Gordon Young

“ Judge Douglas pushed him aside with:
“No, John. Not this time—you can’t defend him. There is no doubt and not the trace of a robber. Imagine a burglar telling Grant the combination to the safe. It is not even a clever story.”
“Grant!” John exclaimed. “I don’t believe it. Father, he couldn’t—he simply couldn’t. And yet—oh, Grant!”
Grant felt like a brute for not feeling that John was sincere; but it was expecting the unnatural for a man of John’s money-loving nature not to be pleasantly aware that his inheritance was being doubled though the family honor was being smirched. ”

“ The fall of the vase had been heard.
Grant opened the door—
“Quick—a robber—he went that way,” Grant cried and pointed.
There was a start for the door, but he said that it was locked; some stopped, but others went and tried the door.
Among those who stood near Grant listening closely to him were Frances Wyck and his father. There was the usual babble and flurry of excitement. Some women felt it was a good chance to get special attention, by being hysterical; men talked excitedly and a few hurried out as if in search of the robber, but more likely to be the first to carry the news. ”

“ John cried. “You were in his room. You are——”
Grant jumped forward with upraised fist. Before John could move or the officers raise a hand, Frances had caught his wrist:
“Be quiet, Grant. Don’t you see that he is confessing in every word that he says!”
Then the door opened and the doctor came in slowly. He was a big man with a deep voice and a slow emphatic manner. He looked from one to the other and addressing John said:
“Judge Douglas is in a very serious condition. He may not die; but I fear for him as he is using up what little strength he has to make a statement. ”

“ Frances continued, “there must be some other reason some place. The man who brought those things to Grant was not his friend.”
“You did not see him!” John cried. “You said——”
“No—I saw only his dressing gown. I am a woman—a woman never forgets details of a garment. Colors are indicative of character. This one was covered with black dots. I saw it again in Judge Douglas’ room—and there I saw the man’s face too, though he was kneeling!”
“Who? Who? For God’s sake, who?” Grant cried.
The two detectives leaned forward breathlessly. ”

“ John replied. He knew the impulsiveness of his father, perhaps even better than Grant.
“Never, my boy! Never. Gambler—liar—thief. Stranger!”
It was nearing eleven o’clock as Grant went out and he turned up the stairs hurriedly, anxious to avoid every one and be by himself; but at the top of the stairs he met Frances Wyck.
He spoke and started by, but she caught his arm, saying—
“I have waited for you, Grant.”
“You too want the truth,” he said bitterly. “Well, then, I am a thief. I turned the vase over by accident and imagined the masked man.” ”

“ Grant arose, reached to the table and jerked the cord of the reading-lamp, at the same time looking over his shoulder and into the muzzle of an ivory-handled revolver, behind which crouched a man in evening dress; his hair had been hastily rumpled and a white handkerchief was tied around his face clear to the eyes.
“I say——” Grant began.
“Shut up!” The voice was low, hoarse, disguised.
The light was indistinct outside of the brilliant glow immediately under the lamp. Most men look alike in dress suits. ”

“ The robber was clever. It kept Judge Douglas from suspecting—say, any of the guests.”
“But Miss Wyck—the stolen will—my father—where else is the motive except——” he indicated Grant.
“That’s true, perhaps,” said Frances. “But Grant did not leave his room. I was there with him.”
“You—in Grant’s room!” John was shocked. “Miss Wyck, though you are a detective—it—you are a woman.”
“Yes. For that reason I did not let him know I was there.”
“He didn’t know—really Miss Wyck——”
“Yes, really, Mr. Douglas. I was behind a closet door. I had to stay there. I am a woman, you know.” ”

“ Other people had not seemed to notice it, in fact she did not seem to show much of that manner when talking with other people.
“I love to gamble,” she dropped her voice. “I can understand—I really can—why people do crime. The excitement—it is the same as gambling.”
“Nothing so romantic,” he said. “I never knew anybody to gamble to lose. A man takes any chance to win.”
“Even turn burglar?” the question slipped smoothly from her lips, but with such a significant glance and intonation that Grant flushed. ”

“ Judge Grant was greatly admired as men are likely to be when they overcome the fault of temper by frank apology and great generosity. His daughter had fainted and was being supported by friends who scarcely knew what to do.
After the first glance about the room, particularly at the two sons, Frances asked if the doctor had been called. He had. The police? They, too.
The doctor arrived first and at once cleared the room of all who were not relatives.
⁠WHEN the two plain-clothes men arrived, John was sent for. He took them into the library, closing the door. ”