The Deep Lake Mystery

“No, it doesn’t seem like me.” Alma lifted her lovely little hands one after the other and scrutinized them with apparent interest. “No, I rarely have dirty hands. Even as a child, Merry says I was always tidy. But, Mr. Moore, I’m told that fingerprints cannot be mistaken, and so the fact remains, doesn’t it, that on that particular occasion my hands did need washing?”

There was a certain something in Alma’s voice that drew my attention. She seemed to be speaking casually, seemed really indifferent as to the subject, yet her tone was alert and her whole manner tense. It was almost as if she was studying the effect of her words on Moore far more intently than he was studying her. Yet, this was absurd. Why should she fear him? She had already admitted and explained the fingerprints to March, who had expressed himself satisfied.

“You went to the window, then, to raise it in order to let more air into the room?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t it rain in?”

“What?” the suddenness of her exclamation made me jump.

“Yes,” Keeley went on, “there was a hard shower Tuesday afternoon, and it came from the east. It should have rained right in that window.”

“Then it was before or after the shower,” Alma said, but she faltered a little. “For it certainly did not rain in.”

“At what time were you there?”

“I don’t remember exactly. After lunch and before tea time.”

“You usually have afternoon tea, Miss Remsen?”

“Yes. Merry, my nurse, is English and she enjoys it, so we’ve made it a habit. I’ve grown to like it.”

“Then, you were doubtless at your uncle’s on Tuesday, sometime, say, between two o’clock and five.”

“Yes, that must be right.”

“You went and returned in your canoe?”

“Yes.”

“And it was not raining when you went, or when you came home, or when you opened that window?”

“No.”

“But, Miss Remsen, it is an established fact that it rained all that afternoon, from one till six o’clock. This is verified by the weather statistics.”

Only for a moment did Alma look blank. Then she said, quickly:

“Oh, really? Then I must be mistaken in the day. I must have been there Monday afternoon. The days fly by so swiftly in summer, I can hardly keep track of them.”

“Perhaps,” said Kee, looking a bit baffled. “But another strange thing – Griscom says those fingerprints were not on the white paint Wednesday evening when he put the suite in order for the night. He says he would surely have seen them if they had been.”

She gave a little light laugh. “Poor old Griscom. His eyes are not what they used to be, I daresay. Now, Mr. Moore, just what is it you want me to say? Am I proving an alibi? Or are you trying to trick me into a confession that I killed my uncle? Because, I didn’t, and though I may be hazy about the exact time of my last visit to him, I did go over there – ”

“And he did give you the satin waistcoats?”

“Yes,” but now her eyelids quivered, “he did give me the satin waistcoats.”

“And you did open that window?”

“Yes,” she spoke slowly.

“And you had in your hand the Totem Pole and it chanced to make a red mark on the side of the window frame?”

“Yes – yes, I did.”

“Well, none of these things is incriminating in any way. Now, go on, please, why did you step up on the window sill?”

“I didn’t!” A look of horror came into her eyes.

“But there is the mark of a sole there, a rubber sole. No, not those shoes you have on now,” he glanced at her crossed feet, “but shoes whose rubber soles show a design of little diamond-shaped dots.”

Alma took an appreciable moment to collect herself and then said calmly, “I don’t own any such shoes as you describe, Mr. Moore.”

“Are you willing I should glance through your wardrobe?”

I could have slain Keeley with decided relish, but Alma seemed to take no offence. She paused an instant, as if considering, then said:

“Certainly. Shall I take you to my dressing room?”

“No, please. Will you remain here with Mr. Norris and let a maid show me the way? I’m sorry, but believe me, Miss Remsen, frankness is your best card. Please play it.”

As this was accompanied by Kee’s kindest smile and most winning manner, I was not greatly surprised to see an answering smile on Alma’s face.

“Merry,” she called out, but in a tone so little above her speaking voice I was surprised to see the woman appear at once. Yet I might have known she was within listening distance.

“Merry, dear,” Alma said, “Mr. Moore has occasion to look over my shoe cabinet. Are all my shoes in it?”

“Yes, Miss Alma, except the ones you are wearing.”

“Then take Mr. Moore upstairs and give him all the assistance he requires.”

It was easy enough to see that Merry was not rejoiced over her errand, but she nodded assent and led the way into the house.

No sooner had they disappeared than I seized my opportunity. It might be I should never again get such a good chance.

“Alma,” I said, breathlessly, “I love you – oh, my darling, how I love you! Now, wait a minute, don’t look at me as if I had lost my mind, and don’t, for Heaven’s sake, call help! I have loved you from the first moment I saw you, and my love grows stronger every moment that passes. You may not love me – yet – but you will some day. I’ll see to that. So, for the present, just accept the situation as it is, and let me help you. I can’t help thinking you do not realize the danger you are in. The detective March is for you, but Keeley Moore is out for investigation, and when he gets started nothing ever stops him. If you have anything to hide, anything to conceal, give it to me. I will help you in any way and every way I can.”

Had I been less excited, I should have enjoyed the passing emotions that played successively across her face. Amazement, happiness, wonder, fear, terror and after all, a beautiful trust, that told me more than all the rest.

“Gray,” she said, “I shall love you some day, I promise you that, now, but first, you must, you will help me! I am in danger, I can’t explain all to you now, I’m not sure I ever can, but in one matter you must help me. There is something I want destroyed, something that must be destroyed. Will you attend to that?”

“Of course I will. Give it to me quickly. Is it small enough to throw into the lake?”

“Small enough, yes. But it won’t sink. Weight it, and throw it in the lake when nobody can possibly see you, or else burn it – but you couldn’t do that?”

“Not very well, as I am visiting friends. But give it to me, and I’ll see to it that it is destroyed at once.”