Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-04
TheDoor of Death
By John Esteem
By John Esteven

you say that you considered her I'M
balanced?"
"Yes-but not insane"
you believe t,1en that the cause OF
her fear may have been real?"
I'm perfectly uncertain on that
point" said truthfully.
And again: Miss Graham heard
| thu" f""tStons YOU describe?"'
1.-THE sound was so brief that it was
me; =, an impression on the part OF
both of u.s."
Two impressions" unused Morse,
became impressive"
And again: why do you believe
death came by strangling rather than
heart-failure, due to some nervous at
tack? Be careful about this"
outlined the symptoms bluntly,
though somewhat reproached by the
horror in Carl Balloons face: the
position Of the tongue between the
teeth, the slight protrusion of the eyes,
aShen color of the skin, etc. .
And her throat?" asked Morse.
"A slight mark, as from the tight
ness of collar. It is hardly apparent
now"
But surely" insisted Balloon, there
would be more than that-some trace
OF fingers, or, if cord were used, a
ridge beneath the skin"
No" I maintained, this would not
inevitably occur if the strangling in
after death, and provided this in
strument were especially fitted to its
purpose"
What do you mean?" asked Morse.
Il mean a continuance that would
exert sudden and violent torsion."
You believe such an instrument was
uSed?"
II do, and that whoever used it was
an expert"
Very well. then" said Morse, I'VE
can begin investigations"
Carl Ballion, however, excused him
self on the ground of wishing to see
Eleanor 1t was I, therefore, and the
butler Hasta, who accompanied Morse
on his inspection.
To my surprise, he did not i'm
mediately proceed to the fatal room
His movements may be described as a
spiral. beginning at the widest cir
conference and gradually narrowing
10 center. He first examined the
various means of entering or leaving
Greyhouse; asked questions about the
front, or hall door, whose chains
Eleanor and had found correctly in
place: visited the two service entrances
and noted, as we had done, that each
inside bolt of stout iron was driven
deep in its socket. Every window was
also properly latched. We turned our
attention TO the doors of the library.
I say doors advisedly, because they
were double, each of massive oak and
each with a separate key. They were
kept locked during Mr.. Balloons abb
sence, and their keys, of which he
retained duplicates, were intrusted to
his wife. 1t was with them found. by
the way, apparently unmolested In the
drawer of her dressing table, that we
had opened the library during our first
search.
This room resembled medieval hall
in. height and size. and seemed, at
first glance, to be without other means
of entrance than from the house.
Constituting in itself an almost separate
wing, it was lighted and ventilated from
above very much in the manner of
an enormous studio Upon closer
survey, however, door, or rather
crevice, was noticeable in the outer
angle of the apartment. 1t opened
evidently on the garden. fancy that
no exit more strange has ever been
designed: for, apart from It's situation
as a section of the angle itself, apart
also from its height and relative mar
rowness, this aperture could be used
only TO leave the room.
So much was plain. The door was