The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-26
PRIZE DETECTIVE STORIES. No. 81.

finally assumed that dead he must be.
And since his disappearance (or DEATH
happened to occur at the very period when
that mortgage OF Coryin's would natu-
rally have been foreclosed; and since no
trace OF deed or mortgage, or anything
else referring to the affairs with Corvln
was discovered among his papers; ana
(finally) since the last time he was seen
alive was the evening he left home,
after telling Nancy that he was going
down TO have chat with Corvin-why,
people were free 10 form their own opin-
ions and they did so. But II their opinions
had any sinister significance-if, for exam
pie they leant toward connecting the
vanished mans fate with the fact that
Corvin was thereby relieved OF the ne
cessity OF losing most OF his worldly pos
sessions-nothing over came OF them; be-
cause nothing ever transpired to indicate
that Corvin knew of or had hand In the
taking off of his creditor. On the con-
trary, he was quite active In scare hipg for
him. But Matthew had gone out of sight
like soap-bubble, leaving not trace
behind him.
Hitherto you will have observed that
there has been good deal OF chronology
and genealogy. But there is no need of
punctually remem bering them. They
were introduced merely to provide back
ground and an atmosphere for the events
of the story itself Stories of mystery,
suCn as LUS Httu DhChkTDuHus anu
atmospheres in order TO produce their
full effect. Little except mystery will be
found in what is TO follow; and II you
are able to sound the depths of IL before
the evolution of events brings 1t to light,
all can say is that you are cleverer than
the present chronicles. was at the time,
or than any of the neighbors. Mean
while you will appreciate Mr.. Homer's
artistic purpose in enveloping his sketch
in that dreamy, mysterious, Indian sum-
mer haze. Is there not something ghostly
in that wreath of mist stealing along the
middle distance, behind the big butter
nut treef
/ should have mentioned another reaso
for the local suspicious OF Mr.. CorviE. We
have seen that Matthew was wealthy
man; his money was invested chiefly in
real estate and railroads. But IL became
known that shortly before his disappear
ance, he had been calling in these invest
ments, and turning them into hard cash,
with the design of putting the money In
certain Western enterprises that paid
higher interest He must, then, have
had a great many thousand dollars actu-
ally in his hands; for there was no trace
OF his having deposited any of II in the
local banks. What had become OF it?
Like himself, il had dissolved, every dol
lar of 1t, into thin air. Ii was gone;
but, on the other hand, Mr.. Corvin soon
after began to show symptoms of decided
solvency. His luck took turn; he was
looking up in the world, at last Instead
of forfeiting his estate TO the Billops, he
presently found himself in position to
add some OF the Billops acres TO his own.
Nancy, being so unexpectedly reduced in
circumstances, and having no more head
for business than hen, was thankful
to exchange parcels Of her Ian for a little
cash. The neighbors shook their heads;
but what could they do or even say
above their breaths? Corvin was a
lawyer and a hard one; he would have
been down on any one OF them to whom
he could trace an insinuation against his
perfect integrity. They might think what
they liked; but he was much more apt to
put them in goal for libel than they were
TO get him hanged for murder They had
not even corpus delicti.
What they did venture TO say was, that
Corvin meant bit, by bit, to possess him
self OF the entire Billop estate, house and
all, and turn poor Nancy out to shift for
herself For IL was remembered that at
the time Nancy had been betrothed to
Brent Corvin had himself been paying
attentions to her; and that he had taken
the rebuff very Ill. OF course, his mar
riage with Miser Billops sister would
married another girl Immediately after
ward; but he was OF temper to cherish
grudges and now that he had his chance,
he meant to satisfy IL.
Thus do the guilty triumph in this
world, and there Is no help for II. In
this case, though, one hope was still in
dulged by few OF the more innocent and
credulous OF the community. 1t was re-
called that, during the lifetime of Mat
thew, the Billop house was believed to
be haunted. Matthew's spirit, instead of