The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-12-31
SYNOPSIS

Mary Avery, widow who lives In the har-
Dor town OF Satuit, Mass, with two negro
maids, Sarah Darbe and Bessie Williams,
writes . manuscript describing the famous
Second Head murder, which occurred on her
estate. Next 70 Mary live Mr.. and Mrs Peter
Stow who every year give summer masquer-
Gde party. One Of the guests Of tins function
IS murdered. Nearby live DR.. and Mrs. Geary
and their married daugter Edith and her hus-
band Alfred Bray; Doctor Myron Marden and
his step granddaughter, Caro- Prentiss, beau
tiful young girl who was born IN France. Next
live Paul and Lora Eames and their daughter
Molly. Molly was engaged to the murdered
man, Ace Blake. She had been engaged TO
Walter Treadway, who had been the murdered
mans secretary, but the engagement was sud
denly broken and he had lett town. Other
neighbors are the Fairweather sisters, Flora,
hopeless invalid and Margaret All but the lat
ter two attended the masquerade. Mary's eight
year-old niece, Sylvia SaTd, is visiting her Tor
che summer. The wooded part of Mary's estate
IS called <he Spinney. In it is q tiny log cabin.
Near a stone wall IS tiny circular pond called
the Merry Mere This is the day Of the mas
querade and excitement IS high. Mary decides
10 take Sylvia, who Is unusually obseryant
child Caro- Prentiss and Molly Earnes drop N
during the afternoon. Soon BlaIkie, Doctor
Marden and Bruce Hexson, a friend Of Aces,
arrive. Molly is impatient TO leave and they
all excuse themselves. At the party Sylvia
identities each Of the masked guests as they
arrive. Ace comes CARRIED as Julius Caesar.
Molly Eanes appears Snow Queen, &C
conpanied by a man N arrnor whom Sylvia
identities as Walter Treadway. They dance
together continuously. Caro- Prentiss and Mar
den arrive dressed IN Revolutionary costumes,
the doctor wearing jeweled shoe buckles. When
the guests unmask, Ace, Walter and Molly
have disappeared. When Mary Avery leaves
Che party 4 little after two, neither Molly and
Walter OF Ace Blake had returned. Sarah
Darbe conhdes 10 Mary that someone ap-
parently had spent the night IN the Little
House and returns screaming. She has found
Ace Blake stabbed 10 death IN the Spinney.
Mary summons Patrick O'Brien, chief Of po-
lice, who had been schoolmate Of hers and
Aces. Her manuscript recalls early impress
sions OF Ace-how he had been wealthy, the
most popular boy IN town, how he had gone
70 Paris TO study medicine. became aviator
IN the World war returning practice In
Satuit, how he was recklessly generous and the
principal IN scores of love affairs. Bruce Hexson
had come back from the war with Ace. He
was . lawyer, a man OF private means and
had got" religion, become a virtual recluse.
Sarah tells Patrick that someone had slept IN
the Little House the night Of the murder.
Patrick reveals that Ace had gone to the Spin
ney 10 meet Tony Torriano, his bootlegger, 10
talk business. He does not believe Tony guilty.
He also discloses that Walter Treadway had
been II the Little House. Meanwhile Walter
and Molly come to Mary's house, unaware Of
the tragedy. Walter readily admits he had
spent the night in the Little House, since he
had come 10 town secretly. Molly and Walter
are thunderstruck by the news Of the murder.