The Lady Sleuths MEGAPACK TM(306)
CHAPTER XI
THE ORDER CLERK
A lady well known in New York society was the next person summoned. She was a friend of the Van Burnam family, and had known Howard from childhood. She had not liked his marriage; indeed, she rather participated in the family feeling against it, but when young Mrs. Van Burnam came to her house on the preceding Monday, and begged the privilege of remaining with her for one night, she had not had the heart to refuse her. Mrs. Van Burnam had therefore slept in her house on Monday night.
Questioned in regard to that lady’s appearance and manner, she answered that her guest was unnaturally cheerful, laughing much and showing a great vivacity; that she gave no reason for her good spirits, nor did she mention her own affairs in any way—rather took pains not to do so.
“How long did she stay?”
“Till the next morning.”
“And how was she dressed?”
“Just as Miss Ferguson has described.”
“Did she bring her hand-bag to your house?”
“Yes, and left it there. We found it in her room after she was gone.”
“Indeed! And how do you account for that?”
“She was preoccupied. I saw it in her cheerfulness, which was forced and not always well timed.”
“And where is that bag now?”
“Mr. Van Burnam has it. We kept it for a day and as she did not call for it, sent it down to the office on Wednesday morning.”
“Before you had heard of the murder?”
“O yes, before I had heard anything about the murder.”
“As she was your guest, you probably accompanied her to the door?”
“I did, sir.”
“Did you notice her hands? Can you say what was the color of her gloves?”
“I do not think she wore any gloves on leaving; it was very warm, and she held them in her hand. I remembered this, for I noticed the sparkle of her rings as she turned to say good-bye.”
“Ah, you saw her rings!”
“Distinctly.”
“So that when she left you she was dressed in a black and white plaid silk, had a large hat covered with flowers on her head, and wore rings?”
“Yes, sir.”
And with these words ringing in the ears of the jury, the witness sat down.
What was coming? Something important, or the Coroner would not look so satisfied, or the faces of the officials about him so expectant. I waited with great but subdued eagerness for the testimony of the next witness, who was a young man by the name of Callahan.
I don’t like young men in general. They are either over-suave and polite, as if they condescended to remember that you are elderly and that it is their duty to make you forget it, or else they are pert and shallow and disgust you with their egotism. But this young man looked sensible and business-like, and I took to him at once, though what connection he could have with this affair I could not imagine.