The Ordway new era., 1910-10-21
THE CRCULAP STAIRCASE
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Dl lNEIIB& ss 5: -
was Halsey's idea that John Bailey
come to the house as q gardener, and
pursue his Investigations as he could.
His smooth upper lip had been suffl-
Gent disguise. with his change Of
clothes. and a haircut by q country
barber
SO 1t was Alex. Jack Bailey. who
had been our ghost. Not only had he
alarmed Louise-and himself. he ad-
mitted-on the circular staircase. but
he had dug the hole in the trunkroom
wall, and later sent Eliza into hysteria.
The note Liddy had found in Ger.
trude's scrap-basket was from him.
and 1t was he who had startled me
Into Inconsistencies by the clothes
chute. and. with Gertrude's help. had
carried me to Louise's room. Ger
trnde. learned. had watched all
night beside me. In an extremity Of
anxiety about me.
That old Thomas had seen his mas
ter. and thought he had seen the Sun
nyside ghost. there could be no doubt.
or that story Of Thomas. about see-
ing Jack Bailey in the footpath be-
tween the club and Sunnyside. the
night Liddy and I heard the noise on
the circular staircase-that. too. was
right On the night before Arnold
Armstrong was murdered. Jack Bailey
had made an attempt to search for
the secret room. He secured Arnold's
keys from his room at the club and
got into the house, armed with q golf
stick for sounding the walls. He ran
against the hamper at the head OF
the stairs. caught his cuff-link In 1t.
and dropped the golf-stick with a
crash. He was glad enough to get
away without an alarm being raised.
and he took the "owl' train to town.
The oldest thing to me was that
Mr.. Jameson had known for some
time that Alex was Jack Bailey. But
the face of the pseudo-gardener was
very queer indeed when, that night,
In the cardroom. the detective turned
to him and said:
How long are you and I going to
play our little comedy, Mr.. Bailey?"
Well. 1t Is all over now. Paul Arm.
strong rests in Casanova churchyard.
and this time there Ia no mistake. I
went to the funeral. because I wanted
to be sure he was really buried. and
| looked at the step of the shaft
where I had sat that night. and won
dered II 1t was all real. Sunnyside is
for sale-no. I shall not buy 1t. Little
Lucien Armstrong is living with his
step.grandmother. who ia recovering
gradually from troubles that had ex.
tended over the entire period OF her
second marriage. Anne Watson lies
not far from the man she killed. and
who as surely caused her death.
Thomas. the fourth victim of the con.
spiracy. is buried on the hill. With
rificed in the course Of this grim con-
spiracy.
There will be two weddings before
long. and Liddy has asked for my
heliotrope poplin to wear to tho
church. knew she would. She has
wanted 1t for three years. and she
was quite ugly the time I spilled cot.
fee on 1t. We are very quiet. just the
two OF US. Liddy still clings to her
ghost theory. and points to my wet
and muddy boots In the trunkroom as
proof. am gray. I admit. but
haven't felt as well in a dozen years.
Sometimes. when I am bored. I ring
for Liddy. and we talk things over.
When Warner married Rosie. Liddy
shifted and said what took for faith
fulness in Rosie had been nothing but
mawkishness. have not yet outlived
Liddy's contempt because l gave them
silver knives and forks as a wedding
gift.
So we sit and talk. and sometimes
Liddy threatens to leave. and often
discharge her. but we stay together
somehow. I am talking of renting a
house next year. and Liddy says to be
sure there is no ghost. To be perfect
ly frank. l never really lived until
that summer. Time has passed since
began this story. My neighbors are
packing up for another summer. Liddy
Is having the awnings put up. and the
window-boxes filled. Liddy or no Lid
dy, I shall advertise tomorrow for a
house in the country. and I don't care
II 1t has a Circular Staircase.
THE END.