Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1928-09-01
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

simon Judd, amateur detective, and
,yilliam Dart, an undertaken, are visiting
Ohm Drane. eccentric man Of wealth, at
he Drane place. Suddenly the household
IS shocked to find that John Drane mas
heen murdered The dead man is FIRST seen
nv Tosie, the maid, then by Amy Drane and
:'mon Judd. The latter faints.
Police officers call and Investigations
begin. DR.. Dlessington is called. and after
seeing the murdered John Drane, makes
the astounding revelation 10 Amy Dfane
hat her uncle" is not a man but woman
now GO ON WITH THE STORY
The announcement of DR.. Bless
;ngton that the body of the muir
dered person above stairs was the
body of woman and not of man
did not shock Amy Drane as much
as cause. her amazement. The
shock had come when she faced
the blood stained body of her sup
posed uncle John and her mind was
still so dulled by that shock that
she did not Immediately grasp what
the doctor was telling her.
"A woman? Uncle John was. a
woman?" she repeated gropingly.
But that-that couldn't be, you
enow. Why, he's always been a
ian. l don't know what you mean
doctor" l..
"The murdered person in the BED S:
upstairs there" the doctor said, is
or was-a woman. ! am merely
stating the fact. I thought you
should know it Immediately as you
are, | understand, the only relative
here" -
"Why, it's dreadful, isn't it! On,
it is horrible! It's like some fright
full nightmare! 1t doesn't seem as
if it could be true, any Of it."
at is only too true" the doctor
said. He looked at the girl with
keen professional eyes. You don't
feel that this is too much for your
The shock and the strain must be
considerable, but you seem nor
NAL sort of person. What l mean
exactly is that if you feel too ner-
yous over this I can give you SIM
pie bromide until our nerves re-
cover from the shock"
mo, thank you," she said. II
think I'll be all right"
"Are YOU going to be here
awhilea" he asked Simon Judd. "
suppose you will" he added with a
slight smile, considering the cir.
cumstances and that the police will
have to be finding a murderer. JUS
keep an eye on this young lady
will you? I'll leave my card; il
has my telephone number. If she
seems to be about to flop just SEND
for me. Not" he added, that
think you'll have to. Have you any.
one, by the way" he asked Amy
"who could stay here with you a
few days? I'd suggest that you go
elsewhere, but / have a notion the
police will want you here, until
they've done some questioning, al
least"
"I'm not afraid to stay here,
think" Amy said. mo; Mr.. Judd
will be here; I'll not be afraid. III
have Mr.. Carter stay here during
the days"
That's Bob Carter" the doctor
asked.
Eyes. He's-we're great friends.
/ expect him to come this morn
you've not had breakfast YETI
mo: was waiting for it when
when I heard Josie the maid
scream"
well, my prescription for you
is that you go in now and eat a
good breakfast. That will help you
more than anything could give
you. And as for the things to be
attended to in such cases as this,
you may leave them to me. What
is your manner" he asked Simon
Judd, and Judd told him. Mr..
Judd, I'm sure will act for you as
far as necessary. There can be no
funeral" he added, to Simon Judd,
until the law has gone through its
formalities. However, if | might
just speak to you a moment or
two"
ANY. as she had been advised,
entered the house to try to eat a
breakfast, and DR.. Blessington led
Simon Judd to the far end OF the
veranda.
"The funeral arrangements can
all be attended to later" he said;
"It was not that l wanted to speak
about. As soon as possible l will
get proper death certificate, and l
suppose William Dart is the man
Miss Drane will want to have. He
is an old friend of Drane's-of the
dead person; one of the few close
friends the dead man-woman-
had, l think"
Hold on, now!" Simon Judd
said. "Wait minute now! Is that
the little Teller with the beard that
was here yesterday"
81 don't know that he was
here
"Dart-William Dart-thats the
name. Old Teller about seventy
wears old or so, amt he? All
dressed in black. That the man."
"You have described him."
"Well, black my cats" Simon
Judd exclaimed. Il was tryin' to
think what that Teller looked like,
and al could think Of was under
taker. Md he is one, is he? Well,
now, maybe we won't want him
after all. don't know but what