The Curved Blades

by Carolyn Wells

  X BIZARRE CLUES

  It was Saturday. The funeral of Miss Carrington had been held the daybefore and the imposing obsequies had been entirely in keeping with herlove of elaborate display in life. The casket was of the richest, theflowers piled mountain high, the music, the most expensive available; forthe young people in charge had felt it incumbent on them to arrangeeverything as Miss Lucy would have desired it.

  It was a pathetic commentary on the character of the dead woman thatwhile all who mourned her felt the shock and horror of her death, theywere not deeply bowed with sorrow. Pauline, as nearest relative, wouldnaturally grieve most, but for the moment her affections were lost sightof in the paralyzing effects of the sudden tragedy.

  Anita Frayne had practically "gone to pieces." She was nervous, andjumped twitchingly if any one spoke to her.

  Gray Haviland was reticent, an unusual thing for him, and devoted most ofhis time to matters of business connected with the estate.

  Estelle, the maid, had succumbed to a nervous break-down, and had beentaken to a nearby sanatorium, where she indulged in frequent and violenthysterics.

  The household was in a continual excitement. Lawyers and detectives werecoming and going, neighbors were calling, and reporters simply infestedthe place.

  Pauline and Anita, though outwardly polite, were not on good terms, andrarely talked together.

  But this morning the two girls and Haviland were called to a confab byHardy, the detective.

  "They've arrested the Count," Hardy began, and Anita screamed aninterruption:

  "Arrested Count Charlier! Put him in jail?"

  "Yes," returned the detective. "I found the other one of that pair ofgloves, the mate to the one in the lady's hands,--where, do you suppose?"

  "Where?"

  "Rolled up in a pair of socks, in the Count's chiffonnier drawer; ofcourse, to hide it, as it is not at all easy to destroy a thing like thatwhile visiting."

  "I know it," said Pauline, earnestly; "it is hard. I've often noticedthat, when I've wanted to burn a letter or anything. You can't do it,unknown to the servants or somebody."

  "Rubbish!" said Anita, "It would have been easy for the Count to disposeof a glove if he had wanted to. But he didn't. He never committed thatcrime! If a glove was found, as you say, somebody else put it there toincriminate an innocent man. It's too absurd to fasten the thing on CountCharlier! Do you suppose he went to the boudoir and gave Miss Carringtonpoison, and then shook hands good-evening, and left his glove in hergrasp? Nonsense! The glove in her dead hand was put there by the criminalto implicate the Count, and the glove in the rolled-up socks for the samepurpose and by the same person!"

  "By Jove, Miss Frayne! You may be right!" cried Hardy. "Somehow I can'tsee the Count's hand in this thing, and yet----"

  "And yet, he did it!" put in Haviland. "Have they really jailed him? I'mglad."

  "I'm sorry," said Pauline, and her face was white; "Did he--didhe--c-confess?" The girl's voice trembled, and she could scarcelypronounce the words.

  "Not he," said Hardy; "he seemed dazed, and declared his innocence,--buthe was not convincing. He takes it very hard and talks wildly and atrandom. But you know what Frenchmen are; liable to go off their heads atany time."

  "But look at it," reasoned Anita; "_why_ would the Count kill MissCarrington? Why, he thought of marrying her."

  "Not much he didn't!" and Hardy smiled a little. "I size it up this way.Matters had gone so far that he had to propose to the lady or clear out.He didn't want to clear out for then she would take back the littlematter of ten thousand dollars already marked for him in her will.Moreover, he couldn't realize that tidy little sum, which he very muchwants, so long as she lived. To be sure, he would have had far more, hadhe married her, but that was not in 'his nibs'' plans. So he resorted todesperate measures. He's a thorough villain, that man! Outwardly, mostcorrect and honorable, but really, an adventurer, as is also his friend,the dashing young widow."

  "Mr. Hardy," and Pauline spoke calmly, now, "do you _know_ these thingsto be true of Count Charlier, or are you assuming them?"

  "Well, Miss Stuart, I know human nature pretty well, especially malehuman nature, and if I'm mistaken in this chap, I'll be surprised. Butalso, I've set afoot an investigation, and we'll soon learn his record,antecedents and all that. At present, no one knows much about him; andwhat Mrs. Frothingham knows she won't tell."

  "It was very strange for Aunt Lucy to give him that money----" beganPauline musingly.

  "Not at all," broke in Gray, "I know all about that. Miss Carrington hada certain bunch of bonds that amounted to just fifty thousand dollars. Inone of her sudden bursts of generosity, and she often had such, shedecided to give those bonds to five people. I mean, to devise them in herwill, not to give them now. Well, four were Miss Stuart and Carr Loria,Miss Frayne and myself. And then, she hesitated for some time, butfinally announced that the fifth portion should be named for the Count. Iwas there when the lawyer fixed it up, and Miss Carrington turned to meand said, laughingly, 'I may change that before it comes due!' Oh, shewas always messing with her will. I'm glad there's a tidy bit in it forme, as it is. Her demise _might_ have taken place when I was for themoment cut out."

  "Was there ever such a time?" asked Hardy.

  "There sure was! Only last month, she got firing mad with me, and crossedme off without a shilling. Then she got over her mad and restored me tofavor."

  "You and Miss Frayne have other bequests than those particular bonds youmentioned?" asked the detective.

  "Yes, we have each ten thou' beside, which was all right of the old lady,eh, Anita?"

  "None too much, considering what I have stood from her capricious temperand eccentric ways," returned the girl.

  "Your own temper is none too even," said Pauline, quietly; "I'd ratheryou wouldn't speak ill of my aunt, if you please."

  What might have been a passage at arms was averted by the appearance of afootman with a cablegram.

  "It's from Carr!" exclaimed Pauline, as she tore it open, and read:

  Awful news just received. Shall I come home or will you come here? Let Haviland attend all business. Love and sympathy.

  Carrington Loria.

  "He's in Cairo," commented Haviland, looking at the paper; "that's lucky.If he had been off up the Nile on one of his excavating tours, wemightn't have had communication for weeks. Well, he practically retainsme as business manager, at least for the present. And Lord knows there'sa lot to be done!"

  "I don't understand, Gray, why you look upon Carr as more in authoritythan I am," said Pauline, almost petulantly; "I am an equal heir, and,too, I am here, and Carr is the other side of the world."

  "That's so, Polly. I don't know why, myself. I suppose because he is theman of the family."

  "That doesn't make any difference. I think from now on, Gray, it will beproper for you to consider me the head of the house as far as businessmatters are concerned. You can pay Carr his half of the residuary inwhatever form he wants it. I shall keep the place, at least for thepresent."

  "Won't Mr. Loria come back to America?" asked Hardy.

  "I scarcely think so," replied Pauline. "There's really no use of hisdoing so, unless he chooses. And I'm pretty sure he won't choose, as he'sso wrapped up in his work over there, that he'd hate to leave unlessnecessary."

  "But won't he feel a necessity to help investigate the murder?" urgedHardy.

  "I don't know," and Pauline looked thoughtful. "You see what he says;when he asks if he shall come home, he means do I want him to. If I don'trequest it, I'm fairly sure he won't come. Of course, when he learns allthe details, he will be as anxious as we that the murderer should befound. But if I know Carr, he will far rather pay for the most expensivedetective service than come over himself. And, too, what could he do,more than we can? We shall, of course, use every effort and every meansto solve the mysteries of the ca
se, and he could advise us no better thanthe lawyers already in our counsel."

  "That's all true," said Haviland; "and I think Loria means that when heputs me in charge of it all. But after a week or so we'll get a letterfrom him, and he'll tell us what he intends to do."

  "I shall cable him," said Pauline, thoughtfully, "not to come over unlesshe wants to. Then he can do as he likes. But he needn't come for mybenefit. The property must be divided and all that, but we can settle anyuncertainties by mail or cable. And, I think I shall go on the trip as wehad planned it."

  "You do!" said Gray, in amazement. "Go to Egypt?"

  "Yes, I don't see why not. I'd like the trip, and it would take my mindoff these horrors. Our passage is booked for a February sailing. Ifnecessary I will postpone it a few weeks, but I see no reason why Ishouldn't go. Do you?"

  "No," said Haviland, slowly.

  Hardy seemed about to speak and then thought better of it, and saidnothing.

  "Of course I shall not go," began Anita, and Pauline interrupted herwith:

  "You go! I should say not! Why should you?"

  "Why shouldn't I, if I choose?" returned Anita, and her pink cheeksburned rosy. "I am my own mistress, I have my own money. I am as free togo as you are."

  "Of course you are," said Pauline, coldly. "Only please advise me on whatsteamer you are sailing."

  "That you may take another," and Anita laughed shortly. "But I may preferto go on the one you do. Aren't you rather suddenly anxious to leave thiscountry?"

  Pauline faced her. "Anita Frayne," she said, "if you suspect me of crime,I would rather you said so definitely, than to fling out these continualinnuendoes. Do you?"

  "I couldn't say that Pauline. But there are,--there certainly are somethings to be explained regarding your interview with your aunt on Tuesdaynight. You know, I heard you in her room."

  "Your speech, Anita, is that of a guilty conscience. As you well know, Isaw you come from her room at the hour you accuse me of being there."

  "Let up, girls," said Haviland; "you only make trouble by that sort oftalk."

  "But when an innocent man is arrested, Pauline ought to tell what sheknows!"

  "I have told, and it seems to implicate you!"

  The impending scene was averted by Haviland, who insisted on knowing whatword should be sent to Loria.

  "May as well get it off," he said; "it takes long enough to get word backand forth to him, anyway. What shall I say for you, Polly?"

  "Tell him to come over or not, just as he prefers, but that I shall bequite content if he does not care to come; and that I shall go to Egyptas soon as I can arrange to do so. Put it into shape yourself,--you knowmore about cabling than I do."

  Haviland went away to the library, and Hardy followed.

  "Look here, Mr. Haviland," said the latter, "what do these ladies mean byaccusing each other of all sorts of things? Did either of them have anyhand in this murder?"

  "Not in a thousand years!" declared Gray, emphatically. "The girls neverloved each other, but lately, even before the death of Miss Lucy, theyhave been at daggers drawn. I don't know why, I'm sure!"

  "But what do you make of this story of Miss Frayne's about hearing MissStuart in her aunt's room?"

  "She didn't hear her. I mean she didn't hear Miss Stuart; what she heardwas Miss Carrington talking to herself. The old lady was erratic in lotsof ways."

  "Why do you all say the old lady? She wasn't really old."

  "About fifty. But she tried so hard to appear young, that it made herseem older."

  "She was in love with the Count, of course?"

  "Yes; as she was in love with any man she could attach. No, that's notquite true. Miss Lucy cared only for interesting men, but if she couldcorral one of those, she used every effort to snare him."

  "Is the illustrious Count interesting?"

  "She found him so. And, yes, he always entertained us. She made thatbequest to attract his attention and lure him on. And then----"

  "Well, and then?"

  "Oh, then he couldn't withstand the temptation and he shuffled her off,to make sure of the money now."

  "You think he killed her, then?"

  "Who else? Those girls never used a black-jack----"

  "But the poison?"

  "Had it been poison alone, there might be a question. But that stunningblow has to be remembered. And neither Miss Stuart nor Miss Frayne can bethought of for a moment in connection with that piece of brutality."

  "But the snake? The queer costume?"

  "The costume wasn't so queer--for a boudoir garb. The snake _is_inexplicable,--unless the man has a disordered mind, and used insanemethods to cover his tracks. Then there's the glove, you can't get aroundthat!"

  "That glove might have been put in her hand by anybody."

  "That's so! By a professional burglar, say! I really believe----"

  "Oh, let up on that professional burglar business! No burglar is goingoff without his loot, when he has uninterrupted time enough to kill aperson twice, with poison and then, to hide that, with a fractured skull!How do you explain, even in theory, those two murderous attacks?"

  "Good Lord, man, _I_ don't know! It's all the most inexplicable muddle. Idon't see how any of the things could happen, but they _did_ happen!You're the detective, not I! Aren't you ever going to discover anything?"

  "I may as well own up, Mr. Haviland, I am beyond my depth. There is abelief among detectives that the more bizarre and amazing the clues are,the easier the deduction therefrom. But I don't believe that. This caseis bizarre enough, in all conscience, yet what can one deduce from thatpaper snake and that squeezed-up glove? It was all up in a little wad,you know, not at all as if it were carelessly drawn from a man's hand, orpulled off in a struggle."

  "There was no struggle. The features were composed, even almost smiling."

  "I know it. That proves it was no burglar. Well, I'm up a tree. I wishyou felt inclined to call in Fleming Stone. He's the only man on thiscontinent who could unravel it all."

  "I want to get him, but Miss Stuart won't hear of it. I'd have to haveeither her authority or Loria's."

  "But Mr. Loria gave you full swing, in that cable."

  "Yes, for ordinary business matters. But this is different. I'd have tohave assurance that he'd pay the bills before I engaged Stone. I've heardhe's some expensive."

  "I've heard that, too. But, by Jove, I'd like to work with him! Or underhim. I say, I wish you could bring it about."

  "I might cable Loria on my own, and not mention it to Miss Stuart until Iget the permission."

  "Do. For as you say, the two ladies cannot possibly be involved, and I,for one, don't believe that nincompoop Count ever pulled off such acomplicated affair all by himself."

  "What about the widow he's visiting?"

  "Ah, there you have it! Those two are in it, but there's more mysteryyet."

  "I'd like to have it straightened out," said Haviland, thoughtfully. "Ina way, I feel responsible to Loria, since he has put me in charge. And ifhe wants me to get Stone, I'll be glad to do so. As you say, it can'taffect the girls,--that stuff Anita made up was only to bother Pauline.You see, Pauline came back at her with a counter accusation. They're bothunstrung and upset, and they scarcely know what they're saying."

  "Then there's that French maid."

  "Oh, Estelle. She's a negligible quantity. She's hysterical from sheernervousness, and she lies so fast she can hardly keep up with herself."

  "Well, think it over, and if you see your way clear to call in Stone,I'll be mighty glad. If the Frenchman _is_ the guilty party, Stone willnail him and prove it beyond all doubt. And if not, we surely don't wantan innocent man to swing."

  "That we don't," agreed Haviland.