CHAPTER XXXV
A STRANGE ACCOUNT
"I come of a race whose blood is hot and easily provoked," she began ina low voice, "and who consider honor a thing to be cherished andguarded. A year ago I came to New York to study for the stage, which hadalways been my ambition, and before I left New Orleans my dear oldteacher told me to beware of the pitfalls of that great metropolis,which I intended to make my home. In the beginning I followed his adviceand was wary, receiving no visitors, although I made many acquaintances.But when one is alone one becomes lonely, and so I permitted two youngmen to call upon me, since I knew that both of them came from goodfamilies. I was playing with fire without realizing it, for the elder ofthe two, and he was hardly more than a boy, proposed to me when I hadknown him a month. I did not love him, and I told him so. In a burst ofjealousy he accused me of being in love with his rival, and declaredthat since I would not marry him he cared not what became of him. Hewould go straight to the devil, he said. I tried to be kind and toreason with him, but he was spoiled and wanted only his own way, so Itold him he must not try to see me again, and he never did, for sixmonths ago he left the city for good."
As she paused in her recital, I realized with a shock that she wasspeaking of Dick Trenton. It was she who had given him the sachet then,and it was she who had been responsible, through the fault of thatbeauty with which nature had endowed her, for the attitude ofdevil-may-care, which had made the boy an easy prey to Darwin'sfascinations. What a mixed up mess life really was!
"Three months ago I became engaged to Lee Darwin," she continued, "andin an evil hour for both of us, Lee introduced his uncle Philip to me. Iknew Mr. Darwin was recently married, and so I deemed his interest in mewhat he said it was, a natural desire to aid me in my career. He took meto see the best actors and introduced me to one or two managers. Ofcourse, Lee was jealous, but as I was never out with Mr. Darwin alone,and as Lee generally accompanied us, I felt I was doing no wrong, andthat he was very inconsiderate to feel that way.
"The real trouble started on the sixth of October when I broke thesetting of my engagement ring. I was afraid Lee would think I had beenvery careless, and I decided to have the ring mended and to say nothingabout it. When Mr. Darwin came in unexpectedly that evening with plansfor introducing me to an eminent playwright, he noticed that I wasn'twearing the ring, and asked why. I explained the circumstances and askedhim to give me the name of a reliable jeweler, whereupon he offered totake it himself to Tiffany's.
"I had no suspicions of him," she said with an appealing glance for herindiscretion. "I gave him the ring."
She rested her voice as she sipped some more of the broth, which Ibrought up at McKelvie's request.
"The next morning about ten o'clock Lee came to Gramercy Park. His facewas pale and his eyes gleaming wildly. He called me names and accused meof a liaison with his uncle, telling me that I might have saved myselfthe trouble of returning the ring, as he did not want it. Then vowing hewould kill his uncle before the day was over, he dashed out, leaving meterrified, cowed.
"But not for long. When I realized Philip Darwin's perfidy I determinedto avenge myself for the aspersions he had cast upon my honor. Irecalled that Lee had declared that one of Mr. Darwin's assertions hadbeen that I was going to the house on Riverside Drive that night. Verywell. I would keep the appointment, and I would tell him I was coming,meeting guile with guile.
"I phoned his office and asked him whether my ring was ready for me. Ina voice as false as his heart he apologized for not having taken it asyet to Tiffany's, but said he would return it to me, if I so desired, atdinner time, when he hoped to have the privilege of taking me to theRitz. I pleaded a previous engagement, and asked him to let me come outto the house that afternoon to get the ring.
"He debated a while and then said that it was locked up in his study,and as he would not be home until late it would be impossible for me tocome for it. I said that the lateness of the hour didn't matter, that Imust have the ring, for if Lee should learn where it was he would breakoff the engagement. He inquired if I had seen Lee, and I said, 'Notto-day, but he was asking for it last night, and I put him off with anexcuse.'
"Then he said all right, that I could come to the house at quarter toeleven. I wanted to know if there wasn't a window or some other way forme to enter, because I didn't want his wife and servants to know of mycall. He laughed and said that I had only to use the secret entranceand no one would be the wiser. He explained how to find it and said he'dleave the doors unlocked for me.
"I had fully intended being at the Darwin house at ten-forty-five, but inthinking the matter over I became frightened. My anger had exhausteditself and I was horrified at my own thoughts. I decided not to go. Whenten-thirty struck, however, the memory of all my wrongs swept over meagain, coupled with the thought that Lee had threatened to kill hisuncle, also. I must get there before my lover, since it was all my faultthat he was planning murder. Yet even in my haste I took occasion to laymy plans with care. I would kill Darwin and myself since Lee no longercared for me. I wrote a confession and put it in my pocket, that I mightleave it in Darwin's study, so that no one else need suffer for thecrime. It was eleven when I came downstairs, and meeting my landlady Iinformed her that I was going on a journey and should anyone inquire forme to say that she had no idea where I had gone.
"I took the Subway to Dyckman Street and walked from there to the Darwinhome. I slipped into the grounds and around the house to the place whereMr. Darwin had told me there was a door in the masonry. I pushed againstthe wall, the door gave way, and I found myself at the bottom of aflight of stairs. I closed the door and then climbed the steps, feelingmy way in the darkness until my hand came in contact with another doorthat yielded at my touch. I felt a carpet under my feet and knew I wasin a room. I groped my way along until I reached an open space, andcollided with what I thought was a bar. I remembered that he had toldme to stoop when I passed through the safe. When I straightened up I sawthat I was in his study and that the lamp on his table was lighted. Atthe head of the table sat Philip Darwin asleep. I advanced toward him,taking out my automatic as I walked. When I was close to him I pointedthe pistol at him, then staggered back in horror, just as the lamp wentout. There was a blood-stain on his shirt-front! Someone had reached himahead of me!
"In the darkness I fled from him in a panic of fear, thrusting my pistolinto the bosom of my dress. Then realizing that I had gone in the wrongdirection, I ran back again--straight into the arms of a man! Before Icould scream he had flung a cloth over my head and carried me to acouch. How long I remained thus I don't know, but just when I thought Imust suffocate, someone removed the cloth, a glass was held to my lips,and Lee said, gently:
"'Drink this and you'll feel better, dear.'
"I thought he had rescued me. I drained the glass. Then I tried to askwhere I was, but my head began to feel queer and heavy and my tonguerefused its office. I closed my eyes and slipped into a dreamless sleep.When I awoke I could still feel the couch beneath me. I got up andgroped my way around until I encountered the light switch. Then I sawthat I was in a small carpeted room, which was furnished only with adivan and a smoking-stand. At either end of the room were doors. One ofthese was locked but the other had been left partly open and gave egresson the stairs that I had climbed.
"I thought of going down again, but felt too shaky to risk it, andreturned again to the divan, deciding that I was in the room I hadcrossed to enter the study by the safe. There was a beautiful Persiancover on the couch and idly I examined it, lifting it clear of thefloor. Then it was that I saw something bright shining where the fringeof the cover had swept the floor. I picked up the object and saw that itwas a ring, Dick Trenton's ring.
"I knew it was his," she added, her pale cheeks flushing, "because whenhe proposed to me he wanted to take it off and put it on my finger.
"I gazed on the ring for a long time, trying to solve the mystery intowhich I had stumbled. Philip Darwin was dead, I was evidently aprisoner,
and Dick's ring was in this room. If he had killed Mr. Darwinit was only right that he should pay the penalty. I would keep the ringand when the police found me, if someone else was in prison for thecrime I would give them the ring and tell them what I knew.
"I still felt very drowsy, so I put out the light and as I lay downagain the thought occurred to me that if Dick should come back while Islept and found the ring in my possession, he would take it away fromme. Hastily I conceived a plan. I tied the ring to the fringe of thecover, where it would remain hidden until I could make use of it.
"I was dozing off when a step on the stairs aroused me. Someone cameinto the room.
"'Dick?' I asked, tentatively.
"He laughed oddly and replied, 'No, not Dick. Lee,' and I felt his armsaround me and his kisses on my face.
"I was bewildered. Lee! Why had he drugged me then?
"'Lee,' I cried, 'why am I here?'
"'It's all right, dear. Uncle Phil was murdered and they think you didit.'
"'But I didn't kill him,' I protested, sitting up and pushing him away.'He was dead when I entered the room!'
"'I know,' he answered. 'But just the same the police are hunting you.That's why I hid you away.'
"I heard him moving around the room, then he came back to me and said,'You must be thirsty. Drink this.'
"But I was not going to be drugged a second time if I could help it,police or no police, so I said, 'I'm not thirsty, Lee.'
"'That doesn't matter. Drink, I tell you. I'm in a hurry.'
"His voice took on a sinister note as he held the glass forcibly to mylips. I gave his hand a shove, spilling the contents of the glass overhim.
"'You she-devil,' he said, and crushed me to him.
"Then he flung the cloth over my head again and almost strangled me. Ifelt him lift me in his arms and carry me up a flight of steps. Heplaced me on the floor of a room and went away. I was in that room along, long time before he came again. I was thirsty and hungry andheartsore to think that he would treat me so, for the room was narrowand bare and I hadn't even a bed to lie upon. My only comfort lay in thefact that my revolver still reposed where I had placed it. I took it outand held it in my hand, for I no longer trusted him.
"The second time he came to see me he opened the panel that formed thedoor to my cell and I could see his figure silhouetted against the dimlight in the further room.
"'Lee!' I exclaimed. 'Why, oh why, have you done this! Is it because youkilled your uncle and are afraid that I will tell what I know?'
"He did not answer and I went on: 'Why didn't you listen to myexplanation that morning? You would have known then that your uncle onlytook the ring to have it mended. I do not know what he told you, butwhatever it was, he lied.'
"'Did he lie about your coming to see him?' he replied then, in a hardvoice. 'Did he? Answer me that, when I saw you enter his study!'
"'Yes, he lied,' I returned. 'I came to kill him and myself for hisperfidy. Only you had already shot him. Oh, Lee, Lee, why didn't youlisten to my explanation!'
"'I don't believe you. You came because he asked you to, but I got himfirst. And now your turn has come.'
"He made as if to step toward me and I put the pistol to my breast.
"'If you come any nearer, Lee, I'll kill myself,' I said steadily. 'Oh,to think that I could ever have loved you, you murderer!'
"He drew back. 'You'll pay for this. When you have starved for a coupleof weeks you'll be more amenable, I guess,' and he went away laughing.
"I was horrified and I lay and wept for hours. Then as I moved about Idiscovered a jug of water. For a long time I was afraid to touch it,fearing it was a trap to catch me, but when my thirst got the better ofmy judgment I drank just enough to satisfy my worst craving. I waitedto learn the results, and as I remained clear-headed, I decided thewater was pure and hoarded it with care.
"I came to the conclusion that jealousy and its consequences had madeLee mad and that he was not responsible for his actions. Instead ofhorror, pity filled my heart for I loved him still.
"He did not come near me again until to-night, and then he was morefiendish than ever. He said he must leave the city, that he would comefor me to-morrow night, and I could then make my choice between goingwith him and death. He pressed a button and showed me a yawning hole inthe middle of the floor, telling me that he would throw me down into thepit below before he would let me go free to relate to the police whathad happened to me. Oh, it was dreadful! I was glad when he was gone.
"I knew that nothing on earth could induce me to go with him, but thethought of falling through that black hole was more than I could bear.As long as I had to die I would choose a less harrowing way. I took outmy pistol and was just going to kill myself when you flung up the barreland rescued me."
She gave McKelvie a tremulous smile and burst into tears.
The Mystery of the Hidden Room Page 35
