The Mystery of the Hidden Room

ut

aughed hysterically and stumbled toward me. Something in my face, perhaps

e cried. "It-it would be too monstrous!" And with

her from the room when suddenly without any warning the study was flooded w

r. Davies? And for the police?" wi

heir presence was inevitable. But there was no need to bring them

e police can wait,

" he returned with a leering

pale-faced secretary arose in my mind, distrust of him and his pussy-footing ways. I had not heard him enter the room behind me. For ought I knew to the contrary he might have been in th

pstairs to her room. Yet I disliked intensely leaving the secretary alone with the dead, fearing I knew not what perv

ered, whose key was still in the lock, but on the inside. Ordering the secretary to lead the way to Ruth's apartme

tartled me, and I glanced apprehensively at Orton. Coul

ve," he said, answering my unspoken thought. "That must

ose words, for already the plan to keep the police fro

commanded, and Orton slipp

an who stepped briskly across the threshold was small and slight, almost a boy in years, yet having an air of knowing his business to perfection. Without ostentation, and also wi

r an opiate to insure a perfect nig

ance from his keen eyes, then as

ortant to save her reason than that the police

girl I mentally decided that there was not very m

. Darwin?" he inquired in a dissa

rvants' wing, Dr. Has

," ordered the

s without regard to appearance, the doctor bade her establish herself in the boudoir. Then satisfied that t

ce?" questioned Dr. Haskins

I waited to hear y

r them at once,

Haskins," put in th

the semi-obscurity of the hall, the chair and its horrible occupant seemed literally to spring out at us as we approached. To the doctor death was a familiar sight, but I could not bear to watch him as he probe

f a rich brown that harmonized perfectly with the luxurious appointments of the room. Whatever one might say for his morals, one could certainly find no fault with Philip Darwin's taste in furnishing his study. It was the den of a sybarite, not the conventional study of the modern business man. The

struck by a sudden idea, I hastily examined them. It had occurred to me that while we were standing idle the murderer had probably made good his escape through one of them, since there was no other means of egress which he could have used

table, where despite my aversion I could not help glancing at the man who, living,

oal black Vandyke; but, death, that dread visitant that plays such queer tricks upon us mortals, had ennobled his countenance and rejuvenated him by wiping away all traces of the dissipation which of late had coarsened his features and left its marks beneath his eyes and around

on the floor beside the chair, and recalling where I had last seen it, I hesi

y possibilit

and death occurred from internal hemorrhage. The absence of powder stains an

was not killed in

ad lived at least twenty minu

ned my world so suddenly upside down! Had he then been alive when I carried Ruth from the room? Had I locked him i

as only just died? That something

ing could have been done to save him," he answe

ew moments Orton returned with the police. There were five of them, the Sergeant and his two men and a

to the house, and ordered his men to guard the premises and to permit no one to leave the place under any circu

Dr. Haskins. "Let me know when the inquest is c

I had the honor of being the junior partner. The name of that firm was a well-known one throughout the city and its effect upon the Sergeant was instantaneous. Glancing at me with marked respect h

his notebook the younger of the two detectives, who had

d and anyone leaving by the door would have encountered this gen

and looked perplexed. Then his eye fell

devil did you co

you in," he stammered, whether from fright or

o you know abo

caught my eye. I was determined that Ruth should have

om Mr. Davies was looking at the body," he

rded me from beneath frowning brows. I was a pr

ple awake in this house?"

s and the doctor does not wish her disturbed until morning,"

upon me. "What are you doing here at this ti

important busine

red something to the Sergeant and handed hi

ing you under surveillance until the arrival of the c

ve no objections to m

policeman appeared in the doorway, "You will accompany Mr. Davie

ir," saluted

." Then I touched Orton upon the shoulder. "If you will be so kind I shou

re weight than his, should I choose to cast suspicion upon him, I frightened the cowardly fellow into promising to keep his knowledge to himself for that night at least. That the police were bou