Classic Audiobook Collection - The Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Lily A. Long ~ Full Audiobook [mystery]

Episode Date: February 23, 2023

The Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Lily A. Long audiobook. Genre: mystery In a quiet early-1900s neighborhood, a bitter public feud between two prominent attorneys suddenly turns deadly. After a heated clash in full view of witnesses, Warren Fullerton is found murdered, and suspicion falls fast on his courtroom rival, Arthur Lawrence. Percy Lyon, a young newspaper reporter assigned to cover the case, cannot shake the feeling that the obvious answer is the wrong one. Part admirer, part investigator, Percy begins chasing scraps of testimony, odd timings, and half-hidden connections that the police and the town gossips dismiss. Then he encounters a woman fleeing into the night and realizes the crime may involve more than professional jealousy. As rumors multiply, several women become entangled in the case, each linked to Fullerton and Lawrence in ways that complicate every simple theory. With few clear clues and reputations on the line, Percy must learn where his loyalty ends and the facts begin, pushing past social bias, misdirection, and his own assumptions to find the truth behind Hemlock Avenue's most unsettling secret. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 01 (00:05:27) Chapter 02 (00:17:42) Chapter 03 (00:38:24) Chapter 04 (01:02:49) Chapter 05 (01:21:29) Chapter 06 (01:37:09) Chapter 07 (01:48:52) Chapter 08 (02:13:55) Chapter 09 (02:35:24) Chapter 10 (02:56:55) Chapter 11 (03:22:49) Chapter 12 (03:33:57) Chapter 13 (03:53:40) Chapter 14 (04:05:40) Chapter 15 (04:16:32) Chapter 16 (04:37:56) Chapter 17 (04:55:58) Chapter 18 (05:12:13) Chapter 19 (05:26:26) Chapter 20 (05:45:26) Chapter 21 (05:58:56) Chapter 22 (06:24:47) Chapter 23 (06:46:00) Chapter 24 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day chapter one young lion lounging in the court-house to make up his daily tale of items for the waynescott news was perhaps the only man who knew exactly how the quarrel between lawrence and fullerton began though when later events had made that quarrel take on an unexpected significance he was exactly the one man who did not talk about it through the glass side panel of the door he had seen lawrence coming up the stone walk from the street and he had watched him with eagerness meaning to get a nod as he passed for lawrence was not only a rising young lawyer but what was more important to the cub reporter he had just won the championship in the curling contest of the city clubs slight as was lion's acquaintance with him it had the touch of hero-worship which a youth is always ready to pour out as an offering before a man who was at once an athlete a social success a man eminent in professional life and withal magnetic and charming in his personal relations, as Lawrence was. So he counted at luck just to have the chance to say, Good morning. It seems that Fullerton must have approached from the side street, for the two men met at the foot of the courthouse steps, and came up together. Lion noticed that, though they nodded to

each other, they did not speak. At the top, Fullerton pushed ahead, so as to come first through the revolving pepper-box of a storm door which made the entrance of fresh air to the courthouse, as difficult as was the exit of foul air within. Lawrence swung through in the next compartment, pushing the door around much more rapidly than suited Fullerton's dignified gate. The knowledge that he had thumped his distinguished predecessor's heels probably cheered Lawrence's heart, for he cried gaily as he emerged. You see, by following your footsteps. Not for the first time, said Fullerton in level tones,

with a slow lifting of his lowered eyelids. The effect of those quiet words on Lawrence's temper was surprising. Instantly his hand flashed out, and he slapped Fullerton's face. In a moment, half a dozen men were between them. Someone restored Fullerton's hat, which had found. off at his sudden start, while others officiously laid restraining hands on Lawrence, who was trembling like a nervous horse. You may think a trick will win, but by my soul I'll take the trick, he cried hotly.

Fullerton, who was quite white except where the marks of Lawrence's fingers burned like a new brand on his cheek, stood perfectly still for an instant with his eyes on the floor, as though waiting for anything further that his opposing counsel might have to say. Then he replaced his hat, bowed slightly to the group, and walked away to the elevator. Jove, if I had the grip on my temper that Fullerton has, I'd be attorney general by now, said Lawrence lightly. Guess I'll take the other elevator all the same. And he walked jauntily down the hall. The collected group of men burst into excited cross-currents of talk.

What was it all about? What will Fullerton do? Gee, but Lawrence might be disbarred for that. Fullerton, of all men! He must be getting old, if he lets that pass. Oh, this isn't the end of it. You can bet on that all right. But what was it all about? Why, Fullerton got a decision in the Sims case yesterday, beat Lawrence on a technicality. It was rather sharp practice, but Fullerton goes into a case to win, and he knows all the tricks of the trade. You heard what Lawrence said about taking the trick? Yes, they had all heard what Lawrence had said.

Lyon listened to the gossip, but contributed nothing. He was perfectly certain that Lawrence's hot speech about a trick had been expressly intended for the bystanders. The champion was too good a sport to take a professional defeat like a baby, and the quick speeches that had preceded the blow no one had heard but himself. He walked down the steps thoughtfully. It was his business to understand things.

But the quarrel did not appear among the news items he turned to. into the city editor. End of chapter 1. Chapter 2 of the Hemlock Avenue mystery. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 2. I follow in your footsteps, not for the first time. The words echoed in lion's mind like a rebus which he must solve.

There was a puzzle in them. Could he, by turning them and trying them, find the answer? Of course it wasn't really his business, but for some reason the puzzle haunted his mind. He had an assignment that evening to report a concert given at the Hemlock Avenue Congregational Church, under the auspices of certain ladies sufficiently prominent in society to ensure a special reporter. He had timed himself to reach the church a little before nine, and as he walked briskly up the north side of Hemlock Avenue, his attention was attracted by the opening of a door in a house on the opposite side of the street.

The light, streaming out toward him into the snowy whiteness of the night, showed a man at the door parlaying with the maid servant within. After a moment the door closed, and the man came slowly down the steps. He appeared to hesitate when he reached the street, then he turned up the avenue in the same direction that Lion was going, and almost opposite him. As he passed under the street lamp, Lyon saw, with a sudden quick pleasure,

that the man was Lawrence. He was walking laggingly, with his head bent. At the corner he turned south on Grant Street, and so soon passed out of sight. Lyon's lively personal interest in Lawrence made him glance back at the house where his hero had evidently made an ineffective course. call and wonder who it might be that lived there hemlock was an avenue that carried its air of sublimated respectability in every well-kept lawn and unfenced lot

each house was set back from the street and was detached with trees and concrete walks and front lawn and backyard of its own it was not a show street but it was supremely well bred it struck lyon newly come from a busier city as curious that but for himself lawrence was the only person moving in the street not even a policeman was in sight this same seclusion and peace brooded over the scene when he retraced his way down that block on his early return from the concert an hour later he was commenting upon the stillness to himself when he heard the sound of running feet approaching and in a moment he saw the figure of a woman come running wildly toward him about the middle of the block she cut diagonally across the street and ran into one of the houses opposite lion had instinctively quickened his own pace for her panic flight suggested that she was pursued but he could see no one following her then he noticed that the house where she had run in was curiously enough the same house where lawrence had called earlier that evening she had not gone in at the front door but had run around to the side of the house some servant-maid who has overstayed her leave he thought she ran well though uncommonly good form for a kitchen girl bet she's had gymnasium work whoever she is reaching the end of the block he stopped and looked up and down the cross street sherman from which the girl had seemed to come there was no one in sight the street snowily white and bare in the light of the gas lamps

lay open before him for long blocks. The music from a skating rink in the neighborhood came gaily to him on the frosty air and an electric car clanged busily in the near distance. As he moved on, his eye was caught by something dark on the white snow at the edge of the pavement. A black silk muffler it proved to be when he picked it up. Had the girl dropped it or merely hurried past it?

it was a man's muffler he was about to toss it back into the street when some instinct the professional instinct of the reporter to understand everything he sees made him roll it up and tuck it instead into his overcoat pocket he hurried on meaning to catch the next car a few blocks below when the shrill and repeated call of a policeman's whistle cut across the night lion stopped that sharp and insistent call suggested a more exciting story than his church concert he hurried back to sherman street and half-way down the block midway between hemlock avenue and oak street he saw the officer standing it was not until he came close up that lion saw the gray heap on the ground near the officer's feet what's up he demanded man dead the officer answered man dead the officer answered answered laconically. Running feet were answering the signal of the whistle, and in less time than it takes to tell it, they were the center of an excited crowd. Donahue, the police officer, ordered the crowd sharply to stand back, while he sent the first watchman who had come up to telephone for the patrol wagon.

If anyone is hurt, I am a physician, one man said, pushing his way to the front. he's hurted too bad for you to do him any good donahue said the physician knelt down beside the fallen man however and made a hasty examination the man is quite dead he said at length there is a bruise on the temple the blow probably killed him instantly but he has been dead a few minutes only at that there were excited suggestions that the murderer could not have got far away, and someone proposed an immediate search of the neighborhood. But no one started. The center of interest was in that gray-clad heap on the ground. Who is the man? Do you know who it is, officer? Someone asked. Donahue, obviously resentful of the presence of this unauthorized jury, made no answer. Lion, watchful professionally for all details, suddenly recognized Lawrence and one of the men who stood nearest the body.

There was something in the fixity of the look, which he was bending upon the dead man, that made lion's eye follow his, and then in his amaze he pushed past Donahue and knelt to look into the face resting against the curb. Good heavens! It's Fullerton! Warren Fullerton, the lawyer! he cried. The volley of exclamations and questions which he drew down upon himself by this declaration were interrupted by the clang of the patrol wagon which came down the street at a run. The three men on the wagon swung themselves down and cleared the crowd out of their way in a moment and expeditiously lifted the limp gray body in. Dunahue swung himself on the step and the wagon drove off at a decorous gate. leaving another police officer on the ground to watch the rapidly dispersing crowd lion well aware that a more experienced hand than his own would be assigned to work up the story he had stumbled upon

deemed it his duty to report at once to the office instead of trying to do anything further on his own account and hurried away to catch the car downtown a man came up behind and fell into his own hurried gate to keep it to keep him to his own hurried gate to keep him pace with him. You've struck an exciting story, said Lawrence's voice. Yes, said Lion eagerly. His eagerness was more due to the pleasant surprise of having Lawrence single him out to walk with than to anything else. His secret hero worship had never brought him anything more than a friendly nod before. Are you going to write it up?

I'll have to report for instructions. they'll probably send someone else up to the station to follow matters up but perhaps the city editor will let me write up this part of it you have a good deal of responsibility said lawrence responsibility i mean in the way of influencing public opinion i have nothing to do but to tell the facts and there aren't many of them yet you have to select the facts to speak of," Lawrence said. He was keeping up with Lyon's quick pace, but his voice was so deliberate that it made Lyon unconsciously pull up. I suppose so. If you wanted to make a sensational report, for instance, you could work in the peaceful night and the deserted street and other things that really have no relation to the facts in such a way as to connect them in the public mind. Yes, I suppose so. That's what I meant about your responsibility, responsibility to the

public and responsibility to the individuals you may happen to work into your story. Lion nodded. He felt that there was something behind this, not yet clear to him. You were fortunate in being on the spot. You must have been the first man there. I was close behind you, I think. I was not far behind you when you came down Hemlock Avenue. Then suddenly, Lion understood. It was quite as though Lawrence had said, I hope you will not consider it necessary to mention that a minute or two after the time of the murder, you saw a woman running in terror from the spot and going into a house where I call. He had quite forgotten the running girl for the moment. Now the son, the son,

sudden bringing together of the two ideas staggered him there are things that once said can never be unsaid said lawrence yes that's why i am glad it has fallen into your hands to write it up instead of into the hands of some sensation monger who would not have the instinct of a gentleman about what to say and what to leave unsaid by the way it was you who identified the man as fullerton wasn't it yes said lion slowly he recalled the fixed look that lawrence had bent upon the body in silence it was impossible that he had not recognized his enemy in the dead man why had he held back the natural impulse to speak his name i'll look for your report with interest and by the way don't you lunch at the tillamook club look me up some day i'm usually there between one and two glad to have seen you good-night lion found that story more difficult to write up than he had anticipated end of chapter two chapter three of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this libervox according is in the public domain chapter three to say that waynescott was amazed on the appearance of the news the next morning would be to put it mildly that a prominent lawyer should be found dead in the best residence quarter of the city at the early hour of ten, and that the police authority should

have nothing to offer, was enough to set the whole city talking. Fullerton had not been particularly popular, but he was a man of Mark. A bachelor, he had lived at a fashionable apartment house, the Wellington. He had no family, no intimate friends, and there were men at his club who would not play with him, but still he was a personage. the city buzzed with the decorous joy of discussing a full-fledged sensation of its own was it murder was it an accident had he any personal enemies was it highway robbery what were the police good for anyhow the result of the coroner's inquest was awaited with the keenest interest the body had been taken to the morgue and the inquest was held there the next day the significant testimony as it was sifted out was as follows dunahue the police officer was called first he testified that he had been at the corner of oak and grant streets when he heard the court-house clock strike the quarter before ten

he had walked down oak street one block at a slow pace and had turned south on sherman street when his attention was caught by a gray something on the ground at the edge of the sidewalk at first he thought it was a large dog then as he walked toward it he saw that it was a man fallen against the curbing he touched him lifted his head and found that the man was not drunk but dead he had heard no outcry no disturbance no sound of running after satisfying himself that the man was dead he had blown his whistle to call the officer on the next beat and had sent him to telephone for the person for the point he had sent him to telephone for the person for the patrol wagon. The first person who came up was Mr. Lion, but there soon was a crowd about them. Did you recognize the body as Mr. Fullerton? The county attorney asked. Not just at first, Donahue answered, with some hesitation. Did you know him by sight? Yes, sir. Yet you did not recognize him. It was his coat. He didn't have that gray coat on, usually, not when I saw him before that evening.

When and where did you see him before that evening? I was coming up Oak Street past the Wellington, and I saw Mr. Fullerton come out with a lady. They walked so slow that I passed them. Mr. Fullerton wore a long, loose, black topcoat. I noticed because he had both his hands stuck in his pockets, so when I found the man in a gray coat, it threw me off. Afterwards, Donahue hesitated again

over his astonishing conclusion. Afterwards we found that he had his black coat on wrong side out. The inside was gray. The overcoat was brought out for the jury and examined. It was a long, loose garment,

black on the outside, gray on the inner. Though not intended for reversible wearing, it was obvious that it could have been easily turned. The question that it once occurred to every listener was whether the garment had been turned by Fullerton himself, or whether it had been hastily and carelessly put on him by someone else after he had fallen unconscious.

This was obviously in the examiner's mind when he asked next, Was the overcoat buttoned when you came upon him? No, it was open. how is the body lying in a heap as though his knees had crumpled up under him officer did you see no one on the street from the time you left oak street and grant street until you found the body no one but mr lawrence it's a quiet neighborhood when and where did you see mr lawrence on grant street going toward hemlock avenue he passed me while i was standing on the corner just before you left the corner maybe ten minutes before if you had walked straight down grant street to hemlock avenue down hemlock avenue down hemlock avenue to sherman street and up Sherman Street to the spot where the body was found, how long would it have taken you to get there?

Dunahue considered carefully before he answered, About seven minutes. Was Mr. Lawrence walking rapidly? You might call it so. Officer, you spoke of seeing a lady with Mr. Fullerton when he left the Wellington earlier in the evening. Did you recognize the lady? No, sir.

I did not see her face. She wore a veil. Did you notice anything else about her, or her dress? She wore a short, fur coat, and a muff. Her dress was dark. I noticed as I passed by that she was crying under her veil, sort of sobbing to herself. That made me look sharp.

Mr. Fullerton was walking kind of swaggering with his hand, in his pockets would you know the lady if you saw her again if she wore the same clothes i might donahue answered somewhat doubtfully the physician dr sperry who had pronounced fullerton dead was next called he testified that he was returning from the concert and was on hemlock avenue when he heard the police whistle when he saw the crowd gathered on sherman street he had thought that he had thought that he was returning from the concert and was on hemlock avenue when he heard the police whistle when he saw the crowd gathered on sherman street he had thought thought someone might be hurt and had gone up to offer his professional assistance. He had found the man dead, with the mark of a severe blow on his temple. Dr. Sperry, will you describe the appearance of the wound? It was a bruise rather than a wound. The temple was indented, showing that the delicate bone there had been crushed in.

The skin was broken and the blood had oozed down the left side of the face. should you say that it was the mark of a heavy blow yes or a swinging blow it was undoubtedly made by some dull instrument heavy enough to crush and yet with a metallic edge that cut the skin sharply would such a blow cause death at once instantaneously can you say how long the man had been dead not less than ten minutes, not more than half an hour. After an intimation that Dr. Sperry would be recalled later, Lyon was called. Lion had made no mention of the running girl in his report for the news, but he foresaw that the matter would come out in his examination, and he hastily resolved that there was one point of information which he would not volunteer, the house which she had entered. Let them ask him if they wanted to get at that.

He testified, in answer to the preliminary questions, that he was returning from the concert and was on Hemlock Avenue between Sherman and Hooker Street when he heard the policeman's whistle and ran back to see what the disturbance was. You had passed the corner of Sherman Street a few minutes before? Yes. And you saw nothing unusual?

I saw a man's muffler on the ground. I have turned it over to the officers. The muffler was produced and examined. At one place the folds were stiff and matted together. The jury examined the stain. Was this spot wet when you picked the muffler up? I did not notice. Did you see anyone on the street?

While I was farther up on Hemlock Avenue, I noticed a woman running across the street. How is she dressed? I was too far away to see. Did she wear a veil? I think not. I could not swear to it, however. Did you see Mr. Lawrence? No, not until I saw him in the crowd afterwards. I believe it was you who first identified the body?

Yes. Was Mr. Lawrence present when you did so? Yes. Did you see him examine the body? I did not see him touch it. Was he near enough to identify the body? He was near enough so far as that goes. He did not volunteer any information

as to who the dead man was, though he was near enough to recognize him, and presumably must have recognized him? I did not hear him say anything. Was the light sufficiently bright to enable you to see clearly? It was rather a shadowy spot. There are lamps at the corners of the block only.

We were standing about the middle of the block. The next witness sprung the surprise of the day. He was a boy of 18, Ed Kenyon by name, who had been attracted by the quickly spreading report of a murder. Asked to tell his story, he said, After the rest of the crowd had gone home, some of us fellows thought we would hunt for the murderer, so we made up a party and looked in all the alleys and went through some of the backyards around there. Right across the street, from where the body was found, there is a vacant, lot. It is a good deal lower than the sidewalk, and there is a fence at the inside edge of the

walk to keep people from falling off. We looked over the fence, and we could see that the snow had been tramped down, as though there had been a scrap or something. So we jumped in and explored for what we could find. When you were down inside the lot, there is a hole under the sidewalk, and we found this poked in behind some weeds in the hole and he produced two pieces of a broken cane lion happened to glance at lawrence at that moment and he was startled by the look he surprised there in an instant it was banished and lawrence's face was as noncommittal as impassive as any in the room but lion watching him now in wonder felt that the passivity was fixed there by a conscious effort of the will. The county attorney then recalled Dr. Sperry. In your opinion, could the fatal blow have been struck by an instrument as this cane?

It would be quite possible. Would such a blow be apt to break the cane? That would depend on how it was held. Will you examine the gold knob at the end of this piece and say whether you see anything to indicate that such a blow is actually struck with it? There are a few short hairs caught by a rough place where the metal is joined in the wood. They look matted. It would require a scientific examination to determine whether that is blood or not.

Arthur Lawrence was then called. Do you recognize this cane, Mr. Lawrence? Yes, it is mine. My name is engraved around the gold top. Will you inform the jury when you last had it in your possession? I regret to say I cannot. I lost the cane some time ago. When and how did you lose it?

That I cannot say. I suppose I must have forgotten it somewhere. I simply know that I have not had it in my possession for some little time. I had missed it, but I had missed it, but I had a lot of it. supposed it would eventually turn up and be returned to me as my name was on it. Please search your memory, Mr. Lawrence, as to the last time you had it in your possession. Lawrence looked thoughtful. I remember that I had it last Wednesday when I was in the State Library because I used it to reach a book on the top shelf. Did you leave it there?

I am under the impression that I took it away with the... me, but I have a careless habit of forgetting canes and umbrellas, and I had an exciting debate with Mr. Fullerton just before I left the room. With Warren Fullerton? Yes. Did you leave the library with him? No, I left alone. He was still there.

You were on Sherman Street last night? Yes. Will you give an account of your mother? movements. I was coming down Hemlock Avenue. One moment. Where were you coming from? I had been out for a tramp and was coming back. I had not been anywhere in particular. How long had you been tramping? Lawrence seemed to consider his answer before he spoke. Something over an hour, he said. Were you alone all that time? yes did you see anyone to speak to i spoke to officer donahue as i was coming back i don't remember noticing anyone else on my walk

you may resume your account you say you were coming down hemlock avenue i was midway between grant and sherman streets when i heard the policeman's whistle and i ran down to sherman street to see what the trouble was did you see mr lyon on hemlock avenue yes where was he he was going down the street ahead of me mr lyon has testified that he was between sherman and hooker streets when the whistle was heard that would put him nearly a block ahead of you did you identify him at that distance he was not so far away when i first saw him where was he when you first saw him on hemlock avenue between grant and sherman streets then you stood still practically while he walked a block he was certainly walking at a faster pace was there anyone else on the street i saw no one except the girl who ran across hemlock avenue of whom mr lyon spoke can you describe her no i was farther from her than lion was when you heard the policeman's whistle did you go at once to the spot no i paid no attention to it at first afterwards when i saw a crowd was gathering i fell in with the rest to see what had happened did you recognize the body when you came up yes did you have any reason for refraining from so stating i was shocked and startled to see who the man was i had no definite reason either for speaking or for silence

what were your personal relations with mr fullerton we were not friendly when did you speak to him last yesterday morning in the court-house what was the nature of your conversation at that time it was of rather a violent nature said Lawrence with the slightest drawl I had occasion to slap his face the boys who had been with Ed Kenyon were called to corroborate his story of finding the broken cane Lawrence had changed his seat and now sat beside lion he gave no sign of recognition at first but after a few minutes when there was a buzz of talk in the room he turned to lion and said with a casual air that could not conceal his intention you see what this is leading to they will arrest me for the murder before i leave the room don't answer me only listen and remember i am going to ask you to do me a favor the very greatest favor than any living man could do me i want you to go to the house that girl entered and tell her that i am sending her word by you to you to you to be keep from speaking of this affair. Make her understand that she must volunteer no information, make no explanation, say nothing, no matter what happens. She will hear of my arrest. Make her understand that arrest is a long way off from conviction. Make that as strong as you

can. Tell her that no jury in the world would convict on such evidence. Make light of the whole thing as much as possible, but tell her that I implore and entreat. I would use a stronger word if I dared, that she say nothing to anyone at any time in regard to this whole matter. To you I will say, and remember this, that I would rather die than to have her name entangled in this affair in any manner. I'll make a fight for it first, of course, but literally I would rather go through with it to the bitter end than to have her life darkened by any shadow, and this would be a shadow that could never be lifted.

If I could speak more strongly, I would. I am trusting this to you because I must get word to her at once and convincingly, and I dare not write, and because I believe you are my friend. Her name is Edith Walcott. And before a lion could frame any answer, Lawrence had slightly moved his position again so as to put a space between them.

Lion listened to the remaining testimony with attentive ears but a throbbing brain. He had been suddenly swept into the very center of the mystery. He knew no more than before, but knowledge was all around him, pressing against the thin walls of his ignorance. His own sheer in the evening's events suddenly became significant. significant. Lawrence had made no mistake in choosing his envoy. Neither had he made any mistake in his diagnosis of the situation. Before he left the room, he had been arrested for the murder of Warren Fullerton. End of Chapter 3. Chapter 4 of the Hemlock Avenue mystery. This Librevox recording

is in the public domain. Chapter 4. Percy Lyon had a natural gift for human nature, as some people have for music or for mechanics. Unconsciously and instinctively, he could read character, and as with all instinctive knowledge, he was utterly unable to say how he reached his conclusions. His judgment had so often proved to be truer than appearances that it had surprised even himself. His success in his newspaper work depended almost wholly upon this gift. in news as news he had little interest and he often chafed at the routine drudgery of his assignments but when his work was to write up some one whether it was a drunken tramp arrested for disorderly conduct a visiting diplomat surrounded with mystery and red tape a famous actress or an infamous trust president he was in his element he would sit and look at his victim with quiet dreaming eyes

listened with sympathetic attention to whatever he might say and then go away and write up a sketch that would reveal the inner life of his subject's mind in a manner that was sometimes startling to the man himself who told you that how did you find that out was frequently asked and lion would laugh and pass it off as a joke or if pressed would probably answer why i don't know that's what i should do or for feel or think if i were in his place i got that impression about him that's all but the point was that the impressions he received were so apt to be psychologically correct that it seemed almost uncanny it was something like clairvoyance as he turned away from the inquest to carry out the mission that had so unexpectedly been entrusted to him he felt perfectly convinced in his own mind of lawrence's innocence In spite of the quarrel in the morning, with its proof of Lawrence's temper and Fullerton self-control, in spite of the damning fact that Lawrence's cane, broken and hidden, would appear to be the instrument with which the fatal blow was struck, in spite of the curious fact that Lawrence had held his peace, when he must have recognized the dead man, lion found himself inwardly committed to the faith that Lawrence was not directly involved.

he faced and set aside as simply unexplained the fact of lawrence's presence in the neighborhood by dunahue's testimony lawrence was going in the direction of the tragedy about half an hour before the body was discovered by lion's own knowledge lawrence must have been behind him on hemlock avenue as he came down that block else how had he too seen the running girl in other words he had he too seen the running girl in other words he had spent half an hour loitering on the street of a winter night with an a compass of two blocks of course the mystery involved the girl for whose good name he was so deeply concerned how she was involved he could not even hazard a guess until he should have seen her did lawrence entertain the thought that she was involved in the affair in any other way than a possible witness if she was merely a disinterested witness would he have felt bound at such cost to keep her from being called upon lion felt that was a forced explanation no lawrence must either know or believe that the girl was vitally connected with the murder nothing else would explain his anxiety on her behalf now who was the girl it was luck and great luck that he had so good a justification for calling as otherwise he would have been forced to invent an occasion it was beyond all reason to expect him to relinquish the pursuit of such a clue he made his way at once to the house where he had seen lawrence call his ring was answered by an elderly servant slow and stiff in her movements

lion recalled with a smile his fancy that the running girl might possibly be the maid hurrying to conceal the tardy return to the house this woman could not run for a fire is miss wolcott at home he asked the woman looked dubious and discouraging i'll see she said please tell her that i will detain her only a moment but that i have a very important message for her lion said, giving the girl his card, and quietly forcing his way past her into the reception room. The old servant went slowly upstairs, and Lion took a swift survey of the room in which he was left, striving to guess the character of the owners. Books, pictures, flowers, all betokened, refined, and gentle ways of living. Unpretentious as it was, this was evidently the home of cultured people. a slow step was heard in the hall and an old man came to the door of the drawing-room and looked in at lyon with a mingling of mild dignity and childlike friendliness that was peculiarly attractive i thought i heard some one come in he said with obvious pleasure at finding his guest right did you come to see my granddaughter i have sent up my card to miss wolcott lion answered

she is my granddaughter didn't you know the old gentleman asked in surprise i am aaron wolcott you know maybe you are a stranger in way scott yes i am a good deal of a stranger yet what is your name may i ask percy lyon the old gentleman took a chair opposite and regarded him with cheerful interest i am pleased to meet you mr lyon my granddaughter will be down soon eliza our old servant is slow because she has rheumatism she's getting old but that isn't a crime is it i'll be getting old sometime myself i suppose but i've got all my faculties yet thank heaven have you lived in this house long lion asked i built this house twenty-five years ago for my son edith's father you know there have been many changes many changes he died when he was thirty and his young wife followed him and left the baby edith and me alone together there's something wrong when young people die and old people are left we should not outlive our children do you mean that you live here utterly alone with your granddaughter asked lyon quickly this was significant except for eliza eliza is a good servant edith isn't much of a housekeeper she doesn't care for anything but her music but she's a good girl edith is do you wish to see me a cool low voice asked at the door lion rose to his feet and bowed if you are miss walcott i have a message for you he said

and by a pause he conveyed to her the idea that the message was for her alone miss walcott regarded him for a moment with an observant scrutiny which she made no attempt to disguise and then she returned to her grandfather it is time for your walk dandy she said she got him his overcoat hat and stick from the hall and herself buttoned his coat up to his throat you see how she spoils me mr wolcott said with evident pride in his voice i'm old enough to look out for myself edith did not speak in grave silence she gave him his gloves and watched him put them on while lying as intently watched her. She was a tall girl of perhaps twenty-five, with eyes of midnight blackness, broad black eyebrows that drooped in straight heavy lines toward her temples,

and black hair that was drawn in smooth broad bands at the side of her head to repeat the drooping line of her brows. Her mouth drooped too, in lines too firm to be called pensive, too proud to be sad. altogether it was a face of mystery, a face not easily read, but not the less powerful in its attraction. Lion had a swift comprehension of Lawrence's feeling.

If this woman was in any way connected with the murder, the matter was serious as well as delicate. Lyon's pulses began to tingle as a hunters do when he sees a mysterious track which he does not understand. She let her grandfather out at the front door and then came back to the room where Lion was waiting. Calmly seating herself, she bent an inquiring and unsmiling look upon him. It struck him that she had shown nothing of her grandfather's tendency to unnecessary words. I have come at the request of Mr. Lawrence, who wished me to bring you a message, Lion said. There was something like a flash of light in her. shadowy eyes, but whether it meant eagerness or anger, love or hate, lion could not say.

She bent that same intent unsmiling regard upon him, with only a deepening of its intentness, as though waiting for his next word with held breath. Mr. Lawrence considered it important that I should see you personally and at once, since he could not come himself to explain his reasons for what may sound like an extraordinary request, he went on deliberately. She moved restlessly. I have not seen Mr. Lawrence since... Lyon interrupted. Pardon me. May I give you the message before you say anything more? Mr. Lawrence has been arrested on the charge of killing Warren Fullerton.

Oh, heavens! Has it come to that? The girl gasped with horror on her face. Lion raised a warning hand. and his urgent request to you is that you refrain from giving any information which you may possess in regard to the matter to any one that of course includes myself miss walcott was holding fast to the arms of the chair and her pallor seemed to have deepened visibly for she did not lose herself control for a moment lion would have given much to be able to tell whether the feeling which she obviously held back from expression was a moment fear or concern or contempt you of course saw the account of the murder in the morning papers he continued deeming it advisable to put her in possession of the situation as fully as possible the inquest was held to-day and mr lawrence has been taken into custody merely on suspicion of course it is known that he had had a quarrel with mr fullerton and his broken cane was found in the neighborhood miss wolcott's intense eyes seemed trying to drag out his words faster than he could utter them but she asked no questions this means that he will be held for the action of the grand jury which will meet in about two weeks of course he will have an attorney to present his case you are not to think that his arrest necessarily means anything worse than the necessity of making his innocence as obvious to the world at large as it is now to his friends

but in the meantime his great and immediate anxiety was that you should be warned to say nothing about the whole matter frankly miss wolcott i don't know whether your silence is to protect him or to protect some one else but i do know that he was profoundly in earnest of hoping that you would preserve that silence unbroken as long as possible what do you mean by as long as possible she asked slowly if you should be summoned as a witness at the trial you will of course have to tell everything within your knowledge connected with the affair she frowned thoughtfully am i likely to be summoned as a witness she asked that will depend on whether the prosecuting attorney or mr lawrence's attorney gets an idea that you have any information in your possession which will help his side of the case she sat very still with downcast eyes for a long moment lion made a movement of rising and she checked him one moment when the trial comes off will there be any way of my knowing how it is going it will be fully reported in the papers you could be present in the court-room if you think it advisable i will think of it she said quietly then her splendid selenid control wavered for a moment. If I should feel that I had to talk to someone to understand things, would you, might I... May I come occasionally to tell you of any new developments?

Lyon asked simply. Thank you, it will be kind of you. I shall be very glad to keep you informed. And then he added deliberately, intending that however much she might veil her own sympathy, there should be no doubt in her mind as to his position i am a friend of mr lawrence's that is why he entrusted me with this word for you she bowed somewhat distantly without speaking and lion left when he got outside he allowed himself to indulge in a moment of puzzled and half-reluctant admiration what superb nerve her connection with this mysterious case was evidently a close and vital one, yet she had held herself so well in hand that it was impossible for him to say now, after this momentous interview, whether her sympathies were with Lawrence or not. She had most completely understood and heeded his injunction to keep silence at any

rate. Was the injunction needed in the face of such self-control? What was it that lay behind that shield? Lion felt as though his hand. were being bound by invisible bands, and he had a frantic desire to break his way clear and force away to an understanding of things. Turning a corner, he came upon the old grandfather, taking his leisurely constitutional in the sun, and instantly he realized that Providence had placed in his hands

the means of removing some of his assorted varieties of ignorance. If it is Providence who helps a man when he is trying to peer into his neighbor's business. There may be a difference in the point of view as to that. With a surreptitious glance at his watch, he fell into step beside Mr. Walcott. Your quiet neighborhood has made itself rather notorious, he began, at a safe distance from his objective point. I suppose he first learned of the murder through the papers this morning, or did you hear the excitement last night?

i heard the grocer boy telling eliza this morning mr wolcott answered i don't read the paper very much my eyesight is all right my faculties are as good as ever but they print the papers in such fine type nowadays i don't care to read them well miss wolcott would surely have read it and noticed about the murder she wouldn't talk about it of course it is not a pleasant thing to talk about that isn't all you see edith was engaged to marry that mr fullerton at one time really this was so startling a piece of information that lion stopped short in his surprise trying to fit it into its place with the other things he knew or guessed really don't let on i told you said the old gentleman confidentially edith doesn't like to have me talk about her affairs but that's the reason she is so strange to-day maybe you didn't notice but she was very quiet all day do you think that she cared for him still demanded lion oh no no that's all past but it must have given her a queer feeling to have him killed so near her own door. No, she didn't care for him. If he had died in some other way, I think she would have been glad. I'm not sure she isn't glad as it is, though maybe she was a little scared to have

her wish come true. It is kind of awful to have something up there take you at your word. What makes you think that she would be glad? Oh, I see things, if I am old. doesn't think I notice, but I know more things about than she guesses. She said once that she wished he was dead. I heard her. Really? How was that? I had gone to sleep on the couch in the library. Not really asleep, of course, but I was lying down to rest my eyes for a moment, and Edith didn't know I was there. I woke up and saw her standing by the window looking out, and she was so excited that

she was talking aloud to herself. She threw up both hands, like this, and said aloud, I wish to heaven you were dead, dead, dead. Then she ran out of the room like a whirlwind, and I got up and looked out of the window. Mr. Fullerton was standing on the sidewalk, looking up at the house. He touched his hat when he saw me, and smiled a nasty, sarcastic kind of smile and walked off. When was this? Maybe two weeks ago. Did you ever speak of it to anyone?

Never, not a word, not to anybody except Lawrence. Oh, you told Arthur Lawrence? Yes, you see, I like Lawrence, and I thought it was just as well to let him know that there wasn't anything between Edith and Fullerton any longer. I haven't forgotten about such things, even if I am getting to be an old man. You see, if Lawrence heard about that old engagement of Edith's, it might make him hold off, so I just thought I'd let him know there wasn't anything to it now.

It was all off. What did Mr. Lawrence say? Not much, but he made me tell him again just what she said and what she did. I guess he was glad to have the... the old man tell him all right. You know Arthur Lawrence pretty well, don't you? Lyon asked abruptly. The old gentleman chuckled.

Oh, yes, I don't have much chance to forget Mr. Lawrence. Of course it isn't me that he comes to see, but still he's very civil to the old grandfather. A deal more civil than Mr. Fullerton ever was, by the same token. Edith was well off with that old man. love before she was on with the new. Lion was certainly getting more than he had expected. There was not much mystery now about the significance of Fullerton's slur on Lawrence

for following in his footsteps, or about Lawrence's resentment. He was so absorbed in his own speculations on the subject that Mr. Walcott had twice repeated a question before he heard it. Do you know if Mr. Lawrence is out of town? No, he is here. He said Sunday he would bring me some new cigars the next time he came. I thought he might come last night, but he didn't. For that matter, Edith wasn't at home last night.

Maybe he knew she wouldn't be. But she didn't tell me she was going to be out. Indeed? No, she didn't, but I found it out. Even if my own eyes are not as young as they were. were, I can see things that are right under my nose. Edith said she had a headache and would have to go to her room instead of playing cribbage with me.

So I had to play solitaire, and I don't like to play solitaire of an evening. When I was young, the evening was always the time for society, and I'm not so old that I want to be poked off in a corner to play solitaire. So I went to her room about ten o'clock to see if her head was better. we could have had a game of cribbage yet well she wasn't there she had gone out without saying a word to me and while i was looking around she came in by the side door and came up the back stairs i asked her where in the world she had been at that time of the night and she never answered just went into her room and locked the door now do you think that is a proper way for a young woman to treat her elders when i was young we didn't dare to treat our elders in that way i am sure you didn't said lion soothingly and do you think it was proper for her to be out so late at night without saying anything to any one in the house i am sure miss wolcott will be worried if you stay out so long said lion evasively she'll blame me for keeping you talking good-bye i am very glad to have met you

some evening you must let me come and play a game of cribbage with you he turned to leave him and then with a sudden second thought he came back tell miss walcott that i fell in with you and that we had a pleasant chat he said he had sufficient confidence in miss wolcott's discretion by this time to feel sure the message would set her to investigating the nature of the conversation and possibly she would know how to sequestrate or suppress her garrulous relative until the peculiar circumstances of that evening should have faded out of his memory the circumstances were so peculiar that lyon could not help feeling it was fortunate that he and not some police officer for instance, had received the old gentleman's confidences. End of Chapter 4. Chapter 5 of the Helmlock Avenue mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 5

Lion went straight to the jail to report to Lawrence. He had little difficulty in securing admittance, for the sheriff was sufficiently pliable, and Lawrence sufficiently important, to permit a softening of the rigors of prison discipline in his case. His arrest might indeed be considered merely a detention on suspicion until the grand jury had formally indicted him, and the sheriff had evidently considered that his duty was filled

by ensuring his safety without undue severity. The room was guarded without and barred within, but in itself it was more an austerely furnished bedroom than, a cell, and Lawrence had more the air of a host receiving his guests than a prisoner. That, however, it was Lawrence's way. It would have taken more than a stone wall and a locked door to force humiliation upon him. He tossed circumstances aside like impertinent meddlers, and scarcely condescended to be aware of their futile attempts to hamper him. At the moment he was in consultation with his attorney, Howell,

or rather Howell was trying to hold a consultation with him, and, judging by his looks, not very successfully. It is unfortunate that your memory should be so curiously unequal, Howell said dryly as Lion entered. If it is equal to the occasion, that's sufficient, Lawrence said carelessly. Don't you be putting on airs with me, Howell. I'm your associate counsel in this affair.

You go and see if you can get me out on bail, and then we'll talk some more. Hello, there's Lion of the News. At last I have attained to a distinction I have secretly longed for all my life. I am going to be interviewed. If he succeeds in getting any really valuable information out of you, I'll take him on for associate counsel, grumbled Howell,

as he gathered up his papers and took his departure. Well, demanded Lawrence the instant they were alone. His Celtic blue eyes were snapping with impatience. I delivered your message. Judging from the balance of our interview, your hint was accepted. Lawrence laughed. He threw himself down in his chair and laughed with a keen appreciation. of the situation suggested by Lyon's words,

and a sudden relaxation of his nervous tension that struck Lyon as significant. "'Come, you might tell me something more, considering,' he said. "'There isn't much that I know,' said Lyon, but he understood very well what it was that Lawrence wanted, and he went over his interview with a good deal of detail. Lawrence sat silent, listening, with his hand, hiding his mouth, and his eyes veiled by their drooping lids. At the end he drew a long breath

and slowly stretched his arms above his head. Well, that's all right, and you're a jewel of an ambassador, he said. Then suddenly he pushed the whole subject away with an airy wave of his hand. You are here on professional business, I suppose. Are you going to write up my picturesque appearance in my barren cell, or do you want my opinion of Yates's poetry, or on the defects of the jury system? By Joe of old man, you'd have to hunt hard to ask for something that I wouldn't give you. I am very glad you gave me the opportunity, said Lyon simply. Then he hesitated. He had an instinctive feeling that, as a mere ambassador, he must not presume to assert any personal interest in the situation.

and yet he felt there was something which Lawrence might consider important in the old gentleman's revelation. Of course he could not repeat the whole of that conversation. That, luckily, was not necessary. But if he might venture on the friendly interest which he really felt, he must mention one item. I met Miss Wolcott's grandfather, he said, with the casual air of one who is filling in a conversational, break. He inquired if you were in town, said he had expected you to call him Monday night,

but supposed perhaps you had not done so because you knew Miss Wolcott was to be out. Lawrence looked up sharply. He said that, did he? Yes. He seems to be cherishing a grievance, because she had gone without notifying him, and because she let herself in by the side door when she returned at ten o'clock. Lawrence looked at him with concentrated gaze. I wonder to how many people he has confided his grievance, he said slowly. He doesn't see very many people, and he is apt to forget things in time. We'll have to hope for the best.

Here's to his poor memory. If the subject isn't revived, but I gathered that he doesn't read the papers, No, his eyesight is really very bad, though of course he won't admit it. If worst came to worst, I mean if his testimony came into the case, it would not be difficult to cast some uncertainty on the time. He couldn't read the face of a watch, I feel sure. Then here's to his poor eyes, said Lion with a smile. And Lawrence laughed and shook hands with him,

with a tacit acceptance of his partisanship that bound lion to him more strongly than any formal words could have done indeed when lion went away he considered himself pledged heart and soul to lawrence's cause no henchmen in the days of chivalry ever felt a more passionate throb of devotion to an unfortunate chieftain than this quiet self-effacing young reporter felt for the brilliant and audacious man who who was so evidently determined to play a lone hand against fate this feeling was in no respect lessened by the possibility which he had been forced to consider that lawrence might in fact be much more nearly involved than he had at first supposed men had been swept away from the moorings of convention and morality by the passions of love and hate ever since the world began and lawrence for all his breeding and gentleness was a man of vital passions no one could know him at all and fail to recognize that and he had loved miss wolcott and hated fullerton that was clear but the question of whether he was in fact guilty or innocent was merely secondary the first question for lyon as for any true and loyal clansman it must always be was merely by what means and to what extent he could serve him. And that settled once and for all the question of his own obligation to speak. The cause of justice might demand that he should give Howell a hint as to important witnesses.

The language in which he mentally consigned the cause of justice to the scaffold was not exactly feminine, but the sentiment behind it was peculiarly and winningly feminine. If Lawrence wanted this thing, he should be a little. allowed to have it, and the cause of justice might go hang. At the same time, he was absorbed in a constant speculation on the facts of the case. The little light he had gained only made the darkness more visible. If Lawrence had indeed struck the fatal blow, how had it come about? Had he encountered Fullerton and Miss Wolcott together?

And had there been a sudden quarrel with this unexpected termination? then miss wolcott was the sole witness and lawrence's injunction to silence was easy enough to understand that was of course the most obvious explanation though on that theory it was hard to understand lawrence's amazement when his cane had been produced at the inquest on the other hand if lawrence's tale was true about his being behind lion on hemlock avenue then his persistently invasion of all really conclusive proof of his alibi must be due to his determination to shield miss walcott did he think it possible that she herself was the murderer it was necessary to consider even that possibility lion recalled the girl's sphinx-like composure and he was by no mean sure that it might not cover passional possibilities which could on occasion burst into devastating force she was the sort of woman who would be quite equal to taking the law into her own hands if she felt it expedient to do so lion knew the brooding type if for instance she loved lawrence and if she felt that fullerton stood between them and particularly if she had any cause for bitterness against fullerton which would make her feel that in slaying him she was an instrument of justice well tragedies were happening every day that were no more difficult of belief she was not an ordinary woman and when a woman breaks through the lines of convention she will go farther than a man

She had had a grudge against Fullerton. She had prayed for his death. She had been on the spot when he was killed. Whether she struck the blow herself or not, it was clear that her connections with the affair was intimate. If she was the woman Donahue had seen in Fullerton's company when they left the Wellington together, it would seem that she had been agitated to the point of sobbing aloud

as she walked beside him. Any emotion that could reduce Miss Wolcott to sobs must have been powerful. All this Lawrence knew as well as Lion, but it was conceivable that he knew more. Had he been a witness of the murder, if not an actor in it? How had his cane come to be on the spot unless he had been there himself? And the fact that Fullerton's overcoat had been turned seems to indicate a deliberate attempt at concealment. which did not accord with the girl's frantic flight from the spot someone else had been involved in that someone with steady nerves and a cool head in all the uncertainty the one thing clear was that lawrence had been so concerned about protecting the girl that he had almost seemed to invite rather than to repel suspicion whether the grand jury would consider the evidence against him as strong enough to warrant an indictment

remained to be seen but if it did not it would not be because of any effort on lawrence's own part that unfortunate public quarrel in the court-house was a serious complication and since the murder that point had been much before the public half a dozen different versions had been given by as many positive eyewitnesses that they differed so widely in detail only made the public more certain that there must have been given by as many positive eyewitnesses that they differed so widely in detail only made the public more certain that there must have been something very serious in it. The wiseacres who had prophesied that something would come of it took credit to themselves. It was merely from curiosity, and with no idea of the discovery he was about to make, that Lion went to Hemlock Avenue that evening at ten to retrace the course he had taken the night before. He wanted to fix the scene in his memory definitely, and to take note of what he had seen and what he might have seen if he had looked. He stopped at the place where he had seen the running girl and looked about.

Certainly she had come from Sherman Street, and, cutting diagonally across Hemlock Avenue, had crossed the field of his vision squarely. He shut his eyes for an instant to recall the scene. She ran well. He could see now that swift, sure, flight. Was it possible that the statuesque Miss Wolcott could ever forget herself in that Diana-like run? Somehow the picture, as he now looked at it, was not like Miss Wolcott. It was

liether, quicker than he could imagine her. Yet there was no question about her running in at the Wolcott house. Stay, was he so sure of that? He had not seen her enter. She had had simply run in by the walk that led to the side door. Could she have gone through the Wolcott yard on her way elsewhere? If the running girl was not, in fact, Miss Wolcott, then his whole theory fell down. Trusting to luck and the inspiration of the moment, if he should be challenged,

Lion coolly followed the concrete walk past the side door into the Wolcott backyard. It was a 60-foot lot, running back about a hundred feet. At the front it was unfenced and open to the street, but at the back and on the two sides' back of the rear lines of the houses, it was enclosed by a close board wall six feet high. By the posts and the clothes line here,

it was evident that the backyard was consecrated to Eliza and Wash Day. So far as might be seen, there was no gate at, in the enclosing wall? Was there an alley beyond, or did this lot abut on the lot which faced on the next street south? Locust. Lion felt that might be an important question, and he went down to the corner of the lot and pulled himself up by his hands to look over the top of the wall. He satisfied himself of two points, that there was no alley between this lot and the adjoining one, and that the board which he had laid his hand upon was not firm. He bent down to examine it. It was a broad board near the left corner of the wall.

It was fastened to the upper crosspiece of the fence by a single large spike, and the lower end was unnailed. The effect of this was that while it hung straight in its place, so long as it was untouched, the lower end could be easily swung on that upper spike as a pivot, leaving a triangular aperture at the bottom quite large enough for a slender person to squeeze through. To test it, Lion pulled himself through and swung the board back into its place. He found himself in a large enclosed space, boarded in on all sides except the front, where a high wire fence separated it from the street.

a certain astonishment lion recognized his surroundings he was in the enclosed grounds of miss elliott's private school for girls on locust avenue a highly select and exclusive establishment was it as easy to get out as to get in he hesitated a moment before deciding on further explorations but the trees in the yard gave him the aid of convenient shadows and he cautiously followed the wall around the lot, trying each board. There were no more secret panels. Everything was as firm as it looked. He had thought to get out by the gate on Locust Avenue, for it somehow touched his dignity to crawl out by that little hole that it admitted him. But to his surprise he found that the wire fence, which enclosed the lot on the front, came up to the house itself in such a way that no exit could be made on that side except through the house. Moreover, the fence was too high to jump, even for him. Emboldened by the fact that the house was as entirely dark as though it were vacant, Lion made another and even more careful examination of the enclosing wall. There was no break, and he was forced to make his

way out as he had come in by Miss Wolcott's backyard. He regained, he regained. the open street with a tingling pulse. Perhaps his discovery meant nothing, but perhaps it meant everything. It might enable him in time to tell Lawrence that the running girl was not Edith Walcott. The sudden recognition of that possibility excited him keenly.

Could it be that Lawrence had mistakenly jumped to the same conclusion that he had? Were Lawrence and Miss Walcott both keeping silence, each to shield the other, while the guilty person made her escape through the sacred precincts of Miss Elliot's select school? He would interview Miss Elliot tomorrow. End of Chapter 5. Chapter 6 of the Hemlock Avenue mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 6

It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day before a lyrvok. Lion found it possible to carry out his plan to interview Miss Elliot. As he approached the select school on Locust Avenue, he noticed a doctor's runabout fastened before the door, and as he came up, a young physician whom he knew well, Dr. Barry, came down the steps. Lion had often found it useful to assume a curiosity when he had it not, and he at once seized his opportunity. How is your patient?

he asked with an assured air what do you know about my patient barry asked in obvious surprise lion in fact knew so little that he deemed it advisable to answer this question with another will she be able to see me you newspaper men beat the devil how did you find out she was here she particularly wanted to keep it quiet miss elliot called me in with as much secrecy in mr as though her guests were a royalty traveling incognito, and here I find you on the steps ready to interview her for the benefit of the whole public. You don't understand, said Lyon quietly. The only way to keep things out of the newspapers is to take the newspaper men into your confidence.

By the way, is her ailment serious? Puzzling. Disordered state of the nerves, said Barry, frowning. Lion laughed. Don't put on professional airs with me. That's straight. It looks very much like nervous shock. I don't at all approve of her seeing visitors. Then why don't you forbid it? Fished Lion with curiosity.

I'm too young and she's too important, laughed Barry as he jumped into the runabout. I haven't the nerve to give orders to the wife of a multimillionaire. and he drove rapidly off lion rang the bell with a feeling of exhilaration he was making progress while the neat servant who answered his ring took his card to miss elliot lion waited in the reception room and hastily reviewed his facts the wife of a multi-millionaire traveling incognito and suffering from nervous shock how could he surprise miss elliott into giving him her name in a few minutes miss elliot stood before him looking from his card to him with a severe and discouraging air it was an air which lion had encountered before when pursuing the elusive interview i am not here in my professional capacity he said with a disarming smile i want to make some personal inquiries about your school in behalf of a friend in cleveland miss elliot softened this is not a very good time to see the school she said this is the thanksgiving vacation you know and the pupils and teachers have all gone home i didn't think of that when did they go the term closed last friday the pupils all scattered on saturday we resume class work next monday then you have been practically alone in the building with your servants this week lions

said, blandly. This was significant. The murder had taken place on Monday evening, and it was a big gain to know that he might eliminate a score of Miss Elliot's pupils from connection with the running girl. It seemed to make the problem much simpler. Might I look over the building? He asked as Miss Elliot responded to his last question with a somewhat chill bow. my friend will be interested in knowing the general plan of the school rooms i shall be glad to show them to you said miss elliott lion listened deferentially while miss elliott explained the uses of the various rooms through which she conducted him the building was a large square old-fashioned house the first floor of which contained miss elliott's own suite several large school rooms and in the rear some rooms into the room to which she did not take him and to which she vaguely referred to as my resident teacher's apartments lion guessed at once that this was where her distinguished guest was quartered a guess which was confirmed when the second story was thrown wholly open to him he took special note of the window fastenings and saw at once that it would be the simplest thing in the world to throw open a window and slip out into the large enclosed yard

your high wall suggests a convent school he said with a smile are your young ladies as carefully secluded as that wall would suggest that is one of the features of the school miss elliot said somewhat primly we aim to give the care and guidance of a home to our pupils during lesson hours and at all other hours they are safeguarded and are never unattended we know exactly where they are all the time and what they are doing a wise arrangement during the school year this large yard is our outdoor gymnasium the girls take their exercise here free from all observation there is no entrance to the grounds except through the house an admirable plan in fact your arrangements are also admirable that i do not wonder at the reputation which your school has achieved and the social atmosphere is i know of the best we are exceedingly particular about whom we admit conceded miss elliot with modest gratification oh i am aware of that and of your distinguished patronesses the name of the lady whom you are at present entertaining is alone a sufficient guarantee oh don't be afraid that i'm going to put an item about her in the paper a newspaper man respects confidences and i understand that she does not wish her presence here to be heralded abroad in fact i may say that professionally i am quite ignorant as to her presence here but personally and privately you understand and he smiled intelligently miss elliot bowed mrs wood's brought mrs woodsbroughton is an old personal friend she said simply she used to live in waynescott you know before her marriage there are so many people here who used to know her that she would have no chance for a quiet rest if it became known that she was here and she is very much in need of a quiet rest

Lyon looked sympathetic. Yes, a nervous shock, I understand from Dr. Barry. I hope she is improving. I think she is in better spirits than when she came, though any nervous disturbance is hard to understand. Will she remain after the school reopens? Necessarily for a while, she is not in condition to travel. Lyon left the building in so abstract at a state of

mind that he fairly ran into a man on the sidewalk. With a hasty-muttered apology, he hurried on. The discovery that the mysterious woman was Mrs. Woods Broughton was, in a way, staggering. As well, connect any other national celebrity with small local affairs. Mrs. Woods Broughton's name was known throughout the country, not only because of her husband's wealth and position, but because of the more or less romantic circumstances attending her marriage. She had been Mrs. Vanderberg when Broughton met her and fell in love with her, and everybody knew that the divorce, which she had procured shortly

afterwards, had been merely a preliminary to the brilliant wedding, which had set the newspapers agog. It had been a very decorous and unsensational divorce, without a breath of scandal, for Vanderberg had been an unknown quantity for so many years that no exception could be taken to the deserted wife's action in securing legal recognition of her practical and actual independence. Still, the need of securing a divorce might never have occurred to her if Woods Broughton had not come into her life. Lyon remembered the story in its general outline,

though he had forgotten that the scene of it was Weinscott. The papers had been featuring the wedding at the time he began his career as a reporter in Cleveland, and the whole affair had taken on a special and personal interest to him from the fact that about six weeks later he had himself met the divorced husband, Vanderberg, under dramatic circumstances. He had been traveling a long afternoon in Ohio and had struck up a traveling acquaintance with a clever, cynical, world-worn man in the smoking-car. Percy Lyon's experiences at that time had been somewhat limited, and he had never before encountered the particular variety of liveliness

which this sophisticated traveler afforded. He had apparently been in all quarters of the globe, and if his tales had something of a Munchausen quality, they were nonetheless entertaining for that. The interruption of his lords, Last tale had been tragic. There had been a sudden grinding of the wheels on the rails, a tearing crash, and then confusion, horrible and soul-shaking.

When Lion began to think consecutively again, he found that he was frantically tugging at the crushed seat which was pinning his companion to the floor of the overturned car. Help answered promptly to his shout, and they soon had the man out. But he was unconscious, and he was unconscious, and he was. and so badly hurt that the physician shook his head gravely. Better telegraph for his friends if you can find out who they are. Lion, in the absence of any closer acquaintance, had searched the unconscious man's pockets for a clue to his identity,

and in an inner pocket he found an old notebook with the name William H. Vanderberg written on the fly-leaf. The name had suggested nothing to his mind at the moment, and while he was looking further for an address, the man's eyes had opened slowly and taken the situation in with full intelligence. You have nothing to do with that book, he said harshly. If it's my name you are hunting for, Enoch Arden will do for my headstone. I have no friends to notify, and you will please be best if you bury me and forget about me, and particularly keep that name out of the papers.

i have a right but the effort was too much he gasped and fell back dead lion had been so impressed by the stranger's peculiar commanding personality that he had respected his wish to be left unidentified he considered that the bare accident that he had stumbled upon the man's real name did not justify him in disregarding the owner's wish to keep it concealed and he did not change his view when he saw the man's real name did not justify him in disregarding the owner's wish to keep it concealed and he did not change his view when he saw that a bunch of newspaper clippings, which had fallen out of the notebook, related to the divorce granted to Grace Vanderberg. Lyon reviewed the situation as fully as it was known to him. Mrs. Vanderberg had secured a legal separation in the courts and had married again. The decree was based on the representation that William H. Vanderberg had deserted his wife and had been unheard of for over twelve years. Whether William Vanderberg had intended to make difficulties or not, Lion had no means of guessing.

But if he had, certainly his death had closed the incident forever. The unintentional witness slipped the old notebook into his own pocket and allowed the railroad company to bury the body of one unidentified man. That was all three years in the past or thereabouts, and now he had been brought most curiously across the path of that dead man's former wife truly the goddess of accident was throwing her shuttle with what almost looked like design was his imagination running wild in suggesting to him a possible identity between this woman of uncommon experience wealth and social standing and the woman who had fled in a panic from the scene of fullerton's murder he felt that he was in danger of making himself absurd by harboring such a thought for a moment but with the desire which was characteristic of him to get at the bottom facts he went directly to the office of the clerk of the circuit court i want to verify some dates in connection with that van der berg divorce case he said to the lounging official in charge would it be possible for me to look at the record

i have the papers right here as it happens the clerk answered curious you should call for them i made a transcript of that case for warren fullerton a week or two ago did you really lyon exclaimed in surprise what did he want it for dunno he was mrs van derbyrd's attorney you know i didn't remember said lyon thoughtfully it was beginning to look interesting there was then an established relation of some sort between mrs broughton and fullerton just what did it mean he felt that he was on the way of finding out when he reached his rooms that evening for he found awaiting him a special delivery letter containing the following somewhat imperiously worded invitation mrs woods broughton will be greatly indebted to mr percy lyon if he can call upon her this evening she appreciates his courtesy in respecting her wish that her visit should not be made a matter of public gossip he will add to her obligations by giving her an opportunity for a personal interview lion got into his evening clothes with a jubilation that does not always accompany an evening call he felt that the fates were playing into his hands end of chapter six chapter seven of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter seven lion was evidently expected for he was conducted at once to the rooms which had been close to him in the afternoon and there he found mrs broughton awaiting him

he was prepared to be interested in the woman whose story had so curiously touched his own experiences but when he came into her presence he forgot that he was before the woman whose first husband he had buried and whose second husband was a man heralded by headlines across a continent he only saw a frail slight beautiful woman with a wistful sweetness in her eyes propped against high pillows on a couch she looked so ill so like a fluttering candle in the wind that his concern must have betrayed itself for she smiled at him with an air of reassurance it was kind of you to come so promptly at a stranger's request she said gently miss elliot told me of your visit this afternoon and i wanted to thank you for respecting my wish to remain unknown to the general public i wonder how you came to know it was mostly an accident lion murmured i come across a good deal of incidental information you know you newspaper men are so clever she said and lion wondered whether his imagination was playing him tricks or whether there was really something like fear lurking in her eyes. Certainly her hands were fluttering with nervousness, and her breath came and went in hurried gasps that meant either extreme weakness or emotion. With an obvious effort that awoke his admiration, she pulled herself together

and went on in a stronger voice. That was not the reason I had for wishing to see you, however, I wanted to ask you some questions that you, as a newspaper man, could answer better than anyone else, and since you already knew of my presence here, I could speak to you without spreading that insignificant bit of information any further than it has gone already. I shall be very happy if I can be of any service, Lyon answered, with more sincerity than usually goes into the polite phrase. He felt really that nothing. nothing earth could offer would rejoice him more just then than to ever ask questions for nothing would more certainly reveal where her own interests and anxieties lay but she seemed to find it difficult to begin for a long pause followed a pause which he would not break and which apparently she could not at last she said with an abruptness that made her voice tense

i was very much shocked by that tragedy monday lion nodded and kept his eyes lowered to remind her of his presence as little as possible but he wondered why did she say monday if her knowledge of it came through the papers the shock could not have reached her until tuesday and how else could she have known unless you see i used to know mr lawrence she said had she meant to say mr fullerton lion wondered and veered from the name since fullerton had been her lawyer she certainly had known him also that is why she continued i am anxious to learn anything that you can tell me anything more significant than the reports in the public prints i mean there isn't much known That is the difficulty of the situation. If you read the account of the inquest, you saw that Mr. Lawrence was merely held on suspicion, because the police had not been able to find anyone else to hold. Of course it does not follow that they will not discover some other clue.

She listened with tense interest. The law is terrible, she said with an involuntary shudder. You never know what it is going to do. it is like a wild beast waiting to spring it terrifies me to think of mr lawrence being actually in jail but they will have to let him go won't they he can't really be in any serious danger the circumstances were sufficient to warrant his arrest unless he can clear himself or unless the real murderer is discovered his situation is certainly serious i can't bear to think of it she cried nervously pressing an embroidered handkerchief hard against her trembling lips why arthur lawrence always was the very soul of honor it's horrible to have him involved yes it is said lyon simply has he a good attorney if it's a question of getting the very best lawyer in the country to defend him would it be possible for me oh i have heaps of money you know and if it could possibly do anything for an old friend did you wish me to make that suggestion to mr lawrence lyon asked

i don't know she said helplessly i think i wanted your advice if mr lawrence is sure to be cleared anyhow she hesitated irresolutely perhaps i would better wait a while and see how things go she concluded as lyon gave her no help i think the help that lawrence stands in need of said lion deliberately is not money but information that will clear up the case she started up nervously but i couldn't give that i haven't any information you didn't think i was only supposing a case i should like to do something but i don't know how i can he has done much for me without counting the cost to himself i have reason to be grateful to mr lawrence will you remember that and if anything suggests itself to you that would give me an opportunity to do anything for him will you let me know is it your intention to stay here for some time then lion said she looked helpless and undecided i don't know i didn't mean to but i don't feel very strong i think i may stay for a week longer i need rest i have had some distressing news it has unnerved me this is a restful place lion said sympathetically it was fortunate that miss elliott's school was closed this week you have been as quiet and undisturbed here as though you had been quartered in a rest-cure sanitarium haven't you he had put the rather too personal question with intention meaning to see how she would take it but he was not prepared for its effect upon her

she looked at him with startled nervousness and laughed and then continued to laugh and laugh as though he had made an irresistible joke lion waited for her to recover her poise and it was not until her wild laughter changed suddenly to wilder sobs that he realized she was in the grip of nervous hysteria he hastily rang the bell and then went out into the hall himself to meet the slow answering maid and send her whirling back to bring miss elliot shall i telephone for dr barry he whispered when miss elliot had come and taken the still sobbing woman in her arms yes do for goodness sake what in the world started her miss elliot answered distractedly the situation was so alien to her rule-regulated life that she looked bewildered by it lion neglected the second part of her speech to attend to the first he found the telephone in the hall and got barry hello dr barry this is a message from miss elliot she was a message from miss elliot she was wants you to come at once to see Mrs. Broughton. That you, lion? Yes.

What's the matter with Mrs. Broughton? She's crying and laughing together in a way to make your blood run cold. For heaven's sake, hurry along. If you have been upsetting that woman, I won't answer for the consequences, exclaimed Barry, with indignant emphasis. Then get over here. as quick as you can and take it out of me afterwards, retorted Lyon hanging up the receiver. He went back to Mrs. Broughton's door. The sobbing had ceased, and after waiting a moment,

Lyon caught one of the excited servants and sent her in to Miss Elliot's with an inquiry and an offer of service. She answered that there was nothing more he could do, so he quietly let himself out of the house. He had gone, several blocks from the school when he became aware of the fact that a man on the opposite side of the street seemed to be keeping an eye on his movements. Was he himself an object of interest to someone connected with the case? He was conscious now that he had seen the man across the street without heeding him when he stepped out from the house, and he recalled the fact that he had fairly stumbled into the arms of a man in that same neighborhood when he came out of a man. in the afternoon. Possibly the man perceived himself observed, for he quickened his pace. But at the end of the block he crossed the street and came back on lion's side. Lion looked sharply at him as they passed each other, but the man's face was indistinguishable in the shadow. It was only after he had passed on that Lion remembered that the light from the

street lamp must have fallen upon his own face. Well, he had no reason to mind being identified. When Lyon reached his rooms, he proceeded to put into effect an ingenious little scheme that had occurred to him. He studied Miss Elliot's catalogue till he found the name of a pupil from a town where he had some personal acquaintance. He then wrote an appealing letter to an influential woman whom he knew there, telling her of his lonely state as a stranger in a strange city, and begging that if she knew a Miss Kitty tainter of her own town who was attending Miss Elliot's school in Wainscott, she sent him forthwith a letter of introduction. End of Chapter 7

Chapter 8 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Librevox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 8 Conscience and interest in the case combined, prompted Lyon to call upon Dr. Barry early the next day, and inquire how Mrs. Broughton was. "'Just about as ill as she can be,' the doctor answered grimly. "'I had left special orders that she was not to see anyone. "'What in thunder did you mean by forcing yourself upon her in that way?' "'I didn't. She sent for me.'

"'Sent for you? What for you?' What for? She wanted to ask me something about the Fullerton case. Are you serious? Certainly. And was that what you had been talking about when she had that attack? Yes, in general. She used to know Lawrence,

and what she particularly wanted to know was whether his situation was serious. She did not seem hysterical at all, or even specially nervous, until she went off suddenly at the end into that awful laughter. Well, if she should send for you again, you are not to go without letting me know first. Frankly, I consider that her reason is trembling in the balance, and the greatest care will be necessary to pull her through the crisis safely.

I have a trained nurse with her now, and she is not to be allowed to see anyone till the danger point is passed. I wish you would let me know when I may safely call upon her. That won't be for some time yet. What do you want to see her about? She entrusted me with a commission. I want to report upon it. She probably won't remember it when she recovers.

I don't consider that she was really responsible for what she may have said or done yesterday. She has had some sort of nervous shock that has shaken her entirely. out of the normal. It will take a long time before she is herself. When did she call you in, Lyon asked abruptly. Tuesday afternoon, why? Oh, I just wondered how you came to know so much. Goodbye. He went away with a sense of bafflement, that Mrs. Broughton was in some way connected

with the tragedy, and that the nervous shock from which she suffered dated from that evening, seemed to have been made so patent that he had all the eagerness of the hunter to run the facts down. And yet to do so under the present circumstances was almost brutal. How could he raise a breath of suspicion against a woman who was trembling on the verge of mental derangement as a consequence of what he had seen or had possibly had a share in? And yet, if the truth would serve to clear two innocent people from suspicion, could he just justify himself in not speaking more and more he felt inclined to entertain the idea that the woman he had seen running across the street was mrs broughton if he could but establish that as a fact and so clear lawrence's mind of the conviction that it was miss walcott he felt that lawrence would probably be able to clear himself of the shadow under which he rested without difficulty

brutal or not he must get the facts quietly if possible but he must get them it would be more brutal to let the innocent suffer than to fix the crime upon the guilty however sympathetic he might feel toward the latter he determined to go quietly on and gather what information he could without at present sharing his suspicions with any one with this end in view he went to the wellington fullerton's home he hunted up the elevator boy in the first place and soon established a thoroughly satisfactory understanding with him on the basis of some theatre tickets now i want to see how good a memory you have johnny you know that lady who came to see mr fullerton that evening yes sir i remember all about her did you know who she was no sir she kept her veil down all the time But she was an elegant lady. She had on a dress that swished when she walked, and an elegant muffin coat. What were they like?

Why, just fur. There are lots of kinds of fur. Did you notice particularly? Why, dark fur, I guess, Johnny answered, hopefully. Yes, elegant black fur. Lyon saw he was improvising and passed on to a another point. What time did she come? John brightened into positiveness. Half-past seven. I know that for sure, because that was when I told her she would be apt to

find him, and so I was watching out for her when she came. Oh, then she had been here before? Yes, she came twice in the afternoon, but Mr. Fullerton was out. I told her she would find him for sure if she came at half-past seven, because he wouldn't be going out in the evening before eight, but she was so anxious that she came again about four o'clock. I knew he wouldn't be here then, and it was just as I said. When you told her to come at half-past seven, didn't she look at her watch? Yes, she did. What kind of a watch was it? A little watch? I don't remember. But gee, it was on a dandy chain all right. I don't believe you remember the chain any better than you do the watch.

Yes, I do. It was a long chain that went around the neck, and she wore it outside of her coat, dangling, with a purse at the end. The watch was inside the purse. The chain was gold, with red stones in it here and there, and they sparkled like anything. lie and recognize the fidelity of the description mrs broughton had worn a long chain of enameled gold links set with rubies magnificent enough to have excited the admiration of even less appreciative observers than an elevator boy it would be crediting too much to coincidence to suppose that there could be another chain of so unusual a style worn by some one else that day had that lady ever been here before he asked johnny was positive on that score no she was a stranger the first time she came early in the afternoon she didn't know where his room was and i took her around and rang the bell for her myself i never seen her before she had a funny way of talking mr fullerton and he mimicked the soft evasion of the r that had characterized mrs broughton's speech good for you johnny's good for you johnny you're doing well now do you know when she went away she and mr fullerton went out together about eight o'clock now think carefully about this was there any other lady who came to see mr fullerton that afternoon no or in the forenoon or in the evening any time at all on monday

johnny looked a little uncertain of his ground they don't always say who they want they'd just say second floor or fifth you know and sometimes they walk up then if there was anyone else who came to see mr fullerton that day you wouldn't know about it johnny dived into his memory there was another lady here that evening but i don't know who she wanted to see she didn't say when did she come what do you know about her she came just after the lady with a long chain because i met her in the hall as i came back from ringing mr fullerton's bell i thought she was going to the stuart's apartment because there isn't any one else at that end of the hall except the stuarts and mr fullerton then when mr fullerton and the lady came out and went down together this other lady was in the hall again i held the elevator for her but she turned her back and i went down did you take her down later no she must have walked down can you describe her did you see her face nah she had a veil on lion inwardly anathematized the feminine expedient of wearing veils can't you remember anything about her i didn't see her close he said apologetically. Have you told anybody else about Mr. Fullerton's visitor, Johnny?

Mr. Bede was here, asking me all about her the next day. Did you tell him the same things you have told me? I didn't tell him about the chain. I didn't think about her looking at her watch until you reminded me. Oh, well, that isn't important, said Lyon carelessly. Did you mention the other lady to Mr. Bede? No. Was she a coming to see Mr. Fullerton, too?

Not that I know of. What made you notice her, by the way? She was a stranger. Most people that come here I know. You've done very well, Johnny. Now, I want to see the janitor. What's his name? Mr. Hunt.

He proceeded to look up. Mr. Hunt and preferred his request that he be allowed to inspect the rooms of the late Mr. Fullerton, but he found that functionary disposed to make the most of the temporary importance which the tragedy had conferred upon him. Them rooms is locked up. The public ain't admitted. The police has took the key. But you have a duplicate key, you know. And what if I have? why you could let me in for half an hour what for should i do that this ain't no public museum and i ain't no public information bureau to answer all the fool questions that people as ain't got nothing else to do can think of asking i dare say that people have been imposing on you said lion with that serious and sympathetic air which served him so well on occasion

but that's the penalty which you have to pay for being a man of importance i like to meet a man of your sort you're not the kind to let every curiosity seeker in but this is different you know i am writing this case up for the news and i think i'll have to have your picture for the paper with a little write-up. No reason why you shouldn't get something out of all this. You let me into those rooms for half an hour, and I'll see that you have a notice that your wife will cut out and frame. He had his way in the end, of course, and Hunt, grumbling but gratified, took him up by the back stairs, admitted him, and locked him in, with the warning that he would come personally to let him out in half an hour. left alone lion looked about him with a great deal of curiosity and interest fullerton was a sufficiently important person in himself to give interest to his rooms apart from the accident that a mystery had settled down upon his death and these were not the conventional rooms of the average well-regulated and commonplace man there was a mingling of oriental luxury and slovenliness of extravagance and threadbare carelessness that was a curious index to the owner's mind the first room was evidently a combined study and lounging-room for it contained a revolving bookcase filled with law-books a large table with papers and books spread promiscuously upon it a couch several luxurious easy-chairs a curious oriental cabinet high upon the wall a dilapidated rug in which lion caught his foot

and a table with all the paraphernalia of a smoker the feature of the room that especially attracted his attention however was the pictures these were not of the character that one would have expected to find in a lawyer's private study instead of the portraits of jurists and lawgivers the walls were adorned with pictures of ballet girls of varying degrees of audacity some were so extreme that lion was determined that the law-giver's the walls were adorned with pictures of ballet girls of varying degrees of audacity some were so extreme that lion was distinctly startled. From the pictures, his eye wandered to the bookcase at the head of the couch. No law books here, where he threw himself down to smoke at his ease, but novels, French and English, at least equaling the pictures in audacity. Evidently Fullerton had not had the tastes or tendencies of a Galahad. He could hardly have received his clients in this telltale room. Yet the open law books on the table indicated that he did occasionally do some studying here.

Lyon was struck with the title of the first book he saw, and still more so when he found that of the half-dozen lying open or with markers in them on the table, all dealt with the same subject, divorce. The reason seemed clear when he picked up the file of legal papers on the table and found them to be a complete transcript of the Vanderburg divorce case. Evidently, for some reason or other, that matter had been uppermost in his thoughts of late. As he put the papers down,

a filmy crumpled up handkerchief on the table caught his eye. It called to his mind the handkerchief which Mrs. Broughton had pressed to her lips the evening before to conceal their nervous trembling. And he was not surprised when he unfolded it to find the initials G.B. woven into the delicate embroidery. Well, what do you make of it? The amused voice from the bedroom door made Lyon start, for he had supposed himself entirely alone. He spun about and faced a quiet little man,

who was regarding him with a rather satiric interest. Hello, he said. I didn't know you were there. you are not supposed to the other man retorted you are not supposed to be here yourself you know are you trying your hand at amateur detective work i'm looking for material for a lively story said lion with his most ingenuous air he had at once recognized bead a detective connected with the police force of course he had known that the police would be working on the case but the actual presence of this shrewd-eyed, silent detective gave him a feeling akin to panic. Could Bede read his thoughts and tear from him the secret he was most anxious to guard, Miss Wolcott's connection with the affair? It was absurd to think so, and yet the idea made him absurdly nervous. He thrust the thought down to the bottom of his mind and faced Bid

with the blank aspect. Help me out, can't you? Give me some interesting bits to work up for the public. What have you discovered so far? Bede laughed softly. For the public? He came over to the table and picked up the handkerchief, which lion had thrown down. You were interested in this, I noticed. Have you any idea who G.B. is? I am a stranger in Wayne Scott, said Lerner.

in casually. Besides, my circle of acquaintances would hardly coincide with Mr. Fullerton's, I fancy. Oh, Fullerton had more than one circle of acquaintances. He was engaged to be married a few years ago to a young lady belonging to one of the most eminently respectable families of Hemlock Avenue. Ah, you knew that, I see, though you are a stranger in Wayne Scott. I think I have heard it mentioned, said Lion carelessly, though his heart shook to think that he had unconsciously betrayed so much. One hears all sorts of rumors about the man. For instance, Bede asked politely. Oh, nothing that would be noose to you.

By the way, what theory have you to offer in regard to his coat being on wrong side out? What do you make of it yourself? Nothing. I'm entirely at sea. Bede smiled a little and dropped his guarded air. Well, he didn't turn it after he was hit, that's evident. Death was practically instantaneous. And the girl didn't turn it? The girl?

The woman you saw running across the street. Oh. Bede did not smile at the startled monosyllable. He only took quiet note of it and went on without a break. Because a woman wouldn't touch a man who had been struck dead at her feet in the street, she would simply run away at once. Lion nodded attentively. And the man wouldn't have had time to do it after the girl ran away

because you were so near that you would have seen him if he had lingered in the neighborhood. he must have disappeared almost immediately. Not very gallant of him to run off in an opposite direction and let the girl shift for herself. Oh, I don't know. The girl had to get out of the way, and alone, as soon as possible. Besides, the man may not have run off in an opposite direction. He may simply have jumped off into that low, vacant lot

until the gathering of a crowd gave him a chance to get away without being conspicuous. He was watching lying closely, but that young man's surprise was too genuine to be mistaken. Therefore, to return to the question of the coat, he continued,

it is pretty clear that he must have turned it himself. But why? As a disguise, to escape being recognized by a young woman who had seen him in a black coat a very short time before.

It is possible. that he trusted too much to the disguise and so came too near and so provoked the quarrel which ended so fatally even a mild-tempered man doesn't like to be spied upon when he is we may assume making love on his own account it seems to me you are assuming that lawrence killed him and then building up a scene to fit that theory said lion hotly what makes you think i am assuming it was Lawrence? Because I suggested he was making love on his own account? Lion felt that he had been trapped. Well, aren't you assuming it to be Lawrence? He asked bluntly. But Bede was never blunt. At any rate, we must assume that it was a man who struck the blow.

Why must we? A woman doesn't kill in the open, even where she hates. She has the cat nature. She strikes from ambush unless attacked, and she doesn't carry a man's cane, even for purposes of defense, much less for purposes of offense. There's one point about that cane business

that I wonder whether you noticed, said Lion thoughtfully. Lawrence swore that he had it in the State Library a few days ago because he remembered poking a book down from a high shore, shelf with it, which is as characteristic of Lawrence as it must have been bad for the book. But he couldn't swear that he took it away with him, because he got into a dispute with Fullerton, and he doesn't remember what he did. Now, isn't it possible, and even probable, that being excited by that discussion, he walked off without his cane, and that Fullerton, seeing he had forgotten it, picked it up and carried it off, meaning to return it,

and then forgot about it, and then, either intentionally or absent-mindedly, carried it with him that fatal Monday night on his walk? That would explain how Lawrence's cane got to be there without involving Lawrence. Bede had listened with the closest attention. That is a very ingenious theory, he said thoughtfully. He walked back and forth across the room a couple of times, revolving it in his mind. It is certainly a plausible explanation. Fullerton's antagonist may have wrestled the cane from his own hand and struck him with it, as you very cleverly suggest, but I don't see that it alters the essential elements of the case. Not if it removes Lawrence's connection with the cane? The cane is not a vital point, as you have ingenuously

demonstrated, it would be possible to explain it away. The essential point is somebody's antagonism to Fullerton. A casual stranger does not walk up and hit him a blow of that nature, either with his own cane or with one snatched from the hands of his victim. A man of Fullerton's character would be sure to have enemies, said Lyon argumentatively. But not all of his enemies would be roused to murderous fury, to see him in company with a particular young lady. In spite of himself, Lion started. Then you think you have identified the young lady? he asked. Bede was watching him closely with a hint of a lurking smile.

You don't ask with whom we have identified her? Quite right. Of course, I couldn't tell a representative of the press, but I don't mind saying that we have theories as to her identity. Lyon's heart sank. Based on what facts, he asked doggedly. Oh, all that will come out in due time. I'll ruin my professional reputation if I let you lead me on to gossip anymore.

His serious manner contradicted the hint of irony in his eyes, but Lion guessed that the eyes came nearer to. to telling the truth. By the way, Mr. Lion, how did you get into these rooms? Oh, I'm in the habit of getting in where I want to go. Good for you, but I'll have to instruct Hunt as to his duties. You won't get in so easily the next time. And Lion fully admitted the truth of that statement the next time that he did get into those rooms.

End of Chapter 8. 9 of the Hemlock Avenue mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 9 Lion was distinctly nervous when he got away from Bede and had time to reflect on their conversation. Two things were evident, that Bede knew about Fullerton's former relation with Miss Walcott, and that he suspected Lyon of knowing more of the situation than the miscellaneous public. was it possible that he was trying to connect miss wolcott with the woman who had called upon fullerton that evening and had gone out with him lyon was satisfied in his own mind that the woman was mrs

but bead was certainly justified in entertaining the other hypothesis since he knew nothing about mrs broughton would he give his hypothesis to the public that was exactly what lawrence had been so anxious to prevent that he had refused to clear himself of the charge of murder if as lyon believed he was really not implicated was his sacrifice to be for nothing lion saw at any rate that he himself must be wary in his movements since it was evident that bead was thoroughly alive to as much of the situation as he knew he had received a note from howell lawrence's lawyer asking him to call at his office and he turned in that direction now his way however took him past the jail and he took the opportunity to carry out the scriptural injunction to visit those in prison poor lawrence must need a little cheering up but poor lawrence greeted him with a gaiety that did not suggest the need of sympathy indeed his eyes were dancing with triumph do you see my flowers old man he cried jubilantly a huge bunch of long-stemmed roses still in the florist's box was filling the cell with color and fragrance who sent them asked lion suspiciously. Devil a card or a scrap of writing with them.

Oh, then it's merely because you have become a celebrity, said Lion, indifferently. Silly women are always sending flowers to the principals in any murder case. Bad luck to you, you're jealous, cried Lawrence. If you're going to slander my roses after that fashion, you can go. Go and get me a dictionary of the flower language. i want to find out what american beauties mean when they come without a card i'd like to know myself said lion taking note of the florist's name on the box lawrence looked at him with mischievous eyes that still were dancing with happiness oh but you are slow of imagination lion he said softly lion concluded that he was not needed at that moment as a cheerer of those in prison, so he got away and hunted up Howell's office in a tall building downtown.

He was taken into the lawyer's private office, where he found Howell with his hands behind his back, staring moodily through the window into a dingy court instead of deep in his books as a lawyer is supposed to be. There was exasperation and protest in every line of his figure. He turned to nod to Lion without relaxing his gloom. i'm glad to see you mr lyon sit down i asked you to call in connection with this case of lawrence's yes have you any influence with him i doubt it said lion with a smile i don't think he allows many men to exert an influence upon him at any rate you are a friend of his most certainly so far as i am concerned i am rather too new a friend to feel that i have much right to claim the title howell regarded him frowningly though with what was evidently intended for good will i think you will understand me mr lyon when i say that a more pig-headed exasperating obstinate client never fell to my lot he doesn't remember he can't say what i need in preparing

my defense is not a law library, so much as a kid of burglars' tools. I have got to break into his mind somehow. He is hiding something. Do you know what it is? Lion reflected that Bede had not asked that question. Bede had known. He must still keep faith with Lawrence, who had trusted him. But was it not possible to help Lawrence against his will through his lawyer. He picked his way carefully. I don't really know very much, Mr. Howell. I guess at some things, and I shall be glad to lay my little knowledge before you. But first, tell me, is Lawrence's situation really dangerous? Yes, said Howell, tersely. You see, an alibi is out of the question. He has admitted that he was

in the neighborhood. Dunahue's testimony shows. that he might easily have been on the very spot. Certainly he was not far from it, yet he offers no explanation as to what he was doing there. That Fullerton could have been struck down, there must have been some sort of an altercation, and Lawrence neither see nor hear anything is certainly curious. That his cane should have been found on the spot is certainly unfortunate, it. That he should have publicly slapped Fullerton's face that morning is the devil's own luck. Frankly, Mr. Lyon, unless I can in some way discover the actual facts of that night's proceedings, the prospects for clearing Lawrence are not cheerful. Of course, the facts may not help him,

but if that is the case, it is even more important that I should know them. I can't work in the dark now do you know yourself what lawrence was doing that night no you didn't see him not until the crowd had gathered howell looked disappointed i hoped that possibly you might be able to give me the facts that he is withholding isn't it possible that he is withholding nothing that there is nothing to withhold it is possible that he is withhold But if that is the situation, it is a malicious conspiracy in the part of fate to trap an innocent man. It will be difficult to make a jury believe he is as ignorant as he wants us to think. No, as far as I can see into the situation, our only hope is that there is a woman in the case, and that we can work the jury for emotional sympathy. He looked keenly at Lyon. You may think at a wild notion, said Lion,

but I have an idea that possibly there is a woman in the case, though Lawrence doesn't know anything about her. I was in Fullerton's rooms at the Wellington this morning. How did you get in? Blarneyed the janitor. On the table I found a handkerchief, that is the mate of one I have seen in the hand of Mrs. Woods Broughton. Well?

on the table was a transcript of the divorce proceedings in the case of grace van der berg versus william h van der berg you know of course that grace van der berg is now mrs woodsbroughton howell nodded there were a number of books on divorce on the table as though he had just been looking up the subject or discussing it with a client you know fullerton was mrs van der berg's attorney you are leading up to something this the elevator boy gave me a more particular description of the woman who left the wellington with fullerton that evening than dunahue was able to give i feel sure that woman was mrs broughton mrs broughton is not in wainscot yes she is staying with miss elliot on locust avenue but the papers have not mentioned it are you sure She is very quiet, under the care of Dr. Barry, and suffering from a nervous shock which dates from Monday night. Howell's foot tapped nervously upon the floor. But this is amazing, if not incredible. How do you come to know it, or think you know it?

I have seen and talked with Mrs. Broughton. You? Yes. she sent for me to ask for information about Lawrence. She said she had been distressed by the news of the murder, and as Lawrence was an old friend, she was anxious to learn what danger he stood in. If I could tell her anything more than the reports in the papers,

that's about all. All! exclaimed Howell, excitedly. What more would you want in the name of wonder? The woman who was in Fullerton's company... That's merely my guess, you remember. But the elevator boy described the chain she wore, and her manner of speaking very accurately. When did you see her?

Last night. You must take me to her immediately. Here you have wasted hours. Lion shook his head. Dr. Barry has forbidden her seeing anyone. He fears serious nervous disturbance, mental deranged. in fact. She has evidently had a severe nervous shock. Does Dr. Barry know what you have told me?

No. Does anyone know? No. Not even Lawrence? No. I didn't know just what effect it might have upon his policy of silence. In fact, I didn't know how to proceed farther until I had consulted you. howell smiled grimly i am glad you allowed me some share in handling the matter from the way you have been going on i didn't know but what you were going to take the case out of my hands entirely now how soon can i see mrs i don't know but not immediately i saw dr barry this morning he thinks her condition serious i told him i wanted to see her as soon as possible but he warned me not to attempt it until he gave me leave and he described the scene he had gone through the evening before when mrs broughton went into hysterics howell look serious i see of course i can't force myself upon a woman in that condition and until i know exactly what her testimony is going to be i don't want to have her appear in the case at all it is possible of course that after i have talked with her my chief care will be to have her out of the way of the prosecution i can't tell what i shall do until i have seen her if only bead does not stumble upon this i came upon bead in fullerton's rooms this morning i don't think he has thought of identifying the woman with mrs broughton although you have well i had the advantage of knowing that mrs broughton was in town i don't think b does how did you find it out

by a sort of accident i was at miss elliot's school making some inquiries about the school and miss elliot let it out lion breathed a little more freely when that dangerous question was passed howell tapped his under lip thoughtfully with his long forefinger you have given me a most important suggestion mr lyon of course it may lead up to nothing even if mrs broughton was the woman whom donahue saw with fullerton it doesn't follow that she was still with him when the tragedy occurred indeed it is more than unlikely because if she knew anything about the affair a woman of her standing and character would have spoken out at once she would have nothing to fear lion said absolutely nothing but howell watching him caught some unspoken thought and turned upon him with swift amaze you don't mean no no no said lion i am sure not but howell looked thoughtful he was her attorney in that divorce suit and you say that the table was covered with books on divorce and that you say that the table was covered with books on divorce and that she had been there to consult him, as is evidenced by her handkerchief. If there was anything irregular about that divorce, and he knew about it, and threatened to use that knowledge, it is not impossible to believe that Fullerton might resort to blackmail

on occasion. He was very hard up, and Mrs. Broughton is a very wealthy woman, so long as her marriage is not impugned, and if we suppose for a moment that there was the situation, it is not difficult to go a step further and imagine that his death would be a great relief to her so great that it might have taken the form of a swift temptation the blow may have been a sudden desperate impulse and it would not have been beyond the strength of a woman even a slight woman but the means the cane it has occurred to me as a bare possibility that fullerton may have been carrying the cane himself and that his assailant may have wrestled it from him you remember lawrence's testimony that he had the cane in the library a few days before and that owing to an excited discussion with fullerton he did not remember whether he took it away with him or whether he left it there suppose he left it there and fullerton picked it up it might have happened that he had it with him on that evening howell started to his feet and paced the room in suppressed excitement it may be utterly fantastic and incredible he said finally pausing before lyon and looking at him with abstracted eyes but it is the first possible gleam of an outlet that i have seen in any direction i must follow it up i must see mrs broughton just as soon as possible i am walking

on a mine until I know what she has to say for herself. It may all amount to nothing. It may be of the most vital importance. Now how can I be sure of knowing the earliest moment that I can risk demanding an interview without danger to her health? I know, Dr. Barry. But you can't tell Dr. Barry why you want to know. It is important that not the slightest hint of this should reach the other side. Of course, Bede may work it out for himself. He is not a fool. Quite the contrary. We have to take our chances on that. But we don't want to help him. And if by chance Mrs. Broughton should have nothing to confess, except that she saw Lawrence assault Fullerton, we don't want to help Bede to that bit of testimony. It is quite on the cards that this is what

she will have to tell me. Have you considered that? I don't think she will, said Lyon slowly. Do you happen to have any reason for that assurance? Your theories are interesting, young man. If you have any more of them in reserve, I'd like to hear them. But Lyon shook his head. My theory is based on the assumption that Lawrence really knows no more about the affair than he has told you. I hope it may prove so.

said Howell somewhat dubiously. In the meantime, bear in mind that I must have a chance to see Mrs. Broughton quietly at the earliest possible moment. Good Lord, man. The grand jury meets in ten days from now. Now, have you any suggestions as how that interview can be arranged without notice to the public and without any chance of a slip-up? I have just secured a letter of introduction to...

one of the pupils in miss elliot's school miss kitty tainter said lion i thought it might prove useful in keeping in close touch with the situation howells gray eyes twinkled appreciatively it strikes me that you are wasted as a mere newspaper man you have talents go ahead and improve your acquaintance with miss kitty that is safer than to depend upon dr barry because he might be biased He might think it advisable to get Mrs. Broughton away quietly, without letting you know about her movements. Of course, a woman of her prominence can't be lost, but on the other hand, if she wanted to get out of reach, she could make it difficult for us to find her. It is much better that we keep watch on her movements without letting her suspect that fact. I'll do my best, said Lion. And that is a good deal, said Howell, with a sincerity that made Lion flush with pleasure.

When Lion left Howell's office, he went around to the florist whose name he had noticed on the box of roses in Lawrence's room. After selecting a boutonier and admiring the seasonable display of flowers, he asked casually, By the way, Maxwell, who sent those roses to Lawrence? Arthur Lawrence, you know. I'd like to know myself, said the florist, waking up to sudden interest. I don't have such an order as that every day. Why? What was there unusual about it? Well, $100 bills are unusual in my business,

and it isn't often that I get a letter with $100 in it, and no name signed to it, with orders to send flowers till the money is used up. and more will be coming. That does sound uncommon. I'd like to see that letter if you have it around. Oh, yes, I kept it as a curiosity. He opened a drawer in his desk and threw a letter on the counter before Lion. Lyon's first glance at it showed him plainly enough

that the brief note was written in the same large angular handwriting that had marked the note which he had himself received. from Mrs. Woods Broughton. As he picked it up to examine it more closely, an unfortunate accident occurred. A man who had entered the shop shortly after Lion, and who had possibly overheard their conversation, had come up close to lion's elbow, and now leaned forward suddenly, as though to look at the note over his shoulder. His hasty movement upset a vase of flowers on the counter. The vase was. was broken the flower scattered over the floor and the water poured over lion's cuff and hand as well as over the note which he had just picked up the man was profuse in his apologies and supplemented lion's handkerchief by his own to remove the traces of the deluge somehow in the momentary confusion the note itself was lost sight of

but lion had seen enough to satisfy him that this munificent order for flowers was simply another indication of mrs broughton's interest in lawrence and his situation lawrence had wondered what the roses might mean in the language of flowers lion could not help wondering whether they spelled remorse end of chapter nine chapter ten of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter ten the first thing to do was to see kitty tainter lion had received from his kind-hearted friend in columbus a glowing endorsement which he had mailed to miss elliot with a formal request that he might be permitted to call upon miss tainter in reply he had received a polite note authorizing him to present himself the following wednesday this was encouraging but it hardly prepared him for the more than encouraging reception which awaited him when he had duly sent up his card a tall girl with a fluff of light hair and eyes so dazzling that he really could not tell what color they were came down to meet him with a pretty impetuosity oh cousin percy i'm so glad to see you it took you the longest time to find out i was here didn't it i made up my mind i would never send you word to the end of time i just thought i'd have a good joke on you when you did come around at last i-i beg your pardon stammered lyon oh i don't mind we'll make up for lost time i have so many things to tell you about home

when were you there last i know you don't write often men never do aunt meg says so i don't suppose you know that cousin jenny is engaged to dr whitman did you know him no i think you were in the east when he was there we all like him very much i am afraid you are a mistake lion tried to put in but she swept on with the charming hurry of a breathless little brook and i want to know all about your work it must be just awfully interesting to write for the papers i don't see how you can think of things to say i told miss elliot that maybe you would help me with my compositions i should be delighted but i must she said that since you were my cousin kitty ran on with a subtle emphasis and a momentary widening of her wide eyes that she would be very glad to have me submit my compositions to you and get your suggestions it is very fortunate that you are my cousin you know if you were not you wouldn't have been allowed to call on me at all that's one of the rules of the school oh said lion with sudden illumination i didn't know that i'm afraid i never mentioned our relationship to miss elliot i did not know that it was necessary oh i made it all straight i explained it to her kitty said clapping her small hands inaudibly and fairly beaming her joyous thanks upon him would the rules of the school permit you to go out for a walk with me if i tread on dangerous ground without knowing it you will have to put me straight it is a glorious day and a brisk walk would do you a lot of good

i don't know kitty murmured some time maybe no time like to-day said lion firmly with his best air he approached the lady who in the far end of the reception room had been absorbed in a volume of british poets would there be any objection to my taking my cousin out for a walk i think not the lady said somewhat hesitatingly then run up and put on your hat kitty said lion coolly i'll guarantee to have her back at any time you set i don't quite know what miss elliot would say hesitated the timid lady but i think you'd better be back in half an hour kitty threw her arms around her neck you're just an angel miss rose and she flew up to her room while lion devoted himself to miss rose so success that she looked upon young men as a class more hopefully from that hour now Cousin kitty said Lyon as soon as they were outside You needn't keep that up she interrupted Yes, I do he said firmly I mustn't get out of practice for a minute or I might slip up some time Now talk fast and tell me all the things that I really have to know

She shot a shy glance at him under her lashes. It was awfully nice of you to catch on so quickly. It was interesting but difficult. But you are a gorgeous girl. Suppose I hadn't caught on. I know. Wouldn't it have been awful? Or suppose you hadn't been nice, you know?

But I had to take some chances. You don't know how dreadful it is to stay. shut up inside of walls like that and never go outside unless we go with one of the teachers, and never to see any callers unless they are relatives. And I haven't any relatives at all, except Aunt Meg and Uncle Joe and cousin Jenny at Columbus. So I never had the excitement of going downstairs to see someone in the reception room, while the girls hung over the banisters to see what he looked like when he went away. She stole a gratifying, glance at lion's straight figure and good clothes when miss elliot came to tell me about your letter i was just wild to think that i should have to miss this splendid chance just because you hadn't said you were a relative so so

i see do you think it was very awful if it had been anyone else but me it would have been awful but since it was i and since you are never going to do it again for anyone else oh never never i think it was in great luck said lion simply and certainly the words were well within the limit of his feelings on the subject he had barely hoped to establish some sort of an entree to the school that the miss kitty whose name he had selected at random from the catalogue should be so pretty so funnily absurd so unusually entertaining was pure gratuity of the part of fate. And what a daringly reckless child it was. Modest as lion was, he couldn't help recognizing that it was luck for Kitty as well as for himself, that it was he and not someone else who had been admitted so confidently to this fascinating intimacy. A dawning sense of responsibility for this irresponsible new cousin made him defer the real object of his inquiry to extend the field of his acquaintance with Kitty herself.

How long have you been at school here, Kitty? I came last September. Why? Oh, I think I ought to know. Do you like it? Oh, it's rather good fun, she said cheerfully. We have lots of spreads in our rooms, and Miss Elliot has rules about everything, and that keeps us busy. Rules always make me want to go right to work to break them, just to see if i can and can you he asked with interest she looked demure oh maybe there might be some that i don't know about yet that i couldn't break what are some of the rules of the school that was a point on which he particularly wished to post himself oh everything miss elliot won't ever let me go out walking with you like this again

miss rose is a new teacher she has just come and she didn't know but i may come and see you only on wednesdays but that will be quite exciting there are very few girls who have some one come to see them every wednesday but maybe some wednesdays you will be busy she added politely of course if you are busy i shouldn't expect you to come some of the girls sometimes have flowers sent to them i'm glad that's allowed said lion with an inward smile he was trying mentally to figure out how he was going to keep in touch with miss broughton's condition if he was only allowed to visit the school once a week that would not suit him at all there was now only a week or eight days before the meeting of the grand jury and if miss broughton's information was going to do any good at all they must have it very soon he must try to draw kitty into his scheme at once while he had this opportunity kitty i want you to help me out about something there is a lady visiting miss elliot oh do you know her i know who she is and i have met her once isn't she perfectly beautiful i should rather be like her than any one else in the world lion smiled inscrutably but his tongue was discreet if his eyes were not always but instead of explaining to kitty that mrs broughton beautiful as she was could never hope to be as delightful as miss tainter he held himself strictly to the matter in hand mrs brown is very ill and dr barry says that i must not disturb her by talking business now it is very urgent that i should have a chance to talk business with her as soon as she is able to stand it at the very earliest moment possible

i was wondering if i could find out through you how she is getting on i am afraid to trust dr barry you see he will want to keep me off and it may be too too late to do any good by the time he is willing. At the same time, I don't want to force myself upon her before she is really strong enough to stand it. You understand? Oh, yes indeed. I'll explain it all to her, and then she can say herself when she wants you to come. Are you allowed to go in to see her? asked Lyon in surprise. Every evening. She likes to have me rub her hair. head and put her to sleep oh that's very fortunate i thought no one was allowed to go in at all no one else is no one even goes into those halls and we mustn't laugh or talk so that she can hear it but the first evening when we came back after vacation i naturally wanted to know who it was in those rooms and why she was shut up with a trained nurse and why we had to keep so special

quiet for her, so I just waited around till the nurse went down to get her supper, and then I slipped in. The door wasn't locked, so it was perfectly easy. And there I found the most perfectly beautiful woman I ever saw outside of a book. You can't think how fascinated I was. I knew it was good for my education to see a lot of her, because she had such lovely manners, and I was wild to think they would come and order me out and make a rule that I must never go in again, so I just made myself as interesting to her as I possibly could. I had to hurry a lot, because there wasn't much time. The nurse was liable to come back any moment.

How interesting can you make yourself when you really give your mind to it? asked Lyon with lively curiosity. Oh, interesting enough. It worked all right. too, because when the nurse came back, Mrs. Broughton just insisted that I should stay a little longer. She said it did her good, and she would be nervous if they didn't let me stay, and that she liked to have me there. And she got so excited that they got scared, I guess, because the nurse said, well, like that, you know. And so I stayed. And I was good for her, too.

So, ever since that, they let me go in for an hour in the evening, while the nurse is having her supper. Good! Nothing could be better. Then you can let me know the first minute that she is strong enough for me to come and see her, and particularly whether she is planning to go away. Would you be sure to know that? Oh, yes, I'd see. I always see things. And you could send me a note? Kitty looked doubtful.

Miss Elliot reads all our letters, you know. No, I didn't know. That wouldn't matter, because I could write it so that she wouldn't understand, although it would be perfectly plain to you, but I am not sure she would let me write to you at all. You see, you are a rather new cousin, and if you're going to come around to see me every week... She would think that was enough.

i see well then what can we do but kitty had a plan already evolved i know my room is the corner one at the back of the house you can see it from this corner of the street there do you see the two windows with the curtains clear up well so long as i leave the curtain in the right-hand window up the way it is now it means that she is too ill to be disturbed But if I pull it down, she is getting better. And the more I pull it down, the better and stronger she is, until when I pull it way down, she is quite well. The other window, the one in the corner, will tell about her going away. If I see signs of her getting ready to go, I'll pull it part way down. And if it goes as low as the middle sash, it means you must hurry if you want to see her.

And when I pull it quite down, she has gone. "'Kiddy, you are a genius. "'And you don't mind that it is breaking rules? "'Only they aren't made into rules "'because nobody thought that they would be needed? "'I thought just a little that you didn't quite like it a while ago.' "'Lion laughed. "'You are quite right, and I mustn't be superior any more.

"'But it is very important that I should have a chance "'to see Mrs. Broughton, "'important to other people than myself. She gave him a demure sidelong glance, and then dropped her eyes. "'Is it about Mr. Lawrence?' she asked ingenuously. "'You amazing young lady! What do you know about Mr. Lawrence?' "'Mrs. Broughton told me about him. "'Did she?' he asked alertly. What did she tell you?'

"'Oh, she has talked about him a great deal. He was a little. He was a old friend of hers before she was married, and, just think, she had seen him only the day before all this happened. Did she tell you where she saw him, or what they talked about? No, but she is very grateful to him for something he did for her. She says he is like a knight of old. I think if he could know she said that he would feel proud, don't you?' lion frowned thoughtfully mrs broughton's sudden sense of gratitude toward lawrence seemed uncalled for what else did she say to you kitty reflected she said that they would never never hang mr lawrence because nobody saw him kill mr fullerton and they couldn't hang him unless somebody swore they saw him is that the law i don't know much about the law myself and she says that it isn't so bad for him to be locked up for a little while when they will have to let him go in the end as it would be for some one to be hanged i think that is true too don't you

in spite of the need he felt to explore her mind the words in her lips shocked him mrs broughton shouldn't talk to you about such things he said impatiently She lifted astonished eyes to his. But then I should never have known anything about it. Miss Elliot doesn't allow us to read the papers ever, and I want to know life. Time enough, laughed Lyon. Oh, I'm not a child. I can understand. It has been a great thing for me to know, Mrs. Broughton. She is a beautiful woman, Lion conceded.

somewhat coldly. Secretly he thought Kitty might have been as well off without that intimacy. But before he left the subject, there was one point on which he wanted to get light, if possible, without betraying the point of his interest. Mrs. Broughton's possible acquaintance with the loose panel in the protecting wall of the school yard. "'Do you know if Mrs. Broughton has been here before?' he asked. "'Oh, yes. She always. stops here when she comes to Wayne Scott. She was one of Miss Elliot's first pupils.

Then she knows the house and yard pretty well? Oh, of course. By the way, I notice that your backyard is fenced in. There is no way of getting in except by the front door, of course. Kitty looked at him with surprise. When you say, of course, in that careless way, it makes sense. me think, you mean just the opposite, she said suspiciously. He had to laugh at her penetration. Then is there any other way in, he asked. She hesitated, and then said with an exaggerated imitation of his own careless manner,

Oh, of course not. Does Mrs. Broughton know about it, do you think? She pursed up her lips and nodded her head violently. she belongs to the immoral few society it has always been one of the things the immortal few learned it initiation has she spoken of it to you no no she wouldn't be apt to lion reflected then somewhat violently he changed the subject come we won't talk about her any more tell me about our family so that i won't make mistakes stakes. She spent the rest of the time coaching him about his newly acquired relatives, and they parted at Miss Elliot's door with mutual satisfaction. There is no game so trying to the nerves as a waiting game. Lion was cool by temperament and self-controlled from experience, but he found it necessary to call on both his native and acquired composure to enable him to face the situation without wanting to,

to do something, anything, to force Fate's hand. To wait, just to sit still and wait for Mrs. Broughton to recover, while all the time Lawrence was drawing nearer and nearer to the day that would blast his career, even if he escaped with his life, it was nerve-wracking. And all the time, Beed was working, like a mole in the dark, undermining the wall of silence which Lawrence had thrown up. heaven knew what he might feel bound to discover for the credit of his profession it might prove of course that mrs broughton had nothing bearing upon the subject to tell

but until he knew that to be the case he would hold the hope that somehow in some way she might clear matters up yes he must wait and then as he was dropping off to sleep he woke himself up to murmur quite irrelevantly Anyhow, I'm glad she didn't say that she would be a sister to me. End of Chapter 10 Chapter 11 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Librevox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 11 But if Lion had fancied that fate was doing nothing merely because he had run into a blind alley himself, he soon had reason to suspect that he was mistaken.

the manner in which during the next few days he stumbled against some of her threads and so became more than ever entangled in her weaving was curiously casual but as a matter of fact most of the happenings of life seemed casual at the time it is only looking back that their connection comes into view like a path on a far mountain only to be seen from a distance lion had allowed himself to jubilate a little over the curtain-coraned which he had established with Kitty. He felt that it had the justification of being important in itself for the purpose which he and Howell had at heart. But apart from that it was so charmingly personal. The message might concern Mrs. Broughton, but Kitty would have to give them,

and that little fact was so interesting that if he had not been a young man of much steadiness of purpose, he might have let it eclipse the significance of the message. as it was he felt it highly important that he should be able to see those windows very frequently suppose kitty should pull down a curtain and he not know about it for hours the idea was not to be entertained calmly would it be possible for him to get a room in the neighborhood he had learned in his profession that the world belongs to him who asks for it selecting a house whose back window must from their position command an unobstructed view of miss elliot's school he boldly rang the bell he had no idea who might live there the house was on a lot adjoining miss wolcott's and like her house it overlooked the back windows and the grounds of the school it was in a position that suited his needs for the rest he trusted to the star which had more than once favored his question quiet audacity. His ring was answered by a servant of a peculiarly uncheerful cast of countenance.

"'Is your mistress at home?' Lyon asked. "'There ain't no mistress,' the woman protested, in an aggrieved tone. "'Well, your master, then. Will you take up my card? I want to see him on business.' She took it and departed, with that same querulous air of dissatisfaction. with the world in general. That there was no mistress in the house was very evident, even to Lyon's uninstructed masculine sense.

The reception room where he waited was dusty and musty, bearing unmistakable signs of having been closed for the summer and since left untouched. There was an echoing hollowness about the halls that seemed to proclaim the house uninhabited in spite of the servant.

While Lion was, speculating upon the situation, a thin, dark, middle-aged man entered the room silently, and yet with an alertness that was noticeable. He looked at Lyon with sharp inquiry, almost it struck the intruder with distrust. Well, he said curtly. I hope it won't strike you as cheeky, said Lion, but I called on the bare chance of your having a spare bedroom that you could rent me for a month, or even less. i think my references would be satisfactory they're going to paper my rooms at the grovener and i've got to clear out while they are messing around and i like this part of town so i just thought i'd see what luck i had if i went around and asked i'm not exacting

we're not renting rooms i know but as a special matter couldn't think of it do you happen to know any one else in the neighborhood who'd do you happen to know anyone else in the neighborhood who'd does? Don't know anyone. I wish you would reconsider. It would be an accommodation to me. Sorry, but it's impossible. The impatience of the man's tone suggested that the interview had lasted long enough, and lion rose reluctantly. He hated to feel that his inspiration had failed him. At that moment, however, the portier which separated the reception room from what appeared to an equally musty and dusty library in the rear was pushed aside, and another man entered, a man of impressing bearing and appearance, in spite of the fact that he wore a skull cap and a long dressing-gown, and that a pair of large blue goggles hid his eyes. The lower part of his face was

covered with a beard, and yet lion felt at once that here was a man of powerful personality. I overheard your request from the next room, he said in a courteous but positive tone, and bowing slightly to lion, who could not repress a wonder whether that position in the back room had not been taken for the express purpose of overhearing him. I'm not sure that we cannot accommodate the young gentleman, Phillips. Phillips looked disapproval and injury in every line of his face, but he said nothing. He had at once fallen into the attitude of a subordinate. You are more than kind, said Lion eagerly.

I know it's a great deal to ask, but it would be a great accommodation, and I'd try to make no bother. You will have to judge for yourself whether there is a room that you could use. I don't know much about the house. We have only just moved in ourselves. It was a furnished house, closed for the summer, and the agent let us take it for the time being. I am in town temporarily, having my eyes treated, and I wanted a place where I could be more quiet than in a hotel.

My name is Olden. That is my good friend Phillips, who looks after me generally and thinks I ought not to increase my household. I sometimes venture to differ from him, however. The servant, whom you saw at the door, has undertaken to keep us from starving. and she would undoubtedly be able to care for your room now you know the family would you care to look at the rooms thank you i should like to very much cried lion gaily it was so much better than he had had any possible grounds for expecting that his faith in his star soared up again this was what had come of venturing and in spite of the curious sensation of talking in the dark which mr olden's goggles

gave him he liked the man there was a dignity and directness in his speech and his voice was singularly magnetic olden led the way upstairs moving with the swift confidence of a man of affairs and not at all as an invalid there are four bedrooms on this floor he said phillips has one of them and i have one this large room at the front is unoccupied the room was large and attractive but lyon was not interested in the view toward hemlock avenue he barely glanced at it might i see the other room olden opened the door to a back bedroom which though clean was small and in no wise so desirable as the other but it looked the right way and on going to the window lion saw that kitty's curtains were both high up this will suit me exactly he said eagerly may i have this room you really haven't looked at it very carefully said olden with just the barest hint of amusement in his voice oh well i-i can see that it will suit me i shan't be in it very much you know i'm connected with the news as you know from my card i'll be here only at night yes it's a pleasant little room and it has an open view that large building is miss elliot's school i am told yes i know laughed lion fact is i know one of the young ladies at the school indeed there was surprise and if it had been possible to believe it disappointment in mr olden's voice it was as though he had said oh is that it

the blue gargles scrutinized lion for a moment before he said well shall we consider it settled if you please when can i come in whenever you like i'll tell sarah to make the room ready and i hope mr lyon he added as they went back downstairs that you will sometimes join me in a cigar before you turn in shut in as i am unable to use my eyes or to see people you will be doing me a charity if you will come in and gossip a bit will you do it i'll be glad too said lion heartily that will more than repay me if there is any favor to you in our arrangement the man said with a certain emphasis he probably was lonely lion reflected with quick sympathy lion left the house much elated when he reached the sidewalk he remembered that he had not asked for a latch-key and that he was apt to return late he hurried back to the door the lock had not caught when he came out and the door stood just so much ajar that he saw olden and phillips in the hall and heard olden exclaim with a ring of passion in his voice you would have thrown such a chance as that away they both looked so startled when he made his presence known that he was swiftly aware that he was the subject of what seemed to have been a heated discussion evidently phillips had protested against his admission to the household at his suggestion about a latch key olden answered why i have only one but i'll let you in myself whenever you ring i'll be up never fear

lyon had a busy afternoon for in spite of his mental absorption in matters relating to lawrence he was still reporting for the news and had to keep his assignments he therefore had no opportunity to see howl that day and it was nine o'clock at night when he arrived with his suit-case at his new home olden let him in with an alacrity that suggested he had been waiting for him this idea was also suggested by the looks of the dining-room where a tray with bottles and glasses and a box of cigars had been arranged alluringly within sight all right i'll be down in a minute the new lodger said gaily we'll make a night of it just wait till i put my suit-case in my room he ran upstairs to his room and looked across to miss elliot's school across the white barrenness of the snowy yard that stretched between the two houses the light gleamed brightly from kitty's windows the curtain of the right window was perceptibly lower than the other it seemed to cut off the upper third of the window lyon read the message with keen interest mrs broughton is better she gives no sign of departure across the dark he blew a kiss to the unseen messenger and hurried downstairs where his mysterious landlord was walking restlessly up and down the long dining-room well what shall we gossip about he asked gaily olden had shown no signs of physical feebleness yet lion felt to hurt about about him that prompted him to a show of cheerfulness beyond his habit with a stranger and the success of his curtain-code had put him into an elated mood what do people generally gossip about

they're friends don't they and their enemies and the delinquencies of both that's all right said olden quickly tell me about your friends and their delinquencies i haven't many here i'm a stranger myself comparatively the man in wainscot i care most for and admire most and am sorriest for is arthur lawrence olden was leaning forward in an attitude of eager listening that sounds like a good beginning will you have something then have a cigar and talk to me about arthur lawrence i'm entirely a stranger in waynescott you know but of course i have heard of the murder i infer that you believe him innocent yes i do yet i see that he was unable or unwilling to give a very clear account of his movements that evening phillips read me the newspapers and i thought it looked like a tight box for him unless he could explain his movements somewhat but he may explain them yet trial by newspaper is not final. There has been no chance for the real testimony, you know. Has gossip nothing to say on the subject? persisted Olden. He had dropped into an armchair and was surrounding himself with smoke, but Lion was aware that, through the smoke and the

goggles, which he still wore, he was bending an observant eye upon his visitor. Gossip says many nothings. So far nothing relevant. the murder seems to be one of these clueless mysteries which are the most difficult for the police to unravel but you you are behind the scenes in a fashion don't you know something that the public hasn't got hold of i'm interested you see lion smoked thoughtfully the man's interest was so marked that it struck him as going beyond the bounds of ordinary curiosity he felt that he must probe it and so he answered with a view to keeping the subject going we hear of the mysteries that are solved but there are many more that drop from the notice of the public because they remain mysteries forever is it not possible that there may be a woman connected with the mystery asked Olden with a sudden hardening of his voice. Lyon smoked deliberately a moment. With nothing known and everything to guess,

it is difficult to say of anything that is not possible, he answered. Has Lawrence's name never been connected with a woman? Is there no gossip? Of the sort you suggest, nothing, I believe. Lyon's voice was calm, if his feelings were not. your mr lawrence is a wonder said olden dryly i hope to meet him some day let us drink to his release and to the confusion of the grand jury a man who can keep himself free from all feminine entanglements ought to get out of a little thing like an accusation for murder without any difficulty you seem to have strong feelings on the subject said lion it occurred to him that all the drawing out need not be on olden's side olden smoked a minute in silence and then asked abruptly do you believe that women as a class have any sense of truth

oh they must have some but do they have the same sense of honor that we have i don't know that we have enough to hurt but you are thinking of some specific case suppose you give me an outline of it what makes you think that oh we always are thinking of a woman when we generalize about women olden smoked hard and in silence for a few minutes i don't know whether you are right about that or not he said finally but you are right in saying that i was thinking of a specific instance and i'll be rather glad to give you an outline of it because i should like to ask your opinion in regard to it i think i understand men pretty well but i never have had much to do with women perhaps if i had this is the story of a friend of mine he told me about it just before i had just before i had had a friend of mine he told me about it just before i came on. Lion nodded. Possibly that might be the truth, but he would keep an open mind on the subject.

My friend is a man past middle life, a successful businessman. He has made money and has knocked about the world a good deal, but he never fell in love until he was nearly fifty, never had time, I suppose. Then he was hard hit. The woman was a good deal younger than he was. beautiful and all that. He married her just as soon as he could win her consent, and was idiotically

happy. For a year he thought she was happy too. She seemed to be. Then one day she received a letter from her old home that upset her. She tried to conceal her disturbance from him, but he was too watchful of her moods to be deceived. From that moment his happiness was destroyed. His wife was concealing something from him. Other letters followed. They always had the same effect. The husband could not be blind to the fact that his wife was changed. She avoided him, withheld her confidence, and he found her more than once in tears. Perhaps it does not sound very serious, but you must remember that he was madly in love with his wife. It was serious for him.

Lion nodded. Did he know anything of his wife's past history, her friends, or her... Her lovers? No, he didn't. There was the sting. He simply didn't know anything. He could only see that something had come out of that unknown past

to ruin his happiness. Why didn't he ask her straight? He did once, and she pretended not to know what he was talking about. After that he set himself to watch. He pretended to be called away on a sudden business trip. She left by the next train for her old home and went at once to the man with whom she had been corresponding. How did you...

How did her husband know who the man was? He had once found a letter, destroyed before it was finished, which enabled him to identify the man. Was it a love-lawful? letter? Olden dropped his head on his hand. Not in terms, but it showed that this man possessed a confidence which she withheld from her husband. In it, she spoke of her unhappiness in her married life as of something that he would understand, something that they had acknowledged between them. Does that seem a little thing to you?

No, I can understand. Well, what did he do? Nothing yet, but I am afraid he may do something. If he should kill the man, would you say he was justified? What would be the use? asked Lion lightly. That isn't the question when your brain is on fire. You see only one thing. The whole world is blotted out, and only that one thing burns before your eyes.

I suppose that is the way one feels when going mad. everything else blotted out you know except that one thing that you can't forget night or day awake or asleep his voice was trembling with a passion that went beyond control if lion had had any question that the strange man was telling his own story he could no longer doubt it such sympathy is not given to the troubles of a friend i understand that he has not killed the man yet no not yet well then i'd advise him to wait a bit in any event and make sure of his facts there's no sense in hurrying these things tell him to count ten also tell him that circumstantial evidence is the very devil the chances are that if a thing looks so-and-so that's the very reason for it turning out to be the other way now take this case of lawrence's Yes, what of it? Olden had recovered himself, and he asked his question with an interest that seemed genuine,

if somewhat cynical. The circumstantial evidence against him is pretty bad, yet you wouldn't want to have him hanged on the strength of it, would you? I would not, said Olden, with a sudden laugh that sounded strange after his passion of a moment before. I can think of nothing that I should more regret than to have your friend Lawrence hung. I'd drink to his speedy discharge, and he poured himself a stiff drink and drained it with a fervor that made the act seem sacrificial. Certainly there was a good deal of the original

Adam in this curious stranger. The sudden ring of the telephone in the hall cut so sharply across the silence in the house that it startled them both. Olden went to answer it and immediately returned. It's someone to speak to you, Mr. Lion. Name is Howell. Oh, yes. I suppose he got my new address from the Grovener. He went to the phone, and this is the conversation that ensued. Howell. Hello, Lion, changed your room? Lion. Yes, I followed your suggestion. Howell. That's what I wanted to talk. to you about. I'm getting nervous about putting off that interview with Mrs. Broughton any longer. Barry tells me she is worse. I don't want to risk waiting until it is too late.

If she should die, for instance. Lion. Barry is bluffing to protect his patient. She is better. Howell. How do you know? Lion. Miss Kitty tells me she is better. howell when was that lion an hour ago howell how did you hear from her lion by heliograph we have established a code howl you seem to have been improving the time you think i'm safe to wait then a day or two i simply must see her before she gets away you know Lion No sign of departure, the code said.

Howell. And will you know if she should suddenly show signs of departure? Lion. Yes, her curtain will be lowered. Clear down means gone. Howell. That will be too late. Lion.

She isn't likely to bolt without warning, and no one would be in a better position to take note than Miss Kitty. Howell. All right, I'll depend on that, then. But if Bede finds her first, I'll regret my humanity. Lion. I think we're safe. Howell.

Perhaps, but not sure. And he rang off. When Lion returned to the dining room, he found that the door was ajar. though he had thought that he had closed it after him when going to the phone if his host had been curious enough to listen on one side of the conversation lion hoped that he might have found it interesting intelligible it could hardly have been end of chapter eleven chapter twelve of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this libravox recording is in the public domain chapter twelve lion had carefully refrained from giving lawrence any hint as to the new turn his suspicions had taken he had an instinctive feeling that the masterful prisoner in the county jail would have scant patience with any unauthorized efforts on his part to penetrate the mystery that to lyon's mind might be very good reason for not talking about his activities but he was the last man to abandon his own line merely out of deference to another man

prejudices. He was always more interested in getting results, however, than in getting credit, so he was content to work instead of talk. But on his next visit to Lawrence, he took occasion to put a hypothetical question, which went directly to the heart of his perplexity, and for which he very much wanted an answer, though he didn't expect to get it. lawrence he said in a casual tone having first carefully taken a position where he had the advantage of the light in watching the other man's face have you considered the possibility that miss wolcott may after all have had nothing to do with that affair lawrence turned upon him with swift amazement and anger what do you mean he demanded in a threatening undertone with an apprehensive glance at the door the guard couldn't hear me to save his ears i mean simply are you sure of your premises you see i am taking for granted that your policy of silence is to protect oh i won't mention her name again but what if the fact should be that she doesn't need any protection what if it really proves that you are making a sacrifice which is not merely heroic but is unnecessary suppose the woman who ran across the street was someone else

have you dared to tell to hint what i might dare to do is one thing what i have actually done is another as a matter of fact i have neither told nor hinted nor have i knocked you down for thinking such a thing possible lawrence dropped into his chair and let his head sink on his hand i beg your pardon but it makes me wild to think how helpless i am i can't keep howl for instance from mousing around and i can't keep bead from peering and prying or me from guessing or breathing no you can't of course they may not discover anything but even the police sometimes get hold of the right clue you are trying to keep them from a certain clue at a tremendous risk to yourself and yet you don't know you only suspect that your silence may benefit the person i do not name lawrence drummed impatiently with his fingers for a minute and then he looked up with a direct glance into lion's eyes lion you're an awfully good fellow to have any patience with what must seem sheer unreason to you and i wish i could be quite frank with you and make you see the situation as i do but you are certain to be put on the witness stand yourself so i simply can't give you any facts which you don't already know you see that yes but are they facts lawrence looked at him queerly what explanation do you suggest for my cane being where it was he asked you left it somewhere perhaps at the state library and fullerton picked it up carried it off and had it in his hand when he was attacked lawrence looked surprised and then he laughed in quick amusement

ingenious by joe i hope you've suggested that theory to howl it will give him something to occupy his mind it would be difficult for him to prove it but then-it would be difficult for the prosecution to disprove it unless they should happen to discover where i actually did forget my cane you mean you can probably work it out said lawrence dryly supposing that i did mean that i did mean that you can probably work it out said lawrence dryly supposing that i did mean that don't you see that the one and only person who could throw any light on how my cane came to be where it was found is the one and only person who must not be questioned i see but do you really think that the one and only person will maintain silence on such a matter at such a cost to you if things come to the worst i fear the one and only person will not my hope is that things will not come to the worst that there may be a disagreement or even an acquittal really you see i don't feel so sure the prosecution holds a hand that leaves me no chance of coming out even we are both bluffing but i rather think i can bluff hardest if my flank isn't turned by my too zealous counsel still still lion and yet and nevertheless and in spite of all i am happier than i remember ever being before in all my life and i shall never think of this realm as long as i live without feeling again the joy of a conqueror may i ask why you extraordinary man because the one and only person has accepted my suggestion in regard to silence so sweetly I have made several suggestions to that person.

I don't mind telling you, which have not been accepted. They have been turned down hard. It seemed to have become a habit with her, and I was getting discouraged. Now, the course which I suggested in this instance would not be agreeable to her. Nothing could be more opposed to her natural instinct than to keep silence if, well, under the circumstances. She has done what must have done what must have been. have been a thousand times harder than to make even the most public explanation, she has done it for me, because I asked her to. Now do you understand why I am happy? I'm in paradise.

Lion grasped his hand in sympathetic silence and left him. At least he had found out why Lawrence was so convinced in his own mind that Miss Wolcott was somehow implicated. Evidently it was the cane that seemed to him conclusive. He had left his cane at Miss Wolcott's, and he knew it. It could have come into evidence in connection with the murder of Fullerton only through Miss Wolcott's direct or indirect agency. That was Lawrence's conviction. To protect her in any event, he was using his influence

to keep her from speaking and drawing conclusions from her compliance, which might be justified if his theory of her complicity was correct but which would fall to the ground if as a matter of fact she was really as ignorant of the murder and the cane as lion was now inclined to believe she might be in that case alas for poor lawrence his paradise might prove but a fool's paradise after all the primary question remained therefore whether she really was implicated or not. He had promised her, at their first and only interview, to call occasionally and report as to the progress of affairs. But he had deferred carrying out his promise, partly because he had nothing decisive to tell her, and partly because he was rather shy of encouraging a confidence which might possibly place him in possession of embarrassing information. He did not want to learn anything that would hamper him when he was called to the

witness stand, as he undoubtedly would be. But two things happened that day to make him keep his promise without further postponement. The first was his discovery that Beade was hovering about Miss Wolcott's neighborhood. Lion had caught a fleeting glimpse of Miss Wolcott going into a shop. A moment later, he noticed Beade across the street from the shop, busily engaged in studying a display of hosiery in a show window. He did not connect the two events at the moment, but half an hour later he met Miss Wolcott face to face, still in the shopping district. The look of suppressed pain in her eyes as she gravely bowed disturbed him so much that he walked on rather unobservantly for a few steps. Then he was brought back to consciousness

by a keen look that pierced him like a surgeon's probe as a quiet gray little man passed him it was bead the significance of that piercing scrutiny flashed upon lion bead had seen him bow to miss wolcott and was sorting that little fact into the proper pigeonhole in his brain he turned to look after the detective bead was pausing to turn over some second-hand books on an exposed stone stall, and he lingered there until Miss Wolcott came out of a shop farther down the block. As she went on, Bede, who had never glanced in her direction, finished his inspection of the books, and went on also. Casually he followed the same direction she had taken. Lion, who had lingered to observe his action, walked on very thoughtfully. That was the first thing. The second was a special delinion. letter which was brought to him that same afternoon while he was rushing to an assignment the urgency of the outside found no counterpart in the simple little note which it enclosed

dear mr lion could you conveniently call this evening i shall be at home after seven yours sincerely edith walcott lion looked at the special delivery stamp remembered bead and put the note in his pocket with some anxiety. What was up now? He perceived an urgency in the request, which did not appear in the words themselves, and he looked forward to the call with some anxiety. If her nerve had broken down, and she should hurl a confession at him before he could stop her, what should he do about it? End of Chapter 12. Chapter 13 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 13

Miss Wolcott received Lyon with the same curiously cold and impersonal manner that had struck him before, but unless he deceived himself, it was a manner deliberately assumed this time to conceal some unwanted nervousness of which she was herself afraid. Her face was as sphinx-like as ever, but there was an unamborical. uneveness of tension in her voice which betrayed emotion. I sent for you because something curious has happened, she said abruptly, and I don't know anyone else to talk it over with. I received yesterday, by mail, this letter,

and she handed him a single sheet of note paper on which was written in a bold hand. Remember, I said, living or dead. Warren Fullerton. Lion looked up at her in a man. maze. You received this yesterday? Yes. Are you familiar with Mr. Fullerton's handwriting? Yes, it is his. Can you be positive about that? He thought she suppressed a shudder, but her voice was coldly calm, as she answered, I do not think I can be deceived in it. I know it very well. May I see the envelope?

she handed it to him silently it corresponded with the paper was addressed to her in the same bold assured hand and the postmark was particularly plain it had been mailed the day it had been delivered the note and envelope were both made of a thin peculiar grayish-green paper oriental in appearance with a faint perfume about them that would have been dizzying if more pronounced lion held the paper up to the light it was water marked but so faintly that he had to study it carefully before he made out that the design was that of a coiled serpent with hooded head as he moved the paper to bring out the outline the coils seemed to change and move and melt into one another certainly it would have been a difficult paper to duplicate was mr fullerton in the habit of using this paper yes it was made for him he was given to fads like that and another thing though a trifle you will notice he uses two green one-cent stamps instead of the red two he always stamped the letters written on that paper with green stamps does the message convey any special meaning to you miss wolcott waited a moment before replying as though to gather herself control into available form i was at one time engaged to be married to mr fullerton i was very young and romantic and silly i had not known him very long and almost immediately i had to go east to spend three months with some friends while i was away i wrote to mr fullerton very silly letters

after i came back something happened that made me change my mind and my feelings toward him i broke the engagement and sent him back his letters and presents he refused to be released or to release me it was a very terrible time he said that if ever I should marry anyone else he would send my love letters to him to my husband and this whether he was alive or dead ah that explains you think this phrase i am sure of it did the threat make any special impression on you at the time i mean did it influence your actions at all it made me determine never to think of marrying Then, in answer to Lyon's look of surprise, she added impetuously, "'I would rather die than to have anyone read those letters. I simply could not think of it. No man's love could stand such a test. To know that his wife had said such silly, silly things to another man, it would be intolerable.'

"'But no gentleman would read them!' She shrugged her shoulders lightly. In a play, no, but in real life, he would be very curious. Or, if he did not read them, he could still not forget them. He would have them in his mind, and would perhaps guess them worse than they were. Besides, you do not know, Mr. Fullerton. He would have managed in some way to bring about what he wanted. I cannot guess how, but those letters would have been put where they must be read.

He was not one to trip in his plans. Did you make any attempt to recover your letters? She did not answer at once, and glancing at her, Lyon saw that the agitation which he had been holding back seemed to have swept her for a moment beyond her own control. She was trembling so violently that she could not speak, and only the forcible pressure of her slender hands upon the arms of her chair gave her steadiness enough to hold her emotions in check.

He turned to the light and busied himself for a minute in a critical examination of the letter. Then he came back to his question, for he was of no mind to let it pass unanswered. Did you ever try to recover the letters? Once, she said in a very low voice. And you failed? Worse than failed.

She threw out her hands. toward the note he still held. Did he not say living or dead? Mere death could not interfere when he had set his will upon revenge. Then whoever wrote this note, said Lion thoughtfully, must have had knowledge of his purposes, as well as access to his private desk and knowledge of its personal peculiarities in regard to stamps.

Now, Miss Wolcott, you must help me. Who would be likely to be likely to? to know of your letters. How can I tell? I have hardly seen him for four years until... She broke off, leaving the sentence unfinished. Have you spoken of them yourself to anyone? Any girlfriend? No, never. To your family? No, I have lived alone with my grandfather since I was fifteen. You know him, I love him, but he is no confidant for a young girl.

I have always been much alone. Then, so far as you know, no one could have learned from you of those letters? No one. Not Arthur Lawrence, for instance? She started and looked as though he had presented a new idea. I never spoke of them, she said slowly. Did he know of your engagement to Fullerton?

he never referred to it but it is probable that he had heard of it some one would have mentioned it probably i did not know mr lawrence at that time he had no reason then to know or to guess the importance which you placed upon the recovery of the letters she looked distressed but her glance was as searching as his own why do you ask that what bearing has it on this letter perhaps none but i was trying to narrow down the possible actors if you on your part have kept the knowledge of these letters to yourself inviolately then the information about them must have been given out by fullerton if at all do you know anyone to whom he would be likely to confide such a matter any confidant or chum she shook her head helplessly i know nothing of his friends my impression is that he has been likely to confide such a matter any confidant or chum she shook her head helplessly i know nothing of his friends my impression is that he has had very few. He was a strange, solitary, secret man. And yet it must be clear that either he wrote this himself, or it was written on his private paper in his handwriting, by someone who had intimate knowledge of his affairs, not only of the fact that he had those letters of yours, but of the threat which he held over you in regard to them. Now, if he wrote it himself,

why wasn't it mailed until yesterday? and who did mail it yesterday anyhow if some one was in his confidence and is trying to play upon your fears we must find out who it is may i take this letter with me i don't want to ever see it again and if you receive any other letters or anything comes up in any way bearing on this will you let me know at once i am going to try to find out about his office help and i will leave this letter open to the letter open to the first sunlight for a day. If it was written yesterday, the ink will show a change by tomorrow. If written a week ago, it probably will not. As soon as I learn anything that will interest you, I will let you know. But as he was departing, she detained him, some unspoken anxiety, visibly struggling with her habit of reserve. You spoke when you were here before of the possibility of my being called as a witness.

If that should happen, would I have to tell about this? I do not see how it could come up, unless they could connect Lawrence with it in some way. Of course, if they were trying to establish motive, some reason for Lawrence's quarrel with Fullerton, it might seem to have a bearing. But you never discussed Fullerton with Lawrence. No, she said,

but her look was still troubled. If you were questioned, he said quietly, you will not have to testify except so far as you have positive knowledge. You will not have to give your thoughts or theories or guesses. I see, she murmured, dropping her strange, guarded eyes. With that he left her. It was too late to take any active steps

in the way of investigation that night, so he turned back toward his room but his habit of keeping on his feet while thinking sent him on a long tramp before he finally turned in at his door he fancied that he was going over the new elements which miss wolcott's confidence had thrown into the problem in his mind but before he knew it he was making a comparison of the characters of miss wolcott and kitty tainter of course it was natural to think of kitty she was the only girl he knew he was the only girl he knew he was the girl he knew of the characters of miss wolcott and kitty tainter of course it was natural to think of her knew in this place, and the only one he had had a chance to talk to for a long time, and she was so funny with her transparent, theatrical make-believes, and so engaging with her girlish petulances and revolts. She was like an April day, a dash of cold rain in your face, a ray of sunshine dancing freakishly around the edges of things, and a white bud curled up close under the wet green leaves, to call out the sudden rush of forgiving tenderness, which you give only to what is near

and dear and simple and your own. Miss Wolcott was rather a brooding tropical day, still with a stillness of motionless heat, silent with a silence of fierce noontide. Low-lying thunder-clouds belong to her, and the passionate stroke of the lightning, and the deluging tumult of the tempest, and the swift-falling darkness, hiding the hushed passion of life. How had Lawrence ever dared to love her? But Lawrence was a master of men in his own way. There was an exuberant power about him which would joy and conquest. His nature was sunny, where hers was veiled, but his careless light-heartedness masked a will as unyielding, a nature as passionately strong as her own. Lawrence, now, would never see the dear funny charms of Kitty,

and with a cheerful sense that, after all, things adjusted themselves very well in this rudderless world, lion swung back in his walk. At the door, Olden met him. Well, well, well, you're late, he said testily. What have you been doing today? Oh, all sorts of things. i don't care about that what have you been doing about the lawrence case i don't know that i have been doing anything literally he didn't know whether he had or not and he didn't care to share his half-formed suspicions

i have to take things as they come you know haven't you seen lawrence to-day no nor his lawyer howell no olden tapped with his fingers impatiently on the table for as before he had led his guest into the dining-room the only really habitable room in this strange bachelor's hall where have you been this evening calling on a young lady olden looked up sharply miss kitty no then with a half-mishievous desire to play up to the other's hungry interest in the case, he added, "'A young lady, Lawrence knows and admires, Miss Walcott.' The bait drew even better than he expected. Olden leaned forward with his arms on the table

and his chin on his crossed arms, and Lion felt the blaze of interest behind the goggles. The air between them tingled with it, as with an electric discharge. "'Lorence admires her, does he?' he said, with a curious deliberation. Particularly? I think quite particularly.

How do you know? I merely guessed it from a look I saw on his face once. Do people generally guess it? I rather think not. Gossip hasn't mentioned it. And does she believe in him? Well, that is a point I didn't bring into the conversation. this is only the second time I have seen her.

I didn't mean believe in his innocence. I meant believe in him, in his interest in her. Lion laughed. The man's persistent interest in Lawrence's affairs was curious. Really, I didn't ask her that either. But I fancy Lawrence is a man to make himself understood in that direction when he wants to. You mean he makes love to ever. pretty woman he knows oh no not so bad as that lawrence is a gentleman still he is partly irish there is an old irish jingle i used to know about the slow creeping saxon and the amorous celt that's the idea

irish eyes make love of themselves whenever their owner is too busy about something else to keep a tight rain on them lion had talked jestingly partly with the idea idea of erasing the memory of a remark which he began to think had been somewhat less than discreet he was not prepared for the effects of his words olden sprang to his feet and struck the table with his clenched hand them damn irish eyes he cried damn the man who thinks he has the right to make love to any woman who is tender-hearted enough to listen damn the man who thinks that as long as a woman will take his easy lies for truth he has a right to lie with all my heart though for that matter he is pretty apt to damn himself without any help from us but lawrence isn't that kind of a man olden had dropped back in his chair and his momentary outburst had given place to a sullen gloom that lion guest had more relation to his own thoughts and to the story he had told so impersonally the other evening than it had to their present conversation there was something pathetic in the mood he showed a strong man bound into helplessness by the lilliputian chords of emotion when a young man had to have it out with his own heart it was a fair and square fight with no odds but at olden's age the thing was not decent to look upon it was like seeing some old tennis champion going down before play that was only healthy exercise for the youngster in the game he jumped to his feet come i'm going to bed good-night mr olden good-night said olden absently then he looked up with an obvious effort to be civil

don't think that i have anything against your friend lawrence or his irish eyes he said lightly i hope with all my heart that he may be set free with all my heart so do i good night up in his own room lion's first act was to walk to the window and look across the white expanse of snow to kitty's windows the cheerful light answered him with something of the subtle mischief of kitty's own solemn air as he looked all the lights went out missalette's school was wrapped in innocent slumber lion blew a kiss across the night and then pulled down his own curtain he opened fullerton's strange epistle and studied it again but the cryptic message remained as cryptic as ever pulling out a number of old letters from his own writing case he compared them with fullertons until he found one which corresponded closely in the blackness of its ink with fullerton's this he laid aside as a standard of comparison then he opened the new letter to the air leaving it where the sun should strike it when it came into the room in the morning the first point to determine was whether the letter had actually been written by fullerton before his death or whether some one still living was carrying out the dead man's sinister wishes end of chapter thirteen chapter fourteen of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter fourteen fullerton like a number of other lawyers in waynescott had had his office in the equity building and lion made it convenient in the course of his morning's tramp for news the next day to visit the equity

as he expected he found fullerton's office locked but he hunted up the manager of the building and persuaded him to unlock it for him perhaps the fact that he was a personal friend made a difference in his willingness though he pretended to protest at what he called the morbid sensationalism of the press what do you expect to get out of his empty rooms he asked i'm working up a story said lion carelessly i want a story said lion carelessly i want a story see what I can get in the way of personal idiosyncrasies. The suite consisted of three rooms, a large reception room, one side of which was covered with bookcases, a private office at the back, and adjoining this, a room for the use of a stenographer, as was evident from the typewriter beside the window. There was so little furniture in this room that Lyon saw it could be dismissed in the special inquiry, which he had in mind. In the private office, a large flat desk occupied the center of the room.

Is this room the way Fullerton left it? Lion asked, taking the chair which was placed before the desk and glancing about. Yes, no one has been here since he left. No stenographer or clerk? He has had no clerk for some time, and when he needed a stenographer, he called one in from the agency in the building. As a matter of fact, I think his business had fallen off rather seriously in the last few years. He had lost some of his old clients, and he didn't seem to get new ones.

Often his office would be locked up and he would be away for days at a time. Bad for business, that. Was his office rent paid? The manager shrugged his shoulders and laughed. no but i have a lien on his library so i guess i'm safe indeed then he must really have been pretty badly tied up financially he was pretty obviously going to pieces you see his personal tastes were expensive and they incapacitated him for business that cut both ways in the matter of income how about his other creditors if you have a lean on his library That seems to be the only valuable property here." The manager laughed again. If there was one man here the day after he was killed, there were nineteen.

They were all ready to attach his books. There was some rather deep swearing. Funny what things come out about a man after he is dead? It's more than funny, said Lion, with an air of saying something worth listening to. He was automatically pulling out one drawer of the desk after another, sometimes merely glancing in, sometimes lightly turning over the contents with a careless hand. We don't know much of the personal lives of the people about us. Things are not always what they seem.

He probably could have kept up the platitudinizing longer, if necessary, but he had opened all the drawers. None were locked. was no scrap of the curious greenish-gray paper anywhere, nor indeed anything but files of documents obviously legal and mostly dust-covered. But his personal belongings were rather gorgeous. He opened curiously a bronze stamp box which matched the other appointments of the desk and examined the contents. There was a lot of red stamps, but no green. That was about all. That was about all that he had hoped to discover. It had seemed probable from the first that Fullerton would have

his peculiar personal belongings at his own room, rather than at his office, but Lion had wished to eliminate the other possibility. As he came out of the room, a strange and yet familiar figure passed down the hall toward the elevator just ahead of him, the heavy figure and white head of Mr. Olden. Lion glanced back. lawrence's office was farther down the hall and lawrence's law cleric a young fellow named freeman whom lyon knew slightly stood in the open door looking after his departing visitor with a curious watchfulness on the impulse lion turned back what's grape has my most respectable landlord been getting into that he needs legal advice he asked come in said freeman with evident pleasure i'm mighty glad to have you give the old gentleman a character i began to wonder if there wasn't something suspicious about him why he came in a few days ago and asked for lawrence i explained why he couldn't see him he fumed around a little and finally said he wanted a will drawn up and couldn't i do it i thought i could all right so i got him to give me the items

it involved a lot of little bequests he seems to be a retired merchant from somewhere down the state with an interminable family connection and i took a lot of notes and told him i would have the will drawn up in a few days he has been in every day since to make changes and alterations till i am all bawled up either i got things badly mixed in my notes or he has forgotten just how his sisters and his cousins and his aunts are arranged I'll swear he has mixed the babies. Well, if he pays you for your trouble, laughed Lion. Yes, he makes it clear that he wanted me to charge up my wasted time, but he's queer all the same. I almost thought today that the whole business of the will was a blind and that he was here for some purpose of his own.

That sounds more serious. What made you think that? i had gone into the inner room to hunt up my original notes because he insisted that i had made a mistake when i heard the roll-top of lawrence's desk pushed up lawrence never locks it but the old man hadn't any business in there all the same i came out in a hurry and there he was hunting around in the desk he wasn't a bit phased by my coming back either said he wanted some paper to write a letter and fretted and fumed over the pen and ink as though the whole outfit belonged to him i cleared a place for him and left him writing while i shifted my own chair so that i could keep an eye on him he wrote two or three short letters and tossed something into the waist-basket there then when he was through he picked up the waste-basket and began hunting through it i supposed he wanted to recover what he had thrown in until i saw him pick out a square envelope and put it with his own papers and you think it was not his own i know it wasn't because i knew the paper he was using as it happens that basket hasn't been emptied since lawrence was here the envelope must have been something he had tossed into the basket but i couldn't very well demand the return of an old envelope picked up from a wastebasket still i couldn't help wondering whether the man was a sneak thief or a private detective or just a little touched in the upper story

has he been inquisitive about lawrence's affairs lion asked the first time he was here he asked a good many questions about him but i thought that was natural curiosity under all the circumstances one of his innumerable cousins had married a lawrence and he wanted to find out if there was any connection between the families and he really seemed to know something about him because he insisted that arthur lawrence had married a mrs van derberg but he didn't no of course not but he was a great friend of mrs van der bergs and no one would have been surprised if he had married her there were many who expected that to be the outcome and when she became engaged to broughton whom she afterwards did marry lawrence took it hard there was a serious quarrel and lawrence wouldn't attend the wedding i remember hearing my mother say that if lawrence had had broughton's money broughton would never have had any show but she wasn't divorced at that time was she no but she could have had a divorce whenever she wanted it van der berg had been missing for ten or twelve years this was surprising information for lyon and not a little disturbing was there after all a possibility that even if he established the identity of the fleeing woman as mrs broughton lawrence might still be entangled lion felt as though he were trying to pick his way among live wires did you tell olden this story he asked remembering the curious interest which that inquisitive person had always seemed to take in lawrence's affairs well he got it out of me i guess he knew so much that he could easily pump the balance what did he say nothing much he kept nodding his head as though he knew it all beforehand what do you make of it anyhow

the curiosity of an idle mind said lion lightly there are plenty of people who have an abnormal curiosity about anybody who was accused of crime but i wouldn't give him too much rope the episode gave him something new to puzzle about olden's curiosity about lawrence had been marked from the beginning and it had not been a wholly friendly curiosity that much had been apparent lyon was accustomed to the curious interest which monotonously virtuous people take in criminals and he had set down his landlord's desire to talk about the murder mystery to that score he had shown no curiosity about fullerton or interest in him and though he was curious about lawrence he seemed very inadequately informed concerning him lion turned the thing in his mind without being able to make it fit in with anything else at the same time he determined to find out something more about mr olden at the earliest opportunity for the immediate present however the thing to do was to get into fullerton's rooms at the wellington again and see what discoveries he could make there end of chapter fourteen chapter fifteen of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter fifteen lion suspected that he might have difficulty in securing admission to fullerton's room in the wellington a second time and when he made application to hunt the janitor who had admitted him before he found his fears were justified indeed hunt's dismay at the suggestion struck him as extreme go in no sir nobody goes in the police are responsible for that room now

i haven't anything to do with it and i wouldn't have not for a farm you let me in before you know and the police didn't take it to heart eh i mean they didn't mind b knew i was there shook his head. Mr. Bede says to me that if I let anybody else in, he would have me arrested for killing Fullerton. That's nonsense, you know. When did he say that, when I got in before? No farther back than yesterday, he said that. Has he been around again?

Yes, he has. There was something nervous and dogged about the man's manner that puzzled Lion. Well, see here. I'll make it worth your while to let me in for an hour. You can go along to see I don't steal anything if you like.

I want to make sure of something I overlooked before. I tell you, I can't, Mr. Lion, even if I wanted to. The police have put a seal on the door. It can't be opened without their knowing. Then pass me in through the window. So. Hunt lifted his downcast eyes and gave Lion a long, curious look.

You wouldn't want to if you knew what I know. What's that? Hunt shuffled and stumbled, but perhaps at heart he was not unwilling to confess his fears in the hope of having them quenched. He looked somewhat shamefaced, however, as he asked, Do you believe that sometimes the dead walk? i don't know lion answered noncommittedly he was more anxious to get at hunt's ideas than to confess his own what makes you ask have you seen anything well not exactly i'd like to hear about it well it's this way mr fullerton had a way of throwing the letters he wrote of an evening on the floor right before the door so that i could pick them up in the morning and give them to the carrier when he came around

i always took in his breakfast tray and his paper how did you get in he could release the lock on his door by a spring from his bedroom there was nothing too much trouble if it was going to save him some trouble afterwards go on the letters were always in a certain place just where he could toss them easily from the writing-table where he sat they would fall on a certain mat so that i knew just what to pick up if i didn't he would swear to turn a nigger white mr fullerton wasn't no saint that's what makes it worse makes what worse why this that i'm going to tell you day before yesterday something possessed me to go into that room i don't know what it was i was just pestered to go in i thought i would just look inside and there on the rug before the door where they always used to be was a letter in mr fullerton's hand on his paper ready stamp to be mailed this is interesting said lion with sparkling eyes what did you do with it i didn't rightly know what to do with it at first i was so took back i had been in that room five or six times since-since mr fullerton was killed letting the police in and you and going in by myself once to make sure the windows was locked and there wasn't no letter on the rug or i'm blind now what i want to know is where did that letter come from that i can't tell yet but what did you do with it i mailed it

it seemed that it must have been something that mr fullerton wrote that last night he was home and threw down for me to mail and that somehow in the excitement it must have been kicked under the edge of the rug and then somehow kicked out again the last time someone was in the room at least i couldn't see what else it could be so i gave it to the carrier thinking that it ought to go to the person it was addressed to i think you were quite right to whom was it addressed but hunt was unexpectedly reticent mr fullerton didn't like to have me talk about his affairs oh that's all right but i think i know about this letter it was for miss walcott wasn't it hunt's surprised look gave confirmation though his habit of discretion prevented a verbal assent that isn't all he said hastily returning to a story that was queer enough to set me wondering about it all day and yesterday when i went around in the morning i opened the door just to make myself believe that it really had happened there on the rug was another letter just like the one the day before his eyes sought lions nervously he seemed to be almost afraid of his own words another letter from miss wolcott gasped lyon in utterer maze it was just like the first hunt persisted doggedly what did you do with it did you mail it i wouldn't touch it not for money mr lyon where did that letter come from that's what i want to know i was a little bit of it i wasn't touch it not for money mr lyon where did that letter come from that's what i want to know i was a going to have any truck with it but you didn't leave it lying on the rug mr bead got it beade oh the devil gasped lion how did he come to get it

he came in in the morning and i told him what i had seen i couldn't have stayed in the house without someone knowing he went in and got the letter and then he put a seal on the door so that no one else should get in he came here again this morning himself and looked into the room but there wasn't anything on the rug do you suppose it was perhaps because the last one wasn't sent does he know i know some as thinks he had truck with the devil while he was alive all right say what do you think about such things mr lyon i think you ought to have mailed that letter to miss wolcott bead has no business with her letters i wasn't going to touch it said hunt doggedly did bede ask you anything about her he asked if i knew whether she ever came here to fullerton's room i wouldn't know i never saw her to know her hunt was evidently aggrieved over the turn things had taken generally then he wanted to know particularly what the lady looked like that came to see fullerton that last night he wanted to see fullerton that last night and he wanted to know particularly what the lady looked like that came to see fullerton that last night night, the one he went out with. I didn't see her, but the elevator boy told, same as Dunahue told at the inquest, that she wore a veil and a dark dress and a fur coat, short. Anybody might be dressed like that.

Who has the apartment above, Lyon asked abruptly. It's empty, the people moved out this week. What day? yesterday and the day before let me look at it perhaps i might take it is it furnished no the furniture was moved out come up with me sir lyon knew the arrangement of the suites in the wellington they were all alike in the corresponding positions he already knew the arrangement of fullerton's room and his chief interest in the apartment above was in its relation to the wall outside he leaned out of the window to examine it while hunt was detained in the hall by a passing tenant and when the man appeared lyon's mind was made up i'd like to take this apartment for a week they are making some alterations at the grovener those alterations at the grovener were very opportune and i want a place to stay for a few nights you can put some furniture into the bedroom can't you i shan't need anything else i may not be here more than a night or two hunt looked shrewd

you needn't think that being in the building makes any difference about the room below mr lyon that's all right laughed lyon really what i want is to keep an eye on bead and a fullerton's ghost comes to carry you off because you didn't mail that letter i'll be here to explain things and make it easy for you the arrangement was made without difficulty and lion went away with hunt's assurance that the bedroom would be habitable when he returned that night it was his night off at the paper and he had a mind to make the most of the freedom which that circumstance would give him several important things happened before the evening came and these must be first recounted but it may as well be mentioned here that when lion did return that evening the bag which hunt obligingly carried upstairs contained with a few other trifles a rope fire-escape and a glazier's diamond end of chapter fifteen chapter sixteen of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double-day This Librevox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 16 The fact that Bede had put a seal on Fullershyn's door

indicated that the detective had not yet made the examination of the room, which unquestionably it was his intention to make. That he should have deferred so important a matter for 24 hours could only be explained on the theory that he had some still more important project on hand, which was occupying his personal attention. Lion intended to get into Fullerton's rooms, if possible, before Bede did, but the plan which he had hastily formed at the Wellington required the cover of darkness.

He could do nothing along that line before night, and in the meantime he felt that he could do nothing more interesting and possibly important than to discover what Bede was engaged upon, that was so engrossing as to make him postpone the investigation of Fullerton's rooms to another day. lion figured it out like this bead had received from hunt and undoubtedly had opened and read a letter from fullerton addressed to miss wolcott he already knew as had appeared at their first interview that fullerton had at one time been engaged to miss wolcott therefore the association of her name with his was not a new idea yet he had been shadowing her yesterday afternoon presumably therefore he had suddenly come to perceive a new importance in her movements was his watchfulness over her the occasion of his present preoccupation lion would have given much for a clairvoyant vision to tell him where bead was at that moment being obliged to trust instead to his reasoning powers he went to hemlock avenue and walked past miss wolcott's house

the house wore its customary air of seclusion and there was no lounger in the street he walked a block farther and went into a drug store where as he happened to know there was a public telephone and a gossiping clerk has bead been here to-day he asked carelessly bead who don't you know bead the detective little gray man with keen eyes and a voice that he keeps behind his teeth i expected to find him here he was here this morning or a man like him said the clerk a detective you say gee what's up the clerk the clerk was looking rather than a clerk the clerk was looking rather startled well if i had known he was a detective he gave out that he was the credit man for the new furniture store around the corner and asked about several people in the neighborhood that we have accounts with our old man has some stock in the furniture concern so i gave him all the information i could what accounts did he ask about do you remember the clerk named half a dozen lyon was not surprised to hear miss wolcott's among them he was both surprised and startled to hear miss elliott's what did you tell him about these two he asked thoughtfully i let him see their accounts in the ledger i wish you'd let me see those same accounts the clerk demurred and lyon who had noticed a college fraternity pin on the other scarf opened his coat he wore the same pin. Oh, all right, said the easy-going clerk with a laugh. If I'm going to be fired for giving

anything away to a detective, I'll have the satisfaction of helping a notabina anyhow. Here are the account books. Come around here. He opened a page with Miss Edith Wolcott's name at the top. The latest entry caught lion's eye at once. November 25th. Sulfonal. Sulfonel. six grams, forty-five. The date was the date of Fullerton's murder. Lion pointed to the entry. Could you tell me what time of the day that sale was made? That's exactly what the other man asked, the clerk exclaimed in a maze. And you told him, It was half-past nine in the evening. I happen to remember because I leave at half-past nine every evening, and the night clerk comes on.

And just as I was going out, Miss Wolcott came in and asked if I could give her something to make her sleep. She said she was too nervous to sleep, and I noticed she seemed all out of a tremble. Her hands were shaking when she took the packet. Did you tell Bied all that? I guess I did. Did he ask you any other questions?

Not about Miss Wolcott. he looked a long time at miss elliott's account let me see it then the clerk turned the pages we charge everything that is prescribed for any one at the school to miss elliott's account and show on our bill who it was for said the clerk that's what these names mean he pointed to the names miss jones miss beatley etc opposite each item lion was distinctly startled to catch the name name mistainter at frequent intervals. Has she been ill? he asked with quick concern, and then added lamely. She's a sort of cousin of mine. The clerk grinned. Gunther's chocolates.

Oh! Lyon studied the entries assiduously for the next few moments. Among the latest were a number of charges for Mrs. W.B. that meant anything to Bede? Did Bede ask about any of them in particular? he inquired by a way of answering his own query. He wanted to know who Mrs. W. B. was. What did you tell him? Told him they were Dr. Barry's prescriptions. They were marked that way. That's all I know. Remember anything else he asked about? No, that's about all. lion went into the telephone booth and called up dr barry hello barry this is lyon i want to know how mrs w b is getting along

now see here lion don't you think you are crowding things a little there really hasn't been time for any radical change since noon what do you mean i told you at noon she was not to be disturbed for several days yet told me well i told the boy who telephoned for you i have not authorized anyone to telephone for me what why some one telephoned in your name and you have been such a nuisance about the case that i thought of course it was you again did you happen to mention the lady's name or only her initials asked lion barry hesitated so long in answering that lion could only draw the most serious conclusion i can't say barry answered with some constraint it's important i should know barry you know she was very desirous of keeping her visit here unknown and if you have been giving it away i must at least know the facts so as to head off trouble if possible he threw all his earnestness into his voice and barry yielded a reluctant reply saying it is possible that i did i thought it was your message did he ask anything else in particular no excuse me i'm very busy and the phone shut off lion walked out and back up hemlock avenue he was breathing quickly as though he had been running if i were bead i think i should be rather proud of myself making two such halls as that in one morning at this rate bead will soon know all that i know myself and a little more

he said to himself is it possible that he will attach any significance to miss wolcott's purchase of a soporific on the fatal twenty-fifth good lord i wish she had stayed at home that evening that visit to the druggist at half-past nine brings her very close to the scene of the murder did she go for a sleeping-powder before or after the murder is it possible after all He shook his head impatiently at his own suggestion. At any rate, I must let Howell know at once that Bede has discovered Mrs. Broughton. Something will come from that, and soon. I suspect we'll have to defy, dear Dr. Barry. He deserves the limit of the law. He was within half a block of Olden's.

He determined to go there to telephone. It was the nearest place, and incidentally it would in mind. enable him to get kitty's latest report on mrs broughton's condition as he entered the hall olden met him if indeed this wild-eyed man whose goggles lay crushed on the floor and whose white wig sat askew upon his own black hair could be the sedate and decorous olden he fairly hurled himself at lyon crushing his arm with an iron grasp the curtain is down have you seen what does it mean Where is she? Has she gone away? Can't you speak? What do you know about it? Where has she gone? His questions piled one upon another unintelligibly. What in the world do you mean? gasped Lyon. The curtain... He tore himself away and rushed upstairs to his window. Kitty's curtain was down to the very bottom in the left-hand window.

Gone! he explained. exclaimed, in blank bewilderment. Olden had followed close. She pulled the curtain down just now, just before you came in. I was watching. I have been watching all the time. I saw her come and pull it down. How did you know about the curtains? asked Lyon,

realizing for the first time that Olden was betraying knowledge that he was not supposed to have. I heard what you said at the phone. I knew what you came here for, of course. That's why I let you come. You were to help me watch without knowing it, and now she is gone, slipped away from before our very eyes. Who are you? Woods Broughton, he pronounced the name with careless impatience, as though he had never tried to keep it a secret. What are you going to do? We must find her. Come downstairs, said Lion, adjusting himself to the new situation.

We must telephone to Howell. Howell was not an imaginative man, and it took some time to make him grasp the double idea that Mrs. Broughton had disappeared and that Lyon's landlord had suddenly turned out to be Broughton himself. The whole thing was irregular, and he felt himself confused and embarrassed. But he agreed that he was a little bit of a little bit of a while. must come at once for a consultation.

I think we shall get along better if we are quite frank, said Lion while they were waiting for Howell. Will you explain your object in disguising yourself, so that we may know just where we stand in relation to each other? To find out what her secret was, Broughton answered passionately. He clenched his hands till the knuckles were white, and his heavy-featured face, shaped by half a century of business life into lines of impassive self-control was wrenched by emotion that was half pitiful half ludicrous to find out what hold this man lawrence has upon her to kill him perhaps lawrence good heavens what nonsense cried lion what made you connect her with lawrence in any way i told you that it was a letter that came from wainscote that first upset her. She had been happy before that, I swear it. She was happy and content as my wife. Then his letters came. What made you think they were from him? Did you see any of them?

I found one partly burnt in the fireplace in her bedroom. I could make out the signature plainly. It was Arthur Lawrence. You could read nothing else? No, but I found her unfinished answer in her writing desk. What did she say? asked Lyon in a calm voice. Broughton struggled to keep his voice steady. She said that she was the most unhappy woman in the world. God, I had been so happy, that he had been right in warning her against marrying me, and that she must see him.

I had no chance to read more, for she was coming, and I could not let her suspect I had seen anything. But I made my plans from that moment. I told her that I was called away on a sudden business trip. As I expected, as soon as I was off, she started for Wainscott. I followed her in this disguise. She went at once to Lawrence's office. His law office in the Equity Building?

Yes, then she went to Miss Elliot's. that was on a monday monday night you will remember lawrence killed fullerton and the next day he was arrested that stopped their plans whatever they were she has kept her room at miss elliott's and i took this house which happened to be vacant so that i could keep a close watch on her she has never gone out dr barry has been to see her as you know i have had phillips get a daily report from berry under color of wiring to me then you came along mr lyon i had seen and heard enough to know that you were a friend of lawrence's so i took you in because i wanted to know everything about him that i could and i knew that for some reason you were watching grace phillips had tracked you there several times and he followed you into the florist's shop and got possession of grace's order for unlimited flowers to be sent to lawrence her flowers for him i wonder i have kept my senses but i could do nothing but wait until lawrence was released as grace was waiting over there for his release you needn't pretend to be surprised you know yourself the connection between them that's why you have been keeping a watch on her i saw that from the room you selected you are quite right as to that though i think you are quite wrong as to other things what other things about lawrence he isn't that sort of a man if any one had a hold upon mrs broughton it would seem to have been fullerton

fullerton you have been very frank mr broughton and it is only fair that i should be equally frank we have been very anxious to have an interview with mrs broughton as soon as her health would permit howell and i because we have reason to believe that she may be able to throw some light upon the fullerton murder she may be wanted as a witness you are mad utterly mad gasped broughton what could she possibly know about that she was with fullerton when he left the wellington at eight o'clock i don't believe it i don't think there can be much question about that she had obviously been to consult him on some legal matters but frankly we only know enough to make it very important we should know more and we have been very anxious to avoid publicity if possible for her her own sake, and possibly for Lawrence's. Poor Broughton looked dazed. I don't understand. Fullerton was her lawyer.

Yes. And you think she was with him when Lawrence killed him? We are in hopes that she may be able to explain what did actually happen. She certainly was with Fullerton earlier in the evening. Beyond that, we don't know anything, and we really haven't even a coherent theory. But it was Lawrence with whom she was corresponding. It was Lawrence who had wanted to marry her,

and who would not go to her wedding. It was Lawrence who came to see her as soon as my back was turned. Lion shook his head. You don't know what lies under all that. Fullerton may have had some hold on her, and Lawrence may have been acting as her friend merely. Ah, here is Howell. He will tell us what to do now.

Howell had had time to adjust his mind to the facts Lyon had telephoned, and when he came in, he seemed more curious regarding the personality of the famous man before him than anything else. Lyon explained briefly what he had told Broughton about the situation. Well, now, Mr. Broughton, you know as much as we do, said Howell. you see that it is highly important we should get at mrs broughton's testimony barry has been keeping me off so this young man evolved a somewhat fantastic plan of getting inside information as to her condition i hope the code has missed fire somehow for it would be exceedingly unfortunate if the prosecution should get hold of her before we do it is quite on the cards mr broughton that we may want you to take your wife away quite out of reach as a witness it depends on what she has to tell us and that we must find out as soon as possible how if she is gone that is the first thing for us to ascertain lion

you must take me over to miss elliott's school at once we want to find out all we can and immediately if i may make a suggestion mr brownon you will await our return here instead of accompanying us it may possibly prove that your disguise should not be disclosed at this juncture broughton did not demur he was obviously too much overwhelmed by the uncertainties of the situation to take the initiative in any direction don't be long he said with a wistfulness that sat strangely on his heavy features if she has really gone i must know it i must have the police searched the town for her at once howell and lion walked away leaving him standing in the doorway looking after them in helpless impotence that complicates things said howell lion nodded if there is any connection between lawrence and mrs broughton there isn't of the sort he thinks if there is any connection it may supply the motive for the assault on fullerton i'm afraid we aren't going to get much help for our side from this interview but i'd rather know the worst than be tied up in ignorance if mrs broughton will talk well we shall soon see said howell as he rang miss elliot's bell end of chapter sixteen chapter seventeen of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double-day this libervock's recording is in the public domain chapter seventeen there was an atmosphere of suppressed excitement about the place that struck lyon as soon as they were admitted to miss elliott's there was a sound of voices of shutting doors that was like the buzz of an excited hive

the maid who took their cards from mrs broughton looked startled and hesitating but departed on her errand without remark she's gone all right murmured lyon to his companion in a moment miss elliot appeared severe and formal and angular as ever but with a nervous flutter in her voice that told its own story to lion's quick ear it is impossible for mrs broughton to receive visitors she said the maid brought your cards to me but i am authorized to say that mrs broughton cannot see any one it is a matter of some importance a legal matter said howell miss elliot shook her head i am sorry it is impossible do you mean that she has not yet returned asked lion gently miss elliot turned to him with a start do you mean that you have seen her oh where was she when was it why did she go i have not seen her i heard that she had been able to go out and so hoped that she might be strong enough to grant us an interview she had asked me to call in regard to a certain matter in which she was interested do i understand she is out this afternoon miss elliot threw out her hands with a gesture of despair i do not know where she is where she went or when she has simply gone without a word and she was hardly able to walk across the room alone i am wild about it where could she have gone and why should she go secretly i think she must have wandered off in a delirium and i dare not start an inquiry for she may return at any moment and she was so anxious to have nothing said about her visit here

but she has been so ill. With every moment that passes, I feel more alarmed and more helpless. When did she go? asked Lyon. You may count on us to help you in any possible way, Miss Elliot. Give us all the information that you can about her departure. I went out myself this afternoon at two o'clock. The maid says that a man called to see Mrs. Broughton

about half an hour later. He sent a note to her, but no card. She asked to have him come to her private sitting room, and he was there perhaps fifteen minutes. Then he left. When I came home at four o'clock, I went at once to her room and found it empty. She has not left her room before since she came. She has been too ill. She is not in the house. I have myself gone all through it. I have myself gone all through she must have dressed and gone out some time during the afternoon when no one happened to be in the hall but i cannot understand it and i don't know what to do do nothing at present madam and say nothing to anyone about it i will have a search instituted quietly so that if she should not return of her own accord we shall soon know at any rate where she is said howell can you give us any information about the man who called none no one saw him no one but the maid and she is not observing i have questioned her she could give no description of him well we must do the best we can without it i shall take pleasure in letting you know as soon as we have anything to report said howell rising to depart

lion had left his hat and gloves on the hat rack in the hall as he took up his gloves he felt something crinkle inside one of them and he knew instantly that kitty had sent him a message that girl is a born intricate he laughed to himself with a sudden thrill that was curiously tender for all his amusement as soon as they were outside he unfolded the little note the man who came to see her was small and thin and wore an old dark blue coat he had a bald spot on the top of his head and a wart on his nose he walks on tiptoe i hate a man who walks on tiptoe she went away in a hurry for she didn't take her comb or brush or anything oh i'm just wild to know what is happening is it anything mysterious lion read the note to howl that man was bead he said seriously no question about that now why did she go because bead persuaded her to hide or because he frightened her into hiding on her own account and is bead going to produce her or isn't he i never ran up against so many blind alleys in one case in my life there were apparently just three people who knew what happened that night fullerton lawrence and mrs fullerton is dead mrs broughton is lost and lawrence will not talk i wonder if this will unseal his tongue i think i shall have to see him at once we'll have to report to broughton first that poor man is on my mind very well we'll go there first my chief anxiety regarding him is that he'll give the whole thing away to the police he is too accustomed to have to have been to have to

having his own way about things. They walked around the block to Broughton's home and found him waiting for them. He fairly went wild when he heard their report. He was for telephoning the police, printing posters, sending a town crier around to make proclamation, anything and everything, and all at once. His wife was lost,

and the resources of the universe must be requisitioned to get her back. Go slow, said Lion. Mrs. Broughton is not a child. She hasn't been kidnapped and she isn't lost. She is hiding somewhere. She had money and she is accustomed to traveling. I think you may feel reasonably sure that she is safe. Speaking for Lawrence, we are anxious to find her,

but speaking for her, it may be just as well that she should not be found until after the grand jury has adjourned. What do you mean? demanded Broughton fiercely. She knows more about the Fullerton murder than it would be agreeable for her to tell in court. You are mad, gasped Broughton.

Why does she disappear as soon as she knows that Bede has connected her with the affairs of that night? Broughton walked the floor. Then he stopped abruptly before Howell. I wish that you would call up the county jail and find out if she has been there to see Lawrence. You can find out hypothetically, without giving names, you know. That isn't a bad idea, said Howell. He went to the telephone and inquired whether anyone had been admitted to see Lawrence that afternoon.

The answer, when he repeated it to the others, seemed significant. A woman tried to see him a little after five. but when she found that she would have to give her name and submit to search, she went away without disclosing her identity. She wore a heavy veil, a short seal-skin coat, and a dark dress, general appearance of a lady. Broughton dropped his eyes to the floor, and a look of sullen anger displaced the anxiety that had racked his features.

I shall have an account to settle with Mr. Lawrence when he is out of jail, he muttered savagely. In the meantime, our efforts are all directed to getting him out, said Howell. And since I cannot use Mrs. Broughton as a witness, I am as well content that she is out of Beed's reach also. I will go down to see Lawrence at once, and if I can get any information from him that will interest you in this connection, I shall let you know.

I think that is all we can do tonight. I'd like to go with you when you visit Lawrence, said Lion quietly. Howell considered a moment and then nodded. Perhaps he thought that another influence might be more successful than his own in unlocking the confidence of his client. Lawrence tossed aside the book which he had been reading and rose to greet them with all of his old light-hearted self-possession. Delighted to see you!

I've been reading Persian-Larcing. love poems till my brains are whirling around like the song of a tipsy bull-bull, so I am particularly in need of some intelligent conversation. Howell, you look as glum as though you were a attorney for a wretched fellow who had no chance of escaping the gallows. I'm glad you have lion associated with you. I've more faith in his abilities than in yours. And he shot a dancing glance at lion, which was not wholly mockery. my abilities are at least equal to the facts that have been given them to work up said howell dryly i came to ask you what you can tell me about mrs broughton's visit to wainscott lawrence's eyes widened with surprise mrs broughton what in the name of wonder are you bringing her name in for she visited your office that day yes what for

lawrence shook his head it was a professional visit i can't discuss the matter i rather expected you to say that but the matter comes up in this way lion here has identified mrs broughton with the woman who was seen with fullerton that evening he may be wrong of course but if he is right it may be helpful to know what she wanted first from you and then from him lawrence did not look at lyon this time his eyes swept clear of all expression were fixed upon howl and calm attention why not ask her he said she has been ill too ill to be disturbed dr barry has insisted this afternoon she disappeared bead had been to see her a short time before now what bearing so far as you know does this have upon the case lawrence dropped his eyes which had been fixed intently upon the speaker and remained silent for some moments lion watching him felt perfectly satisfied that the facts presented were all new to him and that his mind was now trying to fit them into the theory of the crime which he had before entertained and that his hesitation and answering was due to his caution at last he said i cannot throw any light on the subject i did not see mrs broughton after she left my office in the morning was her business of such a nature that she would have been likely to consult fullerton about it lawrence frowned she might have done so women never keep to the rules of the game

you had warned her not to consult him personally lawrence smiled satirically into howell's eyes what are you trying to find out whether her business with fullerton was of a nature to rouse her to rouse her to desperation if she failed. Nonsense, Lawrence exclaimed. Then more slowly and thoughtfully, Out of the question, Mrs. Broughton is a shy and timid woman, and anything like desperation in her case would react upon herself, not on anyone else.

You are clear off the track, Howell. You admit, however, that she might have been made desperate? I admit nothing whatsoever. If I knew anything, I wouldn't admit it. Or I'll admit that I don't know anything, if that will pacify you. Where would she be likely to go? You know her friends.

Lawrence shook his head. If she was bent on hiding herself, she would not be likely to go to the likely places. And with that, Howell had to depart. as usual his client had given him no information that would be of the slightest value in conducting the defense lion lingered when howell had departed there is another matter i want to tell you about he said i had an interview with miss walcott yesterday the flash of lawrence's eyes was electric out with it you tongue-tied wretch he cried lord that such privileges should fall to a man who doesn't know better than to waste time in wordy preambles tell me every syllable she said every look that she didn't put into syllables to think that you have been sitting here for half an hour with all that treasure locked up inside of you confound you why don't you begin begin at the beginning and omit nothing

lion began and told all of his tale lawrence listened with an attentiveness that seemed to meet the words half-way and dragged them out into expression he had forgotten himself entirely and his anger at her distinctions his rage at fullerton his amazed and odd wonder when he heard that shame over her girlish folly in writing her heart out to a man unworthy of it had made her deaf to all other wooing were as plainly revealed as though he had put them into his most voluble english at the end he dropped his face upon his folded arms on the table the poor child he murmured to himself the poor child he murmured to himself the poor child, as though that or anything would have made any difference. Suddenly he wheeled upon Lion with dancing eyes. Maybe you are thinking that this is an upper room in the county jail, and that I am a forlorn wretch with a good prospect of being hung. Never think it, my boy.

There is nothing in all the universe so heaven-wide and free as this room. I know now how a man feels when his reproof. comes but your reprieve hasn't come yet said lion quietly that is exactly the point do you see any way yet in which i can help it to come lawrence looked at him silently smilingly and shook his head then it makes no difference in your attitude pursued lyon that mrs broughton and not anyone else is shown to be the woman who is with fullerton that evening It makes no difference, said Lawrence quietly. Not even if she should prove to be the woman who ran across the street? Is that your idea? exclaimed Lawrence in Frank's surprise. Oh, you are on the wrong track. It was not she.

But, if it was? Lawrence walked back and forth thoughtfully. Then he stopped again before Lion. it would make no difference he said then with a smile he placed his hand on the younger man's shoulder believe me lion i appreciate your interest and your earnestness but beware of letting it carry you too far there are times you know when the best service a friend can render is simply to keep hands off if you start in with an idea of proving things you may possibly prove things you may possibly prove too much there are matters that simply must not be brought into question he shook lion in friendly roughness and let him go when lion came out the early night had already fallen and shadows lay heavy in the corners beyond the reach of the street lamps lion glanced at the sky and then instead of going to hemlock avenue he took his way to the wellington End of Chapter 17. Chapter 18 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday.

This Libervox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 18 Lyon's first intention had been to wait until the house was quiet that night, before attempting to carry out his plan of burglarizing Fullerton's apartment, but after the developments of the afternoon, he felt that it was unwise to risk even an hour's delay. play. Bede was too active to be allowed much headway. As he made his preparations, he could not help reflecting with amusement on the way in which fate was using him. Here was he, a newspaper man,

bending every energy to keep this affair out of the papers, a law-abiding man, working to frustrate the efforts of the officers of the law. An averagely moral man, deliberately planning to commit technical burglary. If he should be caught in his efforts, he might find himself in jail beside Lawrence, and to be arrested for attempted burglary was somehow less dignified than to be arrested for murder. There are delicate shades in crime that appealed to the sensibilities of the artist. However, he was in for it, and though the situation might appeal to his philosophical nature as full of paradox, he had no intention of modifying his plans. It was eight o'clock when he got into the room, which he had taken in the Wellington.

He had got his keys from Hunt and mentioned casually that he was going out later in the evening. It was a cloudy, moonless night, and though the streetlamp spread a diffused light through the air everywhere, the rear of the Wellington was as much in the shadow as it was possible for, any place in the city to be. A jutting angle of the wall, in which there were no windows, gave him further protection in his venture. He fastened one end of his rope ladder securely on the inside ledge of his window, and then dropped it down. It reached just to Fullerton's window on the floor below. Cautiously, lion went down the frail support. It was a windy night, and the gusts that came around the corner tossed the free end of the ladder wildly, but his weight steadied it,

and though he swayed dizzily for a few minutes, he soon swung down to a point where he could get a footing on the broad window ledge of Fullerton's room. He had come prepared to cut out a piece of glass opposite the window catch, but as he put his hand upon it, he felt it yield, and to his surprise, and very much to his relief, he found that he could push the sash up. this not only would save time but it would enable him to cover his trail more effectively curiosity made him pause even in his hurry to examine the catch and he found that through a shrinkage of the wood the snap on the lower sash did not reach to lock into the upper it looked locked but it did not catch it would be possible therefore for him to leave it still apparently locked from the index it would be possible therefore for him to leave it still apparently locked from the when leaving. He fastened the end of his ladder so that it would not blow out of his reach, and then pulled down the window and drew the curtains to exclude the light. Only then did he venture

to strike a match and turn on the nearest gas jet. He remembered the general arrangement of the room very well from his former visit. Here was the large square writing table in the middle of the room, and there to the right of it on the floor was the rug Hunt had spoken of, where the letters lay. Lyon sat down before the table and studied the arrangement quietly. A man sitting here could toss the letters to the rug easily with a careless flip of his right hand, but a letter would not of itself fall from the table to the rug. Even if blown from the table by a strong gust from the open window, an idea that he had had in his mind as a possibility, it would not be apt to fall upon the rug.

The direct line would carry it to one side. For the present he would eliminate the table. Where else could the letters have been placed so as to fall upon the rug? Assuming that Fullerton had written them, the last evening he was in the room, and had either forgotten to leave them for mailing, or had laid them aside for some reason when his collar or, arrived, where would he have been apt to leave them? Lion took his position on the rug and studied the various pieces of furniture which lay in unobstructed lines from that point.

There was a small table against the wall, and on it a circular pipe tray with an array of pipes. Above it, fastened against the wall at a height which a man could reach only of standing, was a small Chinese cabinet, carved in the semblance of a room. a dragon and gleaming with scarlet and gold. Like the serpent marked note paper, it bore witness to Fullerton's fantastic taste. It would be quite in keeping with his habits for him to use this as a repository for his letters. Lion walked over to examine it. It opened readily at his touch. The inside of the cabinet was filled with tobacco jars. He tried to lift it from the wall, but it was too securely fastened to make this easy. But the idea that this was and must

be the place where Fullerton had deposited Miss Wolcott's letters had now taken possession of him, and stepping up on a chair he examined the cabinet closely on all sides. From that point he at once saw what he had not noticed before, that on one side, near the bottom, was a crack, and the white corner of an envelope was plainly visible. With the help of his penknife, he pulled it out. It was addressed to Fullerton in a delicate hand. There was at least no more mystery as to how the letters had reached the rug. Evidently Fullerton had placed them at some time, for some purpose, in this cabinet,

and they had been shaken loose at the dramatically opportune moment when Hunt found them. probably the jarring of the wall when the furniture in his upper apartment had been moved out had helped to dislodge them or perhaps they occasionally slipped out even when fullerton was there without exciting suspicions of supernatural agency the letters he wanted were probably inside he again examined the cabinet within and without and though he could find no secret drawer he saw by the shallowness of the space within as compared with the depth on the outside that there must be a drawer beneath the compartment where the tobacco jar is reposed well if needs must he inserted the strongest blade of his knife and pried open the whole side not so difficult a task as one might have supposed for the delicate wood of the cabinet had not been expected to resist the dry heat of a modern apartment house and it was badly cracked at several points as the side came loose in his hands he saw that under the ostensible interior was a shallow drawer filled with packages of letters longer documents and note-books he gathered the whole mass together and tied it hastily into a bundle in his silk neckerchief then with a view to beads possible explorations he carefully pressed the loose side back into place at that moment he heard through the silence the metallic rattle of the elevator someone was stopping at this floor hastily concluding that it was wiser to make his escape unseen if possible with the booty-were

which he had already secured, than to risk discovery by lingering on the chance of finding more, Lyon softly turned out the gas and made his escape by the window, carrying his knotted kerchief like an emigrant's bundle in his hand. He pulled the window down behind him and climbed up his ladder to his own room. As he leaned out to pull up his rope ladder, a sudden gleam of light shot out into the night from the window below, beade was in fullerton's room lion's heart was jumping partly from the unusual physical exertion partly from the excitement he stood still for a moment considering whether he should examine his find here and now or try to make his escape from the building with it before he opened the bundle he had suddenly a panicky feeling that bede might appear at any moment and demand his papers

had he really covered his tracks or had he left some perfectly obvious clue for the detective to follow his rope ladder lay in a heap at his feet he rolled it up and poked it into the bottom of his bag and then taking courage he opened up his bundle the first thing that fell out was a good-sized package neatly wrapped and sealed and superscribed this package is to be delivered to Edith Wolcott's husband on his wedding day with the compliments and congratulations of Warren Fullerton. Lion smiled grimly as he slipped the package into his pocket. There was little doubt as to the contents of the sealed packet, and with the recovery of those unhappy love letters, his immediate object had been most perfectly accomplished. He glanced at his watch. It was not yet nine. He might be so fortunate as to be admitted yet, and to save her even one night of the oppression which he had witnessed would be worth much. He hastily packed the balance of his

trophy into his bag without examining it, and made his way out of the apartment and out of the building. Taking the staircase instead of the elevator, he felt reasonably sure that his departure had been unobserved, and so indeed it proved. when he reached hemlock avenue the lights were still burning in miss wolcott's house and it was miss wolcott herself who after a little delay opened the door in answer to his ring it struck him that she looked less mistress of herself than usual she had a startled not to say nervous air i hoped it might be you she said come to the library and she led the way in the way to the room where a dancing fire blazed upon the hearth i only stopped for a moment to bring you this package said lion if you wouldn't mind i wish that you would open it so that you can tell me whether or not it contains the letters you spoke of the other evening she took the package from him with a startled look but without a word a characteristic of hers which he was coming to understand he turned away and picked up a book on the table to withdraw his presence from her as much as possible as she tore open the wrappings then he heard her give a gasping sigh and he turned quickly toward her

she had sunk into the chair before the fire and with her hands before her face she was sobbing with a childish abandon that was so poignant it brought a catch into lion's throat even though he saw that her tears were tears of relief and joy. Scattered on the floor at her feet, where they had slipped from her trembling fingers, were dozens of little letters, the dainty little notes of a young girl's inscribing. Like the fallen petals of blossoms that had been torn down by a harsh wind, they lay in pathetic disorder, witnessing to a beauty that had been and was no more. Lion reached for his hat and moved silently to the door, but at his movement she rose, crushing back her tears with that self-control

which had become second nature with her. Oh, wait, she cried breathlessly. Don't go yet. Don't leave me alone with them! Lion laughed. Poor little letters! They look so forlorn! The power to hurt! was never in them, only in a man's wicked mind. She drew a long, sobbing breath.

Still, I don't want to touch them. Oh, I have so hated the thought of them all these years. It seems as though all the world had been lying under the oppression of the fact that they were lurking in the dark, waiting a chance to spring out upon me. Would you mind, would you put them on the fire for me? certainly said lion with perfect gravity he knelt down by the fireplace and gathered the white handfuls up and laid them upon the coals when the last little envelope had curled up into filmy ash he rose she was standing erect before the fire with a vitality and radiance in every line of her figure that made her like a different being

truly women are beyond all understanding thought lyon as he waited for her next word thank you she said and the simple phrase on her lip seemed like a peon of thanksgiving now one more thing you know everything you are the only one who does will you tell mr lawrence about these letters he has always been a good friend and i should like to have him know i am sure he will be glad to learn that you will be free from further annoyance and anxiety he said cheerfully but as for my telling him suppose instead i arrange for you to see him yourself to-morrow it could be done without any publicity you know and it would be a godsend to him to have a visit from you you can't imagine how stupid it is to be in prison a visit from any one would be a welcome diversion She looked thoughtful and abstracted. "'Tomorrow?' she hesitated. "'I don't know. I may not be at home tomorrow.' "'Well, the day after, if you must postpone it.'

"'I'll send you word,' she said after a moment. He thought a shadow had crossed her face, but it might only have been a shadow of thought. When he again reached for his hat, she put out both hands. impulsively. However things turn out, other things, she said somewhat incoherently, I shall never, never forget what you have done for me. You have given me back myself. Lyon smiled to himself as he left her.

How long would she keep possession of that gift if Lawrence were only free? End of Chapter 18. Chapter 19 of the Hemlock Avenue mystery. by roman double day this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter nineteen the radiance of miss wulcott's face was still lingering in lion's mind and diffusing a glow over his imagination when he crossed the few steps that separated her house from broughton's broughton opened the door for him as he had formed the habit of doing the anguished and despairing inquiry in his eyes pulled lion up sharply he had come from the morning to night from the hope of youth to the sorrow of age from those whose story was to end happily to those who knew in their own hearts the tragedy of life you have nothing to tell me broughton asked though his tone showed he expected nothing Lion shook his head. No, you have heard nothing?

Nothing, nothing, nothing. From habit he led Lion into the dining room, where they had always sat to smoke before retiring, but the room showed no preparations for an evening of good cheer. It was as blank and forlorn as Broughton's face. Where can she be? he demanded, stopping in his restless walk to face a lion and purest. Seriously.

Ill as she was, with God knows what trouble on her mind and conscience, where can she have gone? Did she feel that it was impossible to live? Did she go to her death, or to hide and wait for him? If you mean Lawrence, that's all nonsense, said Lion calmly. I may tell you now there were reasons why I couldn't before that Lawrence is deeply in love with Ms. Wolcott, who lives next door, and she returns his sentiment. I am satisfied that their formal engagement will be announced as soon as he is cleared of this accusation.

What of that, said Broughton Dully. He may be playing with a dozen women for all I know. He isn't that sort. He is the sort that keeps up a secret correspondence with another man's wife and lures her from her home and her husband. That I know, and knowing that, I can't believe very much good of him in other ways. He knows where my wife is now. I don't believe it. Well, he will know before I do, said Broughton sullenly. She has fled because she was connected with that affair in some way. It is even possible that she discovered I was watching. and if she hasn't destroyed herself, she has gone where she can wait for him.

Lion felt helpless. The unreason of jealousy comes so near to insanity that argument and common sense are helpless before it. It can only be mastered by authority or by an appeal to the emotions, and Lion did not feel himself in position to offer either to a man of Woods Broughton's age and personal force. Well, good night, he said lamely. I'm going to bed.

Go, said Broughton. There is no reason why you should not sleep. I shall not sleep until I know where she is. Good God, this very minute she may be a helpless prisoner in some terrible den of infamy. She may be suffering, though she cannot suffer as I do. Lion got away from him and went up to the little back bedroom, which had come to seem so home-like in the short week that he had

been there. Kitty's curtains were both down, of course. Her faithfulness to their code, even to this disastrous end, struck him as pathetic. Dear little girl, he murmured, and blew a kiss across the night to her. One can venture so much more in the night than in the unsympathetic blaze of common day. How much farther he might have gone on his excursion into sentiment can only be guessed, for just then his eye was caught, and his mind diverted by something which, in a moment, took on more than a momentary importance. It was nothing more pretentious than a lighted window in Miss Wolcott's home. The curious thing about it was that he had never seen a light in that

second-story window before. Every evening when he had been a light in that second-story window before. Every evening when he had looked for Kitty's signal, Miss Wolcott's house had presented a perfectly blank and unobservant side to his view. Now someone was occupying a room which corresponded with his own room in this neighboring house. While his eye lingered on the light in idle speculation, he saw and distinctly recognized Miss Wolcott as she passed between the window and the light in the room. The sight was not in itself startling, and yet he started and metaphorically rubbed his eyes. Miss Wolcott wore a hat. Instinctively, he looked at his watch. It lacked a few minutes of eleven. Eleven o'clock in Wainscott was an hour when respectable householders went to bed, unless they went on a journey. Was it possible that Miss Wolcott was going out, alone and unattentive?

at this hour he had the greatest confidence in the innocence of her intentions whatever they were but the story which she had told had not given him the same prejudice in favor of her discretion what foolish plan might she have in her mind now why had she said nothing of her intention when he left her an hour ago distinctly worried he reached for the overcoat and hat which he had thrown down on a chair in his room and then when back to the window. If she was really bent on a midnight errand, he would escort her, whether she liked it or not. He would quietly watch for the moment of her departure and then join her at her own front door. But while he waited, another head crossed the lighted field of the window,

not Miss Wolcott's. She was not going alone then, for this woman also wore a hat, and about her neck was the graceful line of an upturned fur collar. He did not know Miss Wolcott's friends. He knew indeed very few women in Wayne Scott, and yet something teasingly familiar about the lift of the head, the turn of the neck, puzzled him. Did he know her? And then suddenly the solution of it all flashed upon him.

That delicately turned head belonged to Mrs. Broughton. dolt idiot that he was not to have reasoned it out before mrs broughton fleeing from miss elliott's by way of the secret panel in the fence had taken shelter at miss wolcott's what more natural what more simple and now under cover of the night she was preparing to continue her flight in a flash without waiting for logical processes lion saw what he must do he hurled himself downstairs three steps at a time and out of the front hall as he had expected a carriage was waiting before miss wolcott's door he went up to the driver ostentationally looking at his watch when does the train leave he asked eleven forty five the man answered oh then there is time enough he said easily and ran back to the house broughton who had been startled by lion's noisy run through the hall was awaiting him at the front door what's up he asked lion realized that the moment had come for the autocratic dominance of the same mind he put his hand impressively on broughton's shoulder and faced him sternly imperiously mr broughton if i could put you at this moment face to face with your wife what would be a man your attitude toward her?"

"'What do you mean?' gasped Broughton, too bewildered by this new manner to really grasp lion's words. "'Would you meet her with accusation, doubt, and coldness, or will you hide that unworthy side of your thought and let her see the love that you really feel?' Broughton's face darkened. "'If she can satisfy my doubts, she must never know them. and this for your sake more than hers think man how will you go through the years that lie before you if you must spend them with a constant knowledge that you once failed her that she knows it and that she can never more be proud of you or sure of you you will have made it necessary for her to forgive you can you stand the humiliation of that knowledge she to forgive me stammered broughton for what

for doubting her. You should have believed in her against every appearance. If you want to hold your head up before her, never let her know what traitorous doubts you have harbored. How do you know that they are traitorous? asked Broughton, struggling for a grip on his past passions. Because, now listen and understand exactly what this means. Because your wife, when she fled from Miss Elliot's, took refuge with miss walcott who is lawrence's fiancee can you believe for the thousandth part of an instant that she would have gone to that girl if there was anything between her and lawrence it is unthinkable now hold that one fact firmly do not forget it for a moment and come with me to your wife he crushed broughton's hat upon the bewildered man's head and dragged him out and across the dividing yards to me to my wife he crushed broughton's hat upon the bewildered man's head and dragged him out and across the dividing yards to Miss Wolcott's door. The whole episode had only taken a few moments, but he breathed more freely when he had actually got Broughton

to the steps of the other house before the women came out. There was no time to spare, however. The door-knob turned softly. The door opened noiselessly, and the two women stood there, cloaked and veiled, ready to set forth. Instead, Lion drew Broughton inside, as though the door had been opened for the purpose of admitting them.

I must beg that you'd give me a few moments, Miss Wolcott, lion began. But the need of making any explanation was taken from him. The lady who at their first appearance had shrunk back of Miss Wolcott suddenly gave a little inarticulate cry and threw herself upon Broughton's breast. Woods! Oh, Woods! Where did you come from? cried and burst into tears.

Lion held his breath in suspense, but it is not in masculine nature to thrust away a beautiful, sobbing woman. Broughton's arms lifted to enclose her, and his voice murmured, not ungently, "'There, there, Grace, control yourself!' Lyon turned to Miss Wolcott, trying to leave the reunited husband and wife

in as much privacy as the situation admitted. what is your plan where are you going he asked urgently she had thrown back her veil and her face was pale but resolute we were trying to escape she said from whom that terrible detective he had found mrs broughton he went to see her yesterday and told her she stopped abruptly and a shudder shook her visibly what did he tell her in charity let me know he told her she would have to appear as a witness at the trial and give testimony against me against you the room reeled before lion's eyes but he pulled himself together let me dismiss your carriage and then you must tell me what you mean it was wild of you to try to run away in the first place you would not be able to take any train without being stopped the police know of mrs broughton's disappearance and are watching all outgoing trains of course besides but let us dispose of the carriage first he went to the door and dismissed the coachman as he came back he saw that broughton had disengaged his wife's arms and was facing her with that jealous sternness in his eyes that lion had been dreaded. But to leave my home secretly at the urging of, of anyone, was not what I had a right

to expect of my wife. I have reason to demand an explanation. The tears were still sparkling on Mrs. Broughton's lashes, but she looked up at him with a steady glance. "'I am not your wife,' she said quietly. End of Chapter 19. Chapter 20 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 20 The surprising statement made by Mrs. Broughton was in fact so surprising that it was difficult for her hearers to grasp at once what was involved in it.

What do you mean? asked Broughton. But already the sternness of the righteous judge began to drain away from his face, leaving instead the uneasiness of the lover who has no ground on which to make a claim of rights. You say, what do you mean? That she meant something was very clear, and lion, glancing swiftly at Miss Wolcott, saw that to her at least, the meaning was quite plain. She was troubled, anxious, but not surprised.

Indeed it was she who now took a situation in hand. If you will come into the law, library, we can talk without arousing my grandfather, she said in guarded tones. If he hears voices, he will come down, and then— It was unnecessary to complete the sentence. They followed her into the library, and she closed the great door softly. Broughton was still looking dazed. Mrs. Broughton, who had not spoken since she made the startling declaration that she was not his wife, sank into a low chair.

her eyes were lowered and her hands were pressed hard together but there was steadiness and self-control in her attitude lion drew a little apart where he could observe them both are you strong enough to tell them your story or shall i asked edith wolcott quietly no no i must tell him that at least is his right and mine mrs broughton answered quickly she freed herself from her wraps and turned toward woodsbroughton during all that followed she looked straight at him talked to him the others in the room did not seem to enter her consciousness it was obvious that her one concern was to be understood by the man she loved when you first met me she said you knew that though i was not living with my husband there was no legal separation he had been away from me so long that i did not think of him very often and had long ceased to consider that i had any wifely obligations to him but legally i was his wife you got a divorce before we were married said broughton staring at her she went on with her story as though he had not spoken the only ground on which i could obtain a divorce under the laws of this state was that of desertion do you understand i could make no other charge against him unless i could secure a separation on that ground i could not get one at all i could not marry again yes but he had been away twelve years that surely was sufficient he had been away twelve years but he did not wish to give me an opportunity to get my freedom so he wrote to me from time to time

he wrote to you what of that it was enough to defeat the claim of desertion he would always offer to provide a home for me if i would come and live with him he did not expect me to consider it or i am sure wish me to but he took the attitude of willingness so as to forestall any attempt i might make to set myself free he made the same offer ironically as i well knew when he first went away he renewed it whenever he wrote i did not understand at the time what his object was i thought it only a petty form of annoyance but when i went to arthur lawrence to ask him to take up the matter of my divorce i found out what william's purpose had been his letters made it technically impossible for me to assert that he had deserted me wait a moment you say you went to arthur lawrence it was warren fullerton who conducted your suit after arthur had refused to take it he told me that under the circumstances i could not sustain the charge of desertion without-without perjury he tried to persuade me to follow some other course and when i persisted he refused to act for me broughton was leaning forward following every word with absorbed attention his eyes never left her face how did lawrence know about these letters he asked william always sent them under cover to arthur he wanted to make sure not only that i received them but that arthur should know i received them so that he could call upon him to testify to the fact if he should ever wish to all this i have learned since then i only knew that arthur saw a legal difficulty and refused to prepare the papers was that his only reason for opposing your divorce there was no personal feeling

personal feeling why no how could there be he would have been glad to help me he always disliked william but he foresaw trouble and advised me earnestly to wait until some other plan could be considered i would not and went to mr fullerton she shuddered involuntarily as she mentioned the name but after only an instant's pause went on from what i had learned from arthur about the law of the case i determined to say nothing to him about the letters i told him that william had left me twelve years before and never been heard from and on that statement the divorce was granted without difficulty then you and i were married she paused but they all felt that it was only to gather strength to go on and no one spoke the first intimation i had that there was going to be trouble came a year ago last summer mr fullerton was in new york and he came to see me he wanted money i could not understand at first but he soon made it unmistakably clear he had found out about the letters and he said that the divorce was therefore fraudulent and without effect and my marriage void her voice fluttered as though in spite of her will it was slipping away from her control broughton groaned why didn't you tell me grace good heavens that was a matter for a man to deal with i didn't dare i was afraid to have you know i was afraid of the scandal of your scorn of everything i was simply terrified out of my senses i couldn't think straight i only wanted to keep it from ever coming out to hush it up and keep it unknown so i sold some jewels

and paid him the money he wanted and he went away but i was sick for a month do you remember if you had only told me but what could you have done there would have been nothing possible but to put me away and the thought of that was worst of all or i thought so then broughton stared he was just beginning to see the far-reaching effects involved in the situation i hoped the matter was settled mrs broughton resumed but a few months later i received a letter from him asking for more money that was the beginning they came after that every few months and i lived in constant dread he always wrote very politely very guardedly but i knew what he meant and i did not dare refuse him one moment how had he learned about those letters from lawrence no william had seen the newspaper reports and had written to him giving him the facts so mr fullerton said and i don't know how else he could have found out arthur would never have spoken of it i got so desperate that finally i wrote to arthur ah he was the only one who knew the whole case he knew about the letters had known william and had warned me that william would make trouble and that i was going to build up unhappiness for myself i wrote him what had happened he urged me to tell you frankly the whole situation and to pay fullerton nothing more but i could not bring myself to the point of telling you

perhaps i would if-if you had been as kind as you were at first but i thought you were growing cold and distant and i could not speak then you went away on that sudden trip i thought it would be a good chance to see arthur and have a talk with him and perhaps to appeal to mr fullerton's mercy so i came out here the moment you had gone were you surprised to find me gone when you returned never mind that now said broughton let me get your story straight first and then i'll give you mine when you came to wainscot and you went to lawrence's office first didn't you that was monday four noon?" Yes, she said, looking a little surprised at the form of his question. I went there, and he was very positive that I must not see Mr. Fullerton. He said he would see him for me and settle him, but I was afraid to let him meet him. Arthur has a quick temper, and he was very angry.

You can't think how angry. You know, I have known Arthur Lawrence since a boy. He has really been the best friend a woman. woman ever could have. And now, oh, I can't go on. It is so terrible. But you must, Grace, it is very important. Tell me exactly what happened and where you went. When I left Arthur, I went to Miss Elliot's. I knew she would be glad to have me stay with her a few days, and that was all I intended at that time. I had promised Arthur not to see Mr. Fullerton, but after I left him, It seemed to me that I simply had to have it out with him.

I couldn't believe that it would be impossible for me to move him in a personal interview. I found out he lived at the Wellington and went there. He was not in, but the boy said he would be there in the evening, so I went again. That was a mad thing to do. I was mad. I could think of nothing but my own troubles, and I had so firmly persuaded myself that, in a personal interview i could somehow move him to mercy that i took the chances without considering anything else it was perhaps an accident but she glanced at lyon he had not moved

intensely interested as he was in reaching certain points he knew that to get the story they must let her tell it in her own way without interruption i did find him i had a terrible half-hour with him oh he was a man to fear. He was polite and smiling and hard as ice. He was not even sarcastic. He did not show any feeling. It was merely a question of money. He said it wasn't pleasant to get money from a woman in this way, but a woman's money was as good as a man's. And since I had money, and since I had put myself in a box where my whole life and reputation were at his mercy, it would be sheer foolishness on his part not to use his opportunity. Those were his very words. Oh, it was right to kill him. It was right.

Grace, gasped Broughton, half-rising. You don't mean good heavens. I didn't kill him, she said steadily. But I want you to understand that whoever killed him was removing from the earth a cruel wicked man. i saw i was making no impression on him and i left the wellington he was going out that evening and he accompanied me for a block or two i told him to leave me and finally he did i returned to miss elliott's do you know at what hour asked lion quickly it was half-past eight when i got into my room lion unconsciously sighed that statement if it was half-past eight when i got into my room lion unconsciously sighed that statement if it was half-past eight when i got into my room lion unconsciously sighed that statement if it accorded with the facts would completely knock out the theory he had cherished so long based on the assumption that the woman who had fled across the street at ten o'clock was mrs

there was something so convincing in her manner of telling the details of her story that it was very hard to believe she was not presenting the facts truthfully yet certainly it was a curious tangle that had mixed her movements on that evening so confusingly with those of fullerton and of the other woman who had also been entangled with his murder the next morning she resumed i saw the news of his death in the papers you cannot imagine my relief it was as though a terrible weight had been lifted i wanted to fly i was wild with joy then just as i was on the point of returning home came the news of the arrest of arthur lawrence it was a terrible blow i felt that he had done it for me because of what i had told him in the morning and that i was really guilty not only of fullerton's death i don't think i should have minded that much but of arthur's my nerves collapsed under the shock and i could not be moved gradually as i saw how little actual proof there was against him some composure returned perhaps after all he might not be convicted no one but myself knew how angry he had been with mr fullerton that day i was trying oh so hard to get enough of my strength back to get away to go somewhere anywhere when yesterday a man came to see me a mr bead what did he come for what did he want lion and broughton asked their question simultaneously as she paused in her speech mrs broughton glanced irresolutely at edith wolcott

that self-controlled young woman had been sitting silent with her chin in her palm listening to mrs broughton's story with sympathetic attention it was obvious the story was already well known to her now she answered the men's questions mr bead had discovered that mrs broughton was at fullerton's rooms that evening it seems he had also discovered or guessed that i was there he trapped her into admitting that she had seen me in the hall when she left the building with fullerton he told her that he would have to have her subpoenaed as a witness to tell about seeing me he didn't know that we were old friends or he would not have said that perhaps as soon as he left she came to me secretly and told me the whole thing we decided that the best thing would be to get away from wayne scott away from the country until this thing was settled now that you have spoiled our plan what are you going to do with us instead the responsibility is with you now i will take the responsibility of caring for my wife broughton said in a ringing voice he rose and shook himself as if throwing off some intolerable burden oh grace grace if you had only told me the whole in the beginning but i will not blame you now you have had a terrible time now i will try to make it all up to you we will do anything you like go anywhere you like you forget she said quietly i cannot go back to you at all i am not your wife you want you will not go back to you at all i am not your wife wife she put her hands up and pressed her fingers hard against her closed eyes all the trouble has come from that all the trouble for me first and now for you and for poor arthur in prison and for edith here

i tried to take what i had no right to and i lied to get it oh do you think i could have laid my whole heart bare to you as i have done to-night if i were not through with all that false claim I have told you everything as though I were on my deathbed, because I can never see you again. Somewhere in the world, watching his chance to strike, William Vanderberg is waiting. I will never go back to him. Never. So help me God. But while he lives, I may never dare to take any happiness that may offer. He is biting his time. Oh, I did wrong, but I have paid for it. paying now and will pay over and over every year that i live dear mrs broughton said lion gently i can at least relieve you of that uncertainty william vanderberg is dead i was with him when he died she stared at him for a moment as though she had not understood his words then with a sighing breath she sank back in a dead fainte this astonishing statement following the long strain of her confession was too much for her nerves end of chapter twenty chapter twenty one of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this libervox recording is in the public domain chapter twenty one

broughton lifted the limp form of the fainting woman to a couch while edith wilcott brought cold water and sprinkled her face in a few minutes she showed signs of returning conscience and leaving edith to shave her hands, Broughton drew lion out into the hall. "'Is that straight about Vanderberg being dead? Can you prove it?' he asked anxiously. "'Of course. He was killed in a railway accident in Ohio three years ago. I was with him, and I am sure I still have among my old papers the pocket memorandum book which I took from his pocket. It gave me his name, and a few minutes before he died, he recovered consciousness enough to confirm it. Was this before or after my marriage, do you happen to remember? About six weeks after. As a newspaper man, I knew the circumstances of the case,

and therefore was interested in meeting Vanderberg. Of course I knew nothing further. Broughton walked back and forth with nervous step. We will be married again at once, and very privately, he said in an unsteady voice. That will satisfy her mind. What an amazing tangle it has been! And what luck! What amazing luck that I should have come across you, the one man who could give that essential information about Vandenberg's death.

Without that, where would we be, even with Fullerton dead? We would not dare to take chances. he wrung lion's hand with a grip that hurt edith wolcott came to the door will you go in now she said she is conscious and anxious to see you broughton went in and edith wolcott with a warming finger on her lip drew lion across the hall into the little sitting-room where they had talked earlier in the evening they are happy she said with a catch in her voice all has come out well for them but if she stays in waynescott will she not be called as a witness and if she tells that story of arthur's anger with fullerton will it not go against him on the trial it is already known that there was bitterness between the two men said lion thoughtfully she would add no new element to the evidence against him by confirming that though howell may think it best to whisk her away but i want to consult him about that first and if she is to be secreted it will involve something more than merely taking a train at the union station then that other matter said miss wolcott hesitatingly she saw me in the hall at the wellington that evening you know i told you that i went to him with a wild idea that i might make him give up my letters and that i failed it was that same evening

i gave up my purpose because i saw him come out with a lady she was veiled and i did not recognize mrs broughton but she recognized me and bead trapped her into admitting it yesterday how he got any suspicion of my visit i can't guess but he did lion nodded this he already knew but he felt there was much he did not know so if she is called to the witness stand that will come out she looked at him with troubled eyes you can't imagine how i dread the idea of having my name connected with it in any way i would rather die do you think they will make me tell publicly all that i told you isn't there any way for me to escape when i think of the newspapers the gossip she clenched her hands in desperation and if it would do arthur any good either but it wouldn't if anything it would hurt him i suppose she looked at him wistfully lion considered rapidly and resolved to hazard a question which might prove a very boomerang if the answer was not what he hoped it would be miss wolcott you remember that lawrence called on you that sunday before the tragedy she looked startled yes did he forget his cane here when he left no you are sure oh yes quite sure i should have seen it the next day and you have not seen it at all no would you have noticed it without fail your grandfather has quite a collection of canes i have noticed yes but i would have seen arthur's if he had left it you know it then

yes i remember we spoke of it particularly that evening when he first came i made some teasing remark about it being dandified to carry a cane and he retorted that he carried it for protection he said i remember that a gold-headed cane was quite as effective as a sand-bag and more elegant he advised me to carry one of dandy's canes if i ever had occasion to go out alone in the evening he said that just that yes we were just talking nonsense you know it was when he first came lion felt both relieved and disappointed at least he had just talking nonsense you know it was when he first came lion felt both relieved and disappointed at least he could assure lawrence that miss wolcott denied all knowledge of the cane that would be something yet if laurence was as positive as he seemed to be about having left it here would her denial have any weight lawrence could not doubt his own knowledge of fact might it be possible that mr wolcott had carried the cane away somewhere as though an answer to his unspoken thought the old gentleman in a flapping dressing-gown with a lighted candle in his hand and a highly disapproving look on his face appeared at that moment at the door i thought i heard voices but i couldn't quite believe my ears he said with a frowning glance do you know what time it is young man time that i were going i know said lion briskly it must be well on toward twelve well on toward two in the morning protested mr wolcott you don't really mean it i certainly have lost count of the time i'm going this minute forgive me for keeping you up in this unconscionable way miss wolcott and good-night

he pressed her hand encouragingly and went out to the hall where he had hung his hat and coat fortunately the door to the library was tight closed as his first glance had assured him he should have to leave it to miss wolcott to see that broughton had a chance to slip out later as he was about to let himself out his ruling passion reasserted itself blandly he looked the old gentleman in the eye i believe i'll ask you to lend me a cane since it's so late he said surely surely take this one cried the flattered old gentleman or perhaps you would like this better it is heavier i don't want to take one that you are accustomed to carrying yourself if you have an odd one around you don't use by the way didn't you say that my friend lawrence left a cane here once i might take that as he is not likely to call for it immediately. Lawrence? No, he never left a cane here. These are all mine. Here, take this one. You'll find it light and tough. Thank you, said Lion, taking it perforce. I thought someone spoke of a cane belonging to Lawrence. He never left it here, said the old gentleman definitely,

and Lion had to let himself out of the house without further satisfaction. he crossed the yard to broughton's house led himself in and while he waited for his romantic landlord to escape like a concealed romeo from his lady's bower he mentally reviewed the situation mrs broughton had cleared up her own connection with fullerton whatever of mystery there had been in her movements and whatever of rashness it touched her personal history only she had not killed fullerton nor had she witnessed his murder. The fleeing woman whom he had seen on the fatal night was not she. He had been entirely wrong in his suspicion, and his pursuit of that clue had done no good except to assist in bringing Broughton and his wife together.

That was a good thing in itself, but it would not affect Lawrence's case. Was it then possible that Lawrence had been right in his first suspicion that the fleeing woman was Edith Wolcott? She had told her story so clearly, and with so much apparent frankness, that Lyon found it very hard to believe she could really be concealing so vital a point in her account of that evening.

However, whether innocent or guilty, her whole connection with the affair and her relation to the two principles was bound to come out now that Bede had got on her trail. That was bad. The publicity of such a trial would be as bitter as death to such a woman. It was the very thing Lawrence had risked everything to avoid.

And Lawrence himself? His case looked darker than ever to his brooding friend. Unless he could explain away the evidence of the broken cane, the implication was against him. Apparently he could not explain that away. He had certainly implied to Lyon that the king, kane had been left at miss wolcott's and that this was the reason he could say nothing on the subject but since miss wolcott who certainly was interested in his acquittal and her grandfather who certainly was innocent of all complicity both were positive he had not left it there what could one think lion felt utterly and completely at sea his brooding was cut short by the entrance of broughton i had to wait until the old gentleman had gone back upstairs and the house was quiet he said as he lit a cigar

his face was glowing and he looked twenty years younger than the olden who had spoken with lion in that room two nights before then grace let me out miss wolcott had left the door unbolted grace is bearing up wonderfully i say isn't she a wonderful woman miss wolcott asked the lion perversely i meant grace but miss wolcott is all right she has stood by her like a trump i won't soon forget that well it has been pretty hard on all of us but it is all right now how about lawrence asked the lion lawrence oh lawrence well well a of course I don't know anything about Lawrence, said Broughton somewhat vaguely. Lion smothered a groan with a laugh. Well, your happiness does not make Lawrence's case any worse, so far as that goes. And Mrs. Broughton's testimony— I hope she will not be called on to testify in this case.

It would be very unpleasant. Undoubtedly, but Bede will have her subpoenaed if he thinks she can help her. his side and before you smuggle her away i must lay the matter before howl you know howell has been waiting days and days for a chance to see mrs broughton himself b didn't wait broughton looked as though the idea were distasteful but he was too manly a man to shirk an issue all right he said you may give howell the situation to-morrow to-day said lion pulling out his watch what will this day bring forth he was soon to find out fate had been dodging behind covers for a long time now she was ready to come out into the open End of Chapter 21. Chapter 22 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Libervox recording is in the public domain.

Chapter 22 Although it was nearly three before Lion went to sleep, he awoke the next morning earlier than usual and lay for some time figuring on the problem that possessed his mind before he thought of such a thing as dressing. he must see howell and acquaint him with the strange developments of the night before as soon as possible but howell was old-fashioned and he kept no telephone in his residence for the express purpose of warding off the intrusion of business matters upon his hours at home it was useless therefore to try to communicate with him before he reached his office which would be at ten precisely while lion lay speculating on the situation his eye fell upon the knotted handkerchief containing the booty which he had brought away from his raid upon fullerton's room last night

the pressing incidents that had followed had put it for the time completely out of his mind he sprang from the bed to examine it it was a curious record of a curious form of villainy that the little package revealed the notes were all from women who by fault or fortune had given him some hold upon their fears evidently the phase of fullerton's nature revealed by the decadent literature and pictures in his room had had dark and complex ramifications in his career the rule of terror which he had held over edith wolcott and mrs broughton was it would seem only an instance of the methods by which for the sake of money or malice or for pure delight and deviltry he had made himself master of the secret history of women and had used his knowledge to keep them trembling under his lash lion soon found to his relief that it was not necessary for him to read the whole of a letter to classify it, and he conscientiously averted his eyes from the signatures. What an oppression must have lifted from the face of nature when this man was dead? The man must have possessed the fascination and the venom of a cobra. Lion used up a box of matches burning the telltale notes over his ash receiver,

and felt that if he should have failed in everything else, it would have been worth all to save this package of pitiful secrets from the cold official eye of bead two letters only he saved from the cleansing flame they were from william vanderberg and contained the information which had enabled fullerton to terrorize mrs broughton these he kept a turn over to broughton and with them he placed the old notebook of van der bergs which he had taken from the pocket of the dying man it was a curious fact that the two tangled threads of that story should have come into his hands and that chance should have brought his path and mrs brouton's again together on his way downstairs an impulse not wholly devoid of mischief sent him to the phone if it was too early to talk to howell he could at any rate get bead on the line and he did hello mr bead he said respectfully this is lyon of the news any new developments in the lawrence case i think i'd better ask you that question said bead somewhat dryly oh i mean authentic information not newspaper imagination protested lyon i'd like to know mr lyon just how much of your innocence is authentic and how much is news-pocket paper imagination.

Oh, come, you're making fun of me. Really, haven't you any news items to give me? Not a scrap. You are very well able to help yourself to what you want, young man, and B. suspended the receiver and the conversation. That cheered lion a little, but as he came out into the streets, his footsteps lagged. His imagination had achieved little good in the world.

the present case. It had simply led him wandering far afield. He had imagined that the woman who fled from the scene of Fullerton's murder might be Mrs. Broughton instead of Miss Wolcott. It was not Mrs. Broughton, and now Bede knew all about Mrs. Broughton's share in the evening's events. Whether it was Miss Wolcott or not seemed as debatable as at first. Lawrence undoubtedly believed it was. Whether Bede believed it or not, he certainly had unearthed the facts that she had visited the Wellington to see Fullerton earlier in the evening, and that she had been at the drugstore on Hemlock Avenue a few minutes before the time when Fullerton must have been struck down by Lawrence's cane. The cards were therefore practically all in his hands,

and the defense could only hope to do what he might graciously permit. It was maddened, That fatal cane. It was the one bit of evidence more than circumstantial. It must be explained. In his dejection, Lion had walked along Hemlock Avenue to Sherman Street. The empty lot where the cane had been discovered was on his left, and he crossed the street and stopped to look down into the trampled hollow. That cursed cane! How was it possible that if, if—' had come here unless by Lawrence's hand. He scowled at the spot, with gloom on his brow, and perplexity in his mind, till someone stopped beside him, and an eager old voice asked, What is happening? Anything? It was old Mr. Wolcott, eager-eyed and interested as ever.

He tried to discover what it was that was attracting Lyons' attention, with a lively curiosity that made Lyon laugh, even in his depression. I was looking for an inspiration, he said, but I can't see one. I'm afraid it's hopeless. Sometimes you see queer things when you don't expect to, the old gentleman said cheerfully. Once I saw a dogfight down in that hollow. Did you? responded Lyon, looking at his watch.

I must be going on. I've been killing time till I could see a man downtown. It was a lively fight. There is a Boston Terrier up in our neighborhood that is a fighter. I don't like fighting dogs myself, and this one is a terror. He is always pitching on to some poor little fellow that isn't big enough to stand up to him and doesn't have a chance to run. I broke my cane over him.

Indeed, Mired Lyon with polite indifference. Then the echo of the words rang through the silence of his mind, louder and louder, until he pulled up with a start, as though someone had been calling to him for a long time and he had just become conscious of it. You broke your cane over him, he repeated, and it seemed to him that everything about him suddenly stood still

till he should get the answer. Was that here? in this hollow? Yes, he's a big brute of a dog, and he had the little fellow by the throat. Yes, yes, what did you do with the pieces? The pieces of the cane? Yes, what did you do with them?

The old man laughed somewhat slyly. Edith doesn't like to hear about things like that. She thinks that I am too old to go in and straighten out a dogfight. i don't tell her when anything of that sort happens i see said lion eagerly so you hid the pieces the old man nodded cannily she'd never miss the cane i have a lot of other walking sticks but if she saw the broken pieces she'd get the whole story out of me where did you hide them oh i put them out of sight all right but where man where show me the place but i don't want them protested mr wolcott it was an old cane anyhow i didn't mind breaking it i just wanted to see if you had found a good hiding place do you suppose the pieces are still there they aren't any good no but let's look and see anyhow was it hereabouts just under the sidewalk here there's a hole under the sidewalk that you see when you are down in the hollow come down and show me here i'll help you down and miss edith won't guess where you have been the old man chuckled

this added a thrill to the affair and with some difficulty and hard breathing he climbed down into the low-lying lot and made his way over the snow-covered hummocks of last summer's summer's summer's way over the snow-covered hummocks of last summer was weeds to the place which was more familiar to lion than it was to him right in there he said pointing to the famous spot where lawrence's cane had been found perhaps they are there now i poked them quite far in but i can't see anything in there you remember the place are you sure it was right there there isn't any other place where i could poke them in is there no i don't see that there is now can you remember when it was that you put them in there was there anything that would fix the date in your mind you remember that day you came to the house to see edith the first time you came yes well it was the last time i had been out for a walk before that not that day you came it was on a Monday, because I remember that I didn't go out Sunday because it stormed. Monday I went, and that was when I saw the dogs fighting. What sort of a cane was it? asked Lion, as he helped the old gentleman to recover the upper levels of the street.

Oh, it wasn't a cane I cared for, especially. It was just an old one. But what was it like? Did it have a heavy knob or a little one? one. Can you describe it? It had a pretty heavy knob, but the wood broke off right at my hand when I beat the dog off. It wasn't a very stout cane. I got it in New Orleans in 1842. I have noticed that you have a good collection of canes. I'd like to look at them if you have time. The old gentleman blossomed into a pathetic vivacity under this unexpected interest in his affairs? Oh, they are nothing to speak of? Not more than eight or nine. When I was younger, I was something of a dandy, and I liked to have whatever was going in that sort of thing. There weren't many that could show a better style in little things than I could,

but nobody thinks an old man like me counts. No one cares for what I have. I should very much like to see your canes, said Lion. I have been interested in Cain's lately. I can think of nothing that would please me more than an opportunity to examine your collection. May I go home with you now and see them? I shall have great pleasure in showing them to you, Mr. Wolcott answered, with dignified courtesy turning homeward at once, though I fear that my modest collection is hardly worthy the attention of a connoisseur.

I can hardly claim to be a connoisseur, protested lion in the same vein. I merely have a personal interest and curiosity, which I may say amounts to a passion. Now, I suppose you can tell me where you got each and every cane you own? Certainly I can. Edith says that I am forgetful,

but remember the things that happened a few years back well enough. I can tell you just where each one came from. Here we are. Come in, sir, come in. I am glad to have you here as my guest. I don't have so many visitors. Miss Wolcott, hearing her grandfather enter, had come into the hall to look after him,

and she was evidently surprised to see his companion. Her surprise could hardly equal that of lion, however, at the change which a day had made in her appearance. Instead of the somewhat severe and marvelously self-controlled woman whom he had seen before, he saw a radiant girl, tremulous, and eager. The statue had been touched with life. She came forward with a questioning look. Has anything new come up?

Did you wish to see me? She asked under her breath. Not yet, he answered, in the same tone, but she read something in his eye that made her watch him. But the old gentleman did not like the, this disregard of his prior and exclusive claims as the host. Mr. Lion came to see me, Edith. Sit down, Mr. Lion.

My canes are right here in the hall. I have never made anything like our collection, and I am afraid you will be disappointed. But this one was my father's. I always kept that as a souvenir, but I never carried it myself. It was cracked when I got it, and I was afraid of breaking it.

this thin little cane was one i carried as a young man the dandies carried them for dress canes when they went bowing the young ladies in those days i could tell tales you wouldn't suspect it edith but your grandfather was quite a lady-killer in his day this stout stick is the one you usually carry i see said lion he had run his eye over the entire lot when they were first laid before him and the hope he had cherished that a cane resembling the one that lawrence had carried might be found here had swiftly vanished there was nothing like it still even without that final link his discovery was so nearly perfect that he could hardly in reason ask for more he rose eager to get to howl with his news edith watchful of his face guessed that there was something more in his inquiry than appeared upon the surface dandy has another cane upstairs if you want to know his entire collection she said no i haven't edith oh yes you have dandy it's in your room behind the door that came with the heavy top that you got in new orleans in eighteen forty two the old gentleman chuckled and essayed an elaborate wink at lion oh it's upstairs is it yes i put it there yesterday i came across it in the back hall i think eliza had come up-stairs is it-you-it's up-stairs is it yes i came across it in the back hall i think eliza had kept it up there to straighten the pictures with you are talking nonsense edith her grandfather interrupted impatiently i know where that cane is it got broken and i threw it away it was an old cane anyhow not worth making a fuss over

i wonder if you could find it lion said to the girl in a swift aside she ran at once upstairs and in a few moments returned a little breathless, but successful. She was carrying a heavy-headed cane, which in general appearance was very like the broken cane, which had figured in the trial. Lyon's eyes sparkled when he saw it. His idea that Lawrence had forgotten his cane here in the hall, and that the old gentleman, whose eyesight was confessedly so bad

that he could not read the newspapers, had picked it out of the hall rack by mistake for one of his own, seemed now conclusively proved, and after all his work that the actual discovery of the fact should come so by accident and casually. Is this your New Orleans, Kane, the one you told me about? he asked. The old gentleman was examining it with a puzzled look and growing perplexity. I don't understand, he murmured. I guess I must be getting old. I ought to be dead. Nonsense. The explanation is very simple, and I think I can tell you what it is.

But first, is this your New Orleans cane? It certainly seems to be. Would you swear to it? But what was that other cane? Let us settle this first. Would you swear to this one that it is your own and that this is the cane that you thought you had with you when you broke your stick across those fighting dogs you may be asked in court to testify to that point mr walcott can you swear that this stick is actually the one that you thought you had broken why of course it is i know my own stick but i don't understand it is lawrence left his cane here one evening and the same thing and the same thing he left his cane here one evening and the the next morning when you went for your walk you took it in mistake for your own it was just about the size and weight of this one and you would not be likely to notice the difference since it was not the cane you commonly carried you broke the cane and put the pieces under the edge of the sidewalk they were found there immediately after fullerton's murder and as lawrence's name was engraved around the knob they seemed to connect him's circumstances with the murder. It has been the one point we could not get around. But didn't he remember that he had left it here? I can't understand why that did not occur to him,

Miss Wolcott exclaimed. Can't you imagine why he would not allow himself to remember? Lyon asked bluntly. No, I don't understand you. Allow himself to remember? Why not? If it was merely a question of where he had left his cane, it would not have been a serious matter to answer, would it? But suppose he too thought, as all the rest of us did, that the cane had been the instrument of Fullerton's death. But it was not. No, but it seemed so, and with that seeming fact before him he could not defend himself by saying he had left it here without throwing the same suspicion upon someone in this house. But he could not entertain so absurd a suspicion.

It was far from absurd. Do you remember you told me that he had said that a good stout cane was better than a policeman's whistle, and that he advised you to carry one of your grandfather's sticks if you had to go out at night? Yes, I remember very well. Of course it was all in jest. We were not talking so.

seriously, then? I suspect he thought afterwards that you might have taken his suggestion seriously. What do you mean? He has absolutely refused to give any hint of where he had lost his cane. Of course he had not forgotten, but there was, in his mind, the possibility that you had, under some necessity, acted upon his suggestion and had taken his cane with you when you went out that night he had been talking rapidly following out his own line of reasoning and forgetting for the moment that the implication it contained must be startling to her till he was pulled up by the look of horror and amazement that had gathered on her face what are you saying she cried good heavens what do you mean you haven't been thinking that i-i killed mr fullerton with arthur's cane

I haven't, said Lyon simply. I haven't from the first. But it was very natural that, knowing what he knew and not knowing what he didn't, Lawrence should have felt that to clear himself would be to implicate you. Her horror was too deep for words. She only stared at him with that fixed look of dismay. Of course, added Lyon,

now that we can explain the case, cane away, he will probably speak out. Was that why he was so anxious I should say nothing? Because he thought, I—oh, it is not to be believed. But consider, Miss Wolcott. It seemed very clear. He knew he had left his cane here. He, of course, remembered the talk you had had about it as a weapon of defense. He knew that you were out of the house that evening, because he called to see you at a quarter of nine, and you were not in. He knew also that you had reason to hate Fullerton. He knew that a woman was with Fullerton when he was killed, and that when she fled from the spot, she came to this house. She interrupted him with a cry.

No, no, how can he think that? It's not true. I did go to the Wellington, as I told you, meaning to see him and try to appeal to his better nature, if he had one, for the return of my letters, but gave up my plan when I found I could not see him alone. But I saw nothing of him after he left the Wellington with Mrs. Broughton. That was early in the evening, before eight. Did you come straight home? Yes. But when Lawrence called at a quarter before nine,

I had shut myself up in my room with a headache and told Eliza to deny me to any caller. Then did you go out again later? She looked surprised. Yes, I went out to the drugstore afterwards to get something to make me sleep. I was nervous and overwrought, and I wanted to get a quiet night's sleep.

Then I came home and went in at the side door and up to my room. do you know what time it was yes my grandfather met me in the hall and was very much excited to find that i had been out alone so late at night it was a few minutes before ten i noticed the time particularly because he was so annoyed about it it all seems very simple now said lion cheerfully just what bead may have up his sleeve of course i don't know but i think that with the information that you have given me we can checkmate him very neatly now i must see howl with this elimination of the fatal cane as an element in the case i cannot see that there is anything to connect lawrence directly with the situation i think we can expect to have him free at once if we only could really discover the actual murderer it might be better but i am hopeful as things are was that all you wanted to see my canes for protested mr wolcott with an air of injury lion laughed and shook his head i want to add a cane to your collection if you will let me we'll go and pick it out the day that lawrence goes free end of chapter twenty two chapter twenty three of the hemlock avenue mystery by roman double day this libervox recording is in the public domain chapter twenty three when lion left the walcott's he hurried for the car to reach

Howells' office as quickly as possible. As he went down Hemlock Avenue, he saw a group of Miss Elliot's girls taking their daily constitutional under the supervision of Miss Rose. In orderly ranks, two by two, they crossed the street sedately and up on the other side, and Lyons scrutinized them eagerly to discover if Kitty was among them. There she was, near the center of the procession, her tall, slight figure swinging in the time of the march, but somehow so much more individual and graceful than any of the others. He was so absorbed in watching her, as the file came nearer, that he did not notice at all the sound of a runaway behind him until a light delivery wagon, with one wheel gone, dashed frantically by in the direction

of the girls. The horse, wild with terror at the ungainly thing which bumped at his heels, swung in toward the sidewalk, and in a moment the girls had broken ranks and were flying and swift disorder in all directions. Lion had instinctively broken into a run as soon as he saw the situation, but if he had any intention of catching the horse and cutting an heroic figure in the eyes of Kitty, the thought was utterly and absolutely forgotten the next instant. Instead, he suddenly stood stock still in the middle of the street, staring at one of the girls who had cut diagonally across the road with the long, easy-running gate that he had seen once and only once before. It was the girl who had

fled from the scene of Fullerton's murder, and so had swept for an instant across the field of lion's vision. And it was not the frail and delicate invalid, Mrs. Broughton, nor yet the slow and stately Miss Wolcott. This was a young athlete who ran with a grace, assurance that made the sight a joy and unforgettable. It was not until she had turned again and was clinging to his arm for protection that he fully realized what it meant that he should have identified the running girl whom he had so long been searching for with kitty tainter. Oh, Cousin Percy, wasn't it perfectly beautiful that the horse should run away right here and give you a chance to rescue me like this?

I have always wanted to be rescued to see what it would feel like. The girls in the novels almost always faint, but I never faint, so I knew I would always be able to remember afterwards just how it felt. I was so glad when I saw that you were the only man in sight on the street. Kitty, when we were talking about Mr. Fullerton, why didn't you tell me that you knew about it? What I knew? About what? About the accident.

I don't know what you were talking about. She looked so plainly bewildered that his heart sank. Could it be, after all, that she really knew nothing? She must know. He took up the filmy clue carefully. Kitty, one evening not long ago, it was on the Monday before Thanksgiving,

I was on Hemlock Avenue opposite Miss Wolcott's, and I saw a girl run across the street and in at the Wolcott's side yard. She ran just as you ran a minute ago when that horse startled you. Wasn't that girl you? oh yes i didn't know what you were talking about did you really see me then how curious then that was the first time it was a little before ten she nodded her eyes dancing with suppressed mischief though she drew her lips down like a fair penitent where had you been kitty to the skating rink on elm street

alone she nodded again and glanced back at miss rose who was gathering her scattered flock together at a safe distance beyond hearing it was this way she said hurriedly everybody else had gone home for the vacation on saturday and miss elliot had made me stay till tuesday to make up some history i was just wild about it missing three whole days i got thinking what i could do to get even. It would be a secret satisfaction even if she never knew it. So Monday night, I climbed down from my room by way of the window, and got out by the secret passage I told you there was, and went to the rink and had a splendid time. I knew Miss Elliot had a friend visiting her, and so she would not be likely to think of me, or anything like that, and she didn't. she never knew i wasn't learning the names of the roman emperors horrid old things all the time but kitty is that all goodness miss elliot would think it was enough but what made you run so you ran as though you were frightened she gave him a startled look and half turned away she did not answer

what frightened you had you seen anything a row or a fight of any sort she shook her head i was frightened she said but it isn't worth talking about besides it isn't pleasant i don't want to talk about it but i have a very special reason for asking kitty it isn't just curiosity well a horrid man frightened me i suppose he was drunk but if miss elliot knew about that how did he frighten you he jumped out at me it's a kind of dark space on sherman street and i was scurrying along and i didn't see him at all until i was right up to him and then as i hurried by he suddenly jumped out and caught my arm did you scream i shrieked and struck at him with what why i just struck out but i had my skates in my hand and i guess i hit him because he let go of my arm then i ran as hard as i could the physician's testimony at the inquest flashed across lion's mind a heavy instrument with a cutting edge kitty's skate and not lawrence's cane the relief was so great that he almost forgot the necessity of establishing all the links but miss rose was approaching and he knew he must lose no time how was he dressed kitty goodness i didn't stop to see but in dark clothes or light did he wear a hat he had a long loose gray coat and a hat pulled away down over his eyes

and a silk muffler around his throat was pulled up over his chin that came off in my hand when i pushed him away i didn't know i had it until i had run half a block then i threw it in the street lion nodded i found it now kitty i want you to come and show me the exact spot on sherman street where this happened her face was already flushed and her breath coming from her breath coming from her head fast with her recital but she now looked annoyed at his persistence i can't miss rose is waiting for me now and besides she hesitated to impugn his chivalry by so unworthy a suggestion but needs must you aren't going to tell kitty haven't you any idea who that man was she looked shocked at the question of course not then the seriousness of his tone struck her as she began to tremble what do you mean it was mr fullerton i am sure it must have been but you must come and show me the spot you know that mr lawrence is in jail under suspicion of having killed him yes then suddenly she understood she went very white and her eyes grew large with horror he feared she would faint but kitty was not of the fainting sort instead she began talking volubly in intense nervous excitement i don't care he hadn't any business to jump out of the shadows in that way he just did it to frighten me and it made my heart beat so terribly that i didn't know what i was doing i just struck at him and i didn't think about the skates and if miss elliard's

it hears about it, she will simply be hysterical. I'll have to tell her how I got out, and that will be breaking my initiation oath, and there will be simply nothing terrible enough for her to say. And she stopped suddenly, as a new horror struck her, and gasped, Will they put me in jail? I think probably not, but we'll have to see Mr. Howell, the lawyer, and let him arrange in regard to all that. His hesitancy was more terrible than anything she had expected. It struck her dumb. You never suspected, when you saw the report in the paper the next day,

that the man found dead on Sherman Street was the man you had met? I never saw the papers, said Kitty. Miss Elliot doesn't allow them to come into the school. And besides, I went away early two days. morning, you know, and didn't come back till Saturday. I never heard a thing about it. I see. And when you came back and became acquainted with Mrs. Broughton, and she spoke of Lawrence and Fullerton, you would naturally never connect that with what happened to you, especially as you did not know that the man was dead. I see. Now, first of all, I want you to come around and show me the place,

so as to make sure there is no mistake, and then we'll take the car downtown and see Mr. Howell. I'll explain to Miss Rose. Would you like to have her come with you? She shook her head. Or any of the girls? No, they are sillies. I don't want to tell any of them.

I'd rather have nobody there but just you. You will take all the responsibility, won't you? Yes. said lion with an emphasis that she did not altogether understand until somewhat later in the story i am going to take the whole responsibility of you from this time on and you must always tell me when you do anything like killing people you know some one will always have to explain such things and i am just as good at explaining as any one promise you will let me look out for you always she looked at him doubtfully but if i have to go right to jail perhaps that can be avoided but you must come down with me to mr howell's office and tell him the whole story that is the first thing i think he will be able to fix it up so that you won't have to go to jail even for a minute wait here for me while i run back to explain to miss rose poor miss rose was the most bewildered woman in town when lion hastily told her that it would be necessary for him to take miss tainter down town for an interview with his lawyer and that there was not time for her to go back to the school to secure miss elliot's permission

but it would be entirely contrary to the rules to allow one of our pupils to go down town alone with a man she protested feebly that's too bad said lion sympathetically you just tell miss elliot that i was in too much of a hurry to see her and explain but i will come around and tell her about it afterwards he hurried back to where poor kitty looking much more like a frightened schoolgirl than a deep-eyed criminal awaited him on the corner now come on he said we must have this over as soon as possible and then i'll take you to sweetsers and you are to pick out the biggest box of chocolates he can fill while we have time to wait we'll go down sherman street first oh kitty kitty what a dance you have been leaving me for the last two weeks i have been suspecting everybody but you now show me where the man stood there she said pointing to the exact spot where fullerton's body had been found that i think settles everything said lion cheerfully you see the law is particular so i had to know exactly it will be worth a month's salary to see old howells face when he hears your your story? He thought he had really placed the estimate too low when he sat watching that amazed gentleman listening to Kitty a few minutes later? That which, whose terrors of the rigors of the law

had been somewhat softened by Percy's manner of receiving her story, rose to the dramatic occasion and told her tale with a vividness and collar that held howl absorbed from the beginning. He let her tell the hole without interruption, and when it was over he turned to lion, drawing him aside so that Kitty should not hear. Perhaps you don't remember, but for several weeks before the murder, there were stories of a man who lurked about that district, frightening women and deluding the police. There have been no such report since Fullerton was killed. That explains the turned overcoat worn inside out for a disguise and the black silk muffler you found in the street. A quick change, and the respectable black-coated Fullerton

had replaced the skulking vagrant in gray that the police might be inquiring for. I am not a pious man, but it strikes me as more than accident that the hand of an innocent girl should be the instrument, under Providence, to send him to his account. count. However, that is speculation. Thank heaven I have some facts to deal with at last. And I've found the explanation of the cane business, said Lion. You can add that to your small but

choice assortment of facts, and he related his encounter with Mr. Wolcott and the significant facts that had been evolved from that gentle old peacemaker of canine quarrels. Howell rubbed his glasses and put them on to look at lion, and then took them off to rub them again. Well, he remarked, well, well. It seemed inadequate, but it was the best he could do with Kitty present. Then he called in a stenographer and asked Kitty a number of questions slowly, and the stenographer wrote them down, and also, to Kitty's dismay, wrote her answers.

This process seemed to her so uncanny that she could not keep her eyes from the point of the rapid pencil. And even when Mr. Howell bade her look at him, and not at the stenographer, she could hardly keep herself from turning nervously to see if that thing was still going. Then she had to wait until it was all written out on the typewriter, and then Mr. Howell read it all over to her

and asked her to sign it. it was all very exciting and interesting and kitty made good use of it as material for tales afterwards but when it was over and the box of chocolates had been duly selected and sampled kitty suddenly felt that she had been living up to the character of a reasonable being long enough and when lion suggested that he would go back with her to the school and tell miss elliot what they had been doing kitty calmly announced that she was never going to her to the school and tell miss elliot what they had been doing kitty calmly announced that she was never going to be going back there, never. But, Kitty, you will have to. That is your home while you are at school. I shall never go back there. But why not?

Do you suppose I could ever tell Miss Elliot that I had killed somebody? Why, I'd rather go to jail, honest. Where else can you go? I don't know, but I won't go there. I won't ever. go where Miss Elliot can say anything to me until I am as old as she is, or till I am married, maybe. But you will have to go somewhere for a day or two, you know. You needn't be afraid.

Miss Elliot won't say anything when she understands. No, she won't, because I won't give her the chance. I won't be there for her to say anything to. Kitty, dear—it doesn't make it. any difference what you say. I won't go. Do you know anyone in Wainscott? No, but I can go to a hotel. No, you can't. That's nonsense. Now you are not being polite, and her lip trembled in a way the warned lion. She was near the verge of tears. He looked distractedly up and down the street, for they had been waiting on the corner for the car when deadlock developed and then he had an inspiration will you let me take you to miss wolcott's she looked at him suspiciously you needn't think that if you get me so near the school as that i will change my mind and go in because i won't

oh kitty i'm not trying to play any tricks on you i'd know better than to try but you must go somewhere and if you won't go back to Miss Elliot's, I don't know of a better place for you to go than to Miss Wolcott's. She will be glad to see you and to help you, because she is engaged to Arthur Lawrence, and your, your statement to Mr. Howell will set him free, you see, so she will feel under obligations to you on that account. You must have a woman friend to stay with, Kitty. It wouldn't be nice for you to go off anywhere by yourself. You needn't tell me that, said Kitty, with quick offense. I guess I know what is proper.

All right, I'll go to Miss Wolcott's if I have to, but she needn't think she can lecture me. Mrs. Broughton is staying with Miss Wolcott, I forgot to tell you. You like her, you know. Like her, exclaimed Kitty with a swift clearing of her darkened brow. Why, I'd go to you. to her if she was on the tip-top of the north pole. She's the only one in all the world I do like. She stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye as she made this sweeping statement.

Lyon made no answer. The subject was too large to discuss. End of Chapter 23 Chapter 24 of the Hemlock Avenue Mystery by Roman Doubleday. This Librevox recordings in the Public domain chapter twenty four lion would probably have found himself somewhat embarrassed in explaining kitty and her methods to miss walcott if mrs broughton had not been there but mrs broughton was there and so was mr broughton whose presence at an exceedingly hasty and exceedingly private wedding that morning had been found necessary and when kitty saw her she ran to her and clung to her with hidden face while lion told her story to the amazed little group of three poor child poor child murmured mrs broughton softly touching the defiant little head that was crushed against her sleeve will mr lawrence be released then without anything further asked edith wolcott it was perhaps natural that to her that would be the pivotal point of the situation immediately howell is it

attending to the red tape of it now it certainly won't take long edith put up her hand to hide her trembling lips mrs broughton gave her a glance of sympathetic understanding and then said to lyon and what about this dear little girl are there any other formalities howell will take care of that there isn't anything to worry about her deposition will be laid before the county attorney but as I understand that she is not likely to be called on for much of anything else. The grand jury would only act on information laid before them, and if the county attorney is satisfied, there won't be any bill brought. In the meantime— I won't go back to Miss Elliot's. I won't, ever, Kitty interrupted suddenly.

Lion glanced hesitatingly at Miss Wolcott, but that young woman was regarding the volcanic schoolgirl with surprise and with no special warmth of emotion. That's what she says, said Lion with a whimsical appeal. If she persists, I suppose I must write, or someone must, to her uncle in Columbus and explain why she refuses, and assure him that she is safe with friends until he can arrange for her. I won't go back to Uncle Joe, said Kitty, sitting up suddenly,

do you think i could go to them and explain that i had had killed anybody why they would think i was crazy they would look at me so i won't go to anybody that knows me lion looked distressed miss wolcott looked annoyed and perplexed mrs broughton looked at her husband a long glance at least three sentences long and then she said quietly would you like to come to new york and stay with me for the rest of the winter kitty would i gasped kitty do you think your uncle and aunt would consent to your coming to pay me a visit they'd have to said kitty calmly mrs broughton laughed we'll see what we can do by way of persuasion first we'll go by way of columbus when we go on and explain our plans I can't spare my little nurse yet. In fact, I think I must have you come with me for a while to the metropole while we have to stay in Wainscot. That may be, she glanced inquiringly at Lyon. A few days, or a week? Probably. Then is that all settled? Kitty threw her arms around her.

Oh, I'd do anything in the world for you. Then come over to Miss Elliot's at once, and I will explain everything to her while you pack your trunk. Kitty looked dismayed. Oh, I can't. Yes, you can. With me there. Come, we'll go at once. You'd better come, too, Woods.

Miss Elliot has a tremendous respect for your name. Broughton, who looked curiously like a lion being petted, and enjoying the process, turned to Lyon with benign ferocity. You will have to come to New York, too, Mr. Lyon. I need you in my business. Lion unconsciously looked at Kitty before answering. I am ready to consider any proposition you may make, sir.

All right, we'll talk it over later. But I warn you, I shall leave you no possible room for refusing. Yes, Grace, I'm ready. The Broughtons took Kitty off, bent on smoothing the path for her, and Miss Wolcott turned to Lyon with a sigh of relief. What a wild, unmanageable child! I think that after all the trouble that has come from her act, she would at least be a little subdued.

Oh, it isn't all trouble, said Lion, assuming, as a matter of course, is a lifelong privilege, of being Kitty's defender. Mr. Broughton came out to Wainscott fully determined to shoot Lawrence at sight. Being in jail probably saved his life. So you ought to count that to Kitty's credit. And would you ever have known the measure of Lawrence's devotion if he had not had this chance of proving how far he could carry it?

Then those letters of yours. If there hadn't been a mystery about Fullerton's death, I should never have been spurred on to run things down. And if I hadn't, those letters might have fallen into who knows whose hands. And Mrs. Broughton's unhappiness! Think of all the trouble and wretchedness those two people are saved through the accident of my being drawn into this Hemlock Avenue mystery. Even Fullerton's death alone would not have cleared the cloud from their lives.

It needed the knowledge no one could give them. them but i and i should never have known how much of the fact in my possession was needed if i had not met mrs broughton in this curious intimate way indeed i should probably never have met mrs or you or kitty or had the friendship of lawrence and when you think of each one of us and how through this strange tangle we have all won what we wanted most don't you think of you think of each one of us and how through this strange tangle we have all won what we wanted most don't you think we can say with tiny Tim that all is for the best in this best of all possible world? He glanced at her, smiling for confirmation. Her face was so radiant that he thought he had for once in his life succeeded in being eloquent. Then his glance followed her eye to the window, and he realized that she had probably heard nothing of what he had been saying. Lawrence was swinging up Hemlock Avenue at a pace that devoured the distance.

I, uh, really, I must go, murmured Lion, reaching for his hat. The end. End of Chapter 24. End of the Hemlock Avenue mystery by Roman Doubleday.