Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-01-05
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CHAPTER 40

ulth thunder about, and the old
Abbey had never seemed more
.esclate or grim.
Selden heard voices in the cor
rLdor, echOing family in ghostly
.hispers from the stone walls.
James was going round the house
attn Hucks, showing him the way
about. Selden waited till they had
.assed the door of the library, and
lollowed stealthily. He quietly
oYened the door and went in, using
: torch for light. Not a sound
sleeted his ear, and Sylvia had
IDENTIFY gone with her charges,
as arranged, into the room behind
The organ.
he went thoughtfully into the
study, which had been kept locked
ever since the day after the muir
der. and dust lay thick on the
turniture ana carpet. There is al
ways something gruesome about a
eead mans room. His small ar
ticles lying about, tobacco jar and
Old pipes, laid down each in it's
chosen place. Selden had taken
stock OF the room when he had
been there with Hutchins for his
brief examination. The single sill
YER candlestick looked oddly lop-
sided.
Selden took his seat at the desk,
and gave himself up to piecing the
occurrences of the night of the
murder together.
What had taken place in this
room? He was quite convinced
that the affair started from here.
Sir Henry had come here from his
bedroom-the bloodhounds had re-
vealed that-and had apparently
been here for some time. With
whom?
Then Mrs. Thornton had met
James coming back from this part
of the house, who had told her that
Lady Severinge had rung the bell
there was some lying here. For
some reason Sir Henry had gone
down to the chapel-and here
again the use of the silver candle
stick indicated that he had gone
from his room, and in haste. But
if the evidence at his disposal
were accurate, the murder Of Sir
Henry synchronized with an at
tempt on the twins.
Selden's face assumed a graver
aspect. If that were so, then how
could anyone hope to get the chill
dren away without the certainty
hat they would cry out and Miss
Lawrence be reused?
Selden gazed idly at the tele-
phone on the desk before him. Sub
consciously something came back
20 his noncompliance had in this
very room suggested telephoning,
and had gone to the hall to do so,
It was curious to say the least, and
Selden took the receiver off the
look and waited. Presently a
goice came through. who's
.here?"
Is that you, James?"
Yes, Mr.. Selden. Did you re-
luire anything?"
This telephone goes to your
room, then ?" Selden asked.
"Yes-it was Sir Henry's private
phone to me-"
1T didn't know thought it was
the public phone" Selden told him.
and replaced the instrument.
So this was the bell ringing in
the night! Sir Henry had sum.
moned James on that fatal night
for some reason.
Things began to take definite
shape in the detectives mind.
Three days of tense anxiety sue
ceeded. Everyone at the ABBEY
had the 7ame feeling that thing!
were coming to crisis. Even thu
weather intensified the impression
for after the storm had succeeded
a period of hot damp days, will
lowering black masses Of clouC
that hung in rainless sky, anc
seemed to threaten at any moment
to discharge their pent-up forces
The very atmosphere was clammy
and oppressive, while a thin evi
mist lay over the lake, like the
ghost of dead man in a seance.
Mrs. Thornton had returned
from her visit to London, acic
faced and inscrutable as ever. She
and Hucks had snatched up a sort
Of queer friendship, for when he
called for his nightly vigil he gen
orally drifted to the housekeeper'.
room, preferring her company tt
that Of James. The twins were
fretting at their enforced confine.
rent. and already showed signs
that much more Of this would in.
IRE their health, though they haC