Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-08-15
CHAPTER ONE
PROLOGUE


with the murder of Mary Gerard
upon the 9th of July last. Are you
guilty or not guilty."
Elinor Carlisle stood very straight,
her head raised. It was a graceful
head, the modelling of the bones
sharp and we'll defined. The eyes
were a deep vivid blue, the hair black.
The brows had been plucked to a
faint thin line.
There was a silence-quite no.
ticeable silence.
Sir Edwin Bulmer, Counsel for the
Defense, felt a thrill of dismay.
He thought: "My God, she's go
ing to plead guilty. She's lost
her nerve.
Elinor Carlisle's lips parted. She
said: mot guilty"
Counsel for the Defense sank back.
He passed a handkerchief over his
brow, realizing that it had been
close shave.
Sir Samuel Attenbury was on his
feet, outlining the case for the
Crown. MAY it please your lordship,
gentlemen of the jury, on the 9th
of July, at half-past three in the af-
ternoon, Mary Gerard died at Hunt
erbury, Maidensford.
His voice ran on, sonorous and
pleasing to the ear. 1t lulled Elinor
almost into Inconsistencies. From
the simple and concise narrative, only
an occasional phrase seeped through
to her conscious mind.
Case a peculiarly simple
and straightforward one. 1t is
the duty of the Crown. prove
motive and opportunity No
one, as far as can be seen, had any
motive to kill this unfortunate girl,
Mary Gerard, except the accused. A
young girl of charming disposition
liked by everybody-without, one
would have said, an enemy in the
world.
Mary, Mary Gerard! How far a
way it all seemed now. Not real any
longer.
&c. Your attention will be par
ticularly directed to the following
considerations:
1. What opportunities and means
had the accused for administering
poison?
2. What motive had she for so
doing?
cit will be my duty to call before
you witnesses who can help you to
form true conclusion on these mat
tiers.
AS regards the poisoning
Of Mary Gerard, I shall endeavor to
show you that no one had any op-
portunity to commit this crime ex-
cept the accused.
Elinor felt as though imprisoned
in a thick mist. Detached words
came drifting through the fog.
!. g.. Sandwiches -. Fish paste
80. .. Empty house
The words stabbed through the
thick enveloping blanket of Elinor's
thoughts - pin-pricks through a
heavy muffling veil The court.
Faces. Rows and rows of faces! One
particular face with a big black NOUS
tache and shrewd eyes. Hercule Piorot
his head little on one side, his eyes
thoughtful, was watching her.
She thought: He's trying to see
just exactly why I did it He's
trying to get inside my head to see
what l thought-what 1 felt.
Felt. ? A little blur-a slight
sick sense of shock, Roddy's
face-his dear, dear face with its
long nose, it's sensitive mouth.
Roddy Always Roddy-always, ever
since she could remember.
since those days at Hunterbury "a
mongst the raspberries and up in the
warren and down by the brook. Rod
dy-Roddy-Roddy.
Other faces! Nurse O'Brien, her
mouth slightly open, her freckled
fresh face thrust forward. Nurse Hop
kins looking smug-smug and implac-
able. Peter Lords face-Peter Lord
so kind so sensible, $3.50 COM
forting! But looking now,-what was
it-lost? Yes-lost. Minding-mind-
ing all this frightfully! While she
herself, the star performer, didn't
mind at all!
Here she was, quite calm and cold,
standing in the dock, accused of MUIR
der. She was in court. Something
stirred; the folds of blanket round
her brain lightened-became mere
wraiths. In court! ;. People