A STRANGE ACCOUNT
"I come of a race whose blood is hot and easily provoked," she began in
a low voice, "and who consider honor a thing to be cherished and
guarded. A year ago I came to New York to study for the stage, which had
always been my ambition, and before I left New Orleans my dear old
teacher told me to beware of the pitfalls of that great metropolis,
which I intended to make my home. In the beginning I followed his advice
and was wary, receiving no visitors, although I made many acquaintances.
But when one is alone one becomes lonely, and so I permitted two young
men to call upon me, since I knew that both of them came from good
families. I was playing with fire without realizing it, for the elder of
the two, and he was hardly more than a boy, proposed to me when I had
known him a month. I did not love him, and I told him so. In a burst of
jealousy he accused me of being in love with his rival, and declared
that since I would not marry him he cared not what became of him. He
would go straight to the devil, he said. I tried to be kind and to
reason with him, but he was spoiled and wanted only his own way, so I
told him he must not try to see me again, and he never did, for six
months ago he left the city for good."
As she paused in her recital, I realized with a shock that she was
speaking of Dick Trenton. It was she who had given him the sachet then,
and it was she who had been responsible, through the fault of that
beauty with which nature had endowed her, for the attitude of
devil-may-care, which had made the boy an easy prey to Darwin's
fascinations. What a mixed up mess life really was!
"Three months ago I became engaged to Lee Darwin," she continued, "and
in an evil hour for both of us, Lee introduced his uncle Philip to me. I
knew Mr. Darwin was recently married, and so I deemed his interest in me
what he said it was, a natural desire to aid me in my career. He took me
to see the best actors and introduced me to one or two managers. Of
course, Lee was jealous, but as I was never out with Mr. Darwin alone,
and as Lee generally accompanied us, I felt I was doing no wrong, and
that he was very inconsiderate to feel that way.
"The real trouble started on the sixth of October when I broke the
setting of my engagement ring. I was afraid Lee would think I had been
very careless, and I decided to have the ring mended and to say nothing
about it. When Mr. Darwin came in unexpectedly that evening with plans
for introducing me to an eminent playwright, he noticed that I wasn't
wearing the ring, and asked why. I explained the circumstances and asked
him to give me the name of a reliable jeweler, whereupon he offered to
take it himself to Tiffany's.
"I had no suspicions of him," she said with an appealing glance for her
indiscretion. "I gave him the ring."
She rested her voice as she sipped some more of the broth, which I
brought up at McKelvie's request.
"The next morning about ten o'clock Lee came to Gramercy Park. His face
was pale and his eyes gleaming wildly. He called me names and accused me
of a liaison with his uncle, telling me that I might have saved myself
the trouble of returning the ring, as he did not want it. Then vowing he
would kill his uncle before the day was over, he dashed out, leaving me
terrified, cowed.
"But not for long. When I realized Philip Darwin's perfidy I determined
to avenge myself for the aspersions he had cast upon my honor. I
recalled that Lee had declared that one of Mr. Darwin's assertions had
been that I was going to the house on Riverside Drive that night. Very
well. I would keep the appointment, and I would tell him I was coming,
meeting guile with guile.
"I phoned his office and asked him whether my ring was ready for me. In
a voice as false as his heart he apologized for not having taken it as
yet to Tiffany's, but said he would return it to me, if I so desired, at
dinner time, when he hoped to have the privilege of taking me to the
Ritz. I pleaded a previous engagement, and asked him to let me come out
to the house that afternoon to get the ring.
"He debated a while and then said that it was locked up in his study,
and as he would not be home until late it would be impossible for me to
come for it. I said that the lateness of the hour didn't matter, that I
must have the ring, for if Lee should learn where it was he would break
off the engagement. He inquired if I had seen Lee, and I said, 'Not
to-day, but he was asking for it last night, and I put him off with an
excuse.'
"Then he said all right, that I could come to the house at quarter to
eleven. I wanted to know if there wasn't a window or some other way for
me to enter, because I didn't want his wife and servants to know of my
call. He laughed and said that I had only to use the secret entrance
and no one would be the wiser. He explained how to find it and said he'd
leave the doors unlocked for me.
"I had fully intended being at the Darwin house at ten-forty-five, but in
thinking the matter over I became frightened. My anger had exhausted
itself and I was horrified at my own thoughts. I decided not to go. When
ten-thirty struck, however, the memory of all my wrongs swept over me
again, coupled with the thought that Lee had threatened to kill his
uncle, also. I must get there before my lover, since it was all my fault
that he was planning murder. Yet even in my haste I took occasion to lay
my plans with care. I would kill Darwin and myself since Lee no longer
cared for me. I wrote a confession and put it in my pocket, that I might
leave it in Darwin's study, so that no one else need suffer for the
crime. It was eleven when I came downstairs, and meeting my landlady I
informed her that I was going on a journey and should anyone inquire for
me to say that she had no idea where I had gone.
"I took the Subway to Dyckman Street and walked from there to the Darwin
home. I slipped into the grounds and around the house to the place where
Mr. Darwin had told me there was a door in the masonry. I pushed against
the wall, the door gave way, and I found myself at the bottom of a
flight of stairs. I closed the door and then climbed the steps, feeling
my way in the darkness until my hand came in contact with another door
that yielded at my touch. I felt a carpet under my feet and knew I was
in a room. I groped my way along until I reached an open space, and
collided with what I thought was a bar. I remembered that he had told
me to stoop when I passed through the safe. When I straightened up I saw
that I was in his study and that the lamp on his table was lighted. At
the head of the table sat Philip Darwin asleep. I advanced toward him,
taking out my automatic as I walked. When I was close to him I pointed
the pistol at him, then staggered back in horror, just as the lamp went
out. There was a blood-stain on his shirt-front! Someone had reached him
ahead of me!
"In the darkness I fled from him in a panic of fear, thrusting my pistol
into the bosom of my dress. Then realizing that I had gone in the wrong
direction, I ran back again--straight into the arms of a man! Before I
could scream he had flung a cloth over my head and carried me to a
couch. How long I remained thus I don't know, but just when I thought I
must suffocate, someone removed the cloth, a glass was held to my lips,
and Lee said, gently:
"'Drink this and you'll feel better, dear.'
"I thought he had rescued me. I drained the glass. Then I tried to ask
where I was, but my head began to feel queer and heavy and my tongue
refused its office. I closed my eyes and slipped into a dreamless sleep.
When I awoke I could still feel the couch beneath me. I got up and
groped my way around until I encountered the light switch. Then I saw
that I was in a small carpeted room, which was furnished only with a
divan and a smoking-stand. At either end of the room were doors. One of
these was locked but the other had been left partly open and gave egress
on the stairs that I had climbed.
"I thought of going down again, but felt too shaky to risk it, and
returned again to the divan, deciding that I was in the room I had
crossed to enter the study by the safe. There was a beautiful Persian
cover on the couch and idly I examined it, lifting it clear of the
floor. Then it was that I saw something bright shining where the fringe
of the cover had swept the floor. I picked up the object and saw that it
was a ring, Dick Trenton's ring.
"I knew it was his," she added, her pale cheeks flushing, "because when
he proposed to me he wanted to take it off and put it on my finger.
"I gazed on the ring for a long time, trying to solve the mystery into
which I had stumbled. Philip Darwin was dead, I was evidently a
prisoner, and Dick's ring was in this room. If he had killed Mr. Darwin
it was only right that he should pay the penalty. I would keep the ring
and when the police found me, if someone else was in prison for the
crime I would give them the ring and tell them what I knew.
"I still felt very drowsy, so I put out the light and as I lay down
again the thought occurred to me that if Dick should come back while I
slept and found the ring in my possession, he would take it away from
me. Hastily I conceived a plan. I tied the ring to the fringe of the
cover, where it would remain hidden until I could make use of it.
"I was dozing off when a step on the stairs aroused me. Someone came
into the room.
"'Dick?' I asked, tentatively.
"He laughed oddly and replied, 'No, not Dick. Lee,' and I felt his arms
around me and his kisses on my face.
"I was bewildered. Lee! Why had he drugged me then?
"'Lee,' I cried, 'why am I here?'
"'It's all right, dear. Uncle Phil was murdered and they think you did
it.'
"'But I didn't kill him,' I protested, sitting up and pushing him away.
'He was dead when I entered the room!'
"'I know,' he answered. 'But just the same the police are hunting you.
That's why I hid you away.'
"I heard him moving around the room, then he came back to me and said,
'You must be thirsty. Drink this.'
"But I was not going to be drugged a second time if I could help it,
police or no police, so I said, 'I'm not thirsty, Lee.'
"'That doesn't matter. Drink, I tell you. I'm in a hurry.'
"His voice took on a sinister note as he held the glass forcibly to my
lips. I gave his hand a shove, spilling the contents of the glass over
him.
"'You she-devil,' he said, and crushed me to him.
"Then he flung the cloth over my head again and almost strangled me. I
felt him lift me in his arms and carry me up a flight of steps. He
placed me on the floor of a room and went away. I was in that room a
long, long time before he came again. I was thirsty and hungry and
heartsore to think that he would treat me so, for the room was narrow
and bare and I hadn't even a bed to lie upon. My only comfort lay in the
fact that my revolver still reposed where I had placed it. I took it out
and held it in my hand, for I no longer trusted him.
"The second time he came to see me he opened the panel that formed the
door to my cell and I could see his figure silhouetted against the dim
light in the further room.
"'Lee!' I exclaimed. 'Why, oh why, have you done this! Is it because you
killed your uncle and are afraid that I will tell what I know?'
"He did not answer and I went on: 'Why didn't you listen to my
explanation that morning? You would have known then that your uncle only
took the ring to have it mended. I do not know what he told you, but
whatever it was, he lied.'
"'Did he lie about your coming to see him?' he replied then, in a hard
voice. 'Did he? Answer me that, when I saw you enter his study!'
"'Yes, he lied,' I returned. 'I came to kill him and myself for his
perfidy. Only you had already shot him. Oh, Lee, Lee, why didn't you
listen to my explanation!'
"'I don't believe you. You came because he asked you to, but I got him
first. And now your turn has come.'
"He made as if to step toward me and I put the pistol to my breast.
"'If you come any nearer, Lee, I'll kill myself,' I said steadily. 'Oh,
to think that I could ever have loved you, you murderer!'
"He drew back. 'You'll pay for this. When you have starved for a couple
of weeks you'll be more amenable, I guess,' and he went away laughing.
"I was horrified and I lay and wept for hours. Then as I moved about I
discovered a jug of water. For a long time I was afraid to touch it,
fearing it was a trap to catch me, but when my thirst got the better of
my judgment I drank just enough to satisfy my worst craving. I waited
to learn the results, and as I remained clear-headed, I decided the
water was pure and hoarded it with care.
"I came to the conclusion that jealousy and its consequences had made
Lee mad and that he was not responsible for his actions. Instead of
horror, pity filled my heart for I loved him still.
"He did not come near me again until to-night, and then he was more
fiendish than ever. He said he must leave the city, that he would come
for me to-morrow night, and I could then make my choice between going
with him and death. He pressed a button and showed me a yawning hole in
the middle of the floor, telling me that he would throw me down into the
pit below before he would let me go free to relate to the police what
had happened to me. Oh, it was dreadful! I was glad when he was gone.
"I knew that nothing on earth could induce me to go with him, but the
thought of falling through that black hole was more than I could bear.
As long as I had to die I would choose a less harrowing way. I took out
my pistol and was just going to kill myself when you flung up the barrel
and rescued me."
She gave McKelvie a tremulous smile and burst into tears.