Show 7 V F he 1 41 V on a certen momentous mon day morning silas constance aci nci ruiter fuller cataloguer and seller salier 6 ot rare books at darrows new and secondhand second hand iland ne new fork notices that the first cus S la is lai a dignified white bearded old gentleman who saunters into the alcove pla carded medical edical 11 peter pete burton ona bone of the employs employees amazes arnakis constance konstance don stance by telling her he fj paid a tor or an old law aw book b a eol col lax fax bookplate suddenly a girls ehrlen of murders Mur derl rings out in the etore ore C CHAPTER ia X P TE R i I 1 III 1 I 1 f a ft the slippers for one instant all five of us peter and the three clerks and 1 I were paralyzed paralyze i I 1 then with one accord we plunged down the main aisle ante peter r in the lend lead when out from the law book boot alcove dashed ti alic ic tn in the long black fur cape fler eier face was ghastly her eyes ald elna ali derror dext ext second she and peter both came to a halt so BO violent that ehe nearly lost her balance stumbling heavily she clutched at a to table bl e shrieked keep it itt I 1 keep it for mel me I 1 and crashed to the floor boor in a faint peter rushed around the table to her herer Mr dibdin j gave a loud whoop tor for mr riggs and dashed toward the law book alcove at that moment tha the elevator alboth ld swo second dd lo 10 W descents descent bringing down mr case he atone at one helped carry the girata girl to 2 hl his s private I 1 snatched up my telephone andri and miss bliss wilkes then I 1 turned down the aisle e again to see if convil I 1 be of anny rip use in ln the rc acar arbut it I 1 benti bentt ion only a little way fin I 1 a hush hu th thae had succeeded he concu confusion ia with adful u wab suddenness sud denu ss jthn fan n a 1 r 4 g s were carrying cirr yang the limp ngui e of the old white bearded gentleman out of was toward me his right hand dripping with blood atliss moment ulyuss caad rushing openmouthed open mouthed down the rear gallery Y stairs full or ithe scene scene iley there watch th the chipping room door or until I 1 get if inn an amb aag ul ancel shouted frh mr air elgg to him making off to a telephone bly ulysses ss T e s obe obediently disappeared I 1 turned turne dand and hurried down the narrow right hand aisle along mon g the wall past thi the shipping i oom door toward mr cases 40 onice all ce again I 1 was where confusion f pre prey ailed filled I 1 mr case was ns not there on the threshold peter v was as fidgeting distractedly t inside the unconscious girl 1 lay a y on in an old leather lounge As I 1 darted into tf the office through which the frosty air was pouring from a window some one had netha ly y th thought ought of opening opening peter stopped ed in me e diconstance constance lie whispered that dint girl I 1 ills face was blanched hist hla hands twitching lie was the image of real fright far beyond anything I 1 could account count for badly startled myself 1 I lid did manage to grasp that fact 1 I retorted tartly tiet some water waier quick and then go awall ile he vanished closing the door I 1 ant wen westover tover acner to the girl her lint of soft arlins n ribbon had fallen off revealing chining black hair above clear cut ymell regular features of bf unusual distinction and beauty her lips liff were blue in the chilly air her cope cape was slipping to the floor and As as I 1 picked kicked it up bp to wrap ernp around her couster consternation nn halted me with her all tailored black cloth dress sanf wore word blaa blackhat sat in bedroom what whatever ver could have brought i lier her to a U tired A all ll 11 afie 6 events of that morning lashed flashed through m my y brain ulysses premonition of Pl absurd wash was ll 11 gehis cot th if once from ours law bool boo alcove of this spading personality in abse th ae strange a nd doenias ventures ju richmond with an old law u unique ue treasure aan among rig prints plate I 1 then I 1 bieard li eard murmurs outside tuo the door Pol following lowing fqy first instinct 1 I flung the cape over the hie hel liel ples girl and tucked if around her feet the door ope tied and miss appeared water and a bottle of smelling palta anit her efforts to bring the girl to proved wholly un unavailing availing ahm clanging tn the street announce announced the ambulance we summoned the surgeon after 1 6 a hasty basty examination he decided 6 would ink anbo e lie girl karl vs ns well as thi old gentleman to the so the lie ambula ambulance sped away leaving our establishment inthe in iii the limp cont ludlon illy brorn rom the succession of eltin g events detailed by alli rd dos gossiping groups stood watching a POI policeman ICeMan down stories from cyc w 1 aness es cs wit bin I 1 saw poter peter n I 1 learned that ale old gent lemans injury was a severo severd a acroca choss the right wrist arfst the odor thought that thai ot at lil his 9 advanced iago alie th e shock had at ai once overcome him preventing an outcry ile he had been unconscious some soine time when the alarm was glien given of course the fainting girl camo came in for en endless curiosity directed cli chiefly lefly tit at me but eyen even had I 1 wanted to talk I 1 know knew just two facts about her namely that peter had seen her at the richmond auction rind and that she had had bad on black satin bedroom slippers and these facts I 1 decided to suppress for the present time at least I 1 did not know who she was where she come came from f om what she had been b een d doing for an hour and a halt half in the rear of the shop hop whether she knew the old gentleman how bow ehe came to find him I 1 lost patience nt at the unceasing questions Is this tho the catechism catechis rd or what I 1 finally snapped at daisy abbott daisy sniffed in an injured man manner ner and glanced at mr dibdin who looked nt at my me as it he considered roe me very cruel and rough 1 I 1 guess we have a right to talk about what happens right before our eyes ekes especially if its awfully queer 1 sho murmured plaintively at least you heard her say eay keep it I 1 keep it for met me now Is it ridiculous to wonder what that meant I 1 had actually forgotten that cry of distress in the ensuing turm turmoil 1 daisy certainly hit me amidships and that ume time I 1 knew the answer t you must think were mind read casl beistl I 1 retorted wow now I 1 cant waste 1 rn any if more ibor i e time talking I 1 must finish that indexing thank goodness I 1 got it ne nearly 1 arl done don e before this rumpus happened I 1 I 1 sped seed down the side atile to my desk desk bilt oh ob my forkl where re was ii ltv where were tho those se beije lales of classified imp e cards ards 1 on 01 I 1 t the h floorn I 1 in the alafe v except on foak ehg t 0 d desk esk I 1 aul but aw there wa was 1 s no time for wonder wondering I 1 ng 4 aby p r open eyen for Y atlon scooping co 0 p f ug them all 11 tap bp as fast as I 1 could 1 I made for the desk only to find a note stuck be between tweed twe of I 1 my lay cefere reference nee books it if rad re ad as A S follows 1 I am ordered ordred to the rear otherwise to go this afternoon oon and buy frony from tn two ro old budles whose grandfather wa was s bishop his professional ita hrnry dibie date about 1840 ata at a reasonable figure 1 0 I 1 have one final request I 1 had bad no elmp mp this morning to tell you that mr roberts has just given nancy the position siti on he promised her she Is here therefore miss wilkes Is in charge would you add to your innumerable berie benefits fits and go sonie time or other and ezeak agreeably tomy to my ill fated sister PETER PE TEIl poor Pet erlI would do better than that I 1 resolved resolved recall recalling fg the pretty young vision with the chestnut hair whom I 1 had seen entering that morning I 1 with miss bliss I 1 d decided tn eat cat not nork i even for mr darrows darrow l ifould take nancy burton with rne me in celebration of lice hei first day in business I 1 stuffed stuff id all the cards into a drawer and aej went in search of I 1 her through wa open door of the stenographic department came miss willes Wilke 6 metallic accents in exhortation dont forget that nice dark blue serge we were nere talking about dear tomorrow dear and not more than eight lacia fes off the floor that will be all now koiv dear 1 As I 1 walked in I 1 heard the reply to tibe those observations it was a faint yet distinctly audible snort proceeding out of the straight chiseled nose belonging to the toll tall young oung lady of the short way wavy ch chestnut L tresses she sha vase waa in front of miss wilkes desk her height and slenderness slender nesa accentuated by a bright applegreen apple green frock whose straight line s ceased not A les lessa than fourteen inches from tho the floor above footgear i cord composed of f as many as three patent p aa lit leather kienth er strops straps through which peeped pale peach chiffon ft i eight stockings the large lafie blue eyes byes of the therould ud white vo collar dir as unremittingly rit at miss wilkes as aa those thos dof of a young baby the r red red mouth mout h wn wa a beautiful beautifully ay shaped and firmly closed mlis alsa greeted pie with sweet on jooma como ln in dear dar what la Is 1 ibea I beg your pardon 1 has miss bur bui ton gone 6 to 16 luncheon on eton IT 1 I dm am miss 1 burton swiftly on nn bounced th the green young lady in a clear abri shiell 11 voice transferring her unremitting gaze to my face land and I 1 was s supposed 0 o bo be goule gone to a long time age ago then wont you go with roe me my name Is constance fuller 1 I know knois till ell nebout you said nancy burton all right ill come she was n i speedy we ve were on the street in a twinkling g I 1 cast nebout fo for a diveris di diverting veril topic lets go boern to ernestos eltos estos for lunch I 1 im sure enjoy it they have such good thin things gs to 0 01 that gor and ernesto Is a famous local character ile he owns own sono one of the nicest oddest oddert houses on this island lie he not I 1 10 1 1 1 8 stumbling g heavily arlly she clutched at the table shrieked keip keep keep it for met mel only has a restaurant downstairs but he libeg in the house and reniff some floors as apartments nancy nanci nodded how do you think like your work I 1 pursued faithfully all right say she broke out suddenly I 1 scattering social amenities to the winds if you come in that minute id have murdered that woman I 1 I 1 liate hate women nomell I 1 though you she was pleased to add are nn exception do you know about my stepmother 1 I have only just heard beard of your you r fathers marriage 11 theres another woman for youl she said I 1 be respectable I 1 listen miss fuller did you know I 1 elop eloped bd I 1 know whether to laugh or cry the girl was so p retty pretty and clever looking and precocious and neglected anil and at the same time there was a wild streak of ditimer iri icher her blue eyes that both hatli aroused irous cd your mirth andrut you on conr our guard I 1 compromised with my feell feelings and smiled sympathetically lacall far T know no details whatever about your affairs my dear and it Is not necessary to tell me any if you dont want to but I 1 do dd I 1 have ha ve no one else to tell V I 1 protested nancy not to be done by del delicacy leacil out of a recital of her ex all plats apts as the rushing late luncheon crowd bore U us r down the averice avenue toward ernestos it was like this last saturday I 1 eloped with brandon tower toner ile he taught shorthand at the business college where I 1 went and he be liked mo me and I 1 did like him awfully because he was waa so polite and hand some though now f 1 hate him well 1 then father met my at ai clinich fair whore she waa di dishing shin gout out oyster stew stear and ab e thou lie looked lonely and so that was vas that I 1 sia stand d her she eho picked on mo me right t from florat allo t sald said my clothes immodest and ana look w hea chero this collar con comes es to absolutely to m my enose nose while tho other old ola cat starts at ai the other adl well satur saturday ay afternoon dran bran don doh telephoned we roe and risked mo me to go to the rink bold I 1 1 i a 1 s sor sorry but I 1 chec biad adjust just got back from and it was his first ion long g trip frio so I 1 was vias anxious to see ii him right away t of course bourge dr brandon don knew all about r reter and that li ho yas thi a rare book buyer SOT for maryowe Dar yowe because I 1 had told him mayb ii ir did sound a lit tl tie queer to isay toh I 1 vaa s aso Q anxious s to ee him peters off oil business the fr truth uth ads wb when en peter got in that morning lie he had been so ina mail cabout da about bout my step mother that lie just managed tobe to be civil and rush on out t of the house woi well they were married and it bo be helped so I 1 w wanted anted to smooth th peter down a litti little c bit if ifould I 1 could before dinner hut 1 could ni say nil all that over the telephone mid and brandon got fearfully road because I 1 go t to tho rink efin th en malvina passed roe me in tho the hall on her wil way y to ft a matinee and said she was going to tell father that I 1 talked incessantly over the telephone to boys 1 if I 1 I 1 ns tartly stop I 1 said all right I 1 will which answered both her and brandon and the minute shed gone I 1 skipped out and met him on sixth avenue and then nancy gave a skip t then hen and there clutching my arm in a excited climax he be asked me to el elope opell I 1 As aa on a faint distant beacon 0 of o hope I 1 fixed my eye eyes i on ernestos Eroe stoa now just a block down dovin the avenue one of a ro aselve row of stately gran ite pillared houses hoines built ninety years before as homes for a group of new yorkers who had be been en distinguished lor for combining money with brains normandy tir terrace race as aa the long row was still called had bad been constructed to laugh at the passage of time thou though gigone gone were ull all vestiges of any I 1 te terrace irice iona and all tho the graceful winding stoops of a bygone day sidewalk and floor space were no longer to be wasted on manhattan island and all the lower floors of the terrace h had ad been invaded by busin business esp I 1 endeavored to listen patiently to further details of nancys narrative knowing that relief was imminent peter it seemed had outa outwardly ardly borne up nobly under the shock of the news of his fathers marriage had handsomely congratulated hot both parties in fact facto r then under pretext of pressing ng business lie had bolted out ok 0 the be living r boni and an d d down ow n the liall hall I 1 toward lifa his owenj aji 0 roam io to ond nd nancy waiting f for 0 r bi him n i in the hall ball he lind ind cheered her hei doleful state pinte 4 aarom ise to cor come i ng horne hame early and t tell ell tier nil all about richmond and show her the i weirdest weir dest old bookplate in a book lie he hail had picked up there he then performed tiie the exploit of pitching his suitcase across his bed and two tables and an armchair to relieve his feelings ano and hed fled hence nancys nancy q desire to soothe him before dinner she had then co confided to brandon Mal mallinas malvinas vinas latest threat w bercu pou lie he outraged she could see by so much persecution had stopped short under the sixth avenue elevated with the romantic suggestion gest lon listen I 1 wily why dont you ou chuck it lets elope alas for peters peter s brotherly sacrifices sacrIfice st I 1 nancy flattered excited and eager to leave home borne fell promptly in with the proposal to depart for atlantic city within lin an hour where she naively im implied plied she seemed to have an ini 1 pres slon that tills this attractive attract he young oung man would marry many lier her mercifully fully at tills this point we posted passed I 1 between the clipped box trees beside |