Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

é ast_night—my daughter had ~ nd I was almost imme- a by Miss Vera Sherwood, est viic ied for a moment to DC | night to my brother in the li- St e chatted with me for perhaps or fi iteen minutes before she left me, n I went at once to bed. I cannot jeve that so soon after—” oh bs De used, as though overcome by her LO ‘and Dr. Hood waited for a brief : > before he asked: “Mr, Benkard cn t to the city yesterday, did he not? ) oh you please tell me, Mrs. Cayley, every- at happened, no matter how trivial, om the moment of his return? Did he me by train or in his car, and was he "He * motored out by himself, reaching e about half past five, and said that , who was to have accompanied shad been detained, but would follow ater in his own car for dinner. I refer to J . Stoneham Lane, my brother’s closest jend and his associate, I believe, in several ima ni cial deals, although they had formed no actual business partnership. Mr. Lane id r “not arrive until nearly seven, and we ed almost immediately.” sre were no other guests except the iy you have already mentioned?” “ Ves—a young man with whom my da uch had been golfing at the country ub in the afternoon, a neighbor of ours, fr. Rupert Ashe; you-probably know the amily, doctor.” i = actos s lips had unconsciously htened, and her interrogator nodded. t made yourself, this Miss Sher- 2 pur daughter, Mr. Benkard, Mr. e and young Mr. Ashe—just six in all inne er?” t was all. We dined most informal- or a house is scarcely finished and my i of servants not yet engaged. Carp ia have been with me for years, spa, the cook, only entered my y weeks ago, when we moved to Sumy Beach.” night, Mrs. Cayley,” the ted tly. “ Did every- s usual during dinner?” rs. Sayicy’s eee opened . *e7" _~= a) en a ’ 4 wide. “ We sat in the patio later, but at this end, not—not near the terrace doors. We could not make use of the terrace itself, for the special concrete, or whatever it is that the stonemason Geoffrey had just paved it with, had not yet dried and hard- ened, but after young Mr. Ashe left—which was early, about nine o’clock—my daughter and Mr. Lane strolled out into the garden while Miss Sherwood, my brother and I went to the drawing-room. ‘There Miss Sherwood played for us. Are all these de- tails necessary, doctor? They seem so in- consequential, in view of the terrible thing that happened later, and I can scarcely col- lect my thoughts.” “Tt is because of what did occur later that no incident of last night is inconse- quential, Mrs. Cayley,” he reminded her. “ What happened after that?” “My daughter went to bed, and Mr. Lane and Mr. Benkard talked together for a while in the dining room, which is just across the patio from the library. Then Mr. Lane returned to the city, and I re- tired, followed by Miss Sherwood, as I told ou. “ Really, doctor, I can say nothing more. My brother usually sat up late, smoking and reading, or going over his accounts, and last night seemed no exception to the rule!” Her tones had grown more and more un- feignedly agitated, and the doctor took up a fresh topic. “Mr. Benkard seemed in the best of health and spirits. Has he told you of any difficulty or antagonism he may have en- countered in Iris business lately?” “He has never discussed his proposed financial deals with me; only my own af- fairs, of which he has assumed complete charge for several years. I am quite sure that he has experienced no business diffi- culties, but Mr, Lane will be better able to tell you about that.” She paused and then went on: “T called him up at his rooms in town immediately after telephoning to you, and although he was inexpressibly shocked, of course, he promised to come out as quickly as his car could bring him. He is going to leave word for Mr. Benkard’s secretary. comicboo com GAO hee a} ee - cia