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Page 60
"No, and I don't want to see him," she answered tartly. "I don't want
anybody to bother me," and she looked directly at the detective.
"I shan't bother you," was the quick reply. "But as I am working on
behalf of Miss Langmore, and as this was her father's house and the one
in which she lived, I think I shall take a look around," he went on, in
a slightly stiffer voice.
"But orders--" began the policeman.
"You may go around with me, so that you can be sure I do not touch
anything."
"Well, I dunno--" began the bluecoat.
His speech was cut short by the banging of a rear door, as the wind
caught it. Mrs. Morse gave a cry.
"What was that? I didn't leave any door open!"
She ran to the rear of the mansion and the policeman followed. Adam
Adams stepped to the front door and then out on the lawn. He was in
time to see a man leap a side fence and start down the road. A moment
later Charles Vapp was following the disappearing individual. The
detective stepped into the house again.
"Well, that's mighty queer," muttered the policeman, as he came back.
"It is queer," answered Adam Adams, eying him sternly. "You had better
explain it if you want to keep out of trouble."
"Explain what?" came from Mrs. Morse.
"You just told me that nobody was in the house."
"Well?"
"A man just left by the back door and ran away. Either you knew he was
here or else you are not taking proper care of these premises."
"Why, sir--" began the woman, but then her eyes dropped before the
steady gaze of the detective. "I--that is--"
"Who was that man? Come, answer me truthfully, or I shall report this,
and let me say, my word will carry great weight."
"Oh, well, if you must know, it was Mr. Ostrello, Mrs. Langmore's son.
He wanted--er--some books he left here some time ago. I don't know why
he left in such a hurry. Perhaps because he didn't wish to meet you."
"Then you admit you lied to me, do you?"
At this the woman broke down completely and began to cry. "I didn't
want to do any wrong, sir. He said he wanted to get the books and he
didn't want every Tom, Dick and Harry to know he was here--those are
his own words. He's a very nice gentleman, and so--so--I said what I
did."
"You let him go through the house?"
"He had that right. It was his mother's home, wasn't it?"
"Yet you didn't want me to go through."
"A relative is different."
"Nevertheless, I think I'll take a look around, now he has gone,"
returned Adam Adams.
To this the woman felt she could no longer object and the policeman
merely shrugged his shoulders. From the pair the detective learned
that the safe had been opened by an expert in the presence of the
coroner and chief of police, who had then had the combination set to
suit themselves.
A tour of the mansion brought nothing new to light and Adam Adams left
by the back way and walked down to the brook. Then he leaped the
stream and took to a narrow path leading through the woods beyond.
Deep in the woods he paused, to make several changes in his appearance,
putting on a light wig and blue goggles and also an old-fashioned
collar and necktie. Then he rubbed a little brown powder on his hands
and face, rendering his complexion several shades darker than ordinary,
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