Anthony Melville Rud

“ Masters' tone held a hint of sarcasm. “Everyone dies of that dread disease, I'm afraid. What made his heart fail? Did they state?”
“No. I think that they were a little loath to go into the matter as thoroughly as a city inquest would have done.” Crosby smiled grimly. “You see, we lived in what is practically a rural community, and whatever a Braithwaite has done in the past has been considered au fait—even when it comes to dying mysteriously.”
Masters frowned. “Well, how about the others? Did they all die playing golf?” ”

“ I got pretty well acquainted with the heads of the concerns, however, so after I had been thinking of this case for a moment, the coincidence in names furnished me with a clue.”
“But how—I don't understand how the law of averages came in,” said Crosby slowly.
“Well, I can't understand how LePape failed to get it,” returned Masters, smiling. “If one person in a house dies peculiarly—has his face turn blue and seeks the outside air, and goes off in convulsions—natural causes might possibly get the blame; that is, of course, always supposing the natural cause is established. ”

“ Reaching his hand into the space made, he drew out a flask which contained a little white powder and metal scrapings, and then followed it with an ordinary teacup and a flask of yellow liquid which seemed to have been set above the flask in the teacup. “It hadn't started to freeze yet,” commented Masters.
“What's that?” asked Crosby, eyeing the strange apparatus with horror.
“That's your 'October Blight,'“ replied Masters grimly. “Nothing in the world but arsine!”
“What is arsine?” I asked, pardonably curious.
“The most deadly gas in the world. ”

“ Braithwaite also, despite her screaming and anathema.
“Now help me here, Bert,” directed Masters, indicating our captives' feet. I seized Braithwaite's bound legs, and then helped Masters carry him over and place him on the bed. His wife was also placed beside him; this operation stilled all her cries. I saw ghastly terror replace all the pseudo anger on her unpleasant countenance.
“Come in and have chairs,” invited Masters pleasantly, motioning to Hal and Crosby. He took a seat himself as did I. “Don't get near the bed; there is a real reason to keep away.” ”

“ Crosby's face lighted up with pleasure, and he made for the telephone.
“While he's doing that, you run down to Mangan Hills observatory and find out whether by any happy chance there is a cold wave coming within a day or two, and also get the temperature records hour by hour, for all the days in each October for the past five years.”
I bowed my complete understanding of the orders if not of the reasons for them, and started for Crosby's car.
“Get back as quickly as possible,” admonished Masters. “We're servants when anyone arrives, you understand.” ”

“ Masters was not in the mood for sitting down; as soon as Crosby arose, the detective nodded to him. “Let me have a small hatchet and show me the three rooms that have been occupied by your father, brothers and Esther Stearns,” he said. “While I am looking around, you and Hoffman sit in there and get warm. I'll call you if I need you.”
Crosby bustled out and procured the required article, handed it over, and then led the way back, pointing out the rooms as he did so. I had not been invited, so I remained beside the fire. In a moment Crosby rejoined me. “Unsociable devil, isn't he?” ”

“ I would have pitied the woman except for her evident guilt—and my smarting left hand.
“Yes, I have reason to believe that neither of you would care much to remain just as you are many hours—you know, it's going to freeze hard tonight!”
“He's got us, Tom! He's got us!” ”

“ It's the ghastly stuff the Germans used at Armentieres. Its formula is simply AsH3; one good whiff of it kills a man in from six hours to six days, depending on the size of the whiff and the man's constitution. There is no known antidote.” Masters turned suddenly to his captive. “Where'd you get the idea?” he asked. “Was the Lefevre Can Company really shipping through Sweden all of the time?”
“None of your business!” growled Braithwaite savagely through his set teeth.
“Oh, but it is my business!” retorted Masters. “I think that they'll bear investigating. ”

“ He turned and stepped to the door−way of the room. “You just see that nothing happens that might aid these people to escape, Mr. Hal,” he said to the young chap who had been sitting like one stupefied, gazing in wide−eyed horror at the apparatus Masters held carelessly in his hands. The detective indicated the little revolver which had belonged to Mrs. Braithwaite, and Hal seized this feverishly.
“Now you call up the station at Mangan Hills and have a wagon call for our guests, Crosby,” directed Masters. Crosby hastened to comply, while Masters and I walked into the front of the house again. ”

“ The reason I never could swallow it all was that Tim was a good and a careful driver, and besides, his face looked bluish, just the way Dad's had looked!”
“Might have been caused by the rupture of blood vessels,” commented Masters.
“Yes, I suppose so.” Braithwaite's voice was heavy with disappointment. “I took the doctor's say−so then.”
“Dr. Watry?”
“Yes. Why, do you suspect him?” Masters shook his head indifferently.
“No,” he said, “I've run across Watry before—that is, if it's Charles Watry of Phelps.”
“It is.”
“And I just am disappointed; I don't credit him with much intelligence. Go on.” ”

“ I need dwell little upon my trip to Mangan Hills. Suffice it to say that I obtained the desired records and returned in time to put on a greasy old dress−suit that Crosby had unearthed from some part of the wardrobe of his old staff of servants.
“You're to be door−man, Masters says,” Crosby informed me. “You can put on all the dog you wish.”
“Thanks!” I said dryly. “What is Masters going to do?”
“He has elected himself gardener. I believe he is out now with an old ladder, trimming the vines. He has a Mrs. Jessup coming up here in an hour. She's going to cook our meals ”

“ Then only remained the apparatus used and the manner of its placing. Clockwork first occurred to me, but I dismissed it even before we arrived out here; clocks won't run from August to October without stopping. ”