Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-04
"How Did He Dis?"

"HoW Did He 0isT
The blufY, hearty voice that replied
TO Mrs. Cayley over the wire was
unlike the sauve, professionally SYM
pathetic voices OF the fashionable
city physicians to which she had
been accustomed. But when she an
rounced her identity and the purport
Of her call, the tone rang with a note
of unstudied human feeling.
Your brother. you say, Mrs. Cay
ley? Died suddenly? | know Mr..
Bernhard by sight, of course. Shocked
TO hear It. I'll be over right
AFTER"
You don't understand, Doctor"
Mrs. CayIey interrupted in her tense
~ reprcssed tones. mfr. Bernhard
was-injured in some manner during
the night, no one seems to know
low. 1t IL in your official capacity
that I have called you, at the sug
gestion OF the local carpenter and
mason, who happened to be working
hero for me. My brother-his death
was not natural one"
"Ah, see. In that case I will
come at once. Please make sure that
nothing Is disturbed until I get there,
and tell Geon Peters to wait; that's
the man you mean, isn't it?'
The kindly voice had crlsped with
peremptory authority, and Mrs. Cay
ley replied swiftly:
Yes
TEL him to give you any assist
ance you may need in keeping every
one away from the body till reach
YOU, which will be in less than TWEEN
~ minutes. Goodbye"
The instrument clicked abruptly.
and. after hanging up the receiver
Mrs. Cayley stood for momfpt lost
in thought. Great tremorV were
shaking her whole body, but into her
dry eyes n feycrish glitter had
come and furrow of INDIGESTION grew
and dccpcncd between her brows.
At last she took the receiver down
again and called number in New
York City.
While she waited her gaze wan
dcred about the austere yet subtly
luxurious library where she had
sca,cd herself before the ancient
mission table upon which tie tele-
phone stood. The impersonal Nxacti-
tude OF the professional interior
decorator was everywhere In evil
dcncc. and yet the humidor. care
lessly left open before her. displa ying
certain brand of cigar with a
tamiliarly tlamboyant label: the
crumpled and cast aside: the cum
ningly concealed cellarette. with its
doors now swinging idly ajar: the
goggles and motor gloves, forgotten
upon the top of the tall bookcase
where their owner had placed them
on entering only a short twelve
hours earlier; all these trifling, silent
witnesses To II living human pres
once made tho CHASTITY tablcau in the
l.. Al
ordered dream. Mrs. Cayley only
set her lips more firmly. and when
a sleepy. masculine voice came Mt
last to her ears in reply to the call.
her own tones were under the same
iron control as before.
Mr.. Lane This is Mrs. Cayley
speaking. have frightnll news for
YOU and | must tell YOU quickly. Joe
is dead"
\ sharp. innrticulatc cry answered
her as though she had struck the
man an unexpected physical blow.
and she went on rapidly:
Carp found him this morning in
The patio. 1t must have happened
soon after YOU started back to town
last night. The authorities are on
their way hero now and | thought.
as tho most intimate friend of the
family. YOU should be notified"
But good God! You don't mean
-" An traces of sleep had
vanished from the voice now and 1t
was strideut with horror, "Ho
wasn't murdered"
Mrs. Cayley f,inchcd at the word.
1T may have been an accident of
somc kind. but his head has been
terribly crushcd--T can't say any
more, No one knows-no one heard
anNthing--------'
Il understand. / God. I've
never had such shock" There was
n pause and then the voice went on:
'Fll he out OF course just rs quick
rs tho car can make it. but. in the
meantime. isn't there something I
can do for you here in town? Joe's
attorneys ought to he notified inn
mediatcly.'
Eyes. will you do that. please. Mr..
Lane? Tell Mr. Newbury that.
naturally. | am Frustrated and YOU
are acting for me. II is of vital i'm
portanCc to get in touch with Joe's
Office. too. as soon as 1t opens, and
lave William Dunn come down here
by the first train
'ill leave word with my own
secretary to have that attended TO.
and I'll get Newbury. There isn't
anything | can say to YOU now. Mrs.
taNlcN. Dut YOU KNOW now ms mas
hit me- Joel can't realize It. My
God, it's like nightmare" Lane
paused again as though in an effort
10 pull himself together. and then
added; Just you try to keep your
nerve and carry on until get there.
and--don't do any more talking than
YOU have to. We don't know what
this may mean for all of us
IT quite understand" Mrs. Cay
ley's tone had hardened perceptibly.
II think that I shall be able to bear
up. ut least until you come. | was
sure that could count on YOU"
ITO tho end. Mrs. Cayley! I'm go
ing to burn up the roads getting
there and every minute is OF value
now. SO unless there Is anything else
YOU can suggest for me TO attend
TO from town here"
Nothing. shall wait anxiously
for your coming. Good-by.'
Mrs, Cayley replaced the receiver
and. rising, turned TO find Lefty
standing in the doorway.
Did you call me. ma'amc Geoff
said he thought he heard You, ana I
was afraid maybe you were faint or
something" The woman's sharp