Tangled Trails eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 271 pages of information about Tangled Trails.

Tangled Trails eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 271 pages of information about Tangled Trails.

“Was it light enough to tell who they were?” James asked.  His cold eyes did not lift from hers until she answered.

“No.  It was entirely dark.  The woman was on the other side of the man.  I wouldn’t have been sure she was a woman except for the rustle of her skirts and the perfume.”

“Sure it wasn’t the perfume you use yourself that you smelled?”

“I don’t use any.”

“You stick to it that you met a man and a woman, but couldn’t possibly recognize either of them,” James Cunningham said, still looking straight at her.

She hesitated an instant.  Somehow she did not quite like the way he put this.  “Yes,” she said steadily.

“You didn’t take the elevator up, then?”

“No.  I’m not used to automatic elevators.  I rang when I got to the door.  Nobody answered, but the door was wide open.  I rang again, then went in and switched on the light.  There didn’t seem to be anybody in.  I didn’t feel right about it.  I wanted to go.  But I wouldn’t because I thought maybe he—­your uncle—­was trying to dodge me.  I looked into the bedroom.  He wasn’t there.  So after a little I went to a door into another room that was shut and knocked on it.  I don’t know why I opened it when no answer came.  Something seemed to move my hand to the knob.  I switched the light on there.”

“Yes?” James asked, gently.

The girl gulped.  She made a weak, small gesture with her hand, as though to push from her mind the horrible sight her eyes had looked upon.  “He was dead, in the chair, tied to it.  I think I screamed.  I’m not sure.  But I switched off the light and shut the door.  My knees were weak, and I felt awf’lly queer in the head.  I was crazy to get away from the place, but I couldn’t seem to have the power to move.  I leaned against the door, weak and limp as a small puppy.  Then I heard some one comin’ up the stairs, and I knew I mustn’t be caught there.  I switched off the lights just as some one came to the landing outside.”

“Who was it?  Did he come in?” asked Jack.

“He rang and knocked two or three times.  Then he came in.  I was standing by the table with my hand on some kind of heavy metal paperweight.  His hand was groping for the light switch.  I could tell that.  He must have heard me, for he called out, ‘Who’s there?’ In the darkness there I was horribly frightened.  He might be the murderer come back.  If not, of course he’d think I had done it.  So I tried to slip by him.  He jumped at me and caught me by the hand.  I pulled away from him and hit hard at his face.  The paper-weight was still in my hand and he went down just as though a hammer had hit him.  I ran out of the room, downstairs, and out into the street.”

“Without meeting anybody?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t know who it was you struck?”

“Unless it was Kirby.”

“Jove!  That explains the bruise on his chin,” Jack cried out.  “Why didn’t he tell us that?”

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Tangled Trails from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.