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Show I The Mystery Harfey Houase By CLIFFORD S. RAYMOND j Illustrated by IRWIN MYERS fi Copyright by George H. Doran Co. BLACKMAIL. Synopsis. Dr. John Miuhelson, just bc-'inninLj his career, becomes resident physician and companion of Homer Kidney at Hartley house. Mr. Sidney is an American, a semi-invalid, semi-invalid, old and rich and very desirous de-sirous to live. Mrs. Sidney is a Spanish woman, dignified and reticent. reti-cent. Jed, the butler, acts like a privileged member of the family. The family has come from Montevideo, Monte-video, South America, Hartley house is a fine old isolated country place, with a murder story, . a "haunted pool," and many watchdogs, watch-dogs, and an atmosphere of mystery. mys-tery. The "haunted pool" Is where Richa'rd Dobson, son of a former owner of Hartley house, had killed his brother, Arthur Dobson. Jed begins operations by locking the doctor In his room the very first night. Doctor John fixes his door so he can't be locked in. He meets Isobel, daughter of the house, and falls in love at first sight. In the night he finds the butler drunk and holding Mrs. Sidney by the wrist. He interferes. Mrs. Sidney makes light of it. John buys a revolver. John overhears Jed telling Mrs. Sidney he will have his way. In reply she says she will not hesitate to kill him. Mrs. Sidney asks John to consent to the announcement of his engagement to Isobel. The ' young people consent to the make-believe make-believe engagement. Later they find it is to head off Jed, who would marry Isobel. Jed tries to kill John, but the matter is smoothed over. John, though "engaged" "en-gaged" to Isobel. conceals his love. Mr. Sidney visits a nearby prison and has Dobson, the murderer, pointed out. Jed tells the story of the Dobson murder. The family go to South America for the winter. John is left at home, but the "engagement" "en-gagement" is not broken. John hears the story of a tragedy "that might have happened in Montevideo." Monte-video." The family returns. A mysterious Spanish sailor appears. Jed recognizes him and wants to kill him. The sailor plays burglar. Mr. Brown, "attorney" for the a!lor, calls on John. - . -r- CHAPTER VI II Continued. 9 "Where was that?" I asked. The little man pulled at his coat cult's and smiled again. "My client being Spanish and Mr. Sidney having lived many years in Montevideo, it might be assumed that it was there," he said. "It was there, and my client came into possession of a document by dishonest means, I suspect of which he now retains only one page. I wish to leave a copy of this page with you. and later to find out to what extent it interests Air. Sidney." "You mean to find out if he will submit toblackmail," I said. "I anticipated your remark," he said. 'I look at the matter differently. If Mr. Sidney has something to conceal, we shall be glad to help him to conceal con-ceal it. I will leave a copy of the page from the document with you, and with your permission will see you later." He handed me a long envelope and with a how asked to he shown to the door. Jed. not suspecting that the little man had any connection with the sailor, showed him out. I went to my room to examine the paper which had been left with me. It was accompanied by an explanatory statement by "Attorney I'liiletus M. Brown." I will give tbe explanatory statement first. "Memoranda for Dr. Michelson : The accompanying typewritten sheet Is a part of a document stolen from Mr. Sidney in Montevideo ten years ago by Alejandro Dravada. then a servant in the capacity of porter. Dravada Dra-vada preserves the original, of which I have had several typewritten copies made. Dravada had the complete document doc-ument in his hands, but only for a short while. He had discovered, in the course of several years' service under Mr. Sidney in Montevideo that a strong box in Mr. Sidney's room was particularly guarded. He supposed sup-posed it contained jewels. He is. I should judge, a person of small moral character and great cupidity. He determined de-termined to steal the box, hoping that its contents would enable him to tret married and set himself up in a small business. "He succeeded in getting the box,: by entering Mr. Sidney's room, but before be-fore lie could make his escape he was unfortunate enough to he discovered by another servant, known to you as led. Jed leveled a revolver at my client and made him surrender the box. , "I can only conjecture here frequently fre-quently this case has caused me to conjecture; but I (link that the man Jed, although he k lew something valuable val-uable was contained in the box, tin night, as did my Spanish client, that it was personal property; and. unlike ! my client, be was not careless of prnp-i prnp-i crly rights. This conjecture may not interest you, but I imagine you asking: ask-ing: 'Why did not Jed steal the box j ho afterward took from my client?' ! it was, I think, because the man Jed 1 wa by nature honest, and it was only I ivhen his inhibitions had been broken ' down by the sight of another man committing com-mitting a crime which had been easier for him to commit, that he lost control tjf his morals. "The man Jed took the box. My ell-tut ell-tut .-lespcrule at finding himself robbed of his loot, armed himself immediately im-mediately and broke into Jed's room shortly thereafter. He found Jed disconsolately dis-consolately looking at a mass of papers, pa-pers, which was all the supposed jewel casket contained. "In this disappointing occupation Jed was aroused by the stealthy entrance en-trance of my client through a window, win-dow, but there was no conflict. Jed pointed to Ihe papers and laughed. My client was shrewd enough to read Jed's emotions. He knew that the treasure trove had proved a swap hub-hie. hub-hie. He is a man of violent temper. In his double disappointment lie sprang at Jed. stabbed him in the shoulder, seized the papers, scattered I hem about the room and jumped out of the window. "If this had been all, I should Have no client in this case. But in his rage Dravada, when he was throwing the papers about had unconsciously retained re-tained one sheet in his clenched fist. He found it in his fist when he came out of his senseless and inordinate rage later; and then, his natural cupidity cu-pidity and cunning reasserted, he realized real-ized that something was being guarded guard-ed in the box; that something being only papers, It must follow that the papers were valuable. He reproached himself that his anger had defeated bis judgment when it was possible, for him to take the entire contents of the box. He did not dare go back ; he had stabbed Jed ; the house might be alarmed. He had only a single sheet of the guarded ' manuscript. It is a copy of that sheet which you find here. "I said I would give you my conjectures. conjec-tures. You will ask first why I am so candid in committing to writing a communication of this nature. It is because: first, I prefer to write it, owing to a physical timidity in conversation con-versation ; and second, but equally important, im-portant, because I know the last thing Mr. Sidney or any true friend of Mr. Sidney's, desires is to have the story, of which this is a page, made public. "I do not know what this story is, but I know who does know what it is. That person is the man Jed now, as before, a servant of Mr. Sidney. I have made sufficient inquiry as to the position of Jed in the household of Mr. Sidney to know that he retains the manuscript found in tbe box, or if he does not retain it, knows its contents. con-tents. "The visit of Mr. Sidney and his family to Montevideo this winter betrayed be-trayed Jed's whereabouts to Dravada. He came north after they bad sailed. His cupidity has determination. 1 think your man Jed appreciates that. I think from what Dravada has told me, in his simple boasting fashion, that Jed was dismayed to see him again in Montevideo. "My client's first impulse, having followed fol-lowed Jed to the United States, was to get at this secret by force or theft, but be sees the physical difficulties in tbe way; and being, except in his violent vio-lent moments', a reasonable man, he has had recourse to an attorney to obtain such settlement as his knowledge knowl-edge may he worth. "I do not wish to defend my course in the matter. I suggest merely that Mr. Sidney and all concerned will fare the better for having a man of consideration con-sideration and discretion, such as I (latter myself I am, intervening between be-tween them and a man of the moral complexion indicated by my client. I shall be at your disposal, doctor, within with-in any reasonable time. I leave it to your judgment to handle the matter within Hartley house." The copy of manuscript which accompanied ac-companied the letter was as follows: "... would be fatal to the success suc-cess of what I have done and intend to do if this confession were lo be found. It might he asked, then, why expose myself and my happiness to the chance of discovery of things which I may lock forever by simply forgetting. It is sufficient answer to that question to admit that for me I could not be content unless it were certain that what I have done should he known. I want the record of it known. It increases my satisfaction to know that I shall cause moralists to be indignant. I want to lie known as a criminal. I want my crime to lie talked about. I want It remembered. That Isthc savor of my life. It would be impossible for me lo obtain a sufficient satisfaction unless I made it possible for the story of a crime to lie known some time. So long as I live. I shall need and seek concealment; conceal-ment; but I should not be happy unless un-less I could anticipate disclosure. My crime ..." That was all. Several persons two at least; Dravada Dra-vada and Attorney Drown knew as much as I had rend. Three persons, In the house, Mr. Sidney, Mrs. Sidney and Jed. knew the story completely. It was tills knowledge which had given Jed his control in the bouse, Mrs. Sidney her unhnppinoss and Mr. Sidney Sid-ney some of his pleasures. The search for a solvent of the Hartley Hart-ley house mysteries was insistent. Al-cott's Al-cott's incidental remark came hack to me: "Tt might have been Montevideo." I felt uncomfortable to recall this, ashamed and abashed, as If In recalling re-calling it I had done something to lower low-er myself In my self-respect. I had to go to Mrs. Sidney with the information and insinuations Attorney ITiiletus M. Brown had given me. My desire wa9 to protect her from precisely this kind of trouble; my necessity was to carry the trouble to her. I had to know how to act. By way of preliminary I toTd her of the three appearances of the Spaniard and then of the appearances of the lawyer. When I offered her the sheet of paper containing a transcript of a page of Mr. Sidney's diary, her hands trembled, but she took the sheet resolutely. reso-lutely. She was greatly alarmed but regained her composure. Siie rend the page hurriedly and then more carefully and, it seemed, with relief. ' "I have to deal with these men." I said, "and I must know how to do it. They can he dealt with by criminal law If there is no reason why protection protec-tion should not be sought in that fash-Ion." fash-Ion." , "There Is," said Mrs. Sidney, "and I cannot tell you tbe reason." , "You know that I do not ask for it," I said. "You know there is something very strange about liis house?" "That was evident in twenty-four hours," I said, "hut it means nothing to me. I am not curious. I merely want to know how to deal with these men." "It is not a lack of confidence In vim that keeps me from telling what is wrng here." said Mrs. Sidney. "It would be a relief to do so. It has been hard to stand it all alone, John." . I was glad, for the first time consciously, con-sciously, that my name was John. It had an honest, straightforward sound, suggesting the plain, honest dealing that might be needed in this house. "The reason I do not tell you, John," said Mrs. Sidney, "is because I would not have another conscience distressed. You could never again be really happy "The Only Reason I Do Not Tell What the Manuscript Contains Is Because I Value Your Peace of Mind." if you knew the story of which this sheet is a page. You could not do me any good if you knew it. You would only torment yourself." "So much for that." I said. "I take your judgmejit. But how am I to deal with these fellows?" Mrs. Sidney hesitated. "I don't know," she said. "I'm sure I don't know." "Do you know a man named Dravada?" Dra-vada?" I asked. "Did you know lilm when you lived in Montevideo? Can you loll me anything about him without with-out telling something that you do not want to?" "I can tell you about Dravada," said Mrs. Sidney. "Mr. Sidney was bead of a shipping firm. Dravada bad been a sailor. He had come to be a porter or stevedore about the docks. U'e needed a porter at home, and Mr. Sidney Sid-ney brought (his man from the docks to fill the position. He was a docile creature, very .strong and useful, and never annoying. . . . Now' I will tell you as much as I possibly can without doing you a great injustice. "We had lived in Montevideo fifteen years when Jed came to us. He has been with us ever since. Mr. Sidney began writing the manuscript, of which this is a copy of one sheet, tbe year Jed came. "The only reason 1 do not tell what the manuscript contains is because I value your peace of mind. I know from my own experience that your conscience never would be at rest if you had full knowledge, and yet you would he entirely helpless. So out of consideration for you I shall not tell you more than I nave to. "Mr. Sidney never has bad the slightest slight-est scruple as to what be has done; he rejoices in it. You have spoken of his will to live; what I am holding back from you would explain it. lie says In this page of his manuscript which you have seen that it perfects his satisfaction to leave a record of his crime. I know (hat It does. I understand un-derstand that he had to have it known after his death that he bad done what he had. "Jed's family name Is Arliss. He was a sailor on a British ship which sailed from Montevideo to Liverpool, and he became tired of sea work. Mr. Sidney had seen him about the wharf and had been attracted to him. They had talked enough for Mr. Sidney to learn of Jed's ambition for a comfortable comfort-able life on shore. Mr. Sidney gave him tbe chance to realize it in our house. "Jed, after he was taken into the house, found that Mr. Sidney used great precautions with something which he locked in a box. When Dravada Dra-vada came, he also saw the box which Mr. Sidney seemed to guard .so carefully. care-fully. Dravada decided to steal whatever what-ever was in the box. Jed found him in the act. They fought, but Jed retained re-tained tbe contents Sir. Sidney's manuscript." man-uscript." "Then Jed knows the secret?" 1 asked. "He does." , "And Dravada does not?" "He cannot know any more than you know from reading this one sheet from the manuscript." "Where is the manuscript?" - "Jed has it." "Does Mr. Sidney know that?" "Not yet. You have been wondering at Jed's control in the house. He has the manuscript, and he knows the story which for your own sake I would not have you know. He presumes upon his knowledge." "But doesn't Mr. Sidney ever wanl to see the manuscript he sets such store by?" I asked. "No. He wants to know it is in his strong box. If lie ever finds that it is not, we shall have to meet the situation situ-ation somehow. God knows how." "Then this sailor and this blackmailing blackmail-ing lawyer know no more than I know now?" "No more, so far as I am aware." Brown, the lawyer, came to Hartley house the next day to see me. I think he regarded his plan of blackmail as irresistiblt. 1 wonder that he did not have an express wagon and a large chest with him. He was amiable and expectant. "You have decided?'' he said as Jed, having brought him to me on the porch, went away. He had his cane and his gloves and his nap-worn suit. "You get nothing," I said, "and may act upon that information." The disappointment was unpleasant to him. If I wanted to dramatize the effect, I'd say it was catastrophic. He sat down suddenly in the nearest wicker wick-er chair, and his face became ugly iE appearance. "You must know, doctor," he said, "that I am nerved to the performance of my duty by the thought of a wife and two daughters for whom I have provided indifferently. I will not say that their situation is desperate, bul it may make me desperate. I feel that we have a claim here which might easily eas-ily be adjusted." "You use a number of euphemisms for blackmail," I said, "and none oj them conceals your meaning. If youi wife and daughters are in need, you might approach Mrs. Sidney as the almoner of Mr. Sidney's charities That, at least, would be an honest statement of your case, and it might be effective." He brightened at once. "I thank you for a lesson in, procedure," proced-ure," he said. "We shall consider it upon audi an understanding." I saw the mistake I had made. "I assure you," I said, "you may consider con-sider nothing upon the terms, you wish to have considered in this house. Your attempt at blackmail is so unconsidered unconsid-ered l bat you may go shriek to the world or to the prosecuting attorney. The family is not int-jrested in you or your client." The shabby little fellow seemed, to get blue-nosed and blue-lipped in disappointment. dis-appointment. "I am sure you cannot have considered consid-ered your interests.-' he said. "Mr. and Mrs. Sidney certainly do not want a scandal." "Certainly not. How are they threatened threat-ened with one?" "But the manuscript indicates one." "Does it? I have read it, aud I knew nothing. You have read it. What do you know?" "I can read English," he said with spirit. "I read in Mr. Sidney's handwriting hand-writing that be bad committed a crime and'lliat lie was committing an indiscretion indis-cretion in 'putting the account on paper." Jed falls into the hands of his enemies. 1 1 u lijr: co.tl u I'.u.) |