Quintus Oakes: A Detective StoryJackson, Charles Ross
General
Quintus Oakes: A Detective Story
Jackson, Charles Ross
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction
"There was an old maid-servant, Annie by name, and several gardeners
about. These latter, I found, were never admitted to the Mansion. My
meals were served in the dining-room, and this room was the one in which
I spent most of my time. The servants gave me but little information
regarding the mysterious doings that had so frightened their employers.
I could tell by their action that they were genuinely afraid to be alone
in the place, and they all cautioned me repeatedly. They seemed anxious
that the affair should be investigated, and said that Mr. Odell should
have had detectives at work on the mystery. It was evident they were
afraid that they would lose their positions if no one returned to live
at the Mansion soon.
"I noticed a strong under-current of contempt for Mr. Odell; they seemed
to think he was a cowardly fellow, none too anxious to remain, or he
would have investigated the affair. In fact, they behaved sometimes as
though they thought that he might have been at the bottom of the
mystery. Occasionally, Cook and his wife and Annie had stayed in the
Mansion, cleaning up, and had never seen anything unusual. Nothing had
occurred since Mr. Odell Mark had left--which certainly was peculiar.
"I could see that my true identity was not suspected. My presence seemed
to have inspired confidence in them all. I called Cook and his wife, or
Annie, into my rooms for a talk quite frequently. Nothing happened, and
I began to feel that there was exaggeration somewhere; but,
nevertheless, I moved with caution and slept in the back room over the
dining-room with the doors carefully locked. I insisted that Mr. and
Mrs. Cook sleep in the front room. The servants at first demurred, but
finally consented when I told them that if they did not do so I would
not remain, and would report unfavorably as regards the remodeling of
the Mansion. I noticed that they bolted their doors carefully every
night and kept a light burning in their room. This I knew, as its rays
shone through under their door into the hall.
"This satisfied me that they were on guard and afraid, and consequently
unaware of the real nature of the mystery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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