Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 18, 1925 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

206 to have his music all made up. It wasn’t an inquest, it was a first rehearshal of what he’ll play with symphonic effects later on at Mr. Fitch’s trial.” ‘“* Music?” echoed the puzzled lawyer. “He assumed that Mr. Fitch fired the shot; he made every circumstance dove- tail into that assumption; but why did he assume Mr. Fitch fired it?” “Well, why should he not—after Mrs, Meredith’s testimony?” Hank looked at Miss Dale. ‘“‘ May I speak right out in meetin’?” “You surely may,” said she. “ We’re thinking about Mr. Fitch’s plight and not about my sensitiveness.” “The fragmentary evidence of Mrs. Meredith,” said the reporter, ‘‘ was more of a presumption that whatever the mayor said might have inflamed Mr. Fitch to a murderous rage than conclusive evidence that it actually did. For myself, had I been in Mr, Fitch’s shoes, I might have been tempted to kick the mayor out the front door, where I had tossed the stub of a cigar when I came down to the library to see him; but as to shooting him dead— that is quite another thing. Mr. Fitch seems a phlegmatic sort. Then, again, un- less he knew in advance that he was like- ly to shoot Marshall, why would he bring his pistol down with him? And, granting both these curious conclusions, why would he select his own library for the crime? The pistol was last seen in his den, ac- cording to the testimony.” “Myers will use that circumstance on the trial to show premeditation and thus fortify his demand for a verdict of first degree murder,” said Howard. “Of course,” said Hank, “ but what of it? Having started to play Liszt, you can’t expect him to switch to a fox-trot. May I ask a question, in confidence?” “Surely,” said Howard. “What does Mr. Fitch say about the affair?” “Very little as yet, save to reiterate stub- bornly what he also told O’Brien. I’m to see him to-morrow morning and will then try to elicit other facts, including all the conversation he had with the late mayor. He was not well to-day, and his mental ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. state was such that I did not press for in- formation. I had little hope of clearing him at this inquest, but did hope to get Myers to disclose his hand.” . Hank chewed his stodgy restlessly in a little silence. Dorothy Dale, appraising him rather intently, next said: ‘‘ You have something else on your mind, I’m rather sure. Would you mind telling us why you think Mr. Myers might have formed any other conclusion than that Mr. Fitch did shoot Mr. Marshall?” ‘Mrs. Meredith’s testimony suggested such a possibility,” drawled the reporter, “ although it might cast suspicion on you, Miss Dale, if voiced to others. It’s merely a theory, of course, but it shows that Myers may have been wrong, If his rehearsal is wrong, his next recital, with variations, is likely to be more erroneous.” Dorothy nodded gravely. “I don’t in the least mind hearing any theory,” said she naively, “‘ since I’m very much interest- ed in exonerating Mr. Fitch, if he is, as I prefer to think he is, entirely innocent. And, I’d like to see whoever killed Mr. Mar- shall punished—if whoever did can be ap- prehend. He was always very nice to me, and I’m sure he felt a sincere interest in my welfare, although I have no idea at all how these men came to quarrel over me— as Mrs. Meredith testified.” The reporter nodded in turn. “Nor have I. And I don’t think you knew any more than you said you knew to-day. My conjecture is pure theory. I ‘use it to show Mr. Myers may he mistaken in his first premise. “Now, Mrs. Meredith said, in her opinion, that you could not have gone through the hall from your room after she left it, to the rear of the house, and down the servants’ stairway and along the lower hall and toward the front; and then, con- ceivably, have shot Mr. Fitch yourself, be- tween the time she left you and the time she heard the shot.” ‘““ No,” interpolated Howard. ‘“ Because she was ‘ barely inside the room,’ when she heard the shot from the library.” Hank shook his head and smiled. ‘“ Mrs. Meredith didn’t say just that,” he rejoined. “Mr. Myers put those identical words into Gomichbooks (E@)