Detective and mystery stories; Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction; Nurses -- Fiction; Washington (D.C.) Region -- Fiction
Miriam drew in a long breath. "You may be right, Doctor," she admitted.
"I'll get into my uniform after dinner."
It was a somber, silent group that drove in the Rolls-Royce from
the country cemetery to Guy Trenholm's bungalow five miles distant
from Upper Marlboro. Pierre followed the sheriff's directions as to
crossroads with indifferent success and Betty finally complained of the
rough going and frequent turns.
Trenholm lifted the speaking tube as they approached a white gate which
opened on a roadway to a picturesque building partly concealed from the
road by a number of trees.
"Stop here, Pierre," he directed, then turned to the silent man by his
side. "I am greatly obliged to you, Doctor Nash, for giving me this
lift. Good evening," and he sprang out of the car before the chauffeur
had brought it to a full stop. Not pausing to exchange a word with Alan
or Betty, aside from a wave of his hat, he strode across the turf. As
he reached his front door he thrust his hand inside his overcoat pocket
for his bunch of keys and pulled them out, and with them a folded piece
of paper.
Trenholm stared at the paper as he thrust the key in his front door,
and before turning it in the lock, paused to unfold the note. The few
lines it bore were unsigned and in an unknown handwriting:
Let him who hopes to solve the mystery of Paul Abbott's death find the
lost Paltoff jewel.
Trenholm's expression was as blank as the other side of the paper. It
was unaddressed. He reread the note a number of times, then entered his
bungalow. The telephone was in the room he used as library and sitting
room. Hardly noticing the police dogs that fawned upon him at his
entrance, he sat down before the telephone and quickly got his number.
"Hello, constable," he called. "This is Trenholm speaking. Station
a guard over the vault where Abbott lies. What's that?--Oh, just a
precaution, that's all. Good night!" and he hung up the receiver.
Taking out his pipe and tobacco pouch, he stretched his long legs under
the table and sat back, the note in his hand.
"Which one of them," he mused, unaware that he spoke aloud, "slipped
this note in my overcoat pocket?"
CHAPTER XII
THE HUMAN EYE
PABLO, Trenholm's Filipino servant, brought the after-dinner coffee
into the library and withdrew with the swiftness and silence which
characterized his movements.
"Excellent coffee," commented Roberts. He relaxed lazily against the
cushioned sides of the big leather chair in which he was sitting and
stretched his tired muscles. "It's strong and black. Better have some,
Alan."
But Alan Mason declined. "I am too jumpy now," he admitted. "Where the
deuce is Trenholm?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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