Detective and mystery stories; Stone, Fleming (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
“Yes,” and Fibsy glanced around as if to be sure of his witnesses to
this strange confession, “you killed Sanford Embury.”
“I did. I--I--oh, I can’t--talk. You talk--”
“This is his confession,” Fibsy turned to the priest and the doctor;
“listen to it.” Then addressing himself again to Hanlon, he
resumed: “You climbed up the side of the apartment house--on the cross
street--not on Park Avenue--and you got in at Miss Ames’ window.”
“Yes,” said Hanlon, his white lips barely moving, but his eyes
showing acquiescence.
“You went straight through those two rooms--softly, not awakening
either of the ladies--and you killed Mr. Embury, and then--you returned
through the bedrooms--” Again the eyes said yes.
“And, passing through Miss Ames’ room, she stirred, and thinking
she might be awake, you stopped and leaned over her to see. There you
accidentally let fall--perhaps from your breast pocket--the little glass
dropper you had used--and as you bent over the old lady, she grabbed at
you, and felt your jersey sleeve--even bit at it--and tasted
raspberry jam. That jam got on that sleeve as you climbed up past the
Patterson’s window, where a jar of it was on the window-sill--”
“Yes--that’s right,” Hanlon breathed, and on his face was a
distinct look of admiration for the boy’s perception.
“You wore a faintly-ticking wrist-watch--the same one you’re wearing
now--and the odor of gasoline about you was from your motor-cycle. You,
then, were the ‘vision’ Miss Ames has so often described, and you
glided silently away from her bedside, and out at the window by which
you entered. Gee! it was some stunt!”
This tribute of praise was wrung from Fibsy by the sudden realization
that what he had for some time surmised was really true!
“I guess it was that jam that did for you,” he went on, “but, say,
we ain’t got no time for talkin’.”
Hanlon’s eyes were already glazing, his breath; came shorter and it
was plain to be seen the end was very near.
“Who hired you?” Fibsy flung the question at him with such force
that it seemed to rouse a last effort of the ebbing life in the dying
man and he answered, faintly but clearly:
“Alvord Hendricks--ten thousand dollars--” and then Hanlon was gone.
Reminding the priest and the doctor that they were witnesses to this
dying confession, Fibsy rushed from the room and back to New York as
fast as he could get there.
He learned by telephone that Fleming Stone was at Mrs. Embury’s, and,
pausing only to telephone for Shane to go at once to the same house,
Fibsy jumped into a taxicab and hurried up there himself.
“It’s all over,” he burst forth, as he dashed into the room where
Stone sat, talking to Eunice. Mason Elliott was there, too--indeed, he
was a frequent visitor--and Aunt Abby sat by with her knitting.
“What is?” asked Stone, looking at the boy in concern. For Fibsy was
greatly excited, his fingers worked nervously and his voice shook.
“The whole thing, Mr. Stone! Hanlon’s dead--and he killed Mr.
Embury.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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