The Deep Lake Mystery

was an inter

p some information or some bits of evidence that meant a l

wasted on a crime session and I looked about at the c

nto its black depths was enough to deter the stoutest heart from an unnecessary dive therein. But an escaping murderer, if brave enough to risk the danger, and skilled enough in diving and sufficiently familiar w

, could never have committed that brutal murder, and then have d

ooking men from the large estates that bordered the whole length of Deep Lake. Some were grave, some seemed unable to

ed by several friends, and I also noted the young gir

who impressed me strongly. Never have I seen a face of more determination and

She lived with the girl in her island home, and surely no one

l and gaunt of figure and possessed a large, bony face whose stern, set m

o whom all the experiences of life were as an open book. She had the look of a witc

ng glance and finally concentrated her attention on the coroner,

ttle to contemplate

ed a face that was clearly worn and wan from a sleepless night. At least it seemed that way to me, and I longed to tell her her secret was safe with me. Never would I

and I had never had a word of conversatio

owledgment, and then, to my amazemen

or heard some word that alarmed her, but in my heart I felt

into that of the nurse beside her, and I n

girl, and she gave a litt

ning. Garbed all in black, yet a black that hinted Paris in its every line and fold, her beautiful fac

lips and cheeks, quite evidently the result of a well-equ

es Everett, the post of chief mourner

seemed to me there was an undercurrent of

ne, and as the person most deeply affected by the tragedy,

er to the jury, we had heard their stories before,

Tracy's rooms except two of his fancy wai

cy's previous possession of these three article

ld throw any light on the mystery of the criminal's entra

hough all inherited a sum of money by his will, there seemed no r

rt, and he told the jury succinctly and clearly the details of the death and how bo

tive, noticed there was a tiny metal disk visible through the hair of the dead man. Investigation proved this to be the head of a n

n, through the bone?" ask

driving instrument, and a strong hand, as well as a cal

pitcher and the absence of the plate that had held the fruit and the crackers. But these things were merely

tter, and I felt a deep interest as

ager to learn what the visitor

belligerent, and I wondered whether the Coroner wou

the circumstances of your return to this hou

, perhaps for that reason, it se

e from a dinner party next door, about eleven o'clock. I chatted with M

hould take the case. Was this a gigantic bluff? I mean, could it be that Ames was himself the murderer, and sought to escape suspicion by frankly as

dea whether Ames was the murderer or not, but if so, then

suave, pleasant way, calculate

racy's best fri

We have known each other from boyhood, and though we bandied

ed him

y into a rage. Then, apparently thinking better of it

s let me owe him money for a long time, and as he had no ob

said, "and I propose to use

nd now Ames's frown

est of many thousands. It is a

get angry at the Coroner. If Hart suspected his witness he

ked amazed at the way things were going. Then we both realized that this was doubtless Hart's first murder case. Such things didn't often happen up he

the query, "Are

s gave a sa

t jump out of the window of his locked room, and I didn't bedeck his bed with fl

imperturbable, "but I have only y

drive a nail into his half-witted head, and the

I have been trying to engage the services of the famous Mr. Moore to take on this case, and to discove

himself, he might have put forth this very line of argument. He might have deman

up to me to deci

tance finished up Ames's testimony

d in the fall. She said they occasionally had little differences, but always made them up and were really very fond of one anoth

s Remsen. But, she added, he had told her that after they were married, he would change his will and make suitable ar

ght have formed in the minds of the jury. Surely, Mrs. Dallas

gaged pair had had, and which had resulted in Mr

larmed. Had Hart omitted the point in order to tax Alma herself with it later? To ask her what was the tale her uncle

taries follow

lways, answered questions readily enough

had been with Mr. Tracy until about ten o'clo

nusual sounds d

but it seemed to m

for he said, "Are you quite sure?

thful man. But it was equally eviden

n answer, Mr. Everett,"

that I thought I heard the sound of a bo

sort o

artially awaked and seemed to hear a slight sound as of paddles. B

the time th

asleep some hours. I thought nothing of

look out of

n't rise f

't! That he hadn't seen Alma Remsen,

he gave no sign of doing so, and the rest of the inquiries

man was chipper as always and told all h

n the night as of a passi

uld have been well but that the silly chap turned brick

ention of embarrassing him, "why a

dder yet. "But you barge into me with sudd

nto the enemy's quarters succeeded, as I was sure he had hoped

boat?" Hart went

elve o'clock," Dean said, reminiscently. "I

dently believed he had seen Alma Remsen in her canoe, I k

ard no furt

Everett rapped on my doo

e a good effect on the jury, I could see that. Since they didn't have my knowledge of the

quest that suspicion centred on the inmates of the hou

Remsen w

e to the witness chair. She took another chair beside Alma, and her b

?" the Coroner said. It was more a statement than a question, and it

nd I hoped nobody except me noti

r lips were not trembling, her eyes were clear and steady in their gaze, but the eyeli

e you that

in my ow

he eve

es

your com

. My housekeep

orate your prese

st courteous, but i

Alma. "Will you

home all Wednesday

s voice was respectful

all n

, sir, o

of co

s if to a dull child, "if she was in all ev

her car

she was born. I am now her house

pression of one who was tolerating the inquiries of a lot of

in an is

eing no reason why Mrs. Merivale should be

s with her uncle, her expectations at his death, and to all the girl replied w

art said,

sen, but it must be said. You are the one

of fear, but again I detected that slight quiv

opportunity to

ed, and I noticed the lines around the firm

ess a latchkey

was a smile of relief. "Yes, I have alway

he

t to live on the island he bade me keep it so I co

you what we ca

y be true, but I didn't come over here with my latchkey and kill my uncle and trick out his bed with flowers. The motiv

d I been one of those jurymen I could not have helped believing in the sin

ou know nothing of th

repeated, and now I saw th

Where are those two waistcoats that disa

the sligh

been found, and they were found u

oatho

em was the Totem Pole that

ot out and clasped the

"a deep-laid plot to incrim