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diff --git a/41525-0.txt b/41525-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..379b914 --- /dev/null +++ b/41525-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7612 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41525 *** + + The + House + Opposite + + A Mystery + + By + + Elizabeth Kent + + + [Illustration] + + + G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS + New York and London + The Knickerbocker Press + 1903 + + + + + COPYRIGHT 1902 + BY + G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS + + Published, August, 1902 + Reprinted, January, 1903; March, 1903; October, 1903 + + + The Knickerbocker Press, New York + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I PAGE + THROUGH MY NEIGHBOUR'S WINDOWS 1 + + CHAPTER II + I AM INVOLVED IN THE CASE 7 + + CHAPTER III + A CORONER'S INQUEST 25 + + CHAPTER IV + UNWILLING WITNESSES 36 + + CHAPTER V + MRS. ATKINS HOLDS SOMETHING BACK 49 + + CHAPTER VI + A LETTER AND ITS ANSWER 66 + + CHAPTER VII + MR. MERRITT INSTRUCTS ME 72 + + CHAPTER VIII + AN IDENTIFICATION 93 + + CHAPTER IX + I INSTRUCT MR. MERRITT 107 + + CHAPTER X + THE MISSING HAT 129 + + CHAPTER XI + MADAME ARGOT'S MAD HUSBAND 148 + + CHAPTER XII + A PROFESSIONAL VISIT OUT OF TOWN 160 + + CHAPTER XIII + MR. AND MRS. ATKINS AT HOME 179 + + CHAPTER XIV + MY HYSTERICAL PATIENT 198 + + CHAPTER XV + A SUDDEN FLIGHT 208 + + CHAPTER XVI + THAT TACTLESS DETECTIVE 220 + + CHAPTER XVII + ONE WOMAN EXONERATED 231 + + CHAPTER XVIII + THE TRUTH OF THE WHOLE MATTER 249 + + + + +THE HOUSE OPPOSITE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THROUGH MY NEIGHBOUR'S WINDOWS + + +What I am about to relate occurred but a few years ago--in the summer +of '99, in fact. You may remember that the heat that year was something +fearful. Even old New Yorkers, inured by the sufferings of many summers, +were overcome by it, and everyone who could, fled from the city. On +the particular August day when this story begins, the temperature had +been even more unbearable than usual, and approaching night brought +no perceptible relief. After dining with Burton (a young doctor like +myself), we spent the evening wandering about town trying to discover +a cool spot. + +At last, thoroughly exhausted by our vain search, I decided to turn in, +hoping to sleep from sheer fatigue; but one glance at my stuffy little +bedroom discouraged me. Dragging a divan before the window of the front +room, I composed myself for the night with what resignation I could +muster. + +I found, however, that the light and noise from the street kept me +awake; so, giving up sleep as a bad job, I decided to try my luck on the +roof. Arming myself with a rug and a pipe, I stole softly upstairs. It +was a beautiful starlight night, and after spreading my rug against a +chimney and lighting my pipe I concluded that things really might be +worse. + +Across the street loomed the great Rosemere apartment-house, and I noted +with surprise that, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour and of +the season, several lights were still burning there. From two windows +directly opposite, and on a level with me, light filtered dimly through +lowered shades, and I wondered what possible motive people could have +for shutting out the little air there was on such a night. My neighbours +must be uncommonly suspicious, I thought, to fear observation from so +unlikely a place as my roof; and yet that was the only spot from which +they could by any chance be overlooked. + +The only other light in the building shone clear and unobstructed +through the open windows of the corresponding room two floors higher up. +I was too far below to be able to look into this room, but I caught a +suggestion of sumptuous satin hangings and could distinguish the tops of +heavy gilt frames and of some flowering plants and palms. + +As I sat idly looking upwards at these latter windows, my attention was +suddenly arrested by the violent movement of one of the lace curtains. +It was rolled into a cord by some unseen person who was presumably on +the floor, and then dragged across the window. A dark object, which I +took to be a human head, moved up and down among the palms, one of which +fell with an audible crash. At the same moment I heard a woman's voice +raised in a cry of terror. I leaped to my feet in great excitement, but +nothing further occurred. + +After a minute or so the curtain fell back into its accustomed folds, +and I distinctly saw a man moving swiftly away from the window +supporting on his shoulder a fair-haired woman. Soon afterwards the +lights in this room were extinguished, to be followed almost immediately +by the illumination of the floor above. + +What I had just seen and heard would not have surprised me in a +tenement, but that such scenes could take place in a respectable house +like the Rosemere, inhabited largely by fashionable people, was indeed +startling. Who could the couple be? And what could have happened? +Had the man, coming home drunk, proceeded to beat the woman and been +partially sobered by her cry; or was the woman subject to hysteria, or +even insane? I remembered that the apartments were what are commonly +known as double-deckers. That is to say: each one contained two +floors, connected by a private staircase--the living rooms below, the +bedrooms above. So I concluded, from seeing a light in what was in all +probability a bedroom, that the struggle, or whatever the commotion had +been, was over, and that the victim and her assailant, or perhaps the +patient and her nurse, had gone quietly, and I trusted amicably, to bed. + +Still ruminating over these different conjectures, I heard a +neighbouring clock strike two. I now noticed for the first time signs of +life in the lower apartment which I first mentioned; shadows, reflected +on the blinds, moved swiftly to and fro, and, growing gigantic, +vanished. + +But not for long. Soon they reappeared, and the shades were at last +drawn up. I had now an unobstructed view of the room, which proved to +be a drawing-room, as I had already surmised. It was dismantled for the +summer, and the pictures and furniture were hidden under brown holland. +A man leant against the window with his head bowed down, in an attitude +expressive of complete exhaustion or of great grief. It was too dark +for me to distinguish his features; but I noticed that he was tall and +dark, with a youthful, athletic figure. + +After standing there a few minutes, he turned away. His actions now +struck me as most singular. He crawled on the floor, disappeared under +sofas, and finally moved even the heavy pieces of furniture from their +places. However valuable the thing which he had evidently lost might be, +yet 2 A.M. seemed hardly the hour in which to undertake a search for it. + +Meanwhile, my attention had been a good deal distracted from the man by +observing a woman in one of the bedrooms of the floor immediately above, +and consequently belonging to the same suite. When I first caught sight +of her, the room was already ablaze with light and she was standing by +the window, gazing out into the darkness. At last, as if overcome by her +emotions, she threw up her hands in a gesture of despair, and, kneeling +down with her elbows on the window sill, buried her head in her arms. +Her hair was so dark that, as she knelt there against the light, it was +undistinguishable from her black dress. + +I don't know how long she stayed in this position, but the man below had +given up his search and turned out the lights long before she moved. +Finally, she rose slowly up, a tall black-robed figure, and disappeared +into the back of the room. I waited for some time hoping to see her +again, but as she remained invisible and nothing further happened, and +the approaching dawn held out hopes of a more bearable temperature +below, I decided to return to my divan; but the last thing I saw before +descending was that solitary light, keeping its silent vigil in the +great black building. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +I AM INVOLVED IN THE CASE + + +It seemed to me that I had only just got to sleep on my divan when I was +awakened by a heavy truck lumbering by. The sun was already high in the +heavens, but on consulting my watch I found that it was only ten minutes +past six. Annoyed at having waked up so early I was just dozing off +again when my sleepy eyes saw the side door leading to the back stairs +of the Rosemere slowly open and a young man come out. + +Now I do not doubt that, except for what I had seen and heard the night +before, I should not have given the fellow a thought; but the house +opposite had now become for me a very hotbed of mystery, and everything +connected with it aroused my curiosity. So I watched the young man +keenly, although he appeared to be nothing but a grocer's or baker's +boy going on his morning rounds. But looking at him again I thought him +rather old for an errand boy, for they are seldom over eighteen, while +this young fellow was twenty-five at the very least. He was tall, dark, +and clean-shaven, although not very recently so. He wore no collar, and +had on a short, black coat over which was tied a not immaculate white +apron. On his arm hung a covered basket, which, from the way he carried +it, I judged to be empty, or nearly so. + +It may have been my imagination,--in fact, I am inclined to think it +was,--but it certainly seemed to me that he stole furtively from the +house and glanced apprehensively up and down the street, casting a look +in my direction. I thought that he started on encountering my eyes. Be +that as it may, he certainly drew his battered hat farther over his +face, and, with both hands in his pockets, and chewing a straw with real +or assumed carelessness, walked rapidly up town. + +I now found my position by the window too noisy, so sought the quiet +and darkness of my bedroom, where I fell immediately into such a heavy +sleep that it was some time before I realised that the alarm-bell that +had been clanging intermittently through my dreams was in reality my +office-bell. Hurriedly throwing on a few clothes, I hastened to open the +door. + +A negro lad stood there, literally grey with terror. His great eyes +rolled alarmingly in their sockets, and it was several minutes before I +could make out that somebody had been killed, and that my services were +required immediately. + +Hastily completing my dressing, and snatching up my instrument case, I +was ready to follow him in a few moments. What was my astonishment and +horror when he led me to the Rosemere! + +For a moment my heart stood still. My thoughts flew back to last night. +So this was the explanation of that scream, and I had remained silent! +Dolt, imbecile that I was! I felt positively guilty. + +The large entrance hall through which I hurried was crowded with excited +people, and, as I flew up in the elevator, I tried to prepare myself for +the sight of a fair-haired girl weltering in her blood. On the landing +at which we stopped were several workmen, huddled together in a +small knot, with white, scared faces. One of the two doors which now +confronted me stood open, and I was surprised to notice that it led, not +to either of the apartments I had watched the night before, but to one +of those on the farther side of the building. Yet here, evidently, was +the corpse. + +Passing through the small hall, filled with rolls of paper and pots of +paints, I entered a room immediately on my right. Here several men stood +together, gazing down at some object on the floor; but at my approach +they moved aside and disclosed--not a golden-haired woman, as I had +feared, but the body of a large man stretched out in a corner. + +I was so astonished that I could not help giving vent to an exclamation +of surprise. + +"Do you know the gentleman?" inquired a man, whom I afterwards +discovered to be the foreman of the workmen, with quick suspicion. + +"No, indeed," I answered, as I knelt down beside the body. + +A policeman stepped forward. + +"Please, sir, don't disturb the corpse; the Coroner and the gen'l'man +from headquarters must see him just as he is." + +I nodded assent. One glance was sufficient to show me that life had been +extinct for some time. The eyes were half open, staring stupidly before +them. The mouth had fallen apart, disclosing even, white teeth. As he +lay there on his back, with arms spread out, and his hands unclenched, +his whole attitude suggested nothing so much as a drunken stupor. He +appeared to be twenty-five or thirty years old. No wound or mark of +violence was visible. He wore a short, pointed beard, and was dressed in +a white linen shirt, a pair of evening trousers, a black satin tie, silk +socks, and patent-leather pumps. By his side lay a Tuxedo coat and a low +waistcoat. All his clothes were of fine texture, but somewhat the worse +for wear. On the other hand, the pearl studs in his shirt-bosom were +very handsome, and on his gold sleeve-links a crest was engraved. + +As I said before, a glance had been enough to tell me that the man was +dead; but I was astonished to discover, on examining him more closely, +that he had been dead at least twenty-four hours; mortification had +already set in. + +As I arose to my feet, I noticed a small, red-haired man, in the most +comical deshabille, regarding me with breathless anxiety. + +"Well, Doc, what is it?" + +"Of course, I can give no definite opinion without making a further +examination," I said, "but I am inclined to believe that our friend +succumbed to alcoholism or apoplexy; he has been dead twenty-four hours, +and probably somewhat longer." + +"There, now," exclaimed the foreman; "I knew he hadn't died last night; +no, nor yistidy, neither." + +"But it can't be, I tell you!" almost shrieked the little Irishman. +"Where could he have come from? Oh, Lord," he wailed, "to think that +sich a thing should have happened in this building! We only take the +most iligant people; yes, sir, and now they'll lave shure, see if they +don't. It'll give the house a bad name; and me as worked so hard to keep +it genteel." + +A commotion on the landing announced the arrival of a stout, florid +individual, who turned out to be the Coroner, and a quiet, middle-aged +man in plain clothes, whom I inferred, from the respect with which he +was treated, to be no other than the "gen'l'man" from headquarters. +After looking at the corpse for some moments, the Coroner turned to us +and demanded: + +"Who is this man?" + +The little Irishman stepped forward. "We don't none of us know, sor." + +"How came he here then?" + +"The Lord only knows!" + +"What do you mean?" + +"Well, sor, it's this way. This apartment is being re-fixed, and five +men were working here till six o'clock yistidy evening, and when they +left they locks the door, and it has a Yale lock; and they brought me +the key and I locks it away at once; and this morning at seven they come +while I was still half asleep, having slept bad on account of the heat, +and I gets up and opens the safe myself and takes out the key and gives +it to this gintleman," pointing to the foreman; "and he come up here, +and a few minutes afterwards I hear a great hue and cry and the workmen +and elevaytor-boy come ashrieking that a body's murthered upstairs. How +the fellow got in here, unless the Divil brought him, I can't think; and +now here's the doctor that says he's been dead twenty-four hours!" + +At my mention the Coroner turned towards me with a slight bow. "You are +a doctor?" + +"Yes, I am Dr. Charles Fortescue, of Madison Avenue. My office is +exactly opposite; I was summoned this morning to see the corpse; I find +that the man has been dead at least twenty-four hours. I have not yet +made an examination of the body, as I did not wish to disturb it till +you"--with a bow which included his companion--"had seen it; but I am +inclined to think he died of alcoholism or apoplexy." + +"Let me make you acquainted with Mr. Merritt, Dr. Fortescue," said the +Coroner, waving his hand in the direction of the gentleman referred to. +I was surprised to learn that this insignificant-looking person was +really the famous detective. + +"Now, gentlemen," said Mr. Merritt, "I must request you all to leave the +room while Dr. Fortescue and I take a look round." + +As soon as we were alone, the detective knelt down and proceeded to +examine the body with astonishing quickness and dexterity. Nothing +escaped him; even the darns in the socks appeared worthy of his +interest. When he had finished, he beckoned me to approach, and together +we turned the body over. As I had discovered no sign of violence, I was +about to tell him that, unless the autopsy disclosed poison, the man had +certainly died from natural causes, when Mr. Merritt pointed to a small +drop of blood at the side of his shirt front immediately above the +heart, which had escaped my observation. In the middle of this tiny spot +a puncture was visible. + +We now partially disrobed the corpse, and I was stupified to find that +the deceased had indeed been assassinated, and by an instrument no +larger than a knitting-needle. In the meantime, the detective had been +carefully inspecting the clothing. There were no marks on anything +except those with which laundries insist on disfiguring our linen. In +the waistcoat pocket he found six dollars in bills and seventy-five +cents in change; also a knife; but no watch, card, or letter. + +Mr. Merritt now whipped out a magnifying glass and searched everything +anew; but if he discovered any clue he kept the knowledge of it +discreetly to himself. After going over every inch of the floor and +examining the window he peered out. + +"So you live there, Doctor," he remarked, with a glance opposite. + +"No," I replied, "my house is further north; my office faces the other +set of apartments." + +Being curious to see if we were anywhere near either of the apartments +I had watched during the night, I, too, leaned out and looked hastily +in the direction of my roof. We were exactly on a level with it, and +consequently the adjoining suite must be the one in which I had noticed +the dark-haired woman and the man whose ill-timed hunt had puzzled me so +much. Their behavior had certainly been very peculiar. Had they anything +to do with this murder, I wondered. I was startled by a soft voice at my +elbow, remarking quietly: "You seem struck by something." As I was not +anxious, at least not yet, to tell him of my experiences of the night +before, I tried to say in the most natural tone in the world: "Oh, I +was only noticing that we are exactly on a level with my roof." "I had +already observed that," he said. After a slight pause, he continued: "We +must now find out who saw the deceased enter the building, for in a +place so guarded by bell-boys, elevator-boys and night-watchmen as this +is, it seems hardly possible that he could have come in unperceived." + +On entering the next room we found the Coroner deep in conversation with +the foreman. He turned abruptly to me: + +"This man tells me that you uttered an exclamation of surprise on seeing +the corpse. What made you do so?" + +That unlucky ejaculation! I hesitated a moment, rather at a loss to know +what to reply. Every one turned towards me, and I felt myself actually +blushing. "I was at first struck by a fancied resemblance," I at last +managed to stammer, "but on looking closer I saw I had been completely +mistaken." + +"Humph," grunted the Coroner, and I was aware that every one in the +room eyed me with suspicion. "Well," he continued, still looking at me +severely, "can you tell us what the man died of?" "Yes," I answered; "he +met his death by being stabbed to the heart by a very small weapon, +possibly a stiletto, but a sharp knitting-needle, or even a hat pin, +could have caused the wound. The crime was committed while he was +unconscious, or at least semi-conscious, either from some drug or +alcohol; or he may have been asleep. He made no resistance, and in all +probability never knew he had been hurt." + +There was profound silence. + +"It is, then, impossible that this wound was self-inflicted," inquired +the Coroner. + +"Quite impossible," I rejoined. + +"So that he was presumably murdered the night before last and smuggled +into this apartment some time between six o'clock last evening and seven +o'clock this morning?" continued the Coroner. Then, turning to the +little red-headed manager, he asked: + +"Now, Mr. McGorry, how is it possible for this corpse to have been +brought here? The foreman testifies that he himself locked the door in +the presence of several workmen; you tell me that the key remained in +your safe all night. Now, please explain how this body got here?" + +"Lord-a-mercy, sor, you don't think as I did it!" shrieked McGorry. +"Why, sor, I never saw the man before in my life; besides, I have got a +alibi, sor; yes, sor, a alibi." + +"Stop, Mr. McGorry; don't get so excited; nobody is accusing you of +anything. But if this place was locked up last night, how came the body +here this morning? The lock has not been tampered with. Was there a +duplicate key?" + +"Yis, sor; but the other key was also in my safe," replied McGorry. + +"Have either of these keys ever been missing?" + +"Shure and they haven't been out of my keeping since the apartment was +vacated last May, until three days ago when the painters begun work +here. Since then they have had one of the keys during the day, but have +always returned it before leaving." + +"Now, tell me," continued the Coroner, turning to the foreman, "has the +key been missing since you had it?" + +"Not that I know of; we leave it sticking in the door all day, and only +take it out when we leave." + +"So that it is possible that a person might have come to the door, taken +the key, and kept it for some hours without your noticing it?" + +"Yes, sir, it's possible, but it aint likely; I haven't seen anyone pass +since I've been working here." + +"Could the corpse have been brought in here any other way than through +the front door?" + +"No, Mr. Coroner," a quiet voice at my side replied; "I have just +examined the fire-escape and all the windows. The fastenings have not +been tampered with, and the dust on the fire-escape shows no signs of +recent disturbance." Mr. Merritt had gone on his search so unobtrusively +that I had not noticed his absence till he reappeared, a good deal less +immaculate than before. + +"Is it possible to enter this building unperceived?" the Coroner +resumed. + +"I should have said not," replied McGorry; "but now everything seems +possible." Even the Coroner had to smile at his despondent tone. + +"The front door is opened at seven o'clock and closed at eleven, unless +there's something special going on," McGorry continued, "and during +those hours there are always one or two boys in the hall, and often +three. After eleven the watchman opens the front door and takes the +people up in the elevaytor. No one but meself has the key to this +outside door." + +"Does the watchman never leave the front hall except to take people up +in the elevator?" + +"Well, I don't say niver, sor, but he's niver far off." + +"Then I gather that it would be just possible for a person to get out +of this house unperceived between eleven P.M. and seven A.M., but +impossible, or nearly so, for him to enter?" + +"Yes, that's so, that's what I think, sor." + +"Well, what about the back door?" I asked. + +"Well, the back door is opened at six and closed at tin," replied +McGorry. + +"The back door is not guarded during the day, is it?" I went on, +forgetting the Coroner in my eagerness. + +"Doctor," broke in the latter, "allow me to conduct this inquiry. Yes, +McGorry, who watches over that?" + +"Well, sor, at present no one; there's a back elevaytor, but it don't +run in summer, as the house is almost empty." + +"Then, as I understand it, any one can enter or leave the building by +the back stairs, at any time during the day, unseen, or at any rate +unnoticed; but after ten o'clock they would require the assistance of +some one in the house to let them in?" + +"That's so, sor." + +"Now, you are sure that the deceased was not a temporary inmate of this +building; that he wasn't staying with any of the parties who are still +here?" + +"Certain, sor." + +"And no one has the slightest clue to his identity?" + +"No one has seen him except these gen'l'men and Jim. He's the elevaytor +boy who went for you, Doc, and he didn't say nothing about knowing him." + +The Coroner paused a moment. + +"What families have you at present in the building?" + +"Well, sor, most of our people are out of town, having houses at +Newport, or Lenox, and thereabouts," McGorry answered, with a vague +sweep of his hand, which seemed to include all those favored regions +which lie so close together in fashionable geography. "Just now there +are only two parties in the house." + +"Yes, and who are they?" + +"Well, sor, there's Mr. C. H. Stuart, who occupies the ground floor +right; and Mr. and Mrs. Atkins, who have the apartments above this, only +at the other end of the building." I pricked up my ears. Atkins, then, +must be the name of the golden-haired lady and her assailant. + +"Have these people been here long?" + +"Mr. Stuart has been with us seven years. He is a bachelor. Mr. and Mrs. +Atkins have only been here since May; they are a newly-married couple, +I am told." And not a word of the mysterious pair I had seen in the +adjoining apartment! Was McGorry holding something back, or was he +really ignorant of their presence in the building? + +"Are you sure, Mr. McGorry, that there is no one else in the house?" I +interrupted again. + +"Yes, sor." Then a light broke over his face: "No, sor; you are quite +right" (I hadn't said anything). "Miss Derwent has been two nights here, +but she's off again this morning." Mr. Merritt here whispered something +to the Coroner, whereupon the latter turned to McGorry and said: "Please +see that no one leaves this building till I have seen them. I don't wish +them to be told that a murder has been committed, unless they have heard +it already, which is most probable. Just inform them that there has been +an accident, do you hear?" + +"Oh, Mr. Coroner," exclaimed McGorry, turning almost as red as his hair +in his excitement; "shure and you wouldn't mix Miss Derwent up in this! +Lord, she ain't used to such scenes; she'd faint, and then her mother +would never forgive me!" + +"Every one, Miss Derwent included, must view the corpse," he replied, +sternly. + +"Oh, sor, but----" + +"Silence!" thundered the Coroner; "the law must be obeyed." + +So the manager went reluctantly out to give the desired order. On his +return, the Coroner resumed: + +"Who is Miss Derwent?" + +"Why Miss May Derwent," exclaimed McGorry; "she's just Miss May +Derwent." So it was the fashionable beauty I had been watching so far +into the night. Strange, and stranger! + +"Miss May Derwent," McGorry continued, taking pity on our ignorance, "is +the only daughter of Mrs. Mortimer Derwent. She arrived here +unexpectedly on Tuesday. She had missed her train, she said, and came +here to pass the night." + +"Did she come alone?" + +"Yis, sor." + +"Without even a maid?" + +"Yis, sor." + +"Surely that is an unusual thing for a rich young lady to do?" + +"Yis, sor," replied McGorry, apologetically; "she has never done it +before. Maybe the maid was taken on by the train." + +"Did Miss Derwent bring any luggage?" + +"Nothing but a hand-bag, sor." + +"And yet she stayed two nights! Do you know any reason for her staying +here so long?" + +"No, sor, unless it was she had some shopping to do. A good many parcels +come for her yistidy afternoon." + +"Have you a key to her apartment?" + +"Yis, sor; when families goes away for the summer they leaves one key +with me and takes the other with them." + +"Did you let Miss Derwent into her apartment, or did she have the key?" + +"I let her in." + +"Did anyone wait on the young lady while she was here?" + +"What do you mean by that?" inquired McGorry, cautiously. + +"Why, did anyone go into her place to get her meals and tidy up, etc?" + +"No, sor, not that I know of." + +"Doesn't it strike you as peculiar that a young lady, reared in the lap +of luxury and unaccustomed to doing the least thing for herself should +go to an apartment in which dust and dirt had been accumulating for +several months and voluntarily spend two nights there, without even a +servant to perform the necessary chores for her, mind you?" + +"She went out for her meals," McGorry put in, anxiously, "and young +ladies, especially the rich ones, think roughing it a lark." + +There was a slight pause. + +"What servants are there in the building besides your employees, Mr. +McGorry?" + +"Mr. Stuart, he keeps a man and his wife--French people they are; and +Mrs. Atkins, she keeps two girls." + +The Coroner now rose, and, followed by Mr. Merritt, proceeded towards +the room where the dead man lay. + +"Send up your employees, one by one, McGorry." + +"Yis, sor." + +On the threshold the detective paused a moment, and to my astonishment +and delight requested me to accompany them. The Coroner frowned, +evidently considering me a very unnecessary addition to the party, but +his displeasure made no difference to me; I was only too happy to be +given this opportunity of watching the drama unfold itself. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A CORONER'S INQUEST + + +We took our places at the foot of the corpse, with our backs to the +light and silently awaited developments. In a few minutes McGorry +returned, followed by the electrician, and during the rest of the +time remained in the room checking off the men as they came in. It is +needless for me to repeat all the testimony, as a great deal of it was +perfectly irrelevant; suffice it to say that the electrician, engineer, +and janitress all passed the ordeal without adding an iota to our +information. The watchman when called persisted, after the severest +cross-questioning, in his first assertion that neither on Wednesday +night nor last night had he seen or heard anything suspicious. The only +person he had admitted on either night was Mr. Atkins, who had returned +at about half-past one that very morning; he was sure that he had seen +no stranger leave the building. + +At last Jim, the elevator boy, was called in. He appeared still very +much frightened, and only looked at the corpse with the greatest +reluctance. + +"Have you ever seen this man before?" demanded the Coroner. + +"No, sah," answered Jim, in a shaking voice. + +"Now, my lad, take another look at him. Are you still so sure that you +have never seen him before," gently insisted Mr. Merritt; "for, you +see, we have reason to believe that you have." Jim began to tremble +violently, as he cast another glance at the dead man. + +"Lord-a-massy, sah; p'raps I did, p'raps I did; I dunno, he looks some +like--not 'zactly----" + +"Do you know his name?" + +"No, sah." + +"When did you see him last?" + +"Tuesday ebenin', sah." Here the boy glanced apprehensively at McGorry. + +"Come, come, my lad," the Coroner exclaimed, impatiently; "tell us all +you know about the man. The truth, now, and the whole truth, mind you; +and don't you look at any one to see how they are going to like what you +say, either." + +"No, sah." Jim hesitated a moment, then burst out: "I do think as he's +the same gem'man as come to see Miss Derwent last winter, and he come to +call on her about half-past six on Tuesday." + +"Miss Derwent--" exclaimed McGorry, taking a step forward. + +"McGorry," said the Coroner, severely, "don't try to interfere with +justice and intimidate witnesses. Now, my boy, tell us how long did the +gentleman stay with Miss Derwent." + +"Dey went out togedder 'most immedjutely, and den dey come back +togedder." + +"At what time did they return?" + +"Must have been 'bout eight, sah." + +"Did he go upstairs with the young lady?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"When did he leave?" + +"I can't say, sah; I didn't see him leave." + +"How was that?" + +"Well, you see, sah, in de summer, when de house is mos' empty, we's not +so partic'lar as we are in de winter, and we takes turn and turn about +oftener, 'specially in de ebenin'." + +"I see," said the Coroner. + +"An' so dat ebenin I goes off at half-past eight and Joe he run de +elevator till eleben." + +"Did any one call on Miss Derwent yesterday?" + +"I see nobody, sah." + +"Did the young lady go out during the day?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"Tell us all you know of her movements." + +Jim rubbed his woolly pate in some perplexity: "Well, sah, yesterday de +young lady she went out mighty early, little before eight, maybe, and +den she come back about ten; but she don't stay long; goes out again +mos' right away." + +Here Jim paused, evidently searching his memory. + +"'Pears to me she come in 'bout half-past twelve; at any rate 'twasn't +no later, and she goes out again immedjutely. Yes, sah, and den I seed +her come in 'bout seven, and I aint seen her again," he ended up with a +sigh of relief. + +"And you are sure that she was alone each time you saw her?" + +"Yes, sah. A good many parcels come for her in de afternoon," he added. + +"Well, Jim," said the Coroner, "you may go now; but mind you, don't say +a word about this business to any one; do you hear? If I find out you +have been gossipping I'll know how to deal with you," and he looked +so threatening that I'm sure the unfortunate boy expected capital +punishment to follow any incautious remark. + +"Pardon me," said Mr. Merritt, with a slight bow towards the Coroner, +"but I should like to ask Jim how this man was dressed when he saw him +last." + +"Just so 's he is now, sah," replied Jim, pointing to the Tuxedo coat, +which had been thrown over the body. + +The negro lad who next appeared, bowing and scraping, was not at all +intimidated by the scene before him, and seemed to think himself quite +the hero of the occasion. + +"Your name is Joe Burr, I believe," began the Coroner, consulting a +small paper he held in his hand, "and you run the elevator here?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"Now look carefully at this body and tell me if you recognize it as that +of anyone you know." + +The boy looked at the dead man attentively for some moments and then +answered: "Yes, sah." + +"Who is he?" + +"I dunno his name, sah; he wouldn't send up his card." + +"Have you seen him often?" + +"No, sah; just dat once." + +"When was that?" + +"Tuesday ebenin', sah." + +"At what time?" + +"It was a quarter to ten, 'zactly." + +"How are you so sure of the exact time?" the Coroner asked, in some +surprise. + +"'Cause I thought it mighty late to call on a lady, and so I looked at +de clock when I come down." + +"Do you remember his ever calling on Miss Derwent before?" + +"Why, sah, 'twasn't Miss Derwent he was calling on; 'twas Mrs. Atkins." +This was a surprise; even the detective seemed interested. + +"So it was Mrs. Atkins he had been calling on," exclaimed the Coroner. + +"No, sah; it were Mrs. Atkins he gwine ter call on. He only come at a +quarter to ten. He wouldn't send up his card; said he's 'spected." + +"And did Mrs. Atkins receive him?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"Do you remember at what time he left?" + +"No, sah; I didn't see him go out." + +"Now, Joe, there was another gentleman calling in the building on that +evening. When did he leave?" + +Joe seemed bewildered. "I didn't see no other gem'man, sah." + +"Now, my lad, try and remember!" + +"No, sah; I dun saw no one else. Mr. Stuart, he come in at ten----" + +"No, no; it is a tall, dark gentleman, slightly resembling the corpse, +that we want to hear about." + +"I see no such party, sah." + +"Didn't a gentleman answering to this description call here at about +half-past six and ask for a lady?" + +"I couldn't say, sah; I wa'n't in de building at dat time." + +"Did you see Miss Derwent on Tuesday?" + +"Yes, sah; I seen her arrive." + +"Didn't you see her go out again?" + +"No, sah." + +"How long were you out?" + +"I went out at six, sah, and stayed till eight, or maybe later." + +"So you persist in saying that the only stranger you saw enter or leave +the building on Tuesday evening, was the deceased?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"And you are quite sure that you are not mistaken in your +identification?" + +"Yes, sah; I noticed him partic'lar." + +"What made you notice him particularly?" + +The lad hesitated. "Out with it," said the Coroner. + +"Well, sah, he seemed like he been drinking." + +"How did he show it?" + +"He talked loud and angry, sah." + +"Do you know what he was angry about?" + +"You see, sah, we have orders to ask visitors to send deir names, or +deir cards up, and to wait in de reception room till we find out if de +parties are at home, or will see dem. Well, he comes in and says very +loud, gettin' into de elevator, 'Take me up to de fifth floor,' and I +says, says I, 'Do you mean Mrs. Atkins?' and he says, 'Yes, fellow, and +be quick 'bout it.' And den I asks him to wait, and send up his card, +and he roars: 'Min' your own business, fellow; I'm 'spected.' So I gwine +take him up, and rings de bell, and he says: 'Dat's all.' But I waited +till de door opened, and there were Mrs. Atkins herself, and she didn't +say not'in', and he jus' went in." + +Joe paused for breath. + +"Is Mrs. Atkins in the habit of answering the door-bell herself?" + +"No, sah; I neber see her do so befo'." + +"Was Mr. Atkins in the house at the time?" + +"No, sah; de gem'man was out of town." Another sensation! + +"When did he return?" + +"Some time las' night." + +"Now," inquired the Coroner, "what can you tell us about Miss Derwent's +movements during the last two days?" + +Joe's answers coincided, as far as they went, with Jim's statements. + +"And Mrs. Atkins,--what did she do yesterday," the Coroner asked. + +"Well, sah, she went out mighty early and stayed till late in de +arternoon, and when she come in she had her veil all pulled down, but +'peared to me she had been crying." + +"Did she say anything?" + +"No, sah." + +"Now, Joe, would it have been possible on Tuesday evening for a man to +walk downstairs, and go out, without your seeing him, while you were +running the elevator?" + +"Yes, sah, p'raps," the lad answered, dubiously; "but Tony, he's de hall +boy, he would 'a seen him." + +"Have you told us all you know of the deceased?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"And you have not noticed any strangers hanging around the building +during the last few days?" + +"No, sah." + +"Very well, then; you may go. Send in Tony." + +"Yes, sah; t'ank you, sah," and Joe bowed himself out. + +A few minutes later a small darky appeared. + +"Now, Tony," began the Coroner, solemnly, "look at this man carefully; +did you ever see him before?" The boy looked at the body attentively for +some time, then said: "No, sah." + +"Do you mean to say that you saw no one resembling the deceased come to +this building on Tuesday evening?" + +"No, sah." + +"Where were you on that evening? Now, be careful what you answer." + +"Well, sah, I went out 'bout half-past six to do some errands for Mr. +McGorry." McGorry nodded assent to this. + +"And when did you return?" + +"Guess it must have been mos' eight, sah, but I disremember, 'zactly." + +"Did you see Miss Derwent either come in or go out on Tuesday evening?" + +"Yes, sah, I seen her come; she had a satchel." + +"But did you see her again after that?" + +"No, sah." + +"Mrs. Atkins--what did she do on Tuesday?" + +"Dunno, sah; didn't see her go out all day." + +"And yesterday, what did she do then?" + +"Mrs. Atkins? She went out in de mornin' and come in in de ebenin'." + +"Did you notice anything unusual about her?" + +"Well, 'peared to us she'd been crying." + +"Can you remember who went in or out of the building on Tuesday +evening?" the Coroner asked. + +"Well, sah, near's I can say only two gem'men come in--Mr. Stuart, and a +gem'man who called on Mrs. Atkins." + +"Does the corpse at all resemble that gentleman?" + +"I couldn't rightly say, sah." + +"Why not?" + +"Well, sah, I was a-sittin' in de office when he come, an' I jus' see a +big man go past and heard him talkin' loud in de elevator." + +"While Joe was upstairs what did you do?" + +"I sat in de front hall, sah." + +"Did you see anyone go out?" + +"No, sah." + +After being severely admonished not to speak of this affair to anyone, +Tony was allowed to depart. + +"Now we have got through with the employees of the building," said the +Coroner, "and must begin on the families and their servants." + +"Yes, Mr. Coroner, and I think I had better step up-stairs myself and +tell Mr. and Mrs. Atkins that you want to see them," said Mr. Merritt, +"and, in case the lady should be overcome by the sad news, perhaps it +would be as well for Dr. Fortescue to come along also." + +I was only too delighted, of course. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +UNWILLING WITNESSES + + +Not waiting for the elevator, we walked up the intervening flight and +rang a bell on our right. The door was opened by a neat-looking maid, +who showed some surprise at our early call. + +"Is Mr. Atkins at home?" inquired the detective. + +"Yes, sir; but he is having his breakfast." + +"Ah, indeed; I am sorry to disturb him," replied Mr. Merritt. "However, +it can't be helped. Will you please tell your master that two gentlemen +must see him for a few moments on important business." + +"Yes, sir," and showing us into a gaudily furnished room on our left, +the girl vanished. I saw at once that this was not the scene of last +night's drama, but a smaller room adjoining the other. My observations +were almost immediately interrupted by the entrance of a young man, +whose handsome face was at that moment disfigured by a scowl. + +"Mr. Atkins, I believe," said Mr. Merritt, advancing towards him with +his most conciliatory smile. Mr. Atkins nodded curtly. "It is my painful +duty," continued the detective, "to inform you that a very serious +accident has occurred in the building." + +The frown slowly faded from the young man's forehead, giving place to a +look of concern. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, in the most natural +manner; "what has happened? Can I do anything?" + +"Well, Mr. Atkins," replied Mr. Merritt, slowly, "to tell you the truth, +a man has been killed, and as we haven't been able to find any one so +far who can identify him we are going through the formality of asking +every one in the building to take a look at the corpse, hoping to +discover somebody who knew the dead man, or at any rate can give us some +clue to his identity. Will you and Mrs. Atkins and your two servants, +therefore, kindly step down-stairs? The body is lying in the unoccupied +apartment on the next floor." + +"Killed!" exclaimed young Atkins. "How dreadful! how did it happen?" +But without waiting for an answer he pulled out his watch, which he +consulted anxiously. "Pardon me, gentlemen, but I have a most important +engagement down town which it is impossible for me to postpone. My wife +is not up yet, and I really can't wait for her to get ready; but I can +go with you now, and take a look at the poor fellow on my way out. In +the meantime, Mrs. Atkins will dress as quickly as possible, and follow +with the two girls as soon as she is ready." + +"All right," said Mr. Merritt; "that will do nicely. Dr. Fortescue," +with a wave of his hand in my direction, "will stay here, and escort +Mrs. Atkins down-stairs. Ladies sometimes are overcome by the sight of +death." + +"Yes, yes; and my wife is very excitable," rejoined the young man. "I am +glad Dr. Fortescue will wait and go down with her--if it isn't troubling +you too much," he added, turning towards me. + +"Not at all," I replied, politely but firmly, with my eyes on Mr. +Merritt. "I shall be delighted to _return_ for Mrs. Atkins in a quarter +of an hour and escort her down-stairs." + +I watched the detective keenly to see how he would take this +disregarding of his orders, but he only smiled amiably, almost +triumphantly, I thought. Mr. Atkins now left us, and I could hear him +dashing up-stairs several steps at a time. How I longed to pierce the +ceiling, and hear how he broke the news to his wife, and above all to +observe how she took it. He returned in a few minutes, and, snatching +his hat from the hall-table, prepared to follow us. On the way down he +inquired with great interest about the accident, but Merritt put him off +with evasive replies. When confronted with the dead body, he gazed at +it calmly, but with a good deal of curiosity. + +"Did you know the deceased?" the Coroner asked him. + +The young man shook his head. "Never saw him before." Then, looking at +the corpse more closely he exclaimed: "Why, he is a gentleman; can't you +find out who he is?" + +"We haven't been able to, so far," replied the Coroner. + +"How did the accident occur?" + +"He was murdered." + +The young man started back in horror.--"Murdered, and in this +house--How, when?" + +"Presumably the night before last." + +Was it my imagination, or did Mr. Atkins turn slightly pale? "Tuesday +night," he muttered. After a brief silence he turned to us, and +withdrawing his eyes from the corpse with obvious difficulty, said, in a +hearty, matter-of-fact voice: "Gentlemen, I regret that I have to leave +you. I should like to hear some more of this affair, but I suppose if +you do discover anything you will keep it pretty close?" + +"You bet we'll try to," the Coroner assured him. After shaking us all +most cordially by the hand, Mr. Atkins departed, and was escorted +down-stairs by the detective, whose excessive politeness seemed to +me very suspicious. "Was he going to put a sleuth on the young man's +tracks?" I wondered. + +The air in the room was heavy with the odour of death, so I stepped out +on the landing. The workmen were all talking in low tones. "I know that +Frenchman did it; I know it," I overheard one of them say. Much excited +by these words, I was just going to ask who the Frenchman was, and why +he should be suspected, when Mr. Merritt stepped out of the elevator and +rang the bell of the opposite apartment. Miss Derwent had evidently not +been far off, for the door was opened almost immediately, and a tall, +slight young figure stood on the threshold. She was dressed in a quiet +travelling suit, and a thick brown veil pulled down over her face +rendered her features, in the dim light of the landing, completely +invisible. + +"Miss Derwent?" inquired Mr. Merritt. She bowed. "You have no doubt been +told," he continued, "that a very serious accident has occurred in the +building." She inclined her head slowly. "As we have been unable to +identify the corpse"--here the detective paused, but she gave no sign +and he went on--"we are asking every one in the house to take a look at +it." + +Instead of answering, the girl went back into the apartment, but +returned in a minute, carrying a handbag. Stepping out on to the landing +she shut and locked the door behind her with apparent composure. As she +turned to follow the detective she asked, in a low but distinct voice: +"How did this accident occur?" + +"That, we have not yet been able to ascertain," he replied, leading her +to the room where the dead lay. I hastily stepped back and resumed my +former position at the foot of the corpse. As the girl crossed the +threshold she hesitated a moment, then walked steadily in. + +"Miss May Derwent, I believe?" the Coroner inquired, in his suavest +tones. Again she bowed assent. + +"Please look at this man and tell me if you have ever seen him before." +Before replying, the girl slowly lifted her veil and revealed to my +astonished eyes, not only a face of very unusual beauty, but--and this +is what I found inexplicable--coils of golden hair! Where were the raven +locks I had seen only a few hours before? Had I dreamed them? But no, my +memory was too clear on this point. My surprise was so great that I am +afraid I showed it, for I caught Mr. Merritt looking at me with one of +his enigmatical smiles. Miss Derwent was excessively pale, with heavy +black rings under her eyes, but otherwise she seemed perfectly composed. +She looked at the corpse a moment, then turning towards the Coroner, +said, in a clear, steady voice: "I do not know the man." + +"Have you ever seen him before?" + +"No," she answered, quietly. + +"Miss Derwent, pardon my questioning you still further, but I have been +told that a gentleman closely resembling the deceased called on you on +Tuesday evening. Now, do you see any resemblance between the two?" + +A burning blush overspread the girl's face, and then she grew so ghastly +pale that I moved to her side, fearing she would fall. + +"Mr. Coroner, can't the rest of the questions you have to ask Miss +Derwent be put to her somewhere else?" I suggested. "The atmosphere here +is intolerable." + +"Certainly," he replied, with unexpected mildness. + +I drew the young lady's unresisting hand through my arm and supported +her into the next room. She was trembling so violently that she would +have fallen if I had not done so, and I could see that it was only by +the greatest self-control that she kept any semblance of composure. + +"Now," resumed the Coroner, "if you feel well enough, will you kindly +answer my last question?" + +"The gentleman who called on me on Tuesday does not resemble the dead +man, except in so far that they both have black, pointed beards." + +"At what time did your friend leave you on Tuesday evening?" was the +next question asked. + +"I cannot see why the private affairs of my visitors or myself should +be pried into," she replied, haughtily. "I decline to answer." + +"My dear young lady," here interposed Mr. Merritt, "you have, of +course, every right not to answer any question that you think likely to +incriminate you, but," he continued with a smile, "it is hardly possible +that anything could do that. On the other hand, it is our duty to try +and sift this matter to the bottom. You certainly will agree with the +necessity of it when I tell you that this man has been murdered!" + +"Murdered!" the girl repeated, as if dazed. "Oh, no!" + +"I regret to say that there is absolutely no doubt of it. Now, one of +the elevator boys has identified the corpse as that of the gentleman +who called on you the day before yesterday. I do not doubt that he was +mistaken,--in fact, I am sure of it; but as no one saw your friend leave +the building, it becomes incumbent on us to make sure that he did so. It +will save a great deal of trouble to us, and perhaps to yourself, if you +will tell us the gentleman's name and at what hour he left here." + +She had covered her face with her hands, but now dropped them, and +lifting her head, faced us with an air of sudden resolution. + +"Gentlemen," she began, then hesitated and looked at us each in turn, +"you can readily imagine that it will be a terrible thing for me if +my name should in any way, however indirectly, be connected with +this tragedy. But I see that it is useless to refuse to answer your +questions. It will only make you believe that I have something to +conceal. I can but ask you, you on whom I have no claim, to shield from +publicity a girl who has put herself in a terribly false position." + +"Miss Derwent, I think I can assure you that we will do everything in +our power to help you. Nothing you say here shall be heard beyond these +walls unless the cause of justice demands it." The Coroner spoke with +considerable warmth. Evidently, Miss May's charms had not been without +their effect on him. + +"Very well, then," said the girl, "I will answer your questions. What do +you want to know?" + +"In the first place, please tell us how you came to spend two nights in +an unoccupied apartment?" + +"I suppose you already know," she answered, a trifle bitterly, "that +I arrived here unexpectedly on Tuesday afternoon?" The Coroner made a +motion of assent. + +"I had reached the city earlier in the day, and had meant to catch the +five o'clock train to Bar Harbor. As I had several errands to do, I +sent my maid ahead to the Grand Central Depot with orders to engage a +stateroom and check my luggage. I forgot to notice how the time was +passing till I caught sight of a clock in Madison Square pointing to +eight minutes to five. I jumped into a hansom, but got to the station +just in time to see the train steam away, with my maid hanging +distractedly out of a window." She paused a moment. "A gentleman +happened to be with me," she continued with downcast eyes, "so we +consulted together as to what I had better do. On looking up the trains +I found that I could not get back to my mother's country place till nine +o'clock that evening, and then should have to leave home again at a +frightfully early hour so as to catch the morning train to Bar Harbor. +Otherwise I should be obliged to wait over till the following afternoon +and take a long night journey by myself, which I knew my mother would +not wish me to do. Altogether, it seemed so much simpler to remain in +town if I could only find a place to go to. Suddenly, our apartment +occurred to me. Of course, I knew that the world would not approve of my +staying here alone; nevertheless, I decided to do so." + +"You went out again very soon after your arrival, did you not?" asked +the Coroner. + +"Yes," she answered, "as there was no way of getting any food here, +my friend" (she hesitated slightly over the last word) "had little +difficulty in persuading me to dine with him at a quiet restaurant in +the neighbourhood." + +"Did the gentleman return to the Rosemere after dinner?" + +"Yes." + +"And did he leave you then?" + +Miss Derwent hesitated a moment, then, throwing her head back she +answered proudly: "No!" But a deep crimson again suffused her cheek, and +she added almost apologetically: "It was all so unconventional that I +did not see why I should draw the line at his spending the evening with +me. He was a very intimate friend." + +"Why do you use the past tense?" asked Mr. Merritt. She cast a little +frightened glance in his direction, evidently startled at being caught +up so quickly: "We--we had a very serious disagreement," she murmured. + +"Was the disagreement so serious as to put an end to your friendship?" +inquired the detective. + +"Yes," she replied curtly, while an angry light came into her eyes. + +"At what time did the gentleman leave you?" resumed the Coroner. + +"It was very late;--after eleven, I think." + +"And you have not seen him again since then?" + +"Certainly not," she replied. + +"Why did you not carry out your first intention of leaving the city on +the following morning?" + +The girl appeared slightly embarrassed as she answered: "I did not feel +like paying visits just at the moment, and besides I had not enough +money to carry me as far as Bar Harbor. My maid had most of my money, +and I was no longer willing to borrow from my visitor, as I had intended +doing." + +"Excuse my questioning you still further," said the Coroner, with a +glance of admiration at the beautiful girl, who was fretting under the +examination, "but, why, then, didn't you return to your home?" + +"I did not wish to do so." Then, catching Mr. Merritt's eye, she added: +"I had been a good deal upset by--by what had occurred the night before +and felt the need of a day to myself. Besides, I had some shopping to +do, and thought this a good opportunity to do it. I am going home this +morning." + +"Thank you, Miss Derwent," exclaimed the Coroner, heartily; "your +explanations are perfectly satisfactory. Only you have forgotten to tell +us the gentleman's name." + +"Why need you know his name?" she demanded, passionately, "you will soon +find out who this unknown man is. There must be hundreds of people in +this city who knew him. Why should I tell you the name of my visitor? I +refuse to do so." + +"Miss Derwent is quite right," interposed the detective, with unexpected +decision; "once convinced that the dead man and her friend are not +identical, and the latter's name ceases to be of any importance to us." + +"Quite so, quite so," the Coroner rather grudgingly assented. + +"Can I go now?" she inquired. + +"Certainly," said the Coroner, cordially. "Good-day, Miss." + +I was just going to offer myself as an escort when Mr. Merritt stepped +quietly forward, and possessed himself of the young lady's bag. With a +distant bow, that included impartially the Coroner and myself, Miss +Derwent left the room. + +"Remember Mrs. Atkins," the detective murmured as he prepared to follow +her. I nodded a curt assent. My brain was in a whirl. What was I to +believe? This beautiful, queenlike creature seemed incapable of deceit, +and yet--who were the two people I had so lately seen in her apartment? +Why had no mention been made of them? No matter; I felt my belief in the +young girl's innocence and goodness rise superior to mere facts, and +then and there vowed to become her champion should she ever need one, +which I very much feared she might. I was vaguely annoyed that the +detective should have insisted on escorting her. Had he a motive for +this, I wondered, or had he simply succumbed to her fascination, like +the rest of us? At any rate, I didn't like it, and I rang Mrs. Atkins's +bell in considerable ill humour. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +MRS. ATKINS HOLDS SOMETHING BACK + + +"Is Mrs. Atkins ready?" I inquired of the pretty maid. Before she +had time to answer, I heard the frou-frou of silk skirts advancing +rapidly towards me. The perfume I had already noticed grew still more +overpowering, and the lady herself appeared. And an exceedingly pretty +little woman she proved to to be, too, with golden hair and cheeks that +rivalled the roses. Her large blue eyes were as innocent and, it would +be hypercritical to add, as expressionless as her sisters' of the +toy-shop. A white muslin garment, slashed in every direction to admit of +bands and frills of lace, enveloped her small person, and yards of blue +ribbon floated around her. Her tiny, dimpled fingers were covered with +glittering rings, which, however, scarcely outshone her small pink +nails. She beamed coquettishly at me, showing some very pretty, sharp +little teeth as she did so, and I found myself smiling back at her, +completely forgetting the tragic errand I had come on. + +"Oh, Doctor," she cried, in a high treble voice, "isn't it dreadful! +They tell me that a poor man has been killed in the building, and I am +so terrified at having to look at him! Must I really do so?" She wrung +her hands in graceful distress. + +"I'm afraid you must," I replied, smiling down at her. + +"But you will go with me, won't you?" she begged. + +"Certainly, dear Madam, and if your servants are also ready we had +better get it over immediately." + +As the lady crossed the threshold of her apartment she tucked her hand +confidingly into my arm, as if the support of the nearest man were her +indisputable right, and, followed by the two servants, we proceeded +in this fashion down-stairs. Mr. Merritt met us on the landing, and, +signing to the two girls to wait outside, ushered us into the room where +the body lay. + +As Mrs. Atkins caught sight of the dead man a great shudder shook her +whole body, and I felt the hand on my arm grow suddenly rigid. She +neither screamed nor fainted, but stood strangely still, as if turned to +stone, her eyes riveted on the corpse in a horrified stare. + +"Mrs. Atkins?" inquired the Coroner. + +She seemed incapable of answering him. + +"Mrs. Atkins," he repeated, a little louder, "do you recognise the +deceased?" + +This time she moved slightly and tried to moisten her grey lips. At +last, with a visible effort, she slowly raised her eyes and glanced +about her with fear. + +"No, no," she murmured, in a hollow voice. + +"Mrs. Atkins, I must request you to look at the dead man again," the +detective said, fixing his eyes on her. "One of the elevator boys has +identified the body as that of a gentleman who called on you on Tuesday +evening." + +She raised her arm as if to ward off a blow, and moved slightly away +from me. + +"I don't know the man," she said. + +"You deny that he called on you on Tuesday evening?" + +"I do," she answered, in a steady voice. + +I saw that she was rapidly recovering her self-control, and I made up my +mind that I had misjudged the little woman. Under that soft, childish +exterior must lie an indomitable will. + +"Do you deny that you received a man on that evening?" She glanced +hastily at each of us before answering: "No." + +"Oh, you did see a gentleman? Who was he?" + +She hesitated a moment: "An old friend." + +"Will you kindly tell us his name?" + +"No! I won't have him mixed up in this." + +"Madam," said the detective, "the deceased has been murdered, and--" A +shriek interrupted him. + +"Murdered! Oh, no, no," she gasped, her eyes wide with terror. + +"I regret to say that there is no doubt of it." + +"But when,--how?" she demanded, in a trembling voice. + +"On Tuesday night." + +She drew a deep breath. The horror faded slowly from her face, and +she repeated with great composure, "Oh, Tuesday night," with a slight +emphasis on the Tuesday. + +The change in her was perfectly startling. She seemed calm,--almost +indifferent. + +"Have you discovered how he was murdered?" she inquired. + +"Yes; he was stabbed through the heart by an instrument no larger than a +knitting-needle." + +"How strange," she exclaimed; "do you know who committed the crime?" + +"Not yet," said the Coroner; "and now, Mrs. Atkins, I ask you again if +you are quite sure that you have never seen the deceased before?" + +"Yes," she answered, firmly. + +"And you are willing to testify to this effect?" + +"Yes." + +"You are aware that the elevator boy has positively identified the body +as that of your visitor?" + +"I guess my word's as good as a nigger's," she said, with a defiant toss +of her head. + +"No doubt," replied the Coroner, politely; "but if you would tell us +the name and address of your friend we could look him up and be able +to assure the police of his safety, and so save you the disagreeable +necessity of appearing in court." + +"In court," she repeated, with a horrified expression. Evidently this +possibility had not occurred to her, and she glanced hurriedly around as +if contemplating immediate flight. + +"Mrs. Atkins," said the detective, earnestly, "I do not think that you +realise certain facts. A man has been murdered who has been identified, +rightly or wrongly, with your visitor. Now, no one saw your friend leave +the building, and it is our business to ascertain that he did so. Can +you tell us what became of him?" + +A hunted expression came into her eyes, but she answered in a steady +voice: "My friend left me at a little after eleven; he was going to take +the midnight train to Boston." She paused. "His name is Allan +Brown--there, now!" + +"Thank you, madam, and what is Mr. Brown's address in Boston?" + +"I don't know." + +"What was his address in New York?" + +"I'm sure I don't know." + +"Was he in any business?" + +"I don't know," she answered, sullenly, with a glance at the door. + +"Mrs. Atkins, you seem singularly ignorant about your friend,--your old +friend." + +"Well, I hadn't seen him for some years. He's a stranger in the city." + +"Where is his home?" + +"I don't know," she answered, impatiently. + +"Are you a New Yorker, Mrs. Atkins?" inquired the detective. + +"No." + +"Ah, I thought not! And where do you come from?" + +"Chicago." + +"Chicago? Indeed! I've been there some myself," Mr. Merritt continued, +in a conversational tone. "Nice place. How long is it since you left +there?" + +"Six months," she answered, curtly. + +"So it was in Chicago you knew your friend?" + +"Yes," she admitted, with a slight start. + +"And you are sure he didn't belong there?" + +"Yes; but look here: why are you asking such a lot of questions about +him? I've told you his name and where he's gone to, and if you can't +find him that's your lookout." + +"The consequences of our not being able to find him would be much more +serious for you than for me," remarked Mr. Merritt, quietly. + +"Now, Mrs. Atkins," resumed the Coroner, "can you say in what particular +Mr. Brown differs from this dead man?" + +"Oh, they're a good deal alike," she replied, fluently,--but I noticed +that she did not look in the direction of the corpse,--"only Mr. Brown's +younger, and not so heavy, and his nose is different. Still, the man +does resemble Mr. Brown surprisingly. It gave me quite a shock when I +first saw him." It certainly had, only I wondered if that were the true +explanation. + +"Please tell us what you did yesterday." + +"I went out in the morning and I came home at about half-past five." + +"What were you doing during all that time?" + +"Oh, several things; I called on some friends and did some errands." + +"Your husband has been out of town, I hear?" + +"Yes." + +"When did he leave the city?" + +"On Tuesday morning." + +"When did he return?" + +"Last night." + +"At what time?" + +"Half-past one." + +"Where did he come from?" + +"Boston." + +"But surely the Boston train gets in a good deal earlier than that!" the +Coroner exclaimed. + +"Yes, there had been a delay owing to a slight accident on the line," +she reluctantly explained. + +"Is Mr. Atkins often away?" + +"Yes; he's out of town every week or so, on business." + +"Thank you, Mrs. Atkins, that is all," the Coroner concluded, politely. +But the lady was not so easily appeased, and flounced out of the room +without deigning to glance at any of us. + +The detective slipped out after her--to call the maids, as he explained, +but it was five or six minutes before he returned with the waitress. + +After answering several unimportant questions, the girl was asked +whether she had ever seen the deceased before. "No, sir," she replied, +promptly. + +"Did anyone call on your mistress on Tuesday evening?" + +"I can't say, sir; I was out." + +"At what time did you go out?" + +"At about a quarter to eight, sir." + +"Where did you go to?" + +"We went to a party at me sister's." + +"Who do you mean by 'we'?" + +"The cook and me, sir." + +"Ah, the cook went out, too?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Do you usually go out together?" + +"No, sir." + +"How did it happen that you did so on Tuesday?" + +"Mr. Atkins, he was away, so Mrs. Atkins she said we might both go out." + +"Mr. Atkins is often away from home, isn't he?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"How often?" + +"About once a fortnight, sir." + +"Has Mrs. Atkins ever allowed you both to go out together before?" + +"No, sir." + +"Where does your sister live, and what is her name?" + +"Mrs. Moriarty, 300 Third Avenue." + +The Coroner paused to scribble down the address, then resumed: + +"At what time did you get back from the party?" + +The girl tugged at her dress in some embarrassment. "It might have been +after eleven," she reluctantly admitted. + +"How much after--quarter past, half-past?" he suggested, as she still +hesitated. + +"It was almost half-past, sir." + +"And when you returned, did you see your mistress?" + +"Oh, yes, sir." + +"Was she alone?" + +"Yes, sir," the girl answered, with some surprise. + +"Did you notice anything unusual about her?" + +"Well, sir, she'd been crying, and I never see her cry before." + +"What did Mrs. Atkins say to you?" + +"She scolded us for being so late," the girl answered shamefacedly. + +"Was that all she said?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Where was your mistress when you saw her?" + +"She was lying on the sofy in her bed-room, tired like." + +"What did Mrs. Atkins do yesterday?" + +"She went out after breakfast and didn't come back till nearly six." + +"How did she seem when she returned?" + +"She'd been crying awful, and she just lay quiet and wouldn't eat no +dinner." + +"Do Mr. and Mrs. Atkins get along well together?" + +"Oh, sir, they're that loving," she answered with a blush and a smile. + +Again my curiosity got the better of my discretion, and I asked: "Did +you hear any strange noises during the night?" + +The Coroner glared at me, but said nothing this time. + +"Well," replied the girl, "me and Jane did think as we'd heard a +scream." + +Ha, ha, thought I, and I saw Mr. Merritt indulge in one of his quiet +smiles. + +"So you heard a scream," said the Coroner. + +"I don't know for sure; I thought so." + +"At what time did you hear it?" + +"I don't know, sir; some time in the night." + +"What did you do when you heard it?" + +"Nothing, sir." + +This was all that could be got out of her, so she made way for the cook, +who, after being cross-questioned at some length, did no more than +corroborate the waitress's statement, only she was more positive of +having heard the "screech" as she called it. + +"Could you tell whether it was a man or woman who screamed?" inquired +the Coroner. + +"It was a woman's voice, sir." + +Mr. Stuart, who was next admitted, proved to be a small, middle-aged +man, extremely well groomed, and whom I recognized as one of the members +of my Club, whose name I had never known. On being asked if he had +ever seen the dead man before, he solemnly inserted a single eye-glass +into his right eye, and contemplated the corpse with the greatest +imperturbability. + +"So far as I can remember, I have never seen the man before," he +answered at last. After replying satisfactorily to a few more questions, +he was allowed to retire, and his cook took his place. She was a large, +stout woman about thirty years old, with a good deal of that coarse +Southern beauty, which consists chiefly in snapping black eyes, masses +of dark hair, and good teeth. On catching sight of the corpse, she threw +up her hands and uttered a succession of squeals, which she seemed to +consider due to the horror of the occasion, and then turned serenely +towards the Coroner, and with a slight courtesy stood smilingly awaiting +his questions. + +"What is your name?" he inquired. + +"Jeanne Alexandrine Argot," she replied. + +"You are in the employ of Mr. Stuart?" + +"Yes, sar. I 'ave been with Mr. Stuah, six a years, and he tell you----" + +"Please look at the deceased, and tell me if you have ever seen him +before?" the Coroner hastily interrupted. + +"No, sar." + +After answering a few more questions with overpowering volubility, she +withdrew, and her husband entered. He was a tall, vigorous man, with +large hawk-like eyes, apparently a good deal older than his wife. He +bowed to us all on entering, and stood respectfully near the door, +waiting to be spoken to. + +"What is your name?" inquired the Coroner. + +"Celestin Marie Argot." + +"You work for Mr. Stuart?" + +"Yes, sar; I am Meester Stuah's butlair." + +"Look at this corpse, and tell me if you can identify it as that of any +one you know, or have ever seen?" + +He now glanced for the first time at the body, and I thought I saw his +face contract slightly. But the expression was so fleeting that I could +not be sure of it, and when he raised his head a few moments later he +seemed perfectly composed and answered calmly: "I do not know ze man." + +Apparently the Coroner was not completely satisfied, for he went on: +"You know that this man has been murdered, and that it is your duty to +give us any information that might lead to his identification. Have +you seen any suspicious persons about the building during the last few +days?" + +"No, sar; nobody,"--but I thought he had hesitated an instant before +answering. + +"You must see a good many people pass up and down the back stairs," +the detective remarked; "especially in this hot weather, when you must +be obliged to leave the kitchen door open a good deal so as to get a +draught." + +The man cast a hurried, and I thought an apprehensive, glance at Mr. +Merritt, and replied quickly: "Yes, sar; ze door is open almos' all ze +time, but I 'ave seen nobody." + +"Nobody?" repeated the detective. + +"Yes, sar," Argot asserted, still more emphatically. "No vone, excep' ze +butchair, ze bakair, and ze ozer tradesmen, of course." + +"How early are you likely to open the kitchen door? To leave it open, I +mean?" + +"Oh, not till eight o'clock, perhap--Madame Argot, she stay in +déshabille till zen." + +"What time do you go to bed?" + +"At ten o'clock generally, but some time eleven o'clock--even +midnight--it depens." + +"What time did you go to bed on Tuesday?" + +"At eleven, sar." + +"What had you been doing during the evening?" + +"I had been at a restaurant wiz some friends." + +"And when did you return?" + +"At about half-pas' ten." + +"Did you come in the back way?" + +"Yes, sar." + +"How did you get in?" + +"My wife, she open ze door." + +"And you saw nobody as you came in?" + +He paused almost imperceptibly. "No, sar," he answered. But I was now +convinced that he was holding something back. + +"Very well; you can go," said the Coroner. The fellow bowed himself out +with a good deal of quiet dignity. + +"I kinder fancy that man knows something he won't tell," said the +Coroner. "Now, we've seen every one but the workmen," he continued, +wearily, mopping his forehead. "I don't believe one of them knows a +thing; still, I've got to go through with it, I suppose," and going to +the door he beckoned them all in. + +There were five of them, including the foreman, and they appeared to be +quiet, respectable young men. After looking at the dead man intently for +some minutes, they all asserted that they had never laid eyes on him +before. + +"Now have any of you noticed during the three days you have been working +here anybody who might have taken the key, kept it for some hours, and +returned it without your noticing it?" inquired the Coroner. + +"We've seen no strangers," the foreman replied, cautiously. + +"Who have you seen?" The foreman was evidently prepared for this +question. + +"Well, sir, we've seen altogether six people: Jim, and Joe, and Tony, +Mr. McGorry, Miss Derwent, and the Frinchman," he replied, checking +them off on his fingers. + +"When did the Frenchman come up here?" + +"Yistidy morning, sir; he said he come to see the decorations, and he +come again about three; but he didn't stay long. I warn't a-going to +have him hanging round here interfering!" + +"Did any of his actions at the time strike you as suspicious?" + +"No, sir," acknowledged the foreman. + +"And Miss Derwent; when did you see her?" + +"I didn't see her myself in the morning, but he"--with a nod towards one +of the men,--"he saw her look in as she was waiting for the elevator, +and in the afternoon she come right in." + +"Did she say anything?" + +"Yes, sir; she said the paint and papers were mighty pretty." + +"When you saw Miss Derwent," said the Coroner, addressing the man whom +the foreman had pointed out, "what was she doing?" + +"She was standing just inside the hall." + +"Was her hand on the door knob?" + +"I didn't notice, sir." + +"Did the young lady say anything?" + +"When she saw me a-looking at her, she just said: 'How pretty!' and went +away." + +"Have any of you seen Mr. or Mrs. Atkins, or either of their girls, +since you have been working here?" They all replied in the negative. + +The Coroner's physician turned up at this juncture, with many apologies +for his late arrival, so, having no further excuse for remaining, I took +my leave. The lower hall swarmed with innumerable reporters, trying to +force their way upstairs, and who were only prevented from doing so by +the infuriated McGorry and two or three stalwart policemen. On catching +sight of me they all fell upon me with one accord, and I only managed to +escape by giving them the most detailed description of the corpse and +professing complete ignorance as to everything else. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A LETTER AND ITS ANSWER + + +When I got back to my diggings I was astonished to find that it was only +ten o'clock. How little time it takes to change the whole world for one! +All day long I forced myself to go about my usual work, but the thought +of May Derwent never left me. + +It was the greatest relief to find that in none of the evening papers +did her name appear. How McGorry managed to conceal from the reporters +the fact that she had been in the building remains a mystery to this +day--but how thankful I was that he was able to do so! Already my +greatest preoccupation was to preserve her fair name from the least +breath of scandal. Not for an instant did I believe her to be connected +with the murder;--on the other hand, I felt equally sure that she was in +some great trouble, the nature of which I could not even guess. I longed +to protect and help her, but how was I to do so, ignorant as I was +of everything concerning her. I didn't even know where she was at +that moment. At her mother's, perhaps. But where was that? Suddenly I +remembered that my great friend, Fred Cowper, had mentioned in one of +his recent letters that Mrs. Derwent and his mother were near neighbours +in the country. To think that that lucky dog had been spending the last +month within a stone's throw, perhaps, of her house--had seen her every +day probably, and had been allowed these inestimable privileges +simply because he had broken an old leg! And I, who would gladly have +sacrificed both legs to have been in his place, was forced to remain in +New York because--forsooth!--of an apoplectic old patient--who refused +either to live or die! Well, as I couldn't go to her, it was at any rate +a comfort to be able to get news of her so easily--so seizing a pen, I +hastily scratched off the following note: + + NEW YORK, + August 10, 1898. + + DEAR FRED: + + You know me pretty well and know therefore that I'm not a prying + sort of fellow--don't you? So that when I ask you to tell me all + you know about Miss May Derwent--I hope you will believe that I am + animated by no idle curiosity. A doctor is often forced to carry + more secrets than a family solicitor, and is as much in honor + bound. Through no fault of my own, I have come into the possession + of certain facts relating to Miss Derwent which lead me to believe + that she is in great trouble. Furthermore, I am convinced that I + could help her, were I not handicapped by my very slight personal + acquaintance with her, but more than that by my entire ignorance + regarding certain details of her life. I might as well acknowledge + that I am interested in the young lady, and am anxious to serve + her if I can. But if I am to do so, I must first find out a few + particulars of her life, and these I hope you can give me. + + In the first place I want to know whether she has any young male + relative who is tall, with good figure? I remember hearing that she + is an only child, but has she no cousin with whom she is on terms + of brotherly intimacy? + + Secondly, Is she engaged, or reported to be engaged, and if so, to + whom? + + Thirdly, What are the names of her most favored suitors? + + Fourthly, What lady does she know intimately who has very dark + hair, and is also slight and tall? + + I don't need to tell you to treat this letter as absolutely + confidential, nor to assure you again that only the deepest + interest in Miss Derwent, and the conviction that she is in need + of help, induce me to pry into her affairs. + + More than this I cannot tell you, so don't ask me. + + Good-night, old chap! Hope your leg is getting on all right. + + Affectionately yours, + CHARLES K. FORTESCUE. + + + HOPE FARM, BEVERLEY, L. I., + Friday, August 11. + + DEAR CHARLEY,--You may imagine how exciting I found your letter + when I tell you that I have known May Derwent since she was a tiny + tot, and that their country place is not half a mile from here. She + is exactly my sister Alice's age, and I have never known her very + well till she came out last winter, for eight years make a big + barrier between children. I like and admire May extremely, for not + only is she a very beautiful girl, but an extremely nice one, as + well. Difficult as it may be to explain certain things, I am sure + that, whatever the trouble she is in, if you knew the whole + truth, you would find it only redounded to her credit. She is an + impulsive, warm-hearted and rather tempestuous child--generous, + loyal, and truthful to a fault. I have just been discreetly + sounding Alice about her, and asked why I had not seen May since I + had been down here this time, as on former occasions she used + always to be running in and out of the house. And Alice tells me + that for the last three months May has been a changed being. From a + happy, thoughtless girl, overflowing with health and spirits, she + has become a listless, self-contained, almost morose woman. She + refuses to go anywhere, and spends most of her time either in her + own room or taking long solitary walks or rides. The doctor talks + of nervous prostration, but do you think it likely that a vigorous, + athletic young girl would develop nerves solely in consequence of a + few months' gaiety during the winter? It seems to me incredible, + and so I am forced to believe that May has something on her mind + which is reacting on her body, causing her to shun all the things + she used to delight in. Now, when a young, rich, beautiful, and + sought-after girl suddenly takes to avoiding her species, and + becomes pale and melancholy, the usual explanation is--an unhappy + love affair. And, of course, that may still turn out to be the + truth in this case; but in the meantime I have another hypothesis + to suggest, that seems to me to fit in with the known facts even + better than the other. + + May Derwent is not an only child, but has, or at any rate had, a + brother about ten years older than herself who, I confess, was one + of the heroes of my childhood. Only a little older than the rest of + us boys, he was much bigger and stronger. He was the leader of all + our games, and the instigator of our most outrageous exploits. He + was the horror of all parents and the delight of all children. + Cruel, vindictive, untruthful, leaving others to pay the penalty + for his faults whenever it was possible, he was not a nice boy even + in those early days, but then he was so handsome, so bold and + unscrupulous, so inspired in devising new crimes for us to commit, + that it is hardly to be wondered at that he was at the same time + our terror and our idol. His school record was bad; his college + record was worse, till one fine day he suddenly and mysteriously + disappeared from Harvard, and has never been heard of since. What + had occurred I never could find out; that it was something very + disgraceful I am sure, for his mother, whose pride and hope he had + been, never again mentioned his name. + + Now, don't you think it quite possible that he may have returned + and been bothering his sister in some way? She may be either trying + to shield him from still greater disgrace, or be endeavouring to + spare her mother the further knowledge of his misdeeds. Mind you, + these are all merely the wildest conjectures. + + As for May's lovers, their name is simply legion, including young + Norman, the millionaire, Sir Arthur Trevor, Guy Weatherby and a + painter chap--Greywood, I think his name is. Mère Derwent, I + believe, favors Norman's suit, having (sensible woman!) a great + faith in American husbands, but there is a rumour that May, with + the perversity of her sex, is inclined to smile on the young + artist, who, I am told is an affected chap, just back from Paris, + without either money or talent. But no doubt he strikes her as + a more romantic lover than good old Norman, who is the best of + fellows, and absolutely eligible in every way. + + Alice tells me that May has appeared quite eager for her Bar Harbor + visit, notwithstanding that she has refused all other invitations, + and Mrs. Derwent has had great hopes that the change would do her + good. + + What you have told me is no small tax on my discretion, but what + you have refrained from telling taxes my curiosity far more. But + notice--I ask no questions!! + + By the way, why don't you come down and spend next Sunday with us? + You might see the lovely May again,--who knows? + + Affectionately yours, + FRED. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +MR. MERRITT INSTRUCTS ME + + +Fred's letter was a great relief to me. I had not dared to allow my +thoughts to dwell on the man whom I had seen in May Derwent's apartment +on that eventful night. The supposition, however, that it was her +brother, explained everything satisfactorily. Nothing could be more +likely than that this angel of mercy should give shelter to this +returned prodigal, and try to save him from the punishment he so richly +deserved. But what cared I what _he_ had done? She--she--was immaculate. + +At the hospital that morning, I was in such good spirits that I had some +difficulty in keeping my elation within bounds. As it was, I noticed +that several nurses eyed me with suspicion. + +My preoccupation about Miss Derwent's affairs had been so great +that I had hardly given a thought to the mysterious murder, and was +consequently very much surprised, on returning home that afternoon, to +find the detective patiently awaiting me. + +"Well, Mr. Merritt," I exclaimed; "glad to see you; what can I do for +you? Anything wrong with your heart, or your liver, or your nerves, eh?" + +"Well, Doctor, I guess my nerves are pretty near all right," he +answered, with a slow smile. + +"I'm glad to hear it. Won't you sit down?" + +He selected a comfortable chair, and we sat down facing each other. I +wondered what could be coming next. + +"Now, Doctor," he began, in a matter-of-fact voice, "I'd like you to +tell me all you know of the murder." + +He had taken me completely by surprise, but I am learning to control my +features, and flatter myself that I did not move a muscle as I quietly +replied: + +"This is a very strange question, and I can only answer that I know +nothing." + +"Oh, hardly as little as that," the detective rejoined, with irritating +complacency. + +"Just as little as that," I asserted, with some warmth. + +"Well, Doctor, if that is the case, you can no doubt explain a few +things that have been puzzling me. In the first place, will you tell me +why, if you were not expecting another victim, you showed such surprise +at the sight of the corpse? What reason could you have had for being +so deeply interested in the relative positions of your roof--not your +office, mind you, but your roof--and the room in which the body was +found, unless you had noticed something unusual from that point of +observation? Why were you so sure that the Derwent's flat was occupied, +if you had not seen some person or persons there? By the way, I noticed +that from your roof I could look directly into their windows. Again, you +betrayed great surprise when Miss Derwent lifted her veil. Why did you +do so, except that you had previously seen a very different looking +person in her apartment? And why did you select the Atkins's two +servants out of all the people in the building, to question about a +certain noise, but that you yourself had heard a scream coming from +their premises? And, lastly, you showed an unexplained interest in the +back door of the Rosemere, which is particularly suggestive in view of +the fact that this window is exactly opposite to it. I need only add +that your presence on the roof during some part of Wednesday night, +or early Thursday morning, is attested by the fact that I found some +pipe-ash near the chimney. You smoke a pipe, I see" (pointing to +a rack full of them); "your janitor does not, neither do your two +fellow-lodgers. Besides that, all the other occupants of this house are +willing to swear that they have not been on the roof recently, and those +ashes could not have been long where I found them; the wind would have +scattered them. You see, I know very little, but I know enough to be +sure that you know more." + +I was perfectly dumbfounded, and gazed at the detective for some moments +without speaking. + +"Well, granted that I was on the roof during a part of Wednesday night, +what of it? And if I did hear or see anything suspicious, how can you +prove it, and above all, how can you make me tell you of it?" + +"I can't," rejoined Mr. Merritt, cheerfully. "I can only ask you to do +so." + +"And if I refuse?" + +"Then I shall have to delay satisfying my curiosity till we meet in +court, but I do not doubt that my patience will then be adequately +rewarded, for a skilful lawyer will surely be able to get at many +details that would escape me, and I hardly think that you would resort +to perjury to shield two women whom I am convinced you never laid eyes +on before yesterday, and have certainly not seen since." The detective +paused. + +I still hesitated, for I felt an extreme reluctance to further +compromise that poor girl by anything I might say. + +"Come, Doctor," he urged, leaning forward and placing his hand on my +knee, "don't you think it would be better for all parties for you to +tell me what you know? I am as anxious to shield the innocent as you +can be. By withholding valuable information you may force me to put a +young lady through a very trying and public ordeal, which I am sure +might be easily spared her, if I only knew a few more facts of the +case." + +This last argument decided me, and making a virtue of necessity I +gave him a minute account of all I had seen and heard. When I came to +describing the man's prolonged search Mr. Merritt nodded several times +with great satisfaction. + +"Can't you tell me a little more how this man looked?" he eagerly +inquired. "You must have seen him pretty clearly while he was moving +around that lighted room. Had he any hair on his face?" + +"Well," I confessed, "it is a funny thing, but I can't for the life of +me remember; I've tried to; sometimes I think he was clean shaven, and +again I am sure he had a small moustache." + +The detective glared at me for a moment; it was difficult for him to +forgive such aggravating lack of memory. To be given such an opportunity +and to foozel it! He heaved a sigh of resignation as he inquired: + +"Can you remember how he was dressed?" + +"Oh, yes," I replied with alacrity, anxious to retrieve myself, "he had +on a white shirt and dark trousers, and his sleeves were rolled back." + +"Did he close the windows before he left?" + +"Yes, and he pulled down the blinds also." + +"You are sure that you saw no one in the apartment resembling Miss +Derwent?" + +"Quite sure; the woman I saw was taller and had flat, black hair." + +"What do you mean by 'flat'?" + +"Why, nowadays girls wear their hair loose; it bulges away from their +faces; but hers lay tight to her head in a flat, black mass," I +explained. + +I then harped on the probability of the return of Miss May's prodigal +brother, and suggested the possibility that the dark-haired woman might +be his wife. + +"Well, well, Doctor! This is all very interesting. The story of the +brother, especially. You see, I had already discovered that a man had +spent many hours in her apartment----" + +"How did you find that out?" I interrupted. + +"Oh, quite easily," rejoined the detective; "as soon as all the +excitement was over yesterday, I made McGorry open the Derwent's +apartments for me. You may imagine what a fuss he made about it. Well +anyhow he got me----" + +"But why did you want to get in?" I inquired; "did you suspect her?" + +"No," he replied, "I did not. But in my profession you take no chances. +Impressions, intuitions, are often of great value, only you must be +careful always to verify them. I was almost sure that the young lady was +innocent, but it was my business to prove her so. Now, it is certain +that the person, or persons, who smuggled the corpse into the room where +it was found, must, at one time or another, have had the key of that +apartment in their possession, and there are only three people whom we +know of as yet who were in a position to have had it. These three are: +Miss Derwent, the French butler, and, of course, McGorry. So far I have +not been able to connect the latter two, even in the most indirect way, +with the catastrophe. Unfortunately, that is not the case with the young +lady. One person, at least, has identified the body as that of her +visitor, and your behaviour," he added, with a smile, "led me to believe +that you suspected her of something. Not of the crime, I felt sure of +that, but of _what_, then? I determined to find out, and now that I have +done so, let me tell you that I am still convinced of her innocence." + +I jumped up and shook him by the hand. "So am I, so am I," I exclaimed. + +"But this is a very queer case," he continued, "and I shall need all the +assistance you can give me, if----" + +"You shall have it," I broke in, enthusiastically; "anything I can do. +But tell me, first, how you found out about Miss Derwent's brother?" + +"Not so fast, young man! At present, we know nothing about a brother. I +only said that I had discovered in the apartment traces of the recent +and prolonged presence of a man, and I may add of a man of some means." + +"How did you find that out? Especially about his means?" I inquired, +with a smile. + +"Quite easily. In the parlor, which was the first room I entered, I +noticed that every piece of furniture had been lately moved from its +place. Now, this was too heavy a job for a girl to have undertaken +single-handed. Who helped her, I wondered? Her visitor of Tuesday +evening might have been the person, but for various reasons I was +inclined to doubt it. I thought it more likely to have been the woman +whose existence your behaviour had led me to infer. I next examined the +dining-room. A few crumbs showed that it had been used, but I could find +no traces of her mysterious companion. The library had not even been +entered. On the floor above, the front bedroom alone showed signs of +recent occupation. Two crumpled sheets were still on the bed, and in the +drawers were several articles of woman's apparel. Returning to the lower +floor by the back stairs, I found myself in the kitchen. Here, in the +most unexpected place, I discovered an important clue." Mr. Merritt +paused, and looked at me with a gleam of triumph in his eye. + +"Yes, yes, and what was that?" I inquired, breathlessly. + +"Only the odor, the very faintest ghost of an odor, I may say, of +cigar-smoke." + +"In the kitchen?" I exclaimed, incredulously. + +"In the kitchen," repeated the detective. "I at once drew up the blinds, +and looked out. The window opened directly on the fire escape, with +nothing opposite but the roofs of some low houses. Pulling out my +magnifying glass, I crawled out. I soon satisfied myself that the stairs +leading up and down had not been recently used; on the other hand, I was +equally sure that someone had very lately been out on the small landing. +So I sat down there and looked about me. I could see nothing. At last, +by peering through the bars of the iron flooring, I thought I could +discern a small brown object, caught in between the slats of the landing +below. I climbed down there mighty quick, I can tell you, and in a +moment held the butt end of a cigar in my hand. It was, as I had +suspected, from the delicate odor it had left behind, one which had cost +about fifty cents. I now extended my search downward, and examined every +window-sill, every crevice, till I reached the basement, and, as a +result of my hunt, I collected five cigar stumps, all of the same +brand. From the number, I concluded that whoever had been in the +apartment had been there a considerable time. From his only smoking in +the kitchen or on the fire-escape, I gathered that he was anxious to +leave no traces of his presence; and lastly, from the quality of his +cigars, I judged him to be a man of means. So you see I had discovered, +even without your assistance, that, although Miss Derwent may have told +us the truth, she certainly had not told us all of it." + +I nodded gloomily. + +"What you tell me of this dark-haired woman is still more puzzling," the +detective continued. "She has covered up her tracks so well that not +only did I find no trace of her, but no one, not even yourself, saw her +either enter or leave the building. And I should never have dreamed +of her existence if I had not noticed your surprise when Miss Derwent +lifted her veil. Now, the first thing to be done is to try and find +this strange couple, and we will begin by tracing the man whom you saw +leaving the Rosemere with a market-basket. It will be easy enough to +find out if he is nothing but a local tradesman, and if he is _not_, +then in all probability he is the man we want. The detective who is +watching Miss Derwent----" + +"A detective watching Miss Derwent!" I exclaimed. + +"Why, yes. What did you expect? I sent one down with her to the country +yesterday." + +Perhaps I ought to have been prepared for it, but the idea of a common +fellow dogging May Derwent's footsteps, was quite a shock to me, so I +inquired, with considerable ill-humor: "And what does he report?" + +"Nothing much. The young lady returned to her mother, as she said she +would, and since then has kept to her room, but has refused to see a +doctor." + +"Have you discovered yet who the dead man really is?" I asked, after a +slight pause. + +"No," answered the detective, with a troubled look, "and I can't make it +out. Jim and Joe each persists in his own identification. I expected Jim +to weaken, he seemed so much less positive at first, but whether he has +talked himself into the belief that the corpse is that of the young +lady's visitor, or whether it really does resemble him so much as to +give the boy grounds for thinking so, I can't make out." + +"I see, however, that _you_ believe the murdered man to be Mrs. Atkins's +friend, of whose history and whereabouts she was so strangely ignorant." + +"Well, I don't know," the detective replied. "We have found out that an +Allan Brown did engage a berth on the midnight train to Boston." + +"Really? Why, I was sure that Allan Brown was a creation of the little +lady's imagination. By the way, it is a strange coincidence that two +mysterious Allans are connected with this case." + +"Yes, I have thought of that," the detective murmured; "and Allan is +no common name, either. But it is a still stranger circumstance that +neither of Allan Brown nor of the murdered man (I am now taking for +granted that they are not identical) can we discover the slightest trace +beyond the solitary fact that an upper berth on the Boston train was +bought on Tuesday afternoon, by a person giving the former's name, and +whose description applies, of course, equally to both. Mrs. Atkins +volunteers the information that Brown was a stranger in the city, and so +far I have no reason to doubt it. Now, a man who can afford to wear a +dress suit, and who is a friend of a woman like Mrs. Atkins, presumably +had fairly decent quarters while he was in town. And yet inquiries have +been made at every hotel and boarding-house, from the cheapest to the +most expensive, and not one of them knows anything of an Allan Brown, +nor do they recognize his description as applying to any of their late +guests. The deceased, of course, may have had rooms somewhere, or a +flat, or even a house, in which case it will take longer to trace him; +although even so, it is remarkable that after such wide publicity has +been given to his description, no one has come forward and reported +him as missing. The morgue has been crowded with idle sightseers, but +nobody as yet claims to have seen the victim before." + +"That is queer," I assented, "especially as the dead man was in all +probability a person of some prominence. He certainly must have been +rich. The pearl studs he wore were very fine." + +"Oh, those were imitation pearls," said the detective, "and I am +inclined to think that, far from being wealthy, he was, at the time of +his death, extremely badly off, although other indications point to his +having seen better days." + +"Really!" I exclaimed. + +"Yes; didn't you notice that his clothes, although evidently expensive, +were all decidedly shabby? That his silk socks were almost worn out; +that his pumps were down at the heel?" + +"Yes, I did notice something of the kind." + +"But those large imitation pearls blinded you to everything else, I +see," Mr. Merritt remarked, with a smile. + +"I suppose so," I acknowledged; "they and the sleeve-links with the +crest." + +"Ah, those are really interesting, and for the first time in my life I +find myself wishing that we were more careful in this country about the +use of such things. Unfortunately, we are so promiscuous and casual in +adopting any coat-of-arms that happens to strike our fancy that the +links become almost valueless as a clue. Still, I have sent one of them +to an authority in heraldry, and shall be much interested to hear what +he has to say about it. By the way, did anything else strike you as +peculiar about the corpse?" + +"No," I answered, after a moment's reflection. + +"It did not seem to you odd that no hat was found with the body?" + +"Dear me! I never noticed that. How singular! What could have become of +it?" + +"Ah, if we only knew that we should be in a fair way to solving this +mystery. For I have found out that, whereas the description of Miss +Derwent's visitor and Mrs. Atkins's friend tally on all other points, +they differ radically on this one. The former wore a panama, whereas +the latter wore an ordinary straw hat. Now, one of those hats must be +somewhere in the Rosemere, and yet I can't find it." + +"Mr. Merritt," I inquired, "have you any theory as to the motive of this +murder?" + +"Not as yet," he replied. "It may have been jealousy, revenge, or +a desire to be rid of a dangerous enemy, and if you had not given +it as your opinion that the man met his death while wholly or +semi-unconscious, I should have added self-defence to my list of +possibilities. The only thing I am pretty sure of is--that the motive +was not robbery." + +"Look here, Mr. Merritt, I can't help wondering that, whereas you have +treated Miss Derwent with the utmost suspicion, have made a thorough +search of her apartment, and have even sent a sleuth to watch her, yet +you have shown such indifference to Mrs. Atkins's movements. Surely +suspicion points quite as strongly to her as to the young lady?" + +"No, it doesn't," replied the detective. "The key! You forget the key +cannot so far be connected with her. But, may I ask, who told you that I +had neglected to make inquiries about the lady?" + +"Nobody; I only inferred," I stammered. + +"You were wrong," continued Mr. Merritt. "I have made every possible +inquiry about Mrs. Atkins. I have even sent a man to Chicago to find out +further particulars, although I have already collected a good deal of +interesting information about the little lady's past life." + +"Really? And was there anything peculiar about it?" + +"No; I can't exactly say there was. Mrs. Atkins is the only daughter of +a wealthy saloon-keeper, John Day by name, and is twenty-six years old. +Nothing is known against her except that in that city she chose her +companions from amongst a very fast crowd. There is also a rumor, which +the Chicago detective has not been able to verify, that when she was +about sixteen or seventeen years old, she eloped with an Eastern man, +from whom she was almost immediately divorced. At any rate, she has been +known for a good many years as Miss Day, and has lived at home with her +father. The memory of her marriage, if indeed she ever was married, has +grown so dim that a great many people, among whom may be numbered some +of her intimate friends, have never heard of it, and vehemently deny the +whole story. I hope, however, soon to find out the facts of the case. +Young Atkins met his wife last winter at Atlantic City, and at once fell +in love with her. His father, who is a very wealthy contractor, was +strongly opposed to the match. He was very ambitious for his son, and +thought the daughter of a saloon-keeper, whose reputation was none of +the best, was no desirable wife for his boy." + +"But they married in spite of him," I said. + +"Yes, and old man Atkins has become reconciled to them, and makes them a +very handsome allowance." + +"How long have they been married?" I asked. + +"Since the fifteenth of April," replied the detective, "and they were +not married in Chicago, but in this city. I guess the lady was not over +anxious to introduce her husband to her former pals." + +"I suppose you have searched her apartment for a possible clue,--the +hat, for instance?" + +"Yes, but as she has not been out since Wednesday, I have not been able +to make as thorough a search as I should like. She is a shy bird, and I +don't want to frighten her till I have a few more facts to go on. If she +thinks herself watched she may become wary, while now, I hope she will +make use of her fancied security to do something which may give us a +lead." + +"Well, Mr. Merritt, I conclude from all this that, although you are +unable to trace the possession of the key to Mrs. Atkins, nevertheless, +your suspicions point towards her?" + +"Certainly not. There is nothing to connect her with the tragedy, except +the fact that one negro boy identified the corpse as that of one of her +visitors. On the contrary, the more I look into this case, the less do I +see how the lady could be involved in it. Let us suppose that she did +kill the man. Where could she have secreted him during the twenty-four +hours that must have elapsed before the body was finally disposed of? +The only place of concealment on the lower floor of her apartment is a +coat closet under the stairs, and I doubt very much whether a small, +unmuscular woman like Mrs. Atkins is capable of dragging so large a man +even for a short distance." + +"But," I suggested, "the murder may have been committed in the hall, +just a step from this hiding-place." + +"Yes, that is, of course, possible. But there is still another +objection. The closet is so small that I do not believe a man could +be got into it without doubling him up, and of that the body shows no +signs. Besides, if Mrs. Atkins is guilty, we must believe her husband to +be her accomplice, for who else could have helped her hide her victim? +Now, you must know that the Atkins men, both father and son, bear +most excellent reputations, especially the young man, of whom every +one speaks in the highest terms, and I do not think that a person +unaccustomed to deceit could have behaved with such perfect composure +in the presence of a corpse of which he had criminal knowledge." + +"But he did show some emotion," I urged. + +"Oh, yes; I know what you mean,--when he learned that the man was +murdered on Tuesday night he seemed startled." + +"Well, how do you account for that?" + +"I don't account for it. Why, Doctor, in a case like this there are a +hundred things I can't account for. For instance, what was the cause of +Mrs. Atkins's scream? You have no idea; neither have I. Why did she show +such emotion at the sight of the corpse? I am not prepared to say. Why +did she appear so relieved when she heard that the murder occurred on +Tuesday? I can formulate no plausible explanation for it. And these are +only a few of the rocks that I am running up against all the time." + +"But look here. If you really believe Miss Derwent and Mrs. Atkins both +innocent, who do you think killed the man?" + +"I don't know. Oh, I am aware that the detective of fiction is always +supposed to be omniscient, but my profession, Doctor, is just like any +other. There is no hocus-pocus about it. To succeed in it requires, +in the first place, accurate and most minute powers of observation, +unlimited patience, the capacity for putting two and two together. +Add to this an unprejudiced mind, and last, but not least, respect, +amounting to reverence, for any established _fact_. Now, the only +_facts_ we have as yet gathered about this murder are: that the man was +young, dissipated, and was stabbed through the heart by some very small +instrument or weapon; that his assailant was an inmate of the Rosemere; +that the crime was committed on Tuesday night; and, lastly, that whoever +placed the body where it was found must, at one time or another, have +had the key to the outside door in his or her possession. Whatever +else we may think or believe, is purely speculative. We presume, for +instance, that the man was poor. As for the other facts we have gleaned +about the different inmates of the building, till we know which one of +them had a hand in this tragedy, we cannot consider what we have learned +about them as throwing any light on the murder. About that, as I said +before, we know mighty little, and even that little is the result of +thirty-eight hours' work, not of one man alone, but of seven or eight." + +"Indeed!" I exclaimed. + +"Now, both ladies deny that they knew the deceased, and perhaps they +are right. It is, of course, possible that there was a third man in +the building that evening, who was also tall, dark, and wore a pointed +beard. It is not likely, however. Such a coincidence is almost unheard +of. Still it is possible, and that possibility must be reckoned with. +Now, I must be off," said Mr. Merritt, rising abruptly from his chair, +"and if you hear any more of the young lady's movements, let me know. +There's my address. In the meantime, thank you very much for what you +have already told me." And before I could get out one of the twenty +questions that were still burning on my lips, the man was gone. + +For some minutes I sat quite still, too miserable to think connectedly. +Alas! my fears had not been groundless. The poor girl was in even +greater trouble than I had supposed. I believed the detective to be a +decent chap, who would keep his mouth shut, but how dreadful to think +that her reputation depended on the discretion of any man. Should it +become known that she had received one young man alone in an empty +apartment, while another was seen there at three o'clock in the +morning, it would mean social death to her. Oh, for the right to offer +her my protection, my services! + +Of course, it was now absolutely necessary to trace the man who spent +Tuesday evening with her, and to prove beyond doubt that he was still +alive. I wished that this might be done without her knowledge, so as to +spare her the shock of finding herself suspected of a crime. + +Again I thought of Fred, and at once sent him a few lines, begging him +to let me know whether he or his sister knew of any friend or admirer of +Miss Derwent who resembled the enclosed description, and if either of +them did know of such a person, please to telegraph me the man's name, +and, if possible, his address. While giving no reasons for my questions, +I again enjoined the greatest secrecy. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +AN IDENTIFICATION + + +TELEGRAM. + + DR. CHARLES FORTESCUE, + Madison Avenue, + New York City. + + SATURDAY, August 12. + + Maurice Greywood. Can't find his address. May be in Directory. + + FREDERIC COWPER. + +Clipping from the New York _Bugle_, Sunday, August 13. + + LANDLADY IDENTIFIES BODY OF THE ROSEMERE VICTIM AS THAT OF HER + VANISHED LODGER, ARTIST GREYWOOD. POLICE STILL SCEPTICAL. + + Mr. Maurice Greywood, the talented young artist who returned from + Paris the beginning of last winter, has disappeared, and grave + fears for his safety are entertained. He was last seen in his + studio, 188 Washington Square, early on Tuesday, August 8th, by + Mrs. Kate Mulroy, the janitress. Ever since the young artist moved + into the building, Mrs. Mulroy has taken complete charge of his + rooms, but, owing to a disagreement which took place between them + last Tuesday, she has ceased these attentions. Yesterday evening, + while looking over a copy of the _Bugle_ of the preceding day, Mrs. + Mulroy came across the portrait of the unknown man whose murdered + body was discovered under very mysterious circumstances in an + unoccupied apartment of the Rosemere, corner of ---- Street and + Madison Avenue, on the preceding Thursday. She at once recognized + it as bearing a striking resemblance to her lodger. Thoroughly + alarmed she decided to investigate the matter. After knocking + several times at Mr. Greywood's door, without receiving an answer, + she opened it by means of a pass-key. Both the studio and bedroom + were in the greatest confusion, and from the amount of dust that + had accumulated over everything, she concluded that the premises + had not been entered for several days. Her worst fears being thus + confirmed, she hastened at once to the Morgue, and requested to see + the body of the Rosemere victim, which she immediately identified + as that of Maurice Greywood. + + Strangely enough, the police throw doubts on this identification, + although they acknowledge that they have no other clue to go on. + However, Mrs. Greywood, the young man's mother, has been sent + for, and is expected to arrive to-morrow from Maine, where she is + spending the summer. + + The people at the Rosemere are still foolishly trying to make a + mystery of the murder, and refuse all information [etc., etc.]. + + +TO DR. CHARLES K. FORTESCUE FROM DR. FREDERIC COWPER, BEVERLEY, L. I. + + SUNDAY EVENING, August 13th. + + DEAR CHARLEY: + + No sooner had I read in to-day's paper that the body found in the + Rosemere had been identified as that of Maurice Greywood, than I + knew at once why you have taken such an interest in poor May. I see + now that you have suspected from the first that the murdered man + was not unknown to her, and your last letter, describing her + "friend," proves to me beyond doubt that you were ignorant of + nothing but his name, for Greywood and no other answers exactly to + that description. How you found out what you did, I can't imagine; + but remembering that your office window commands a view of the + entrance to the building, I think it possible that you may have + seen something from that point of vantage, which enabled you to put + two and two together. But I wonder that I can feel any surprise + at your having discovered the truth, when the truth itself is + unbelievable!! May Derwent is incapable of killing any one--no + matter what provocation she may have had. She is incapable of + a dishonourable action, and above all things incapable of an + intrigue. She is purity itself. I swear it. And yet what are the + facts that confront us? A man, known to have been her professed + suitor, is found dead in a room adjoining her apartment, dead + with a wound through his heart--a wound, too, caused by a + knitting-needle or hat-pin, as you yourself testified! And before + trying to find out who killed him we must first think of some + reasonable excuse for his having been at the Rosemere at all. How + strange that he should happen to go to the building at the very + time when May (who was supposed to be on her way to Bar Harbor, + mind you!) was there also. Who was he calling on, if not on her? + + Luckily, no one as yet seems to have thought of her in connection + with Greywood's death. My sister has, in fact, been wondering all + day whom he could have been visiting when he met his tragic fate. + But, sooner or later, the truth will become known, and then--? Even + in imagination I can't face that possibility. + + And now, since you have discovered so much, and as I believe you + to be as anxious as I am to help this poor girl, I am going to + accede to your request and tell you all that I have been able to + find out about the sad affair. I know that I run the risk of + being misunderstood--even by you--and accused of unpardonable + indiscretion. But it seems to me that in a case like this no + ordinary rules hold good, and that in order to preserve a secret, + one has sometimes to violate a confidence. + + I have discovered--but I had better begin at the beginning, and + tell you as accurately and circumstantially as possible how the + following facts became known to me, so that you may be better able + to judge of their value. Truth, after all, is no marble goddess, + unchangeable, immovable, but a very chameleon taking the colour of + her surroundings. A detached sentence, for instance, may mean + a hundred things according to the when, where, and how of its + utterance. But enough of apologies--_Qui s'excuse, s'accuse._ + + So here goes. + + I spent the morning on our piazza, and as I lay there, listening to + the faint strains of familiar hymns which floated to me through the + open windows of our village church, I could not help thinking that + those peaceful sounds made a strange accompaniment to my gloomy and + distracted thoughts. I longed to see May and judge for myself how + things stood with her. I was therefore especially glad after the + service was over to see Mrs. Derwent turn in at our gate. She often + drops in on her way from church to chat a few minutes with my + mother. But I soon became convinced that the real object of her + visit to-day was to see me. Why, I could not guess. The dear lady, + usually so calm and dignified, positively fidgeted, and several + times forgot what she was saying, and remained for a minute or so + with her large eyes fastened silently upon me, till, noticing my + embarrassment, she recovered herself with a start and plunged into + a new topic of conversation. At last my mother, feeling herself _de + trop_, made some excuse, and went into the house. But even then + Mrs. Derwent did not immediately speak, but sat nervously clasping + and unclasping her long, narrow hands. + + "Fred," she said at last, "I have known you ever since you were a + little boy, and as I am in great trouble I have come to you, hoping + that you will be able to help me." + + "Dear Mrs. Derwent, you know there is nothing I would not do for + you and yours," I replied. + + "It is May that I want to speak to you about; she is really very + ill, I fear." + + "Indeed, I am sorry to hear it; what is the matter with her?" + + "I don't know. She has not been herself for some time." + + "So I hear. Do you know of any reason for her ill health?" + + "She has not been exactly ill," she explained, "only out of sorts. + Yes, I'm afraid I do know why she has changed so lately." + + "Really," I exclaimed, much interested. + + "Yes, it has all been so unfortunate," she continued. "You know how + much admiration May received last winter; she had several excellent + offers, any one of which I should have been perfectly willing to + have her accept. Naturally, I am not anxious to have her marry, at + least not yet; for when my child leaves me, what is there left for + me in life? Still, one cannot think of that, and if she had chosen + a possible person I should gladly have given my consent. But the + only one she seemed to fancy was a most objectionable young man, an + artist; _the_ Maurice Greywood, in fact, of whose supposed murder + you no doubt read in this morning's paper." + + "Yes," I admitted. + + "Well, I put my foot down on that. I told her she would break my + heart if she persisted in marrying the fellow. It was really + a shock to me to find that a daughter of mine had so little + discrimination as even to like such a person; but she is young and + romantic, and the creature is handsome, and clever in a Brummagem + way. The man is a fakir, a _poseur_! I even suspect, Fred, that his + admiration for May is not quite disinterested, and that he has a + very keen eye to her supposed bank account." + + "But May is such a lovely girl----" + + "Oh, yes. I know all about that," interrupted Mrs. Derwent, "but in + this case '_les beaux yeux de la cassette_' count for something, I + am sure. He has absolutely no means of his own, and a profession + which may keep him in gloves and cigarettes. I hear that he is + supported by his mother and friends. Think of it! No, no, I could + not bear her to marry that sort of man. But the child, for she is + little more, took my refusal much to heart, fancied herself a + martyr no doubt, and grew so pale and thin that I consulted the + doctor here about her. He suggested nervous prostration, due to too + much excitement, and wanted her to take a rest cure. I am sure, + however, that that is all nonsense. May was simply fretting herself + sick; she _wanted_ to be ill, I think, so as to punish me for my + obduracy." + + "But what, then, makes you so anxious about her now?" I inquired. + "Have any new symptoms developed?" + + "Yes," and after glancing anxiously about to see whether she could + be overheard, Mrs. Derwent continued in a lower voice. "You know + that she started to go to Bar Harbor last Tuesday." I nodded. + "Well, she seemed really looking forward to her visit, and when she + left home was very affectionate to me, and more like her old self + than she had been for months. But through some carelessness she + missed her connection in town, and instead of returning here as she + ought to have done, spent two nights in our empty apartment--of all + places!! What possessed her to do such a thing I cannot find out, + and she is at present so extremely excitable that I do not dare to + insist on an explanation. When she did return here on Thursday she + told me at once about the murder and how she was made to look at + the body and to give an account of herself. Of course, we were very + much afraid that her name would get into the papers and all the + facts of her escapade become known. Through some miracle, that at + least has been spared me; but the shock of being brought into such + close contact with a mysterious crime has proved too much for + the child's nerves, and she is in such an overwrought hysterical + condition that I am seriously alarmed about her. I wanted to send + again for Dr. Bertrand. He is not very brilliant, but I thought he + might at least give her a soothing draught. She wept bitterly, + however, at the bare idea--insisted that he only made her more + nervous. I then suggested sending for our New York physician, but + she became quite violent. Really I could hardly recognise May, she + was so----so--impossible. Of course she is ill, and I now fear + seriously so." + + Mrs. Derwent paused to wipe her eyes. + + "When you say that she is violent and impossible, what do you mean, + exactly?" + + "It is difficult to give you an idea of how she has been behaving, + Fred, but here is an instance that may show how extraordinary her + conduct has been: Her room is next to mine, and since her return + from town she has shut herself up there quite early every evening. + I know she doesn't sleep much, for I hear her moving about all + night long. When I have gone to her door, however, and asked her + what was the matter, she has answered me quite curtly, and refused + to let me in. She has not been out of the house since she came + back, but, strangely enough, I have caught her again and again + peering through the blinds of those rooms that have a view of the + road, just as if she were watching for somebody. As soon as she + sees that she is observed, she frowns and moves away. Last night I + slept very heavily, being completely worn out by all this anxiety, + and was suddenly awakened by a piercing shriek. I rushed into + May's room and found her sitting up in bed talking volubly, while + about her all the lights were blazing. 'Take him away, take him + away!' she kept repeating, and then she wailed: 'Oh, he's dead, + he's dead!' I saw at once that she was asleep and tried to rouse + her, but it was some time before I succeeded in doing so. I told + her she had been dreaming, but she showed no curiosity as to what + she might have been saying, only evincing a strong desire to be + left alone. As I was leaving the room, I noticed that the key-hole + had been carefully stopped up. I suppose she did that so as to + prevent my knowing that she kept her lights burning all night. But + why make a secret of it? That is what I can't understand! She has + had a shock, and it has probably made her afraid of the dark, which + she has never been before, and perhaps she looks upon it as a + weakness to be ashamed of. Another unfortunate thing occurred this + morning. May has lately been breakfasting in bed, but, as ill-luck + would have it, to-day she got down-stairs before I did, and was + already looking over the newspaper when I came into the room. + Suddenly she started up, her eyes wild with terror, and then with a + low cry fell fainting to the floor. + + "Snatching up the paper to see what could have caused her such + agitation, I was horrified to read that the man who was found + murdered in our apartment house was now supposed to be Maurice + Greywood. Imagine my feelings! As soon as she had recovered + sufficiently to be questioned, I begged her to confide in me--her + mother. But she assured me that she had told me everything, and + that the man who had been killed was a perfect stranger to her and + not Mr. Greywood. She insists that the two do not even look very + much alike, as the deceased is much larger, coarser, and darker + than the young artist. It was, of course, the greatest relief to + know this. Had Greywood really been at the Rosemere on the evening + she spent there, I should always have believed that they had met by + appointment. 'Yes, I should; I know I should,' she repeated, as I + shook my head in dissent. + + "When I was ready to go to church, I was astonished to find May + waiting for me in the hall. She was perfectly composed, but a + crimson spot burned in either cheek and her eyes were unnaturally + bright. I noticed, also, that she had taken great pains with her + appearance, and had put on one of her prettiest dresses. I could + not account in any way for the change in her behaviour. As we + neared the village, she almost took my breath away by begging me + to telegraph to Mr. Norman to ask him to come and stay with us! + 'Telegraph him now!' I exclaimed. 'Yes,' she replied; 'I would like + to see him. If we telegraph immediately, he could get here by five + o'clock.' 'But why this hurry?' I asked. She flushed angrily, + and kept repeating: 'I want to see him.' 'But, my child,' I + remonstrated, 'I don't even know where Mr. Norman is. He certainly + is not in town at this time of the year.' 'Telegraph to his town + address, anyhow, and if he isn't there it doesn't matter,' she + urged.--'But, May, what is the meaning of this change? The last + time he came down here you wouldn't even see him. Do you now mean + to encourage him?' 'No, no,' she asserted. 'Then I shall certainly + not send him such a crazy message,' I said. 'If you don't, I will,' + she insisted. We were now opposite the post office. She stopped and + I saw that she was trembling, and that her eyes were full of tears. + 'My darling,' I begged her, 'tell me the meaning of all this?' 'I + wish to see Mr. Norman,' is all she would say. Now, I suppose you + will think me very weak, but I sent that telegram. Fred, tell me, + do you think the child is going insane?" and the poor mother burst + into tears. + + "Dear, dear lady, I am sure you are unnecessarily alarmed. If I + could see May, I could judge better." + + "Yes, yes," she interrupted, eagerly, "that is what I wish. I + thought if you came to the house as a visitor you could give me + your professional opinion about May without her knowing anything + about it. The difficulty is, how can you get to us with your poor + leg?" + + "Nothing easier," I assured her. "I can hobble about now on + crutches, and with a little help can get in and out of a carriage; + so I will drive over to you immediately after lunch." + + "Won't you come now and lunch with us?" + + "No; at lunch we should all three have to be together, and I would + rather see your daughter by herself." + + "Very well, then," said Mrs. Derwent, and gathering up the folds of + her soft silk gown she left me. + + Early this afternoon I drove over to their place, and found both + ladies sitting on the piazza. May greeted me very sweetly, but I at + once noticed the peculiar tension of her manner, the feverish + glitter of her eyes, the slight trembling of her lips, and did + not wonder at her mother's anxiety. After a little desultory + conversation, Mrs. Derwent left us alone. I doubt if the girl was + even aware of her departure, or of the long pause which I allowed + to follow it. + + "May, Dr. Fortescue, whom you have read about in connection with + the Rosemere tragedy, is a great friend of mine." She stared at me + with horror. I felt a perfect brute, but as I believed it was for + her good I persisted: "I think he saw you when you were in town." + She staggered to her feet; I caught her to prevent her falling, and + laid her gently on a divan. "Lie still," I commanded, looking + her steadily in the eye. "Lie still, I tell you; you are in no + condition to get up. Now, listen to me, May; I know you have had a + shock, and your nerves are consequently thoroughly unstrung. Now, + do you wish to be seriously ill, or do you not?" My quiet tones + seemed to calm her. "Of course I don't want to be ill," she + murmured. "Then you must not go on as you have been doing lately. + Will you let your old playfellow doctor you a little? Will you + promise to take some medicine I am going to send you? I must tell + you that, unless you will do what I say, you will be delirious in a + few hours." I thought that argument would fetch her. + + "Yes, yes," she exclaimed. "What shall I do?" and she put her hand + to her head and gazed about her helplessly. + + "In the first place, you must go to bed immediately." + + "I can't do that; Mr. Norman will be here in a few hours." + + "Well, I can't help it. To bed you must go, and from what I hear of + that young man he will be as anxious as anybody to have you do what + is best for you." + + "But--" she objected.--"There is no 'but.' Unless you at once do as + I tell you, you will be down with brain fever." + + "Very well, then," she meekly replied; "I will go to bed." + + "That's a good girl. You must get a long night's rest, and if you + are better in the morning I will let you see your friend. He'll + wait, you know; I don't believe he will be in any hurry to leave, + do you?" But she only frowned at my attempt at jocularity. I rang + the bell and asked the butler to call Mrs. Derwent, to whom I gave + full directions as to what I wanted done, and had the satisfaction + of seeing May go up-stairs with her mother. I waited till the + latter came down again, and then told her as gently as possible + that her daughter was on the verge of brain fever, but that I hoped + her excellent constitution might still save her from a severe + illness. + + The next question was, what to do with Norman. + + May's positive belief that he was coming had proved contagious, and + I found that we were both expecting him. I thought it would be best + for me to meet him at the train, tell him of May's sudden illness + and offer to put him up at our place for the night. Mrs. Derwent, + after some hesitation, agreed to this plan. Norman turned up, as I + knew he would. He is very quiet, and does not appear surprised + either at his sudden invitation or at May's illness. He also seems + to think it quite natural that he should stay in the neighbourhood + till she is able to see him. He looks far from well himself, and is + evidently worried to death about May. He has been out all the + evening, and I suspect him of having been prowling around the + Beloved's house. + + Now tell me--what do you think is the meaning of all this? Is the + body Maurice Greywood's, or is it not? If it is he--who killed him + and why? If she--but I'll not believe it unless I also believe her + to have had a sudden attack of acute mania--and that, of course, + is possible, especially when we consider what a highly nervous + state she is still in. + + But if the dead man was really a stranger to her, as she asserts, + why then does every mention of the murder cause her to become so + excited? Why does she appear to be for ever watching for somebody? + Why did she cry out in her sleep: "Oh, he's dead, he's dead!"? + Again, the only reasonable explanation seems to be that her mind + has become slightly unhinged. And if that is the case, what rôle + does Norman play in this tragedy, and why did she insist on his + being sent for? Above all, why does he consider it natural that she + should have done so? + + Now, knowing all this, can you advise me as to what I ought to do + to help the poor girl? + + I hear Norman coming in, so must end abruptly, although I have a + lot more to say. + + Affectionately yours, + FRED. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +I INSTRUCT MR. MERRITT. + + +While these things had been happening in the country, my Sunday in town +had been almost equally eventful. + +I had not been surprised on receiving Fred's telegram the evening before +to find that the name it contained was that of the young artist. Had he +not already told me that Greywood was supposed to have been the favoured +suitor? And, knowing May Derwent as I did, I had felt sure from the very +first that she must have entertained the liveliest feelings of trust and +liking--to say the least--for the man whom she permitted to visit her on +that Tuesday evening. That the cur had not known enough to respect the +privilege filled me with mingled feelings of rage and delight. Had he +not offended my divinity there would have been no chance for me, and yet +that he had dared to do so made me long to punish him. + +But to do this I must first find him. His name did not appear either in +the Social Register or the Directory, but I thought that by visiting the +various studio buildings dotted over the city I should eventually find +the one in which he lived. + +So I got up bright and early the following morning, determined to begin +my search at once. As I sat down to my breakfast with a hopeful heart +and an excellent appetite, I little thought what a bomb-shell was +contained in the papers lying so innocently beside my plate. + +I had hardly read the terrible news before I was out of the house and +on my way to Merritt's. Luckily, I found the detective at home, calmly +eating his breakfast. He showed no signs of surprise at my early +appearance, and invited me to share his meal with simple courtesy. As +I had hurried off without stopping to eat anything, I thought that I +had better do so, although I grudged the time spent in such a trifling +pursuit, while so much hung in the balance and every minute might be +precious. + +"Well, Mr. Merritt," I exclaimed, "what is this fairytale about +Greywood? I see from the papers that your people do not put much faith +in the identification." + +"We do, and we don't," he answered, "but it is not proved yet, and, +while there is still some doubt about it, I thought it as well for the +gentlemen of the press to be kept guessing a little longer." + +"But what do _you_ think? Surely, you do not believe the murdered man to +be Greywood?" I urged. + +"Doctor, I'm afraid I do." + +"You do?" I cried. + +"Yes." + +"But when I saw you, on Friday, you were equally sure of Miss Derwent's +innocence." + +"Ah! that was Friday! Besides, I have not said that I believe the young +lady guilty; I merely say that I believe Maurice Greywood, and not Allan +Brown, to be the name of the victim." + +"But, then, you must think that she killed him," I insisted. + +"Not necessarily. Have you never thought of the possibility that Allan +Derwent (for we will assume that he was the man whom you saw in her +apartment) might be the murderer?" + +"No," I confessed, "that had not occurred to me." + +"But it ought to have, for of all the theories we have as yet +entertained, this one is by far the most probable. You see," he +continued, "you allow your judgment to be warped by your unwillingness +to associate the young lady, even indirectly, with a crime." + +"Perhaps so," I acknowledged. + +"Now, I must tell you that, however innocent Miss Derwent may eventually +prove to be, since my last talk with you I have become convinced that +the murder was committed in her parlour, and nowhere else." Mr. Merritt +spoke very earnestly, leaning across the table to watch the effect on me +of what he was saying. + +"Ah," I exclaimed angrily, "then you deceived me----" + +"Gently, gently, young man; I don't deceive anybody. I told you that I +wished the young lady well; so I do--that I believed in her innocence; +I still do so. I said that the information I had received from you +materially helped her case, which it most assuredly did. Had you +withheld certain facts it would have been my duty--my painful duty, I +acknowledge--to have arrested Miss Derwent last Saturday." + +"But why?" I inquired. + +"Because all the evidence pointed towards her, and because my belief in +her innocence rested on no more solid foundation than what is called +intuition, and intuition is a quicksand to build upon." + +"But what was there to point to her except that a negro boy thought that +the dead man resembled Greywood?" + +"Ah, you acknowledge that her visitor was Mr. Greywood?" + +"Yes, I grant you that, but what of it? I am convinced he has not been +murdered." + +"But why?" demanded the detective. "Now, listen to this. The body is +identified by two people as Greywood's. Greywood disappears at about +the same time that the crime was committed. We know that the corpse must +have been hidden somewhere in the Rosemere for twenty-four hours. Where +could it have been more easily secreted than in the Derwents' apartment, +into which no outsider or servant entered? And lastly, it would have +required two people to carry, even for a short distance, a body of its +size and weight; but as the young lady was not alone, but had with her +the man and woman whom you saw, this difficulty is also disposed of. +From all this, I conclude that the Derwents' flat was the scene of the +tragedy." + +"But why should Greywood have been killed?" I asked. "What possible +motive could there have been?" + +"Oh, it is easy enough to imagine motives, although I do not guarantee +having hit on the right one. But what do you think of this for a guess? +Miss Derwent, who knows that her brother may any day be in need of a +hiding-place, has given him the key to their back door. Coming to town, +she meets Greywood, dines with him, and invites him to spend the evening +with her (having some reason for supposing that her brother is safely +out of the way). During this visit they have a violent quarrel, and, in +the midst of it, young Derwent, who has come in through the kitchen, +suddenly appears. Let us also presume that he is intoxicated. He +discovers his sister alone with a man, who is unknown to him, and with +whom she is engaged in a bitter dispute. The instinct to protect her +rises within him. His eyes fall on a weapon, lying, let us suppose, +on the parlour table. He seizes it, and in his drunken rage, staggers +across the room and plunges it into Greywood's heart. What girl could be +placed in a more terrible position? She is naturally forced to shield +her brother. So she hits on a plan for diverting suspicion from him, +which would have been successful, if Fate had not intervened in the most +extraordinary way. You remember, that it came out that on Wednesday she +went in and out of the building very frequently. During one of these +many comings and goings, she manages to extract the key of the vacant +apartment, to have it copied, and to return it without its absence being +noticed. They then wait till the early hours of the morning before +venturing to move the body, which they carry to the place where it was +found. Unfortunately for them, they locked the dead man in, and in this +way rendered their detection much more easy. For it limited the number +of suspected persons to three--to the three people, in fact, who +could have had the key in their possession, even for a short time. +On returning to their own rooms, they discover that they have lost +something of great importance. The young man searches for it long and +vigorously. He does not find it----" + +"How do you know he didn't find it?" I interrupted. + +"Because _I_ found it," asserted the detective triumphantly. + +"Indeed! And what was it?" + +"The handle--or, to be more accurate, the head--of the fatal weapon." + +"Really!" I exclaimed; "you found it? Where?" + +"It had fallen in between the dead man's trousers and the folds of his +shirt." + +"It must be pretty small, then." + +"It is. Look at it," and he laid on the table a jewelled dagger-hilt +about an inch and a half long. + +"That!" I exclaimed contemptuously; "why, that is nothing but a toy." + +"Not a toy," replied Mr. Merritt, "but an ornament. A useful ornament; +for it is the head of one of those jewelled hat-pins that have been so +fashionable of late. A dagger with the hilt encrusted with precious +stones is quite a common design." + +"Did you find the pin itself?" I asked. + +"No, I did not," the detective answered regretfully. + +"How do you account for the handle being where you found it?" + +"I think that in all probability the pin was removed from the body +immediately after it had done its work, and in doing so the head was +wrenched off. During the excitement which followed no one noticed where +it fell, and its loss was not discovered till the victim had been +disposed of. Young Derwent evidently expected the place to be searched, +which accounts for the care with which he tried to remove all traces of +his presence, and his extreme anxiety to find this, which, he feared, if +discovered on the premises, might prove a sure clue. Now, that theory +hangs together pretty well, don't it?" wound up the detective. + +Without answering him, I inquired: "And what do you mean to do now?" + +"I'm afraid I shall have to arrest Miss Derwent, as we can find no trace +of her two companions. By the way, it is as you supposed;--the man you +saw leaving the building was no tradesman, so he is probably the person +we want. I have, therefore, given his description to the police, and +hope soon to have some news of him." + +"So, Mr. Merritt, you would really arrest a girl on such flimsy +evidence, and for a crime you do not believe her to have committed?" I +inquired indignantly. + +"As for the evidence, I think it is fairly complete," answered the +detective, "and I would not arrest Miss Derwent if I were not convinced +that she is implicated in this affair, and think that this is the surest +way of getting hold of the precious couple. I can't allow a criminal to +slip through my fingers for sentimental reasons, and every hour's delay +renders their escape more possible. The girl may be innocent,--I believe +she is; but that one of that trio is guilty I am perfectly sure." + +"Are you, really?" I exclaimed. "Well, I am not, and, if you will listen +to me for a few minutes, I think I can easily prove to you that you are +wrong. For since Friday I, too, have thought of a new and interesting +point in connection with this case." The detective looked indulgently at +me. + +"You seem to forget," I continued, "and of this fact I am quite certain, +that the victim met his death while wholly or partly unconscious." + +Merritt gave a slight start, and his face fell. + +"The autopsy must have been made by this time. Did not the doctor find +traces of alcohol or a drug?" I demanded. + +"Yes," admitted the detective, "alcohol was found in large quantities." + +"Now, Greywood had been dining quietly with a lady, and it is +inconceivable that he could have been drunk, or that, being in that +condition, she should not have noticed it, which she could not have +done--otherwise she would certainly not have allowed him to go up-stairs +with her." + +"That is a good point," said the detective. + +"Besides, the corpse bears every indication of prolonged dissipation. +Now, no one has hinted that Greywood drank." + +"No, but he may have done so, for all that," said Mr. Merritt. + +"He could not have done so to the extent of leaving such traces after +death without its being widely known," I asserted. "The dead man must +have been an habitual drunkard, remember, and that the young artist +certainly was not. No, if you persist in believing the murdered man +to be Greywood, you must also believe that Miss Derwent lured him to +her rooms, while he was so intoxicated as to be almost, if not quite +helpless, and there, either killed him herself or allowed her brother to +kill him. In the latter case, do you not think a lady's hat-pin rather a +feeble weapon for a young desperado to select? And that that description +can be applied to Allan Derwent, everything I have heard of him tends to +show. + +"On the other hand, let us consider for a moment the probability of the +body being Allan Brown's. What do we find? When last seen he was already +noticeably intoxicated, and what is there more likely than that the +daughter of a saloon-keeper should have no scruples about offering him +the means of becoming still more so? And please notice another thing. +You told me yourself that Mrs. Atkins had spent the greater part of her +life among a very fast lot--so that it is perfectly natural to find a +man of the deceased's habits among her familiar associates. But what +is more unlikely than that a girl brought up as Miss Derwent has been +should go so much out of her way as to choose such a man for her friend? +And then, again, remember how the two women behaved when confronted with +the corpse. + +"Miss Derwent walked calmly in and deliberately lifted her heavy veil, +which could easily have hidden from us whatever emotions she may have +felt. Lifts it, I say, before looking at the body. Does that look like +guilt? And what does Mrs. Atkins do? She shows the greatest horror and +agitation. Now, mind you, I do not infer from this that she killed the +man, but I do say that it proves that the man was no stranger to her. +And now I come to the hat-pin. You assume, because you find a certain +thing, and I saw a search carried on, that the man was looking for the +object you found. What reason have you for believing this, except that +it fits in very prettily with your theory of the crime? None. You cannot +trace the possession of such an ornament to Miss Derwent, can you?" The +detective shook his head. "Ah! I thought not. And even if you did, what +would it prove? You say yourself that the design is not an uncommon +one." + +"No, but it certainly would be considered a very remarkable coincidence, +and one that would tell heavily against her," the detective replied. + +"Yes, I suppose so; but we needn't cross that bridge till we come to it. +As yet, you know nothing as to the ownership of the pin. But I want to +call your attention to another point. If two people have identified the +body as the young artist, so have two others recognised it as that of +Allan Brown, and I assert that the two former are not as worthy of +credence as the two latter." + +"How so," inquired Mr. Merritt. + +"In the first place, Jim was much less positive as to the supposed +identity of the deceased than Joe was. You admit that; consequently, I +consider Joe's word in this case better than Jim's, and Mrs. Atkins is +certainly a more reliable witness than Mrs. Mulroy, an Irish charwoman, +with all her national love of a sensational story." + +"That is all very fine," said Mr. Merritt, "but Mrs. Atkins emphatically +denied knowing the deceased." + +"In words, yes; but don't you think this is one of the cases where +actions speak louder than words? By the way, I gather from your still +being willing to discuss the corpse's identity that you have not been +able to trace this mysterious Brown?" + +"You are right. The only thing we have found out is, that the berth on +the Boston train which was bought in his name was never occupied." + +"And yet, in the face of all this, you still think of arresting Miss +Derwent; of blighting a girl's life in such a wanton manner?" + +"Doctor, you're right; I may have been hasty. Mrs. Greywood, the young +man's mother, arrives to-morrow, and her testimony will be decisive. +Should the body not be that of her son (and you have almost convinced me +that it is not), then Miss Derwent's affairs are of no further interest +to me, and who she may, or may not, entertain in her apartment it is not +my business to inquire." + +After a little more desultory talk, I left him to his morning paper. +I was now more than ever determined to do a little work in his line +myself, and felt quite sure that talent of a superior order lay dormant +within me. Only the great difficulty was to know where to begin. I must +get nearer the scene of the tragedy, I concluded; I must cultivate +McGorry and be able to prowl around the Rosemere undisturbed. What a +triumph if I should discover the missing hat, for instance! + +All this time I was sauntering idly up-town, and as I did so I fell in +with a stream of people coming from the Roman Catholic Cathedral. +Walking among them, I noticed a woman coming rapidly towards me, who +smiled at me encouragingly, even from quite a distance. Her face seemed +strangely familiar, although I was unable to place her. Where had I seen +those flashing black eyes before? Ah! I had it,--Mme. Argot. She was +alone, and as she came nearer I saw she not only recognised me, but that +she was intending to stop and speak to me. I was considerably surprised, +but slowed down also, and we were just opposite to each other when her +husband suddenly stepped to her side. A moment before I could have sworn +he was not in sight. It was quite uncanny. His wife started and glanced +fearfully at him, then tossing her head defiantly she swept past me with +a beaming bow. He took off his hat most respectfully, and his long +sallow face remained as expressionless as a mask. But I was sure that +his piercing black eyes looked at me with secret hostility. The whole +incident only occupied a minute, but it left a deep impression upon me, +and started me off on an entirely new train of thought. What had the +detective said? The guilty person must have been able to procure, for +some time, however short, the key to the vacant apartment. We only knew +of three people who were in a position to have done this. Miss Derwent, +the French butler--well, why not the French butler? Those eyes looked +capable of anything. I was sure that his wife was afraid of him, for I +was certain that she had meant to stop and speak to me, and had been +prevented from doing so by his sudden appearance. But what could she +have wished to say to me? And why that gleam of hatred in her husband's +eye? I felt myself so innocent towards them both. In fact, I had not +even thought of them since the eventful Thursday, and might easily have +passed her by unnoticed if she had not been so eager to attract my +attention. Well, it would be queer if I had tumbled on the solution of +the Rosemere mystery! + +As I was now almost opposite my club, I decided to drop in there before +going in search of McGorry. There were hardly any people about, and when +I entered the reading-room I found that it contained but one other +person besides myself. The man was very intent upon his paper, but as I +approached he raised his head, and I at once recognised Mr. Stuart. The +very person, of all others, I most wanted to see. Fate was certainly in +a kindly mood to-day, and I determined it should not be my fault if I +did not make the most of the opportunity thus unexpectedly afforded +me. So when I caught his eye I bowed, and walked boldly up to him. He +answered my salutation politely, but coldly, and appeared anxious to +return to his reading; but I was too full of my purpose to be put off by +anything. I said: "Mr. Stuart, you have quite forgotten me, which is not +at all surprising, as I only met you once before, and that time was not +introduced to you." + +He smiled distantly, and looked inquiringly at me through his single +eye-glass. + +"It was last Thursday at the Rosemere," I explained. + +He appeared startled. I think the idea of my being a detective suggested +itself to him, so I continued, reassuringly: + +"My name is Fortescue, and I am a doctor. My office is _vis-à-vis_ to +your building, so, probably on account of my proximity, I was called in +to see the victim, and have naturally become much interested in this +very mysterious affair." + +"Indeed!" he remarked. + +This was not encouraging, but I persisted. + +"A very remarkable case, isn't it?" I said, trying to appear at ease. + +"A most unpleasant business," he replied curtly. + +My obstinacy was now aroused, so I drew a chair up and sat down. + +"Mr. Stuart, I hope you won't think me very impertinent if I ask you +whether you have any reason to be dissatisfied with your two servants?" + +He now looked thoroughly alarmed. + +"No; why do you ask?" + +"You probably know that the identity of the dead man has never been +established?" I continued. + +"On the contrary," interrupted Mr. Stuart, "I am just reading an account +of how it has been ascertained that the body is that of a man called +Greywood." + +"Oh," I replied airily, "that is only a bit of yellow journalism. If you +read to the end, you will find that they admit that the police place no +credence in their story. I have just been talking to Mr. Merritt about +it----" + +"Merritt, the detective, you mean?" + +"Yes," I answered. + +"Well, he must be an interesting man. I should like to see him." + +"Why, you have seen him," I said; "he was the short, clean-shaven man +who stood beside me, and afterwards followed you out." + +"Really!" he exclaimed; "I wish I had known that; I have always taken +a great interest in the man. He has cleared up some pretty mysterious +crimes." + +"I am sure he would be only too delighted to meet you. He's quite a nice +fellow, too, and terribly keen about this murder," I added, bringing the +conversation back to the point I wanted discussed. + +"Yes?" said Mr. Stuart. "Of course, I am interested in it, too; but I +confess that to have a thing like that occur in a building where one +lives is really most unpleasant. I have been pestered to death by +reporters." + +"Well, I assure you I am not one," I said, with a laugh; "but, all the +same, I should like to ask you a few questions." + +"What are they?" he cautiously inquired. + +"Do your butler and his wife get along well together?" + +"Why do you want to know?" he asked, in his turn. I told him what had +just happened. He smiled. + +"Oh, that doesn't mean anything. Celestin is insanely jealous of his +wife, whom he regards as the most fascinating of her sex, and has a +habit of watching her, I believe, so as to guard against a possible +lover." + +"Do they quarrel much?" + +"Not lately, I am glad to say. About a year ago it got so bad that I +was forced to tell them that if I heard them doing so again, I should +dismiss them both." + +"Dear me, was it as bad as that?" + +"Why, yes. One evening, when I came home, I heard shrieks coming from +the kitchen, and, on investigating, found Celestin busily engaged in +chastising his wife!" + +"Really?" + +"Yes, and the funniest thing is, that she did not seem to mind it much, +although she must have been black and blue from the beating he gave +her. It was some trouble about a cousin, I believe; but, as they +are both excellent servants, I thought it best not to inquire too +particularly into the business." + +"And have they been on amicable terms since then?" + +"Oh, yes. And, curiously enough, their behaviour to each other is +positively lover-like. Even in the old days, she would flirt and he +would beat her, and then they would bill and coo for a month. At least, +so I judged from the little I saw of them." + +I was now anxious to be off, but he seemed to have overcome his aversion +or distrust, and detained me for some time longer, discussing the +tragedy. + +When I reached the Rosemere, I found McGorry sitting in his private +office, and remarkably glad to see me. I offered him a cigar, and we +sat down to a comfortable smoke. At first, we talked of nothing but the +murder, but at last I managed to bring the conversation around to gossip +about the different people in the building. This was no easy matter, +for the fellow considered it either impolitic or disloyal to discuss +his tenants, but, luckily, when I broached the subject of the Argots, +he unbosomed himself. He assured me that they were most objectionable +people, and he couldn't see why Mr. Stuart wanted to employ Dagos, as +he called them. He told me that the woman was always having men hanging +around, and that her husband was very violent and jealous. + +"But they have stopped quarrelling, I hear." + +"Stopped, is it?" he exclaimed with fine scorn. "I suppose Mr. Stuart +told you that. Little he knows about it. They darsn't make a noise when +he's about. But Argot's been terrible to her lately. Why, they made such +a row that I had to go in there the other day and tell him if he didn't +shut up I'd complain to Mr. Stuart. He glared at me, but they've been +quieter since then. I guess she's a bad lot, and deserves what she gets, +or else she wouldn't stand it." + +"I say, McGorry, you have seen nothing of a straw hat, have you?" + +"Lord! Hasn't Mr. Merritt been bothering me to death about that hat? No, +I haven't found one." + +That was all I could get out of him. Not much, but still something. + +Returning to my office, I sat for a long time pondering over all I had +seen and heard that morning, and the longer I thought the more likely +did it seem that the corpse was that of some lover of Madame Argot's +whom her husband had killed in an attack of jealous frenzy. I had never +for a moment considered the possibility of the body being Greywood's, +and Merritt thought the objections to its being that of the vanished +Brown equally insurmountable. I was, therefore, forced to believe in +the presence on that fatal Tuesday of yet another man. That he had not +entered by the front door was certain; very well, then, he must have +come in by the back one. Of course, that there should have been three +people answering to the same description in the building at the time +when the murder occurred seemed an incredible conglomeration of +circumstances, but had not the detective himself suggested such a +possibility? The most serious objections to the supposition that Argot +had murdered the man were: first, the smallness of the wound, and, +secondly, the distance of the place where the body was found from +Stuart's apartment. The first difficulty I disposed of easily. Merritt +had failed to convince me that a hat-pin had caused the fellow's death, +and I thought it much more likely that the ornament found on the corpse +was a simple bauble which had nothing to do with the tragedy. Now, a +small stiletto--or, hold, I had it--a skewer! A skewer was a much more +likely weapon than a hat-pin, anyhow, besides being just the sort of a +thing a butler would find ready to his hand. + +The next objection was more difficult to meet, yet it did not seem +impossible that, having killed the man, Argot should, with his wife's +connivance, have secreted him in one of the closets which his master +never opened, and then (having procured a duplicate key) have carried +the body, in the wee small hours of the morning, up the three flights of +stairs, and laid it in the empty apartment. + +Thoroughly satisfied with this theory, I went off to lunch. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE MISSING HAT + + +That very evening, as I was sitting quietly in my office, trying to +divert my mind from the murder by reading, my boy came in and told me +that there was a lady in the waiting-room who wanted to see me. +There was something so peculiar about the way he imparted this very +commonplace information that my curiosity was aroused; but I refrained +from questioning him, and curtly bade him show the lady in. + +When she appeared I was no longer surprised at his manner, for a more +strange and melodramatic figure I have seldom seen, even on the stage. +The woman was tall and draped, or rather shrouded, in a long, black +cloak, and a thick black veil was drawn down over her face. Her costume, +especially considering the excessive heat, and that the clock pointed to +9.15, was alone enough to excite comment; but to a singularity in dress +she added an even greater singularity of manner. She entered the room +hesitatingly, and paused near the threshold to glance apprehensively +about her, as if fearing the presence of some hidden enemy. The woman +must be mad, I thought, as I motioned her to a chair and sat down +opposite to her. + +With a theatrical gesture, she threw back her veil, and to my +astonishment I recognised the handsome, rotund features of--Madame +Argot! She smiled, evidently enjoying my bewilderment. + +"Meestair Docteur, I no disturb you?" she inquired. + +"Certainly not, madame; what can I do for you?" + +"Ah, meestair," she whispered, looking towards the door, "I so afraid +zat my 'usban' 'e come back and fin' me gone; 'e terribly angry!" + +"Why should he be angry?" I asked. + +"He no like me to speak viz you. He no vant me to show you zis," she +answered, pointing mysteriously to her left shoulder. + +"What is it that he doesn't want me to see?" + +"I go show you," and, opening her dress, she disclosed two terrible +bruises, each as large as the palm of my hand; "and zat is not all," she +continued, and, as she turned round, I saw that a deep gash disfigured +one of her shoulder-blades. + +I was really shocked. + +"How did this happen?" I inquired. + +"Oh, I fall," she said, smiling coquettishly at me. + +"A very queer fall," I muttered. + +The wound was several days old and not serious, but, owing to neglect, +had got into a very bad condition. + +"Ah, zat is better," she exclaimed, with a sigh of relief, when I had +thoroughly cleansed the cut. I was just preparing to bandage it up, when +she stopped me. + +"No, meestair; not zat! My 'usban', 'e see zat, 'e know I come here, and +zen 'e angry. Ze vashin' and ze salve zey make me better!" + +"But look here, my good woman," I exclaimed, indignantly; "do you mean +to say that your husband is such a brute that he objects to your having +your wound dressed--a wound that you got in such a peculiar way, too?" + +Her manner changed instantly; she drew herself haughtily up, and began +buttoning up her dress. + +"My 'usban' 'e no brute; 'e verra nice man; 'e love' me verra much." + +"Really!" + +"Yes," she asserted, "'e love me much, _oh oui, je vous assure qu'il +m'adore_!" and she tossed her head and looked at me through the thick +lashes of her half-closed eyes; "'e man, you know, 'e sometime jealous," +she continued, smiling, as if his jealousy were a feather in her cap. + +"Well, Madame Argot; that cut should be looked after, and, as it is in +such a place that you cannot properly attend to it yourself, you must +come in here every day, and I will dress it for you. Your husband +cannot carry his devotion so far as to object to your covering it with a +clean piece of linen, so I advise you to do that." + +"Alla right, meestair, and zank you verra much. I come again ven I +can, ven my 'usban' 'e go out sometime," and, after carefully wrapping +herself up again, she sallied forth with infinite precautions. + +Of course, the woman is a silly fool, and eaten up with vanity, but +she had been pretty roughly handled, and that she should consider +such treatment a tribute to her charms, seemed to me perfectly +incomprehensible. + +After reading for some time longer, I decided to go to bed, and, +therefore, went into the front room to turn the lights out. Having done +so, I lingered near the window, for the temperature here was at least +several degrees cooler than the room I had just left. Although it was +still early, the street appeared to be completely deserted, not a +footfall was to be heard. As I stood there, half hidden by the curtain, +a queer muffled noise fell upon my ears. It seemed to come from outside, +and I moved nearer to the window, so as to try and discover what it +could be. As I did so, a white face, not a foot away, peered suddenly +into mine. I was so startled that I fell back a step, and before I +recovered myself the creature was gone. I rushed out into the hall, +and, unfastening the front door as quickly as I could, dashed into the +street. Not a soul was in sight! The slight delay had given the fellow a +chance to escape. Who could it have been? I wondered. A burglar, tempted +by my open window? Or Argot, perhaps? This latter supposition was much +the more alarming. What if he had seen his wife come out of my office? I +thought of the murdered man, and shuddered. Notwithstanding the heat, I +shut and bolted the window, and, as an extra precaution, also locked the +door which connected the front room with my office and bedroom. I had no +mind to be the next victim of an insane man's jealousy. All night long +I was haunted by that white face! More and more it appeared to me to +resemble Argot, till at last I determined to see Mr. Merritt and ask him +if we had not sufficient grounds to warrant the Frenchman's arrest. + +But when the morning came, things looked very different. Fred's second +letter (which I have inserted in the place where it rightly belongs in +the development of this story) arrived, and the thought of May Derwent's +illness put everything else out of my mind. I might as well confess at +once, that with me it had been a case of love at first sight, and that +from the day I saw her at the Rosemere the dearest wish of my heart was +to have her for my wife. And now she was ill and another man--a man who +also loved her--had been summoned by her to fill the place I coveted. +The consciousness of _his_ devotion would uphold her during her +illness, and his company help to while away the weary hours of +convalescence. And here was I, tied to my post, and forced to abandon +the field to another without even a struggle. For I felt it would be +little short of murder to desert my patients while the thermometer stood +high in the nineties and most of the other doctors were out of town. But +if I could not go to my lady, she should, at any rate, have something of +mine to bear her company. Rushing out to a nearby florist's I bought out +half his stock. Of course, my gift had to go to her anonymously, but, +even so, it was a comfort to me to think that, perhaps, my roses might +be chosen to brighten her sick room. At all events, they would serve to +remind her that there were other men in the world who loved her besides +the one who was with her at that moment. + +The afternoon edition of the _New York Bugle_ contained the announcement +that Mrs. Greywood had arrived in town that morning, and, on being shown +the body of the Rosemere victim, had emphatically denied that it was +that of her son. She thinks that the latter has gone off cruising, which +he has been expecting to do for some time past; and that, of course, +would explain his not having been heard from. The possibility of May +Derwent's having been, even indirectly implicated in the murder, was +thus finally disposed of. But I had been so sure, from the very first, +of the ultimate result of their investigations, that Mrs. Greywood's +statement was hardly a relief to me. Of course, I was very glad that no +detective would now have an excuse for prying into my darling's affairs. +Otherwise, I was entirely indifferent to their suspicions. + +But these various occurrences helped to obliterate the memory of the +events of the previous night, and, as I had no time to hunt up the +detective, I decided to think no more about my strange adventure. + +I was rather late in leaving the hospital that afternoon, and when I +reached home my boy told me that several patients were already waiting +for me. I hurried into my office and sat down at my desk, on which a +number of letters had accumulated. I was looking these over when I heard +the door open, and, glancing up, my eyes fell upon--Argot! I stared at +him for a moment in silence. Could this reserved and highly respectable +person be my visitor of the night before? Never, I concluded. He stood +respectfully near the door, till I motioned him to a seat. He sat +gingerly down on the very edge of the chair, and, laying his hat on my +desk, pulled out a handkerchief and mopped his forehead. I waited for +him to begin, which he seemed to find some difficulty in doing. At last +he said: + +"Meestair, I come about a verra sad zing." + +"Yes?" I inquired. + +"You 'ave seen my vife?" + +I did not answer at once; then, as I was uncertain how much he knew, I +decided that it would be safest to confine myself to a bare nod. + +"She is a verra fine woman, not?" he demanded, with visible pride. + +"Very much so," I assented. What could he be leading up to, I wondered? + +"But, helas," he continued, "she is a little--" here he touched his +forehead significantly, while he gazed at me less keenly from under his +bushy brows. + +"Really, you surprise me," was all I said. + +"She quite wild some time," he insisted. + +"Indeed?" + +"Yes; she do some strange zings; she verra good vife--sough--verra good +cook." He paused. + +"What are you telling me all this for? What do you want me to do about +it?" I inquired. + +"Eh bien, Meestair; it is because she vant to come to see you, and she +like you to be sorry, so she 'ave t'rowed herself down and 'ave 'urt +'erself. She lika ze mens too much," he added, fiercely, while a +malignant expression flitted across his face. + +It no longer seemed to me impossible that this middle-aged butler and +the apparition of the night before could be identical, and there and +then I determined that in future a pistol should repose in the top +drawer of my desk. + +"Perhaps your wife is slightly hysterical," I suggested. + +Now, for the first time, my eyes left his face, and happened to fall on +his hat, which was lying brim upwards at my elbow. My astonishment, when +I noticed that the initials A. B. were printed in large letters on the +inner band, was so great that I could hardly control myself. I looked +for the maker's name--Halstead, Chicago, I made out. Could this be the +missing hat? It seemed incredible. Argot would never dare display so +openly such a proof of his guilt! But if he were demented (which I +firmly believed him to be) would not this flaunting of his crime be one +of the things one might expect of an insane man? I had been so startled +that it was some minutes before I dared raise my eyes, fearing that +their expression would betray me. I have absolutely no idea what he was +talking about during that time, but the next sentence I caught was: "She +vill, she vill come, but you jus' say, nonsense, zat is nossing, and zen +she go." + +"Very well," I assured him, anxious to get rid of the fellow. "I quite +understand;" and, rising from my chair, I dismissed him with a nod. + +My office was still full of people, and I think that seeing those other +patients was about the most difficult thing I ever did. But at last even +that ordeal was over, and I was able to start out in search of the +detective. I had a good deal of difficulty in finding him, and, after +telephoning all over creation, at last met him accidentally, not far +from the Rosemere. I was so excited that I hailed him from a long way +off, pointing significantly the while to my hat. By Jove, you should +have seen him sprint! I had no idea those short legs of his could make +such good time. We met almost directly in front of my door. + +"What is it?" he panted. + +Without answering, I took him by the elbow and led him into the house. +He sank exhausted into one of my office chairs. + +"What's up?" he repeated. + +"Well," I began slowly, for I meant to enjoy my small triumph to the +full, "I only wanted to ask you if you have yet found the missing hat?" + +"No; have you?" + +"No; I can't say I have." His face fell perceptibly. "But I know where a +straw hat bearing the name of a Chicago hatter, and with the initials, +'A. B.,' stamped on the inside band, can be found," I added. + +"You don't say so? Where is it?" He spoke quietly, but I noticed that +his eyes glistened. + +"I don't quite know where it is at this moment, but when I last saw it, +it was on this desk." + +"On this desk, and you allowed it--" He paused, speechless with disgust. + +"Certainly, I allowed it to be taken away, if that is what you mean. +However, you can easily get it again. It is not far off. But, I assure +you, I have no intention of appearing in the character of the corpse in +another sensational tragedy." + +"Who brought it here?" demanded Mr. Merritt. + +"Well, do you think that Argot would be a likely person?" I asked. + +"Argot!" He was evidently surprised. + +"Yes, Argot." And I told him all that I had lately discovered about +the couple, and of their separate visits to me. Neither did I fail to +mention the strange apparition of the night before, which had caused me +so much uneasiness. + +He seemed much impressed, and stared gravely before him for some +minutes. + +"You are really not at all sure that the white face belonged to Argot, +are you?" + +"No," I acknowledged. + +"Well, Doctor," he continued, after a slight pause, "it's a queer thing +that, just as you have succeeded in persuading me that a hat-pin is +hardly a masculine weapon, and that, therefore, I ought to look for a +murderess, and not a murderer, you, on the other hand, should have come +to the conclusion that a man is the perpetrator of this crime." + +"Ah! but you see, Mr. Merritt, I don't believe the victim was killed by +a hat-pin. I think he was pierced through the heart by a skewer, which, +in a kitchen, Argot would have found under his hand." + +"Well, Doctor, you may be right. Live and learn, I always say. I shall +at once call on the Argots, and have a look at this hat." + +"Don't you think you had better have him arrested, first, and question +him afterwards? I am convinced he is insane, and likely to become +violent at any moment; we don't want any more murders, you know." + +"That is all very well, Doctor; but I can't have the fellow arrested +till I have something to go on. The hat you saw may not be the one we +want; or, again, Argot may have found it." + +"Well, if you insist on bearding him, let me go with you." + +"Certainly not. You are young, and--well, not uncalculated to arouse his +marital jealousy, while I," patting his portly person, "am not likely +to cause him any such anxieties. Even age and fat have their uses, +sometimes." + +"But he may try to cut your throat," I objected. + +"One of my men will be just outside, and will probably get to me before +he has quite finished me." He had risen, and stood with his hand on the +door-knob. + +"Look here, Doctor, I'd like to bet you that Argot is innocent, and that +a woman, and a mighty pretty woman, too, is the guilty party." + +"All right, Mr. Merritt; I'll take you. I bet you fifty dollars that a +man committed this crime." + +"Done!" exclaimed the detective, and, pulling out his pocket-book, he +recorded the bet with great care. He looked at me for a moment longer +with one of those quiet enigmatic smiles of his, and departed. + +I watched him cross the street and enter the back door of the Rosemere. +A moment afterwards a shabby-looking man came slouching along and +stopped just outside, apparently absorbed in watching something in the +gutter. The detective remained only a minute or so in the building, and +when he came out he gave me a slight nod, which I interpreted as a sign +that Argot was not at home. He took not the slightest notice of the +tramp, and, turning north, trotted briskly up town. + +As I watched him disappear, I wondered what made him so sure of the +Frenchman's innocence, and I tried vainly to guess who the woman could +be whom he now had in mind. Miss Derwent, I was glad to say, was out +of the question. He himself had proved to me by the most convincing +arguments that Mrs. Atkins could not be guilty. And who else was there +to suspect? For the criminal must have been an inmate of the building. +That was one of the few facts which the detective claimed was +established beyond a doubt. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +MADAME ARGOT'S MAD HUSBAND. + + +After my interview with the detective, I went out to visit some +patients, and on my way home I met young Atkins, whom I had not +seen since the preceding Thursday. Although we had met but once, he +recognised me immediately, and greeted me most cordially. I was, +however, shocked to see what havoc a short week had wrought in his +looks. His face was drawn and pale, and he appeared nervous and ill at +ease. Notwithstanding he had been walking in the opposite direction, he +at once turned back, and we sauntered towards Madison Avenue together. +Our chief topic of conversation was naturally the murder, and we both +remarked how strange it was that the identity of the victim had not yet +been established. + +"I suppose," said Atkins, "that we shall now never know who the man was, +for I hear he was buried yesterday." + +"Oh, that doesn't at all follow," I assured him; "photographs have been +taken of the corpse, and, if necessary, it can be exhumed at any time." + +Was my imagination playing me a trick, or was the young fellow really +troubled by this information? We had now reached my destination, and, as +I held out my hand to bid him good-bye, I said: "I am afraid Mrs. Atkins +must have such unpleasant associations with me that she will not care to +have me recalled to her notice; otherwise I should ask you to remember +me to her. I hope she is well, and has not suffered too much from this +prolonged heat?" + +"I fear she's not very well," he replied. "It seems to have upset her +nerves a good deal to have a murder occur in the building." + +"Yes, that is only natural. Wouldn't it be advisable to take her away +from here for a short time?" I suggested. + +"I only wish she'd go; but she's got some maggot in her head, and +refuses to stir." He paused a moment and glanced almost timidly at me. + +"Doctor," he burst out, "I wish you'd come and dine with us this +evening. It would be a real kindness. Wife and I both have the blues, +and you'd cheer us up no end." + +I was rather taken aback by his eagerness. "I'm very sorry, I can't +possibly do so to-night, for I've just promised to dine with an old +friend, who is only in town for a short time." + +"Well, if you can't come to-night, won't you come to-morrow?" he urged. + +I hesitated a moment. On the one hand I was anxious to oblige Atkins, +whom I liked, and quite curious to see his wife again, and fathom, if +possible, the cause of the change in her husband; while, on the other +hand, I felt some delicacy about invading a lady's home when I had +reason to believe that my being there would not be agreeable to her, for +I remembered that she had refused even to look at me on leaving the +coroner's presence. + +"If you are sure Mrs. Atkins would care to see me, I shall be delighted +to accept your invitation." + +"Why should she object to see you?" he demanded. + +"There is really no reason," I hastened to explain; "only as you tell me +your wife has been much upset by the murder, and is consequently rather +nervous at present, I don't wish to inflict myself on her if there is +the least danger that my company may recall that tragic occurrence too +vividly to her." + +Atkins gave me a long, penetrating look, but having apparently satisfied +himself that I had given my real reason, he said: + +"Nonsense, Doctor! Mrs. Atkins isn't as unreasonable as that. I'm sure +she'll be glad to see you. Now, remember, we shall expect you at seven +sharp to-morrow." + +"All right," I called back to him. + +I have given such a long account of this trifling incident, because for +some time afterwards I could not get the young fellow's face out of +my mind, and I kept imagining all sorts of possible, and impossible, +reasons for his changed looks. Could it be that he suspected the +murdered man to have been a friend of his wife's, and feared that she +might have some guilty knowledge of his death? + +As I realised how such a thought would torture him, I wanted to go at +once and tell him how my first grave suspicions had been confirmed, till +now I was fully convinced of Argot's guilt. But, fearing that some +injudicious word might show him that I had guessed the cause of his +anxiety, I refrained. That evening after dining quietly at the Club with +an old school-fellow I walked slowly home, down Madison Avenue, which, +with its long rows of houses, almost all of which were closed up for the +summer, presented an extremely dreary aspect. Although it was barely +nine o'clock, the streets in that part of the town were well nigh +deserted, everyone who could do so having fled from the city. The +night was extremely dark, damp and hot. As I was nearing my office, I +observed that the back door of the Rosemere was being cautiously opened, +and a woman's head, covered with a thick veil, peeped out. Madame Argot, +I thought, and so it proved. Having satisfied herself that her lord and +master was not in sight, she darted across the street, and disappeared +in my house. I hurried up, so as not to keep her waiting, and, as I +did so, I fancied I heard some one running behind me. Turning quickly +around, I detected nothing suspicious. The only person I could see was a +very fat man, whom I had passed several blocks back. Was he nearer than +he should have been? I couldn't tell. At any rate, he was still far +enough away for it to be impossible to distinguish his features, but +as I was sure that he was not Argot, I did not wait for him to come up +with me. On entering the reception room, I found Madame, still heavily +veiled, huddled up in a corner, where she thought she could not be seen +from the street. I told her to go into the office and, approaching the +window, I looked out. There was still nobody in sight except the fat +man, and he had crossed over, and was ambling quietly along on the other +side of the way. He was almost opposite now, and, after looking at him +critically, I decided that it was too improbable that the running foot +steps I had heard following me had been his. But whose were they, then? +I trusted that the murder had not affected my nerves, also. At any rate, +I decided to take the precaution of shutting and bolting the window, +and of pulling down the blind, none of which things, during this hot +weather, had I been in the habit of doing. But I did not intend to +give that white-faced apparition, to whom I attributed the mysterious +footsteps, the chance of falling upon me unaware, especially not while +Madame Argot was on the premises. + +"Well, how goes it?" I inquired, when I at last rejoined her. + +"Oh, much, much better, Meestair." + +I saw, indeed, when I examined the cut, that it was healing splendidly. + +"Meestair Docteur," she began as soon as I had settled down to dress her +wound, "'usban' 'e come 'ere zis mornin'?" + +"Yes," I assented. + +"Ana what 'e say, Meestair?" + +"Oh, I can't tell you that! Yon wouldn't like me to repeat to him all +that you say to me, would you?" + +"No; but zen, me is different; I know 'e say zat me a bad 'oman; I know, +I know!" + +"Indeed, he said nothing of the sort, and if you don't keep a little +quieter, I shall really not be able to do my work properly." + +"Oh, pardon; I vill be so good." + +"By the way," I inquired, "did Mr. Merritt call on you to-day?" + +"Ah! you means ze gentleman vat I see, ven I go ze dead man's?" + +"Yes." + +"He a big policeman, not?" she asked. + +"Well, not a very big one," I answered, with a smile, "but he does a +good deal of important work for the police." + +"Ah, yes. Important, _oui_," she nodded. "Vy 'e come see my 'usban'? Do +you know? I not know; my 'usban', 'e not know, eizer." + +"He didn't see your husband, then?" + +"No; Argot, he not in." + +"Well, I think Mr. Merritt is looking for a hat containing the initials, +A. B., and he wanted to ask your husband if he had found it, by any +chance." + +She started up quite regardless of her wound. + +"Ah, _par example, oui_! Yes, indeed," she exclaimed, vehemently. + +"Your husband has found such a hat?" + +"Yes, yes; I tell you. 'e make _une_ scenes about zat 'at!" she burst +out, angrily. + +"But why?" I asked. "Why should he make a scene about it?" + +"Ah!" she said, tossing her head coquettishly, though real annoyance +still lingered in her voice, "'e say it is ze 'at of my lover!" + +"Really? Have you a lover whose initials are A. B.?" + +"I 'ave no lover at all, Meestair! but I 'ave a cousin whose names begin +vis zose letters." + +"I see; but how did your husband happen to get his hat?" + +"I not know; Argot 'e come in von evenin'----" + +"What evening?" I interrupted. + +"Tuesday evening, las' veek--" I suppose my face betrayed my excitement, +for she stopped and asked, anxiously: "Vat is ze matter?" + +"Nothing, nothing! go on; I am merely much interested in your story. +Well, what happened on Tuesday?" + +"Vell, Meestair," she resumed, "my 'usban' 'e go out to ze restaurant +vere ze Frenchmens zey go play cards. Zen my cousin, M. Andrè Besnard, +'e come to call. My 'usban' 'e not zere, but I say, sit down; perhaps +Argot 'e come in. My cousin 'e live in Chicago; 'e never seen my +'usban'; 'e not know 'e jealous. So 'e stay, ana 'e stay, an ve talks of +France, ven ve vas chil'ren, and I forgets ze time, till I 'ears ze bell +vat my 'usban' 'e ring, ana I looks at ze clocks an I see it say eleven. +Zen I frightened. I know Argot dreadful angry if 'e fin' a man so late +vis me. So I say, go avay, quick; my 'usban' 'e jealous; 'e no believe +you my cousin. Go up ze stairs an' 'ide on ze next floor. Ven my 'usban' +'e come in, I shut ze kitchen door, and zen you can come down and go +out. All vould 'ave been vell if 'e done zis, but zat imbecile 'e peeped +over ze bannisters ven my 'usban' come in. But my 'usban' not quite sure +'e see somebody, so 'e say nossing, but ven I shut ze kitchen door 'e +sit near it an' listen, and in a few minutes I 'ears creek, creek, an' +'e 'ears it, too; an' 'e jumps up, and I jumps up, for I afraid 'e kill +my cousin; 'e look so angry. An' I puts my arms quite around 'im an' 'e +fights, but I hold on, an' 'e falls vis me, an' so I got my bruises; but +I no care, for I 'ears ze front door slam, so I knows Andrè is safe. In +a minute my 'usban' he up and rushes out, an' me too; but ven I see +Andrè is gone, I come back, but Argot 'e not come back." + +"Your husband did not come back, you say?" + +"No; 'e stay looking for Andrè----" + +"How long was it before he came in again?" + +"Ah! I not know," she exclaimed, impatiently, "'alf an hour, vone hour; +me get tired an' I go to bed. Ven Argot 'e come in 'e terribly angry; 'e +storm; 'e rage; 'e say, zat vas your lover; I say, no; zat vas nobody +I knows. But hélas, I am unfortunate, for 'e find Andrè's card vat 'e +left, for Andrè quite ze gentleman; zen, I sink, 'e have a fit; 'e swear +'e kill Andrè. But 'e not know vere Andrè is, because zere is no address +on ze cards, but I know vere 'e is, for Andrè 'e told me. So ze next +mornin' I writes to my cousin an' tell 'im my 'usban' 'e come for to +kill 'im. But Argot 'e go out every day to try an' fin' 'im. And 'e not +fin' im," she wound up, triumphantly, "because a friend of mine she tell +me zat Andrè 'ave left New York an' 'ave gone back to Chicago." + +"Did your cousin look much like the corpse?" + +"Ah, but not at all. My cousin 'e little man vid no beard, for 'e is a +vaitor." + +"And you are sure your husband did not know him by sight." + +"But certain," she asserted, vehemently. + +"And you have no idea how your husband got hold of his hat?" + +"No, Meestair, for I t'ought zat Andrè 'e took 'is 'at. An' Argot 'e say +nossing about it till vone day----" + +"What day?" I interrupted, again. + +"Oh! vat zat matter? Thursday or Friday of last veek, I sinks. Vell, I +come into the kitchen and zere is my 'usban' vis zat 'at. An' 'e glares +at me. I no understand; I say, Vat you got? Vy don't you sit down, an' +take off your at? 'e say, it is not my 'at; it 'as A. B. inside it, an' +I vill vear it till I can bring you ze 'ead of zis A. B.; zis charming +cousin whom you love so much. Yes! vait only, an' you shall have it, an' +zen you shall vatch it rot!! And you dare say nossing--nossing,--for you +be afraid ve gets 'anged for murder. But _I_ say it no murder to kill ze +lover of my vife. I say, Argot, you crazy; vere you get zat 'at? 'e say, +Never min'." + +"Aren't you afraid to stay with your husband? In one of his fits of +insane jealousy he might kill you." + +"Oh, no," she assured me; "'e beat me, but 'e no kill me; 'e love me +too much. It make 'im too sad if I die. But tell me vy Andrè 'e send ze +police for 'is 'at?" + +Before I could answer her, I heard a crash in the hall, and two voices +raised in vehement altercation. One of the voices belonged to my boy; +the other, I didn't recognise. + +"My 'usban'," whispered Madame Argot; "'e kill you." + +She was as pale as death, and trembling with terror. + +"No, you don't, sir; no, you don't," I heard the boy say. "Nobody goes +into the Doctor's office, without being announced, while I'm here." + +I rushed to the door leading into the hall, and had only just time to +turn the key before a heavy mass was hurled against it. Luckily, the +door was pretty solid, but it couldn't stand many such onslaughts. +Quickly locking the other one, which opened into the waiting-room, I +turned back to Madame Argot. What was to be done with her? For I was far +from sharing her belief in her own safety. My office has only one other +means of exit, as you know. This is a third door leading to my bed-room +and bath-room. I decided at once that it was useless trying to hide +Madame in either of these places. Any moment the door might give way +before her husband's insane strength, and, then, it would infuriate him +still more to find his wife in such a compromising position. No, the +window, which opened on a small court, was our only hope. It was not a +big drop to the ground, and, once there, she could easily make her way +to the street, through the janitor's apartment. Without a word, I seized +her and dragged her to the window. + +"Put your feet out," I whispered; "give me your hands, and now let +yourself go. It won't hurt you, and you will be able to escape through +the basement." + +"I cannot; I am afraid," she murmured, drawing back. + +A pistol shot rang out, followed by the sound of splintering wood. I had +no time to turn around, and see what had happened. + +"Jump at once," I commanded. + +She obeyed, almost unconscious from fear. She was pretty heavy, and +very nearly had me out, too, but I managed to draw back, although the +exertion was such that my arms ached for several hours afterwards. I +stopped a moment to close the window partly, fearing that if I left it +wide open, it might attract the madman's attention, and that he would be +after her before she had time to get to a place of safety. + +Turning back into the room, I saw that a bullet had pierced one of the +panels of the door around which the fight seemed to be centred. A minute +more, and it would give way. I rushed to the other one, and, quickly +unlocking it, dashed through the waiting room, and caught the lunatic +in the rear. With a bound, I was upon him, my two hands encircling his +throat. + +"Stand clear of that pistol!" I shouted, as Argot (for it was indeed he) +tried to fire over his shoulder. A young man I had not seen before +sprang forward, and, seizing his arm, bent it back till it caused a yell +of pain and the pistol fell from the madman's grasp. At this juncture +the janitor appeared, and the four of us had little difficulty in +overpowering the fellow, although he still fought like a demon. As soon +as he was safely bound, I sent my boy to telephone for an ambulance. +I now observed, for the first time, that Argot had evidently tried to +disguise himself. An enormous pillow, stuffed inside his trousers, and +several towels, wound around his shoulders, gave him the appearance of +extreme obesity. So, after all, he had been the fat man, and the running +footsteps had been his. Well, I was glad that one mystery, at least, was +cleared up. + +The young stranger, whose opportune appearance had, in all probability, +saved my life, still knelt beside the prostrate man, and he and I, +together, succeeded in preventing him from breaking his bonds during one +of his many paroxysms of frenzy. + +"Thank you very much for your timely assistance," I said; "you are a +brave man." + +"Oh, not at all," he replied; "I am on duty here; I've been shadowing +this man all the evening." + +We had an awful job getting Argot into the ambulance, and I confess I +never felt more relieved in my life than when I saw him safely locked up +in a padded cell. + +As I was coming away from the hospital, I met Merritt hurrying towards +it. + +"Hello!" he called out; "is it all over?" + +"Yes; he's locked up, if that's what you mean." + +"Well, Doctor, you've had a pretty lively time of it, my man tells me." + +"It's entirely owing to your forethought, in having Argot immediately +watched, that some of us are alive at present." + +"You don't say; well, let's have a drink to celebrate the occasion. You +look a little white around the gills, Doctor." + +After tossing down my second bracer, I said: "Well, Mr. Merritt, how do +you feel about your bet now?" + +"Oh, all right," he answered, with a twinkle in his eye. + +I stared at him in bewilderment. Then, remembering that of course he had +not yet heard Madame's story, I proceeded at once to impart it to him. + +"Very curious," was the only comment he made. + +"But, look here, Mr. Merritt; what more do you want to convince you of +the Frenchman's guilt?" + +"Proofs; that's all," he replied cheerfully. + +"But what further proof do you need? Here you have a man who is +undoubtedly insane, who is furthermore an inmate of the Rosemere, and +who, on Tuesday evening, went out with the avowed intention of killing +his supposed rival; and, to cap the climax, the victim's hat is found in +his possession. And yet, you have doubts!" + +The detective only smiled quietly. + +"By the way," he said, "I must go to the hospital, and get that hat +before it disappears again." + +I started. + +"It didn't occur to me before, but when we put him into the ambulance, +he was bareheaded," I confessed. + +Merritt uttered an exclamation of impatience. + +"We'll go to your place, then; it must be there. When you saw him in the +street, he had on a hat similar to the one we are looking for, didn't +he?" + +"Yes." + +"Then it's probably somewhere in your hall. That you shouldn't have +noticed its absence does not surprise me so much, but that my man should +have overlooked an article of such importance, does astonish me. It's +his business to look after just such details." + +When we reached the house we had to fight our way through a crowd of +reporters, but in the hall, sure enough, we found the hat. Merritt +positively pounced on it, and, taking it into my office, examined it +carefully. + +"What do you think of it?" I at last asked. + +"I'm not yet prepared to say, Doctor; besides, you and I are now playing +on different sides of the fence--of that $50, in other words, and till I +can produce my pretty criminal, mum's the word." + +"When will that be?" + +"Let me see," replied the detective; "to-day is Tuesday. What do you say +to this day week? If I haven't been able to prove my case before then, I +will acknowledge myself in the wrong and hand you the $50." + +"That suits me," I said. + +I am ashamed to say that all this time I had forgotten about poor +Madame. Having remembered her, I went to her at once, and found her +violently hysterical and attended by several well-meaning, if helpless, +Irish women, who listened to her voluble French with awe, not unmixed +with distrust. I at last succeeded in calming her, but I was glad her +master was spending several days out of town, for I could imagine +nothing more distasteful to that correct gentleman than all this noise +and notoriety. I was afraid that if he heard that more reporters were +awaiting his return, he would not come back at all. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A PROFESSIONAL VISIT OUT OF TOWN + + + BEVERLEY, L. I., + Monday, August 15. + + DEAR CHARLEY: + + My leg is worse. Won't you run down here and have a look at it? I + also want your advice about May Derwent. + + Aff. yours, + FRED. + +When I received this note early on Tuesday morning, I at once made +arrangements for a short absence. Now that duty, and not inclination +alone, called me elsewhere, I had no scruples about leaving New York; +and when, a few hours later, after visiting my most urgent cases, I +found myself on a train bound for Beverley, I blessed Fred's leg, which +had procured me this unexpected little holiday. What a relief it was to +leave the dust and the noise of the city behind, and to feast my eyes +once more on the sight of fields and trees. + +On arriving at my destination, I drove immediately to the Cowper's +cottage. I found Fred in bed, with his leg a good deal swollen. His +anxiety to go to the Derwents had tempted him to use it before it was +sufficiently strong; consequently, he had strained it, and would now be +laid up with it for some time longer. + +"Well, Charley," he said, when I had finished replacing the bandages, "I +don't suppose you are very sorry to be in this part of the world, eh? My +leg did you a good turn, didn't it?" + +I assented, curtly, for, although I agreed with him from the bottom of +my heart, I didn't mean to be chaffed on a certain subject, even by him. + +In order, probably, to tease me, he made no further allusion to the +other object of my visit, so that I was, at last, forced to broach the +subject myself. + +"Oh, May? She's really much better. There is no doubt of it. I think the +idea of brain fever thoroughly frightened her, for now she meekly obeys +orders, and takes any medicine I prescribe without a murmur." + +"Well, but then why did you write that you wished to consult me about +her?" + +"Because, Charley," he replied, laying aside his previously flippant +manner, "although her general health has greatly improved, I can't +say as much for her nervous condition. The latter seems to me so +unsatisfactory that I am beginning to believe that Mrs. Derwent was +not far wrong when she suggested that her daughter might be slightly +demented." + +I felt myself grow cold, notwithstanding the heat of the day. Then, +remembering the quiet and collected way she had behaved under +circumstances as trying as any I could imagine a girl's being placed in, +I took courage again. May was not insane. I would not believe it. + +"At all events," continued Fred, "I felt that she should not be left +without medical care, and, as I can't get out to see her, and as she +detests the only other doctor in the place, I suggested to Mrs. Derwent +that she should consult you. Being a friend of mine, ostensibly here on +a simple visit, it would be the most natural thing in the world for you +to go over to their place, and you could thus see May, and judge of her +condition without her knowing that she was under observation." + +"That's well. It is always best to see a nervous patient off guard, if +possible. Now, tell me all the particulars of the case." + +When he had done this, I could not refrain from asking whether Norman +was still there. + +"Certainly! And seems likely to remain indefinitely." + +"Really?" + +"Yes! I forgot to tell you that May begged to be allowed to see him +yesterday. As she was able to get up, and lie on the sofa, I consented, +for I feared a refusal would agitate her too much. I only stipulated +that he should not remain with her over half an hour. What occurred +during this meeting, of course, I don't know. But May experienced no bad +effects. On the contrary, her mother writes that she has seemed calmer +and more cheerful ever since." + +"They are probably engaged. Don't you think so?" And as I put the +question, I knew that if the answer were affirmative my chance of +happiness was gone for ever. + +"I don't believe it," he answered, "for after his interview with May, +Norman spent the rest of the day sunk in the deepest gloom. He ate +scarcely anything, and when forced to remain in the house (feeling, I +suppose, that politeness demanded that he should give us at any rate a +little of his society) he moved restlessly from one seat to another. +Several times he tried to pull himself together and to join in the +conversation, but it was no use; notwithstanding all his efforts he +would soon relapse into his former state of feverish unrest. Now, that +doesn't look like the behaviour of a happy lover, does it? + +"Since he has been here he has spent most of his time prowling about +the Derwents' house, and as Alice was leaving their place yesterday +evening she caught a glimpse of him hiding behind a clump of bushes just +outside their gate. At least, she is almost sure that it was he, but +was so afraid it would embarrass him to be caught playing sentinel that, +after a cursory glance in his direction, she passed discreetly by. +Afterwards it occurred to her that she should have made certain of his +identity, for the man she saw may have been some questionable character. +We are not sure that May's extreme nervousness is not due to the fact +that she is being persecuted by some unscrupulous person, her brother, +for instance. You know I have always believed that he was in some way +connected with her illness." + +"I know you have." + +"But to return to Norman," continued Fred. "I not only suspect him of +haunting her door by day, but of spending a good part of the night +there. At any rate, I used to hear him creeping in and out of the house +at all sorts of unusual hours. The first night I took him for a burglar, +and showed what I consider true courage by starting out after him with +an empty pistol and--a crutch!" + +"I don't think that anything you have told me, however, is at all +incompatible with his being Miss Derwent's accepted suitor. His distress +is probably due to anxiety about her health." I said this, hoping he +would contradict me. + +Whether he would have done so or not I shall never know, for at that +point our conversation was interrupted by the entrance of his sister; +and as it had been previously arranged that she was to drive me over to +the Derwents, we started off at once. + +At last I was to see my lady again! It seemed too good to be true. + +Having given our names to the butler, we were ushered into a large +drawing-room, redolent with flowers. So this was May's home. + +I glanced eagerly about. These chairs had held her slight form; at that +desk she had written, and these rugs had felt the impress of her little +feet. A book lay near me on a small table. I passed my fingers lovingly +over it. This contact with an object she must often have touched gave +me an extraordinary pleasure,--a pleasure so great as to make me forget +everything else,--and I started guiltily, and tried to lay the book down +unobserved, when a tall, grey-haired lady stepped from the veranda into +the room. + +Mrs. Derwent greeted Miss Cowper affectionately, and welcomed me with +quiet grace. + +"Fred has told me so much about you, Dr. Fortescue, that I am very glad +to meet you at last." + +Then, turning to Alice Cowper, she said: "May wants very much to see +you. She is lying in a hammock on the piazza, where it is much cooler +than here. Dr. Fortescue and I will join you girls later." + +"You have been told of my daughter's condition?" she inquired, as soon +as we were alone. + +"Yes. I hear, however, that there has been a marked improvement since +Sunday." + +"There was a great improvement. She seemed much less nervous yesterday, +but to-day she has had another of her attacks." + +"I am sorry to hear that. Do you know what brought this one on?" + +"Yes. It was reading in the paper of the Frenchman's assault on you!" + +"But I don't understand why that should have affected her." + +"You will forgive my saying so, Doctor--neither do I, although I am +extremely glad that you escaped from that madman unhurt." + +She looked at me for a moment in silence, then said: "When Fred advised +me to consult you about my daughter's health, I knew immediately that I +had heard your name before, but could not remember in what connection I +had heard it mentioned. In fact, it was not until I read in the _Bugle_ +that the man who was supposed to have committed the Rosemere murder had, +last night, attempted to kill you that I realized that you were the +young doctor whom my daughter had told me about. You were present when +she was made to give an account of herself to the coroner, were you +not?" + +"Yes, but I trust that my slight association with that affair will make +no difference." + +She again interrupted me: "It makes the greatest difference, I assure +you. As you are aware of the exact nature of the shock she has +sustained, I am spared the painful necessity of informing a stranger of +her escapade. We are naturally anxious that the fact of her having been +in the building at the time of the murder should be known to as few +people as possible. I am, therefore, very grateful to you for not +mentioning the matter, even to Fred. Although I have been obliged to +confide in him myself, I think that your not having done so indicates +rare discretion on your part." + +I bowed. + +"You may rely on me," I said. "I have the greatest respect and +admiration for Miss Derwent, and would be most unwilling to say anything +which might lay her open to misconstruction." + +"Thank you. Now, Doctor, you know exactly what occurred. You are +consequently better able than any one else to judge whether what she has +been through is in itself enough to account for her present illness." + +"She is still very nervous?" + +"Incredibly so. She cannot bear to be left alone a minute." + +"And you know of no reason for this nervousness other than her +experience at the Rosemere?" + +"None." + +"May I ask how the news of the butler's attack on me affected her?" How +sweet to think that she had cared at all! + +"Very strangely," replied Mrs. Derwent. "After reading the account +of it she fainted, and it was quite an hour before she recovered +consciousness. Since then she has expressed the greatest desire to go to +New York, but will give no reason for this absurd whim. Mr. Norman was +also much upset by the thought of the danger you had incurred." + +"Mr. Norman! But I don't know him!" + +"So he told me. To be able to feel so keenly for a stranger shows an +extraordinary sensibility, does it not?" + +She looked at me keenly. + +"It does, indeed! It is most inexplicable!" + +"I don't know whether Fred has told you that since my daughter was taken +ill on Sunday she cannot bear to have Mr. Norman out of her sight. He +has been here all day, and now she insists on his leaving the Cowpers +and staying with us altogether. Her behaviour is incomprehensible." + +This was pleasant news for me! + +"Surely this desire for his society can mean but one thing?" + +"Of course, you think that she must care for him, but I am quite sure +that she does not." + +"Really?" I could hardly keep the note of pleasure out of my voice. + +"If she were in love with him I should consider her conduct quite +normal. But it is the fact of her indifference that makes it so very +curious." + +"You are sure this indifference is real and not assumed?" + +"Quite sure," replied Mrs. Derwent. "She tries to hide it, but I can see +that his attentions are most unwelcome to her. If he happens, in handing +her something, to touch her accidentally, she visibly shrinks from him. +Oh, Mr. Norman has noticed this as well as I have, and it hurts him." + +"And yet she cannot bear him out of her sight, you say?" + +"Exactly. As long as he is within call she is quiet and contented, and +in his absence she fidgets. And yet she does not care to talk to him, +and does so with an effort that is perfectly apparent to me. The poor +fellow is pathetically in love, and I can see that he suffers keenly +from her indifference." + +"I suppose he expects his patient devotion to win the day in the end." + +"I don't think he does. I felt it my duty in the face of May's +behaviour--which is unusual, to say the least--to tell him that I didn't +believe she cared for him or meant to marry him. 'I quite understand +that,' was all he answered. But why he does not expect her to do so, is +what I should like to know. As she evidently can't live without him, I +don't see why she won't live with him. + +"But now, Dr. Fortescue," added Mrs. Derwent, rising to leave the room, +"let us go to my daughter. She is prepared to see you. But your visit is +purely social, remember." + +A curtain of honeysuckle and roses protected one end of the piazza +from the rays of an August sun, and it was in this scented nook, amid +surroundings whose peace and beauty contrasted strangely with those of +our first meeting, that I at last saw May Derwent again. She lay in a +hammock, her golden head supported by a pile of be-ruffled cushions, and +with one small slipper peeping from under her voluminous skirts. At our +approach, however, she sprang to her feet, and came forward to meet us. +I had thought and dreamt of her for six long weary days and nights, and +yet, now that she stood before me, dressed in a trailing, white gown +of some soft material, slightly opened at the neck and revealing her +strong, white, young throat, her firm, rounded arms bare to the elbow, +and with one superb rose (I devoutly hoped it was one of those I had +sent her) as her only ornament, she made a picture of such surpassing +loveliness as fairly to take my breath away. I had been doubtful as to +how she would receive me, so that when she smilingly held out her hand, +I felt a great weight roll off my heart. Her manner was perfectly +composed, much more so than mine in fact. A beautiful blush alone +betrayed her embarrassment at meeting me. + +"Why, Dr. Fortescue," exclaimed Alice Cowper, "you never told me that +you knew May." + +"Our previous acquaintance was so slight that I did not expect Miss +Derwent to remember me." I answered evasively, wondering, as I did so, +whether May had confided to her friend where and when it was that we had +met. + +"I want to congratulate you, Doctor," said Miss Derwent, changing the +conversation abruptly, "on your recent escape." + +"From the madman, you mean? It was a close shave, I assure you. For +several minutes I was within nodding distance of St. Peter." + +"How dreadful! But why was the fellow not locked up long before this?" + +"I did all I could to have him put under restraint. Several days ago I +told a detective that I was sure not only that Argot was insane, but +that he had committed the Rosemere murder. But he wouldn't listen +to me, and I came very near having to pay with my life for his +pig-headedness. Every one has now come round to my way of thinking +except this same detective, who still insists that the butler is +innocent." + +Now that the blush had faded from her cheek, I realised that she was +indeed looking wretchedly pale and thin, and as she leaned eagerly +forward I was shocked to see how her lips twitched and her hands +trembled. + +"So it was you who first put the police on the Frenchman's tracks?" she +demanded. + +"Yes. But you must remember that the success my first attempt at +detective work has met with is largely due to the exceptional +opportunities I have had for investigating this case. You may have +noticed that no hat was found with the corpse and the police have +therefore been searching everywhere for one that could reasonably be +supposed to have belonged to the murdered man. Now, I may tell you, +although I must ask you not to mention it, as the police do not yet wish +that the fact become known, that it was I who found this missing hat in +Argot's possession. But I can't boast much of my discovery, because the +man brought it into my office himself. All I really did was to keep my +eyes open, you see." I tried to speak modestly, for I was conscious of a +secret pride in my achievement. + +"I really cannot see why you should have taken upon yourself to play the +detective!" + +I was so startled by May's sudden attack on me that for a moment I +remained speechless. Luckily, Mrs. Derwent saved me from the necessity +of replying, by rising from her chair. Slipping her arm through Miss +Cowper's, she said--casting a significant glance at me: "We will leave +these people to quarrel over the pros and cons of amateur work, and you +and I will go and see what Mr. Norman is doing over there in that arbour +all by himself." + +Fred had mentioned that at times May seemed alarmingly oblivious to what +was going on around her, and I now noticed with profound anxiety that +she appeared entirely unconscious of the departure of her mother and +friend. + +"Just suppose for a moment that this man Argot," she went on, as if our +conversation had not been interrupted, "is innocent, and yet owing to an +unfortunate combination of circumstances, is unable to prove himself so. +Who should be held responsible for his death but you, Dr. Fortescue! Had +you not meddled with what did not concern you, no one would have thought +of suspecting this wretched Frenchman! You acknowledge that yourself?" + +"But, my dear Miss Derwent, why do you take for granted that the fellow +is innocent?--although, in his present state of health, it really does +not make much difference whether he is or not. In this country we do not +punish maniacs, even homicidal ones. We only shut them up till they are +well again. I think, however, that you take a morbid view of the whole +question. Of course, justice sometimes miscarries, but not often, and to +one person who is unjustly convicted, there are hundreds of criminals +who escape punishment. As with everything else--medicine, for instance; +you do your best, take every precaution, and then, if you make a +mistake, the only thing to do is not to blame yourself too severely for +the consequences." + +"I quite agree with you," she said, "when to take a risk is part of your +business. But is it not foolhardy to do so when there is no call for +it?--when your inexperience renders you much more likely to commit some +fatal error? What would you say if I tried to perform an operation, for +instance?" + +She was working herself into such a state of excitement that I became +alarmed; so, abruptly changing the subject, I inquired after her health. +She professed to feel perfectly well (which I doubted). Still I did not +take as serious a view of her case as Fred had done; for I knew--what +both he and Mrs. Derwent ignored--that while in town the poor girl had +been through various trying experiences. During that time she had not +only been forced to break with Greywood, to whom I was sure she had been +engaged, but an entanglement, the nature of which I did not know, had +induced her to give shelter secretly, and at night, to two people of +undoubtedly questionable character. The shock of the murder was but a +climax to all this. No wonder that my poor darling--her heart bleeding +from the uprooting of an affection which, however unworthy the object +of it had proved, must still have been difficult to eradicate; her mind +harassed by the fear of impending disgrace to some person whom I must +believe her to be very intimately concerned with; her nerves shaken by +the horror of a murder under her very roof--should return to the haven +of her home in a state bordering on brain fever. That she had not +succumbed argued well for her constitution, I thought. + +"Fred is quite worried about you, and asked me to beg you to take great +care of yourself," I ventured to say. + +"What nonsense! What I need is a little change. I should be all right if +I could get away from here." + +"This part of the world _is_ pretty hot, I acknowledge. A trip to Maine +or Canada would, no doubt, do you a lot of good." + +"But I don't want to go to Maine or Canada--I want to go to New York." + +"To New York?" + +"Yes, why not? I find the country dull, and am longing for a glimpse of +the city." + +"But the heat in town is insufferable, and there is nothing going on +there," I reminded her. + +"Roof gardens are always amusing, and when the heat gets to a certain +point, it is equally unbearable everywhere." + +I begged to differ. + +"At all events, I want to go there, and my wishing to do so should be +enough for you. O Doctor, make Fred persuade Mamma to take me. As they +both insist that I am ill, I don't see why they won't let me indulge +this whim." + +"They think that it would be very bad for you." + +"Oh, it never does one any harm to do what one likes." + +"What a delightful theory!" + +"You will try and persuade Mamma and Fred to allow me to go to New York, +won't you? You are a doctor; they would listen to you." + +I glanced down into her beseeching blue eyes, then looked hastily away. + +The temptation to allow her to do as she wished was very great. If I +were able to see her every day, what opportunities I should have for +pressing my suit! But I am glad to say that the thought of her welfare +was dearer to me than my hopes even. So I conscientiously used every +argument I could think of to induce her to remain where she was. But, as +she listened, I saw her great eyes fill slowly with tears. + +"Oh, I must go; I must go," she cried; and, burying her head in a +cushion, she burst into a flood of hysterical weeping. + +Her mother, hearing the commotion, flew to my assistance, but it was +some time before we succeeded in quieting her. At length, she recovered +sufficiently to be left to the care of her maid. + +I was glad to be able to assure Mrs. Derwent that, notwithstanding the +severity of the attack I had witnessed, I had detected in her daughter +no symptom of insanity. + +As there was no further excuse for remaining, I allowed Miss Alice to +drive me away. Young Norman, who was returning to the Cowper's to fetch +his bag, went with us; and his company did not add to my pleasure, I +confess. I kept glancing at him, surreptitiously, anxious to discover +what it was that May saw in him. He appeared to me to be a very ordinary +young man. I had never, to my knowledge, met him before; yet, the longer +I looked at him the more I became convinced that this was not the first +time I had seen him, and, not only that, but I felt that I had some +strange association with him. But what? My memory refused to give up +its secret. All that night I puzzled over it, but the following morning +found me with that riddle still unsolved. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +MR. AND MRS. ATKINS AT HOME + + +An urgent case necessitated my leaving Beverley at such an early hour +that the city was still half asleep when I reached it. After driving +from florist to florist in search of an early riser amongst them, I at +last found one. I selected the choicest of his flowers, and ordered them +to be sent to Miss Derwent by special messenger, hoping they would +arrive in time to greet her on her awakening, and cheerfully paid the +price demanded for them. + +On reaching my office I was surprised to find a note from the +irrepressible Atkins. You may remember, patient reader, that I had +promised to dine with him on the previous evening. When I found that it +would be impossible for me to do so, I sent word that I regretted that +I could not keep my engagement with him. I naturally thought that that +ended the matter. Not at all! Here was an invitation even more urgent +than the last--an invitation for that very day, too. Unless I wished to +be positively rude and to hurt the feelings of these good people, I must +accept. There was no way out of it. So I scribbled a few lines to that +effect. + +I confess that when I rang the Atkins's bell that evening I did so with +considerable trepidation, for I was not at all sure how the lady would +receive me. You see I had not forgotten the way she flounced out of the +room the last and only time I had seen her. And yet I had been quite +blameless on that occasion. It was the Coroner's questions which had +annoyed her, not mine. However, I was considerably reassured as to my +reception by receiving a smiling welcome from the same pretty maid +I had seen the week before. It is a queer fact that we unconsciously +measure the amount of regard people have for us by the manners of their +servants. That this theory is quite fallacious, I know; but I found it +very useful on this occasion, for it gave me the necessary courage to +enter the drawing-room with smiling composure. + +The room was almost dark, and, coming from the brilliantly-lighted hall, +it was some seconds before I could distinguish from its surroundings +the small figure of my hostess, silhouetted against the crimson sky. +Her shimmering black gown and fluffy hair caught and reflected her +red background in such a way that for a moment I fancied I saw her +surrounded and bespattered with blood. The effect was so uncanny that +it quite startled me, but as she moved forward the illusion vanished, +and I was soon shaking a soft, warm hand, which was quite reassuring. + +"I just hope you don't mind the dark," she exclaimed, leading me to a +chair and sinking into one herself, "but somehow the light has hurt my +eyes lately, and so I don't turn it on till it is so dark that I tumble +all over the furniture. Mr. Atkins says I'm crazy and ought to buy a +pair of blue goggles, and so I would, only they're so unbecoming." + +"On the contrary," I assured her, as I let myself cautiously down into +one of those uncomfortable gilt abominations known to the trade as a +Louis XVI. armchair, "I think this dim light just the thing for a chat; +I always become quite confidential if I am caught between daylight and +dark. The day reveals too much; it offers no veil for one's blushes. The +darkness, on the other hand, having no visible limits, robs one of that +sense of seclusion which alone provokes confidences. But the twilight, +the tactful twilight, is so discreet that it lures one on to open one's +heart. Luckily, no designing person has yet found out how weak I am at +this hour, or else I should have no secrets left." + +"Oh, go along," she giggled; "I guess you're not the kind to say more +than you mean to." + +"I assure you I am--" but here I was interrupted by my host, who called +out from the threshold: + +"Hello, sitting in the dark? This is really too absurd, Lulu." + +A flood of light followed these words and revealed young Atkins's +stalwart figure, irreproachably clad in evening dress. + +"Well, I _am_ glad to see you, Doctor," he cried, as he wrung my hand +vigorously. "Dinner's ready, too, and I hope you're ready for it." + +The folding doors leading into the next room slid back and disclosed a +prettily appointed table, profusely decorated with flowers and silver. +Soon after we had settled into our chairs, I seized a moment when I +was unobserved to steal a look at Mrs. Atkins. She was certainly paler +and thinner than when I had seen her last, but the change instead of +detracting from her looks only added to her charm. Dark violet lines +encircled her blue eyes and lent them a wistful, pathetic expression +that greatly enhanced their beauty. Otherwise, I thought her less +changed than her husband had led me to suspect and I could detect none +of that extreme nervousness of which he had spoken; only when she turned +towards him did her manner appear at all strained, and even this was so +slight as to be hardly noticeable. In fact, of the two, it was he who +seemed ill at ease, and I noticed that he kept watching her anxiously. I +saw that she was conscious of his constant scrutiny and that at times +she became quite restless under his prolonged gaze; then, tossing her +head defiantly, as if determined to cast off the spell of his eyes, she +would talk and laugh with renewed animation. + +The dinner was delicious and well served; my hostess extremely pretty; +my host almost overpoweringly cordial, and the conversation agreeable, +if not highly intellectual. We had reached the fruit stage, and I was +leaning contentedly back in my chair, congratulating myself on my good +luck in having happened on such a pleasant evening, when Mrs. Atkins +exclaimed: + +"I say, Doctor, you haven't told us a thing about your thrilling +adventure. What a blessing the madman didn't succeed in killing you. Do +tell us all about it." + +After her husband's warning me that the bare mention of the tragedy +excited her I had naturally taken great pains to avoid all reference to +the subject. I was, consequently, a good deal surprised to hear her +broach it with such apparent calmness. + +I glanced inquiringly at Atkins. + +"Yes, do," he urged, still looking at his wife. + +"I'm afraid there isn't much more to tell," I hesitatingly replied; "I +gave the newspapers a pretty straight account of the whole affair." + +"Oh, but you were much too modest," she cried; "a little bird has told +us that you are a great detective, and suspected Argot from the first. +Say, how did you manage to hit on him? We want all the details, you +know." + +It was her flattery, I am afraid, which loosened my tongue and made me +forget my former caution. + +"Well, it was mostly luck," I assured her, and then proceeded to give a +long account of the whole affair. + +"And now," I said, warming to my topic under their evident interest, +"I wonder if either of you, when you read over the description of the +murdered man, or when you saw him, for the matter of that, noticed +anything peculiar about him? I confess that it escaped me and my +attention had to be called to it by Mr. Merritt." + +"Something peculiar," she repeated. "What kind of a peculiarity do you +mean?" + +"Well, the lack of an important article of apparel," I replied. + +"No; I didn't notice anything out of the way," she answered, after +considering the question for some minutes. + +I turned towards her husband. He was leaning forward, so deeply absorbed +in watching his wife as to be entirely unconscious of my presence, and +on his ingenious countenance I was shocked to observe suspicion and love +struggling for mastery. Struck by his silence, she, too, looked at him, +and as her eyes encountered his I saw a look of fear creep into them, +and the faint color fade from her cheeks. When he saw how his behaviour +had affected her, he tried to pull himself together, and passed his hand +swiftly over his face as if anxious to obliterate whatever might be +written there. + +"Well, what is this missing link?" he asked, with obviously enforced +gaiety. He looked squarely at me, and, as he did so, I became convinced +that he already knew the answer to that question. For a moment we stared +at each other in silence. Were my looks tell-tale, I wondered, and could +he see that I had discovered his secret? + +"Say," broke in Mrs. Atkins, "don't go to sleep. What was this missing +thing?" + +I would have given anything not to have had to answer. + +"No hat was found with the body," I said. Atkins, I noticed, was again +looking fixedly at his wife, who had grown deathly white, and sat +staring at him, as if hypnotised. Both had, apparently, forgotten me, +but yet I felt deeply embarrassed at being present, and dropped my eyes +to my plate so as to give them a chance to regain their composure +unobserved. + +"Has the hat been found?" I heard her inquire, and her high soprano +voice had again that peculiar grating quality I had noticed during her +interview with the Coroner. + +"Yes," I answered, "it was found in Argot's possession. He actually wore +it, and laid it down under my nose. Insanity can go no further." + +"But how did you know it was the missing hat?" demanded Atkins, without +taking his eyes off his wife. + +What could I answer? I was appalled at the dilemma into which my vanity +and stupidity had led me. + +"I suspected it was the hat which was wanted," I blundered on, "because +Mr. Merritt had told me he was looking for an ordinary white straw +containing the name of a Chicago hatter. Argot's hat answered to this +description, and, as the Frenchman had never been West, I concluded that +he had not got it by fair means." + +"So the dead man hailed from Chicago, did he?" inquired Atkins. + +"The detective thinks so," I answered. + +"Have the police discovered his name yet?" + +"I--I am not sure!" + +"You are discreet, I see." + +"Indeed, no," I assured him. "The last time I saw Mr. Merritt he was +still in doubt as to the man's real name." + +"He only knew that the initials were A. B.," said Atkins, quickly. + +I glanced, rapidly, from the husband to the wife. They sat, facing each +other, unflinchingly, like two antagonists of mettle, their faces drawn +and set. But the strain proved too much for the woman, and, in another +moment, she would have fallen to the floor if I had not managed to catch +her. Instead of assisting me, her husband sat quite still, wiping great +beads of perspiration from his forehead. + +"Come here," I said, "and help me to carry your wife to the window." + +He got up, as if dazed, and came slowly toward me, and, together, we +carried her to a lounge in the drawing-room. + +"Look here, you told me yourself that all mention of the murder made +your wife extremely nervous, and yet you distinctly encouraged us to +talk about it this evening. Do you think that right?" + +He stared at me with unseeing eyes, and appeared not to understand what +I was saying. + +"I had to find out the truth," he muttered. + +"Look here, man," I cried, shaking him by the arm, "pull yourself +together. Don't let your wife see that expression on your face when she +comes to. This is not a simple faint; your wife's heart is affected, and +if you excite her still further you may kill her." + +That roused him, and he now joined to the best of his ability in my +endeavors to restore her. She soon opened her eyes, and glanced timidly +at her husband. He managed to smile affectionately at her, which seemed +to reassure her. + +"How stupid of me to faint!" she exclaimed, "but it was so very hot." + +"Yes, the heat is dreadful; you really should not overtax yourself +during this weather," said her husband, gently, laying his hand on hers. +She beamed at him, while a lovely pink overspread her pale face. + +"As a doctor, may I urge Mrs. Atkins to go to bed immediately?" I said. + +"Oh, no, no," she cried petulantly; "I'm all right." But as she tried to +stand up she staggered helplessly. + +"I insist on your going to bed, Lulu; I shall carry you up-stairs at +once." And the big man picked her up without more ado. She smiled at me +over his shoulder, dimpling like a pleased child. + +"You see, Doctor, what a tyrant he is," she cried, waving her small hand +as she disappeared. + +When Atkins returned, I rose to say good night, but he motioned me to +return to my seat, and handing me a box of cigars, insisted on my taking +one. Then, dragging a chair forward, he sat down facing me. We puffed +away for several minutes, in silence. I was sure, from his manner, that +he was trying to get up his courage to tell me something. + +"You said just now that Mrs. Atkins has something the matter with her +heart?" + +"I'm afraid so; but I do not fancy it is anything very serious, and if +it is taken in time, and she leads a quiet, happy life, there is no +reason that she should not recover completely." + +He got up and paced the room. + +"I love her," he murmured. + +I watched him with increasing perplexity. + +"Well, if that is so, treat her differently. You sit and watch her +in a way that is enough to make anyone nervous, let alone a delicate +woman. Forgive my speaking so plainly, but I consider it my duty as a +physician. I am convinced that the extreme nervousness you spoke of (and +which, by the way, I have failed to observe) is not to be attributed to +the murder at all, but to your behaviour. I don't think you have any +idea how strange that is." + +"Oh, but my wife has not been nervous since the Frenchman was arrested. +We watched him being taken away from your house, and last night she +slept quietly for the first time since the tragedy." He paused and +looked at me as if he longed to say more. + +"Well, that is quite natural, I think. I can imagine nothing more +alarming than to know that you are living under the same roof with an +undetected criminal, who might at any time make use of his freedom +to commit another murder. Till she knew who was guilty, she must have +suspected and feared everybody. Now that she knows the fellow to be +under lock and key, she can again sleep in peace." + +Atkins sat down. + +"Doctor, men of your calling are the same as confessors, are they not?" + +"If you mean as regards the sanctity of professional communications, +yes." + +"Then I should like to confide a few things to you under the seal of +that professional secrecy." + +"All right; go ahead." + +"Do you know that my wife is from Chicago?" + +"Yes." + +"I have never been there myself, and consequently know none of her +friends. You may have heard that my father was very much opposed to my +marriage. He collected a lot of cock-and-bull stories about my wife, +which, needless to say, I did not believe. So the wedding took place, +and, until a week ago, I can truthfully say that I have been perfectly +happy." + +"What happened then?" + +"I had to go out of town for two days on business, and got back very +late on Wednesday night, having been delayed by an accident on the line. +I was careful to be very quiet as I let myself in, anxious not to wake +up my wife, who, I expected, would be fast asleep at that hour. I was +therefore surprised and pleased to find the hall still ablaze with +light. So, she had sat up for me after all, I thought. Taking off my hat +I turned to hang it on the rack when I noticed a strange hat among my +own. I took it down and examined it. It contained the name of a Chicago +hatter and the initials A. B. were stamped on the inside band. At first +I was simply puzzled, then it occurred to me that its owner must be +still on the premises. That thought roused all my latent jealousy, so, +putting the hat quietly back, I stole on tiptoe to the parlor. Peeping +through the portières, I saw my wife lying asleep on the sofa. She was +quite alone. To whom then did the hat belong? What man had left in such +hurry or agitation as to forget so essential a thing? All the stories +my father had told me came back to me with an overwhelming rush. Then I +blushed at my want of confidence. All I had to do, I assured myself, was +to wake up my wife and she would explain everything at once. I should +not need to ask a question even; she would of her own accord tell me +about her visitor. Full of these hopes I entered the room. She opened +her eyes almost immediately and greeted me with even greater warmth than +usual. I responded as best I could, but my impatience to hear what she +had to say was so great as to render me insensible to everything else. I +soon led our talk round to what she had been doing during my absence. +She told me in a general way, but, Doctor, she made no mention of a +gentleman visitor! I think I was patient. Again and again I gave her +the chance to confide in me. At last, I asked her right out if she had +happened to see any of her Chicago friends. She hesitated a minute, then +answered, deliberately, No! To doubt was no longer possible. She was +concealing something from me; therefore, there was something to conceal. +And yet she dared to hang around my neck and nestle close to me. It made +me sick to feel the false creature so near. I don't know what came over +me. The room swam before my eyes, and starting to my feet I flung her +from me. She fell in a heap by the window and lay quite still, staring +at me with speechless terror. I had had no intention of hurting her and +was horrified at my brutality. I went to her and tried to raise her up, +but at my approach she shrieked aloud and shrank away from me. I was +thoroughly ashamed now and begged her to forgive my behaviour. But +for some time she only shook her head, till at last, overcome by her +emotions, she burst into hysterical sobs. This was too much for me. I +forgot everything except that I loved her, and, kneeling down, gathered +her into my arms. She no longer resisted me, but like a tired child let +me do with her what I would. I carried her upstairs and soon had the +satisfaction of seeing her fall asleep. From that day to this neither +of us has ever referred to this occurrence! I didn't, because--well, +my motives were very mixed. In the first place, I couldn't apologize +for my behaviour without telling her the reason first, and that I was +unwilling to do unasked. I was ashamed of my suspicions, and wanted +the explanation to be offered by her and not solicited by me. And then, +underlying everything, was an unacknowledged dread of what I might +discover, and terror that I might again forget myself. But what were her +reasons for never asking for the meaning of my conduct? Why did she not +make me sue on my knees for pardon? She has always made a great fuss +whenever I have offended her before; why did she pass over this outrage +in silence? Did she fear what questions I might ask? Did she suspect the +cause of my anger? That night, before going to bed, I took that accursed +hat and flung it out of the dining-room window. It fell to the court +below, and there Argot must have picked it up." + +"When did you first become convinced that that hat had belonged to the +murdered man?" + +"Not for several days. In fact, I have never been perfectly sure till +this evening." + +"Really?" + +"Yes; you see it did not occur to me for some time that there was any +connection between my wife's visitor and the--the victim." Here the poor +fellow shuddered. "Her manner was slightly constrained, and I saw she +was depressed, but I thought that a natural result of the coolness that +had arisen between us. I soon found out, however, that although our +strained relations might weigh on her somewhat, the chief cause of her +trouble was the murder. She hardly ever spoke of it, but I could see +that it was never out of her mind. She used to send out for all the +papers and pore over them by the hour, and was so nervous that it was +positively painful to be in the room with her. She would start and +scream with or without provocation. Another peculiarity she developed +was an extreme disinclination to leaving the house. She went out on +Thursday afternoon, I believe, but from that day to the time of Argot's +arrest I don't think she ever left the building unless I insisted on it. +And another queer thing she did, was to stand behind the curtains and +peer at your house. I would catch her doing this at all hours of the day +and night. Then I began to wonder more and more why this murder had such +an effect on her. I read and re-read all that was printed about it, +and suddenly it came to me that no hat had been found with the body. I +searched the papers again feverishly. I had not been mistaken. Every +article of clothing was carefully enumerated, but no hat was mentioned. +It was then I first suspected that the dead man and my wife's visitor +were one and the same person. It was an awful moment, Doctor." + +He paused a while to control his emotions. "After that I kept +continually puzzling as to how the fellow could have come by his death. +Thank God, I was quite sure my little wife had no hand in that! You say +Argot killed him; perhaps he did, though I can't imagine why or how. As +soon as Mrs. Atkins heard that the Frenchman had been arrested her whole +manner changed. Her nervousness disappeared as if by magic, and to-day +she resumed her usual mode of life. She has even talked about the murder +occasionally. But the barrier between us has not diminished. I can not +forget that she concealed that man's visit from me. I have longed, yet +dreaded, to have the police discover his identity, fearing that if they +did his connection with my wife would also come out; and yet so anxious +am I to know the nature of that connection as to be willing to run +almost any risk to discover the truth. But things have come to a crisis +to-night. We can no longer go on living side by side with this secret +between us. She must tell me what there was between them. And now, when +I can bear the suspense no longer, you insist that she must not be +excited." + +I felt terribly sorry for the poor fellow, and hesitated what to advise. + +"Get a good doctor," I said at last, "and have Mrs. Atkins's heart +examined. Her trouble may not be as serious as I think it is, and in +that case there would be no further need of caution." + +"Won't you undertake the case?" + +"Have you no family physician?" + +"Yes; Dr. Hartley." + +"He is an excellent man, and I think it would be much less agitating +to Mrs. Atkins to be treated by her own doctor. You see it is very +important that she should be kept quiet. I should like to ask you one +thing, however: Don't you think you ought to tell the police that it was +you who first found the hat and who threw it into the yard?" + +"I don't think it the least necessary," he answered, in great alarm; +"what harm can this additional suspicion do Argot? There is no doubt +that he tried to murder you, and is quite irresponsible. Why should he +not be guilty of the other crime? You suspected him before you knew that +the hat was in his possession." + +"That is all very true. And the man is hopelessly insane, I hear, and, +guilty or not guilty, will probably spend the rest of his life in a +lunatic asylum. Well, I must be off. Let me know what Dr. Hartley's +verdict is. I am especially anxious that my fears may prove groundless, +because I am sure that if you and Mrs. Atkins could have a frank talk +everything would soon be satisfactorily explained." + +"Do you think so?" he exclaimed, eagerly. + +"I'm sure of it," and, with a hearty handshake, I left him. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +MY HYSTERICAL PATIENT + + +That night I could not sleep, and when on receiving my mail the next +morning I found that it contained no line from Fred, my anxiety could no +longer be kept within bounds, and I determined that, come what might, +another day should not pass without my seeing May Derwent. I left the +hospital as soon as I decently could, but, even so, it was almost one +o'clock before I was once more on my way to Beverley. On arriving +there, I found to my disgust that there were no cabs at the station. +An obliging countryman offered to "hitch up a team," but I declined, +thinking it would be quicker to walk than to wait for it, as the +Derwents' house was hardly a mile off. A delicious breeze had sprung +up and was blowing new life into me, and I should have enjoyed my walk +except for the fact that, as my visit must necessarily be a very short +one, I begrudged every minute spent away from May Derwent. I was, +therefore, trudging along at a great rate, entirely absorbed in +reaching my destination in the shortest possible time, when I was +surprised to perceive in the distance a woman running rapidly towards +me. As there was neither man nor beast in sight, I wondered at the +reason of her haste. A sudden illness? A fire? As the flying figure drew +nearer, I was dismayed to recognize May Derwent. I rushed forward to +meet her, and a moment later she lay panting and trembling in my arms. +As I looked down and saw her fair head lying on my breast I felt as if I +were having a foretaste of heaven. I was recalled to earth by feeling +her slight form shudder convulsively and by hearing an occasional +frightened sob. + +"What has happened, May? What has frightened you?" I feared that she +would resent this use of her Christian name, but she evidently did not +notice it, for she only clung the tighter to me. + +Mrs. Derwent, whose approach I had been watching, here joined us, hot +and out of breath from her unwonted exertion. Her indignation at finding +May in the arms of a comparative stranger was such that she dragged her +daughter quite roughly from me. + +"You must really calm yourself, May," she commanded, with more severity +than I had thought her capable of. + +But the poor child only continued to tremble and cry. As it seemed a +hopeless undertaking to try and quiet her, Mrs. Derwent and I each took +her by an arm and between us we assisted her home. As we were nearing +it, I saw Norman hurrying towards us. + +"What's the matter?" he inquired, anxiously. + +As May had grown gradually more composed, her mother felt she could now +leave her to my care, and, joining Norman, they walked briskly ahead, an +arrangement which I don't think that young man at all relished. + +My darling and I strolled slowly on, she leaning confidingly on me, and +I was well content. + +"You are not frightened, now?" I asked. + +She raised her beautiful eyes for an instant to mine. + +"No," she murmured; and all I could see of her averted face was one +small crimson ear. + +"I hope you will never be afraid when I am with you," I said, pressing +her arm gently to my side. She did not withdraw from me, only hung her +head lower, so I went on bravely. + +"These last forty-four hours have been the longest and most intolerable +of my life!" + +She elevated her eyebrows, and I thought I perceived a faint smile +hovering around her lips. + +"Indeed!" + +"I hope you got some flowers I sent you yesterday?" + +"Yes. Didn't you receive my note thanking you for them? They were very +beautiful!" + +I loudly anathematised the post which had delayed so important a +message. + +This time there was no doubt about it--and a roguish smile was parting +her lips. This emboldened me to ask: "Were these roses as good as the +first lot? I got them at a different place." + +"Oh, did you send those also? There was no card with them." + +"I purposely omitted to enclose one, as I feared you might consider that +I was presuming on our slight acquaintance. Besides, I doubted whether +you would remember me or had even caught my name." + +"I had not." + +There was a pause. + +"Oh, what must you have thought of me! What must you think of me!" she +exclaimed, in tones of deep distress, trying to draw her arm away. But +I held her fast. + +"Believe me, I entertain for you the greatest respect and admiration. I +should never dream of criticising anything you do or might have done." + +She shot a grateful glance at me, and seeing we were unobserved I +ventured to raise her small gloved hand reverently to my lips. She +blushed again, but did not repulse me. + +On arriving at the house, I insisted on her lying down, and, hoping the +quiet would do her good, we left her alone. On leaving the room, we +passed Norman pacing up and down outside, like a faithful dog. He did +not offer to join us, but remained at his post. + +I had not questioned May as to the cause of her fright, fearing to +excite her, but I was none the less anxious to know what had occurred. +Luckily, Mrs. Derwent was as eager to enlighten me as I was to learn. + +"You know, Doctor Fortescue, how I have tried lately to keep everything +away from my daughter which could possibly agitate her. However, when +she suggested that she would like to walk to the village I gladly +acquiesced, never dreaming that on a quiet country road anything could +occur to frighten her, nervous as she was. With the exception of last +Sunday, this was the first time since her return from New York that she +had been willing to go outside the gate; therefore I was especially glad +she should have this little change. I offered to accompany her or rather +them (for Mr. Norman, of course, joined us), and we all three started +off together. When we had gone some distance from the house, Mr. Norman +remembered an important letter which he had left on his writing-table +and which he was most anxious should catch the mid-day mail. So he +turned back to get it. I noticed at the time that May appeared very +reluctant to have him go. I even thought that she was on the point of +asking him not to leave her, but I was glad to see that she controlled +herself, for her horror of being separated from that young man has +seemed to me not only silly, but very compromising. So we walked on +alone, but very slowly, so that he could easily overtake us. The road +was pretty, the day heavenly, and my shaken spirits were lighter than +they had been for some time." Mrs. Derwent paused a moment to wipe her +eyes. "Did you happen to notice," she continued, "that clump of bushes +near the bend of the road?" + +"Certainly." + +"Well, just as we were passing those I caught sight of a horrid-looking +tramp, lying on his back, half hidden by the undergrowth. May was +sauntering along swinging her parasol, which she had not opened, as our +whole way had lain in the shade. She evidently did not see the fellow, +but I watched him get up and follow us on the other side of the bushes. +I was a little frightened, but before I could decide what I had better +do he had approached May and said something to her which I was unable +to catch. It must have been something very dreadful, for she uttered a +piercing shriek, and turning on him like a young tigress hit him several +times violently over the head with her sunshade. Dropping everything, +she fled from the scene. You know the rest." + +The last words were spoken a trifle austerely, and I saw that Mrs. +Derwent had not forgotten the position in which she had found her +daughter, although she probably considered that that position was +entirely due to May's hysterical condition and that I had been an +innocent factor in the situation. + +"What became of the tramp?" I inquired, eagerly. "I saw no one following +your daughter." + +"He did not do so. I stood for a moment watching her tear down the road, +and when again I remembered the man I found he had disappeared." + +"Would you know the fellow, if you saw him again?" + +"Certainly! He was an unusually repulsive specimen of his tribe." + +As Mrs. Derwent had failed to recognise him, the man could not have been +her son, as I had for a moment feared. + +"By the way, Doctor, May is still bent on going to New York." + +"Well, perhaps it is advisable that she should do so." + +"But why?" + +"The quiet of the country does not seem to be doing her much good, does +it? Let us, therefore, try the excitement of New York, and see what +effect that will have. Besides, I am very anxious to have Miss Derwent +see some great nerve specialist. I am still a very young practitioner, +and I confess her case baffles me." + +"I see that you fear that she is insane!" cried Mrs. Derwent. + +"Indeed, I do not," I assured her, "but I think her nerves are very +seriously out of order. If she goes on like this, she will soon be in +a bad way. If you wish me to do so, I will find out what specialist I +can most easily get hold of, and make arrangements for his seeing your +daughter with as little delay as possible." + +"Thank you." + +My time was now almost up, so I asked to see my patient again, so as to +assure myself that she was none the worse for her fright. + +I found her with her eyes open, staring blankly at the ceiling, and, +from time to time, her body would still twitch convulsively. However, +she welcomed us with a smile, and her pulse was decidedly stronger. It +was a terrible trial to me to see that lovely girl lying there, and to +feel that, so far, I had been powerless to help her. I thought that, +perhaps, if she talked of her recent adventure it would prevent her +brooding over it. So, after sympathising with her in a general way, I +asked what the tramp had said to terrify her so much. She shook her head +feebly. + +"I could not make out what he was saying." + +I glanced upwards, and caught a look of horror on her mother's face. + +"Oh, indeed," I said; "it was just his sudden appearance which +frightened you so much?" + +"Yes," she answered, wearily. "Oh, I wish I could go to New York," she +sighed. + +"I have just persuaded your mother to spend a few days there." + +She glanced quickly from one to the other. + +"Really?" + +Mrs. Derwent nodded a tearful assent. + +"And when are we going?" she demanded. + +"To-morrow, if you are well enough." + +"Oh! thank you." + +"But what will you do with your guest?" + +"Mr. Norman? Oh, he will come, too;" but she had the grace to look +apologetic. + +Once outside the room, Mrs. Derwent beckoned me into her _boudoir_. + +"Well, Doctor Fortescue," she exclaimed, "what do you think of that? May +turns on a harmless beggar, who has done nothing to annoy her, and beats +him! She is not at all ashamed of her behaviour, either." + +"I confess, Mrs. Derwent, I am surprised." + +"Oh, she must be crazy," wailed the poor lady. + +"No, madam--simply hysterical--I am sure of it. Still, this makes me +more than ever wishful to have another opinion about her case." + +Before we parted, it had been decided that the choice of suitable rooms +should be left to me. + +Back again in New York, I went immediately in search of them. I was so +difficult to satisfy that it was some time before I selected a suite +overlooking the Park, which seemed to me to answer all demands. + +May and her mother were not expected till the following afternoon, so I +tried to kill the intervening time by making the place look homelike, +and I succeeded, I think. Masses of flowers and palms filled every nook, +and the newest magazines and books lay on the tables. + +I met the ladies at the station, where they parted from Norman, whom I +had begun to regard as inevitable. It was, therefore, with a feeling of +exultation that I drove alone with them to their hotel. + +When May saw the bower I had prepared for her she seemed really pleased, +and thanked me very prettily. + +I left them, after a few minutes, but not until they had promised to +dine with me at a restaurant that evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A SUDDEN FLIGHT + + +One of the many things and people which I am sorry to say my new +occupation as Squire of Dames had caused me to neglect, was poor Madame +Argot. On leaving the Derwents, I determined to call on her at once. To +my surprise, I found Mrs. Atkins there before me. The poor Frenchwoman +was crying bitterly. + +"Look here!" I said, after we had exchanged greetings; "this will never +do. My patient must not be allowed to excite herself in this way." + +"Ah, mais monsieur," she cried, "what vill you? I mus' veep; zink only; +vone veek ago an' I 'appy voman; now all gone. My 'usban', 'e mad, and +zey zay 'e murderer too, but I zay, No, no." + +Mrs. Atkins patted her hand gently. + +"Monsieur Stuah, 'e tell me to go," she continued, "an' I don' know +vere; me not speak English vera good, an' I mus' go alone vid peoples +zat speak no French. Ah, I am a miserable, lonely woman," she sobbed. + +Mrs. Atkins consoled her as best she could, and promised to get her a +congenial place. It was a pretty sight to see the dashing little woman +in that humble bed-room, and I had never admired her so much. When she +got up to leave, I rose also, and, not wishing to pass through Mr. +Stuart's apartments, we left the building by the back way. When we were +in the street, Mrs. Atkins started to walk up town. + +"Are you going for a walk?" I asked. + +"Yes; it is much cooler to-day, and I really must get a little +exercise." + +"Do you mind my joining you?" I inquired. + +"I'd be glad of your company," she answered, cordially. + +"It's terribly sad about that poor woman, isn't it?" she said, as we +sauntered along. + +"It is, indeed," I replied; "and the hospital authorities give no hope +of her husband's recovery." + +"I suppose there is no doubt that he killed the man?" + +Here we were again on this dangerous topic, and I glanced quickly at +her, fearing a repetition of last night's attack. + +She noticed my hesitation, and laughed. + +"Oh, you needn't be so afraid of what you say. I ain't going to faint +again. I want to know the truth, though, and I can't see why you +shouldn't tell me." + +"Well, if you insist upon it," I said, "here it is: I really don't know +whether he is guilty or not; I have been convinced that he was till +very recently, but Merritt (the detective, you know) has always been +sceptical, and maintains that a woman committed the murder." + +"A woman," she repeated, turning her eyes full on me. "But what woman?" + +"Merritt refuses to tell me whom he suspects, but he promises to produce +the fair criminal before next Tuesday." + +We walked on for about a block, when, struck by her silence, I looked at +her, and saw that she had grown alarmingly pale. I cursed myself for my +loquacity, but what could I have done? It is almost impossible to avoid +answering direct questions without being absolutely rude, and as I knew +the detective did not suspect her I really could not see why she should +be so agitated. + +"I guess I'm not very strong," she said; "I'm tired already, and think +I'll go home." + +I wondered if my society had been disagreeable or, at any rate, +inopportune, and had caused her to cut short her walk. + +As we repassed my house, I caught Mrs. Atkins peering apprehensively at +it. I followed the direction of her eyes, but could see nothing unusual. + +When I got back to my office, I found that Atkins had called during my +absence; I was very sorry to have missed him, as he no doubt came to +report what Dr. Hartley had said about his wife. + +That night I was called out to see a patient, and returned home during +the small hours of the morning. I was still some distance from my house +when I distinctly saw the back door of the Rosemere open, and a muffled +figure steal out. I was too far away to be able to distinguish any +details. I could not even be sure whether the figure was that of a man +or a woman. I hastened my steps as I saw it cross the street, but before +I had come within reasonable distance of it, it had disappeared round +the corner. + +The next morning I was aroused at a very early hour by a vigorous +ringing at my bell. Hurrying to the door, I was astonished to find +Atkins there. He was white and trembling. I pulled him into the room and +made him sit down. + +"What is the matter?" I asked, as I went to the sideboard and poured out +a stiff glass of brandy, which I handed him. "Drink that, and you'll +feel better," I said. + +He gulped it down at one swallow. + +"My wife has disappeared." + +"Disappeared!" I repeated. + +He nodded. + +"But when?--how?" + +"I don't know. At dinner yesterday she acted queerly. The tears kept +coming to her eyes without any reason----" + +"Before you go any further," I interrupted him, "tell me if this was +after the doctor had seen her?" + +"Yes, and he practically confirmed all you said. He laid great stress on +her being spared all agitation, and advised a course of baths at +Nauheim." + +"Her tears, then, were probably caused by worrying over her condition," +I said. + +"I don't think so, for the doctor was very careful to reassure her, and +I had not even mentioned that we were to go abroad. No, it was something +else, I'm sure." He paused. I wondered if anything I had said during our +short walk had upset her. + +"I suggested going to a roof garden," continued Atkins, "and she +acquiesced enthusiastically, and after that was over she insisted on a +supper at Rector's. It was pretty late when we got home, and we both +went immediately to bed. Now, I assure you that ever since she fainted +on Wednesday I have been most affectionate towards her. I had determined +to bury my suspicions, and my anxiety for her health helped me to do so. +She responded very tenderly to my caresses, but I could see that she +was still as depressed as before, although she tried her best to hide it +from me. I tell you all this so that you may know that nothing occurred +yesterday between us that could have caused her to leave me, and yet +that is what she has done." + +He buried his head in his arms. I laid my hand on his shoulder. + +"Tell me the rest, old man." + +"The rest?--I woke up a short time ago and was surprised to find my wife +had already left the room. Wondering what could be the matter (for she +is usually a very late riser), I got up also. On the table beside my bed +lay a letter addressed to me in her handwriting. I tore it open. Here it +is," and he handed me a small pink note redolent of the peculiar scent +which I had noticed his wife affected. This is what I read: + + MY DARLING HUSBAND: + + I must leave you. It is best for both. Don't think I'm going + because I don't love you. It isn't that. I love you more than ever. + It breaks my heart to go. Oh, my darling, darling! We have been + happy, haven't we? And now it is all over. Don't look for me, I beg + you. I must hide. Don't tell any one, even the servants, that I + have gone, for two days. Oh, do oblige me in this. I have taken all + the money I could find, $46.00, and some of my jewelry; so I shall + not be destitute. + + Forgive me, and forget me. + + Your loving, heart-broken wife, + LULU. + +After reading the note to the end, I stared at him in speechless +astonishment. + +"What do you think of that?" he asked. + +"Well, really, of all mysterious, incomprehensible----" + +"Exactly," he interrupted, impatiently, "but what am I to do now? It is, +of course, nonsense her telling me not to look for her. I _will_ look +for her and find her, too. But how shall I go about it? O my God, to +think of that little girl sick, unhappy, alone; she will die--" he +cried, starting up. + +"Atkins," I said, after a moment's reflection, "I think the best thing +for you to do is to lay this case before Mr. Merritt." + +"What, the man who was mixed up in the murder? Never!" + +"You can hardly speak of a detective as being mixed up in a murder," I +said. "Every celebrated detective has always several important cases +going at once, one of which is very likely to be a murder. The reason I +suggest Merritt is that I have seen a good deal of him lately, and have +been much impressed by his character as well as his ability. He is a +kindly, honourable, and discreet man, and that is more than can be said +for the majority of his fellows, and, professionally, he stands at +the very top of the ladder. You want to find your wife as quickly as +possible, and at the same time to avoid all publicity. You therefore +must consult a thoroughly reliable as well as competent person." + +"But if I go to Merritt and tell him that my wife has disappeared, I +must also tell of the strange way she has been behaving lately. That +will lead to his discovering that the murdered man was a friend of hers, +and who knows but that he may end by suspecting her of complicity in +his death?--and I acknowledge that her flight lends some colour to that +theory." + +"My dear fellow, he has been aware for some time--since Monday, in +fact--that the dead man visited your wife the very evening he was +killed, and yet, knowing all this, he told me that Mrs. Atkins could not +be connected in the remotest way with the tragedy." + +"He said that!" exclaimed Atkins, with evident relief. + +"He did," I assured him. + +"All right, then; let's go to him at once." + +As soon as I was dressed we got into a cab and drove rapidly to Mr. +Merritt's. We met the detective just going out, but he at once turned +back with us, and we were soon sitting in his little office. Atkins was +so overcome by the situation that I found it necessary to explain our +errand. The detective, on hearing of Mrs. Atkins's flight gave a slight +start. + +"I wish I knew at what time she left home," he said. + +"I think I can help you there,"--and I told him of the person I had seen +stealing from the building, and who I now believed to have been no other +than Mrs. Atkins. + +"Half-past two," he murmured; "I wonder she left as early as that. Where +could she have gone to at that hour! It looks as if she had arranged +her flight beforehand and prepared some place of refuge. Do you know of +any friend in the city she would be likely to appeal to in such an +emergency?" he inquired, turning towards Atkins. + +"No," he replied; "whatever friends she has here have all been +previously friends of mine, and as she has only known them since our +marriage they have not had time to become very intimate yet." + +After asking a few more pertinent questions, Mr. Merritt rose. + +"I think I have all the necessary facts now and will at once order the +search started. I hope soon to have good news for you." + +We all three left the detective's house together, but separated +immediately afterwards. Atkins, haggard and wild-eyed, went off to look +for his wife himself. I had to go to the hospital, and Merritt offered +to accompany me there. + +"Well, what do you think of this latest development?" I asked. + +"I am not surprised." + +"Not surprised!" I exclaimed; "what do you mean?" + +"Just this: I have been expecting Mrs. Atkins to make an attempt to +escape, and have tried to prevent her doing so." + +"How?" I inquired. + +"One of my men has been watching her night and day. He is stationed in +your house, and I am extremely annoyed that he has allowed her to slip +through his fingers, although I must say he has some excuse, for she +certainly managed things very neatly." + +"But Mr. Merritt," I exclaimed, "do you now think Mrs. Atkins guilty?" + +He smiled enigmatically, but said nothing. + +"This is a very serious matter for me," I continued. "After what you +repeatedly said to me, I thought you scouted the probability of her +being in any way implicated in this murder. It was on the strength of +this assurance that I induced Atkins to confide in you. Had I known that +you were having her shadowed I shouldn't, of course, have advised him to +put his case in your hands. I feel dreadfully about this. It is exactly +as if I had betrayed the poor fellow. I must warn him at once." + +I stopped. + +"Don't do anything rash," he urged, laying a detaining hand on my arm. + +"But----" + +"I quite understand your feelings," he continued, looking at me with his +kindly blue eyes. "When I first heard the nature of your errand I felt a +good deal embarrassed. But it was then too late. What I knew, I knew. +I assure you, Doctor, that what I have heard this morning, far from +assisting me to solve the Rosemere mystery, will prove a positive +hindrance to my doing so. I shall no longer feel at liberty to employ +ruse or strategy in my dealings with the lady, and if I find her shall +have to treat her with the utmost consideration." + +"Do you think she murdered the man? Is she the woman whose name you +promised to reveal next Tuesday?" + +"I must decline to answer that question." + +I glanced at him for a minute in silence. + +"If I am not mistaken, this flight will precipitate matters," he went +on, reflectively. "If the right party hears of it, I expect an explosion +will follow." + +"Don't talk in enigmas, Mr. Merritt; either say what you mean or--" I +paused. + +"Hold your tongue," he concluded, with a smile. "You are quite right. +And as I can't say any more at present, I will say nothing. By the way, +I hear Mrs. and Miss Derwent and Mr. Norman are in town." + +"Yes," I curtly assented. "Well, Mr. Merritt," I went on, abruptly +changing the subject, "I must leave you now. I am very much upset by +your attitude towards Mrs. Atkins. I am not yet sure that I shall not +tell her husband. Together, we may perhaps prevent her falling into your +hands." + +The detective smiled indulgently as we parted. I saw now all the harm +I had done. Poor Mrs. Atkins had feared from the first that she might +be suspected, and having discovered that she was being watched, had +naturally been unwilling to leave the protection of her own home. When +Argot was arrested she thought all danger was over, till I stupidly +blurted out that the detective was stalking a woman, not a man. Then she +fled. And she chose the middle of the night, reasoning, no doubt, that +at that hour the sleuth would most likely be off his guard. Since I had +known her and her husband better, I could no longer suspect her, and +I now tried to remember all the arguments Merritt had formerly used +to prove her innocence. Foolish she might have been, but criminal, +never,--I concluded. And it was I who had put her enemies on her track! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THAT TACTLESS DETECTIVE + + +Her visit to town had certainly done May no harm. On the day of their +arrival, she and her mother dined with me at the newest thing in +restaurants, and we went afterwards to a roof garden. I had provided a +man of an age suitable to Mrs. Derwent to make up the party, and so the +evening passed pleasantly for all--delightfully for me. For, to my great +relief, May seemed really better. With flushed cheeks and sparkling +eyes, she flitted gaily from one topic to another, and only occasionally +did she give one of her nervous starts. Her good spirits kept up nearly +to the end, when she suddenly sank back into the state of apathy, which, +alas! I knew so well. + +Mrs. Derwent had taken care to inform me that Norman had called late +that afternoon to inquire how they had borne the journey, and had been +surprised to hear that they were dining out. Was this a hint that I +should have invited him also? If so, it was one that I did not mean to +take. Having at last succeeded in parting him from May, I was determined +not to be the one to bring them together again. + +I had decided, in deference to May's morbid horror of seeing a doctor, +that it would be better that her first interview with the nerve +specialist should take place under circumstances which would lead her +to suppose that their meeting was purely accidental. Thinking herself +unnoticed, she would put no restraint on herself, and he would thus be +able to judge much more easily of the full extent of her peculiarities. +Mrs. Derwent and I had therefore arranged that we should all lunch +together on the day following their arrival in town. Atkins's affairs, +however, detained me so long that I was almost late for my appointment, +and when I at last got to the Waldorf, I found the doctor already +waiting for me. + +Luckily, the ladies were also late, so that I had ample time before they +turned up to describe May's symptoms, and to give him a hurried account +of what we knew of her experiences at the Rosemere. When she at last +appeared, very pale, but looking lovelier than ever, in a trailing blue +gown, I saw that he was much impressed by her. Her manner was languid +rather than nervous, and she greeted us both with quiet dignity. +Notwithstanding the object of the lunch, it passed off very pleasantly, +and I am sure no one could have guessed from our behaviour that it was +not a purely social occasion. Doctor Storrs especially was wonderful, +and was soon chatting and laughing with May as if he had known her all +her life. After lunch, Mrs. Derwent and I retired to a distant corner. +The Doctor led the young lady to a window seat, and I was glad to see +that they were soon talking earnestly to each other. I didn't dare +to watch them, for fear she might suspect that we had arranged this +interview. Doctor Storrs kept her there almost an hour, and when they +at last joined us she looked quite ghastly, and her mouth quivered +pathetically. + +As we stood in the hall, waiting for the ladies' sunshades to be +brought, I was astonished and annoyed to see Merritt coming towards us. +He caught Miss Derwent's eye and bowed. She smiled and bowed in return, +which encouraged him to join us. + +"How do you do? I trust you are well," he stammered. He seemed quite +painfully embarrassed, which surprised me, as I should never have +thought him capable of shyness. + +"Quite well, thank you," she answered, graciously, evidently pitying his +confusion. + +"That was a dreadful affair at the Rosemere," he bungled on, twisting +his hat nervously round and round. + +She drew herself up. + +"I suppose the Doctor has told you the latest development of that +affair?" he plunged on, regardless of her stiffness. + +I stared at him in surprise; what was the matter with the man? + +"No," she answered, looking anxiously at me. + +"Well, he's discreet; you see we don't want it to get into the papers--" +he paused, as if waiting to be questioned. + +"What has happened?" struggled through her ashen lips. + +"I don't know if you know Mrs. Atkins," he went on, more glibly; "she's +a young bride, who has an apartment at the Rosemere." + +She shook her head impatiently. + +"Well, this lady has disappeared," he went on, lowering his voice; "and +we very much fear that she has fled because she knew more about that +murder than she should have done." + +Miss Derwent tottered, and steadied herself against a table, but Mr. +Merritt, with surprising denseness, failed to notice her agitation, and +continued: + +"It's very sad for her husband. Such a fine young fellow, and only +married since May! He has been driven almost crazy by her flight. Of +course, it's difficult to pity a murderess, and yet, when I think of +that poor young thing forced to fly from her home in the middle of +the night, I can't help feeling sorry for her. Luckily, she has heart +disease, so that the agitation of being hunted from one place to another +will probably soon kill her. That would be the happiest solution for all +concerned." + +The sunshades having been brought, Mrs. Derwent, after glancing several +times impatiently at her daughter, at last moved towards her, but the +latter motioned her back. + +"Excuse me, Mamma, but I must say a few more words to this gentleman. I +should like to know some more about Mrs. Atkins," she continued, turning +again to the detective. "What made her think she was suspected?" + +"Well, you see, the dead man was a friend of hers, and had been calling +on her the very evening he was murdered. The fellow's name was Allan +Brown, and we have discovered that a good many years ago he was credited +with being one of her admirers. I guess that's true, too; but he was +a worthless chap, and she no doubt turned him down. At all events, he +disappeared from Chicago, and we doubt if she has seen him since. Our +theory is, that when he found out that she was rich, and married, he +tried to blackmail her. We know that he was drunk at the time of his +death, and so we think that, in a fit of desperation, she killed him. It +was a dreadful thing to do. I don't say it wasn't, but if you had seen +her--so small, so ill, so worn by anxiety and remorse--I don't think +you could help wishing she might escape paying the full penalty of her +crime." + +"I do hope so. What is her name, did you say?" + +"Mrs. Lawrence P. Atkins." + +"Mrs. Lawrence P. Atkins," she repeated. "And you cannot find her?" + +"We have not yet been able to do so." + +"This is too dreadful; how I pity the poor husband." And her eyes sought +her mother, and rested on her with an expression I could not fathom. + +The detective stood watching the girl for a moment, then, with a low +bow, finally took himself off. My parting nod was very curt. Could any +one have been more awkward, more tactless, more indiscreet, than he had +been during his conversation with Miss Derwent? Was the man drunk? And +what did he mean by talking about the Atkins's affairs in this way? + +As the girl turned to say good-bye I was struck by a subtle change that +had come over her; a great calm seemed to have settled upon her and a +strange, steady light burnt in her eyes. + +As I was anxious to have a private talk with the Doctor, I jumped into +an automobile with him, for he had only just enough time to catch his +train. + +"Well, Doctor Storrs, what do you think of the young lady's case?" + +"That girl is no more insane than I am, Fortescue. She is suffering from +some terrible shock, but even now she has more self-control than nine +women out of ten. What kind of a shock she has had I don't know, but am +sure it is connected in some way with the Rosemere murder. If you ever +do discover its exact nature, mark my words, you will find she has +been through some ghastly experience and has borne up with amazing +fortitude." + +"What do you think ought to be done for her?" + +"You will find that there is very little that can be done. Something is +still hanging over her, I am sure; in fact she hinted as much to me. +Now, unless we can find out the cause of her trouble and remove it, +it is useless to look for an amelioration of her condition. In the +meantime, let her have her head. She knows what she has to struggle +against; we don't." + +"It's all very mysterious, but I wish we could help her." + +We had now reached his destination, and, with a hurried farewell, he +disappeared into the station. + +I had promised Mrs. Derwent to let her know immediately the result of my +talk with Storrs, so, without alighting, I drove at once to the hotel. +In order to avoid arousing May's suspicions by calling so soon again, +Mrs. Derwent had agreed to meet me in the hotel parlour. I told her as +briefly as I could what the Doctor had said. When I had finished, I saw +that she was struggling with conflicting emotions. + +"What can have happened to her? Oh, it is all so dreadful that I don't +know what to think or fear." + +"Can't you get your daughter to confide in you?" + +"I will try," she murmured, as the large tears stole down her white +cheeks, and, rising, she held out her long slender hand, on which +sparkled a few handsome rings. As she stood there--tall, stately, still +beautiful, in spite of her sufferings, her small, classic head crowned +with a wreath of silvery hair--she looked like some afflicted queen, and +I pitied her from the bottom of my heart. But was not my distress as +great as hers! + +On leaving the poor lady I hurried back to my office, where I found +Atkins sitting in a miserable heap. He looked so dreadfully ill that I +was alarmed. + +"Have you had anything to eat to-day?" I asked. He shook his head in +disgust. Without another word, I rang for my boy, and in a quarter of an +hour a very passable little meal was spread on my table. + +"Now, eat that," I said. He frowned, and shook his head. + +"Atkins, you are behaving like a child; you must not fall ill now, or +what will become of your wife?" + +He hesitated a minute, then sat obediently down. I drew up a chair also, +and, by playing with some fruit, pretended to be sharing his meal. The +more I watched him the more I became convinced that something must be +done to relieve the tension under which he suffered. A new emotion might +serve the purpose; so I said: + +"I have just found out some interesting facts about the murdered man." + +He dropped his knife and fork. + +"What?" he gasped. + +"Nothing at all derogatory to your wife, I assure you; I am more than +ever convinced that a frank talk would have cleared up your little +misunderstanding long ago." + +"Really?" + +"Yes, and I'll tell you the whole story, only you must eat." + +He fell to with feverish haste, his hollow eyes fixed on my face. + +"Your wife's visitor was not a friend of hers, and Merritt (here I +strained a point) is sure she has not met him for years. He used to be +one of her admirers till she refused to see him, and then he left +Chicago and has not been seen there since; but he has a bad record in +several other cities. The night he was killed he came to your apartment +drunk, and the detective thinks he probably tried to get money from your +wife. It seems to me natural that she should have concealed his visit. +He was not a guest to be proud of, and, besides, she may have been +afraid of rousing your jealousy, for you are pretty jealous, you know." + +"What a crazy fool I have been; I deserve to lose her. But," he +inquired, with renewed suspicion, "why has she run away?" + +"Because she found out that the fact that the dead man had gone to the +Rosemere to see her had become known to the police, for when I saw her +yesterday afternoon I blurted out that the detective did not believe in +Argot's guilt, but was on the track of some female. She at once jumped +to the conclusion that he suspected her, and decided to fly before she +could be apprehended, and so save her life and your honour." + +"Well, Doctor," he cried, pushing his plate away, "I feel better. Your +news is such a relief. I must now be off again. I can't rest. Oh, how I +wish I might be the one to find my little girl!" + +"I do hope you will; only don't be disappointed if you are not +immediately successful; New York is a big place, remember. But till you +do find your wife I wish that instead of going back to your apartment +you would stay here with me; we are both alone, and would be company for +each other." + +"Thank you; if I don't find her, I'll accept your offer. You're awfully +kind, Doctor." + +The poor fellow turned up again, footsore and weary, at about twelve +that night. He was too exhausted by that time to suffer much, but I gave +him a sedative so as to make sure of his having a good sleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +ONE WOMAN EXONERATED + + +Atkins and I were still at breakfast when, to my surprise, the detective +was announced. + +Atkins started to his feet. + +"Any news of my wife?" he inquired, anxiously. + +"None, I regret to say," answered Merritt. + +I was still very much annoyed with him for having been so indiscreet and +tactless in his interview with May Derwent, but he looked so dejected +that my anger melted a little. + +Atkins left us almost immediately, and started on his weary search. When +he was gone, I motioned Merritt to take his place. + +"Have you had any breakfast?" + +"Well, not much, I confess. I was in such a hurry to hear whether +anything had been heard of Mrs. Atkins or not that I only gulped down a +cup of coffee before coming here." + +"You must have something at once," I urged. "Here's some beefsteak and +I'll ring for the boy to----" + +"Hold on a moment. Are you very sure the hatchet is buried?" he +inquired, with a quizzical smile. + +"For the time being, certainly," I laughed. "But I reserve the right of +digging it up again unless things turn out as I wish them to." + +A sad look came over his face. + +"Ah, Doctor, things so rarely do turn out just as one wishes them to!" + +"And now, Merritt," I demanded, when, breakfast being over, we had +lighted our cigars, "will you kindly tell me what made you talk as you +did yesterday to Miss Derwent?" + +"I had a purpose." + +"What possible good could it do to remind Miss Derwent of an incident +which all her friends are most anxious to have her forget?" + +"It may do no good." + +"Do you think you have the right to harrow a delicate girl +unnecessarily?" + +"Have a little patience, Doctor; I am not a brute!" + +"And to talk of Mrs. Atkins as you did! Don't you know that her husband +especially wishes to keep her flight secret?" + +"I know. But Miss Derwent is no gossip." + +"How do you know?" + +"Hold on, Doctor; I'm not in the witness box yet. Can't you wait a day +or two?" + +A commotion in the hall put an end to our conversation. Merritt and I +looked at each other. Could that be Atkins's voice which we heard? +Indeed it was; and the next minute the man himself appeared, beaming +with happiness, and tenderly supporting his wife. Pale and dishevelled, +staggering slightly as she walked, she was but the wreck of her former +self. Her husband laid her on a divan and, kneeling down beside her, +murmured indistinguishable words of remorse and love. She lay quite +still, her eyes closed, her breath coming in short gasps. I rushed off +for some brandy, which I forced down her throat. That revived her, and +she looked about her. When her eyes fell on the detective, she cried +aloud and tried to struggle to her feet, but her husband put his arm +around her and pulled her down again. + +"Don't be afraid of him. He's all right." + +"Really?" + +She seemed but half reassured. + +"You can trust me, I promise you," said the detective. "We are all quite +sure you had nothing to do with the man's death. Only we must find out +who he was, and when and how he left you. If you will tell us all that +occurred, it may help us to discover the criminal." + +"Did you know, Larrie, that the man came to the building to see me?" + +Atkins nodded. + +"And you are not angry?" + +"No, indeed! Tell us all about it." + +"Oh, I will, I will! I could never be real happy with a secret between +us." She paused a moment. "Well, his name was Allan Brown, and years and +years ago, when I was nothing but a silly girl, I fancied myself in love +with him, and--and--I married him." + +Atkins started back, and I feared for a moment that he would say or do +something which neither of them would ever be able to forget. But the +past two days had taught him a lesson; the agony he had been through was +still fresh in his mind; so, after a short struggle with himself, he +took his wife's hand in his, and gently pressed it. The pretty blush, +the happy smile, the evident relief with which she looked at him must +have amply repaid him for his self-control. + +"He treated me just shamefully," she continued, "and after three weeks +of perfect misery, I left him. Pa at once began proceedings for a +divorce, and, as Allan didn't contest it, it was granted me very +shortly. I resumed my maiden name, and went back to live with my father. +My experience of married life had been so terrible that I couldn't bear +ever to think or speak of it. Years went by without anything occurring +to remind me of my former husband, and I had almost succeeded in +forgetting that there was such a person, when I met you, Larrie. The +idea of marrying again had always been so abhorrent to me that I did +not at first realise where we were drifting to, and you were such an +impetuous wooer that I found myself engaged to you without having had +any previous intention of becoming so. Of course, I ought then to have +told you that I had been married before; there was nothing disgraceful +in the fact, and you had a right to know it. Only, somehow, I just +couldn't bear to let the memory of that hateful experience sully my new +happiness, even for a moment; so I kept putting off telling you from +day to day till the time went by when I could have done so, easily and +naturally. At last, I said to myself: Why need Larrie ever know? Only a +few of my old friends heard of my unfortunate marriage, and they were +little likely ever to refer to the fact before you. It was even doubtful +if you ever would meet any of them, as we were to live in New York. So I +decided to hold my tongue. And all went well till one morning, a little +over a fortnight ago. I was walking carelessly down Broadway, stopping +occasionally to look in at some shop window, when a man suddenly halted +in front of me. It was Allan Brown. I knew him at once, although he +had altered very much for the worse. I remembered him a tall, athletic +young man with fine, clear-cut features and a ruddy brown complexion. He +was always so fussy about his clothes, that we used to call him 'Wales.' +And now his coat was unbrushed, his boots were unblackened. He had +grown fat; his features had become bloated, and his skin had a pasty, +unhealthy look. I was so taken aback at his suddenly appearing like a +ghost from my dead past, that I stood perfectly still for a minute. +Then, as I realised the full extent of his impudence in daring to stop +me, I tried to brush past him. + +"'Not so fast, my dear, not so fast; surely a husband and wife, meeting +after such a long separation, should at least exchange a few words +before drifting apart again.' + +"'You are no husband of mine,' I cried. + +"'Really,' he exclaimed, lifting his eyebrows carelessly; 'since when +have I ceased to be your husband, I should like to know?' + +"That just took my breath away. + +"'For ten years, thank God,' said I. + +"'Well, it's always good to thank God,' and his wicked eyes smiled +maliciously at me; 'only in this case he is receiving what he has not +earned.' + +"'What do you mean?' I asked. + +"'That I have never ceased to be your husband, my dear.' + +"'It's a lie, it's a lie!' I cried, but my knees began to tremble; 'I've +been divorced from you for the last ten years, and don't you dare to +pretend you don't know it.' + +"'I needn't pretend at all, as it happens, for this is the first I ever +have heard of it; and so, my dear wife, be very careful not to make +another man happy on the strength of that divorce, for if you do, you +may find yourself in a very awkward position, to say the least of it.' + +"I looked at him. His manner had all the quiet assurance I remembered so +well. Could what he said be true? Was it possible that my divorce was +not legal? Father had said it was all right, but he might be mistaken, +and, in that case, what should I do? My perturbation must have been +written very plainly on my face, for, after watching me a minute in +silence, he continued. 'Ah, I see that is what you have done--and who is +my unlucky successor, if I may ask?' + +"Now, I knew that he was capable of any deviltry, and, if he found out +that I had married again, it would be just like him to go to you, and +make a scene, just for the pleasure of annoying us. Besides, as I had +not told you of my first marriage, it would be dreadful if you should +hear of it from Allan Brown, of all people. You would never forgive me +in that case, I felt sure. So I lifted my head; 'I have no husband,' +said I. + +"But he only smiled sarcastically at me, as he calmly lit a cigarette. + +"'Prevarication, my dear lady, is evidently not your forte. Out with +it. What is the name of the unhappy man? I only call him unhappy (_bien +entendu_) because he is about to lose you.' + +"'I'm not married,' I repeated. + +"'I know you are married, and I mean to find out who to, if I have to +follow you all day.' + +"I had been walking rapidly along, hoping to shake him off, but he had +persistently kept pace with me. Now I stopped. A policeman was coming +towards us. In my desperation, I decided to ask him to arrest Allan +for annoying me. The latter guessed my intention, and said: 'Oh, no; +I wouldn't do that; I should inform him of the fact that you are my +wife--an honour you seem hardly to appreciate, by the way--and you +would have to accompany me to the police station, where our conflicting +stories would no doubt arouse much interest, and probably be considered +worthy of head-lines in the evening papers. Do you think the man you are +now living with would enjoy your acquiring notoriety in such a way? Eh?' + +"'Well,' I cried, 'what is it you want?' + +"'The opportunity of seeing you again, that is all; you must acknowledge +that I am very moderate in my demands. I do not brutally insist on my +rights.' + +"'But why--why do you wish to see me again?' I asked. + +"'You are surprised that I should want to see my wife again? Really, you +are so--so modern.' + +"'Don't talk nonsense,' I said (for all this fooling made me mad). 'What +do you want? Tell me at once.' + +"'Really, my dear lady, since you are so insistent, I will be quite +frank with you; I really don't know. I am enjoying this meeting +extremely, and I think another may afford me equal pleasure.' + +"'You devil!' + +"'You never did appreciate me. Well, are you going to tell me what you +now call yourself, or are we going to continue walking about together +all day?' + +"'I am Mrs. Henry Smith,' I said, at last. + +"'H'm! Smith--not an unusual name, is it? Not much of an improvement on +Brown, eh? And your address?' + +"'The Waldorf,' I answered, naming the first place that came into my +head. + +"'How convenient! I am staying there also; so, instead of discussing +our little differences in the street, let us drive back to the hotel at +once,' and, before I realised what he was doing, he had hailed a cab. I +started back. + +"'Don't make a scene in public,' he commanded, and his manner became +suddenly so fierce that I was fairly frightened, and obeyed him +automatically. A moment later I was being driven rapidly up town. + +"'I don't live at the Waldorf,' I at last acknowledged, as we were +nearing Thirty-third street. + +"'Of course not, and your name isn't Smith; I know that; but where shall +I tell the coachman to drive to?' + +"There was no help for it; I had to give my real address. + +"'And now let us decide when I shall call on you. I don't mind selecting +a time when my rival is out. You see, I am very accommodating--at +present,' he added, significantly. + +"What was I to do? I dared not refuse him. I knew you would be out of +town the following evening, so agreed to see him then. He did not follow +me into the Rosemere, as I was afraid he might, but drove quickly off. +I wrote and telegraphed at once to Pa, asking him to make sure that my +divorce was perfectly legal. I hoped that I might receive a reassuring +answer before the time set for my interview with Brown, in which case +I should simply refuse to receive him and confess to you my previous +marriage as soon as you returned. Then I should have nothing more to +dread from him. That day and the next, however, went by without a word +from Father. I couldn't understand his silence. It confirmed my worst +fears. As the time when I expected my tormentor drew near, I became +more and more nervous. I feared and hoped I knew not what from this +meeting. I told both my girls they might go out, as I did not wish them +to know about my expected visitor, and then regretted I had left myself +so unprotected. So I got out my Smith & Wesson, and carefully loaded +it. I can shoot pretty straight, and Allan was quite aware of that +fact, I am glad to say; so I felt happier. He was so very late for his +appointment, that I had begun to hope he was not coming at all, when +the door-bell rang. As soon as I had let him in I saw that he had been +drinking. Strangely enough, that reassured me somewhat; I felt that I +and my pistol stood a better chance of being able to manage him in that +condition than when that fiendish brain of his was in proper working +order. He no longer indulged in gibes and sarcasms, but this time did +not hesitate to demand hush money. + +"'What is your price?' I asked. + +"'A thousand dollars.' + +"Of course, I had no such sum, nor any way of obtaining it. I told him +so. + +"'What rot! Why, those rings you've got on are worth more than that.' + +"'Those rings were given to me by my husband, and if I part with them he +will insist on knowing what has become of them.' + +"'I don't care about that,' he said, settling himself deeper into his +chair; 'either you give me that money or I stay here till your lover +returns.' + +"I knew him to be capable of it. + +"'Look here,' said I, 'I can't get you a thousand dollars, so that's all +there is about it; but if you'll take some jewelry that Pa gave me, and +which I know is worth about that, I'll give it you on condition that +you sign a paper, saying that you have blackmailed me, and that your +allegations are quite without foundation.' + +"'I won't take your jewelry on any consideration,' he answered. 'What +should I do with it? if I sold it I could only get a trifle of what it +is worth, besides running the risk of being supposed to have stolen it. +No, no, my lady; it must be cash down or no deal.' + +"After a great deal of further altercation, he agreed to wait +twenty-four hours for his money. I was to employ this respite in trying +to sell my jewelry, but if by the following evening I had failed +to raise a thousand dollars he swore he would sell my story to the +newspapers. He told me that he had an appointment in Boston the next +morning, and that he had not enough money to pay his expenses. So he +made me give him all the cash there was in the house. Luckily, I had +very little. Before leaving, he lurched into the dining-room and poured +himself out a stiff drink of whiskey. + +"'Now, mind that you have that money by to-morrow evening, do you hear? +And don't think I shan't be back in time to keep my appointment with +you, for I shall. Never miss a date with a pretty woman, even if she +does happen to be your wife, is my motto,' and with that final shot he +departed. As the elevator had stopped running, I told him he would have +to walk down-stairs. I stood for a moment watching him reel from side +to side, and I wondered at the time if he would ever get down without +breaking his neck. Not that I cared much, I confess; and that was the +last I saw of him alive. The next day was spent in trying to raise that +thousand dollars. The pawn brokers offered me an absurdly small sum +for my jewelry, and wanted all sorts of proof that it was really my +property. I tried to borrow from an acquaintance (I have no friends +in New York), but she refused, and intimated that your wife could not +possibly be in need of money except for an illegitimate purpose. She was +quite right, and I liked her no less for her distrust of me. At last I +made up my mind that it was impossible to raise the sum he demanded, and +returned home determined to brazen it out. Still, no news from Father. +What could be the reason of his silence, I wondered; any answer would be +better than no answer. + +"I braced myself to meet Allan, hopeless but resigned. However, hour +after hour went by and still no sign of him. When eleven o'clock struck +without his having put in an appearance, I knew that a respite had been +mercifully granted me. I was expecting you home very shortly, so thought +I'd sit up for you. However, the fatigue and excitement of the last few +days proved too much for me, and I fell asleep on the sofa. I had been +longing for you all day, and fully intended to tell you the dreadful +news as soon as I saw you. But somehow or other, when at last you +did arrive you seemed so distant and cold that I weakly put off my +confession till a more favourable moment." + +Atkins hung his head. + +"The next morning, when there was still no news of my persecutor, I +began to breathe more freely. I was told that there had been an accident +in the building, but that Allan Brown was the victim never occurred to +me. Imagine my horror and consternation when, on being shown the corpse, +I recognised my first husband. A thousand wild conjectures as to the +cause of his death flashed through my mind, and when I heard that he had +been murdered I feared for one awful moment that you might have met him +and killed him either in anger or self-defence. When I learned that the +crime had been committed on Tuesday I was inexpressibly relieved. For on +that day you had not even been in New York. My next anxiety was lest the +fact that the dead man had come to the building to see me should become +known. When asked if I recognised the corpse I lied instinctively, +unthinkingly. It was a crazy thing for me to have done, for I should +have been instantly detected if it had not been for the surprising +coincidence that Greywood (that's his name, isn't it), who had also been +in the building that evening, so closely resembled my visitor. But I +knew nothing of this, and had no intention of casting suspicion on any +one else when I so stoutly denied all knowledge of the man. The +Coroner's cross-questioning terrified me, for I was sure he suspected me +of knowing more than I cared to say. But when that ordeal was over, and +I was again within my own four walls, I could feel nothing but extreme +thankfulness that the evil genius of my life was removed from my path +at last. My only remaining fear was lest I should be suspected of his +death. I imagined that I was being shadowed, and fancied that a man was +stationed in the flat above the Doctor's, who watched this house night +and day. Was that so, Mr. Merritt?" + +"Yes'm." + +"As the days went by I only became more nervous. The mystery of the +thing preyed on my mind. The thought that I must be living under the +same roof with a murderer gave me the creeps. Therefore, you can +understand what a relief the butler's arrest was to me. But my joy did +not last long. I met you, Doctor, and you let out that Mr. Merritt did +not believe the Frenchman guilty, but was sure that a young woman had +killed Allan. These words revived all my fears for my own safety. I +was convinced that my former relation to the murdered man had been +discovered, and that I should be accused of his death. I could not bring +such disgrace on you, Larrie, so determined to fly if possible before I +was arrested. As you know, I left the house in the middle of the night, +and I hid under a stoop in a neighbouring side-street till morning. +All day long I wandered aimlessly about. I didn't dare to leave the +city, for I was sure the trains would be watched. I daresn't go to +a hotel without luggage. Towards evening I got desperate. Seeing a +respectable-looking woman toiling along, with a baby on one arm and a +parcel in the other, I stopped her. I begged her to tell me of some +quiet place where I could spend the night. Having assured her that I +was not unprovided with money, she gladly consented to take me to her +own home. All she had to offer was a sofa, but, my! how glad I was to +lie down at all. But the heat, the smell, the shouting and cursing of +drunken brutes, prevented me from sleeping, and this morning I felt so +ill I thought I should die. The desire to look once more at the house +where I had been so happy grew stronger and stronger. At last I +couldn't resist it. So I came, although I knew all the time I should be +caught." + +"And were you sorry to be caught?" asked her husband. + +"No--o--," she answered, as she looked at the detective, apprehensively. +"If I'm not to be imprisoned." + +"Pray reassure yourself on that score, madam. The worst that will +happen to you is that you will have to repeat part of your story at the +inquest. No one can suspect you of having killed the man. The body must +have been hidden somewhere for twenty-four hours, and in your apartment +there is no place you could have done this, except possibly in the small +coat closet under the stairs. But your waitress swears that she cleaned +that very closet on the morning after the murder. Neither were you able +as far as I can see to procure a key to the vacant apartment. No, madam, +you will have absolutely no difficulty in clearing yourself." + +"But the disgrace--the publicity----" + +"There is no disgrace and hang the publicity," exclaimed Atkins. + +"You forgive me?" + +Atkins kissed her hand. + +"But, darling, that divorce?" he asked, under his breath. + +"Oh, I heard from Pa about a week ago. He had been travelling about and +hadn't had his mail forwarded. That was the reason why I had had no +answer to my numerous telegrams and letters. He says, however, that my +divorce is O. K., so you can't get rid of me after all." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE TRUTH OF THE WHOLE MATTER + + +The Atkinses had departed, and Merritt and I were again alone. + +"Well," I exclaimed, "the Rosemere mystery doesn't seem any nearer to +being solved, does it?" + +"You ought to be satisfied with knowing that your friend, Mrs. Atkins, +is exonerated." + +"Of that I am heartily glad; but who can the criminal be?" + +The detective shrugged his shoulders. + +"You don't know?" I asked. + +"Haven't an idea," he answered. + +"But what about that pretty criminal you've been talking so much about?" + +"Well, Doctor, to tell you the truth this case has proved one too many +for me. You see," he went on, settling himself more comfortably in his +chair, "there isn't enough evidence against any one to warrant our +holding them an hour. Mrs. Atkins knew the man and had a motive for +killing him, but had no place in which to secrete the body, nor did she +make any effort to obtain that key. Against Argot the case is stronger. +One of the greatest objections to the theory that it was he who murdered +Brown is that, as far as we can find out, the man was a perfect stranger +to him. But as he did not know his wife's lover by sight, it seems to +me not impossible that he may have mistaken Brown for the latter, and +thought that in killing him he was avenging his honour. The Frenchman +is also one of the few persons who could have abstracted the key of the +vacant apartment. On the other hand, it would have been impossible for +him to have either secreted or disposed of the body without his wife's +knowledge. And unless Madame Argot is an actress and a liar of very +unusual talent, I am willing to swear that she knew and knows nothing of +the crime!" + +"I am sure of it," I assented. + +"Furthermore, I can think of no way by which Argot could have run across +Brown. He would naturally follow the man whom he believed to be his +wife's lover, and not only did Madame Argot tell you that her husband +ran out the back way in pursuit of her cousin, but that seems to me the +thing which he would most likely do. And yet, having left by that door, +he could not possibly have got into the house again unperceived. +Therefore, I cannot imagine how he could have met Allan Brown. No, +there is really not a scrap of real evidence against the Frenchman. Now, +there remains Miss Derwent. She could easily have obtained the key; she +could also have hidden the body. But there is absolutely nothing to +connect her with the murder, or the victim--nothing. And yet, Doctor, I +have always believed that she knew more about this crime than she was +willing to acknowledge, and I may as well tell you now that the reason I +took such pains to inform Miss Derwent of Mrs. Atkins's plight, was that +I thought that, rather than allow an innocent person to suffer, she +would reveal the name of the true author of the crime. You see, I had +exhausted every means of discovering her secret, without the least +result. My only hope of doing so now lay with her. But my ruse failed. +She has given no sign, although, for aught she knows, Mrs. Atkins may be +languishing in a prison, or is being hunted from house to house or from +city to city. I am therefore forced to believe that Miss Derwent's +mysterious secret has absolutely nothing to do with the Rosemere +murder." + +"I have always been sure of it." + +"But the fact remains that the man was killed. And yet every person who +could by any possibility have committed the crime has practically been +proved guiltless. I'm getting old." And he sighed deeply. + +"So you have given the case up!" + +"No, sirree. But I confess I'm not very hopeful. If I failed to pick up +a clue while the scent was fresh, there ain't much chance of my doing it +now. So I guess you've won your bet, Doctor," he went on, as he pulled a +roll of bills out of his pocket. + +"Certainly not. I bet that a man committed the crime, and that has not +been proved, either." + +"That's so! Well, good-day, Doctor. Hope I'll see you again. I tell you +what, you should have been on the force." And so we parted. + +He had hardly shut the door behind him, when my boy came in with a note. +The handwriting was unknown to me. I tore the envelope open, and threw +it down beside me. This is what I read: + + DEAR DR. FORTESCUE, + + I am in great trouble and beg you to come to me as soon as you + possibly can. + + Sincerely yours, + MAY DERWENT. + +"Any answer, sir?" + +"No." I should be there as soon as the messenger. + +I was so dreadfully alarmed that I felt stunned for a moment. Pulling +myself together, I started to my feet, when my eyes fell on the +envelope, lying beside my plate. A large crest was emblazoned on its +back. I stood spell-bound, for that crest was, alas, not unfamiliar to +me. I could not be mistaken--it was identical with the one engraved on +the sleeve-link which had been found on the body of the murdered man. +What did this similarity mean? Was it possible that the victim's real +name was Derwent? That would account for the coincidence of the two +Allans, and all I knew of one was equally applicable to the other. +Merritt had told me that Brown was supposed to have been born a +gentleman, and often posed as an Englishman of title. But if the corpse +was indeed that of her brother, why had May not recognised it? No, the +probabilities were, as the detective had said, that the crest meant +nothing. + +Still deeply perturbed, I hastened to the hotel. On giving my name I was +at once ushered into the Derwent's private sitting-room. It was empty, +but a moment later May appeared. She was excessively pale, and heavy +dark rings encircled her eyes. I longed to take her in my arms, but all +I dared to do was to detain her small hand in mine till after several +efforts on her part to free herself--very gentle efforts, however--I +finally relinquished it. + +"It is kind of you to come so soon." + +"You knew I would come the moment I received your message." + +"I hoped so. All night long I have lain awake, praying for courage to +make a confession, knowing all the time that if I do so it will break +my mother's heart." + +"Your mother's heart!" I repeated, bewildered. + +"It must be done, it is right that it should be done--but I can't do it. +I have, therefore, decided to tell you the whole story, and then you can +repeat it to her very gently, very calmly, which I could not do. And you +will remain to comfort her when I am gone, won't you?" + +"Don't talk in this way," I commanded, forcibly possessing myself of her +hands. "You are not going to die." + +"Don't touch me," she entreated, tearing herself away from me. "You +won't want to, when you know the truth. I have not only committed a +dreadful crime, but have allowed an innocent person to suffer in my +stead. I should have confessed to the detective yesterday that I knew +Mrs. Atkins had not killed the man, because--because--I myself killed +him." + +I was so overcome with horror and surprise at hearing this confession, +that for a moment I was paralysed. + +"My poor darling," I exclaimed at last, "how did this accident occur?" + +She had evidently expected me to express horror and indignation, and +that I did not do so was such an unexpected relief, that the poor child +burst into tears. This time she did not repulse me. When she had become +a little calmer, she said: + +"I am glad that there is one person at least who, hearing that +admission, does not at once believe me guilty of a dreadful crime. +Oh, I assure you, I swear to you, that I never meant to kill +the--the--fellow." She shuddered. + +"Of course you didn't. Tell me all about it, and let me see if I can't +help you in some way." + +A faint gleam of hope shot across her face. + +"It is a long story," she began. "You remember that I told the Coroner +about a certain gentleman who called on me on that fatal Tuesday +evening?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, that was all true. Mr. Greywood (for, of course, you now know +that that was my visitor's name) and I quarrelled (no matter why), and +we parted in anger. This is no news to you. What happened later is what +I have tried so hard to conceal. Mr. Greywood had hardly left when I was +startled by a violent ringing at the door-bell. Thinking that it was my +late visitor who had returned, to apologise, probably, I hurried to the +door, and incautiously opened it. In the dim light, the man before me +resembled Mr. Greywood so closely that I did not doubt that it was he, +and moved aside to allow him to enter. As he did so, he pushed roughly +against me. I stared at him in astonishment, and to my horror, +discovered that I was face to face with a perfect stranger. The fellow +banged the door behind him, and stood with his back against it. He was +mumbling something I couldn't catch, and his head rolled alarmingly from +side to side. That the man was insane was the only thing that occurred +to me, and as I realised that I was locked into an apartment with a +lunatic, I became panic-stricken, and lost my head. Instead of making a +dash for the upper floor, where I could either have barricaded myself +into one of the bed rooms, or perhaps have managed to escape by the back +stairs, I stupidly ran into the drawing-room, which is only shut off +from the hall by portières, and has no other outlet. The brute, of +course, followed me, and stood in the door way, barring my exit. I was +caught like a rat in a trap. He lurched in my direction, muttering +imprecations. His speech was so thick that I could only understand a +word here and there. I made out, however, that he wished me to give him +something that night, which, he said, I had promised to let him have the +next day. As he staggered toward me, I uttered a piercing shriek, but +even as I did so, I knew that there was little or no chance of anybody's +hearing me. The building was almost empty, and the street at that hour +practically deserted. + +"In the middle of our room opposite the fire place, stands a large +sofa. When his eyes fell upon that he paused a minute. 'Perhaps I'll go +to bed,' I heard him say, and forthwith he proceeded to take off his +coat and waistcoat. Meanwhile, I was cowering near the window. As he had +apparently forgotten me, I began to hope that I might possibly succeed +in creeping past him unobserved. But, unfortunately, as I was attempting +to do so, my skirt caught in something, and I fell forward on my hands +and knees. The noise attracted his attention, and he paused in his +undressing to look at me. I sprang to my feet. We stared at each other +for a few seconds, and I thought I saw a ray of comprehension come into +his dull eyes. 'I don't think I ever met this lady before,' he mumbled. + +"He tried to pull himself together, and made me an awkward bow. I stood +perfectly still. The wretch smiled horridly at me. Of course, I now see +that I ought to have humoured him, instead of which I was injudicious +enough to meet his advances with a fierce scowl. That apparently +infuriated the fellow, for he sprang towards me, cursing loudly. I had +not thought him capable of such agility, so was unprepared for the +attack. He caught my wrist. I tried to wrench it from him, but he was +very strong, and I soon realised that I was quite powerless in his +grasp. Yet I would not give in, but continued to struggle fiercely. Oh, +it was too awful!" + +The unfortunate girl paused a moment and covered her face with her +hands, as if she were trying to shut out the memory of that terrible +scene. + +"At last the end came. He had got me into a corner. Escape was +impossible. My back was against the wall, and in front of me towered the +wretch, his hands on my shoulders, his poisoned breath blowing into my +face. Now, remember, before you blame me for what followed, that I was +perfectly desperate. As I glanced frantically around, hoping against +hope to find some way out of my awful situation, my eyes fell upon a +hat-pin, which lay on a table by my side, well within reach of my right +hand. It was sticking in my hat, which I had carelessly thrown down +there when I came in from dinner a few hours before. It may be that its +design, which was that of a dagger, suggested my putting it to the use I +did. I don't know. At any rate, I seized it, and managed to get it in +between me and my assailant, with its sharp point pressing against his +chest. By this time I had become convinced that the man was simply +intoxicated, and, hoping to frighten him, I cried: 'Let me go. If you +don't, I will kill you.' Yes, I said that; I acknowledge it. But I had +no real intention of doing such a thing. I didn't even dream that I held +in my hand a weapon. What happened then I don't quite know. Whether +he tripped over something, or whether he was so drunk that he lost his +balance, I can't tell. At all events, he fell heavily against me. If I +had not been braced against the wall he certainly would have knocked me +down. As it was, I was stunned for a minute. Recovering myself, I pushed +him from me with all my strength. He reeled back, staggered a few steps, +and then, to my surprise, fell flat upon the floor. As I stood staring +at him, too frightened still to take advantage of this opportunity +to escape, I heard a queer rattling in his throat. What could be the +matter, I wondered, and what was that sticking out of his shirt, right +over his heart? Could it be my hat-pin? I looked down at my hands; they +were empty. Slowly the truth dawned upon me. I rushed to his side, +looked into his glazing eyes, saw the purple fade from his face, and a +greenish hue creep into its place. As the full horror of my position was +borne in upon me, I thought I should go mad. I seized the pin and tried +to drag it out, actuated by an unreasoning hope that if I could only +extract it from the wound the man might even yet revive. But my hands +must have been paralysed with fear, for, although I tugged and tugged, +I failed to move it. At last, after an especially violent effort, I +succeeded in pulling it out, but unfortunately in doing so the head +broke off. I peered again at the man. Still no sign of life, but I could +not, would not believe the worst. Overcoming my horror of the fellow, I +bent down and shook his arm. I shall never forget the sensation it gave +me to touch him. I could doubt the awful truth no longer: the man was +dead, and I had killed him. Then for a time I lost consciousness. +Unfortunately I am young and strong, and soon revived. When I did so I +found myself lying on the floor not a foot away from that horrible thing +that had so lately been a man. I feared him as much dead as alive, and, +staggering to my feet, I fled from the room. Oh, the darkness, the +frightful darkness which confronted me everywhere! In my terror of it +I rushed hither and thither, leaving the electric light shining in my +wake. I felt I must know, that I must be able to see, that he, who would +never stir again, was not still following me. Stumbling up stairs in my +haste, I locked myself into my bedroom. There I tried to think, but all +I could do was to crouch, trembling, behind the door, listening for I +knew not what. Several times I thought I heard footsteps stealing softly +up the stairs. + +"At last, the day dawned and brought with it comparative calm. I was +now able to consider my position. It was, indeed, a desperate one. +What should I do? Whom could I appeal to? My mother? Another helpless +woman--never! Then Mr. Norman occurred to me. I felt I could rely on +him. He would save me if any one could. I decided to go to him as soon +as possible. I knew that I must be most careful not to do anything +which might arouse suspicion. I, therefore, made up my mind not to +leave the house before half-past seven at the earliest. I could then be +supposed to be going out to breakfast. The hours crept wearily by. I +watched the hot, angry sun rise superbly above the horizon, and fancied +that it glared contemptuously down on my ruined life. To make matters +worse, my watch had stopped, and I had to guess at the time by the +various signs of reawakening which I could observe in the street beneath +me. At last I decided that I might safely venture forth. Burning with +impatience to be gone, I turned towards the door. Suddenly I remembered +that my hat still lay in the room below. I started back, trembling in +every limb. Never, never should I have the courage to enter there alone. +Then I thought of the alternative. Summoning the police--the awful +publicity, a prison cell and perhaps finally--no, no, I couldn't face +that. Anything rather than that. No one will ever know how I felt as I +slowly unlocked my door. My teeth chattered notwithstanding the heat, +and half-fainting with terror I staggered down-stairs. Everywhere the +lights still glowed feebly--sickly reminders of the horrors of the +night. I don't remember how I got into the drawing-room, but the +scene that greeted my eyes there can never be erased from my memory. +The blazing August sun shone fiercely down on the disordered room, +mercilessly disclosing the havoc which the recent struggle had wrought. +In the midst of this confusion, that ghastly, silent object lay, gaping +at the new day. His sightless eyes seemed to stare reproachfully at me. +I turned quickly away. This was no time for weakness. If I indulged my +fears I should be unable to accomplish what I had to do. Fixing my eyes +on the thing I was in search of, I walked steadily past the corpse, but, +having once seized what I had come for, I rushed frantically from the +room and the apartment. The heavy outer door securely fastened behind +me, made a sufficiently formidable barrier between the dead and myself +to give me a sense of comparative safety. Still panting with excitement, +I paused a moment on the landing. Reminding myself of how important it +was that nothing about me should excite remark, I put on my hat and +adjusted my thick veil with the utmost care, although my stiff, shaking +fingers were hardly able to perform their task. Then, summoning up all +my self-control I was ready to face the world again." + +She stopped, and sank back exhausted. + +"Go on," I begged; "what did you do then?" + +"I knew that if Mr. Norman was in town at all, he would be at his +father's house," May continued, more quietly. + +"Hailing a cab, I drove directly there. You can imagine in what an +overwrought state I was when I tell you that the idea that I was doing +anything unusual never occurred to me. I rang the bell and asked for +Mr. Stuart Norman without the least embarrassment. The butler's look of +surprise and his evident unwillingness to admit me, recalled me a little +to my senses. But even when I saw how my conduct must strike others, I +did not turn back, and I finally persuaded the man to call his master. +The latter hurried from the breakfast table to see who the mysterious +and importunate female might be who had come knocking so early at his +door. Notwithstanding my veil, he recognised me at once. Ushering me +into a small reception room he closed the door behind him; then turning +towards me he took me by the hand and, gently leading me to a sofa, +begged me to tell him what had happened. I told my dreadful story as +briefly as possible. You can imagine with what horror he listened. +Strangely enough, I remained perfectly calm. I was astonished at my own +callousness, but at the moment I felt as if all that had occurred was +nothing but a hideous nightmare, from which I had happily awakened. When +I had finished, Mr. Norman did not speak for some time, but paced up and +down the room with ill-concealed agitation. Trying to appear calm, he +again sat down beside me. + +"'I have come to the conclusion that the only thing for you to do is to +return at once to the Rosemere,' he said at last. This suggestion at +once dispelled the numbness which had come over me, and the painful +fluttering of my heart convinced me that the power of suffering had, +alas, not left me. I first thought that he intended me to go back alone, +but that I knew I could _not_ do. He soon reassured me on that point, +however, and promised that as long as I needed him, or wanted him, he +would never desert me. He seemed to understand intuitively how I shrank +from returning to the scene of the tragedy, and I felt sure he would +not urge me to do so if he did not think it absolutely necessary. He +pointed out that the body must be removed from our apartment as soon +as possible. Where to put it was the question. We thought of various +places, none of which seemed practicable, till I remembered the vacant +suite on our landing. As soon as I told him of it, and that at present +painters and paper-hangers were working there, he decided that we could +never find a more convenient spot, or one where the discovery of the +dead man was so little likely to compromise any one. How Mr. Norman was +to get into our apartment was the next question. For obvious reasons +he could not do so openly. At last, he hit on the idea of disguising +himself as a tradesman. He suggested that we should both enter the +building at the same time, I by the front, and he by the back door. I +was then to let him in through the kitchen, which could easily be done +without anybody's being the wiser. This seemed the most feasible plan, +and I agreed to it. It would take him only a few minutes to dress, he +assured me, but while I was waiting he begged me to have some breakfast. +I told him that it would be impossible for me to eat, but he insisted. +As it was most important that the servants should not recognise me, he +took me to a quiet restaurant round the corner. There he ordered an +ample breakfast, and stayed (notwithstanding my protests) till he +satisfied himself that I had done full justice to it. He was gone an +incredibly short time, and when he did return I had some difficulty in +recognising him, so faultless, to my inexperienced eyes, did his get-up +appear. He did not enter the restaurant, but lounged outside, chewing +a straw with apparent carelessness. That straw was a very neat touch, +for it permitted him to distort his mouth without exciting remark. A +battered straw hat, drawn well over his eyes, a large apron, and a +market-basket completed the transformation. Even if he had come face to +face with a party of friends, I doubt if they would have known him. For +who could suspect a man like Mr. Norman of masquerading as a tradesman? +People would therefore be inclined to attribute any likeness they +observed to an accidental resemblance." + +So he was the tradesman I had seen leaving the Rosemere! I felt a +terrible pang of jealousy, but managed to ask: "What did his servants +think at seeing their master go out in such costume?" + +"Later on, he told me that he had been able to leave the house +unperceived," she replied; "at least, he thought so, as all the servants +happened to be at breakfast. He had crept softly up-stairs, put on an +old suit and hat, both of which had suffered shipwreck; then, with +infinite precautions, he had stolen into the butler's pantry, seized an +apron, stuffed it inside his coat, which he buttoned over it, and, after +watching till the street was clear, slipped quietly out. When he turned +the corner, and fancied himself unobserved, he pulled out the apron and +tied it on. Then, walking boldly into Bloomingdale's, he purchased a +market-basket, into which, with great forethought, he put a few needful +groceries. All this, as I said before, he told me later. At the time, I +left the restaurant without even glancing in his direction. We boarded +the same car, but sat as far apart as possible. All went off as we had +arranged, and half an hour later I had let him into our kitchen without +having aroused anybody's suspicions." She paused a moment. + +"Mr. Norman went at once into the room where the body lay," she +continued. "He went alone, as I dared not follow him. When he came out +he told me that he had pulled down all the shades, as, owing to the +intense heat, he feared that some one might be tempted to climb to the +opposite roof, in which case a chance look would lead to the discovery +of my ghastly secret. The quiet and business-like way in which he talked +of our situation was most comforting, and I was surprised to find myself +calmly discussing the different means of obtaining possession of the +key to the vacant apartment. This must be my task, as he could not go +outside the door, for fear of being seen. So I stole out on the landing +to reconnoitre. To my joy, I saw the key sticking in the lock. When Mr. +Norman heard of this piece of good luck, it did not take him long to +decide on a plan of action. Hastily scribbling a few lines to his +butler, he gave them to me. He then told me to go out again and ring for +the elevator. While waiting for it to come, I was to saunter casually +to the threshold of the adjoining flat, and, leaning on the door-knob, +quietly abstract the key. Should any one notice me, my curiosity would +be a sufficient excuse for my presence. Having got the key and enclosed +it in the envelope he had given me, I was to hurry to a district +messenger office (taking care to select one where I was not likely to +be known), send the note, and there await the answer, which would be +addressed to Miss Elizabeth Wright. In this note he gave orders to have +the key duplicated as quickly and secretly as possible. Mr. Norman +thought that the butler, who was a man of great discretion, and had been +with the family for many years, could be entrusted with this delicate +mission, but anyhow we had to risk it as the only alternative (my going +to a locksmith myself) was not to be thought of. The police would be +sure to make inquiries of all such people, and if they discovered that a +girl answering to my description had been to them on such an errand, it +would fasten suspicion upon me and prove a perhaps fatal clue. I thought +his plan most ingenious, and promised to follow his instructions to the +letter. I had no difficulty in obtaining the key, although my extreme +nervousness made me so awkward that I almost dropped it at the critical +moment. After that everything else was easy. It seemed, however, an +interminable time before I at last held both keys in my hand. I flew +back to the Rosemere. Impatience lent wings to my feet. But here a +disappointment awaited me. On stepping out of the elevator, I found +the hall full of workmen, noisily eating their luncheons. There was +no help for it--I must postpone returning the key till later. This +agitated me very much, as I feared every moment that its absence +would be discovered. Mr. Norman, however, took the delay much more +philosophically than I did, and reassured me somewhat by saying that he +did not believe any one would think of the key till evening. Still, as +it was advisable to run as few risks as possible, I decided to make +another attempt as soon as the men returned to their work. Peeping +through a crack of our door, I waited till the coast was clear before +venturing out. After ringing the elevator bell, I walked boldly forward, +and had already stretched out my hand towards the key-hole, when a queer +grating noise made me pause. A tell-tale boot was thrust suddenly out, +and to my horror I discovered that a man was standing directly behind +the door, busily scraping off the old paint. The narrowness of my escape +made me feel quite faint. Another moment and the click of the lock would +have betrayed me, and then--but I could not indulge in such conjectures. +Swallowing my disappointment, I got into the lift. There was no help +for it; I dared not try again till later in the day. In the meantime, I +decided to do some shopping, as I wanted to be able to give that as an +excuse for my prolonged stay in town. After spending several hours in +this way, I concluded that I might again make an effort to replace the +key, and this time I was successful, for although I met one of the +workmen, yet I am sure he had not noticed that I had been fumbling with +the lock. I found Mr. Norman, on my return, as calm and cheerful as +ever. He urged me not to stay in the apartment, and although I felt +ashamed to leave him to face the situation alone, yet the place was so +dreadful to me that I yielded to my fears and his entreaties, and went +out again and wandered aimlessly about till it grew so dark that I no +longer dared to remain out alone. It is impossible for me to describe +the ensuing evening. We sat together in the kitchen, as being the spot +farthest from the scene of the tragedy. At first we tried to talk, but +as the hours crept by, we grew more and more taciturn. We had decided +that at two o'clock we would attempt our gruesome task, for that is the +time when the world sleeps most soundly. Mr. Norman suggested that I +should muffle myself up as much as possible, so that in case we were +discovered, I might yet escape recognition, or, what would be even +better, observation. I therefore put on a dark shirtwaist I found +hanging in my closet, drew on a pair of black gloves to prevent my hands +attracting attention, and tied up my hair in a black veil, which I could +pull down over my face in case of emergency. Two o'clock at last struck. +We immediately--but why linger over the gruesome details of what +occurred during the next fifteen minutes? Fortunately, no one surprised +us as we staggered across the landing with our burden, and we managed to +get back to the shelter of our four walls unobserved. As we stood for +a moment in the hall congratulating ourselves on having got rid of the +body so successfully, I noticed a long, glittering object lying at my +feet. Bending down, I picked it up. It was the fatal hat-pin. I dropped +it with a shudder. Mr. Norman asked me what it was. I told him. He +picked it up again and examined it closely. 'Where is the head of this +pin?' he asked. I had no idea. I remembered that it had broken off in +my hand as I wrenched it out of the body, and I thought that in all +probability it still lay somewhere in the drawing-room, unless it had +been carried elsewhere by the same chance which had swept its other part +into the hall. Mr. Norman looked very grave when he heard of this loss, +and said he would look for it immediately. He insisted, however, on my +going to my room and trying to get some sleep. But sleep was, of course, +out of the question, and at six o'clock I crept down stairs to bid my +kind friend good-bye. We had concluded that at that hour he could easily +leave the building unobserved. + +"I had to wait till later, and just as I thought the time for my release +had come the janitor brought me a request, a command rather, from the +Coroner, to the effect that I was to remain on the premises till he had +seen me. If McGorry had not been so excited himself he must have noticed +my agitation, for I jumped at once to the conclusion that my secret was +discovered. Luckily, I had time enough before I was finally called to +regain my self-possession, and to decide how I had better behave so as +to dissipate suspicion, even if it had already fastened upon me. I knew +that to show too much emotion would be fatal. I must try and prove to +them that I was not particularly affected by the sight of the corpse, +and yet must be careful not to go to the other extreme and appear +callous. How could I do this? Had I enough self-control to risk raising +my veil when I entered the room where the dead man lay? If I did this +and showed a calm, grave face, I believed it would go far towards +establishing my innocence in the minds of those who would be watching +me. And I think I _did_ hide my agitation till the detective asked me a +question I was quite unprepared for." + +"You did, indeed," I assured her. + +"When the ordeal was at last over, and Mr. Merritt had handed me into a +cab, I really thought that I had allayed all suspicion. On arriving at +Thirty-fourth Street Ferry, I was detained by a collision which had +occurred between two vehicles, and as I was afraid of missing my train I +jumped out in the middle of the street. As I was paying my fare, another +hansom dashed up and I saw the man who was in it making desperate +efforts to attract the driver's attention. Having at last succeeded in +doing so, the horse was pulled up on its haunches and the man sprang +out, knocking against me as he did so. He apologised profusely, and +I noticed that he was an insignificant-looking person, a gentleman's +servant, perhaps, and thought no more about him. I did not see him on +the ferry, but after I had taken my seat in the cars I turned around and +saw that he was sitting almost directly behind me. It then occurred to +me that I ought to have telegraphed to my mother and asked her to send +the carriage to meet me. I looked at my watch. The train would not start +for six minutes. I got off and hurried towards the telegraph office, +but, catching sight of the station clock, I saw that my watch had been +slow and that I had barely time to regain my seat. Turning abruptly +around, I almost ran into a man's arms. I started back and recognised, +to my surprise, the same fellow I had already noticed twice before. I +then made up my mind that he was following me. I jumped on to the last +car and stood outside on the platform. A moment later the man appeared. +Seeing me he hurried forward, but I had found out what I wanted to know. + +"I walked back to my seat, outwardly calm, but inwardly a prey to the +most dreadful emotions. What could I do? Nothing. On arriving at my +destination the fellow also alighted, and as I drove home I felt he was +still following me. After that, knowing that I was being shadowed, I had +not a moment's peace. I dared not go beyond the gate. I dared not roam +around the garden. I hardly knew what I feared, for of course they could +have arrested me as easily in the house as outside. At last, I could +bear the strain no longer and sent for Mr. Norman. His presence gave me +a wonderful sense of security, and as I did not see my persecutor for +several days, I really began to hope that the Rosemere tragedy would +always remain a mystery, when, picking up the paper one morning, I read +that a wretched Frenchman was suspected of the--the death. Of course, +there was nothing else for me to do; I must give myself up. Then, you, +Doctor, suggested that it might not be necessary, after all--oh, you +gave that advice quite unconsciously. I knew that. But when you told me +that the man, Argot, was hopelessly insane, and would in any case spend +the rest of his days in a lunatic asylum, I wondered if the sacrifice of +my life were indeed demanded. At any rate I felt I must go to New York +so as to be on hand in case something unexpected occurred, and to +watch developments. You can now understand why I begged you so hard to +persuade Mamma to bring me here. When I had at last induced you all to +let me come, I went out for a walk and was terribly frightened by a +tramp whom I mistook for a detective. On reaching New York, I found +there was nothing to be done here, and yet I have felt much more calm +than I did in the country. Then, yesterday, I met Mr. Merritt, who +told me that Mrs. Atkins was suspected, and had fled from her home +in consequence. I might hold my tongue where a poor mad creature was +concerned, whom my confession could not benefit, but in this case it was +not to be thought of. I had a great many last things to attend to, so I +decided not to give myself up till to-day. That is the end of my story." + +And it is very nearly the end of mine. I easily persuaded May that to +make her confession public would do no good to any one. When the inquest +was held Mrs. Atkins told what she knew of the deceased, and although +several people considered that her conduct had been suspicious, yet no +one, I think, questioned that the verdict that Allan Brown met his death +"by a person or persons unknown," was the only one which could have been +rendered. I have never really learned whether the name of the Rosemere +victim was Derwent or Brown. As May had not seen her brother since he +left his home many years before as a beardless boy, it is quite possible +that her failure to recognise him was simply due to the great change +which dissipation, as well as years, had wrought in him. However, as +young Derwent was never again heard of, I have always believed that it +is he who lies in some unnamed grave in the potter's field. But that his +fate may never become known to his mother and sister, is my most ardent +wish. + +Years have passed since these occurrences took place, and May Derwent +is, I am glad to say, May Derwent no longer. + +From time to time I see Merritt, but as he will talk of nothing but +the Rosemere murder, I avoid him as much as possible. I am sure that, +although he has never been able to discover a single damaging fact +against my wife, yet his detective instinct tells him that she alone +could solve, if she wanted to, the mystery of "The House Opposite." + + +THE END. + + + + +GOOD FICTION + + +The Shadow of Victory + + A Romance of Fort Dearborn. By MYRTLE REED, author of "Love Letters + of a Musician," "Lavender and Old Lace," etc. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.35) net, $1.20 + + This latest work by the author of "Lavender and Old Lace" is a + vigorous novel showing the development of character amid the rough + and stirring scenes of an early Western trading post. The people of + the book are real and attractive, and the heroine belongs to the + best type of a strong fascinating American womanhood. The story is + full of Miss Reed's characteristic breezy humor and has many touches + of genuine sentiment. This book will appeal strongly to the readers + who have been charmed by the grace and wit of Miss Reed's earlier + works, and it is also sure of a warm reception from all those who + love an exciting story well told. + + +Free, Not Bound + + By KATRINA TRASK, author of "Under King Constantine," "Christalan," + etc. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.20) net, $1.10 + + The story of a woman's love. The time of the story is in the year + 1777, but it is in no sense an historical novel; in fact, the + evident artistic purpose of the author has been to make the type + of her heroine universal rather than local. The atmosphere of + Revolutionary times is purely incidental. + + The motifs of the book are the evolution of love, which the author + treats not as a sentimental emotion but as a larger and more + exalted passion, and the evolution of the moral nature from + traditional formalism to a wider though more radical morality. The + picture of this evolution is given as a picture of life, not with + any evident purpose. The story is dramatic rather than didactic. + + +A Master Hand + + The Story of a Crime. By RICHARD DALLAS. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.10) net, $1.00 + + This is a detective story of unusual interest. A young bachelor of + quiet tastes, a few warm friends, and no enemies, is found dead, + stabbed while he slept in his New York apartment. There is no + emphasis on the horrors of the deed, but the reader's entire + attention is held to the detection of the mysterious murderer. Those + who begin this book will sit up and finish it. + + +New York--G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS--London + + + + +GOOD FICTION + + +The House Opposite + + A Mystery. By ELIZABETH KENT. 12mo, cloth, _net_, $1.00; 16mo, + paper, 50 cts. + +"Not an unnecessary word in the whole book, and the intricacies of the +plot are worked out so skilfully that the reader will not guess the +final denouement until he reaches the last chapter."--_Omaha +World-Herald._ + +"A good story of its kind that can be recommended without +reserve."--_N. Y. Sun._ + + +The Sheep-Stealers + + A Romance of the West of England. By VIOLET JACOB. 12mo, _net_, + $1.20. By mail, $1.35. + +"We have seldom read a book with a happier mixture of romance +and realism--so fresh, so original, so wholesome. Her style is +excellent,--lucid, natural, unaffected."--_London Spectator._ + + +The Poet and Penelope + + By L. PARRY TRUSCOTT. 12mo (By mail, $1.10), _net_, $1.00. + +"The book is delightful from first to last. Mr. Truscott tells his story +daintily and lightly; but he is not merely a writer of graceful comedy. +He understands men and women. Each one of his characters is a personage +in his or her way, and there is a subtlety in the drawing of the hero +and the heroine that gives the story reality."--_London World._ + + +New York--G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS--London + + + + +GOOD FICTION + + +Lavender and Old Lace + + By MYRTLE REED, author of "Love Letters of a Musician," "The + Spinster Book," etc. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.65) net, $1.50 + + Full Crimson Morocco net, $2.00 + + + Miss Reed has carried her lively style and charming humor from + letters and essays into the field of fiction. This is the story of a + quaint corner of New England where more than one romance lies hidden + underneath the prim garb of a little village. + + +The Shadow of Victory + + A Romance of Fort Dearborn (early Chicago). By MYRTLE REED. + + 12o. With frontispiece net, $1.20 + + Full crimson morocco, gilt top net, $2.00 + + + Miss Reed's new novel is pre-eminently a love story, portraying a + true woman whose lot was cast, not in the drawing-room or in the + salon, but in the wilderness, where the only representatives of + civilization and culture were the rude fort and the true hearts that + garrisoned it. Beatrice is fascinating, possessing all the sweet + caprices of woman, with woman's strength in time of need, while the + hero is a man whose character must appeal to every true woman. + + +Fame for a Woman + + or, Splendid Mourning. By CRANSTOUN METCALFE. With Frontispiece by + ADOLF THIEDE. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.35) net, $1.20 + + Madame de Staël wrote: "Fame is for women only a splendid mourning + for happiness"; Mr. Metcalfe tells us how a sweet little woman, + whose world is little bigger than her husband, loses that + perspective by contact with the superficially clever young literary + set in London. She is persuaded to write, and her writing is + attended with success, such as it is,--the sort of success which + means much figuring in "literary notes," interviews describing + the privacy of one's fireside, and pre-eminence among so-called + Bohemians. + + +New York--G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS--London + + + + +GOOD FICTION + + +Patricia of the Hills + + By CHARLES KENNETT BURROW. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.10.) _Net_ $1.00 + + "Patriotism without unreasonableness; love of the open air and the + free hills without exaggeration; romance without over-gush; humor + and melancholy side by side without morbidness; an Irish dialect + stopping short of excess; a story full of sincere feeling."--_The + Nation._ + + "No more charming romance of the old sod has been published in a + long time."--_N. Y. World._ + + "A very pretty Irish story."--_N. Y. Tribune._ + + +Eve Triumphant + + By PIERRE DE COULEVAIN. Translated by ALYS HALLARD. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.35.) _Net_ $1.20 + + "Clever, stimulating, interesting, ... a brilliant mingling of + salient truth, candid opinion, and witty comment."--_Chicago + Record._ + + "An audacious and satirical tale which embodies a great deal of + clever and keen observation."--_Detroit Free Press._ + + "An extremely clever work of fiction."--_Louisville + Courier-Journal._ + + +Monsieur Martin + + A Romance of the Great Swedish War. By WYMOND CAREY. + + 12o. (By mail, $1.35.) _Net_ $1.20 + + "It was with genuine pleasure that we read 'M. Martin.' ... We + cordially admire it and sincerely hope that all who read this page + will also read the book."--From a Column Review in the _Syracuse + Herald_. + + "Wymond Carey's name must be added to the list of authors whose + first books have given them a notable place in the world of + letters, for 'Monsieur Martin' is one of the best of recent + historical romances."--_Chicago Inter-Ocean._ + + "Mr. Wymond Carey has given us much pleasure in reading his book, + and we are glad to praise it."--_Baltimore Sun._ + + +New York--G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS--London + + + + +Transcriber's Note + + +For the txt-version of this e-book words in italics were surrounded with +_underscores_, and small capitals changed to all capitals. Superscript +o (in 12o) has been changed to a regular o. All chapter headers and most +of the chapter endings had decorations, these are not seperately +mentioned. + +The following corrections have been made, on page + + 1 "NEIGHBOR'S" changed to "NEIGHBOUR'" (THROUGH MY NEIGHBOUR'S + WINDOWS) + 21 "fain't" changed to "faint" (she'd faint, and then her mother + would) + 61 "Your" changed to "You" (You work for Mr. Stuart?) + 102 ' added (full of tears. 'My darling) + 136 "maligant" changed to "malignant" (while a malignant expression + flitted across) + 151 ' added (An' I puts my arms quite around) + 176 . changed to , (nothing going on there," I reminded) + 182 ' changed to " (hope you're ready for it.") + 194 "pour" changed to "pore" (all the papers and pore over them) + 204 ' removed ("But why?") + 238 ' removed ("I had been walking rapidly along) + 258 " changed to ' (I will kill you.' Yes, I said that). + +Otherwise the original was preserved, including unusual and inconsistent +spelling and inconsistent hyphenation. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The House Opposite, by Elizabeth Kent + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41525 *** |