The Argosy, April 1916 — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

28 “Where did you: get this?” he asked. He was showing scant mercy to a woman who was weak enough even at best. “It was brought here by a man named Watson. He is a park attendant. Sit down, Mr. Yale. Walking around with that hor- rible telltale thing in your hands disturbs me.” “It has no quieting effect on me, Mrs. Raymond. But I will sit down. Now com- pose yourself and tell me all you know.” “Tt is very little. This afternoon Miss Wayne expressed a desire to walk in Roscoe Conkling Park. Nancy was too ill to ac- company her, so she went alone. It was, as you know, a very fine, bright afternoon. As usual, Miss Wayne took her camera along. - ‘She did not return at four, and we re- marked upon her long absence.. Nancy said that she was accustomed to long wander- ings alone, and was not afraid in the woods even at night. We ected her back, of course, for dinner, which witli not be before seven—if anybody wants it. “But we were all prostrated when, just before you telephoned, in reply to Nancy’s call, Watson came, bringing that wrecked camera.” , - “How long before I telephoned from the Butterfield House had Miss Raymond called for mee”’ “She rang up about fifteen minutes before that.” ‘Was Watson here then?” “He had just gone.” “Why didn’t you keep him here till I came?”’ “Who could tell when you would come? Watson had to get back to work.” | “Well, let’s get on. What did Watson say? Where, in the park, did he find the camera?” “Not in the park at all. He found it in Old Third Street near the reservoir.” “How did he know it was Miss Wayne’s? What brought him here with it?” - "He said this: He had, during the after- noon, seen Miss Wayne in different places in the park, taking snapshots. Of course, he knew it was Miss Wayne. Who would not? He saw her go across the west drive, and into a patch of woods that reach to Third Street. Later on, his duties took him _ to the border of the park, and he saw this black object in the road. It was covered with dust, and he would have paid little at- tention to it, he said, had it not been for THE ARGOSY. the strap, which seemed new, and compara- tively clean.” “Well? He picked up the camera. Did he make any search for Miss Wayne?” “No. The circumstances concerning Miss Wayne are public property, and Wat- son thought of suicide at once. He ran all the way here with the camera.”’ “Did nothing but suicide enter any head in this house? Was foul play not thought of?” ‘“‘We spoke of it. But there was no one to do any thinking after Watson left, but me, and I was scarcely able to think to any purpose. Nancy’s efforts to extract more information from Watson exhausted her, and when he had gone she had just enough strength left to telephone to the Butterfield House, and then go to bed. I eliminated the possibility of foul play after I had gone over every phase of the situation. “To begin with, Utica never has any of that kind of crime. I could conceive of no reason for any person wishing to harm the girl. If she was really an accomplice of the robbers, as my husband firmly believes, she has certainly been faithful to them and they would have no cause to do her an in- jury. She has said not one word to betray them. If she is innocent, and knows noth- ing about the robbery, they would have no reason to put her out of the way and add another unnecessary as well as horrible crime to their record.” “She may, after all, have become inno- cently possessed of their secret,” suggested Yale. . “No, I thought of that and rejected the idea. I believe that if Miss Wayne had any innocent knowledge of the robbery she would tell it rather than go through what she has. She would not be afraid to tell. The girl is not a coward.” ‘But the smashed camera! Did that not suggest a struggle to any of you?” ‘No, because it was found in a public road. Of course, I don’t think there is much traffic on Third Street, up that way, but one farm wagon would smash a camera.” ‘‘Why should the camera be in the road?” “If Miss Wayne contemplated suicide she may have dropped the camera.” ‘Where is Greenland?” , “He went away with Wa'‘son. I sup- pose he is at the reservoir now. But nothing can be done at night.” public MICLOOOK (C@