CHAPTER XIII SARA WHEELER
Fleming Stone was deeply interested in the Appleby case.
While his logical brain could see no possible way to look save toward oneof the three Wheelers, yet his soul revolted at the thought that any oneof them was the criminal.
Stone was well aware of the fact that the least seemingly guilty oftenproved to be a deep-dyed villain, yet he hesitated to think that DanWheeler had killed his old enemy, and he could not believe it was awoman’s work. He was impressed by Maida’s story, especially by the factthat a recent development had made her more strongly desirous to be ridof old Appleby. He wondered if it did not have something to do with youngAppleby’s desire to marry her, and determined to persuade her to confidefurther in him regarding the secret she mentioned.
But first, he decided to interview Mrs. Wheeler. This could not be doneoffhand, so he waited a convenient season, and asked for a conferencewhen he felt sure it would be granted.
Sara Wheeler received the detective in her sitting-room, and her mannerwas calm and collected as she asked him to make the interview as brief aspossible.
“You are not well, Mrs. Wheeler?” Stone asked, courteously.
“I am not ill, Mr. Stone, but naturally these dreadful days have upsetme, and the horror and suspense are still hanging over me. Can you notbring matters to a crisis? Anything would be better than presentconditions!”
“If some member of your family would tell me the truth,” Stone saidfrankly, “it would help a great deal. You know, Mrs. Wheeler, when threepeople insist on being regarded as the criminal, it’s difficult to chooseamong them. Now, won’t you, at least, admit that you didn’t shoot Mr.Appleby?”
“But I did,” and the serene eyes looked at Stone calmly.
“Can you prove it—I mean, to my satisfaction? Tell me this: where did youget a pistol?”
“I used Mr. Wheeler’s revolver.”
“Where did you get it?”
“From the drawer in his desk, where he always keeps it.”
Stone sighed. Of course, both Maida and her mother knew where therevolver was kept, so this was no test of their veracity as to the crime.
“When did you take it from the drawer?”
Sara Wheeler hesitated for an instant and from that, Stone knew that shehad to think before she spoke. Had she been telling the truth, he argued,she would have answered at once.
But immediately she spoke, though with a shade of hesitation.
“I took it earlier in the day—I had it up in my own room.”
“Yes; where did you conceal it there?”
“In—in a dresser drawer.”
“And, when you heard the alarm of fire, you ran downstairs inconsequence—but you paused to get the revolver and take it with you!”
This sounded absurd, but Sara Wheeler could see no way out of it, so sheassented.
“Feeling sure that you would find your husband and Mr. Appleby in such adesperate quarrel that you would be called upon to shoot?”
“I—I overheard the quarrel from upstairs,” she faltered, her eyes piteousnow with a baffled despair.
“Then you went down because of the quarreling voices—not because of thefire-alarm?”
Unable to meet Stone’s inexorable gaze, Mrs. Wheeler’s eyes fell and shenervously responded: “Well, it was both.”
“Now, see here,” Stone said, kindly; “you want to do anything you can,don’t you, to help your husband and daughter?”
“Yes, of course!” and the wide-open eyes now looked at him hopefully.
“Then will you trust me far enough to believe that I think you will besthelp them by telling the truth?”
“Oh, I can’t!” and with a low moan the distracted woman hid her face inher hands.
“Please do; your attitude proves you are concealing importantinformation. I am more than ever sure you are not the guilty one—and I amnot at all sure that it was either of the other two.”
“Then who could it have been?” and Sara Wheeler looked amazed.
“That we don’t know. If I had a hint of any direction to look I’d beglad. But if you will shed what light you can, it may be of great help.”
“Even if it seems to incriminate my——”
“What can incriminate them more than their own confessions?”
“Their confessions contradict each other. They can’t both be guilty.”
“And you don’t know which one is?”
“N—no,” came the faltering reply.
“But that admission contradicts your own confession. Come now, Mrs.Wheeler, own up to me that you didn’t do it, and I’ll not tell any oneelse, unless it becomes necessary.”
“I will tell you, for I can’t bear this burden alone any longer! I did godownstairs because of the alarm of fire, Mr. Stone. Just before I came tothe open door of the den, I heard a shot, and as I passed the door of theden, I saw Mr. Appleby, fallen slightly forward in his chair, my husbandstanding at a little distance looking at him, and Maida in the baywindow, also staring at them both.”
“What did you do? Go in?”
“No; I was so bewildered, I scarcely knew which way to turn, and in myfear and horror I ran into my own sitting-room and fell on the couchthere in sheer collapse.”
“You stayed there?”
“Until I heard voices in the den—the men came back from the fire anddiscovered the—the tragedy. At least, I think that’s the way it was. It’sall mixed up in my mind. Usually I’m very clear-headed and strong nerved,but that scene seemed to take away all my will-power—all my vitality.”
“I don’t wonder. What did you do or say?”
“I had a vague fear that my husband or daughter would be accused of thecrime, and so, at once, I declared it was the work of the phantom bugler.You’ve heard about him?”
“Yes. You didn’t think it was he, though, did you?”
“I wanted to—yes, I think I did. You see, I don’t think the bugler was aphantom, but I do think he was a criminal. I mean, I think it wassomebody who meant harm to my husband. I—well—I think maybe the shot wasmeant for Mr. Wheeler.”
Stone looked at her sharply, and said: “Please, Mrs. Wheeler, be honestwith me, whatever you may pretend to others. Are you not springing thattheory in a further attempt to direct suspicion away from Mr. Wheeler?”
She gave a gesture of helplessness. “I see I can hide nothing from you,Mr. Stone! You are right—but may there not be a chance that it is a truetheory after all?”
“Possibly; if we can find any hint of the bugler’s identity. Mr. Keefesays, find the bugler and you’ve found the murderer.”
“I know he does, but Keefe is—as I am—very anxious to direct suspicionaway from the Wheeler family. You see, Mr. Keefe is in love with mydaughter——”
“As who isn’t? All the young men fall down before her charms!”
“It is so. Although she is engaged to Mr. Allen, both Mr. Keefe and Mr.Sam Appleby are hopeful of yet winning her regard. To me it is notsurprising, for I think Maida the very flower of lovely girlhood, but Ialso think those men should recognize Jeffrey Allen’s rights and ceasepaying Maida such definite attentions.”
“It is hard to repress an ardent admirer,” Stone admitted, “and as yousay, that is probably Keefe’s intent in insisting on the finding of thebugler. You do not, then, believe in your old legend?”
“I do and I don’t. My mind has a tendency to revere and love the oldtraditions of my family, but when it comes to real belief I can’t say Iam willing to stand by them. Yet where else can we look for acriminal—other than my own people?”
“Please tell me just what you saw when you looked into the denimmediately after you heard the shot. You must realize how important thistestimony is.”
“I do,” was the solemn reply. “I saw, as I told you, both my husband andmy daughter looking at Mr. Appleby as he sat in his chair. I did not knowthen that he was dead, but he must have
been dead or dying. The doctorssaid the death was practically instantaneous.”
“And from their attitude or their facial expression could you assumeeither your husband or daughter to have been the guilty one?”
“I can only say they both looked stunned and horrified. Just as one wouldexpect them to look on the occasion of witnessing a horrible tragedy.”
“Whether they were responsible for it or not?”
“Yes. But I’m not sure the attitude would have been different in the caseof a criminal or a witness. I mean the fright and horror I saw on theirfaces would be the same if they had committed a crime or had seen itdone.”
Stone considered this. “You may be right,” he said; “I daresay absolutehorror would fill the soul in either case, and would produce much thesame effect in appearance. Now, let us suppose for a moment, that one orother of the two did do the shooting—wait a moment!” as Mrs. Wheelerswayed uncertainly in her chair. “Don’t faint. I’m supposing this only inthe interests of you and yours. Suppose, I say, that either Mr. Wheeleror Miss Wheeler had fired the weapon—as they have both confessed todoing—which would you assume, from their appearance, had done it?”
Controlling herself by a strong effort, Sara Wheeler answered steadily,“I could not say. Honestly, to my startled eyes they seemed equallyhorrified and stunned.”
“Of course they would. You see, Mrs. Wheeler, the fact that they bothconfess it, makes it look as if one of them did do it, and the otherhaving witnessed the deed, takes over the blame to save the guilty one.This sounds harsh, but we have to face the facts. Then, if we can getmore or different facts, so much the better.”
“You’re suggesting, then, that one of my people did do it, and the othersaw it done?”
“I’m suggesting that that might be the truth, and so far as we can seenow, is the most apparent solution. But I’m not saying it is the truth,nor shall I relax my efforts to find another answer to our problem. And Iwant to tell you that you have helped materially by withdrawing your ownconfession. Every step I can take toward the truth is helpful. You havelessened the suspects from three to two; now if I can eliminate anotherwe will have but one; and if I can clear that one, we shall have to lookelsewhere.”
“That is specious argument, Mr. Stone,” and Sara Wheeler fixed her large,sad eyes upon his face. “For, if you succeeded in elimination of one ofthe two, it may be you cannot eliminate the third—and then——”
“And then your loving perjuries will be useless. True, but I must do myduty—and that means my duty to you all. I may tell you that Mr. Appleby,who employed me, asked me to find a criminal outside of your family,whether the real one or not.”
“He put it that way!”
“He did; and while I do want to find the outside criminal, I can’t findhim if he doesn’t exist.”
“Of course not. I daresay I shall regret what I’ve told you, but——”
“But you couldn’t help it, I know. Don’t worry, Mrs. Wheeler. If you’veno great faith in me, try to have a hopeful trust, and I assure you Iwill not betray it.”
“Well, Mr. McGuire,” Stone said to his adoring satellite, a little later,“there’s one out.”
“Mother Wheeler?”
“Yes, you young scamp; how did you know?”
“Saw you hobnobbing with her—she being took with a sudden attack of theconfidentials—and, anyhow, two of ’em—at least—has got to cave in. Youcan ferret out which of ’em is George Washingtons and which isn’t.”
“Well, here’s the way it seems to stand now. Mind, I only say seems tostand.”
“Yessir.”
“The father and daughter—both of whom confess to the shooting, were seenin the room immediately after the event. Now, they were on opposite sidesof the room, the victim being about midway between them. Consequently, ifone shot, the other was witness thereto. And, owing to the deep devotionobtaining between them, either father or daughter would confess to thecrime to save the other.”
“Then,” Fibsy summed up, “Mr. Wheeler and Maida don’t suspect each other;one did it, and both know which one.”
“Well put. Now, which is which?”
“More likely the girl did the shooting. She’s awful impulsive, awful highstrung and awful fond of her father. Say the old Appleby gentleman wasberatin’ and oratin’ and iratin,’ against Friend Wheeler, and say he wenta leetle too far for Miss Maida to stand, and say she had that newsecret, or whatever it is that’s eatin’ her—well, it wouldn’t surprise meoverly, if she up and shot the varmint.”
“Having held the pistol in readiness?”
“Not nec’ess’rily. She coulda sprung across the room, lifted the weaponfrom its customed place in the drawer, and fired, all in a fleetin’instant o’ time. And she’s the girl to do it! That Maida, now, she coulddo anything! And she loves the old man enough to do anything. Touch andgo—that’s what she is! Especially go!”
“Well, all right. Yet, maybe it was the other way. Maybe, Wheeler, at theend of his patience, and knowing the ‘secret,’ whatever it may be, flungaway discretion and grabbed up his own pistol and fired.”
“Coulda been, F. Stone. Coulda been—easily. But—I lean to the Maidatheory. Maida for mine, first, last, and all the time.”
“For an admirer of hers, and you’re not by yourself in that, you seemcheerfully willing to subscribe to her guilt.”
“Well, I ain’t! But I do want to get the truth as to the three Wheelers.And once I get it fastened on the lovely Maida, I’ll set to work to getit off again. But, I’ll know where I’m at.”
“And suppose we fasten it on the lovely Daniel?”
“That’s a serious proposition, F. Stone. For, if he did it, he did it.And if Maida did it—she didn’t do it. See?”
“Not very clearly; but never mind, you needn’t expound. It doesn’tinterest me.”
Fibsy looked comically chagrined, as he often did when Stone scorned hisideas, but he said nothing except:
“Orders, sir?”
“Yes, Terence. Hunt up Rachel, the maid, and find out all she knows. Useyour phenomenal powers of enchantment and make her come across.”
“’Tis the same as done, sir!” declared the boy, and he departed at oncein search of Rachel.
He sauntered out of the north door and took a roundabout way to thekitchen quarters.
Finally he found the cook, and putting on his best and most endearinglittle boy effects, he appealed for something to eat.
“Not but what I’m well treated at the table,” he said, “but, you knowwhat boys are.”
“I do that,” and the good-natured woman furnished him with liberal piecesof pie and cake.
“Great,” said Fibsy, eating the last crumb as he guilefully complimentedher culinary skill, “and now I’ve got to find a person name o’ Rachel.Where might she be?”
“She might be ’most anywhere, but she isn’t anywhere,” was the crypticreply.
“Why for?”
“Well, she’s plain disappeared, if you know what that means.”
“Vamoosed? Skipped? Faded? Slid? Oozed out?”
“Yes; all those. Anyway, she isn’t on the place.”
“Since when?”
“Why, I saw her last about two hours ago. Then when Mrs. Wheeler wantedher she wasn’t to be found.”
“And hasn’t sence ben sane?”
“Just so. And as you are part and parcel of that detective layout that’sinfestin’ the house an’ grounds, I wish you’d find the hussy.”
“Why, why, what langwitch! Why call her names?”
“She’s a caution! Get along now, and if you can’t find her, at least youcan quit botherin’ me.”
“All right. But tell me this, before we part. Did she confide to yourwillin’ ears anything about the murder?”
“Uncanny you are, lad! How’d you guess it?”
“I’m a limb of Satan. What did she tell you? and when?”
“Only this morning; early, before she flew off.”
/>
“Couldn’t very well have told you after she started.”
“No impidence now. Well, she told me that the night of the murder, as sheran from here to the garage, she saw on the south veranda a man with abugle pipe!”
“A pipe dream!”
“I dunno. But she told it like gospel truth.”
“Just what did she say?”
“Said she saw a man—a live man, no phantom foolishness, on the southveranda, and he carried a bugle.”
“Did he play on it?”
“No; just carried it like. But she says he musta been the murderer, andby the same token it’s the man I saw!”
“Oho, you saw him, too?”
“As I told your master, I saw him, but not plain, as I ran along to thefire. Rachel, now, she saw him plain, so he musta been there. Well,belike, he was the murderer and that sets my people free.”
“Important if true, but are you both sure? And why, oh, why does thevaluable Rachel choose this time to vanish? Won’t she come back?”
“Who knows? She didn’t take any luggage——”
“How did she go?”
“Nobody knows. She walked, of course——”
“Then she couldn’t have gone far.”
“Oh, well, she could walk to the railway station. It’s only a fairishtramp. But _why_ did she go?”
“I ask _you_ why.”
“And I don’t know. But I suppose it was because she didn’t want to bequestioned about the man who shot.”
“What! You didn’t say she saw him shoot!”
“Yes, I did. Or I meant to. Anyway that’s what Rachel said. The man withthe bugle shot through the window and that’s what killed Mr. Appleby.”
“Oh, come now, this is too big a yarn to be true, especially when theyarner lights out at once after telling it!”
“Well, Rachel has her faults, but I never knew her to lie. And if it wasthe man I saw—why, that proves, at least, there was a man there.”
“But you didn’t see him clearly.”
“But I saw him.”
“Then he must be reckoned with. Now, Cookie, dear, we _must_ find Rachel.We must! Do you hear? You help me and I bet we’ll get her.”
“But I’ve no idea where she went——”
“Of course you haven’t. But think; has she any friends or relativesnearby?”
“Not one.”
“Are there any trains about the time she left?”
“I don’t know what time she left, but there’s been no train sincenine-thirty, and I doubt she was in time for that.”
“She took no luggage?”
“No, I’ll vouch for that.”
“Then she’s likely in the neighborhood. Is there any inn or place shecould get a room and board?”
“Oh, land, she hasn’t gone away to stay. She’s scart at something mostlikely, and she’ll be back by nightfall.”
“She may and she may not. She must be found. Wait, has she a lover?”
“Well, they do say Fulton, the chauffeur, is sweet on her, but I nevernoticed it much.”
“Who said he was?”
“Mostly she said it herself.”
“She ought to know! Me for Fulton. Good-bye, Cookie, for the nonce,” andwaving a smiling farewell, Fibsy went off toward the garage.