyes were on +mine, and as she passed me she +spoke:</p> + +<p>“If he is not himself, he cannot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +be trusted. Watch him carefully, +and see that he does no mischief +to himself or others. Be at his +right hand, and stop him if he does +not handle his pistol properly.”</p> + +<p>I promised, and she passed on, +setting the clock upon the stump +and immediately drawing back to +a suitable distance at the right, +where she stood, wrapped in her +long dark cloak, quite alone. Her +face shone ghastly white, even in +its environment of snow-covered +boughs which surrounded her, and, +noting this, I wished the minutes +fewer between the present moment +and the hour of five, at +which he was to draw the trigger.</p> + +<p>“Dr. Zabriskie,” quoth the Inspector, +“we have endeavored to +make this trial a perfectly fair one. +You are to have one shot at a +small clock which has been placed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +within a suitable distance, and +which you are expected to hit, +guided only by the sound which it +will make in striking the hour of +five. Are you satisfied with the +arrangement?”</p> + +<p>“Perfectly. Where is my wife?”</p> + +<p>“On the other side of the field, +some ten paces from the stump +upon which the clock is fixed.”</p> + +<p>He bowed, and his face showed +satisfaction.</p> + +<p>“May I expect the clock to +strike soon?”</p> + +<p>“In less than five minutes,” was +the answer.</p> + +<p>“Then let me have the pistol; +I wish to become acquainted with +its size and weight.”</p> + +<p>We glanced at each other, then +across at her.</p> + +<p>She made a gesture; it was one +of acquiescence.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> + +<p>Immediately the Inspector +placed the weapon in the blind +man’s hand. It was at once apparent +that the Doctor understood +the instrument, and my last doubt +vanished as to the truth of all he +had told us.</p> + +<p>“Thank God I am blind this +hour and cannot see <i>her</i>,” fell unconsciously +from his lips; then, +before the echo of these words +had left my ears, he raised his +voice and observed calmly enough, +considering that he was about to +prove himself a criminal in order +to save himself from being thought +a madman.</p> + +<p>“Let no one move. I must +have my ears free for catching +the first stroke of the clock.” And +he raised the pistol before him.</p> + +<p>There was a moment of torturing +suspense and deep, unbroken<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +silence. My eyes were on him, +and so I did not watch the clock, +but suddenly I was moved by some +irresistible impulse to note how +Mrs. Zabriskie was bearing herself +at this critical moment, and, casting +a hurried glance in her direction, +I perceived her tall figure swaying +from side to side, as if under an +intolerable strain of feeling. Her +eyes were on the clock, the hands +of which seemed to creep with +snail-like pace along the dial, +when unexpectedly, and a full minute +before the minute hand had +reached the stroke of five, I caught +a movement on her part, saw the +flash of something round and white +show for an instant against the +darkness of her cloak, and was +about to shriek warning to the +Doctor, when the shrill, quick +stroke of a clock rung out on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +frosty air, followed by the ping +and flash of a pistol.</p> + +<p>A sound of shattered glass, followed +by a suppressed cry, told us +that the bullet had struck the +mark, but before we could move, +or rid our eyes of the smoke which +the wind had blown into our faces, +there came another sound which +made our hair stand on end and +sent the blood back in terror to +our hearts. Another clock was +striking, the clock which we now +perceived was still standing upright +on the stump where Mrs. +Zabriskie had placed it.</p> + +<p>Whence came the clock, then, +which had struck before the time +and been shattered for its pains? +One quick look told us. On the +ground, ten paces at the right, lay +Helen Zabriskie, a broken clock at +her side, and in her breast a bullet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +which was fast sapping the life +from her sweet eyes.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">We had to tell him, there was +such pleading in her looks; and +never shall I forget the scream that +rang from his lips as he realized +the truth. Breaking from our +midst, he rushed forward, and fell +at her feet as if guided by some +supernatural instinct.</p> + +<p>“Helen,” he shrieked, “what is +this? Were not my hands dyed +deep enough in blood that you +should make me answerable for +your life also?”</p> + +<p>Her eyes were closed, but she +opened them. Looking long and +steadily at his agonized face, she +faltered forth:</p> + +<p>“It is not you who have killed +me; it is your crime. Had you +been innocent of Mr. Hasbrouck’s<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +death, your bullet would never +have found my heart. Did you +think I could survive the proof +that you had killed that good +man?”</p> + +<p>“I—I did it unwittingly. I——”</p> + +<p>“Hush!” she commanded, with +an awful look, which, happily, he +could not see. “I had another +motive. I wished to prove to you, +even at the cost of my life, that I +loved you, had always loved you, +and not——”</p> + +<p>It was now his turn to silence +her. His hand crept over her lips, +and his despairing face turned itself +blindly towards us.</p> + +<p>“Go,” he cried; “leave us! Let +me take a last farewell of my +dying wife, without listeners or +spectators.”</p> + +<p>Consulting the eye of the physician<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +who stood beside me, and +seeing no hope in it, I fell slowly +back. The others followed, and +the Doctor was left alone with his +wife. From the distant position +we took, we saw her arms creep +round his neck, saw her head fall +confidingly on his breast, then +silence settled upon them and +upon all nature, the gathering twilight +deepening, till the last glow +disappeared from the heavens +above and from the circle of leafless +trees which enclosed this tragedy +from the outside world.</p> + +<p>But at last there came a stir, +and Dr. Zabriskie, rising up before +us, with the dead body of his wife +held closely to his breast, confronted +us with a countenance so +rapturous that he looked like a +man transfigured.</p> + +<p>“I will carry her to the boat,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span>” +said he. “Not another hand shall +touch her. She was my true wife, +my true wife!” And he towered +into an attitude of such dignity +and passion, that for a moment +he took on heroic proportions and +we forgot that he had just proved +himself to have committed a cold-blooded +and ghastly crime.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">The stars were shining when we +again took our seats in the boat; +and if the scene of our crossing to +Jersey was impressive, what shall +be said of that of our return.</p> + +<p>The Doctor, as before, sat in the +stern, an awesome figure, upon +which the moon shone with a +white radiance that seemed to lift +his face out of the surrounding +darkness and set it, like an image +of frozen horror, before our eyes. +Against his breast he held the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +form of his dead wife, and now +and then I saw him stoop as if he +were listening for some tokens of +life at her set lips. Then he would +lift himself again, with hopelessness +stamped upon his features, +only to lean forward in renewed +hope that was again destined to +disappointment.</p> + +<p>The Inspector and the accompanying +physician had taken seats +in the bow, and unto me had been +assigned the special duty of watching +over the Doctor. This I did +from a low seat in front of him. +I was therefore so close that I +heard his laboring breath, and +though my heart was full of awe +and compassion, I could not prevent +myself from bending towards +him and saying these words:</p> + +<p>“Dr. Zabriskie, the mystery of +your crime is no longer a mystery<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +to me. Listen and see if I do not +understand your temptation, and +how you, a conscientious and God-fearing +man, came to slay your +innocent neighbor.</p> + +<p>“A friend of yours, or so he +called himself, had for a long time +filled your ears with tales tending +to make you suspicious of your +wife and jealous of a certain man +whom I will not name. You knew +that your friend had a grudge +against this man, and so for many +months turned a deaf ear to his +insinuations. But finally some +change which you detected in your +wife’s bearing or conversation +roused your own suspicions, and +you began to doubt if all was false +that came to your ears, and to curse +your blindness, which in a measure +rendered you helpless. The jealous +fever grew and had risen to a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +high point, when one night—a +memorable night—this friend met +you just as you were leaving town, +and with cruel craft whispered in +your ear that the man you hated +was even then with your wife, and +that if you would return at once +to your home you would find him +in her company.</p> + +<p>“The demon that lurks at the +heart of all men, good or bad, +thereupon took complete possession +of you, and you answered this +false friend by saying that you +would not return without a pistol. +Whereupon he offered to take you +to his house and give you his. +You consented, and getting rid of +your servant by sending him to +Poughkeepsie with your excuses, +you entered a coach with your +friend.</p> + +<p>“You say you bought the pistol,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +and perhaps you did, but, however +that may be, you left his house +with it in your pocket and, declining +companionship, walked home, +arriving at the Colonnade a little +before midnight.</p> + +<p>“Ordinarily you have no difficulty +in recognizing your own +doorstep. But, being in a heated +frame of mind, you walked faster +than usual and so passed your own +house and stopped at that of Mr. +Hasbrouck’s, one door beyond. +As the entrances of these houses +are all alike, there was but one way +by which you could have made +yourself sure that you had reached +your own dwelling, and that was +by feeling for the doctor’s sign at +the side of the door. But you +never thought of that. Absorbed +in dreams of vengeance, your sole +impulse was to enter by the quickest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +means possible. Taking out +your night-key, you thrust it into +the lock. It fitted, but it took +strength to turn it, so much +strength that the key was twisted +and bent by the effort. But this +incident, which would have attracted +your attention at another +time, was lost upon you at this +moment. An entrance had been +effected, and you were in too excited +a frame of mind to notice at +what cost, or to detect the small +differences apparent in the atmosphere +and furnishings of the two +houses—trifles which would have +arrested your attention under +other circumstances, and made you +pause before the upper floor had +been reached.</p> + +<p>“It was while going up the +stairs that you took out your pistol, +so that by the time you arrived<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +at the front-room door you +held it ready cocked and drawn in +your hand. For, being blind, you +feared escape on the part of your +victim, and so waited for nothing +but the sound of a man’s voice before +firing. When, therefore, the +unfortunate Mr. Hasbrouck, roused +by this sudden intrusion, advanced +with an exclamation of astonishment, +you pulled the trigger, killing +him on the spot. It must have +been immediately upon his fall +that you recognized from some +word he uttered, or from some +contact you may have had with +your surroundings, that you were +in the wrong house and had killed +the wrong man; for you cried out, +in evident remorse, ‘God! what +have I done!’ and fled without +approaching your victim.</p> + +<p>“Descending the stairs, you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +rushed from the house, closing the +front door behind you and regaining +your own without being seen. +But here you found yourself baffled +in your attempted escape, by +two things. First, by the pistol +you still held in your hand, and +secondly, by the fact that the key +upon which you depended for entering +your own door was so +twisted out of shape that you knew +it would be useless for you to attempt +to use it. What did you do +in this emergency? You have +already told us, though the story +seemed so improbable at the time, +you found nobody to believe it +but myself. The pistol you flung +far away from you down the pavement, +from which, by one of those +rare chances which sometimes +happen in this world, it was presently +picked up by some late<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +passer-by of more or less doubtful +character. The door offered less +of an obstacle than you anticipated; +for when you turned to it +again you found it, if I am not +greatly mistaken, ajar, left so, as +we have reason to believe, by one +who had gone out of it but a few +minutes before in a state which +left him but little master of his actions. +It was this fact which provided +you with an answer when +you were asked how you succeeded +in getting into Mr. Hasbrouck’s +house after the family had retired +for the night.</p> + +<p>“Astonished at the coincidence, +but hailing with gladness the deliverance +which it offered, you went +in and ascended at once into your +wife’s presence; and it was from +her lips, and not from those of +Mrs. Hasbrouck, that the cry arose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +which startled the neighborhood +and prepared men’s minds for the +tragic words which were shouted +a moment later from the next +house.</p> + +<p>“But she who uttered the scream +knew of no tragedy save that +which was taking place in her own +breast. She had just repulsed a +dastardly suitor, and, seeing you +enter so unexpectedly in a state +of unaccountable horror and agitation, +was naturally stricken with +dismay, and thought she saw your +ghost, or, what was worse, a possible +avenger; while you, having +failed to kill the man you sought, +and having killed a man you esteemed, +let no surprise on her part +lure you into any dangerous self-betrayal. +You strove instead to +soothe her, and even attempted to +explain the excitement under<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +which you labored, by an account +of your narrow escape at the station, +till the sudden alarm from +next door distracted her attention, +and sent both your thoughts and +hers in a different direction. Not +till conscience had fully awakened +and the horror of your act had had +time to tell upon your sensitive +nature, did you breathe forth those +vague confessions, which, not being +supported by the only explanations +which would have made them +credible, led her, as well as the police, +to consider you affected in +your mind. Your pride as a man, +and your consideration for her as +a woman, kept you silent, but did +not keep the worm from preying +upon your heart.</p> + +<p>“Am I not correct in my surmises, +Dr. Zabriskie, and is not +this the true explanation of your +crime?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>With a strange look, he lifted up +his face.</p> + +<p>“Hush!” said he; “you will +awaken her. See how peacefully +she sleeps! I should not like to +have her awakened now, she is so +tired, and I—I have not watched +over her as I should.”</p> + +<p>Appalled at his gesture, his look, +his tone, I drew back, and for a +few minutes no sound was to be +heard but the steady dip-dip of the +oars and the lap-lap of the waters +against the boat. Then there came +a quick uprising, the swaying before +me of something dark and tall +and threatening, and before I could +speak or move, or even stretch +forth my hands to stay him, the +seat before me was empty and +darkness had filled the place where +but an instant previous he had sat, +a fearsome figure, erect and rigid +as a sphinx.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> + +<p>What little moonlight there was +only served to show us a few rising +bubbles, marking the spot where +the unfortunate man had sunk with +his much-loved burden. We could +not save him. As the widening +circles fled farther and farther out, +the tide drifted us away, and we +lost the spot which had seen the +termination of one of earth’s saddest +tragedies.</p> + + +<p class="mtop">The bodies were never recovered. +The police reserved to themselves +the right of withholding +from the public the real facts +which made this catastrophe an +awful remembrance to those who +witnessed it. A verdict of accidental +death by drowning answered +all purposes, and saved the +memory of the unfortunate pair +from such calumny as might have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +otherwise assailed it. It was the +least we could do for two beings +whom circumstances had so greatly +afflicted.</p> + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 2em">THE END.</p> + + +<div class="advertisements"> +<h2>THE INCOGNITO LIBRARY.</h2> + +<hr /> + +<p>A series of small books by representative +writers, whose names will for the present not +be given.</p> + +<p>In this series will be included the authorized +American editions of the future issues of Mr. +Unwin’s “<span class="smcap">Pseudonym Library</span>,” which has +won for itself a noteworthy prestige.</p> + +<p class="center">32mo, limp cloth, each 50 cents.</p> + +<p class="negin">I. <span class="smcap">The Shen’s Pigtail</span>, and Other Cues of +Anglo-China Life, by Mr. M——.</p> + +<p class="negin">II. <span class="smcap">The Hon. 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