Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-03
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The Greene Murder Case
A Philo Vance Story
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csuyr,xA, isss. by Charles scribaer's Sons

, "She's hardly to be blamed In the
| circumstances" Vance returned. THE
child had been through a frightful ex-
perience and was scarcely normal. And
| Il Is not at all unlikely that she, too
| suspected her mother. If she did, what
would have been more natural than
for her to imagine that this shadowy
figure she saw in the hall long after
midnight was the actual object of her
dreadS II is not unusual for person
under stress of fright to distort an OBJ
iect by the projection of dominating
mental image"
You mean" said Heath, that she
saw somebody else, and imagined II
was her mother because she was think
ing so hard of the old woman?"
TITS by no means improbable"
still, there was that detail Of the
Oriental shawl" objected Markham
Ada might easily have mistaken the
persons features, but her insistence on
having seen that particular shawl was
fairly definite
Vance gave a perplexed nod.
1.-The point is we'll taken. And 1t
may prove the clue that will lead us
out OF this labyrinth We must find
out more about that shawl"
Heath had taken out his notebook
and was turning the pages with scoWi-
ing concentration.
And don't forget Mr.. Vance" he
sid. without looking up. "about that
diagram Ada found in the rear OF the
hall near the library door. Maybe this
person in the shawl was the one who'd
dropped it, and was going to the library
to look for 1t. but got scared of when
she saw Ada
But whoever shot Rex" said Mark
ham, evidently stole the paper from
him, and therefore wouldn't be worry
ing about it,"
Il guess that's right" Heath admit
ted reluctantly.
Such speculation is futile COM
mented Vance. This affair is too com
plicated to be untangled by the unravel-
ling of details We must determine, II
possible who it was that Ada saw that
night. Then we'll have opened a main
artery of inquiry
How are we going to find that out, -
demanded O'Brien, when Ada was the
only person who saw this woman in
Mrs. Greene'S shawl?"
Your question contains the answer.
inspector. We must see Ada again and
try to counteract the suggestion OF her
own fears. When we explain that II
couldn't have been her mother. she
may recall some other point that will
put us on the right track"
And this was the course taken. When
the conference ended, p'Brien departed.
and the rest of us dined at the club.
At half past eight we were on our way
to the Greene mansion.
We found Ada and the cook alone in
the drawing room. The girl sat before
the fire, a copy of Grimm'S Fairy
FYsnIn a.,~y 70 kfNnac
and Mrs Mannheim, busy with lap
full of mending, occupied a straight
chair near the door. 1t was curious
sight, in view of the formal correctness
Of the house, and 1t brought forcibly to
my mind how fear and adversely newt
ably level all social standards.
When we entered the room Mrs.
Mannheim rose and. gathering up her
manding, started TO go. But Vance in
dicated that she was to remain. and
without word she resumed her seat.
We're here TO annoy you again.
Ada" said Vance. assuming the role OF
interrogater. But you're about the
only person we can come to for help.
His smile put the girl at ease, and he
continued gently: I'VE want to talk
to you about what you told us this
In kind OF awed silence.
You told us you thought you had
seen your mother
II did see her-I did"
Vance shook his head. "No; 1t was
not your mother. She was unable TO
walk, Ada. She was truly and help
lessly paralyzed II was impossible for
her even TO make the slightest move
ment with either leg.
Butt don't understand" There
was more than bewilderment in her
voice: there was terror and alarm such
as one might experience at the thought
of supernatural malignancy. Il heard
Or. Won Blon tell mother he was bring
ing specialist to see her this morning
But she died last night-~So how could
you know? oh, you must be mistaken
I saw her--I know / saw her"
She seemed to be battling desperately
| for the preservation of her sanity. But
Vance again shook his head.
DIR. Oppenheimer did not examine
your mother" he said. But DIR. Dore-
| mus did--today., And he found that
she had been unable to move for many
years"
"Oh!" The exclamation was only
| breathed. The girl seemed incapable oil
speech.
And what we've come Tor, con-
tinued Vance. lis to ask you to recall
that night. and see If you cannot re-
member something-some little thing
that will help u.s. You saw this person
only by the pickering light of match
You might easily have made a mistake.
But how could /? I was so close
| to her"
Before you woke up that night anc
felt hungry, had you been dreaming Of
your mother?"
She hesitated, and shuddered slightly
II don't know, but I've dreamed ol
mother constantly--awful scary dreams
ever since that first night when some
body came into my room -