IV. The Deadly Tube
"For Heaven's sake, Gregory, what is the matter?" asked Craig Kennedyas a tall, nervous man stalked into our apartment one evening. "Jameson,shake hands with Dr. Gregory. What's the matter, Doctor? Surely yourX-ray work hasn't knocked you out like this?"
The doctor shook hands with me mechanically. His hand was icy. "The blowhas fallen," he exclaimed, as he sank limply into a chair and tossed anevening paper over to Kennedy.
In red ink on the first page, in the little square headed "Latest News,"Kennedy read the caption, "Society Woman Crippled for Life by X-RayTreatment."
"A terrible tragedy was revealed in the suit begun today," continued thearticle, "by Mrs. Huntington Close against Dr. James Gregory, an X-rayspecialist with offices at Madison Avenue, to recover damages forinjuries which Mrs. Close alleges she received while under his care.Several months ago she began a course of X-ray treatment to remove abirthmark on her neck. In her complaint Mrs. Close alleges that Dr.Gregory has carelessly caused X-ray dermatitis, a skin disease ofcancerous nature, and that she has also been rendered a nervous wreckthrough the effects of the rays. Simultaneously with filing the suit sheleft home and entered a private hospital. Mrs. Close is one of the mostpopular hostesses in the smart set, and her loss will be keenly felt."
"What am I to do, Kennedy?" asked the doctor imploringly. "You rememberI told you the other day about this case--that there was something queerabout it, that after a few treatments I was afraid to carry on any moreand refused to do so? She really has dermatitis and nervous prostration,exactly as she alleges in her complaint. But, before Heaven, Kennedy,I can't see how she could possibly have been so affected by the fewtreatments I gave her. And to-night, just as I was leaving the office,I received a telephone call from her husband's attorney, Lawrence, verykindly informing me that the case would be pushed to the limit. I tellyou, it looks black for me."
"What can they do?"
"Do? Do you suppose any jury is going to take enough expert testimonyto outweigh the tragedy of a beautiful woman? Do? Why, they can ruinme, even if I get a verdict of acquittal. They can leave me witha reputation for carelessness that no mere court decision can everovercome."
"Gregory, you can rely on me," said Kennedy. "Anything I can do to helpyou I will gladly do. Jameson and I were on the point of going out todinner. Join us, and after that we will go down to your office and talkthings over."
"You are really too kind," murmured the doctor. The air of relief thatwas written on his face was pathetically eloquent.
"Now not a word about the case till we have had dinner," commandedCraig. "I see very plainly that you have been worrying about the blowfor a long time. Well, it has fallen. The neat thing to do is to lookover the situation and see where we stand."
Dinner over, we rode down-town in the subway, and Gregory ushered usinto an office-building on Madison Avenue, where he had a very handsomesuite of several rooms. We sat own in his waiting-room to discuss theaffair.
"It is indeed a very tragic case," began Kennedy, "almost more tragicthan if the victim had been killed outright. Mrs. Huntington Closeis--or rather I suppose I should say was--one of the famous beautiesof the city. From what the paper says, her beauty has been hopelesslyruined by this dermatitis, which, I understand, Doctor, is practicallyincurable."
Dr. Gregory nodded, and I could not help following his eyes as he lookedat his own rough and scarred hands.
"Also," continued Craig, with his eyes half closed and his finger-tipstogether, as if, he were taking a mental inventory of the facts in thecase, "her nerves are so shattered that she will be years in recovering,if she ever recovers."
"Yes," said the doctor simply. "I myself, for instance, am subject tothe most unexpected attacks of neuritis. But, of course, I am under theinfluence of the rays fifty or sixty times a day, while she had only afew treatments at intervals of many days."
"Now, on the other hand," resumed Craig, "I know you, Gregory, verywell. Only the other day, before any of this came out, you told me thewhole story with your fears as to the outcome. I know that that lawyerof Close's has been keeping this thing hanging over your head for along time. And I also know that you are one of the most careful X-rayoperators in the city. If this suit goes against you, one of the mostbrilliant men of science in America will be ruined. Now, having saidthis much, let me ask you to describe just exactly what treatments yougave Mrs. Close."
The doctor led us into his X-ray room adjoining. A number of X-ray tubeswere neatly put away in a great glass case, and at one end of the roomwas an operating-table with an X-ray apparatus suspended over it. Aglance at the room showed that Kennedy's praise was not exaggerated.
"How many treatments did you give Mrs. Close?" asked Kennedy.
"Not over a dozen, I should say;" replied Gregory. "I have a record ofthem and the dates, which I will give you presently. Certainly they werenot numerous enough or frequent enough to have caused a dermatitis suchas she has. Besides, look here. I have an apparatus which, for safetyto the patient, has few equals in the country. This big lead-glass bowl,which is placed over my X-ray tube when in use, cuts off the rays atevery point except exactly where they are needed."
He switched on the electric current, and the apparatus began to sputter.The pungent odour of ozone from the electric discharge filled the room.Through the lead-glass bowl I could see the X-ray tube inside suffusedwith its peculiar, yellowish-green light, divided into two hemispheresof different shades. That, I knew, was the cathode ray, not the X-ray,for the X-ray itself, which streams outside the tube, is invisible tothe human eye. The doctor placed in our hands a couple of fluoroscopes,an apparatus by which X-rays can be detected. It consists simply of aclosed box with an opening to which the eyes are placed. The oppositeend of the box is a piece of board coated with a salt such asplatino-barium cyanide. When the X-ray strikes this salt it makes itglow, or fluoresce, and objects held between the X-ray tube and thefluoroscope cast shadows according to the density of the parts which theX-rays penetrate.
With the lead-glass bowl removed, the X-ray tube sent forth itswonderful invisible radiation and made the back of the fluoroscopeglow with light. I could see the bones of my fingers as I held them upbetween the X-ray tube and the fluoroscope. But with the lead-glass bowlin position over the tube, the fluoroscope was simply a black box intowhich I looked and saw nothing. So very little of the radiation escapedfrom the bowl that it was negligible--except at one point where therewas an opening in the bottom of the bowl to allow the rays to passfreely through exactly on the spot on the patient where they were to beused.
"The dermatitis, they say, has appeared all over her body, particularlyon her head and shoulders," added Dr. Gregory. "Now I have shown you myapparatus to impress on you how really impossible it would have beenfor her to contract it from her treatments here. I've made thousandsof exposures with never an X-ray burn before--except to myself. As formyself, I'm as careful as I can be, but you can see I am under the raysvery often, while the patient is only under them once in a while."
To illustrate his care he pointed out to us a cabinet directly back ofthe operating-table, lined with thick sheets of lead. From this cabinethe conducted most of his treatments as far as possible. A littlepeep-hole enabled him to see the patient and the X-ray apparatus, whilean arrangement of mirrors and a fluorescent screen enabled him tosee exactly what the X-rays were disclosing, without his leaving thelead-lined cabinet.
"I can think of no more perfect protection for either patient oroperator," said Kennedy admiringly. "By the way, did Mrs. Close comealone?"
"No, the first time Mr. Close came with her. After that, she came withher French maid."
The next day we paid a visit to Mrs. Close herself at the privatehospital. Kennedy had been casting about in his mind for an excuse tosee her, and I had suggested that we go as reporters from the Star.Fortunately after sending up my card on which I had written Craig's namewe were at length allowed to go up to her room.
We
found the patient reclining in an easy chair, swathed in bandages,a wreck of her former self. I felt the tragedy keenly. All that socialposition and beauty had meant to her had been suddenly blasted.
"You will pardon my presumption," began Craig, "but, Mrs. Close, Iassure you that I am actuated by the best of motives. We represent theNew York Star--"
"Isn't it terrible enough that I should suffer so," she interrupted,"but must the newspapers hound me, too?"
"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Close," said Craig, "but you must be aware thatthe news of your suit of Dr. Gregory has now become public property. Icouldn't stop the Star, much less the other papers, from talking aboutit. But I can and will do this, Mrs. Close. I will see that justice isdone to you and all others concerned. Believe me, I am not here as ayellow journalist to make newspaper copy out of your misfortune. I amhere to get at the truth sympathetically. Incidentally, I may be able torender you a service, too."
"You can render me no service except to expedite the suit against thatcareless doctor--I hate him."
"Perhaps," said Craig. "But suppose someone else should be proved tohave been really responsible? Would you still want to press the suit andlet the guilty person escape?"
She bit her lip. "What is it you want of me?" she asked.
"I merely want permission to visit your rooms at your home and to talkwith your maid. I do not mean to spy on you, far from it; but consider,Mrs. Close, if I should be able to get at the bottom of this thing, findout the real cause of your misfortune, perhaps show that you are thevictim of a cruel wrong rather than of carelessness, would you not bewilling to let me go ahead? I am frank to tell you that I suspect thereis more to this affair than you yourself have any idea of."
"No, you are mistaken, Mr. Kennedy. I know the cause of it. It was mylove of beauty. I couldn't resist the temptation to get rid of even aslight defect. If I had left well enough alone I should not be here now.A friend recommended Dr. Gregory to my husband, who took me there.My husband wishes me to remain at home, but I tell him I feel morecomfortable here in the hospital. I shall never go to that houseagain--the memory of the torture of sleepless nights in my room therewhen I felt my good looks going, going"--she shuddered--"is such thatI can never forget it. He says I would be better off there, but no, Icannot go. Still," she continued wearily, "there can be no harm in yourtalking to my maid."
Kennedy noted attentively what she was saying. "I thank you, Mrs.Close," he replied. "I am sure you will not regret your permission.Would you be so kind as to give me a note to her?"
She rang, dictated a short note to a nurse, signed it, and languidlydismissed us.
I don't know that I ever felt as depressed as I did after that interviewwith one who had entered a living death to ambition, for while Craig haddone all the talking I had absorbed nothing but depression. I vowed thatif Gregory or anybody else was responsible I would do my share towardbringing on him retribution.
The Closes lived in a splendid big house in the Murray Hill section. Thepresentation of the note quickly brought Mrs. Close's maid down to us.She had not gone to the hospital because Mrs. Close had considered theservices of the trained nurses quite sufficient.
Yes, the maid had noticed how her mistress had been failing, had noticedit long ago, in fact almost at the time when she had begun the X-raytreatment. She had seemed to improve once when she went away for a fewdays, but that was at the start, and directly after her return she grewworse again, until she was no longer herself.
"Did Dr. Gregory, the X-ray specialist, ever attend Mrs. Close at herhome, in her room?" asked Craig.
"Yes, once, twice, he call, but he do no good," she said with her Frenchaccent.
"Did Mrs. Close have other callers?"
"But, m'sieur, everyone in society has many. What does m'sieur mean?"
"Frequent callers--a Mr. Lawrence, for instance?"
"Oh, yes, Mr. Lawrence frequently."
"When Mr. Close was at home?"
"Yes, on business and on business, too, when he was not at home. He isthe attorney, m'sieur."
"How did Mrs. Close receive him?"
"He is the attorney, m'sieur," Marie repeated persistently.
"And he, did he always call on business?"
"Oh, yes, always on business, but well, madame, she was a very beautifulwoman. Perhaps he like beautiful women--eh bien? That was before theDoctor Gregory treated madame. After the doctor treated madame M'sieurLawrence do not call so often. That's all."
"Are you thoroughly devoted to Mrs. Close? Would you do a favour forher?" asked Craig point-blank.
"Sir, I would give my life, almost, for madame. She was always so goodto me."
"I don't ask you to give your life for her, Marie," said Craig, "but youcan do her a great service, a very great service."
"I will do it."
"To-night," said Craig, "I want you to sleep in Mrs. Close's room. Youcan do so, for I know that Mr. Close is living at the St. Francis Clubuntil his wife returns from the sanitarium. To-morrow morning come to mylaboratory"--Craig handed her his card--"and I will tell you what to donext. By the way, don't say anything to anyone in the house about it,and keep a sharp watch on the actions of any of the servants who may gointo Mrs. Close's room."
"Well," said Craig, "there is nothing more to be done immediately." Wehad once more regained the street and were walking up-town. We walked insilence for several blocks.
"Yes," mused Craig, "there is something you can do, after all, Walter. Iwould like you to look up Gregory and Close and Lawrence. I alreadyknow something about them. But you can find out a good deal with yournewspaper connections. I would like to have every bit of scandal thathas ever been connected with them, or with Mrs. Close, or," he addedsignificantly, "with any other woman. It isn't necessary to say that nota breath of it must be published--yet."
I found a good deal of gossip, but very little of it, indeed, seemed tome at the time to be of importance. Dropping in at the St. FrancisClub, where I had some friends, I casually mentioned the troubles of theHuntington Closes. I was surprised to learn that Close spent little ofhis time at the Club, none at home, and only dropped into the hospitalto make formal inquiries as to his wife's condition. It then occurredto me to drop into the office of Society Squibs, whose editor I hadlong known. The editor told me, with that nameless look of the cynicalscandalmonger, that if I wanted to learn anything about HuntingtonClose I had best watch Mrs. Frances Tulkington, a very wealthy Westerndivorcee about whom the smart set were much excited, particularly thosewhose wealth made it difficult to stand the pace of society as it wasgoing at present.
"And before the tragedy," said the editor with another nameless look, asif he were imparting a most valuable piece of gossip, "it was the talkof the town, the attention that Close's lawyer was paying to Mrs. Close.But to her credit let me say that she never gave us a chance to hintat anything, and--well, you know us; we don't need much to make snappysociety news."
The editor then waged even more confidential, for if I am anything atall, I am a good listener, and I have found that often by sitting tightand listening I can get more than if I were a too-eager questioner.
"It really was a shame,--the way that man Lawrence played his game," hewent on. "I understand that it was he who introduced Close to Mrs. T.They were both his clients. Lawrence had fought her case in the courtswhen she sued old Tulkington for divorce, and a handsome settlementhe got for her, too. They say his fee ran up into the hundredthousands--contingent, you know. I don't know what his game was"--herehe lowered his voice to a whisper "but they say Close owes him a gooddeal of money. You can figure it out for yourself as you like. Now, I'vetold you all I know. Come in again, Jameson, when you want some morescandal, and remember me to the boys down on the Star."
The following day the maid visited Kennedy at his laboratory while I wasreporting to him on the result of my investigations.
She looked worn and haggard. She had spent a sleepless night and beggedthat Kennedy would not ask her to repeat th
e experiment.
"I can promise you, Marie," he said, "that you will rest betterto-night. But you must spend one more night in Mrs. Close's room. By theway, can you arrange for me to go through the room this morning when yougo back?"
Marie said she could, and an hour or so later Craig and I quietlyslipped into the Close residence under her guidance. He was carryingsomething that looked like a miniature barrel, and I had another packagewhich he had given me, both carefully wrapped up. The butler eyed ussuspiciously, but Marie spoke a few words to him and I think showed himMrs. Close's note. Anyhow he said nothing.
Within the room that the unfortunate woman had occupied Kennedy tookthe coverings off the packages. It was nothing but a portable electricvacuum cleaner, which he quickly attached and set running. Up and downthe floor, around and under the bed he pushed the cleaner. He usedthe various attachments to clean the curtains, the walls, and even thefurniture. Particularly did he pay attention to the base board onthe wall back of the bed. Then he carefully removed the dust from thecleaner and sealed it up in a leaden box.
He was about to detach and pack up the cleaner when another idea seemedto occur to him. "Might as well make a thorough job of it, Walter," hesaid, adjusting the apparatus again. "I've cleaned everything but themattress and the brass bars behind the mattress on the bed. NowI'll tackle them. I think we ought to go into the suction-cleaningbusiness--more money in it than in being a detective, I'll bet."
The cleaner was run over and under the mattress and along every crackand cranny of the brass bed. This done and this dust also carefullystowed away, we departed, very much to the mystification of Marie and, Icould not help feeling, of other eyes that peered in through keyholes orcracks in doors.
"At any rate," said Kennedy exultingly, "I think we have stolen a marchon them. I don't believe they were prepared for this, not at least atthis stage in the game. Don't ask me any questions, Walter. Then youwill have no secrets to keep if anyone should try to pry them loose.Only remember that this man Lawrence is a shrewd character."
The next day Marie came, looking even more careworn than before.
"What's the matter, mademoiselle?" asked Craig. "Didn't you pass abetter night?"
"Oh, mon Dieu, I rest well, yes. But this morning, while I am atbreakfast, Mr. Close send for me. He say that I am discharged. Someservant tell of your visit and he verry angr-ry. And now what is tobecome of me--will madame his wife give a recommendation now?"
"Walter, we have been discovered," exclaimed Craig with considerablevexation. Then he remembered the poor girl who had been an involuntarysacrifice to our investigation. Turning to her he said: "Marie, I knowseveral very good families, and I am sure you will not suffer for whatyou have done by being faithful to your mistress. Only be patient a fewdays. Go live with some of your folks. I will see that you are placedagain."
The girl was profuse in her thanks as she dried her tears and departed.
"I hadn't anticipated having my hand forced so soon," said Craig aftershe had gone, leaving her address. "However, we are on the right track.What was it that you were going to tell me when Marie came in?"
"Something that may be very important, Craig," I said, "though I don'tunderstand it myself. Pressure is being brought to bear on the Star tokeep this thing out of the papers, or at least to minimise it."
"I'm not surprised," commented Craig. "What do you mean by pressurebeing brought?"
"Why, Close's lawyer, Lawrence, called up the editor this morning--Idon't suppose that you know, but he has some connection with theinterests which control the Star--and said that the activity of one ofthe reporters from the Star, Jameson by name, was very distasteful toMr. Close and that this reporter was employing a man named Kennedy toassist him.
"I don't understand it, Craig;" I confessed, "but here one day they givethe news to the papers, and two days later they almost threaten us withsuit if we don't stop publishing it."
"It is perplexing," said Craig, with the air of one who was not a bitperplexed, but rather enlightened.
He pulled down the district telegraph messenger lever three times, andwe sat in silence for a while.
"However," he resumed, "I shall be ready for them to-night."
I said nothing. Several minutes elapsed. Then the messenger rapped onthe door.
"I want these two notes delivered right away," said Craig to the boy;"here's a quarter for you. Now mind you don't get interested in adetective story and forget the notes. If you are back here quickly withthe receipts I'll give you another quarter. Now scurry along."
Then, after the boy had gone, he said casually to me: "Two notes toClose and Gregory, asking them to be present with their attorneysto-night. Close will bring Lawrence, and Gregory will bring a younglawyer named Asche, a very clever fellow. The notes are so worded thatthey can hardly refuse the invitation."
Meanwhile I carried out an assignment for the Star, and telephoned mystory in so as to be sure of being with Craig at the crucial moment. ForI was thoroughly curious about his next move in the game. I foundhim still in his laboratory attaching two coils of thin wire to theconnections on the outside of a queer-looking little black box.
"What's that" I asked, eyeing the sinister looking little boxsuspiciously. "An infernal machine? You're not going to blow the culpritinto eternity, I hope."
"Never mind what it is, Walter. You'll find that out in due time. It mayor it may not be an infernal machine of a different sort than any youhave probably ever heard of. The less you know now the less likely youare to give anything away by a look or an act. Come now, make yourselfuseful as well as ornamental. Take these wires and lay them in thecracks of the floor, and be careful not to let them show. A little dustover them will conceal them beautifully."
Craig now placed the black box back of one of the chairs well downtoward the floor, where it could hardly have been perceived unless onewere suspecting something of the sort. While he was doing so I ran thewires across the floor, and around the edge of the room to the door.
"There," he said, taking the wires from me. "Now I'll complete the jobby carrying them into the next room. And while I'm doing it, go over thewires again and make sure they are absolutely concealed."
That night six men gathered in Kennedy's laboratory. In my utterignorance of what was about to happen I was perfectly calm, and so wereall the rest, except Gregory. He was easily the most nervous of us all,though his lawyer Asche tried repeatedly to reassure him.
"Mr. Close," began Kennedy, "if you and Mr. Lawrence will sit over hereon this side of the room while Dr. Gregory and Mr. Asche sit on theopposite side with Mr. Jameson in the middle, I think both of youopposing parties will be better suited. For I apprehend that at variousstages in what I am about to say both you, Mr. Close, and you, Dr.Gregory, will want to consult your attorneys. That, of course, would beembarrassing, if not impossible, should you be sitting near each other.Now, if we are ready, I shall begin."
Kennedy placed a small leaden casket on the table of his lecture hall."In this casket," he commenced solemnly, "there is a certain substancewhich I have recovered from the dust swept up by a vacuum cleaner in theroom of Mrs. Close."
One could feel the very air of the room surcharged with excitement.Craig drew on a pair of gloves and carefully opened the casket. With histhumb and forefinger he lifted out a glass tube and held it gingerlyat arm's length. My eyes were riveted on it, for the bottom of the tubeglowed with a dazzling point of light.
Both Gregory and his attorney and Close and Lawrence whispered to eachother when the tube was displayed, as indeed they did throughout thewhole exhibition of Kennedy's evidence.
"No infernal machine was ever more subtle," said Craig, "than the tubewhich I hold in my hand. The imagination of the most sensational writerof fiction might well be thrilled with the mysteries of this fatal tubeand its power to work fearful deeds. A larger quantity of this substancein the tube would produce on me, as I now hold it, incurable burns,just as it did on its discoverer before his death. A
smaller amount,of course, would not act so quickly. The amount in this tube, ifdistributed about, would produce the burns inevitably, providing Iremained near enough for a long-enough time."
Craig paused a moment to emphasise his remarks.
"Here in my hand, gentlemen, I hold the price of a woman's beauty."
He stopped again for several moments, then resumed.
"And now, having shown it to you, for my own safety I will place it backin its leaden casket."
Drawing off his gloves, he proceeded.
"I have found out by a cablegram to-day that seven weeks ago an orderfor one hundred milligrams of radium bromide at thirty-five dollars amilligram from a certain person in America was filled by a corporationdealing in this substance."
Kennedy said this with measured words, and I felt a thrill run throughme as he developed his case.
"At that same time, Mrs. Close began a series of treatments withan X-ray specialist in New York," pursued Kennedy. "Now, it is notgenerally known outside scientific circles, but the fact is that intheir physiological effects the X-ray and radium are quite one andthe same. Radium possesses this advantage, however, that no elaborateapparatus is necessary for its use. And, in addition, the emanation fromradium is steady and constant, whereas the X-ray at best varies slightlywith changing conditions of the current and vacuum in the X-ray tube.Still, the effects on the body are much the same.
"A few days before this order was placed I recall the following despatchwhich appeared in the New York papers. I will read it.
"'Liege, Belgium, Oct.--, 1910. What is believed to be the firstcriminal case in which radium figures as a death-dealing agent isengaging public attention at this university town. A wealthy oldbachelor, Pailin by name, was found dead in his flat. A stroke ofapoplexy was at first believed to have caused his death, but a closeexamination revealed a curious discolouration of his skin. A specialistcalled in to view the body gave as his opinion that the old man had beenexposed for a long time to the emanations of X-ray or radium. The policetheory is that M. Pailin was done to death by a systematic applicationof either X-rays or radium by a student in the university who roomednext to him. The student has disappeared.'
"Now here, I believe, was the suggestion which this American criminalfollowed, for I cut it out of the paper rather expecting sooner or laterthat some clever person would act on it. I have thoroughly examined theroom of Mrs. Close. She herself told me she never wanted to return toit, that her memory of sleepless nights in it was too vivid. Thatserved to fix the impression that I had already formed from readingthis clipping. Either the X-ray or radium had caused her dermatitisand nervousness. Which was it? I wished to be sure that I would make nomistake. Of course I knew it was useless to look for an X-ray machine inor near Mrs. Close's room. Such a thing could never have been concealed.The alternative? Radium! Ah! that was different. I determined onan experiment. Mrs. Close's maid was prevailed on to sleep in hermistress's room. Of course radiations of brief duration would do her nopermanent harm, although they would produce their effect, nevertheless.In one night the maid became extremely nervous. If she had stayed underthem several nights no doubt the beginning of a dermatitis would haveaffected her, if not more serious trouble. A systematic application,covering weeks and months, might in the end even have led to death.
"The next day I managed, as I have said, to go over the room thoroughlywith a vacuum cleaner--a new one of my own which I had bought myself.But tests of the dust which I got from the floors, curtains, andfurniture showed nothing at all. As a last thought I had, however,cleaned the mattress of the bed and the cracks and crevices in the brassbars. Tests of that dust showed it to be extremely radioactive. I hadthe dust dissolved, by a chemist who understands that sort of thing,recrystallised, and the radium salts were extracted from the refuse.Thus I found that I had recovered all but a very few milligrams of theradium that had been originally purchased in London. Here it is in thisdeadly tube in the leaden casket.
"It is needless to add that the night after I had cleaned out thisdeadly element the maid slept the sleep of the just--and would have beenall right when next I saw her but for the interference of the unjust onwhom I had stolen a march."
Craig paused while the lawyers whispered again to their clients. Then hecontinued: "Now three persons in this room had an opportunity to secretethe contents of this deadly tube in the crevices of the metal work ofMrs. Close's bed. One of these persons must have placed an order througha confidential agent in London to purchase the radium from the EnglishRadium Corporation. One of these persons had a compelling motive,something to gain by using this deadly element. The radium in this tubein the casket was secreted, as I have said, in the metal work of Mrs.Close's bed, not in large enough quantities to be immediately fatal,but mixed with dust so as to produce the result more slowly but noless surely, and thus avoid suspicion. At the same time Mrs. Close waspersuaded--I will not say by whom--through her natural pride, to take acourse of X-ray treatment for a slight defect. That would further serveto divert suspicion. The fact is that a more horrible plot could hardlyhave been planned or executed. This person sought to ruin her beauty togain a most selfish and despicable end."
Again Craig paused to let his words sink into our minds.
"Now I wish to state that anything you gentlemen may say will be usedagainst you. That is why I have asked you to bring your attorneys.You may consult with them, of course, while I am getting ready my nextdisclosure."
As Kennedy had developed his points in the case I had been more and moreamazed. But I had not failed to notice how keenly Lawrence was followinghim.
With half a sneer on his astute face, Lawrence drawled: "I cannotsee that you have accomplished anything by this rather extraordinarysummoning of us to your laboratory. The evidence is just as blackagainst Dr. Gregory as before. You may think you're clever, Kennedy,but on the very statement of facts as you have brought them out there isplenty of circumstantial evidence against Gregory--more than therewas before. As for anyone else in the room, I can't see that you haveanything on us--unless perhaps this new evidence you speak of mayimplicate Asche, or Jameson," he added, including me in a wave of hishand, as if he were already addressing a jury. "It's my opinion thattwelve of our peers would be quite as likely to bring in a verdict ofguilty against them as against anyone else even remotely connected withthis case, except Gregory. No, you'll have to do better than this inyour next case, if you expect to maintain that so-called reputation ofyours for being a professor of criminal science."
As for Close, taking his cue from his attorney, he scornfully added: "Icame to find out some new evidence against the wretch who wrecked thebeauty of my wife. All I've got is a tiresome lecture on X-rays andradium. I suppose what you say is true. Well, it only bears out what Ithought before. Gregory treated my wife at home, after he saw the damagehis office treatments had done. I guess he was capable of making acomplete job out of it--covering up his carelessness by getting ridof the woman who was such a damning piece of evidence against hisprofessional skill."
Never a shade passed Craig's face as he listened to this tirade. "Excuseme a moment," was all he said, opening the door to leave the room. "Ihave just one more fact to disclose. I will be back directly."
Kennedy was gone several minutes, during which Close and Lawrencefell to whispering behind their hands, with the assurance of those whobelieved that this was only Kennedy's method of admitting a defeat.Gregory and Asche exchanged a few words similarly, and it was plain thatAsche was endeavouring to put a better interpretation on something thanGregory himself dared hope.
As Kennedy re-entered, Close was buttoning up his coat preparatory toleaving, and Lawrence was lighting a fresh cigar.
In his hand Kennedy held a notebook. "My stenographer writes a verylegible shorthand; at least I find it so--from long practice, I suppose.As I glance over her notes I find many facts which will interest youlater--at the trial. But--ah, here at the end--let me read:
"'Well, he's very clever,
but he has nothing against me, has he?'
"'No, not unless he can produce the agent who bought the radium foryou.'
"'But he can't do that. No one could ever have recognised you on yourflying trip to London disguised as a diamond merchant who had justlearned that he could make his faulty diamonds good by applications ofradium and who wanted a good stock of the stuff.'
"'Still, we'll have to drop the suit against Gregory after all, in spiteof what I said. That part is hopelessly spoiled.'
"'Yes, I suppose so. Oh, well, I'm free now. She can hardly help butconsent to a divorce now, and a quiet settlement. She brought it onherself--we tried every other way to do it, but she--she was too good tofall into it. She forced us to it.'
"'Yes, you'll get a good divorce now. But can't we shut up this manKennedy? Even if he can't prove anything against us, the mere rumour ofsuch a thing coming to the ears of Mrs. Tulkington would be unpleasant.'
"'Go as far as you like, Lawrence. You know what the marriage will meanto me. It will settle my debts to you and all the rest.'
"'I'll see what I can do, Close. He'll be back in a moment.'"
Close's face was livid. "It's a pack of lies!" he shouted, advancingtoward Kennedy, "a pack of lies! You are a fakir and a blackmailer. I'llhave you in jail for this, by God--and you too, Gregory."
"One moment, please," said Kennedy calmly. "Mr. Lawrence, will you be sokind as to reach behind your chair? What do you find?"
Lawrence lifted up the plain black box and with it he pulled up thewires which I had so carefully concealed in the cracks of the floor.
"That," said Kennedy, "is a little instrument called the microphone.Its chief merit lies in the fact that it will magnify a sound sixteenhundred times, and carry it to any given point where you wish to placethe receiver. Originally this device was invented for the aid of thedeaf, but I see no reason why it should not be used to aid the law.One needn't eavesdrop at the keyhole with this little instrument about.Inside that box there is nothing but a series of plugs from which wires,much finer than a thread, are stretched taut. Yet a fly walking near itwill make a noise as loud as a draft-horse. If the microphone is placedin any part of the room, especially if near the persons talking--even ifthey are talking in a whisper--a whisper such as occurred several timesduring the evening and particularly while I was in the next room gettingthe notes made by my stenographer--a whisper, I say, is like shoutingyour guilt from the housetops.
"You two men, Close and Lawrence, may consider yourselves under arrestfor conspiracy and whatever other indictments will lie against suchcreatures as you. The police will be here in a moment. No, Close,violence won't do now. The doors are locked--and see, we are four totwo."