"It is like and unlike what I have just related to you," began youngAdams. "In my previous confession I mixed truth and falsehood, and toexplain myself fully and to help you to a right understanding of mywife's act, I shall have to start afresh and speak as if I had alreadytold you nothing."
"Wait!" cried Mr. Gryce, in an authoritative manner. "We will listen toyou presently;" and, leaning over the inspector, he whispered a fewwords, after which he took out a pencil and jotted down certainsentences, which he handed over to this gentleman.
As they had the appearance of a memorandum, and as the inspector glancedmore than once at them while Mr. Adams (or Cadwalader, as he should nowrightfully be called) was proceeding with his story, I will present themto you as written.
Points to be made clear by Mr. Adams in his account of this crime:
1. Why a woman who was calm enough to stop and arrange her hair duringthe beginning of an interview should be wrought up to such a pitch offrenzy and exasperation before it was over as to kill with her own handa man against whom she had evidently no previous grudge. (Remember thecomb found on the floor of Mr. Adams's bedroom.)
2. What was the meaning of the following words, written just previous tothis interview by the man thus killed: "I return you your daughter.Neither you nor she shall ever see me again. Remember Evelyn!"
3. Why was the pronoun "I" used in this communication? What position didMr. Felix Adams hold toward this young girl qualifying him to make useof such language after her marriage to his brother?
4. And having used it, why did he, upon being attacked by her, attemptto swallow the paper upon which he had written these words, actuallydying with it clinched between his teeth?
5. If he was killed in anger and died as monsters do (her own word), whydid his face show sorrow rather than hate, and a determination as far aspossible removed from the rush of over-whelming emotions likely to followthe reception of a mortal blow from the hand of an unexpectedantagonist?
6. Why, if he had strength to seize the above-mentioned paper and conveyit to his lips, did he not use that strength in turning on a lightcalculated to bring him assistance, instead of leaving blazing thecrimson glow which, according to the code of signals as now understoodby us, means: "Nothing more required just now. Keep away."
7. What was the meaning of the huge steel plate found between thecasings of the doorway, and why did it remain at rest within its socketat this, the culminating moment of his life?
8. An explanation of how old Poindexter came to appear on the scene sosoon after the event. His words as overheard were: "It is Amos's son,not Amos!" Did he not know whom he was to meet in this house? Was thecondition of the man lying before him with a cross on his bosom and adagger in his heart less of a surprise to him than the personality ofthe victim?
9. Remember the conclusions we have drawn from Bartow's pantomime. Mr.Adams was killed by a left-handed thrust. Watch for an acknowledgmentthat the young woman is left-handed, and do not forget that anexplanation is due why for so long a time she held her other armstretched out behind her.
10. Why did the bird whose chief cry is "Remember Evelyn!" sometimesvary it with "Poor Eva! Lovely Eva! Who would strike Eva?" The story ofthis tragedy, to be true, must show that Mr. Adams knew his brother'sbride both long and well.
11. If Bartow is, as we think, innocent of all connection with thiscrime save as witness, why does he show such joy at its result? This maynot reasonably be expected to fall within the scope of Thomas Adams'sconfession, but it should not be ignored by us. This deaf-and-dumbservitor was driven mad by a fact which caused him joy. Why?
12. Notice the following schedule. It has been drawn up after repeatedexperiments with Bartow and the various slides of the strange lamp whichcause so many different lights to shine out in Mr. Adams's study:
White light--Water wanted. Green light--Overcoat and hat to be brought. Blue light--Put back books on shelves. Violet light--Arrange study for the night. Yellow light--Watch for next light. Red light--Nothing wanted; stay away.
The last was on at the final scene. Note if this fact can be explainedby Mr. Adams's account of the same.
With these points in our mind, let us peruse the history of this crimeand of the remote and possibly complicated causes which led to it.