The Coolidge examiner., 1936-03-06
CHAPTER TX

cd UT these two deaths weren't
ID alike" said Perilla. with
Mr.. Maiden there were three people
myself, my maid and the chauf-
feur. They were not in the room,
as | was. but well-hOw do you
theorize the thing was done? You
must have a notion how those MUIR
ders could have been accomplished,
no matter how improbable"
"Of course l have" replied Stone.
"but my belief is not only so i'm
probable but so unbelievable that I
can't suggest it until get little
more proof"
Look here, Mr.. Stone, that room
where Bob died was unenterable,
wasn't it?"
"You don't read many detective
stories, do you?"
II so seldom find a good one. ]
don't care for gangster yarns and
that sort of thing, but l do like a
well-thought-out problem"
Zone of the favorite plots of the
detective story writer's is the So
called Theoretically sealed room.
This has been used over and over
again and | confess it always has a
charm for me. You know the for
mula. The expected man does not
appear at breakfast, or whenever
he is looked for. Servants are sent
to his room, but fail to get re-
sponse. Then they break in. The
victim is found dead in his room, to
which there is no possibility of ac-
cess !"
"Just like Bob"
Yes. Now, if you've read many,
you'll know these stories are al
ways solved in possible, plausible.
interesting way. An experienced
reader can usually tell what that
way will be, for there are only about
half a dozen of them in all.
Doubtless this type of plot first ap.
peared in Zangwill's Big Bow Mys-
terry A corking story, only second
to 'Trent's Last Case Well, in this
tale of Zangwills all the solutions
are suggested and tried out. One,
of course, is the right one. l am
not sure it is the best one or the
most likely one, but it is vastly en-
tertaining. However, the point
am making is that if there are sc
many possible ways, in fiction, OF
solving a mystery of sealed room
there must be the same ways in
real life, and we cannot say any
room is unenterable."
Then you've only to see which
| method suits the case of Bob Coles
to know how his murder-if it is
murder - was accomplished - and
can you explain Corey's death?'
"Well, Mrs. Maiden, here's just the
trouble. OF those six and perhaps
more methods of getting into the
sealed room not one fits the facts OF
our problems. Each method
though clever in itself, is lacking in
some element necessary to fit it to
our two cases."
You will tell me about those diff.
ferent ways of getting into the
room?"
Eyes, l will, at the first oppor
tunity."
Perilla went off with Rosy to the
lounge, and found Hilda waiting fol
her with the news that she haG
concluded not to go back with hel
to New York.
"You don't entirely know just
what you're up against now," Hilda
said, land if things should clear VI
and get more serene l could come
along at any time, and stay as long
as you'll have me-"
1T would be better, Hilda," anG
Perilla really felt relieved at the
new plan. "You see, the fairy god
mother, Madame Maiden, so Mr.
Stone informs me, is there waiting
for me, and l shall have to play uE
to her more or less. Well, let's al
try to be entertaining now"
But it was hard shedding. Bridge
was tried, but the interest was
slight. They danced a few turns
but Perilla said she couldn't stand
it. She excused herself and went
off to her own room. Rosy followed
her and the two had a little bed
time chat.
81 don't know, Rosy dear" Perilla
said, in answer to questions. Il an
not exactly afraid, but l have d
vague feeling of fear that things
will happen"
"Well, do brace up, dear. You
certainly have enough friends and
helpers"
The next day Perilla's party
found themselves en- route for New
York city. Perilla and Jane Lati
mer had a drawing room in one car
and Stone and Garth had each 9
compartment in the next car. They
all went together to the dining cal
for luncheon, and afterward Peril
la said, "Won't you come to my
drawing room and try a rubber ,