登陆注册
5188300000051

第51章

"Still," remarked Kennedy cheerfully, "it may furnish a clue, after all.The clerk at least was not positive that it was not Miss Gilbert to whom she sold the book.Since we are down in this neighbourhood, let us drop in and see Mr.Gilbert again.Perhaps something may have happened since last night."Mr.Gilbert was in the dry-goods business in a loft building in the new dry-goods section on Fourth Avenue.One could almost feel that a tragedy had invaded even his place of business.As we entered, we could see groups of clerks, evidently discussing the case.It was no wonder, I felt, for the head of the firm was almost frantic, and beside the loss of his only daughter the loss of his business would count as nothing, at least until the keen edge of his grief was worn off.

"Mr.Gilbert is out," replied his secretary, in answer to our inquiry."Haven't you heard? They have just discovered the body of his daughter in a lonely spot in the Croton Aqueduct.The report came in from the police just a few minutes ago.It is thought that she was murdered in the city and carried there in an automobile."The news came with a stinging shock.I felt that, after all, we were too late.In another hour the extras would be out, and the news would be spread broadcast.The affair would be in the hands of the amateur detectives, and there was no telling how many promising clues might be lost.

"Dead!" exclaimed Kennedy, as he jammed his hat on his head and bolted for the door."Hurry, Walter.We must get there before the coroner makes his examination."I don't know how we managed to do it, but by dint of subway, elevated, and taxicab we arrived on the scene of the tragedy not very long after the coroner.Mr.Gilbert was there, silent, and looking as if he had aged many years since the night before; his hand shook and he could merely nod recognition to us.

Already the body had been carried to a rough shanty in the neighbourhood, and the coroner was questioning those who had made the discovery, a party of Italian labourers on the water improvement near by.They were a vicious looking crew, but they could tell nothing beyond the fact that one of them had discovered the body in a thicket where it could not possibly have lain longer than overnight.There was no reason, as yet, to suspect any of them, and indeed, as a much travelled automobile road ran within a few feet of the thicket, there was every reason to believe that the murder, if murder it was, had been committed elsewhere and that the perpetrator had taken this means of getting rid of his unfortunate victim.

Drawn and contorted were the features of the poor girl, as if she had died in great physical agony or after a terrific struggle.

Indeed, marks of violence on her delicate throat and neck showed only too plainly that she had been choked.

As Kennedy bent over the form of the once lovely Georgette, he noted the clenched hands.Then he looked at them more closely.

I was standing a little behind him, for though Craig and I had been through many thrilling adventures, the death of a human being, especially of a girl like Miss Gilbert, filled me with horror and revulsion.I could see, however, that he had noted something unusual.He pulled out a little pocket magnifying glass and made an even more minute examination of the hands.At last he rose and faced us, almost as if in triumph.I could not see what he had discovered - at least it did not seem to be anything tangible, like a weapon.

Quickly he opened the pocketbook which she had carried.It seemed to be empty, and he was about to shut it when something white, sticking in one corner, caught his eye.Craig pulled out a clipping from a newspaper, and we crowded about him to look at it.It was a large clipping from the section of one of the metropolitan journals which carries a host of such advertisements as "spirit medium,""psychic palmist," "yogi mediator," "magnetic influences," "crystal gazer," "astrologer," "trance medium," and the like.At once Ithought of the sallow, somewhat mystic countenance of Dudley, and the idea flashed, half-formed, in my mind that somehow this clue, together with the purchase of the book on clairvoyance, might prove the final link necessary.

But the first problem in Kennedy's mind was to keep in touch with what the authorities were doing.That kept us busy for several hours, during which Craig was in close consultation with the coroner's physician.The physician was of the opinion that Miss Gilbert had been drugged as well as strangled, and for many hours, down in his laboratory, his chemists were engaged in trying to discover from tests of her blood whether the theory was true.One after another the ordinary poisons were eliminated, until it began to look hopeless.

So far Kennedy had been only an interested spectator, but as the different tests failed, he had become more and more keenly alive.

At last it seemed as if he could wait no longer.

"Might I try one or two reactions with that sample?" he asked of the physician who handed him the test tube in silence.

For a moment or two Craig thoughtfully regarded it, while with one hand he fingered the bottles of ether, alcohol, distilled water, and the many reagents standing before him.He picked up one and poured a little liquid into the test tube.Then, removing the precipitate that was formed, he tried to dissolve it in water.Not succeeding, he tried the ether and then the alcohol.Both were successful.

"What is it?" we asked as he held the tube up critically to the light.

"I can't be sure yet," he answered slowly."I thought at first that it was some alkaloid.I'll have to make further tests before I can be positive just what it is.If I may retain this sample I think that with other clues that I have discovered I may be able to tell you something definite soon."The coroner's physician willingly assented, and Craig quickly dispatched the tube, carefully sealed, to his laboratory.

同类推荐
  • 随手杂录

    随手杂录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文昌杂录

    文昌杂录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说龙施女经

    佛说龙施女经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Pursuit of the House-Boat

    The Pursuit of the House-Boat

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • THE DECAMERON

    THE DECAMERON

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 颐希为贵

    颐希为贵

    【1V1】世间最为尊贵的神凰,在沉寂了千万年后,终得涅槃重生。神女为希,在完成创世大帝嘱托的过程中,与天界太子颐恒展开了一段你追我赶的爱情角逐。凰希:“你是从什么时候喜欢我的?”颐恒:“见到你的第一眼时。”凰希:“我那时还骂过你……”颐恒:“我知道。”凰希:……神凰降世,一枕万年,大梦无边……本文反转颇多,欢迎书友们踊跃跳坑,入股不亏!
  • 绝艺倾城

    绝艺倾城

    这世间,有些相遇不过一面之缘;而有些相逢,却注定了厮守终生。她,命途多舛。被同门师兄苦苦纠缠,被心爱之人视而不见,被情同母女的亲人利用,面对前所未有的磨难,她能否苦尽甘来?励志反转女主横空出世,和“前夫”斗智斗勇,巧用木偶欺上瞒下,天才偃师“连城公子”声名鹊起。顾连城年方十七,拜于偃师门下,木甲术技艺超群。因同门师兄秦仲迫害,她易容逃往京城,被名门公子楚云买下替其妹嫁入敬王府为妃,很快被同门师叔姜云霄寻到,并意图说服她以“连城公子”的身份出现指点江山。连城一心追求清净生活,不为姜云霄所动,却不知敬王齐澈早已发现她并非楚家爱女。漳国来犯,齐澈主动请缨出征,顾连城为了襄助齐澈,毅然决定随其远征,却被齐澈用来交换远嫁漳国的心爱之人。交换之后,齐澈得知顾连城丧生于一场大火,悔痛万分。殊不知,半年之后,一名来自北漠天才偃师“连城公子”声名鹊起……
  • 重回红楼之贾敏修仙

    重回红楼之贾敏修仙

    贾敏若是看完一切之后带着空间重生,林家还会绝户吗?林妹妹还会泪尽夭亡吗…且看贾敏如何应付贾府那一竿子糟心的亲戚,如何保护并教导林妹妹,纠正爱女的三观。贾家算什么,就算是娘家,也别妄想娶我的女儿;贾宝玉算什么,不过就是一花心大萝卜加废柴,自己都养活不了;神瑛侍者又如何,没听过灵河岸边的仙草还缺水的,我林家的女儿才不会为无干之人流眼泪,林家不要这样的女婿;绛珠怎么了,绛珠也是我的女儿,我一定要让她健康长乐的过完一生。至于那个贾宝玉,他算那根葱,不过一块顽石罢了,连自己的妻儿都护不住,爱谁谁吧;其他那些女孩子,能救则救吧,总不能都吊死在贾宝玉这一棵歪脖子树上;贾府那些人,那些对不起黛玉的人,亲人又如何,她会让他们为黛玉的悲剧付出代价…
  • 阔少的失忆妻

    阔少的失忆妻

    对安悦来说,最可恨的事情便是碰上了叫做君澈的痴情人,更可恨的是,她越来越觉得儿子的眉眼像极了君澈!对君澈来说,最可恨的事情便是出国深造回来,安悦不见了!最可恶的是,他忍了四年的相思之苦,又找了她三年,再见面时,她身边已经有了一个帅气的小包子,而且她不记得他了!他无数次强调过,等他,等他回来!她怎么能无视他的强调?她说过,就算失忆,也不会忘记他的……都是谎话,她失忆了,她忘了他……
  • 花落花开

    花落花开

    今年寒冷来的早,农民朋友田里的晚稻还没来得及收割,一夜间就进入了隆冬,一夜的大雪,窗外天地同色。今天是丰乐市消防支队清流区消防大队副大队长凌峰和市文联作家协会秘书长金凤大婚的日子,消防大队和市文联联合为他们举行婚礼仪式。作家协会的几位年轻人和消防支队的几位女战士张罗了两天,把一个近两百平米的大餐厅布置成了一个大花园,天花板上横横竖竖拉起一道道三角小彩旗和粉色绢花,地上正中铺着一条红色地毯从大门处直通前台,每隔两米就有一个扎着粉绸带和插满绢花的拱门,两边是一张张圆餐桌,每张餐桌上都放了一支大花瓶。
  • 读菜根谭悟经典人生

    读菜根谭悟经典人生

    化通俗为雅致,变腐朽为神奇,人间万事之通典。读进去,体会入世的超然境界;悟出来,享受出世的平淡快乐。《菜根谭》是一部需要人们放在床头、案头,静心品读的旷世奇书。读进去悟出来会有醍醐灌顶之感,受益终生。《读菜根谭悟经典人生》是对《菜根谭》的深刻感悟,书中总结了为人处世之策略,求学问道之真假,功业政事之智慧,修身养性之要义,生死名利之玄妙,居家交友之心得。它通过充满审美情趣的思维方法,简单明了的语言,跌宕起伏的故事情节,传达出一种深刻的人生感悟,帮助人们破解人生中遇到的诸多难题。
  • 十绝界

    十绝界

    友情提醒:想完成这个超难副本,你不但得练功打怪,还要全身心融入才行哦!
  • 神龙传说(兽王系列)

    神龙传说(兽王系列)

    鼠人族的族长和羽人族的族长为了种族的复兴,铸造出金乌神剑,又复活了金乌战神,然而金乌战神却已不是昔日两个种族的保护神了,大战过后,后羿星与梦幻星开始停战谈判,兰虎前往后羿星都城黄龙圣城谈判,遇见了传说中的神龙,并因此知道了一个旷古的秘密,独孤奇抢了一艘战舰返回地球,兰虎为完成自己消灭火鸦的使命,也不得不马上返回地球,身为孤儿的小铁也跟随他一同前往,航行中,兰虎在一块巨大的陨石上遇见了两只强悍的太空生物,回到地球后,兰虎得知风柔竟然在浮龙岛失踪了,兰虎调查后发现,一直以来有着极好声誉的浮龙岛竟然很有可能与地球各地下组织、黑帮社团有很大关系,而且浮龙岛背后浮现出新人类联盟的影子,兰虎再次踏上征程。
  • 赞灵集

    赞灵集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 谪仙是只千年妖

    谪仙是只千年妖

    妖之初,性本善。她本是一团懵懂顽劣的小妖精,却垂涎冰清玉洁的上神。一次不成功,下次接着惦记。总有一天她会把上神娶回家。