Natalie Sumner Lincoln

“ The poisonous lizard looked so alive that Rodgers was startled for a moment. Bending closer, he viewed its wedge-shaped head and black and yellow mottled body with deep interest.
“So that is the end of our search!” Kitty laughed ruefully. “Aunt Susan had a remarkable sense of humor.”
“Wait a bit,” exclaimed Rodgers. “Why not unlock the case?”
“If you wish—” Kitty inserted the key in the lock and pulled down the glass door of the box, and she and her companions stared silently at the monster. Suddenly, Rodgers leaned forward and picked up the plaster cast. An exclamation broke from Craige. ”

“ Rodgers rose to his feet and his eyes sought the bench where he had found the trap-door. “Come here, Miss Baird,” and he beckoned them to approach. “I opened that by accident just before Mr. Craige arrived—see.”
Kitty slipped her hand inside the cavity and drew out the key.
“I remember the trap-door,” she said. “If you press on a spring concealed in one of the boards, the door drops inward. But what does this tag mean?” and they read the words aloud:
This key unlocks the inside drawer of the highboy in the blue room on the fourth floor. ”

“ Craige leaned forward and put his arms about the weeping girl and soothed her with loving words. When she grew more composed, he rose and paced up and down the library.
“Had I not better call Mandy and let her put you to bed, Kitty?” he asked, stopping by her chair. “You can see us to-morrow when you are more composed.”
“No, wait.” Kitty sat up and attempted to smile. “I am all right, now. Is it true, as the papers said, that Aunt Susan died from poison placed on a peach she was eating?”
“If we are to believe the medical evidence, yes. ”

“ Kitty looked up quickly at sound of Rodgers’ clear voice. “Tell me, Miss Baird, have you no idea where the peaches came from?”
“Not the slightest,” she shook her head. “I am positive there were no peaches in the house when I left here Sunday afternoon. They are very expensive at this season of the year and,” with downright frankness, “we could not afford to buy them, although Aunt Susan was inordinately fond of them.”
“Some one must have sent the peaches who was aware of your aunt’s liking for the fruit,” Craige remarked thoughtfully. ”

“ Craige shook his head, unsatisfied. “Mandy is an ignorant colored woman, old at that,” he remarked. “You must have companionship—woman’s companionship of your own class. Why not ask Cecilia Parsons?”
“Oh, I would not think of asking her,” Kitty objected quickly. “She is so—so sensitive, so—” hunting about for the proper word. “Oh, the house, all this—would get frightfully on her nerves.”
At mention of Mrs. Parsons’ name, Rodgers glanced from one to the other, finally letting his gaze rest on the lawyer’s kindly, clever face. ”

“ You look so utterly weary.”
“I am stronger than I appear.” Kitty passed her hand across her eyes. “I could see no object in waiting. Coroner Penfield suggested that we have simple funeral ceremonies immediately after the inquest. I tried to get word to you, but failed. It was but prolonging the agony to wait—” with a catch in her throat, “there was nothing to be gained by waiting. It would not bring her back. Oh, poor Aunt Susan!” And bowing her head Kitty gave vent to the tears she had held back for many, many hours.
Rodgers watched her in unhappy silence. ”

“ It was a housebreaker—a common, ordinary housebreaker.”
“It may have been a housebreaker,” agreed Rodgers, soothingly. “But it was one with the knowledge that the flavor of a peach would disguise the taste of prussic acid.”
“Kitty,” Craige spoke with deep seriousness. “You must realize that this murder of your aunt was a deliberately planned crime. Burglars don’t go around carrying bottles of prussic acid in their pockets. ”

“ Closing the front door and putting up the night latch with much jingling, Mandy led Rodgers down the hall to the entrance of the library.
“The lamps am lighted in hyar,” she said by way of explanation. “Ole Miss never used to let Miss Kitty have a light in de odder rooms on dis flo’, cept when Oscar was a-servin’ dinner. An’ we all got so we jes’ never thought o’ carryin’ a lamp into de parlor. Make yo’self comfortable, Sah, I’ll tell Miss Kitty an’ she’ll be down terec’ly.” ”

“ And the inquest had brought out what?—that Miss Susan Baird had come to her death through poison administered by a party or parties unknown. It had also disclosed the fact that the last person to see Miss Susan alive was Kitty Baird, and Oscar had testified that aunt and niece had quarreled that fatal Sunday afternoon—over Major Leigh Wallace. Rodgers whitened at the thought. Were Kitty and Wallace really engaged, as he had been given to understand by no less a person than Ben Potter? If so, he cut a sorry figure dancing attendance upon Kitty. She had grown to be all in all to him. ”

“ Forgetful of the passing time, he wandered about examining with keen attention the fine oil paintings of dead and gone Bairds, the camels’ hair shawls which had been converted into portières, the Persian rugs on the hardwood floor. ”