Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-03
The Second Bullet BY Robert Orr Chipperf1eld

like foam. Its shimmering length was
stained with great blotches of rusty
brown where the fabric had dulled and
stiffeEd.
An odd, tremulous sigh floated out
upon'the tense air, but there was silence
until Paul asked:
"Do you recognize this, Miss Led =
yard"
"No." Her tone was still even,
but hushed as though she were wait
ing.
us this not a portion Of a scarf
which belonged to you?''
"No. 1 have never"
Miss Ledyard, some Of your servants
are faithful to you, loyal even to the
extent of abetting q felony, but you
made mistake on Saturday night when
you dismissed Louise, your maid, for
her disObedience in leaving the cloak
room where she was stationed during
the dance, and permitted her to re-
move this damaging bit of evidence. She
positively identifies this scarf as yours
and even told me the name of the shop
where it was purchased.
'Nou have just supplied the motive,
yourself, for such statement from
her. The word of a discharged serv-
ant--E' she shrugged. 81 was about
TO add, when you interrupted me, that
~ had never seen the scarf-if that is
what it is--before, in my lifc.'
Nevertheless it was found stuffed
behind the radiator in your boudoir. An
effort had been made to burn it, pre- =
snmably i'll your bathtub, for the odor
and smoke were remarked upon by your
mother when she entered your apart
mcnt later. You can see where the
end has been partially consumed. -"
Pauls voice was stern. "Therc can be
no question as to these stains, Miss
Lcdyard, Would you care to examine
it, He held it out to hdf, but she
rccOiled.
Certainly not! What has it to do
with me? If you believe servant s
lies"
Il have another witness. When YOU
go upon such grim, noctural errand,
Miss Ledyard, you should not choose
n chauffeur who is unfortunate enough
like myself-as to possess an in
trinity which renders him distinctive.
even under the rays of street lamp. >"
What do you mean?"
Her voice was hoarse and shaken
now, but her small head was proudly
erect.
II mean that you, your butler Hick-
son and his son, William, your chauf-
teur, conveyed the body of Mrs. Harts-
horne from your home to hers, and
placed it where it was later dscov-
cred - PAUL. advanced slowly, step by
step, as he hurled his indictment at
her. His slender figure seemed to
tower over her. ''I mean that from
before midnight until after . O'Clock
IN the morning, while the jazz band
brayed and you supped and danced.
the body OF the murdered woman Law
where it had fallen, among the orchids
in the conservatory which had been
locked by your orders! l mean that
you, Beatrice Ledyard, killed the
woman who had supplanteG you--"
"A -ah !" The snarling scream which
tore its way from her distorted lips was
more like that of some wild beast than
human, and like tigress she crouched
her tawny eyes blazing. "Stop! /
can't bear it I shall 90 mad, mad -
Then all at once her tense form re
laxed and she crumpled in her chair
with high, thin, wailing cry which
broke into tearing sobs.
The chief, with lax jaw and pro
truding eyes. was staring at her like
one in a trance. Paul waited until
the storm had spent itself before he
spoke again.
II can go into details, if you like
trace step by step and hour by houl
all that you did
''FOr Gods sake, no =" She thrca
up her slender hands as if to ward of
a blow. "I'll tell you myself! It:
all true, except the charge that / killed
her! / did not; she must have killet
: herself! How you discovered the res
l do not know, for Hickson would
never have betrayed me. We though
we had arranged it all so carefully
safeguarded it from any possible dis
covery. had no animosity toward Mrs
= Hartshorne had given her no though
save to doubt the wisdom of our sane
, tion of her with no knowledge Of he
antecedents.
= II saw her enter with the Gaylor
on Thursday night, and go upstairs t
ss leave her cloak. When she came dow
A | nodded to her as told you, and wen
on dancing. I didn't even think o
g her again., I swear it! More than a
4 hour later-it must have been abou
I a quarter to twelve-I slipped into tn
conservatory alone. was warm an
!. fatigued and the lights and noise of tina
- jazz band had made me dizzy; l wante
: Il moments respite in the cool, com
u paratively fresher air. started towar
bench-when all at once ! saw he
r lying there among the orchids, her pistt
It clutched in her hand and hideous stai
y spreading on her breast
II screamed, I think, but the blar
= of the orchestra drowned my voice.
r could feel myself sway and everythin
It began to whirl before me, when with
:. final blast the music ceased. pulle
t myself together, somehow, and turning
:. ran to the door leading to the ballrool
a with only one thought in my mind; t
: keep any one from entering until ha
/. decided what to &c"
e CONTINUED TOMORROW