The Curved Blades Page 11

  XI FLEMING STONE

  "Yes, I have often heard the idea expressed that the more bizarre theclues appear, the easier the solution of the mystery. And this isfrequently true."

  Fleming Stone looked from one to another of the interested group oflisteners. They sat in the library,--Pauline, Anita, Gray Haviland andthe young detective, Hardy.

  Haviland had carried out his plan of cabling Carrington Loria forauthority to employ Mr. Stone, and had received a reply to use his ownjudgment in all such matters and charge the expense to Loria's account.

  Pauline had been opposed to the idea of calling Fleming Stone to thecase, but as she seemed unable to put forth any valid objections,Haviland had insisted until she gave her consent. So arrangements hadbeen quickly made, and the great Detective had reached Garden Steps onWednesday afternoon, just a week after the discovery of the murder.

  Previously unacquainted with Stone, the whole household was interested inhis personality, and this preliminary conversation was by way ofintroduction.

  A man of nearly fifty, Fleming Stone was tall and well proportioned, witha carriage and bearing that gave an impression of strength. His clear-cutface and firm jaw gave the same character indications as are seen inportraits of Lincoln, but his features were far more harmonious thanthose of our rugged-faced president.

  Stone's hair, thick and dark, was slightly grayed at the temples, and hisdeep-set eyes were now lustrous, and again, shadowed, like the water of adark pool. His lean jaw and forceful mouth made his face in reposesomewhat stern, but this effect was often banished by his delightfulsmile, which softened his whole countenance and gave him a distinct airof friendliness.

  His manner was full of charm, and even Pauline became fascinated as shewatched him and listened to his talk.

  Fully at ease and skilfully directing the conversation, while he seemedmerely sharing it, Stone was studying and classifying the new elementswith which he had to deal. Not yet had he inquired as to the details ofthe case in hand, he was discussing detective work in general, much tothe gratification of Tom Hardy, who listened as a pupil at the feet ofGamaliel.

  "Yes," went on Stone, settling back sociably in his easy chair, while theothers unconsciously fell into more informal postures, "Yes, bizarreeffects do often point the way to a successful quest. Why, once, a manwas found dead, with his feet in a tub of cold water. It was discoveredthat his feet had been immersed after death had taken place. Obviouslythe tub of water had been used as a blind, to fog up the case. But thevery character of the clue led at once to a man who was known as a 'coldwater fiend,' and a fiend indeed he was. He was the murderer. You see, hewas clever, but not clever enough. He had wit enough to think of thequeer circumstance of the tub of water, but not enough to realize thatthe clue would lead directly to his own undoing."

  Everybody looked thoughtful, but it was Hardy who spoke; "Yes, Mr.Stone," he said, "but that clue was put there on purpose. Do you thinkthese strange effects connected with Miss Carrington's murder weredeliberately arranged?"

  "That I can't tell now, Mr. Hardy. In fact, I have not heard a connectedand circumstantial account of the discoveries, as yet. Suppose we go overthe case, leisurely, and let me get a complete account by means of ageneral conversation. I will ask questions, or you may volunteerinformation, as seems most enlightening. Tell me first of the characterand characteristics of Miss Carrington. Was she timid, or fearful ofburglars?"

  "Not at all," said Haviland. "She was careful to have the house locked upat night by the servants, but she had no burglar alarms or anything ofthat sort."

  "If a marauder had appeared, would she have been likely to scream out inaffright?"

  "No, I don't think so," volunteered Anita. "She would more likely demandto know what he wanted and order him out."

  "Yet the black-jack clearly indicates a burglar," went on Stone; "I can'timagine an ordinary citizen, of any calling, owning or using such aweapon."

  "Have you examined the thing?" asked Haviland.

  "No; I should like to see it."

  Tom Hardy at once produced it, having brought it with him from PoliceHeadquarters for the purpose.

  "H'm," said Fleming Stone, as he fingered the not very alarming-lookingaffair. In fact, it was merely a long, narrow bag, made of dark cloth andfilled with shot. The bag was tied tightly at one end with a bit of twineto prevent the escape of the contents.

  "Home-made affair," Stone went on. "Made probably by a professionalburglar, but an amateur murderer. See, it is merely a bit of heavy cloth,out from an old coat sleeve or trouser leg, sewed up in a bungling mannerto make a bag. It is stitched with coarse black thread and the stitchesare drawn hard and firm, evidently pulled through by a strong hand. Then,filled with shot, it is tied with a bit of old fish-line, which also ispulled and knotted by muscular fingers. And----" Stone paused abruptly.

  "And--" prompted Anita, breathlessly, her eyes fixed on the speaker.

  "Nothing much," and Stone smiled; "only I should say the burglar lived ina house recently remodeled."

  Hardy nodded in satisfaction. This was the sort of deduction he waslooking for. Next he hoped for the color of the man's hair, and the sortof cigar he smoked. But he was doomed to disappointment.

  "We seem to have drifted from the subject of Miss Carrington," Stonesaid. "The evening before her death was she in her usual spirits?Evidently no premonition of her fate?"

  "On the contrary," said Gray, "she remarked during the evening thatsomething would happen to her that night which would surprise and astoundus all. She said distinctly that 'to-morrow everything would bedifferent.'"

  "What did you understand her to mean by that?"

  "We couldn't understand it at all. It was most mysterious. Nor do we yetknow what she meant. For surely she had no thought of dying. She spentthe evening playing cards and listening to music, and conversation withthe family and guests, quite as usual."

  "In amiable mood?" asked Stone.

  "No," replied Pauline, taking up the talk; "on the contrary she wasexceedingly irritable and ill-tempered."

  "You saw her after she went to her room for the night?" and Stone turnedhis whole attention to Pauline.

  "Yes; Miss Frayne and I always went to her room with her, to saygood-night and to receive possible orders or suggestions for the nextday's occupations."

  "And you say she was unamiable?"

  "That is a mild word," and Pauline smiled a little. "She was in a hightemper, and she told us both that we were to leave this house the nextday."

  "You both left her in that mood?"

  "Yes, we were obliged to do so. She dismissed us peremptorily and orderedus from the room."

  "And you saw her next, Miss Stuart, when?" asked Fleming Stone gently.

  Pauline hesitated for a perceptible instant, then she said, with a slightair of bravado, "next morning."

  "I have been told the main facts," went on Stone, "but I want to learncertain details. Please tell me, Miss Stuart, exactly how she thenappeared."

  "Oh, I can't!" and Pauline flung her face into her hands with a short,sharp cry.

  "I should think you _couldn't_!" exclaimed Anita, and her voice wasdistinctly accusing.

  This seemed to rouse Pauline, and she looked up haughtily at the speaker."I don't wonder _you_ think so!" she cried. "But since you ask, Mr.Stone, I will do the best I can. My aunt was seated at herdressing-table, but not in her usual chair,--or indeed, as if she were inany way attending to her toilette,--but in an easy chair, more as if shewere sitting there in contemplation."

  "Was she given to such indications of vanity?" asked Stone, in a gentleway.

  "Not at all. My aunt was not a beautiful woman, and she had no illusionsabout her personal appearance. I have never known her to look at herselfin a mirror more than was necessary for her dressing. Her maid will tellyou this."

  "Go on, please, Miss Stuart."

  "When I saw my aunt, she was sitting placidly,
even smilingly,--and I didnot, for a moment, imagine she was not alive. Then I noticed her largetortoise-shell comb was broken to bits, and I noticed, too, her rigid,staring face. The next few moments are a confused memory to me, but Iknow I touched her hand and felt it cold, then I called to Mr. Havilandand he came."

  "Tell me of your aunt's garb. I understand it was most unusual."

  "Only in the accessories. The gown she had on was a negligee of Orientalmake and fabric, elaborate, but one of which she was fond and which shehad worn several times. Round her shoulders was a scarf, one of thoseheavy Syrian ones, of net patterned with silver. Then, she had onquantities of jewelry. Not only her pearls, and a few pins, which she hadworn during the evening, but she had added many brooches and braceletsand rings of great value."

  "She was wearing, let us say, a hundred thousand dollars' worth ofjewelry?"

  "Far more than that. Her pearls alone are worth that amount. Her diamondsunburst is valued at fifty thousand dollars and her emerald brooch isequally valuable. My aunt believed in gems as an investment, and thoughshe usually kept them in a safe deposit vault, she had recently takenthem from there, and had them all in the house."

  "A strange proceeding?"

  "Very. I have never known such a thing to occur before unless for someespecial social occasion."

  "And the paper snake, of which I have been told----"

  "That is the strangest part of all! My aunt was not only afraid of livesnakes, but she had also a perfect horror of any picture or artificialrepresentation of them. She could never, in her right mind, have placedthat paper snake about her own neck, nor would she have allowed any oneelse to do it, without screaming out in horror. Yet, the doctors declareit must have been placed round her neck before death. Therefore, it is tome entirely unexplainable."

  "Is not that a bizarre clue that should make the case an easy one?" askedAnita, with an inquiring glance at Stone.

  "It may be so," he replied, with a thoughtful look at her. "Where couldsuch a snake have come from?"

  "It was brought by the burglar, of course," said Pauline, quickly.

  "I don't mean that; but where could it be bought?"

  "Oh, at Vantine's or any Japanese shop," said Pauline, "or at some of thedepartment stores."

  "Could you, by inquiry, find out if Miss Carrington purchased it herselfat any of those places?"

  "I could inquire; but I am sure, Mr. Stone, that Aunt Lucy never boughtsuch a thing."

  "It would simplify matters somewhat if you would kindly find out," andStone nodded at her, as if to stamp this suggestion a definite request.

  The conversation went on, and no one noticed that so deftly did FlemingStone guide it that only facts were brought out. No sooner did any onebegin to formulate an opinion or theory than he skilfully turned thesubject or changed the drift of the discussion.

  He gathered from facial expressions and manners much that he wanted toknow, he learned the attitudes of the various members of the householdtoward each other, and he came to the conclusion that as Gray Havilandhad engaged him, and as he stood as business head of the estate byauthority of Carrington Loria, to Haviland should his reports be made.

  "Tell me more of Mr. Loria," Stone said, at last, after many matters hadbeen discussed.

  "He and I are children of Miss Carrington's two sisters," said Pauline."Our parents all died when we were young children and Aunt Lucy broughtus both up. Carr, as we call him, lived with us, except for his collegeterms, until four years ago. Then he had an opportunity to go to Egyptand engage in excavation and ancient research work. He is absorbed in it,and has been home only twice in the four years. It was planned that myaunt and I should go to Egypt next month on a pleasure trip, and both heand we looked forward eagerly to it. Miss Frayne was to accompany us, andMr. Haviland also."

  "Is it your intention to abandon the trip?"

  "Speaking for myself, Mr. Stone, no," and Pauline looked determined. "Icannot answer for the others, but it seems to me that such a visit to mycousin would be not only right and proper for me, but the only way for meto find relief and distraction from these dreadful scenes."

  "You won't go, I assume," said Stone, gently, "until the murderer of youraunt is apprehended with certainty?"

  "I cannot say," and suddenly Pauline flushed rosily and looked distinctlyembarrassed.

  "Rather not!" declared Anita, with an unpleasant glance, and FlemingStone made haste to introduce a new phase of the subject.