The Vanishing of Betty Varian

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER VI The Varian Pearls

  When Bill Dunn went up on the porch of Mrs Blackwood's bungalow thatevening, he found a group of neighbors there, and was not at allsurprised that they were discussing the dreadful affair of HeadlandHouse.

  Claire Blackwood greeted the caller courteously and asked him to goinside the house with her.

  "Let us all go," said Rodney Granniss. "I want to learn all about thiscase, and we're entitled to know."

  "Come on, everybody," Dunn invited, "I want to ask a lot of questions andwho knows where I may get the best and most unexpected answers."

  Granniss and Lawrence North, with Ted Landon and John Clark, who had beenup on the Headland in the afternoon, were the men, and Mrs Blackwood andher young guest, Eleanor Varian were the only women present.

  Yet Dunn seemed well satisfied as he looked over the group.

  "Fine," he said, "all the witnesses I wanted, and all here together."

  "We didn't witness anything," offered John Clark, who was apparently byno means desirous of taking part in the colloquy. "And, as I've anengagement, can't you question me first, and let me go?"

  "Sure I can," returned Dunn, whose easy manners were not at all curbed bythe more formal attitude of those about him. "Just tell the story in yourown way, son."

  Clark resented the familiar speech, but said nothing to that effect.

  "There's little to tell," he began; "I'd never been up to Headland Housebefore, and of course I'd never before met the Varians,--any of them. Iwent on Mrs Blackwood's invitation, and after meeting the family andtheir guests on the veranda, we all started for a picnic. We had reacheda point half way down the steep path from the house, when Miss BettyVarian said she had forgotten her camera. She returned to the house forit, and we waited. She was gone so long, that we wondered,--and then, herfather went to hurry her up. He, too, was gone a long time, and then,Doctor Varian and Ted Landon went after him. That's my story. Landon cantell you the rest."

  "I know the rest," said Dunn, shortly; "I don't see, Mr Clark, that youneed remain. Your evidence is merely that of all the party who stayedbehind while the others went up to the house."

  "Yes," said Clark, with a sigh of relief, and making his adieux, he wentaway.

  "Have you formed any theory of the crime, Mr Dunn?" asked Lawrence North,who was consumed with impatient curiosity, during the already knowntestimony of Clark.

  "Not a definite one," Dunn replied, seeming by his manner to inviteadvice or discussion. "It is too mysterious to theorize about."

  "By Jove, it is!" North agreed; "I never heard of a case so absolutelystrange. I'd like to get into that house and see for myself."

  "See what for yourself Mr North?"

  "Whether there's any secret passage--but, of course you've looked forthat?"

  "Yes; thoroughly. I'm of an architectural mind,----"

  "So is Mr North," said Mrs Blackwood. "He designed this bungalow we're innow."

  "Are you an architect, Mr North?"

  "Not by profession, but I'm fond of it. And I flatter myself I coulddiscover a secret passage if such existed."

  "I flatter myself I could, too," said Dunn, but not boastfully. "Yet, Imay have overlooked it. I'd be obliged, Mr North, if you'd come up to thehouse, and give it the once over. You might spot what I failed to see."

  "But I don't know the people at all----"

  "No matter; I ask you as a matter of assistance. Come up there tomorrow,will you?"

  North promised to do so, and Dunn turned to Eleanor Varian.

  "Sorry to trouble you, Miss Varian, but I have to ask you some verydefinite questions. First, do you know your relatives up there prettywell?"

  "Why, yes," said Eleanor, with a surprised look. "They live in New Yorkand we live in Boston, but we visit each other now and then and we oftenspend our summers at the same place. Of course, I know them well."

  "Then, tell me exactly the relations between Miss Varian and her father.Don't quibble or gloss over the facts,--if they were not entirely inaccord it will be found out, and you may as well tell the truth."

  Eleanor Varian looked thoughtful.

  "I will tell the truth," she said, "because I can see it's better to doso. Betty and her mother are much more in sympathy with one another thanBetty and her father. I don't know what makes the difference, but AuntMinna always seems to want everything the way Betty wants it, while UncleFred always wants just the opposite."

  "Yet Miss Betty was fond of her father?"

  "Oh, yes; they were devoted, really,--I think. Only, their natures weredifferent."

  "Was there any special subject on which they disagreed?"

  "There has been of late," Eleanor admitted, though with evidentreluctance. "Of course Betty is a great belle. Of course, she has and hashad many admirers. Now, Uncle Fred seems always to be willing for Bettyto have beaux and young man friends, but as soon as they become seriousin their attentions, and want to marry Betty, then Uncle Fred shoos themoff."

  It was, as yet, impossible for Eleanor to speak of her uncle in the pasttense. The girl had not at all realized this sudden death, and couldn'thelp thinking and speaking of him as still alive. Nor could she realizeBetty's disappearance. She was somewhat in a daze, and also over-excitedby the awfulness of the situation. She talked rapidly, yet coherently,and Dunn secretly rejoiced at her agitation, knowing he would learn morethan if she had been cool and collected.

  "But that's not at all an unusual thing," put in North, who felt sorryfor Eleanor and wanted to relieve her all he could from the grilling fireof Dunn's questions. "I find that the majority of fathers resent theadvances of their daughters' suitors. Now, mothers are different,--theyencourage a match that seems to them desirable. But a father can'trealize his little girl is growing up."

  "Well, Lawrence," exclaimed Claire Blackwood, "for a bachelor, you seemto know a lot about family matters!"

  "I've lots of friends, and I can't help noticing these things. Isn't ittrue, Miss Varian?"

  "Yes," Eleanor said, "to a degree, it is. I mean, in some instances. Anyway, it's quite true of Uncle Fred and Betty. Aunt Minna would bedelighted to have Betty engaged to some nice young man, but Uncle Fredflies in a fury at mere mention of such a thing."

  "I can swear to that," said Rodney Granniss. "I've known the Varians fortwo years, and it's quite true. Mrs Varian smiled on the attachmentbetween Betty and myself, but Mr Varian most certainly did not!"

  "What!" exclaimed Dunn, "you one of Miss Betty Varian's suitors?"

  "Even so," said Granniss, calmly. "I knew them in New York. I came uphere to be near Betty. And now, Mr Dunn, I want to say that I'm going todo all I can to solve the mystery of Mr Varian's death, but even moreespecially am I going to try to find Betty herself. I haven't been up toHeadland House yet, for it--well, it seems awful to go there now that MrVarian can't put me out!"

  "Look here, young man," Dunn gazed at him curiously, "it doesn't seem tooccur to you that you yourself may be said to have an interest in MrVarian's death!"

  "Meaning that I shot him!" Grannis looked amused. "Well,--if you can tellme how I accomplished it----"

  "But, my dear sir, somebody accomplished it----"

  "And it might as well be me! The only trouble with your theory Mr Dunnis, that I didn't do it. Investigate all you like, you can't pin thecrime, on me."

  "And, I suppose you didn't abduct Miss Betty either?"

  "I did not!" Granniss looked solemn. "I only wish I had. But I'm going tofind her, and I want to start out by being friendly with you, MrDunn,--not antagonistic."

  "Easy enough to check up your alibi, Mr Granniss," Dunn said; "no, don'ttell me where you were at the time,--I'll find out for myself."

  "I'll tell you," said North, casually. "Mr Granniss was out in his motorboat all the afternoon. I know, because I was out in mine, and I saw himfrequently. We were both fishing."

  "That's right," said Granniss, carelessly, as if his alibi w
ere of smallmoment to him, as indeed it was. "Now, Mr Dunn, you must have sometheory,--or if not a theory, some possible explanation of what occurred.Do give it to us."

  "Yes, do," said North. "I'm fond of detective stories, but I never readone that started out so mysteriously as this."

  "I haven't any theory," Dunn looked at each in turn, his eyes rovinground the room as he talked, "I can't say as I can even dope out how it_could_ have happened. But here's what I work on,--motive. That's thething to seek first,--motive. We know Mr Varian is dead, we know MissVarian is missing. That's all we really know. Now, you can't deduceanything from those facts alone. So, I say, hunt for a motive. It isn'tlikely that Mr Varian had any enemies up here. And if he had, theynever'd chosen such an opportunity to shoot him,--for, just think howsudden, how unexpected that opportunity was! Who could have foreseen thatMiss Varian would go back to the house for her camera? Who could haveforeseen that her father would go back after her? If those goings backwere unpremeditated, then no enemy could have been there ready to utilizehis chance. If, on the other hand, those goings back were premeditated,then they were arranged by either Miss Betty or her father----"

  "Impossible!" cried North. "Mr Varian couldn't foresee that his daughterwould forget her camera, and Miss Betty couldn't foresee that it would beher father who would come back for her!"

  "I know it seems that way," Dunn looked deeply perplexed, "but I can'tget away from the idea of there being some premeditation about the twogoings back to that empty house that resulted in a double tragedy."

  "Suppose a burglar----" began Claire Blackwood; "suppose he had beenconcealed in the house before we left to go to the picnic. Suppose whenBetty came back unexpectedly, he attacked her, and then, when Mr Variancame----"

  "But what became of the burglar,--and of Miss Betty?" asked Dunn. "I'vemulled over the burglar proposition, I've imagined him to be one of theservants, but it all comes back to the fact that such an intruder justsimply couldn't get away, and couldn't get Betty away, dead or alive."

  "That's perfectly true," Claire agreed. "There's no way to dispose of animaginary intruder. But neither is there any way to dispose of Betty.Nothing in this world will make me believe that girl shot her father, butjust assuming, for a moment, that she did,--what happened next?"

  Claire demanded this with the air of an accusing judge.

  "Why, that's the only possible theory," said Dunn. "Say the young ladydid shoot her father, then she went some place,--where, we haven't yetdiscovered,--and shot herself,--or, is there, alive yet."

  "If that's the case, I'll find her!" Rodney Granniss burst forth, hisstrong young face alight with zeal; "I'm going up there at once. MrVarian didn't like me, but Mrs Varian does, and maybe I can help her."

  "She can't see you," Dunn told him. "She's under the influence of opiatesall the time. Doctor Varian keeps her that way."

  "She'll have to come to her senses some time," said Rod. "I'm going upthere any way."

  "I'm going with you," declared Eleanor Varian. "I don't want to stayhere,--forgive me, Mrs Blackwood, you're kindness itself,--but I want tobe where father and mother are. I want to help find Betty, too. I know alot of places to look----"

  "You do!" exclaimed Dunn. "Where are they, now?"

  But all that Eleanor mentioned, Dunn had already searched, and his hopesof the girl's assistance fell. Still, she might be familiar with Betty'sways, and might be of some slight use.

  "Well, Miss Varian, you must do as you think best," he said; "but Iadvise you to bide here till the morning, anyway."

  "Yes, do, dear," urged Claire, and Eleanor, remembering the unavoidableclimb up the steep rocks, consented.

  "Tell me one thing, Miss Varian," said Dunn, suddenly; "were you in thekitchen of the Varian house this afternoon at all?"

  "Yes, I was; I went out there with Betty to get some cakes and things.Why?"

  "When you were there, did you notice a yellow sofa pillow out there?"

  "In the kitchen? No, I did not!"

  "You know the two yellow cushions that belong on the hall sofa?"

  "Yes,--I think I know the ones you mean. What about them?"

  "We found one of them in the middle of the kitchen floor. Do you thinkanybody could have put it there purposely?"

  "I can't imagine why any one should!"

  "What do you deduce from that?" Lawrence North asked, interestedly, andClaire said:

  "Why, that's what you call a clue, isn't it? What does it show?"

  "It doesn't show a thing to me," declared Dunn; "leastways, nothingsensible. Look here, folks,--either there was somebody else in that houseat that time besides Betty and her father,--or else there wasn't. Now ifthere was, he surely wouldn't be moving sofa pillows about. And if therewasn't, then one of those two people moved it. Now, why? I can't think ofany reason, sensible or not, that would make anybody lug a fine handsomesofa cushion out to the kitchen."

  "Was it valuable enough to be worth stealing?" asked North.

  "No; a good looking affair, but nothing to tempt a thief."

  "Looks like the servants' work, I think," suggested Claire. "Suppose oneof them had stayed behind, and not with any criminal intent, either; andsuppose, merely to be luxurious, she had taken a fine pillow out to herkitchen quarters."

  "But even so, and even if she were caught by the returning Betty shecouldn't have shot Mr Varian and concealed both herself and Betty----"

  "You run up against a stone fence whatever you surmise," exclaimedLandon. He had been a quiet listener, but had done some deep thinking."There's only one plausible solution,--and that's a secret passage."

  "Look here, Mr Landon," Dunn said, sharply, "that speech gets on mynerves. Anybody who thinks there's a secret passage in that house upthere on the cliff is welcome to go up there and find it. But I'm no fooland sheriff Potter isn't either; nor is Doctor Herbert Varian. And noneof us can find a secret passage, and what's more, we're positive thereisn't any. So, either show where there could be one,--or let up on thatsolution."

  "Good lord, Dunn, don't get so wrathy!" Landon said, good-humoredly. "AndI will go and look for one,--since you invite me. Go with me, North?"

  "Yes," was the willing reply, and Rodney Granniss said:

  "Well you fellows won't want to make that search till tomorrow. But I'mgoing up to the house now. You'll stay here, won't you, Miss Varian?"

  Reluctantly, Eleanor agreed to stay, and Granniss went off alone.

  Rodney Granniss was a determined man, and when he made his mind to huntfor Betty Varian he also made up his mind to find her. To his mind thevery fact that the whole case was so inexplicable made it likely todevelop some sudden clue or key that would unlock the situation.

  He still felt averse to visiting a house where his presence had beenforbidden by one who was now unable to resent his coming, but this wasoffset by his desire to help Mrs Varian and to help in finding Betty.

  He pondered over the idea of a secret passage in the house, but it was ofsmall comfort to him. If those other indefatigable workers had not beenable to find it, he had no reason to think he could do so. And, besides,it was anything but an attractive picture to imagine Betty, either hiddenvoluntarily or concealed against her will in some such place.

  He trudged along up the rocky steps and presented himself at the door ofHeadland House.

  Sheriff Potter admitted him, and listened to his story.

  Then he took him to the library and introduced him to Doctor Varian andhis wife.

  "I am glad to see you," cried Janet. "Tell me of Eleanor."

  "She's all right," returned Granniss, cheerfully. "She rather wanted tocome up here with me, but they persuaded her to stay over night with MrsBlackwood."

  "Better so," said Doctor Varian. "Did Dunn learn anything from anybodythat you know of?"

  "No," said Rodney, "and I fear there's little to learn from anybody."

  "Meaning?"

  "Meaning that whatever there is to be learned must be found out here inthis house,--no
t from any of those onlookers."

  "Sensible talk," said Doctor Varian, "but how shall we set about it?"

  "I don't know. I'm not possessed of what is called detective instinct,nor am I especially clever at solving puzzles. But I have determination,and I'm going to devote my whole time and energy to finding BettyVarian!"

  "Well said, young man," put in Potter, who was listening, "but untrainedsleuthing is not often productive of great results."

  "I don't mean sleuthing, exactly," and Granniss looked at him squarely,"I am untrained. But I'm willing to be advised, I'm willing to bedictated to; I only ask to help."

  "You're a brick!" said Janet; "I shouldn't be surprised if you succeedbetter than the detectives."

  "If so, it will be because of my more personal interest in the case. Iought to tell you, Mrs Varian, that Betty and I are practically engaged.It depended, of course, on her father's consent----"

  "And that he refused to give?" asked Potter.

  "Yes, he did. Which immediately ticketed me as his murderer in the eyesof Mr Dunn. But I'm not a criminal, and I didn't shoot Mr Varian. Ishan't insist on this point, because you can prove my words true foryourself. Now, I'd like a talk with Mrs Varian,--Betty's mother,--whensuch a thing is possible--and convenient."

  "I'm not sure but it would be a good thing," said Doctor Varian,thoughtfully; "when she wakes, Mr Granniss, she will either be hystericalstill, and in need of further opiate treatment, or,--and which I thinkmore likely,--she will be calm, composed and alert minded. In the lattercase, she might be glad to talk to the man who cares so much for herdaughter."

  "I hope so; and, in the mean time, what can we do in the matter offinding Betty?"

  "There's nothing to be done in that line that hasn't been done," said thesheriff, despairingly. "All evening Doctor and Mrs Varian as well as thebutler and cook have been going over the house and the grounds, calling,and hunting for the girl, with no success of any sort."

  "Had she a dog?"

  "No, there is none about. Now, just before you came, we were thinking oflooking over some of Mr Frederick Varian's papers----"

  "And there's no reason to change our plans," said Doctor Varian; "MrGranniss' presence will not interfere."

  So Rodney sat by, awaiting the possible awakening of Mrs Varian, andtrying hard to think of some new way to look for Betty.

  With keys obtained from the pockets of the dead man, his brother openedthe drawers of the desk.

  "It must be done," he said, as his hand slightly hesitated, "and, too, wemay come across some clue to his death."

  Among the first of the important papers found was Frederick Varian'swill. The contents of this were a surprise to no one present, for theentire estate was left to the wife, with instructions that she make dueand proper provisions for the daughter.

  But a final clause caused Herbert Varian to stare incredulously at thepaper.

  "What is it, dear?" Janet asked, seeing his astonishment.

  "Why,--why, Janet! the Varian pearls are left to Eleanor!"

  "To Eleanor? No!"

  "But they are! See, it's plain as day!"

  There was no doubt as to his statement. The final clause of FrederickVarian's last will and testament, bequeathed the string of pearls, knownas 'the Varian pearls,' to his niece, Eleanor, the daughter of hisbrother Herbert.

  "Just what is so startling in that?" asked Potter, curiously, and DoctorVarian replied:

  "The Varian pearls are an heirloom, and are valued at two hundredthousand dollars. It is the custom for the oldest of the family toinherit them, and he is expected to bequeath them to his oldest child.Why did my brother leave them to my daughter instead of to Betty?"

  "Herbert, it's dreadful! Eleanor shall not take them!" Janet cried.

  "That makes no difference, ma'am," Potter said; "it's the fact that MrVarian left them away from his own child, that proves the attitude of thefather to the daughter!"