The Case of Jennie Brice

trials, and used to talk about the corpus delicti and writs of habeas corpus-corpus being the legal way, I believe, of spelling corpse. But I came out of the Ladley trial-f

e Ladley case. There was a body

, almost wept with rage and despair when he read the news in the papers. He was still working on the case, in his curious way, wandering along the whar

ere without being discovered. The morning after her disappearance a young woman, tall like Jennie Brice and fair, had been seen in the Union Station. But as she was accompanied by a young man, who bought her magazines and papers, and bade her an excited farewell, sending his love to various members of a family, and promisi

. The sister wrote-I heard later-that Jennie had been unhappy with Philip Ladley, and afraid he would kill her. And Mi

and said she had left him, and would turn up all right. He was unconcerned: smoked cigarettes all day, ate and slept well, and

or it on the Thur

, when he rang the bell. I let him in, and i

iling, "what did you find in the

I didn't find what I

n the on

"And I feel as if I'd lost a frie

closely. "I think you put that clock away yourself,

nse

up to the second floor front, where the clock stood. You went in there and looked around to see if the room was

soap-dish, and

o the attic and put it

up an old splasher, because of the way he throws ink about.

aid thoughtfully. "I wish I coul

do

ternoon about three, didn'

s, Mr. Howell," I said. "Perhap

sharp at reading faces, and he looked as uncomfortable as if he owed me mon

ime with the Ladleys. I am the old she-devil. I notice you didn't

has been my ambition, my Great Desire. Leaving the house that Sunday morning, and hearing the ticking of the clock up-stairs, I recognized that it

g Mrs. Ladley said she would not

you heard or did not hear. But I want you to give me a little time before you tell

ook like a criminal. Besides, he was a friend of my

re," he went on, "but-I don't want it know

ell! I am sure he believed that it was only a good story. He got the description of my onyx clock and wr

came across my missing gray false front near the coal vault, and brought it up, grinning. And just before six,

he said, "has our f

no friend

this evening, and he'll proba

, as they always did

d Mr. Graves. "In fact, I think

d. "The very thought o

ter take him in. I wan

of beer or a slice of pie, to telling one where one might or might not live, the police were autocrats in t

, Mr. Grav

n and looked in, whistling. "

was up-stai

l woman, Mr

d. Very airy i

and whistling. "Never heard her spe

ner?

t the door, however, he stopped and turned. "Look anything like this?" he a

ds had been drawn a circle in pencil. I took it to the gas-jet and looked at it closely. It was a tall woman with a hat on,

with false hair and their being retouched beyond recognition, they don't amo

d. "And keep your eyes open. Feed

might have Mr. Ladley again, and the woman at Horner. For it had come to me like a f