The Washington times., 1913-03-26
CHAPTER /.
What They Found in the Ice.

What They Found In the Ice.
I'VE didn't often talk about crimes
N{ In our family. Not, at least,
" about the mysterious. inexpli-
cable crimes of violence that
trumpeted their horrors at you every
little while from the front pages OF
papers. When you have been there
yourself, have seen names you know
and love, pilloried there. you under
stand, altogether too well, how it feels
to take an idle, curious interest when
the thing happens to some one else.
But this present mystery proved an
exception. It seemed so completely de-
tached from all human motive, SO de-
void of the usual accessories of grief
and agony and shame, that we found
ourselves discussing it that night with
out reservation-Jack and Gwendolyn.
his pretty young wife. and Madeline
and I. II We discussed II with a sort Of
exaggerated nonchalance, which showed
that really in the background Of all our
minds that other mystery still lurked
and cast its shadow-the murder of the
man who had been Madeline's husband
and Jacks father-I doubt IL any OUT
slider would have been able to detect II.
But jeffrey wasn't an outsider. And
perceptions of any man / know. That
is, perhaps, the reason why he can
paint the way he can; can open up the
innermost recesses Of character in those
beautiful. terrible canvasses Of his.
We weren't expecting him; didn't
know, indeed, that he'd come back from
his three-month vacation. And he
might have expected that our surprise
and pleasure at the sight of him and
the warmth Of our greeting would have
.-nil Id ali Ill
trying te shake hands with him at once
and putting him on the back. demand
ing TO know when he returned and why
he didn't tell US in advance, SO that we
gave him no chance to answer or even
TO take OF his overcoat.
But, instead of even trying to answer
he stepped back and stood looking at US,
from one face to another, and puckered
up his eyebrows in puzzled frown.
What in the world" he asked, have
all you people been talking about?"
Nobody answered for a minute. There
was something almost uncanny about II.
Madeline gave a little shiver. Jacks
wife stood loking at Jeffrey with that
level, thoughtful look of hers. and
finally said:
I'm glad haven't any secrets Could
you keep your own, do you think. az
well as you can read other peopIe's?"
Il don't know" said Jeffrey. TT would
be an interesting experiment to try.
ter you're gfvin me? 1 own 1 deserve
II. walking into roomful of people
and asking them what they've been
talking about"
You know perfectly well." said Made
line, that In this household there
never could be a wish to keep anything
from you. You've earned. many times
over. the right to ask us what we have
been talking about But in this case 1t
was not a secret at all. We were talk
n ha rirr rhaxr t..
last month"
jeffrey looked puzzled. Found in the
ice" he questioned. "who?'
You don't mean to say you haven't
heard OF IT. ! cried. The country's
Yes, but ! haven't been in the coun-
try, said jeffrey. Il only landed late
this afternoon Went straight over to
tne Atlas, got my fresh-water bath in
shree weeks, dined and came up here
Didn't even stop to read the evening
papers"
You're looking pretty we'll" I COM
mented-"certainly a sight better than
when you went away. You had US all
1t was fearfully unmannerly of me-"
said Jeffrey 10 Madeline, Ito run of
that way without a word. but l suspect
] did need rest pretty badly. de-
rators were at work there in the studio.
and every time Ciey pulled down a BIT
Of loose plaster / went up in the air. So
at last j gave the key TO my Jap and
fed. But l am lot better"
Sit down." ] commanded him. "and
light pipe. and tell us all about tt
where you've been and what you've
been doing
Jeffrey lighted a pipe obediently
chair which Jack rolled round in front
Of the fire for him. but then instead of
beginning his odyssey" as ! had COM
manded him. he smoked in silence for a
minute, then turned to Gwendolyn and
asked:
What about the girl in the ice? Oh,
my adventures will keep" he went on,
as started to protest. You will be
hearing about them for the next six
ance. anyway. Besides, you've whetted
my curiosity. Be a good chap and let
Mrs. Jack satisfy it"
II was natural that he should have
turnee To Gwendolyn for the story. We
al! did that when We wanted the facts
about anything. Her voice was SO love-
~. In the firS place. that there was a
sort OF sensuous pleasure just In listen
ing. to her. And then. when Gwendolyn
told II you knew it was so.
People have a way of talking about
truth-teliing as II It were simply a
matter of good intentions You have
told the truth unless you meant to be
a liar. And yet. If you will stop 10
ihlnh' you can PROBABLY call TO mind
half dozen people who you know are
honest. and whom you wouldn't believe
on oath. And il you're a lawyer like
me. your difficulty would be the other
way; to think of half a dozen whose
account Of an occurrence you could be-
heve absolutely and literally and with
out discounts or reservations. Well.
Gwendolyn would certainly head the list
in my half Dozen
Il don't know where you were two
months ago." Gwendolyn began, "and
you may not have heard that we had a
week of the coolest weather they have
known here since they began to keep
the records The Thermometer stayed