The Washington times., 1907-12-01
Ho1u Annerly> Crushed
to UnconSciouSneSS
by a Wicked BLoQu,
Plunged Headlong
Into the Waters of
the 7erre Rouge

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS:
Annerly. a detective. has been called hy
Major Fairfax. of The Orchards. TO make
some Investigations. Arriving at the sta
ton. he IS met by Antrim. the MAJORS sec
retary who tells him that Fairfax died
suddenly that morning. Foul play Is sus-
pected.
The family at The Orchards consists Of
Major Fairfa1's sister-ln-law. Walter. and
Rosamond Foster. and laura and Jeanne
Fairfax, all orphans. children OF the major
own brother and sister. There are also ser
wants. a housekeeper CMrs. Edmunds). and
Jefferson, the majors body-servaut.
Reynolds. a lawyer OF uncertain reputa-
ton. conducts the inquest Mr. Dalton is
OF the opinion that the major was poisoned.
Mrs. Fairfax is certain that the death vas
caused by one OF the household. ostensibly
the beneficiary OF the majors will. which
Adolph Myers. the family lawyer. has
charge Of. 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. Annerly and Myers start
mutual hatred OF Mrs Fairfax and the
housekeeper and declares that there has
been cruel wrong in the entire proceeding.
On the bank OF river the horse shief
Myers is killed and Annerly barely escapes
with his life.
Jean tells Annerly that on the night be
fore her uncle's death he talked with maa
on the veraDda who made him present OF
a small parcel The mans voice was
familiar She heard him mention finding
Annerly goes TO the bayou on the next
day. and comes upon elderly couple
living there in an old cabin. Upon hearing
Of the major s deatl. the man seizes An
nerly's horse and sets of TO hnd Myers.
being ignorant Of his death.
on the way back Annerly stumbles upon
Waiter Foster and a girl. Statia. with
whom he As in love. She lives with the old
couple out Is obviously OF a different sort.
Foster takes Annerly home. and on th-
wsv to the Orchards also refers 20 the
~eranda interview previously mentioned By
Jean Walter declares that the man was
Antrim. IS does Mrs. Fairfax. who also
saw the mysterious visitor. From Antrim,
Annerly nnds that there was someone In
the house who possessed a great influence
over the major. No one seems 20 know who
Il IS.
Dalton discovers that the top layer n
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 theory that they
were poisoned with a newly discovered and
very deadly drug The purchaser of the
cigars answered to the description OF An
trim
Myers partner knows nothing of the VIII.
but shows note which he has found
among the dead lawyers effects, referring
20 some one whom the major wishes to plt
in the penitenuary.
Mrs Fairfax produces a viii made some
years before and entirel,- in her favor II
is quite legal and she becomes mistress or
The Orchards Her first act is 10 demand
that Mrs Edmunds leave the house. An
nerly learns from Mrs. Edmunds that she
Is Major FairfaN's unacknowledged vie
and that their child. a daughter. has been
entirely lost track Of. Mrs. Edmunds knows
to whom the majors note refers and
thinks that one 10 be the murderer but she
will not disclose his name.