Vicky Van

Schuyler was no saint, but I never supposed he was deep enough in any affair to have a woman kill him. And so near h

turned. "What I can't understand is, why t

she must have known Schuyler. A murder has to have a motive. She had provided herself

d I sighed. "I know Vicky Van

another thing. I wish you'd do all that's necessary up at the house. I always got along all right with Randolph Schuyler, but I can't stand those sisters of his. His wife I have ne

young thing, ignorant of her own rights, and those old maids boss her like fury. I'm going to see

ter some minor bequests and charitable donations

; I've been told he ruled her with a rod of iron, and

o old ladies, and they'd resent anything in the way of criticism of their treatment of their sis

o do all I can for that young widow. She'll have a lot of unpleasant publi

on the detective work. I know your weakness for that sor

of evidence. I had no mind to miss the inquest, and I had a burning curiosity to know what had become of Vicky Van. This was not only curiosity, either.

omers, but she may have known the millionaire Schuyler. I had never seen anything of a seamy side to Vicky's

that afternoon, and asked him as to the reliabil

any of my other waiters, and he has never said or done anything to make me doubt

en mistaken in the id

call him, and you

uestion the waiter alone, an

imes during the evening. I, therefore, recognized the gown she wore, of light yellow gauzy stuff and an over-dress of long gold b

rupted. "What pa

nces, as if her skirts had brushed against

elf observe t

and looked frightened and

w no other

on

eard n

the parlor. There was much noi

an Allen, he said she was a pleasant lady and not hard to please if her orders were faithfully carried out. He expressed no personal interest in the question of her guilt or innocence, he simply told what he had se

s met by Aunt Lucy and Winnie w

d. "Let me get a little

l you al

, Winnie declared I was too nervo

any silly talk about it's being unfortunate or regrettable that I should be. It's a business case, Aunt Lucy, as far as the settlement of Mr. Schuyler's estate is concerned, and it's a personal affair t

knew you were the soul of chivalry, and now you're provin

But if you want to hel

ve to do these things as a matter of business, I ca

and nothing very desp

if both of you would

d see if you see anyth

use, tha

can see me, I'll keep behind our curtains,

that Vicky Van will come back there, and if you glan

cy, who was becoming interest

ut in the daytime. She's likely to come

eping guard on the ho

es on. If Vicky is as clever as I think she is, she'll time that policeman, and sneak i

ections and sympathized with me. Also, she was impressed with my important business connections with the Schuyler family, and was frankly curious about that aristocratic house

Mr. Bradbury had given me to hand to Mrs. Schuyler, and as soon as I

voice. "I wish you would. I want to co

en. Several matters of inheritance, insurance, and such thing

, to the fact that she wore a white house dress which was far

"whether what I want to say should

may be able to advise you. In an

n for this, which I think I will tell you. It is, that, on thinking it over I have become convinced that my husband must have known the young woman, and the acquaintance was not to his credit.

here is

e on the midnight train, and that is why he left th

prised. But, go on, wha

him along, and introduce him as Mr. Somers. It seems he had asked Mr. Steele before to do this, but this time he was more insistent. So Mr. Steele did it. O

ow. And did Steele say that was Mr. Schuyler's first

ously-oh, it is such a moil! But, in any case, Mr. Calhoun, it seems to me that further probing and searching will only pile up opprobrium on the name of Sch

he impossible, Mrs. Schuyler. The law will not be

not. What is

ed at the doorway. The sad-faced woman looked at her mi

ou were busily engaged, but it is some youn

ft the room, and Tibbetts, smoothing

turned. "I don't know how a report that I wanted one tra

yler ladies

most frugal in his ideas of how little womankind should be indulged in any luxuries or unnecessary comforts. This did not incommode his sisters for they were of the same mind. But I desired certain things which he saw fit to deny me. I make no complaint, I bear his mem

and's death except that some discussion or disagreement had made it necessary for her to assert herself. I bowed in acquiescence, and said, "I am sure, Mrs. Schuyler, there can be no objection to your doing exactly as you please. This house

ling a little; "I have a very definite i

ter's, who is eligible for the post, if she suits

quiet and unoccupied this winter, I plan to do some systematic work in a benevolent way. I know this sounds strange to you, that I should be planning these things so soon. But the truth is, I do plan them, purposely, because I don't want to think about the present ho

us, highstrung woman must be torn with agony at the revelations of her husband's defects and the uncertainty of h

o my room at once, I could not think of sleep. I felt like planning ways to put the po

ery. And I sat there until very late, after two o'clock, in fa

st. I stood by the front window a moment, looking over at Vick

pened from inside. As I knew the body of Mr. Schuyler had been taken away, and the house had been deserted by al

he wore no hat-or those short, full skirts, that she always wore. She looked about cautiously, and then with swift motions she unloc

g the doorbell hard. There was no response, and I kept on ringing-a veritable bombardment. Then the doo

" I said, "le

ou come in. Go

sed, in my very face,

me in!" there w