The Mystery of the Hidden Room

by Marion Harvey

  CHAPTER XIX

  THE LAWYER AGAIN

  Before I could retort the front door-bell rang sharply. Turning quicklyMcKelvie walked to the safe and silently locked it. Then he spoke toJenkins with his usual assured manner. "Tell Mason to answer the bell.And I sha'n't need you again to-day."

  "Very well, sir."

  As Jenkins opened the door and went out McKelvie dropped into a chairbeside me.

  "I wonder who that can be," he murmured, "but whoever it may be, not onesign, not one word of what we have learned."

  I nodded comprehendingly, and in the pause that ensued I heard Masonshuffle to the door and fumble with the lock. Then a man's voiceinquired for me. I heard an answering murmur and rose, turning towardthe open study door just as Mr. Cunningham crossed the threshold.

  "Mr. Davies," he said, with a smile, extending his hand. He hadrecovered his voice since the inquest and spoke in a rich baritone.

  I gave him my hand, but not over-cordially as I said, suspiciously, "Howdid you know I was here?"

  He laughed, not at all put out. "I called at your apartments to give yousome information, and Mr. Trenton kindly told me where I could find you.He also explained your mission. A very laudable purpose. Mr. McKelvie,I presume?" turning toward my companion.

  "I beg your pardon," I said stiffly, for I was ashamed of my unjustsuspicion, which had its inception in the fact that he was the deadman's lawyer, and as such prejudiced against Ruth, and introduced thetwo men.

  McKelvie, who had also risen at the lawyer's entrance, and who wasstanding with his hands behind his back, affected not to seeCunningham's extended hand and merely nodded. Annoyed at his incivility,and seeing that Cunningham frowned angrily, I hastened to make thepeace.

  "Mr. McKelvie put me out of his house when I first called on him," Iremarked to Cunningham with a laugh. "You may consider yourself highlyhonored to have received a bow."

  The frown melted from Cunningham's brow as he said, pleasantly enough,"I understand. The idiosyncrasies of the great must be indulgentlyoverlooked," and he returned McKelvie's nod with a ceremonious bow.

  "You have some information to impart?" broke in McKelvie briskly as weseated ourselves.

  "Yes. I have discovered something that I thought might help towardfreeing Mrs. Darwin. You remember," turning to me, "that I testifiedthat Philip Darwin had removed his securities from my office. I learnedyesterday that he had used them as I thought upon the market. There wasa slump in the stock he was operating the afternoon of the seventh ofthis month and as far as I can make out he was completely ruined."

  "Ruined!" I repeated, for I could recall no rumor to that effect on theStreet that day. "You are sure?"

  "Positive. He was completely, absolutely ruined," returned the lawyer.He looked at me thoughtfully a moment and then added, "You werewondering why, being a broker yourself, you had not heard of it? Theexplanation is simple. The world has believed Philip Darwin immenselywealthy for so many years that the truth concerning his financialaffairs would have been a decided shock to his friends and associates.Naturally, though he lost heavily on the market on the seventh, no onesuspected that he was wiped out, and so nothing was thought of theoccurrence, for he had lost as heavily before without its making anyappreciable difference to him."

  "I understand. And, of course he knew that he was ruined?" I continued.

  "He must have known it."

  "Then why was he troubling himself to make a new will?" I said,perplexed.

  Cunningham shook his head. "I never pretended to understand him. But Ithought my information might help along this line. If he had no moneyMrs. Darwin certainly didn't murder him to inherit his fortune."

  "She may not have known that he was beggared," I retorted.

  "Humph! If she swore she did know that fact, who could contradict her?"and he smiled blandly.

  "Are you a criminal lawyer, Mr. Cunningham?" queried McKelvie suddenly.He had arisen again when Cunningham began to talk and had been pacingthe room in apparent indifference to our conversation.

  "No, I am not," answered the lawyer promptly, just a little surprised.

  "What an infinite pity! You would make a great success in that line I amsure," responded McKelvie, and in his flexible voice I again detectedtraces of irony.

  Cunningham looked at McKelvie undecided whether to take the remark as aninsult or a compliment, and I saw McKelvie's lip curl just a triflebefore he continued suavely, "I meant it, Mr. Cunningham. You would makea great criminal lawyer. I advise you to try your hand at that branch ofthe profession."

  Cunningham laughed. "Thanks, but I'm too old a dog to learn new tricks.Besides, I am planning to take a little vacation presently. I expect totravel for the next few years, but I do not mean to intrude my ownuninteresting affairs upon you. You have no time to waste in this case.Have you discovered anything of value so far?" he continued withfriendly interest.

  McKelvie shook his head and sighed. "I am afraid so far it is a losinggame," he said with an air of great candor. "The trouble is, as Iexplained to Mr. Davies, that the scent is cold. The clues are in thehands of the police. Ah, if only I could have been here from the first!"

  "It is a pity. They say you are a great detective. I should hate to seeyou defeated," answered the lawyer, giving McKelvie a Roland for hisOliver.

  McKelvie laughed--a short, hard laugh.

  "Don't fool yourself, Mr. Cunningham. I am not going to be defeated," hesaid tersely. "No, not even if the criminal is the cleverest fellowliving."

  "Pride goeth before destruction, Mr. McKelvie. By this time the criminalhas doubtless betaken himself to other parts," returned the lawyer,sardonically.

  "The world is small, and I am going to get him if it takes me the restof my life." McKelvie's jaw snapped with grim determination.

  The lawyer rose. "I must be going. Good-by, Mr. Davies. Farewell, Mr.McKelvie. Long life to you, sir."

  "Damn his impudence," said McKelvie as the front door slammed, "but he'sright. I have no time to waste. I'll call you up in the morning if Ihave news, and in the meantime say nothing to anyone of ourdiscoveries."

  "Not even Mr. Trenton?"

  "Not even Mr. Trenton. I'm trusting no one but you and--Jenkins. Also, Ido not want that meddlesome old lawyer hanging around when I want towork. Good-by."

  "Just a moment. How does what Cunningham told us affect the case as itnow stands?"

  "Not a hair's breadth. I told you before there was more than enoughevidence against her. And I'm hanged if I don't believe he knew it,too!"