CHAPTER XVII Stebbins Owns Up
"Now, Mr. Stebbins, you'd better speak out in meetin' and tell all youknow. Tell your Auntie Zizi jes' how naughty you was, and how you managedit. C'mon, now,--'pit it all out!"
Zizi sat on the edge of a chair in Elijah Stebbins' office, and leanedtoward him, her eerie little face enticingly near his, and her smile suchas would charm the birds off the trees.
Stebbins looked at her, and shifted uneasily in his chair.
"I didn't do nothin' wrong," he began, "I played a silly trick or two,but it was only in fun. When I see they took it seriously, I quit."
"Yes, I know all that," and the impatient visitor shook a promptinglittle forefinger at him. "I know everything you said and did to scarethose people into fits, and when they wouldn't scare, but just lapped upyour spook rackets, you quit, as you say, and then,--they took up thebusiness themselves."
"You sure of that?"
"I am,--certain. Also, I know who did it. What I'm after is to find out afew missing ways and means. Now, you _were_ a tricksy Puck, weren't you,when you moved the old battered candlestick that first night? And it didno harm, that I admit. It roused their curiosity, and started the spookball rolling. Then, as a ghost, you appeared to Mr. Bruce, didn't you?"
"Well, I--did," Stebbins grudgingly confessed, forced by the compellingblack eyes, "I just wrop a shawl over my head, and spooked in. But nobodybelieved his yarn about it."
"No; they thought Mr. Bruce made up the story, because he had said hewould trick them if he could."
"Yep, I know that," agreed Stebbins, eagerly. "Then once again, I playedspook, and that time, Miss Carnforth was a sleepin' in that ha'nted room.You see, I expected it would be one o' the men, and when I see awoman----"
"You were more scared than she was!" Zizi leaned eagerly forward, almostspilling off her chair, in her interested attention.
"I believe I was," said Stebbins, solemnly. "Anyways, I went out, vowin'never to do any more spook work,--and I never did."
"All that tallies with my discoveries so far," Zizi nodded, "now what I'mafter, is the way you got in."
"That's a secret," and Stebbins squirmed uneasily.
"A secret entrance, you mean?"
"Yes'm. And how to get into it is a secret that has been known only tothe owner of that house, for generations,--ever since it was built.Whenever anybody bought it or inherited it, he was told the secretentrance, and sworn never to tell of it."
"But, look here, Mr. Stebbins, your entrance to that house, or whateverit is, was seen by somebody. That somebody used it afterward, and playedghost, and committed crime, and even stole the body of that poor littlegirl away. Also, some one carried me,--_me!_ if you please, out by thatsecret passage, and tried to drown me! Now, do you think it is your dutyto remain silent, because of that old oath of secrecy?"
Zizi had risen and stood over him like a small but terrifying avengingangel. If she had brandished a flaming sword, it could not have impressedEli Stebbins more than her burning black eyes' glance.
Her long, thin arms were outspread, her slim body poised on tiptoe andher accusing, condemning face was white and strained in its earnestness.
"No, ma'am, I don't!" and Stebbins rose, too. "Come with me, Miss; I'llgo with you and I'll show you that secret entrance, nobody could everfind it alone, and I'll own up to all I did, wrong or right. I'm nomurderer, and I'll not put a straw in the way of findin' out who is."
In triumph, Zizi entered the hall of Black Aspens, leading her captive.Though it must be admitted Stebbins came willingly.
"This here's my house," he said, with an air of importance, "and so far'sI'm responsible for queer goin's on, I'll confess. And after that, you,Mr. Detective, can find out who carried on the hocus-pocus."
"Thank you, Mr. Stebbins," said Pennington Wise, gravely. "Suppose we askall the members of the household to be present at your revelations."
"Not the Thorpes, or them servant maids, if you please. They ain't noneof 'em implicated, and why let 'em know what's goin' on?"
"That's right," said Zizi. "Whatever we learn may not be entirely givento the public. Just call the rest of the party, Pen."
As it happened, the men were all in the hall talking with Wise whenStebbins arrived, so Zizi went in search of the women. They werecongregated in Milly's room, and as they came downstairs, the detectivenoted their expressions, a favourite method with him of gaininginformation.
Milly's round little face was so red and swollen with weeping, that itexcited only compassion in any observer. Norma, too, was sad andfrightened-looking, but Eve was in a defiant mood, and her scarlet lipswere curved in a disdainful smile.
"As we're all at one in our search for the criminal," Wise began,tactfully, "I think it best that we should hear, all together, Mr.Stebbins' explanation of how this house may be entered from outside,though apparently locked and bolted against intrusion."
"I should think, Mr. Wise," said Eve, scornfully, "that if there weresuch a possibility, your detective genius ought to have discovered it."
"He couldn't," said Stebbins, simply. "It ain't a means that any onecould discover."
"Then how did the criminal find it out?" demanded Eve.
"He must have seen me come in by it," Stebbins replied. "Nobody couldever suspect the real way."
"Oh, come now," said Zizi, "Mr. Wise does know. He is not at all vainglorious, or he would tell you himself. But he prefers to let Mr.Stebbins tell."
"Is that so, Mr. Wise?" asked Professor Hardwick, eagerly. "If you havediscovered the secret entrance, I wish you would say so. I feel chagrinedthat my own reasoning powers have given me no hint."
"I have satisfied myself of the means and the location of the entrance,"Wise returned, "but I have not examined the place definitely enough tofind the hidden spring that must be there."
"You know that much!" cried Stebbins, in amazement.
"Yes, largely by elimination. There are no hollow walls, no false locks,no sliding panels,--it seems to me there is no logical hidden entrance,but through one of those columns," and he pointed to the great bronzecolumns that flanked the doorway.
"By golly!" and Stebbins stared at the speaker. "You've hit it, sir!"
"I could, of course, find the secret spring, which must be concealed inthe ornamentation," Wise went on, "but I've hesitated to draw attentionto the columns by working at them. Suppose we let Mr. Stebbins tell us,and not try to find what we know must be cleverly concealed."
"But wait a minute," pleaded Hardwick. "I'm terribly interested in thisproof of Mr. Wise's perspicacity. You needn't touch the column, but tellus your theory of its use. Is there a sliding opening in the solidbronze?"
"I think not," and Wise smiled. "I may be all wrong, I really haven'tlooked closely, but my belief is that one or both of those great columns,which, as you see, are half in and half out of the hall, must swinground, revolve, you know,--and so open a way out."
"Exactly right!" and Stebbins sprang toward the column that was on theside of the hall toward the Room with the Tassels. "That's the secret.Nobody ever so much as dreamed of it before! See, you merely press thisacorn in this bronze oak wreath, half-way up, press it pretty hard, andthe column swings round."
They crowded closer to see, and learned that the column was made in twohalf sections, one in the hall and one outside. These, again, weredivided horizontally, about seven feet above the floor, and the jointconcealed by a decorative wreath of bronze oak boughs.
The column was hollow, and one half the shaft revolved within the other,which, in turn, revolved over the first, so that by successive movementsof the two, one could pass right through the vestibule wall, and closethe opening after him, leaving no trace of his entry or exit. Thevestibule wall, of mahogany, concealed the longitudinal joint in thecolumn when closed. The doors were hinged to this wooden wall, and wereopened and closed, and locked, quite independently of the columns. Owingto perfectly adjusted ball
bearings, and a thoroughly oiled condition,the mechanism worked easily and soundlessly.
"The whole contraption was brought from Italy," Stebbins informed them,"by the original Montgomery. I don't think he ever used it for any wrongdoings, though they do say, soldiers was smuggled through in war times,and contraband smuggling went on, too. But those is only rumours andprobably exaggerated."
"You exaggerated the ghost stories, too, didn't you, Mr. Stebbins?" askedWise.
"I didn't need to, sir. Those yarns of the Shawled Woman, have been toldand retold so many years now, they've grown way beyond their first facts,if there ever was any truth to 'em. This here column, only one of 'emrevolves,--has always been kept secret, but when the little witch childmade me see it was my duty to tell of it, tell of it I did. Now, sir, goahead and find who committed them dastardly murders and I'll consider Idid right to break my oath of secrecy."
"No one will blame you for it," said Professor Hardwick, who was stillexperimenting with the revolving column. "This is a marvellous piece ofworkmanship, Landon. I never saw such before."
Pennington Wise was covertly watching all the faces as the various onespeered into the opening left when the column was turned. He stood onguard, too, and when Eve curiously bent down to open a long box, whichstood up on end, against the inside of the bronze cylinder, he reachedahead of her.
"Yes," he said, consentingly, "let us see what is in here."
In full view of all, he opened the long box, such a box as long stemmedroses might have been packed in, and took from it a voluminous cloak ofthin white material, a flimsy, white shawl, and a mask that represented askull.
"The paraphernalia of the Shawled Woman," the detective said, exhibitingthe things, "your property, Mr. Stebbins?"
"Yes, they are," and the man looked shame-faced, but determined. "I madeall my plans, before the folks came up here, to ha'nt the Room with theTassels. I meant no harm, I vow. I thought they was a silly set ofsociety folks, who believed in spooks, and I thought I'd give 'em whatthey come for. I bought the mask at a fancy shop in town, and the thinstuff too. The shawl is one my wife used to have. I own up to all mydoin's, because while they was foolish, and maybe mean, they wasn'tcriminal. Now, if so be's somebody saw me go in and out, and used thoseghost clo'es, which it seems they must have done, I'll help all I can tofasten the guilt where it belongs."
"I, too," declared Rudolph Braye. "It certainly looks as if some one hadseen Mr. Stebbins enter the house secretly, and watching, saw him leave.Then, this night prowler tried the game himself."
"Yes, sir," replied Stebbins. "Just the same sort of spring, inside andout. Anybody seein' me go through, either way, could easily work out thesecret. But, not knowing of it, nobody'd ever suspect."
"Of course not," agreed Braye. "Now, we have a start, let us get to workon the more serious aspect of the affair. For, while this revelationexplains the entrance of some midnight marauder, with intent to frightenus, it doesn't do much toward lessening the mystery of those two deaths."
"You're sure, Mr. Stebbins," and Eve turned glittering eyes on him, "thatyou never 'haunted' after that night when you appeared to me! You know aghost appeared to Vernie after that. Can we believe that was not the workof the same malignant----"
"Malignant is not the word to apply to Mr. Stebbins," Pennington Wiseinterrupted her, "and it is up to us,--to me, to find who took his placeas haunter of this house. Also, who it was that removed the body ofVernie Reid, doubtless through the revolving column, and--who kidnappedand tried to drown Zizi."
"Those are secondary problems," said Braye, thoughtfully gazing at thedetective. "But they must be solved, too, of course. What I'm moreanxious about, however, is to learn how any one could compass themurders,--if murders they were."
"Of course they were," said Hardwick. "Now that I know as much as I doknow, I'm sure we'll learn all. Mr. Wise, I'm of a detective bent,myself, and you may count on me to help you all I can. You needn'tlaugh----"
"My dear Professor Hardwick, I assure you I've no thought of laughing, orof belittling the help you offer. I'm truly glad of your assistance andit is my habit to be frank with my clients, so we need have noreservations, on either side. The assurance we have received that anintruder could and did enter the house, gives us new directions in whichto look and new theories to pursue. I'm sure you will all agree with methat the body of Miss Reid was carried out through the secret column, andnot removed by supernatural means."
"Without doubt," said Rudolph Braye, but Eve Carnforth looked a denial.
"I can't agree," she said, "that the discovery of a secret entrancedisproves all possibility of the presence of supernatural agencies. Ithink no human intruder can be held responsible for all we have beenthrough. How do you account for two deaths occurring at the very momentthey were foretold?"
Her question was evidently addressed to Wise, and he replied, "I think,Miss Carnforth, that those two deaths were murders, cleverly accomplishedby human wills, and it is my immediate duty to prove this. Therefore, Iam now going to endeavour to recover the missing body of the unfortunategirl who was killed."
"What! Vernie's body!" and Eve gasped.
"Yes. And not wishing to do anything to which you may not all agree, Iannounce frankly that I am going to have the lake dragged."
"The lake!" cried Wynne Landon, "why, man, it is miles long!"
"But I think that the same person who tried to drown Zizi is responsiblefor the disappearance of Miss Reid's body, and I feel sure that if welook in that same part of the lake we will find what we are after."
"Incredible!" exclaimed Landon. "You will only waste your time!"
Wise looked closely at the face of the speaker, and then turned quicklyto observe another face.
"At any rate, it can do no harm to try," he said, finally.
"Not at all," said Braye; "go ahead. But even the recovery of Vernie'sbody, will get us no nearer to her murderer. I wish I had been here atthe time of those deaths. While I cannot feel I should have been of anyhelp, I do think I could have noticed something or formed some opinion orconclusion from the circumstances."
"No, Rudolph," said the Professor. "There was nothing to be seen ordeduced from anything that happened at that time. I was nearest to Mr.Bruce, Miss Carnforth was nearest to Vernie. Neither of us saw anythingsuspicious or of unexplainable intent."
"And yet Mr. Bruce was poisoned," said Wise, glancing from one face toanother. "And I feel positive Miss Reid was also poisoned. She must havebeen. What else could have killed her, like that?"
"True enough," and Braye nodded his head. "But do you think anexamination of her body, after all this time, could prove that?"
"Whether it could or not," said Wise, "we want to recover the body ifpossible. My theory is that it must have been thrown in the lake. If itwas taken away through the revolving column, what else could have beendone with it? To bury it would have been to risk discovery. And Zizi'sexperience----"
"Are you sure, Mr. Wise, that Zizi's experience was truthfully related?May she not have been hysterically nervous, and imagined the whole thing?I've heard of such cases."
"Who put you up to that idea, Miss Carnforth?" said Wise, very quietly,and Eve flushed and turned aside, remaining silent.
Pennington Wise's theory proved the true one.
The men employed to drag the lake at Black Aspens succeeded in findingthe body of Vernie Reid. A bag of bricks had been tied to the ankles, inthe same manner as described by Zizi, and the little form had been sunkin almost the same place that Zizi had been flung into the water.
Reverent hands carried the body to the house, and later it was examinedby a skilled physician from New York City.
He reported that death had ensued upon the girl's arm being scratchedwith some sharp implement, which had been previously dipped in a powerfulpoison.
As this was the same physician who had passed the final judgment on thecause of Mr. Bruce's death, his report was listened to with confidenceand belief.
"You must know," he said, to the awed group, "that about last March, aplot was formed against some high officials in England. These diabolicalplans included the use of extremely poisonous drugs. By a most culpableoversight the names and descriptions of these poisons crept into thepublic press, and since then, several attempts at their use have beenmade, mostly, I am glad to say, without result.
"But, it is clear to me, that the murderer of these two people, Mr.Bruce, and the child, Vernie Reid, used the poisons I have told you of."
"I read about them," said Pennington Wise. "They included a rare drugonly to be obtained from South America."
"That was the statement," said the doctor, "but I'm credibly informedthere is a supply secretly hoarded in this country. However that may be,I am convinced that was the means used in Miss Reid's case. This poisonmust be introduced under the skin, by means of a cut or scratch,whereupon, the effect is instantaneously fatal. Twenty seconds is said tobe the extreme length of time for life to remain in a body after theintroduction of the venom. There is a distinct scratch on Miss Reid'supper right arm, so inflamed and poisoned as to leave no doubt in thematter."
"That's why the body was removed," said the Professor, "lest that scratchbe discovered."
"Yes," agreed Wise, "and the other victim, Mr. Bruce, was killed byhaving the poison introduced into his stomach."
"That was a different poison," said the doctor. "That was strychninehydrochlorate, which acts with equal speed. The evidential point is, thatthese two poisons were both plotted to be used in the case I mentioned inEngland, which, however, was foiled before it was actually attempted. Thegrave wrong, was the account in the newspapers, which was socircumstantial and definite as to give information to whoever cared touse it. Can any one doubt that the villain in this case, read the articleI speak of, which was in several of our American papers, and made use ofhis ill-gotten directions to achieve his purpose?"
"How did it get into Mr. Bruce's stomach?" demanded Braye.
"It was secretly placed in his tea or in the cake he was eating,"declared the doctor. "Don't ask me how,--or who did it. That is not myprovince. But whoever could plan these fearsome deeds, could find aningenious method of carrying out his plans,--of that I'm sure."
"I wish I'd been present," said Braye, again, as he sighed deeply.
CHAPTER XVIII Another Confession
Pennington Wise and Zizi sat in the hall talking. It was part of Wise'spolicy never to hold secret conclaves with his little assistant, for, hesaid that the people who employed him were entitled to all his suspicionsor deductions as they took shape and grew in his mind. Professor Hardwickjoined them as Wise was saying, "What first turned your attention to theRoom with the Tassels, Ziz? Why did you move into that room to sleep?"
"Because the lock was oiled," Zizi replied, her black eyes glistening."The first time I got a chance I looked at all the locks in the house,and only two were freshly oiled, and they had been well looked after,--Ican tell you."
"What did that prove to you?" Hardwick asked.
"That somebody was haunting the Room with the Tassels who had to open thedoor to get in. No ghost would need to turn a knob and open the door.They splash right through walls or anything, or they ought to, if theyknow their business! But this lock, as well as the knob, was oiled, and,as you know, the door was opened though locked on the inside. Cleverfingers can turn a key from the other side, if they have a certainimplement, used by burglars. Also, if the key was not in the door, cleverpeople could provide a duplicate key. But these things are not necessaryfor ghosts. They just glide in serenely, not even thinking about keys ordoors."
"You're right, child," and Wise nodded approvingly at her. "Now, whatother door had its lock oiled?"
"Not only the lock, but the hinges of one of the bedroom doors werecarefully oiled. You know which one, Penny."
"I do, Zizi. Have you no suspicion, Professor?"
"I'd rather not say. As a friend of all the people in our party, I simplycan't bring myself to mention the name of any one of them, and, yet ifone of us is a criminal, it is the duty of the others to see justicedone."
"Well, it must soon come out, anyway. It is Mr. Tracy's door, isn't it,Zizi?"
"Yes."
"Bless my soul!" cried the Professor, "Tracy! Why, he's a minister!"
"No," and Penny Wise shook his head, "Mr. Tracy is not a minister andnever was. On the contrary, he's about as far removed from piety of anysort, as any man on God's green earth!"
"What are you saying?" cried Eve Carnforth, coming swiftly toward them."Mr. Tracy not a minister!"
"No;" repeated Wise, "John Tracy is a notorious criminal, known as SmugJohnny by his friends, and also by the police. I have just had returnsfrom some inquiries I sent to Chicago, and I learn that this double-dyedvillain is wanted on several counts, but never before has he been accusedof murder."
"And did he kill Mr. Bruce and Vernie?" cried Eve, her hands clenched inexcitement and her long eyes narrowed with fear.
"He did, I am positive. We have yet to prove it, but I have evidenceenough----"
"Where is he?" said Hardwick, abruptly.
"Under strict surveillance," returned Wise. "My men are at his heels dayand night. He can't get away."
"He stole me," said Zizi; "you see I had my eye on him, 'cause of hisoiled door. Then when he came, I thought he was only going to scare me,but he stuffed that old chloroform in my mouth so quick, I couldn't evenyell out. If I hadn't had some experience in swimming pools and moviethrillers, I'd been down at the bottom of that horrid old lake thisminute!"
"But I can't understand," and Eve looked puzzled; "why would Mr. Tracykill those people, and how did he do it? Mr. Wise, you're crazy! It's animpossible theory!"
Others had gathered in the hall, now, and Pennington Wise told them allof his recent advices from Chicago, that proved the supposed clergyman afraud and a villain.
Milly showed the greatest relief. "Oh," she cried, "I'm glad you've foundout who it was, anyway! But it doesn't seem as if Mr. Tracy could be abad man--are you sure, Mr. Wise?"
"Yes, Mrs. Landon, there is no doubt at all. Now, let us reconstruct thescene of those two deaths. Where was Mr. Tracy sitting?"
"Right here, where I am now," said Norma, thinking back. "Vernie was overthere, near the front door. Mr. Bruce was across the hall by ProfessorHardwick, and Eve was in the middle of the room by the tea-table."
"Will you be so kind, Miss Carnforth, as to think very carefully," saidWise, "and see if you recollect Mr. Tracy's presence near you as you werefixing the various cups of tea. Did he have the slightest opportunity toadd anything to the cup that was afterward handed to Mr. Bruce?"
Excited, almost hysterical, Eve obeyed the detective's command, and said,after a moment's thought, "Yes, he did. I remember he passed near me, andVernie stood at my side also. They had a bit of good-natured banter as towhich should take the cup I had just poured out, and Vernie won, and shelaughingly carried it to Mr. Bruce. I remember it distinctly."
"Then, doubtless, at that moment, Tracy dropped the small amount ofpoison necessary in the cup, sure that it would be given to Mr. Bruce.Had Vernie given it to any one else, he would have intercepted it. He isa man of suave manners, you know."
"Yes," said Norma, "particularly so, and very graceful about any socialmatters. He always assisted in passing the tea things."
"Go on," said Penny Wise; "what happened as Mr. Bruce took his first sipof tea?"
"He changed countenance at once," said Hardwick. "I was talking to him,and a queer pallor came over his face and then it turned fiery red. Hedropped his cup and----"
"One moment," said Wise; "what became of that broken cup?"
"I've no idea," said the Professor, helplessly looking about him.
"I wasn't home," began Milly, "Mr. Braye and I had gone to EastDryden----"
"The tray was taken out as usual," interposed Eve, but Norma said,quietly, "I picked up the broken b
its and laid them on the tray."
"Call in the servant who took away that tray," said Wise, shortly.
Old Thorpe was called in, and told his story.
"I came in for the tray," he said, "and seein'--what I did see--I wasfair knocked out. I did as usual, and picked up the tray to carry it tothe kitchen. Mr. Tracy was by the tray at the time, and he was pourin'hot water into the teacups. I don't think the man knew what he wasabout,--none of us did, and small wonder!"
Thorpe knew nothing of the recent developments regarding Tracy, and Wisepursued: "Do you remember whether Mr. Tracy poured hot water over thebroken cup?"
"That's just what he was doin', sir, that's why I thought he didn'trightly know what he was about."
"You may go, Thorpe," said Wise.
"You see," he continued after the old man had gone, "Tracy poured boilinghot water from the afternoon teakettle over the broken cup, that allevidence of poison might be removed, if the bits of china were examined.I've not heard of that being done, however, but a guilty conscience wouldnaturally fear it. That little incident shows the astuteness of hiscriminal mind."
"It does!" cried Professor Hardwick. "What a depraved, a demoniacalnature must be his! Where did he come from? Who introduced him to ourparty?"
"I did," said Rudolph Braye. "I had, of course, no suspicion of his realnature. I met Tracy on the train, travelling from Chicago to New York,about a year ago. He was a pleasant smoking room companion, and I've seenhim several times since, in New York. I had no reason to think him otherthan what he represented himself, a clergyman, with a church in Chicago.He impressed me as a fine, congenial sort, and when Mrs. Landon asked meto suggest another member for our house party, I thought of him at once.His cloth seemed to me to be his adequate credentials and, in fact, Inever gave a thought to his possible duplicity! Nor can I reconcile thefacts, even yet. How do you know these things, Mr. Wise? Are you notromancing a little?"
"No, Mr. Braye, I am not even surmising. What I have stated is true,because there is no other possible deduction from the facts I havelearned. I have identified the man Tracy who was here with you as thenotorious Smug Johnny of Chicago. Do you need further knowledge of him tobelieve that he is the criminal in this case, rather than one of your ownimmediate circle?"
"No," and Milly shuddered; "it is bad enough that it should have been Mr.Tracy, but far better than to suspect one of us here."
"Furthermore," continued Wise, "let us look into the details of the deathof Vernie Reid. Who can give me the exact facts as noticed?"
"I," said Eve Carnforth; "and, now, as I look back, I see it all in adifferent light! I was looking at Mr. Bruce, as everybody was, startledby the sound of crashing china, and I heard Mr. Tracy say, 'Vernie,child! What _is_ the matter?' or some such words. Then he ran quickly toher side and held her up in his arms, while I ran to them and helped himto lay her on the sofa."
"See?" said Wise; "at the moment Tracy sprang toward the girl she wasunharmed, and as he put his arm round her, he scratched her arm with asharp pointed instrument, which had been dipped in the awful poison thatwe have learned of. It is said to be similar to that with which thebarbarians of South America tip their arrows. But the least scratch isinstantly fatal, and proved so in Vernie's case. The instrument he used,we have reason to think, was a steel pen."
"Why do you think that?" asked Professor Hardwick.
"Because Zizi found a few new ones in Tracy's room, that had not beenused for writing purposes. There were five in a small paper parcel. Wehave found that he bought these at a shop in the village, buying six atthe time. This is merely a shred of evidence, but the fact that Zizifound the pens became known to Mr. Tracy, in fact he caught her searchinghis room. It was this that made him try to do away with the child."
"Tracy? Do away with Zizi!" exclaimed Braye. "Why, he was gone away fromhere, then."
"No. He had left the house, but he was lurking about, and after all hadretired that night, he came through the revolving column, and kidnappedZizi, and threw her into the lake,--as he had previously thrown in thebody of Vernie Reid. That, he did, lest the scratch on her arm bediscovered by the doctors, and he be suspected."
"Then it was Tracy who discovered the secret of the revolving column,"said Braye, thoughtfully. "You take a great deal for granted, Mr. Wise."
"I take nothing for granted, save what the facts prove, Mr. Braye. ThatTracy used the revolving column is positive. Do you not all remember thenight when Professor Hardwick saw the apparition of the Shawled Woman? Onthat night Mr. Tracy was supposed to be in Boston. As a matter of fact,he was not, he had left the house, saying he was going to Boston but heremained in hiding near the house, played ghost, and _then_ went on hisway."
"I was in New York that night," said Braye, musingly. "But, look here,Mr. Wise, one afternoon, about dusk, Miss Cameron and I distinctly sawthe apparition of the Shawled Woman in the Room with the Tassels when weourselves were out of doors. We saw it through the window,--don't youremember, Norma?"
"I do,----"
"Then that was Mr. Tracy's doings also," declared Wise. "How simple forhim to get the paraphernalia from the column, where it was always inreadiness, make his appearance to frighten you two, and then return theshawl and so forth before you could enter and catch him."
"It would have been possible," agreed Braye, and then Hardwick began.
"There were many other strange things to be accounted for, such asmoanings and rustlings in the morning at four o'clock, and alsooccasional odours of prussic acid, without apparent reason."
"Lay them all to Tracy," said Wise, "you won't be far out. Now, who wasrunning that Ouija board the night it said the two people would die atfour o'clock?"
"Vernie and Mr. Tracy," said Norma, "but when it said that, Mr. Tracytook his hands off and said he would have no more to do with it. He saidhe believed Vernie pushed it to those letters."
"He was a good actor," said Wise, looking grave and sighing; "he fooledyou all, it would seem."
"He certainly fooled me, good and plenty," said Braye, angrily. "You sayyou have him in custody, Mr. Wise?"
"I did not say that, but I have him under such surveillance that hecannot get away. There are some other matters to be discussed. GrantingTracy's guilt, what do you ascribe as a motive?"
There was a profound silence. What could have been the motive for aperfect stranger to kill with deliberation two people who had neverinjured him in any way, and from whose death he could expect no pecuniaryadvantage?
"Look here," said Wynne Landon, suddenly, "Mr. Tracy went away from herebecause the spectre appeared to him. How do you account for that?"
"Mr. Tracy _said_ so," returned Wise, "but that story of his ghostlyvision was made up out of the whole cloth,--which was all of the 'cloth'with which he ever had to do."
"He made up that yarn, then, as an excuse to get away?" said Hardwick.
"He did just that," replied Wise. "But what has any one to suggest as Mr.Tracy's motive for the crimes he committed?"
"Plain homicidal mania," offered Hardwick, at last, as no one else spoke.
"No," said Wise, "John Tracy is not of that type. Such people areabnormal, they have special physical characteristics, and they are easilyrecognized, once suspicion is attached to them. Tracy is a quiet, evendebonair character, he is even-tempered, gentle-mannered and thoughdeeply clever he hides it under a mask of kindliness and consideration.Victims of what is called homicidal mania are not at all like this. Theyare difficult to get along with, they do queer, inexplicable things, andmost of all, they show in their faces the traits that lead them to theirvillainous deeds. You all know Tracy is not of this type. Therefore youmust look further for his motive."
"Did he receive any bequest from Mr. Bruce's will?" asked Hardwick,wonderingly.
"Certainly not," asserted Landon. "He didn't know Mr. Bruce until we cameup here, and that would have been no motive for his killing Vernie. Norcan there be any personal motive, Mr. Wise, for that. Shall we not haveto asc
ribe it to some form of degeneracy, whether that seems plausible ornot?"
"No," decreed Wise, looking sternly from one to another. "No; JohnTracy's motive for those two inhuman murders was the motive that isoftenest the reason for murder--money lust!"
Eve Carnforth gave a scream and buried her face in her hands.
Milly Landon turned white and swayed as if about to faint, but herhusband caught her in his arms and supported her.
"What can he mean?" said Norma, turning to Braye, "how could Mr. Tracyhave done it for money? Who would give him money?"
"Hush, Norma," said Braye, in a low voice, and Norma remembered it wasthe same tone he had used, when she had before asked questions of him.She had thought over his words on that occasion, and had concluded hemeant she must not say anything that seemed to throw suspicion towardWynne Landon. She looked at the sobbing Milly, and the pained, strainedface of Wynne, who was trying to soothe her, and then Norma turned toEve.
Eve was using all her will power to preserve her poise, but Norma saw atonce that she was having difficulty to do so. In kindness of heart, Normawent over to the suffering girl.
"Come with me, Eve," she said, softly, "let us go off by ourselves for awhile."
"Yes, do," said Penny Wise, looking kindly at the two girls. "Zizi,perhaps you can be of use."
Zizi followed the other two, and they went to Eve's room. With all thedeftness of a nurse, Zizi found some aromatic cologne, and a freshhandkerchief, and in a moment was bathing Eve's temples, with a gentle,soothing touch.
"What a funny little piece you are!" said Eve, looking at the smallsympathetic face, and speaking in a preoccupied way.
"Yes," acquiesced Zizi, while Norma sat by, lost in her own thoughts.
"Tell me," said Eve, suddenly roused to energy. "Tell me, Zizi,--you knowas much as Mr. Wise does,--tell me, who paid Tracy money?"
"What!" cried Norma, "Eve, hush! don't say such things. If anybody did,we don't want to know it!"
"We'll have to know it," said Eve, simply, "and, Norma,----"
But Norma interrupted her; "No, Eve, we don't have to, at least, we don'thave to ask about it, or inquire into it. The detective will do that."
"You'll soon _have_ to know," said Zizi, quietly; "indeed you know now,don't you, Miss Carnforth?"
"I asked you!" cried Eve, hysterical again. "Tell me, tell me at once,girl!"
But Zizi shook her head, and continued to bathe Eve's brow. "Try to becalm," she whispered, "there will be much for you to bear, and you mustbe brave to bear it."
Eve looked at her wonderingly, and seeing deep compassion in the blackeyes, she ceased questioning and closed her own eyes.
After a few moments, she opened her eyes and rose from her couch. "Thankyou, Zizi," she said, "I am all right now. I am going back to join theothers. Will you come, Norma?"
Dazedly, as one in a dream, Norma rose, and the three went down stairs.Apparently little had been said of importance since they left. There wasa tense silence, and Pennington Wise said, "I find I must speak out andtell you the truth. I had hoped for a confession but I see no signs ofit.
"I was not, strictly speaking, employed by any one of you. I asked to beallowed to investigate this case because it seemed to me the mostremarkable one I had ever heard of. I wrote to Professor Hardwick forinformation concerning it, and finally I arranged to come up here. Ibrought Zizi, because she is invaluable to me in collecting evidence. Herquick wit, and her dainty personality can compass effects that I can not.I feel, therefore, that it is to Professor Hardwick that I should make mydirect report. But as you are all interested, I will ask any of you whochoose to do so, to remain and listen. The others may be excused."
"Of course, we'll all stay!" exclaimed Landon. "We're all quite as muchinterested as Professor Hardwick can possibly be. More so, indeed, forthe victims of the crime are not relatives of his."
"Very well," returned Wise, "stay, then, all of you. The story is not along one, though it is a deeply sad one. John Tracy was hired,--baselyhired, to commit those two murders. The man who hired him is, of course,the greater criminal, though his hands are unstained with actual blood.The man who hired the assassin, is, naturally, the man who desired thelarge fortune of Gifford Bruce, and who realized that unless two peoplewere removed from earth he could not inherit. Need I say more?"
"You need not," said Rudolph Braye. "I confess. The plan was Tracy's, thesuggestion was his. He tempted me, by telling me that he had read of aplan by which people could be put to death and leave no possible trace.He said that I would eventually inherit the fortune, and that I ought tohave it while I was young enough to enjoy it. He said he would do thedeed and I need know nothing about it, nor be present at the time. I amnot shifting the blame, I am merely telling you the facts."
Braye spoke in a monotone, his eyes on the floor, his hands nervouslytwitching.
"A hundred times I regretted our plans, a hundred times I begged Tracy togive up the project, but he held me to it, and said if I petered out hewould tell the whole story.
"When the plan for coming up here was started, Tracy made me get himinvited saying it was an ideal opportunity. I didn't think he wouldreally carry out his intentions, and as the ghost seemed really toappear, I watched to discover the means. I did see Stebbins enter throughthe revolving column and had no difficulty in discovering how it worked.I showed this to Tracy,--he made me do so,--and when I went to New York,he played ghost and appeared to little Vernie.
"Again and again I plead with him to give up the fearful scheme but herefused to do so. The day I went to East Dryden with Milly I had no ideathat he intended to do the deed, but--he did. I had promised him half thefortune, and he had declared that there could be no suspicion of eitherof us,--he said, if there were any suspicion it would be directed towardWynne. I make no excuses, I voice no cry for forgiveness or for leniency,but I hereby pay the penalty."
Braye swallowed what was evidently a portion of the same poison that hadkilled Gifford Bruce, and in less than a minute he was a dead man.
John Tracy was arrested and received his just deserts.
Wynne Landon inherited the fortune, and though it had painfulassociations, he and Milly went away from Black Aspens never to returnand in time lived down the sad and awful memories.
"You see, Penny," Zizi summed up, "a criminal always slips up on someminor count. If the Tracy person hadn't oiled his door and the door ofthat haunted room so carefully, or if he'd had the wit to oil some otherdoors too, we might have overlooked him as a possible suspect, eh?"
"I don't think so, Ziz."
"Neither do I, Penny Wise."
* * * * * *
Transcriber's note:
Obvious typographical errors were corrected without note.
Non-standard spellings and dialect were left unchanged.
The Room with the Tassels Page 17