Short stories; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
“Nevertheless ...” Lute left her thought unspoken.
Mrs. Grantly had become keen on the scent. “What was that about this
afternoon? Was your life in danger?”
Chris’s drowsiness had disappeared. “I’m becoming interested myself,”
he acknowledged. “We haven’t said anything about it. Ban broke his back
this afternoon. He threw himself off the bank, and I ran the risk of
being caught underneath.”
“I wonder, I wonder,” Mrs. Grantly communed aloud. “There is something
in this.... It is a warning.... Ah! You were hurt yesterday riding Miss
Story’s horse! That makes the two attempts!”
She looked triumphantly at them. Planchette had been vindicated.
“Nonsense,” laughed Uncle Robert, but with a slight hint of irritation
in his manner. “Such things do not happen these days. This is the
twentieth century, my dear madam. The thing, at the very latest, smacks
of mediaevalism.”
“I have had such wonderful tests with Planchette,” Mrs. Grantly began,
then broke off suddenly to go to the table and place her hand on the
board.
“Who are you?” she asked. “What is your name?”
The board immediately began to write. By this time all heads, with the
exception of Mr. Barton’s, were bent over the table and following the
pencil.
“It’s Dick,” Aunt Mildred cried, a note of the mildly hysterical in her
voice.
Her husband straightened up, his face for the first time grave.
“It’s Dick’s signature,” he said. “I’d know his fist in a thousand.”
“‘Dick Curtis,’” Mrs. Grantly read aloud. “Who is Dick Curtis?”
“By Jove, that’s remarkable!” Mr. Barton broke in. “The handwriting in
both instances is the same. Clever, I should say, really clever,” he
added admiringly.
“Let me see,” Uncle Robert demanded, taking the paper and examining it.
“Yes, it is Dick’s handwriting.”
“But who is Dick?” Mrs. Grantly insisted. “Who is this Dick Curtis?”
“Dick Curtis, why, he was Captain Richard Curtis,” Uncle Robert
answered.
“He was Lute’s father,” Aunt Mildred supplemented. “Lute took our name.
She never saw him. He died when she was a few weeks old. He was my
brother.”
“Remarkable, most remarkable.” Mrs. Grantly was revolving the message
in her mind. “There were two attempts on Mr. Dunbar’s life. The
subconscious mind cannot explain that, for none of us knew of the
accident to-day.”
“I knew,” Chris answered, “and it was I that operated Planchette. The
explanation is simple.”
“But the handwriting,” interposed Mr. Barton. “What you wrote and what
Mrs. Grantly wrote are identical.”
Chris bent over and compared the handwriting.
“Besides,” Mrs. Grantly cried, “Mr. Story recognizes the handwriting.”
She looked at him for verification.
He nodded his head. “Yes, it is Dick’s fist. I’ll swear to that.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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