The Washington times., 1907-12-08
Sudden
DEATH,
His Will
and 1.-Two
Women
andaGirl
Is Lifted.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS:
Annerly. a detective, has been called by
Major Fairfax. Of The Orchards. 20 make
tion. he Is met BY Antrim. the MAJORS sec
rstsry who tells him that Fairfax died
suddenly that morning. Foul play is sus
The family at The Orchards consists II
Major FairfaN's Eigter-in-law. Walter. and
Rosamond Foster, and Laura and Jeanne
Fairfax, AL orphans, children Of the major g
own brother and sister. There are also ser
wants, q houaekeSpSr CMrs Edmunds). and
Jefferson, tho majors body-servant.
tion, conducts the inquest. Mr.. Dalton IS
ef the opinion that the major was poisoned
Mrs. Fairfax e certain that the death was
caused by ono OF the household, ostensibiy
the beneficiary OF the majors viii which
Adolph Myers. the family lawyer. has
charge or At the inquest Myers discovers
that he has brought away from his office
the wrong papers. and the viii is not read.
After the inquest. Anneriy and Myers start
to drive to town. The lawyer speaks Of th-
mutual hatred OF Mrs Fairfax and the
housekeepsr. and declares that there has
been a cruel wrong in the entire proceeding
On the bank Of a river the horse shies
ana they are precipitated into the stream
Myers is killed and AnneTly barely escapes
with his life.
Jean tells Anner!y that on the night be
fore her uncIe's 9 death ne talked with "a man
on the veranda who made him present of
a small parce4 The mans voice was
familiar. she heard him mention hndinE
something at Quivering Bayou
Annerly goes to the bayou on the next
day. and comes upon an elderly couple
living there In old cabin Upon heariu-
OF the major death. the man selZes An
nerly's horse and sets OF to find Mycrs.
being ignorant Of his death.
Ou the way back Annerly stumblcs upon
Waiter Foster and a girl Statia. with
whom be Is IN love. She lives with the old
couple. but IS obviously or "a different sort
Foster takes Annerly home, and on tn
way TO the Orchards also refers l' the
veranda interview previously mentioned by
lean. Walter declares that the man was
Antrim as does Mrs Fairfax. who also
saw the mysterious visitor. From Antrim
Annerly finds that there was someone in
the house who possessed a great Influence
over the major No one seems 90 know who
70 IS
cigars In the box that he received from his
visitor with the exception of that which
the major was smoking when he died) has
been changed. He forms a the-ory that they
were poisoned with newly discovered and
very deadly drug The purchaser ot the
cigars answered TO the description OF An
trim.
Myers partner knows nothing OF the Will
but shows a note which he has found
among the dead lawyer effects. referring
20 some one whom the major wishes TO put
sn the Denitentiary.
years before and entirely In her favor II
g. quite legal. and she becomes mistress OF
T--r Orchards Her first act Is 20 demand
thrf Mrs. Ednunds leave the house An
rerlv learns from Mrs. Ednunds thar she
IS Major Fairfax's unacknOwledged wife
anf that their chi'I. a daughter. has been
entirely lost track of. Mrs. Edmunds knows
70 whom the majors note refers. and
tnfnls that one 20 be the murderer. but she
viz not disclose his name.