Show The House of the Whispering Pipes Pines By Anna Katharine Green Greenn I I I n p r PUTNAM'S AuS SONS Copyright 1910 by ei r Yo Tork k end London ANNA KATHARINE 1 V. V V. Continued nty I choPPed my hand band a new newIt It had come corne on to me mc Had Had Carmel Cannel dico on on tho the road leading from place r rU MJ U u ce perceive lye that b by this time I 1 had mc me tho prey of every pos pos- even of that which made mado the ent nt nt a a. nightmare from which I should wake to 10 old oUI conditions and old si bad bod enough God knows but not like I not like Iilo th this I I was conscious that not a or 01 movement of or mine had escaped of or the tho considerate but watchful eye CO me You rou pu do not my questions ho iio ly observed Perhaps you rou would oL 01 your stor story without Interruption I beg you OU to bo as s explicit as RI pos pos- I The circumstances arc aro serious Sh ch for tor p perfect pi-fc-ct candor on your our part e C was wronG They were too fefor ne- ne 5 for that Perfect candor would l C-b C o- o Carmel Cannel Seeming Scorning candor was rc c Uld Indulge o In I took a quick lYe vc Vf I would appear to throw on to the thc winds wind to confide to him to t. t m men n usually hold Jold sacred to risk reputatIon as n R gentleman rather than ro ra a suspicion which might involvers Involve rs ra moro mora than it did myself Per Per- aI hould yet ct win t through and save sa an au ignominy she possibly deCd cle- cle cd but which she must never receive limy my hands f will give e you OU an nn account of m my 1 In ins ins- S' S I I Isaid said It will not aid you ou f Hi 1 but butwill will- will prove m my good od faith tji me a short time ago If it I loved 1 Jad whom I IVa was wai engaged to mart marry whose dead hod bod body I most upon In this house some time arc ore ml midnight I 1 answered yes rell es and iV IH showed at you ou doubted me You me in your our doubts I did ber once or thought so but my tny l Ings chan changed d. d A A. great real temptation m my life Carmel returned from fob ibl a and you and ou d you know her beauty her A week In h her r presence andr and r with Adelaide became But how evade Me It I ont only knew cowards WA way Wn to lure ture this te ced girl fresh from school I tn R. R runaway match A change which b became came perceptible In Miss Cumbers Cumbers' Cumber Cumber- sf se s' s manner only c egged Jed mc me on It Inot not sufficiently marked in character ill II 11 for or open explanation yet el It was wa st gt to on one on tho the watch as I Iland and land betokened a n da day of or speedy 1111 for which I was little pre- pre H. H I know what whal the mant manly course ben been but I preferred to toI r I acknowledge it now now It li is the retribution I 1 have to offer for a aLam aLam Lam Iam ashamed of ut losing article of m my Intention I T governed carefully m my looks and actions and lIht I had bad succeeded In blinding Ade- Ade to to m my real feelings s and purpose her I did or not I cannot sa say I Ithel no il-no means of or knowing Imo no now She Shei pot not ot been her natural self for th these heso se sef i f f few w days but she Rhe had bad other causes ues worry and I have been boen willing jh gh h to 10 think that th these se were the theIon theion Ion of her restless wa ways s and short speech and the thc blankness with l she he met all my attempts to soothe encourage her This evening I I ed edat at the word woid The Tho day had been of extraordinary mary experiences in iii In intensity to the thc one 11 e which had overtopped o the resl rest This even even- continued I I I had sot set ct limit to lo m my endurance of ot the in in- During Durin a minute of e preceding tho tIm dinner at Miss rland's house on the hill hili I wrote to her sister urging her to tome tome tome me with her fate and meet me at alion time for tho the 10 1030 10 train I Ito Ii Ito i to to carr carry her at once to P PI Pt P- P f t I had a friend In tho the ministry would at once unite us in marI marf mar- mar f I was very peremptory for my cs ts wore giving way under the sc- sc strain ts-aln to which they had br baen en 5 d for tor so i lon long and she herself worn woin om with her own silent conflict ro To write this note was easy but to vcr it Involved d difficulties Miss norland's e eyes c seemed to be more snore moreno moren n a no me than usual Mine were wem obliged respond and Carmel seeing this t t t hers on her plate or on tho tile one ne oneT T cr person seated at the table her tIler Arthur But the tho opportunity ic to as we all rose rosc and ed to together drawing room Carmel fell feU Into r rc e C at Rt my side and I slipped lIpped the thes s into her hand She had not ex ex- ted It and I fear that the action was wa yen ct-yen for fOI when I took look my leave of Cumberland w shortly after I wa wall Jck ick b by her expression I had nev never mouth a a look Jook on her hel face before nor of or one n presenting a mor rao contrast to the few and words with which she hc bade bad good evening I 1 could not look I 1 continued to see ee those od cd features and burning eyes all alt allway f. f way vay a home where T J went to get cl my Ael and I saw sa them all th the way w-ay wayt t station though m mv my thoughts were sister and th the jO Joys I had 1100 d. d fo for fOI m self Man Mans e Dr rry 1 J neither knew Adelaide nor did now the gui girl who whose love to I hAd so She failed tailed me Dr Pen Perry vas vac met at the tho station statton not by bv her- her by n a letter a letter a few hurried lines en- en me en me by an unknown man man In in which 1 I stated r that I had a asked kd too much her that she could not so wron wrong f sister r who ho had brought her up and te te every thing for tor her since her mother rf d. d I J have not that letter now or I uia uld show It to you ou In mv my raging appointment I T tore It up lip on th the place v vwe we pra rc I received ed it Il and threw the tIm pieces nieces ay lY T J had lied staked my 01 whole future one desperate rate throw and I had lost J t lI had d a pistol pistol- I stopped I by an uneasy movement on the ot the man I Ad addressed that I had ter teri tr not dilate too much upon my 1 tings gs Indeed I had forgotten to toI OJ m I I 1 was talking I 1 realized realize nothing ht lit of Qt nothing but the misery I J was His n notion reca recalled lied me to deeper misery of my pres- pres and conscious of the con con- Mis Ons which might be bo drawn from such utterances I J pulled myself lo loir tor to- to ir 1 r and proceeded proc to finish my m story greater directness lid not leave lea leath th the station tilt till tb train had gos gone I had haul hopes still icing her or possibly I dreaded the hack back aCk to my apartments It from sheer PreoccupatIon of mind I 1 I drove o this wa war Instead d of straight BE ii Marshall avenue R I had no inri in in- 07 ri n of or stopping here the tile clubhouse I I formally closed tl esterday as you yon 1 know l maw antI and I did not even n have havo the tho siLl me But as RoB I r r reached 11 the I i If n the tho l' l road read where you ou get Jet your our I eight tI ht of r the tile gG I J j saw FW a I of o smoke 11 rising from ono one ard anxious as to to Its ItIS II I n I J I us rig so 5 In Ip- Ip Lit H. t. t Mr Ms' I am sorry norry to Pt pt jt OU you but by which gate tc did ter leho he JI lower e nn one ts 11 5 It snowing at tIme t t I yet It It W wa wax Just before the clouds upon UDOn the I could see every every- Quite plainly h. h nodded and T r w went nt ely on Any ny lIon of his f a. a p me I 1 was no o 0 Ignorant of of the theLt Lt t his hI cot command of the tiO facts at s b outside my W own expo expo- Jand and that tho the sir sl-n- sl I r mide macic might ht If lead Is-ad d dlo mol dl- o some clue Iu of or who whom fl flery very ery cry c exist e KR was I wax vas not even evon ro h by what chance or nt of I S 1 the tle police had raided I II Ie ace e and discovered dis tho tragedy trag-dy I I il cl Riven point to t that at r raid ld No a 11 toil loll p me and iud 1 I had met no en en- i irn rn t to 0 ask asic t I f feil ell myself f iid- iid J J l It Mv My f own act i might nrc- nrc Tt T- T t Vel doom I J lo io 0 a avert crt pT preserve fleS my colt I possession o tr nit a as o co l et Mt J I sl Into inlo a ch C skill or of m my own onn n 0 or of or an an an- C rue nio t hora hor my to 10 o 0 tho llio o u u J Jn her iho thickest t club I saw saw saw- Il I lie he Is IR there now I suppose I suppose I crept up to lo the house and md tried the door doOl It wason was wason as ason on tho the latch and nd I stole Itol In There was ho tup light on thc lower floor and after alter I listening for rot an any ny signs of or life 1 I 1 began san santo to reel feel my wa way about the tle house searching search search- In log ing for Cor tho thio Intruder As 8 s I did not wish with to attract attention to lo myself I took 0 off my shoes shoe I went through h the lower rooms and then I came upstairs It was some time before I reached the the the-the room oem where had been lit but ft when I did didI I knew not knew not I hastily corrected as S I 1 caught his quick concentrated glance what 1 had happened or oi whom I should find there but that this was' was the spot pot where hero the Intruder had been possibly was now not and I determined to with him What What hat what have hae I said I asked In anguish as I caught a look on tho coroners coroner's faco face of or Irrepressible repulsion s sion Rion and disgust slight and soon gone on but unmistakable 30 so o lon long as it lasted Nothing he lie replied go o oon on But his tone considerate as It Jt had been from the first not deceive me mo I 1 knew that I had been detected In iii some Rome slip or prevarication pre As I had omitted all mention of the thc most so sc- bus ilous part parlor of m my nd cn adventure haU adventure ture had said nothing of m my vision Islon of Carmel Cannel or the tue terrible conclusions which which- her presence there had awakened awakened nw mv conscience was In a a R state of perturbation which added to my confusion For Ios a moment J I did not know where I stood and I am afraid I 1 betrayed a sense of m my tion He lie had to recall me inc to myself by an all unimportant question or two before I could go 0 on When I did proceed It was with less Jess connection of ideas idea and anda nd a haste In speaking which was U not due altogether to 10 the harrowing nature of tho the tale Itself I I had bad matches match R In my I pocket and I struck one I began Afterwards I 1 lit the candled candle The Thc emptiness of of the tho room did dill not alarm me I 1 eXI experienced the sense of or tragedy Seeing the pillows heaped high and too re regularly for chance chanc along a n. lounge ordinarily holding anI only two I J tore Lose them oft off 1 saw a L foot toot a n hand a tress of or bright hair Even Een then J I did not think of or her Why should I 11 Not till I 1 uncovered unco the thc face faco did I know the terrors of or my discovery er and then the confusion of or it all unmanned mo ma and andI I fell on m. m my knees knees knees- Go on oni Go Go Co on TIle The Impetuosity the suspense In the words t astounded inc mo I stared at the coroner and lost the thread of my stor story What hat had I to say more How account for what hat must be tic ever aver unaccountable to him to the world orld to m my own self elt I It If in obedience to the demands of the thc situation I subdued m my own memory and blotted out all I had s seen en but that which it Jt was as safe to confess to toZ There Is IA no more to sa say I l' l murmured murmured mur mur- Tho The horror of or that moment made a chaos in my mind I looked at atthe atthe the tho dead bOd body of her who b lay there as asI asI I J have havo looked at everything since as all I looked at tho the police when the they came came came-as as asI I look at you OU now But I know nothing It is all a phantasmagoria to me with me-with with no more meaning than a nightmare She Is b dead dead I I know that that but but beyond that all Is doubt confusion what hat what the world and all its passing show I Is to a blind blindman man I can neither understand nor c explain I 1 I I I I II I I I I i CHAPTER VI Comments and Reflections I i There is no agony agon and no solace left lert Earth can enn console heaven cn can torment no more Prometheus Unbound The coroners coroner's Intent look which had mere more or le less s sustained s me rue through this ordeal remained fixed upon m my face as though ho were still anxious to see me exonerate m myself How much did he lie know That was the question low How much did he know Having no means of telling I was forced or to l silent I had revealed all allI I dared to As I came to this conclusion conclusion conclusion sion hb his eyes fell feli and I knew that tho the favorable minute had passed The rhe question he lie now asked proved It H You say that you ou were ero cre not blind to surrounding objects even If they conVeyed conveyed con con- eyed but little meaning meaning- to you OU You must have seen then that the tho room where c Miss Cumberland la lay contained two small cordial glasses both bolh still moist with some I I noticed that yes Some on one must drunk ha with her liar I I contradict cannot you ou Was as Miss Cumberland fond rond of or that sort of thing She Sho detested liquor of all aU kinds Silo Sho never drank drank- I. I never Cl saw a woman so n. cr averse e to wine I spoke before I thought I might better have ha been less les emphatic but the thc mystery of or those glasses had affected m me from the first Neither she nor mel Carmel ever cr allowed themselves so 90 much as n a social glass clas yet ct those c glasses had been d drained Perhaps tho cold cold cold- There was Wag a third glass We Wo found it In tho tue adjoining closet It had not been used That third glass has a n meanIng meaning mean mean- In Ing If Sf only we could find It out A possibility which had risen in my mind faded fade at these words glasses I dull dully repealed repeated And nd a R small flask of cordial The latter Jatter seems pure enough I 1 cannot understand It The ThA phrase had become No Xo other suggested SUE sug Itself to meThe me mc The problem would be he simple enough f If It ii wore not for tor those marks on her neck ned You sa saw those too I 1 take lake It Yes Who Vho made them What hat man manThe man man- The lie He or rather the suggestion o of a alie alie alie lie flushed my mv my fac face I wa was conscious of or orthis this thill but it did not trouble me I was va panting for relief I could not rest till I 1 knew tIm the nature of tho doubt In this mans man's mind If it these or 1 words or any words I could use would serve to surprise sur sur- prim prise his secret then welcome tho the lie or sU suggestion of or a lie It was as a brutes brute's bungling with sentences sen sen- act I went went- wenton on my In anxiety to see sec If Ir In my conclusions conclusions fitted in with his own Who ho was the brute Do you rOll Know Dr Perry There were three glasses In those rooms On Only I two were acre drank from he hue answered steadily Tomorrow I ma may maybe b be in a position to answer your jour our question I am nm not tonight Why did didI I take Like heart Not ot a change chane not nol th the thc flicker of or one one had passed over his countenance at t my 01 utterance of or the word ord man his official habit had stood him In wonderful stead or the police police po po- po II lice co had bad failed so far Car lo to see nil any connection llon tion between cen this murder and the young youn girl whose whose- footprints for or all I knew still lingered ot on on tho the stairs Would the morrow arm arm them with complete con com knowledge led e As S I turned tume J from com I his hill retreating figure aSIC and ancI flung myself down own before the tIme hearth this was wall tho tIme question |