The Somerset reporter., 1903-08-20
Beyond the
Pale Of. the
Law. By II. A.
BRUCE
BY II. A.
BRUCE


w men the news was brought to me,
Jasper Mathieson, that had inherited
a goodly sum from Miss Rebecca Aims.
worth, | could not help breathing a
sigh of relief. Death had at last loosed
my tongue. enabling me to make public
the facts concerning mystery of years
long ago.
One May morning some thirty years
ago Henry Ainsworth, the wealthy an
tquary was found foully done 10
death in his bed. There were living in
the house at the time three persons be-
sides the Northumberland Ainsworth
the antiquary's maiden sister, a spin
ster of fifty years; an old butler and a
maid-Servant. As a professional de-
tective my first care was to interrogate
these carefully.
Neither of the servants had heard
sound on the night of the murder. Both
had retired at II o'clock, about an
hour after the master of the house had
sought his couch, and both had slept
peacefully until o'clock, when they
had been awakened by a Shrek from
Miss Ainsworth.
That lady testified that she and her
brother had remained in the library
until 10 o'clock. At that hour her broth
er bado her good night and they went
to their rooms. Miss Ainsworth further
Informed me that she had slept I'M
I'll nearly 6 O'clock when, as was her
custom, she dressed and went to knock
on her brothers door for he also was
an early riser. Rapping two or three
times and receiving no reply, she open
ed the door and was so alarmed at
what she saw that she uttered the cry
which startled the servants.
Mr.. Ainsworth had been stabbed by
ons he had collected while on a tour of
the east. The murderer must have
been in the library to have obtained 1t,
and to the library we accordingly went.
1t was Il high, oak paneled chamber.
only called a library by courtesy.
There were a few books in evidence,
but most of the space was filled with
wonderful and curious objects. On
snail table in an alcove were several
skulls labeled and ticketed marking
every stage In evolution, from the cra-
mum of patagonian to that of ia
nous scholar. The oaken walls were
covered with weapons, primitive. me-
dinval and modern. Ranged under a
lofty mantel stood four caskets con-
tanning mummies from Egypt. I'm
ages from Hindoo. Aztec, Burmese and
Chinese temples were scattered about
the room.
What especially impressed me was
an i"'age about four feet and a half
high. apparently of some dull bronze
marble. Its hands were folded placid
ly on its breast, but the features form
ed a terrible contrast to the repose of
the figure. The eyes were wide open
and bore an expression of intense hate.
The upper lip was raised in sDarling
fashion, disclosing fanglike teeth. The
nostrils were dilated. One could not
repress shudder Willie gazing on this
silent statue.
Miss Ainsworth informed me that it
was not really a statue, as | had sup
posed but petritied man, the body of
an old Hindoo fakir unearthed by her
brother while engaged on some eXcava-
tons in India. The antiquary had
told her that he had struggled it out of
the country, as the natives veDerated
it as a god and had threatened his life
If he disturbed it.
Wilkie Collins story Of "The Moon
stone" flashed into my mind as heard
this. At once | formed the theory that
possibly some superstitious Hindoo had
murdered the antiqunry, the object
being to recover the petrified man and
take him back to India.
An interesting piece Of information
was volunteered by Miss Ainsworth.
who told me that about 8 o'clock the
morning after the murder she had en-
tered the library and had observed
smear of blood on the mouth of the i'm
age. Neither of the two windows In the
library had been found open, and the
door was shut as usual.
At Miss Ainsworth's solicitation |
consented to sleep In the house After
dinner in the evening | made my way
to the library, where l enjoyed a per
fecto and spent two hours examining
the curios.
l was about to go to my room when
I was startled by hearing a low, hiss
ing noise. like long drawn sigh. The
sound seemed to come from the image,
and | at once conceived the idea that
this was hollow and that man might
be hidden IN It, | tried to move the
pedestal, but could not. The thought of
a secret entrance into the room then
occurred TO me, and | tapped all over
the panneling, but everything sound
ed true Bafiied, | stood in the center
of the room and gazed slowly around.
While not superstitious, confess |
experienced an uneasy feeling as |
stood in that silent chamber. was con-
WINGED that the key to the riddle of
Henry Ainsworth's death was conceal
ed in the room, and l decided that 1t
was my duty to spend the night there
and to keep wide awake.
lighted fresh cigar, picked up
book oddly enough Mrs. Groves
Might Side of Nature') and composed
myself to read. Enthralling as the vol
ume was | soon found my interest in it
tagging. Yet | did not fall asleep
my nerves were too keenly on edge to-
admit of slumber. How long l sat mo-
al 4 10