The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

VICKY VAN. 9 “JT won’t do it!” declared the lady. “You're not an officer of the law. [ll stay in the house, but not in this room.” She stalked out into the hall. Dr. Remson went at once to the tele- phone and and called up headquarters. The guests in the living-room, hearing this, flew into a panic. Of course, it was no longer possible, nor, as I could see, desirable to keep them in ignorance of what had happened. After calling the police, Dr. Remson returned to his post just inside the dining- room door. He answered questions patiently at first, but after being nearly driven crazy by the frantic women, he said sharply: ‘You may all do just as you like. I’ve no authority here, except what the ethics of my profession dictate. That does not ex- tend to jurisdiction over the guests present. But I advise you as a matter of common decency to stay here until this affair is investigated.” But they didn’t. Many gathered up their wraps and left as quickly as possible. Cassie Weldon came to me in her distress. “TI must go, Mr. Calhoun,” she said. “ Don’t you think I may? Why, it would interfere greatly with my work to have it known that I was mixed up in a—” “You're not mixed up in it, Miss Wel- don.” I began to speak a little sternly, but the look in her eyes aroused my sympathy. “ Well, go on,” I said. “ I suppose you will testify if called on. Everybody knows where to find you.” “Yes,” she said ‘slowly, “ but I hope I- won’t be called on. Why, it might spoil my whole career.” She slipped out of the door, in the wake of some other departing guests. After all, I thought, it couldn’t matter much. Few, if any of them were implicated, and they could all be found at their homes. And yet I had a vague idea that we ought all to stay. “T shall remain and face the music,” I heard Mrs. Reeves saying. ‘‘ Where is Vicky? Do you suppose she knows about this? I’m going up in the music-room to see if she’s there. You know, despite all the excitement down here, those up-stairs may know nothing of it.” “TI shall remain, too,” said Ariadne Gale. ‘Why should any one kill Mr. Somers? Did the caterer’s people do it? What an awful thing! Will it be in the papers?” “Will it!”’ said Garrison, who was stand- ing near. ‘‘ Reporters may be here any minute. Where is Miss Van Allen?” ‘“T don’t know,” and Ariadne began to cry. ‘Stop that,” said Mrs. Reeves gruffly, but not unkindly. ‘“ Stay if you want to, Ariadne, but behave like a.sensible woman, not a silly schoolgirl. This is an awful tragedy of some sort.” “What do you mean, of some sort?” asked Miss Gale. ‘I mean we don’t know what revelations are yet to come. Where’s Norman Steele? Where’s the man who brought Somers here?” Where, indeed, was Steele? JI had for- gotten all about him. It was he who had introduced Somers to the Van Allen house. No one else present, so far as I knew, was previously acquainted with the man now lying dead the other side of that closed door. I looked over the people who had stayed. There were only a handful; perhaps half a dozen. I wondered if I had not better go home myself. Not for my own sake; indeed, I preferred to remain, but I thought of Aunt Lucy and Win. Ought I to bring on them any shadow of trouble or opprobrium that might result from my presence in that house at that time? Would it not be better to go while I could? For, once the police took charge, I knew I should be called on to testify in public. | Even as I debated with myself, the police arrived. CHAPTER III. THE WAITER’S STORY. OCTOR REMSON’S call had been im- perative. Inspector Mason came in with two men. ‘“What’s this? What’s wrong here?” the big, burly inspector said, as he faced the few of us who had remained. comicbool< CO