"There"s where she lies, I suppose," she feelingly exclaimed. "And not one of you knows who killed her. Somehow, I cannot understand that. Why don"t you know when that"s what you"re hired for?" The innocence with which she uttered this was astonishing. The detective began to look sheepish and the reporter turned aside to hide his smile. Whether in another moment either would have spoken no one can say, for, with a mock consciousness of having said something foolish, she caught up her parasol from the table and made a start for the door.
But of course she looked back.
"I was wondering," she recommenced, with a half wistful, half speculative air, "whether I should ask to have a peep at the place where it all happened."
The reporter chuckled behind the pencil-end he was chewing, but the officer maintained his solemn air, for which act of self-restraint he was undoubtedly grateful when in another minute she gave a quick impulsive shudder not altogether a.s.sumed, and vehemently added: "But I couldn"t stand the sight; no, I couldn"t! I"m an awful coward when it comes to things like that. Nothing in all the world would induce me to look at the woman or her room. But I should like--" here both her dimples came into play though she could not be said exactly to smile--"just one little look upstairs, where he went poking about so long without any fear it seems of being interrupted. Ever since I"ve read about it I have seen, in my mind, a picture of his wicked figure sneaking from room to room, tearing open drawers and flinging out the contents of closets just to find a little money--a little, little money!
I shall not sleep to-night just for wondering how those high up attic rooms really look."
Who could dream that back of this display of mingled childishness and audacity there lay hidden purpose, intellect, and a keen knowledge of human nature. Not the two men who listened to this seemingly irresponsible chatter. To them she was a child to be humoured and humour her they did. The dainty feet which had already found their way to that gloomy staircase were allowed to ascend, followed it is true by those of the officer who did not dare to smile back at the reporter because of the brother"s watchful and none too conciliatory eye.
At the stair head she paused to look back.
"I don"t see those horrible marks which the papers describe as running all along the lower hall and up these stairs."
"No, Miss Strange; they have gradually been rubbed out, but you will find some still showing on these upper floors."
"Oh! oh! where? You frighten me--frighten me horribly! But--but--if you don"t mind, I should like to see."
Why should not a man on a tedious job amuse himself? Piloting her over to the small room in the rear, he pointed down at the boards. She gave one look and then stepped gingerly in.
"Just look!" she cried; "a whole string of marks going straight from door to window. They have no shape, have they,--just blotches? I wonder why one of them is so much larger than the rest?"
This was no new question. It was one which everybody who went into the room was sure to ask, there was such a difference in the size and appearance of the mark nearest the window. The reason--well, minds were divided about that, and no one had a satisfactory theory. The detective therefore kept discreetly silent.
This did not seem to offend Miss Strange. On the contrary it gave her an opportunity to babble away to her heart"s content.
"One, two, three, four, five, six," she counted, with a shudder at every count. "And one of them bigger than the others." She might have added, "It is the trail of one foot, and strangely, intermingled at that," but she did not, though we may be quite sure that she noted the fact. "And where, just where did the old wallet fall? Here? or here?"
She had moved as she spoke, so that in uttering the last "here," she stood directly before the window. The surprise she received there nearly made her forget the part she was playing. From the character of the light in the room, she had expected, on looking out, to confront a near-by wall, but not a window in that wall. Yet that was what she saw directly facing her from across the old-fashioned alley separating this house from its neighbour; twelve unshuttered and uncurtained panes through which she caught a darkened view of a room almost as forlorn and devoid of furniture as the one in which she then stood.
When quite sure of herself, she let a certain portion of her surprise appear.
"Why, look!" she cried, "if you can"t see right in next door! What a lonesome-looking place! From its desolate appearance I should think the house quite empty."
"And it is. That"s the old Shaffer homestead. It"s been empty for a year."
"Oh, empty!" And she turned away, with the most inconsequent air in the world, crying out as her name rang up the stair, "There"s Arthur calling. I suppose he thinks I"ve been here long enough. I"m sure I"m very much obliged to you, officer. I really shouldn"t have slept a wink to-night, if I hadn"t been given a peep at these rooms, which I had imagined so different." And with one additional glance over her shoulder, that seemed to penetrate both windows and the desolate s.p.a.ce beyond, she ran quickly out and down in response to her brother"s reiterated call.
"Drive quickly!--as quickly as the law allows, to Hiram Brown"s office in Duane Street."
Arrived at the address named, she went in alone to see Mr. Brown. He was her father"s lawyer and a family friend.
Hardly waiting for his affectionate greeting, she cried out quickly.
"Tell me how I can learn anything about the old Shaffer house in Seventeenth Street. Now, don"t look so surprised. I have very good reasons for my request and--and--I"m in an awful hurry."
"But--"
"I know, I know; there"s been a dreadful tragedy next door to it; but it"s about the Shaffer house itself I want some information. Has it an agent, a--"
"Of course it has an agent, and here is his name."
Mr. Brown presented her with a card on which he had hastily written both name and address.
She thanked him, dropped him a mocking curtsey full of charm, whispered "Don"t tell father," and was gone.
Her manner to the man she next interviewed was very different. As soon as she saw him she subsided into her usual society manner. With just a touch of the conceit of the successful debutante, she announced herself as Miss Strange of Seventy-second Street. Her business with him was in regard to the possible renting of the Shaffer house. She had an old lady friend who was desirous of living downtown.
In pa.s.sing through Seventeenth Street, she had noticed that the old Shaffer house was standing empty and had been immediately struck with the advantages it possessed for her elderly friend"s occupancy. Could it be that the house was for rent? There was no sign on it to that effect, but--etc.
His answer left her nothing to hope for.
"It is going to be torn down," he said.
"Oh, what a pity!" she exclaimed. "Real colonial, isn"t it! I wish I could see the rooms inside before it is disturbed. Such doors and such dear old-fashioned mantelpieces as it must have! I just dote on the Colonial. It brings up such pictures of the old days; weddings, you know, and parties;--all so different from ours and so much more interesting."
Is it the chance shot that tells? Sometimes. Violet had no especial intention in what she said save as a prelude to a pending request, but nothing could have served her purpose better than that one word, wedding. The agent laughed and giving her his first indulgent look, remarked genially:
"Romance is not confined to those ancient times. If you were to enter that house to-day you would come across evidences of a wedding as romantic as any which ever took place in all the seventy odd years of its existence. A man and a woman were married there day before yesterday who did their first courting under its roof forty years ago. He has been married twice and she once in the interval; but the old love held firm and now at the age of sixty and over they have come together to finish their days in peace and happiness. Or so we will hope."
"Married! married in that house and on the day that--"
She caught herself up in time. He did not notice the break.
"Yes, in memory of those old days of courtship, I suppose. They came here about five, got the keys, drove off, went through the ceremony in that empty house, returned the keys to me in my own apartment, took the steamer for Naples, and were on the sea before midnight. Do you not call that quick work as well as highly romantic?"
"Very." Miss Strange"s cheek had paled. It was apt to when she was greatly excited. "But I don"t understand," she added, the moment after.
"How could they do this and n.o.body know about it? I should have thought it would have got into the papers."
"They are quiet people. I don"t think they told their best friends. A simple announcement in the next day"s journals testified to the fact of their marriage, but that was all. I would not have felt at liberty to mention the circ.u.mstances myself, if the parties were not well on their way to Europe."
"Oh, how glad I am that you did tell me! Such a story of constancy and the hold which old a.s.sociations have upon sensitive minds! But--"
"Why, Miss? What"s the matter? You look very much disturbed."
"Don"t you remember? Haven"t you thought? Something else happened that very day and almost at the same time on that block. Something very dreadful--"
"Mrs. Doolittle"s murder?"
"Yes. It was as near as next door, wasn"t it? Oh, if this happy couple had known--"
"But fortunately they didn"t. Nor are they likely to, till they reach the other side. You needn"t fear that their honeymoon will be spoiled that way."
"But they may have heard something or seen something before leaving the street. Did you notice how the gentleman looked when he returned you the keys?"
"I did, and there was no cloud on his satisfaction."
"Oh, how you relieve me!" One--two dimples made their appearance in Miss Strange"s fresh, young cheeks. "Well! I wish them joy. Do you mind telling me their names? I cannot think of them as actual persons without knowing their names."