The American Rivals Of Sherlock Holmes | Cinderella Part 2 |

The American Rivals Of Sherlock Holmes | Cinderella Part 2 |

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the American Rivals of Sherlock Holmes  Cinderella's slippers by Hugh C Ware part two four   we had nearly reached The Veranda  when there was the sound of a motor   at a gate in a red touring car swept into  the yard an elderly clean-shaven man in a   long frock coat and a broad brimmed felt hat  was sharing the front seat with a chauffeur   he sprang to the ground with extended hand as  our hosts stepped forward to greet him the two   exchanged half a dozen low sentences at the side  of the machine and then Senator Duffield raised   his voice as they approached us Miss Mack allow  me to introduce my colleague Senator Burroughs   I have heard of you of course Miss Mack the  senator said generally raising his broad brimmed   hat with a flourish I am very glad indeed that you  are able to give us the benefit of your experience   in this uh unfortunate Affair I presume that it  is too early to ask if you have developed a theory   I wonder if you would allow me to reverse the  question Madeleine responded as she took his hand   I fear that my detective ability would  hardly be of much service to you a Duffield   our host smiled faintly as he turned to repeat to  a servant Madeleine's request for a directory and   a messenger Senator Burroughs folded his arms  as his chauffeur circled on towards the garage   there was an odd suggestion of  nervousness in the whole group   or was it fancy have you ever given particular  study to the legal angle in your cases Miss Mack   the question came from Senator  Burroughs as we ascended steps   the legal angle I'm afraid I don't grasp your  meaning the Senator's hand moved mechanically   towards his Cigar Case I am a lawyer and perhaps  I argue unduly from a lawyer's Viewpoint we always   work from the question of motive Miss Mack a  professional detective I believe or at least   the average professional detective tries to find a  criminal first and establish his motive afterwards   now in a case such as this senator  in a case such as Disney's back the   trained legal mind would delve first for  the motive in Mr renick's assassination   and your legal mind Senator I presume  has dealt for the motive as it found it   the senator turned his unlighted  cigar reflectively between his lips   I have not found it eliminating the field  of sordid passion and Insanity I divide   the motives for the murderer under three heads  robbery jealousy and revenge in the present case   I eliminate the first possibility at the outset  they're remaining then only the true latter you   are interesting you forget however a fourth motive  the strongest spiritual crime in the human mind   Senator Burrows took his cigar from  his mouth I mean the motive of fair   Madeleine sat abruptly as she swept into the  house when I followed her Senator Burrows had   walked over to the railing and stood staring down  at the ground below he had tossed his cigar away in the room where we had breakfast it one of the  stable boys stood awkwardly awaiting Madeleine   Mac's oldest while John Dorrance the valet  was just laying a city directory on the table   Nora she said as she turned to the boy will  you kindly look up the list of packing houses   pick out the largest and give me the address  she continued as I ran my fingers through the   closely typed pages with a growing curiosity I  selected a firm whose Prestige was advertised in   heavy letters Madeleine's fountain pen scratched a  dozen lines across a sheet of her notebook and she   thrusted into an envelope and extended it to the  stable lad as the youth back from the room Senator   Duffield appeared at the window I presume it will  be possible for me to see Mr renick's body senator   Madeline Mack asked our host bowed also I  would like to look at his clothes the suit   he was wearing at the time of his death I mean  and when I am through I want 20 or 30 minutes   alone in his room if Mr Taylor should arrive  before I am through will you kindly let me know   I can assure you Miss Mack that the police  have been through Mr renick's apartment with   a microscope then there can be no objection to my  going through it with mine by the way Mr renick's   glasses the pair that was found under his body  were packed with his clothes were they not   suddenly the senator responded I did not accompany  Madeleine into the darkened room where the corpse   of the murdered man was reposing to my surprise  she rejoined me in less than five minutes   what did you find I queried as we ascended the  stairs a five inch cut just above the sixth rib   that is what the newspaper said you are mistaken  they said a three inch cut have you ever tried   to plunger dagger through five inches of  human flesh certainly not I have accustomed   as I was to Madeleine Mac's eccentricities  I stood stock still and stared into her face   oh I'm not a murderous I refer to my dissecting  room experiences we had reached the upper Hall   when there was a quick moment at my shoulder and  I saw my companion's hand dot behind my waist   before I could quite grasp the situation she  had caught my right arm in a grip of Steel   for an instant I thought she was trying to  force me back down the stairs then the force   of a hold wrong a low Cry of pain from my  lips she released me with a ruthful apology   forgive me Nora for a woman I pride myself  that I have a strong wrist yes I think you   have perhaps now you can appreciate what I mean  when I say that even I haven't strength enough   to inflict a wound that killed Raymond renick then  we must be dealing with an Amazon but Cinderella's   missing slipper fit in Amazon she answered  dryly as she finished her sentence we paused   before a closed door which I rightly surmised  led into the room of the murdered secretary   and Madeleine's hand was on the knob when  there was a step behind us and Senator Duffield   joined us with a rough bundle in his hands Mr  renick's close he explained Madeleine nodded   inspector Taylor left him in my  care to hold until the inquest   Madeline flung the door open without  comment and led the way inside   slipping the string from the bundle she emptied  the contents out onto the counter pane of the bed   they comprised the usual warm weather outfit of  A well-dressed man who evidently avoided extremes   of fashion and she deftly sorted her articles into  small neat piles she glanced up with an expression   of impatience I thought you said they were hair Mr  Duffield what Mr renick's glasses where are they   Senator Duffield fumbled in his pocket I beg  your pardon Miss Mack I had overlooked him   he apologized as he produced a thin paper parcel  Marilyn carried to the window and carefully   unwrapped it you will find the spectacles rather  badly damaged I fear one lens is completely ruined   Madeleine placed the broken glasses on the  cell and raised the blind to its full height   then she dropped to her knees and whipped out her  microscope when she arose her small black cloud   figure was tense with suppressed excitement a fat  oak chiffonier stood in the cornered her Crossing   to its side she rummaged among the articles that  littered its surface opened and closed the top   drawer and stepped back with an expression of  annoyance a writing table was the next point   of her search with results which I judged to  be equally fruitless she glanced uncertainly   from the bed to the three chairs the only other  articles of furniture that the room contained   later I slide it again as they rested on the broad  carved mantle that spanned the empty fireplace   it held the usual collection of bricabrack of  a bachelor's room at the end farthest from us   however there was a narrow red case of which I  caught only an indistinct view when Madeleine's   hand closed over it she Whirled towards us  I must ask you to leave me alone now please   the senator flushed at the peremptory  command I stepped into the hall and he   followed me with a shrug he was closing  the door when Madeleine raised her voice   if inspect a tail lights below kindly send  him up at once and what about the inquest   Miss Mac there will be no inquest today Senator  Duffield led the way downstairs without a word   in the hall below a rowdy-faced man with gray  hair a thin gray bed and mustache and a gray suit   suggesting any army officer in civilian clothes  was awaiting us I could readily imagine that   inspector Taylor was something of a disciplinarian  in the Boston Police Department also relying on   Madeleine's Max estimate he was one of the three  shrewdest detectives on the American continent   Senator Duffield hurried toward  him with a suggestion of relief   this Mac is upstairs inspector and requested  me to send you to her the moment you arrived   she in Mr renick's room the senator nodded the  inspector hesitated as though to ask another   question and then as though thinking better of it  bowed and turned to the stairs inspector Taylor   was one of those few policemen who had the honor  of being numbered among Madeleine Mack's personal   friends and I fancied that he welcomed  the news of her arrival Fletcher Duffield   was chatting somewhat aimlessly with Senator  Burroughs as we sorted out into the yard again   none of the ladies of the family were visible the  plane clothes man was still lounging disconsolidly   in the vicinity of the gate there was a sense of  unrest in the scene a vague expectancy although   no one voiced a suggestion we might all have been  waiting to catch the first clap of distant Thunder   as Senator Duffield joined the men I  wandered across to the dining room window   I fancied the room was deserted but I was mistaken  as I faced about toward the driveway a low voice   caught my air from behind the curtains your Miss  Max friend are you not no don't turn around please   but I had already faced towards the open  door as my elbow was a white capped mate   with her face almost as white as her cap whom  I remembered to have seen at breakfast yes I am   Miss Mark's friend what can I do for you I have  a message for her will you see that she gets it   certainly tell her that I was at a door of Senator  duffield's Library the night before the murder   my face must have expressed my bewilderment  for an instant I fancied the girls about to   run from the room I stepped through the  window and put my arm about her shoulders   she smiled faintly I don't know much about the law  and evidence and that sort of thing and I'm afraid   you will take care of me won't  you of course I will Anna   your name is Anna isn't it the girl was  rapidly recovering her self-possession   I thought you ought to know what happened Tuesday  night I was passing the door of the library   it was fairly late about 10 o'clock I think when  I heard a man's voice inside the room it was a   loud angry voice like as of a person in a quarrel  then I heard a second voice lower and much calmer   did you recognize the speaker they  were Mr renick and Senator Duffield   I called my breath you said one of them  I was angry which was it oh it was the   senator who was very much excited and worked  up Mr renick seemed to be speaking very low   what were they saying Anna I tried to make my  tones careless and indifferent but I trembled   in spite of myself I couldn't catch what Mr renick  said the senator was saying some Dreadful things   I remember he cried you're swingless and then  a bit later I have evidence that should put   you and your thieving crew behind the boss  I think that is all I was too bewildered   stir on the lawn interrupted the sentence  Madeleine Mack and inspector Taylor had appeared   at the sound of their voices the girl broke  from my arm and darted toward the door   through the window I heard inspectors heavy  tones as he announced kettley I am telephoning   the coroner Senator that we are not ready for the  inquest today we must postpone it until tomorrow 5. the balance of the day passed without  incidents in fact I found the subdued   acquired of the Duffield home becoming Aksum  as evening fell I saw little of Madeleine Mac   she disappeared shortly after lunch and behind  the door of her room and I did not see her again   until the dressing bell rang for dinner Senator  Duffield left for the city with Mr Burroughs at   noon and his car did not bring him back until  dark the woman of the family remained in their   Apartments during the entire day nor could I  wonder at the fact a morbid crowd of curious   sightsees was masked about the gates almost  constantly and it was necessary to send a   call for two additional policemen to keep them  back in spite of the vigilance frequent groups   of newspaper men managed to slip into the grounds  and after half a dozen experiences in frantically   dodging a battery of cameras I decided to stick  to the shelter of the house it was a feeling of   distinct relief that I heard a door of Madeleine's  room open and her voice calling to me to enter   I found her stretch on a lounge before the  window with a mass of pillows under her head   been asleep I asked no to tell the truth  I've been too busy what in this room   this is the first time I've been here since  noon and where Nora don't ask questions   I turned away with a shrug that  brought a laugh from the lounge   Madeleine Rose and shook out her skirts I sat  watching her as she walked across to the mirror   and stood patting the great golden masses of her  hair A lot happened adore and erupted her Torrance   the valet stood outside as she opened it extending  an envelope Madeline fumbled it as she walked back   she let her envelope flutter to the floor and I  saw that it contained only a blank sheet of paper   she thrusted into her pocket without explanation  how would you like a long motor ride Nora   for business or pleasure pleasure the day's work  is finished I don't know whether you agree with   me or not but I am strongly of the opinion  that a whirl out under the Elms of Cambridge   and then on to Concord and Lexington would be  delightful in the Moonlight what do you say   the Clock Was hovering on the verge of midnight  and the household had retired when we returned   Madeline was in singularly cheery spirits  the low refrain which she was humming as   the car swung into the grounds Schubert's  serenade I think it was deceived only when   we stepped onto the veranda and realized  that we were entering the House of the Dead I turned off my lights in silence and glanced  undecidedly from the bed to The Rocker by the   window the cool light Breeze beckoned me to  the latter and I drew the chair back a pace   and cuddled down among the cushions the lawn  was almost silver under the flood of moonlight   recalling vaguely The Sweep of the ocean on a  midsummer night back and forth along the edge   of the gate the figure of a man was pacing like a  tired Sentinel it was a plain clothes officer from   headquarters his figure suggested a state of Siege  he might have been surrounded by a skulking enemy   or was the Enemy Within and the  Sentinel station to prevent his Escape   I stumbled across to the bed and to sleep  with a question echoing oddly through my brain   when I opened my eyes the sun was throwing  a yellow shaft of light across my bed but   it wasn't the sound that had awakened me  Madeline was standing in the doorway dressed   with an expression on her face which brought  me to my elbow what has happened now burglars   burglars I repeated dolly I'm going down to the  library someone is making news for us fast Nora   when will it be our turn I dressed in  recording breaking time with my curiosity   wetted by Sounds of suppressed excitement  which forced their way into the upper Hall   the Duffield home Not only was earliest there but  was rudely Jarred out of his customary routine   when I descended I found a nervous group of  servant clustered about the door of the library   they stood aside to let me pass with attitudes  of unetherness which I surmised would mean a   wholesale series of notices if the strange event  in the usual well-regulated household continued   behind the closed door of the library were Senator  Duffield his son Fletcher and Madeleine Mack   it was easy to appreciate at a glance the unusual  condition of the room at the right one of the long   Windows partly erased showed a small round  hole of a Diamond Cutter just over the latch   it was obvious where the clandestine entrance  and exit had been obtained the most noticeable   feature of the apartment however was a small  square safe in the corner with its heavy lid   swinging awkwardly ajar and the rug below littered  with a heap of papers that had evidently been torn   from its nearly tabulated series of drawers the  burglarious hands either had been very angry or   very much in a hurry even a number of unsealed  envelopes had been ripped across as though the   Pillager had been too impatient to extract their  content in the ordinary manner to a man of Senator   duffield's methodical habits it was easy to  imagine that the scene had been a severe wrench   Madeline was speaking in her quick incisive tones  as I entered I quite sure of that fact senator she   asked sharply as I closed the door and joined the  trio quite sure miss mark then nothing is missing   absolutely nothing not a single logical valuable  or otherwise I presume then there were articles of   more or less value in the safe there were perhaps  four hundred dollars in loose bills in my private   cash draw and so far as I know there is not a  dollar gone how about your papers and memoranda   the senator shook his head there was nothing of  the slightest use to a stranger as a matter of   fact just two days ago I took pain to destroy the  only portfolio of valuable documents in the safe   Madeleine stooped thoughtfully over the litter  of papers on the rug you mean three evenings ago   don't you how on Earth Miss mark you refer to the  memorandile that you and Mr renick were working   on the night before his death do you not of course  and then I saw Senator Duffield was staring at his   Kurt questioner as though he had said something  he hadn't meant to I think you told me once before   that the combination of your safe was known only  to yourself and Mr renick you are correct then   to your knowledge you are the only living person  who possesses this information at the present time   that is the case it was a rather intricate  combination and we changed it hardly a month ago   Madeleine Rose from the safe glanced reflectively  at a huge leather chair and sank into its depth   with a sigh you say nothing has been stolen  Senator that a burglar's visit yielded him nothing   for your peace of mind I would like to agree  with you but I am sorry to inform you that   you are mistaken surely Miss Mack you are Hasty I  am confident that I have searched my possessions   with the utmost care nevertheless you have been  robbed Senator Duffield glance down at a small   light figure impatiently then perhaps you will be  good enough to tell Neo what my loss consists I   refer to the article for which your secretary was  murdered it was stolen from this room last night   at the point of a dagger pressed against Senator  duffield's shoulder he could not have bounded   forward in Greater consternation his composure  was shattered like a pane of glass crumbling   he sprang toward the safe with a cry  like a man in sudden fear or agony   jerking back its door he plunged his  hand into its lower left compartment   when he straightened he held  a long wax phonograph record   his dismay had vanished in a quick blending  of relief and anger as his eyes swept from   the cylinder to the Grave figure of Madeleine  Mack I failed to appreciate your joke Miss Mack   if you call it a joke to frighten a man without  causes you have me have you examined the record   in your hand senator Fletcher duffel and I stared  at it too there was a suggestion of tragedy in   the scene as the impatient and irritation  gradually faded from the Senator's face   it is a substitute he groaned a substitute  I have been tricked victimized robbed   he stood staring at the wax record as though it  were a heated iron burning into his flesh suddenly   it slipped from his fingers and lost shuttered  on the floor but it did not appear to notice   the fact as he burst out do you realize that you  are standing here in acting while the thief is   escaping I don't know how your witch surprised my  secrets and I don't care now but you are throwing   away your chances of stopping the burglar while  he may be putting miles between himself and us   are you made of ice woman can't you appreciate  what this means in the name of Heaven Miss Mac   the thief will not Escape Mr Duffield it seems to  me that he has already escaped let me assure you   Senator that your missing property is as secure as  though it were locked in your safe at this moment   but do you realize that once a hint of its  nature is known it will be almost worthless to me   better perhaps than you do so well that I  pledge myself to return it to your hands   within the next half hour Senator Duffield took  three steps forward until he stood so close to   Madeleine that he could have reached  over and touched her on the shoulder   I am an old man Miss Mack and the last two  dates have brought me almost to a collapse   if I have a pair of unduly sharp I tend to you my  apologies but do not give me false hopes tell me   frankly that you cannot encourage me it will be a  kindness you will realize that I cannot blame you   Senator duffield's imperious attitude was  so broken that I could hardly believe it   possible that the same man who ruled a great  political party almost by the swaying of his   fingers was speaking Madeleine caught  his hand with a grasp of assurance   I will promise even more she snapped open her  watch if you return to this room at nine o'clock   not only will I restore your stolen property but  I will deliver the murderer of Raymond renick   renick's murderer the senator gasped  Madeline bowed in this room at nine o'clock   I think I was the first to move toward the door  Fletcher Duffield hesitated a moment staring at   Madeleine then he turned and hurried passed me  down the hall his father followed more slowly as   he closed the door I saw Madeleine standing where  we had left her leaning back against her chair and   staring at a woman's black slipper it was the one  which had been found by Raymond renick's dead body I made my way mechanically toward the dining room  and was surprised to find that the members of the   Duffield family were already at the table with the  exception of Madeline it was the same breakfast   group as the morning before in another house this  attempt to maintain the conventions in the face   of tragedy might have seen incongruous but it was  so thoroughly in keeping with the self-contained   Duffield character that after the first  chalk I realized it was not at all surprising   I fancy that we all breed the desire  relief however when the meal was over   we were rising from the table when a folder  note addressed to the senator was handed to   the Butler from the hall he glanced through it  hurriedly and held up his hand for us to wait   this is from Miss Mack she requests me to  have all of the members of the family and   those servants who have furnished any evidence in  connection with a murder the senator wins does he   spoke the word to assemble in the library at nine  o'clock I think that we owe it both to ourselves   and to her to obey her instructions through the  letter Perkins will you kindly notify the servants   as it happened Madeline's audience in the library  was increased by two Spectators she had not named   the tooting of a motor sounded without and  a tall figure of Senator Barrow's metis as   we were leaving the dining room Senator Duffield  took his arm with a glass of relief and explained   the situation as he forced him to accompany  us 6. in the library we found for the first   time that Madeleine was not alone engaged in  a low conversation with her which ceased as   we entered was inspector Taylor he had evidently  been designated as the spokesman of the occasion   is everybody here he asked I think so  Senator dusters replied there are really   only five of the seven to count in the case  Madeleine's eyes flashed over this circle   close the door please Mr Taylor I think  you had better lock it also there are 14   persons in this room she continued counting of  course inspector Taylor Miss norika and myself   we may safely be said to be outside the case there  are then 11 person's hair connected in some degree   with a tragedy it is in this list of 11 that  I have searched for the murderer I am happy to   tell you that my search has been successful  Senator Duffield was the first to speak you   mean to say Miss Mack that a murderer is in this  room at the present time correct the new acute   one of this group of dealing the blow which killed  your secretary and later of plundering your safe inspector Taylor moved quietly to a post between  the two windows escape from the room was barred   I darted to start the glance around the circle  in an effort to surprise the trace of guilt in   the faces before me and was titled to find my  neighbors engaged in the same furtive occupation   of the woman of the family the Senator's  wives had compressed her lips as though   as the Mistress of the house she felt the need  of maintaining her composure in any situation   Maria was toying with her bracelet while  Beth made no effort to conceal her agitation   Senator Burroughs was studying the pattern of  the carpet with a face as inscrutable as a mask   Fletcher Duffield was sitting back  in his chair his hands in his pockets   his father was leaning against the locked  room his eyes flashing from face to face   with the exceptions of dorians the valet and  Perkins the butler who I do not think would   have been stirred out for their stoleness had the  ceiling Fallen the servants were in an utter panic   two of the maids were plainly  bordering on hysterics   such was the group that faced  Madeleine in the Duffield Library   one of the number was a murderer whom  the next 10 minutes were to Brand as such   which was it instinctively my eyes turned again  toward the three women of the Duffield family   as Madeleine walked across to a Poitier  which screened a corner of the apartment jacking it aside she showed suspended from a hook  in the ceiling a quarter of fresh wheel on an   adjoining stand was a long thin-bladed knife which  might have been a dagger ground to a racer Edge   Madeleine held it before her as she turned to  us this is the weapon which killed Mr renick   I fancied I heard a gasp as she spoke although  I Whirled almost on the instant however I could   detect no science of it in the faces behind me  I proposed to conduct a short experiment which   I assure you is absolutely necessary to my chain  of reasoning Madeleine continued you may or may   not know that a body of a calf practically offers  the same degree of resistance to a knife as the   body of a man that flesh of course is harder  and firmer than living flesh but I think that   adding the thickness of clothes we may take it  for granted that the quarter of a wheel before   us we have a fair substitute for the body of  Raymond renick now watch me closely please   drawing back her arm she plunged her  knife into the meat with a force which   sent it spinning on its hook she drew the  knife out and examined it reflectively   I have made a cart of only a little more than  three and a half inches the blow which killed   Mr renick penetrated at least five inches here we  encounter a singular striking feature of our case   involving a stratagem which I think I can  safely say is the most unique in my experience   to all intents it was a woman who killed Mr renick  in fact it has been taken for granted that he met   his death at the hand of a female assassin we must  dispose of this conclusion at the outset for the   simple reason that it was physically impossible  for a woman to have dealt the death blow   I chanced to be gazing directly at Fletcher  Duffield as Madeleine made a statement   an expression of such relief flashed into his face  that instinctively I turned about and followed the   direction of his glance his eyes were fixed on  his sister Beth Madeleine deposited a knife on   the stand indeed I may say there are few men  perhaps not one in ten with a wrist strong   enough to have dealt Mr renick's death blow she  went on there is only one such person among the   14 in this room at the present time again you  will recall that a warrant was delivered from   the rare just as Mr renick faced about in his  own defense had he been attacked by a woman who   would have heard Russell of her dress several  feet before she possibly could have reached him   I think you will recall my demonstration  of that fact yesterday morning Mr Duffield   obviously then it is a man whom we must seek if  we would find the murderer of your secretary in   a man of certain peculiar characteristics  two of these I can name now he possessed   a risk developed to an extraordinary degree  and he owned feet as small and shapely as a   woman's otherwise the stratagem of wearing  a woman's slippers and leaving one of them   near the scene of the crime to divert suspicion  from himself would never have occurred to him   again I thought I had a gasp behind me  but its owner escaped me a second time   there was a third marked feature among the  physical characteristic of the murderer   he was near-sighted so much so that it was  necessary for him to wear glasses of the kind   known technically as a double lens unfortunately  for the Assassin when his victim fell the latter   called the glasses in his hand and they were  broken under his body the murderer may have been   thrown into a panic and failed to make the time to  recover his spectacles but it was a fatal blunder   Fortune however might have helped him even then  in spite of this fact for those who found a body   fell into the natural era of considering the  glasses to be the property of the murdered man   had it not been for two Minor Details this  impression might never have been contradicted   Madeleine held up a packet  of newspaper illustrations   several of them are recognized as the pictures  of the murdered secretary that she had shown me   at the Roanoke the others were also photographs  of the same man if Mr renick hadn't been fond   of having his picture taken the fact that he  never wore glasses on the street might not have   been noticed none of his pictures not even the  snapshots showed a man in spectacles it is true   that he possessed a pair and it is hair where  those who discovered the crime went astray but   they were for reading purposes only the kind term  are 0.125 lengths while those of his assailant  

were a point 210 lengths the clinch of the matter  I later found Mr renick's own spectacles in his   room where he had left them the evening before  Madeline held up the red leather case she had   found on the mantelpiece and tapped it musingly  as she gave a slight nod to inspector Taylor   we have now the following description of  the murderer a slenderly built man with an   unusual wrist possibly an athlete at one time  who possesses a foot capable of squeezing into   a woman's shoe and who is handicapped by an  air-sightedness is there an individual in this   room to whom this description applies there was a  new glitter in Madeleine's eyes as she continued   through the cooperation of Inspector  Taylor I am unable to answer this question   Mr Taylor has traced the glasses of the Assassin  to the optican who gave the prescription for them   I am not surprised to find that the owner of the  spectacles Talis with the owner of these other   interesting articles with the words she whisked  from the stand at her elbow the long narrow Blazer   dagger and a pair of soiled black suede slippers  there was a suggestion of grotesque unreality   about it all it was much as though I had been  viewing that announcement of a Play From The Snug   vantage point of an orchestra seat waiting for the  lights to flare up and the curtain to ring down   a shriek ran through my ears jarring their  back to the realization that I was not a   spectator but a part of the play a figure darted  toward the window it was John dorrent the valet   the next instant inspector Taylor threw  himself on the fleeing man's shoulders   and the two went to the floor can  you manage him Madeleine called   unless he prefers Cold Steel through his body to  Cold Steel about his wrist what's the rejoinder   I think you may dismiss the other servants Senator  Madeleine said I wish however that a family would   remain a few moments as the door closed again  she continued I promised you also Senator the   return of your stolen property I have the honor  to make that promise good from her stand which was   rapidly assuming the proportions of a condorous  table she produced a round brown paper parcel   before I unwrapped it have IO  permission to explain its contents   as you will miss Mack perhaps the most puzzling  feature of the tragedy is the motive it is this   parcel which supplies us with the answer your  secretary Mr Duffield was an exceptional young man   not only did he repeatedly resist bribery such  as comes to few men but he gave his life for   his trust at any time since this parcel came into  his possession he could have sold it for a fortune   because they refused to sell it he was murdered  for it perhaps every reader of the newspapers is   more or less familiar with Senator duffield's  investigations of the ravages of a certain   great trust a few days ago the senator came into  possession of evidence against the combine of such   a drastic nature that he realized it would mean  nothing less than the annihilation of the Monopoly   imprisonment for the chief officers and a business  sensation such as this country has seldom known   once the officers of the trust knew of this  evidence however they would be forearmed in such   a manner that its value would be largely destroyed  the evidence was a remarkable piece of detective   work it consisted of a phonographic record of a  secret director's meeting laying there the inmost   depredations of the corporation Madeleine paused  as the handcuffed valet showed signs of a renewed   struggle inspector Taylor without comment calmly  snapped a second pair of bracelets about his feet   the trust was true enough to appreciate the  value of a spine that a field home Torrance   was engaged for the post and from what I have  learned of his character he filled it admirably   how we stumbled on Senator duffield's latest coop  is immaterial the main point is that he tried to   bribe Mr renick so persistently to betray his post  that her latter threatened to expose him partly   in the fair that he would carry out his threat and  partly in the hope that he carried memoranda which   might lead to the discovery of the evidence that  he sought doran's plan then carried out the murder   in the secretary's pocket he discovered a  combination of the safe and made use of it   last night I found a stolen phonograph  record this morning behind the register   of the furnished pipe endurance's room I  had already found that this was his cachet   containing the dagger which killed renick  and the second of Cinderella's slippers   the pair was stolen some days ago  from the room of Miss Beth Duffield the swirl of the day was finally over Lawrence  had been led to his cell the coroner's jury had   returned its verdict and all that was Mortal of  Raymond renick had been laid in its last resting   place Madeleine and I had settled ourselves in  the Homeward Bound Pullman as it rumbled out of   the Boston station in the early dusk there are  two questions I want to ask I said reflectively   Madeleine looked up from her newspaper with a yawn   why did John Dorrance bring him back a blank sheet  of paper when you dispatched him on your errand   as a matter of fact there was nothing else for  him to bring back Mr Taylor kept in a police   headquarters long enough to give me time to carry  my set through his room the message was a blind   and what was the quarrel that the servant girl  Anna heard in a Duffield Library it wasn't a   quarrel my dear girl it was the senator preparing  the speech with which he intended to launch his   evidence against the trust the senator is in the  habit of dictating his speeches to a phonograph   some of them I am afraid are rather fairy end of  Cinderella's slippers by Hugh see where part two   recording by Christine G in Oslo  Norway the 6th of October 2012.

2023-02-10 07:09

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