CHAPTER 1 A DISCOVERY I am not an inquisitive woman, but when in the middle of a certain warm night in September I heard a carriage draw up at the adjoining house and stop, I could not resist the temptation of leaving my bed and taking a peep through the curtains of my window. First, because the house was empty, were supposed to be so. The family still being as I had every reason to believe in Europe, and secondly, because not being inquisitive I often miss in my lonely and single life much that it would be both interesting and profitable for me to know. Luckily I made no such mistake this evening. I rose and looked out, and though I was far from realizing it at the time, took by so doing my first step in a course of inquiry which has ended. But it is too soon to speak of the end. Either let me tell you what I saw when I parted the curtains of my window in Gramercy Park on the night of September 17th, 1895. Not much at first glance, only a common hack drawn up at a neighboring curb stone. The lamp which is supposed to light our part of the block is some rods away on the opposite side of the street, so that I obtained but a shadowy glimpse of a young man and woman standing below me on the pavement. I could see, however, that the woman and not the man was putting money into the driver's hand. The next moment they were on the stoop of this long-closed house and the coach rolled off. It was dark as I have said, and I did not recognize the young people. At least their figures were not familiar to me. But when in another instant I heard the click of a night key and saw them after a rather tedious fumbling at the lock disappear from the stoop, I took it for granted that the gentleman was Mr. Van Burnham's eldest son, Franklin. And the lady, some relative of the family, though why this most punctilious member should bring a guest at so late an hour into a house devoid of everything necessary to make the least exacting visitor comfortable, was a mystery that I retired to bed to meditate upon. I did not succeed in solving it, however, and after some ten minutes had elapsed I was settling myself again to sleep, when I was re-aroused by a fresh sound from the quarter mentioned. The door I had so lately heard shut, opened again, and though I had to rush for it I succeeded in getting to my window in time to catch a glimpse of the departing figure of the young man hurrying towards Broadway. The young woman was not with him, and as I realized that he had left her behind him in the great empty house, without apparent light and certainly without any companion, I began to question if this was like Franklin Van Burnham. Was it not more in keeping with the recklessness of his more easy-natured and less reliable Brother Howard, who, some two or three years back, had married a young wife of no satisfactory antecedence, and who, as I had heard, had been ostracized by the family in consequence? Whichever of the two it was, he had certainly shown but little consideration for his companion, and thus thinking I fell off to sleep just as the clock struck the half-hour after midnight. Next morning, as soon as modesty would permit me to approach the window, I surveyed the neighboring house minutely. Not a blind was opened nor a shutter displaced. As I am an early riser this did not disturb me at the time, but when after breakfast I looked again and still failed to detect any evidences of life in the great barren front beside me, I began to feel uneasy. But I did nothing until noon, when going into the rear garden and observing that the back windows of the Van Burnham house were as closely shuttered as the front, I became so anxious that I stopped the next policeman I saw going by and telling him my suspicions urged him to ring the bell. No answer followed the summons. There is no one here, said he. Ring again, I begged. And he rang again but with no better result.  We have had orders to watch the place but none to take the watch off. There is a young woman inside, I insisted. The more I think over last night's occurrence the more I am convinced that the matter should be looked into. He shrugged his shoulders and was moving away when we both observed a common-looking woman standing in front looking at us. She had a bundle in her hand and her face, unnaturally ruddy though it was, had a scared look which was all the more remarkable from the fact that it was one of those wooden-like countenances which under ordinary circumstances are capable of but little expression. She was not a stranger to me, that is, I had seen her before in or about the house in which we were at the moment so interested, and not stopping to put any curb on my excitement, I rushed down to the pavement and accosted her. Who are you, I asked? Do you work for the Van Burnems, and do you know who the lady was who came here last night? The poor woman either startled by my sudden address or by my manner which may have been a little sharp, gave a quick bound backwards, and was only deterred by the near-presence of the policeman from attempting flight. As it was she stood her ground, though the fiery flush which made her face so noticeable deepened till her cheeks and brow were scarlet. I am the scrub woman, she protested. I have come to open the windows and air the house, ignoring my last question. Is the family coming home, the policeman asked? I don't know, I think so, was her weak reply. Have you the keys, I now demanded, seeing her fumbling in her pocket? She did not answer. A sly look displaced the anxious one she had hitherto displayed, and she turned away. I don't see what business it is of the neighbors, she muttered, throwing me a dissatisfied scowl over her shoulder. If you've got the keys we will go in and see that things are all right, said the policeman, stopping her with a light touch. She trembled. I saw that she trembled and naturally became excited. Something was wrong in the Van Burnham mansion, and I was going to be present at its discovery, but her next words cut my hopes short. I have no objection to your going in, she said to the policeman, but I will not give up my keys to her. What right has she in our house anyway? And I thought I heard her murmur something about meddlesome old maids. The look which I received from the policeman convinced me that my ears had not played me false. The lady's right, he declared, and pushing by me quite disrespectfully, led the way to the basement door into which he and the so-called cleaner presently disappeared. I waited in front. I felt it to be my duty to do so. The various passersby stopped an instant to stare at me before proceeding on their way, but I did not flinch from my post. Not till I had heard that the young woman who I had seen enter these doors at midnight was well, and that her delay in opening the windows was entirely due to fashionable laziness, what I feel justified in returning to my own home and its affairs, but it took patience and some courage to remain there. Several minutes elapsed before I perceived the shutters in the third storey open, and a still longer time before a window on the second floor flew up, and the policeman looked out, only to meet my inquiring gaze and rapidly disappear again. Meantime three or four persons had stopped on the walk near me, the nucleus of a crowd which would not be long in collecting, and I was beginning to feel I was paying dearly for my virtuous resolution. When the front door burst violently open and we caught sight of the trembling form and shocked face of the scrub woman. She's dead, she cried, she's dead, murder! And would have said more had not the policeman pulled her back, with a growl which sounded very much like a suppressed oath.  As it was I got in before it slammed, and happily too, for just at that moment the house cleaner who had grown paler every instant fell in a heap in the entry. Then the policeman who was not the man I would want about me in any trouble, seemed somewhat embarrassed by this new emergency, and let me lift the poor thing up and drag her further into the hall. She had fainted, and should have had something done for her, but anxious though I always am to be of help where help is needed, I had no sooner gotten within range of the parlor door with my burden, than I beheld a sight so terrifying that I involuntarily let the poor woman slip from my arms to the floor. In the darkness of a dim corner, for the room had no light save that which came through the doorway where I stood, lay the form of a woman under a fallen piece of furniture. Her skirts and distended arms alone were visible, but no one who saw the rigid outlines of her limbs could doubt for a moment that she was dead. At a sight so dreadful, and in spite of all my apprehensions so unexpected, I felt a sensation of sickness which in another moment might have ended in my fainting also, if I had not realized that it would never do for me to lose my wits, in the presence of a man who had none too many of his own. So I shook off my momentary weakness, and turning to the policeman, who was hesitating between the unconscious figure of the woman outside the door, and the dead form of the one within, I cried sharply. Come, man, to business. The woman inside there is dead, but this one is living. Fetch me a picture of water from below if you can, and then go for whatever assistance you need. I'll wait here and bring this woman to. She is a strong one, and it won't take long. You'll stay here alone with that, he began. But I stopped him with a look of disdain. Of course I will stay here, why not? Is there anything in the dead to be afraid of? Save me from the living, and I'll undertake to save myself from the dead. But his face had grown very suspicious. You go for the water, he cried, and see here, just call out for someone to telephone the police headquarters for the coroner, and a detective. I don't quit this room till one or the other of them comes. Smiling at a caution so very ill-timed, but abiding by my invariable rule of never arguing with a man unless I see some way of getting the better of him, I did what he bade me, though I hated dreadfully to leave the spot in its woeful mystery, even for so short a time as was required. Run up to the second story, he called out, as I passed by the prostrate figure of the cleaner. Tell them what you want from the window, or we will have the whole street in here. So I ran upstairs. I had always wished to visit this house, but had never been encouraged to do so by the Mrs. Van Burnham, and making my way into the front room, the door of which stood wide open. I rushed to the window and hailed the crowd, which by this time extended far out beyond the curb-stone. An officer I called out, a police officer. An accident has occurred, and the man in charge here wants the coroner and a detective from police headquarters. Who's hurt? Is it a man? Is it a woman? Shouted up one or two. And let us in, shouted others. But the sight of a boy rushing off to meet an advancing policeman satisfied me that help would soon be forthcoming. So I drew in my head and looked about me for the next necessity—water. I was in a lady's bed-chamber, probably that of the eldest Miss Van Burnham, but it was a bed-chamber which had not been occupied for some months, and naturally it lacked the very articles which would have been of assistance to me in the present emergency. No ode cologne on the bureau, no camphor on the mantel shelf. But there was water in the pipes, something I had hardly hoped for, and a mug on the wash-stand. So I filled the mug and ran with it to the door, stumbling as I did so over some small object which I presently perceived to be a little round pin-cushion. Putting it up, for I hate anything like disorder, I placed it on a table nearby and continued on my way. The woman was still lying at the foot of the stairs. I dashed the water in her face, and she immediately came to. Sitting up she was about to open her lips when she checked herself. A fact which struck me as odd, though I did not allow my surprise to become apparent. Meantime I stole a glance into the parlour. The officer was standing where I had left him, looking down on the prostrate figure before him. There was no sign of feeling in his heavy countenance, and he had not opened a shutter, nor, so far as I could see, disarranged an object in the room. The mysterious character of the whole affair fascinated me in spite of myself. And leaving the now fully aroused woman in the hall, I was halfway across the parlour floor when the latter stopped me with a shrill cry. Don't leave me! I have never seen anything before so horrible. The poor dear! The poor dear! Why doesn't he take those dreadful things off her? She alluded not only to the piece of furniture which had fallen upon the prostrate woman, and which can be best described as a cabinet with closets below and shelves above, but to the various articles of Brickabrack which had tumbled from the shelves and which now lay in broken pieces about her. He will do so. They will do so very soon, I replied. He is waiting for someone with more authority than himself. For the coroner, if you know what that means. But what if she's alive? Those things will crush her. Let us take them off. I'll help. I'm not too weak to help. Do you know who this person is, I asked? For her voice had more feeling in it than I thought natural to the occasion dreadful as it was. Why, she repeated, her weak eyelids quivering for a moment as she tried to sustain my scrutiny, how should I know? I came in with the policeman, and haven't been any nearer than I now be. What makes you think I know anything about her? I'm only this grub woman, and I don't even know the names of the family. I thought you seemed so very anxious, I explained, suspicious of her suspiciousness, which was so sly and emphatic a character that it changed her whole bearing from one of fear to one of cunning in a moment. And who wouldn't feel the like of that for a poor creature lying crushed under a heap of broken crockery? Crockery, those Japanese vases worth hundreds of dollars, that Ormulu clock, and those Dresden figures, must have been more than a couple of centuries old.  And with a lift of his hand he could show us the like of her pretty face, and if it's dead she be, or alive. As this burst of indignation was natural enough and not altogether uncalled for, from the standpoint of humanity, I gave the woman a knot of approval, and wished I were a man myself, that I might lift the heavy cabinet, or whatever it was, that lay upon the poor creature before us. But not being a man, and not judging it wise to irritate the one representative of that sex then present, I made no remark, but only took a few steps farther into the room, followed, as it afterwards appeared, by the scrub woman. The van Burnham parlors are separated by an open arch. It was to the right of this arch and in the corner opposite the doorway that the dead woman lay. I used my eyes, now that I was somewhat accustomed to the semi-darkness enveloping us, I noticed two or three facts which had hitherto escaped me. One was that she lay on her back with her feet pointing towards the hall door, and another, that nowhere in the room save her immediate vicinity, were there to be seen any signs of struggle or disorder. All was as set and proper as in my own parlor, when it had been undisturbed for any length of time by guests. And though I could not see far into the rooms beyond, they were to all appearance, in an equally orderly condition. Meanwhile, the cleaner was trying to account for the overturned cabinet. Poor dear, poor dear, she must have pulled it over on herself, but however did she get into the house, and what was she doing in this great empty place? The policemen to whom these remarks had evidently been addressed, growled out some unintelligible reply, and in her perplexity the woman turned towards me. But what could I say to her? I had my own private knowledge of the matter, but she was not one to confide in, so I stuically shook my head. Doubly disappointed the poor thing shrank back, after looking first at the policemen, and then at me in an odd, appealing way difficult to understand.  What are you looking at there, growled the policemen? Get up, can't you? No one but the coroner has a right to lay hand on anything here. I am doing no harm, the woman protested in an odd, shaking voice. I only wanted to see what the poor thing had on. Some blue stuff, isn't it? She asked me. Blue surge, I answered, storm-made but very good, must have come from Altman's or Stearns. I—I'm not used to sights like this, stammered the scrub woman, stumbling awkwardly to her feet, and looking as if her few remaining wits had followed the rest on an endless vacation. I—I think I shall have to go home, but she did not move. The poor dear is young, isn't she? She presently insinuated, with an odd catch in her voice, that gave to the question an air of hesitation and doubt. I think she is younger than either you or myself, I deign to reply. Her narrow pointed shoes show that she has not reached the ears of discretion. Yes, yes, so they do, ejaculated the cleaner eagerly, too eagerly for perfect ingenuousness. That's why I said poor dear, and spoke of her pretty face. I am sorry for young folks when they get into trouble, ain't you?  This was not very flattering to me, but I was prevented from rebuking her by a prolonged shout from the stoop without, as a rush was made against the front door followed by a shrill peel of the bell. Even from headquarters, stolidly announced the policeman, open the door, ma'am, or step back into the further hall if you want me to do it. Such rudeness was uncalled for, but considering myself too important a witness to show feeling, I swallowed my indignation and proceeded with all my native dignity to the front door. As I did so I could catch the murmur of the crowd outside as it seeped forward at the first intimation of the door being opened, but my attention was not so distracted by it, loud as it sounded after the quiet of the shut-up house, that I failed to notice the door had not been locked by the gentleman leaving the night before, and that consequently only the night latch was on. With a turn of the knob it opened, showing me the mob of shouting boys, and the forms of two gentlemen waiting admittance on the doorstep. I frowned at the mob and smiled on the gentleman, one of whom was portly and easy-going in appearance, and the others spare with a touch of severity in his aspect. But for some reason these gentlemen did not seem to me to appreciate the honour I had done them, for they both gave me a displeased glance, which was so odd and unsympathetic in its character that I bridled the little, though I soon returned to my natural manner. Did they realize at the first glance that I was destined to prove a thorn in the sides of everyone connected with this matter for days to come? Are you the woman who called from the window, asked the larger of the two, whose business here I found it difficult at first to determine? I am, was my perfectly self-possessed reply. I live next door, and my presence here is due to the anxious interest I always take in my neighbours. I had reason to think that all was not as it should be in this house, and I was right. Look in the parlours, sirs. They were already as far as the threshold of that room, and needed no further encouragement to enter. The heavier man went first, and the other followed, and you may be sure that I was not far behind. The sight meeting our eyes was ghastly enough, as you know, but these men were evidently accustomed to ghastly sights, for they showed but little emotion. I thought this house was empty, observed the second gentleman, who was evidently a doctor. So it was till last night I put in, and was about to tell my story when I felt my skirts jerked. Turning I found that this warning had come from the cleaner, who stood close beside me. What do you want, I asked, not understanding her and having nothing to conceal. I, she faltered with a frightened air, nothing, ma'am, nothing. Then don't interrupt me, I harshly admonished her, annoyed at an interference that tended to throw suspicion upon my candor. This woman came here to scrub and clean, I now explained. It was by means of the key that she carries that we were enabled to get into the house. I never spoke to her till a half hour ago. At which, with a display of subtlety I was far from expecting in one of her appearance, she let her emotions take a fresh direction, and pointing towards the dead woman she impetuously cried. But the poor child there, ain't you going to get those things off of her? It's wicked to leave her under all that stuff, suppose there was life in her. Oh, there's no hope of that, muttered the doctor, lifting one of the hands and letting it fall again. Still, he cast a side look at his companion, who gave him a meaningful nod. It might be well enough to lift this cabinet sufficiently for me to lay my hand on her heart. He accordingly did this, and the doctor, leaning down, placed his hand over the poor, bruised breast. No life, he murmured. She has been dead for some hours. Do you think we had better release the head, he went on, glancing up at the portly man at his side? But the latter, who was rapidly growing serious, made a slight protest with his finger, and turning to me inquired with sudden authority. What did you mean when you said that the house had been empty until last night? Just what I said, sir, it was empty until about midnight, when two persons, again, I felt my dress twitched, this time very cautiously. What did the woman want? Not daring to give her a look, for these men were only too ready to detect harm in everything I did. I gently drew my skirt away and took a step aside, going on as if no interruption had occurred. Did I say persons? I should have said a man and a woman drove up to the house and entered. I saw them from my window.  And this is the woman, I suppose, he proceeded pointing to the poor creature lying before us. Why, yes, of course, who else can she be? I did not see the lady's face last night, but she was young and light on her feet, and ran up the stoop gaily. In the man, where is the man? I don't see him here. I am not surprised at that. He went very soon after he came, not ten minutes after, I should say. That is what alarmed me and caused me to have the house investigated. It did not seem natural, or, like any of the Van Burnams, to leave a woman to spend the night in so large a house alone. You know the Van Burnams? Not well, but that don't signify. I know what report says of them they are gentlemen. But Mr. Van Burnam is in Europe. He has two sons. Living here? No, the unmarried one spends his nights at Long Branch, and the other is with his wife somewhere in Connecticut. And how did the young couple you saw get in last night? Was there anyone here to admit them? No, the gentleman had a key. Ah, he had a key. The tone in which this was said recurred to me afterwards, but at the moment I was much more impressed by a peculiar sound I heard behind me. Something between a gasp and a click in the throat, which came I knew from the scrub woman, and which, odd and contradictory as it may appear, struck me as an expression of satisfaction, though what there was in my admission to give satisfaction to this poor creature I could not conjecture.  I went on with the grim self-possession natural to my character. And when he came out he walked briskly away. The carriage had not waited for him. Ah, again, muttered the gentleman, picking up one of the broken pieces of China, which lay haphazard about the floor. While I studied the cleaner's face, which, to my amazement, gave evidences of a confusion of emotions most unaccountable to me. Mr. Grice may have noticed this, too, for he immediately addressed her, though he continued to look at the broken piece of China in his hand. And how come you to be cleaning this house, he asked, is the family coming home? They are, sir, she answered, hiding her emotion with great skill, the moment she perceived attention directed to herself, and speaking with the sudden volubility that made us all stare. They are expected any day. I didn't know it till yesterday. Was it yesterday? No. The day before, when young Mr. Franklin, he is the oldest son, sir, and a very nice man, a very nice man, sent me word by letter that I was to get the house ready. It isn't the first time I have done it for them, sir, and as soon as I could get the basement key from the agent I came here and worked all day yesterday washing up the floors and dusting. I should have been at them again this morning if my husband hadn't been sick. But I had to go to the infirmary for medicine, and it was noon when I got here. And then I found this lady standing outside with a policeman, a very nice lady, a very nice lady indeed, sir. I pay my respects to her, and she actually dropped me a curtsy like a peasant woman in a play. And they took my key from me and the policeman opens the door, and he and me go upstairs and into all the rooms, and when we come to this one, she was getting so excitedest to be hardly intelligible. Stopping herself with a jerk, she fumbled nervously with her apron, while I asked myself, how she could have been at work in this house the day before, without my knowing it. Only I remembered that I was ill in the morning and busy in the afternoon at the orphan asylum, and somewhat relieved at finding so excellent an excuse for my ignorance. I looked up to see if the detective had noticed anything odd in this woman's behaviour, presumably he had, but having more experience than myself with the susceptibility of ignorant persons in the presence of danger and distress, he attached less importance to it than I did, for which I was secretly glad, without exactly knowing my reasons for being so. You will be wanted as a witness by the coroner's jury, he now remarked to her, looking as if he were addressing the peace of China he was turning over in his hand. Now, no nonsense, he protested, as she commenced to tremble in plead. You were the first one to see this dead woman, and you must be on hand to say so. As I cannot tell you when the inquest will be, you had better stay around till the coroner comes, he'll be here soon, you and this other woman too. By other woman he meant me, Miss Butterworth, of colonial ancestry, and no inconsiderable importance in the social world. But though I did not relish this careless association of myself with this poor scrub woman, I was careful to show no displeasure, for I reasoned that as witnesses we were equal before the law, and that it was solely in this light he regarded us. There was something in the manner of both these gentlemen, which convinced me that while my presence was considered desirable in the house, it was not especially wanted in the room. I was therefore moving reluctantly away when I felt a slight but preemptory touch on my arm, and turning saw the detective at my side, still studying his peace of China. He was, as I have said, a portly-billed and benevolent aspect, a fatherly-looking man, and not at all the person one would likely to associate with the police. Yet he could take the lead very naturally, and when he spoke I felt bound to answer him. Will you be so good, madam, as to relate over again what you saw from your window last night? I am likely to have charge of this matter, and would be pleased to hear all you may have to say concerning it. My name is Butterworth, I politely intimated. And my name is Grace, a detective, the same. You must think this matter very serious, I ventured. Death by violence is always serious. You must regard this death as something more than an accident, I mean. His smile seemed to say, You will not know today how I regard it. And you will not know today what I think of it either, was my inward rejoinder. But I said nothing aloud, for the man was seventy-five if he was a day, and I had been taught respect for age and have practised the same for fifty years and more. I must have shown what was passing in my mind. And he must have seen it reflected on the polished surface of the porcelain he was contemplating, for his lips showed the shadow of a smile sufficiently sarcastic for me to see that he was far from being as easy-natured as his countenance indicated. Come, come, said he. There is the coroner now. Say what you have to say like the straightforward honest woman you appear. I don't like compliments, I snapped out. Indeed they have always been obnoxious to me, as if there was any merit in being honest and straightforward or any distinction in being so told. I am Miss Butterworth and not in the habit of being spoken to, as if I were a simple countrywoman, I objected. But I will repeat what I saw last night, as it is no secret, and the telling of it won't hurt me and may help you. Accordingly I went over the whole story, and was much more loquacious than I had intended to be. His manner was so insinuating and his inquiries so pertinent. At one topic we both failed to broach, and that was the peculiar manner of the scrubwoman. Perhaps it had not struck him as peculiar, and perhaps it should not have struck me as so. But in the silence which was preserved on the subject I felt I had acquired an advantage over him, which might lead to consequences of no small importance. Would I have felt thus or congratulated myself quite so much upon my fancied superiority, if I had known he was the man who managed the Leavenworth case, and who, in his early years, had experienced that very wonderful adventure on the staircase of the heart's delight? Perhaps I would, for though I have had no adventures, I feel capable of them, and as for any peculiar acumen he may have shown in his long and eventful career why that is equality which others may share with him, as I hope to be able to prove before finishing these pages. Chapter III Amelia discovers herself There is a small room at the extremity of the Van Burnham mansion. In this I took refuge after my interview with Mr. Grice, as I picked out the chair which best suited me and settled myself for a comfortable communion with my own thoughts. I was astonished to find how much I was enjoying myself, not with standing the thousand and one duties awaiting me on the other side of the party wall. Even this solitude was welcome for it gave me an opportunity to consider matters. I had not known, up to this very hour, that I had any special gifts. My father, who was a shrewd man of the Old New England type, said more times than I am years old, which was not saying it as often as some may think, that Araminta, the name I was christened by, and the name you will find in the Bible record, though I sign myself Amelia, and insist upon being addressed as Amelia, being as I hope a sensible woman and not the piece of antiquated sentimentality suggested by the former cognomen, that Araminta would live to make her mark. Though in what capacity he never informed me, being as I have observed a shrewd man, and thus not likely to thoughtlessly commit himself. I know now that he was right. My pretensions dating from the moment I found that this affair, at first glance so simple, and at the next so complicated, had aroused in me a fever of investigation which no reasoning could allay. Though I had other and more personal matters on my mind, my thoughts would rest nowhere but on the details of this tragedy, and having, as I thought, noticed some few facts in connection with it from which conclusions might be drawn. I amused myself with jotting them down on the back of a disputed grocer's bill I happen to find in my pocket. Valueless as explaining this tragedy, being founded upon insufficient evidence, they may be interesting as showing the workings of my mind even at this early stage of the matter. They were drawn under three heads. First was the death of this young woman an accident. Second was it a suicide. Third was it murder. Under the first head I wrote, my reasons for not thinking it an accident. One, if it had been an accident and she had pulled the cabinet over upon herself, she would have been found with her feet pointing towards the wall where the cabinet had stood. But her feet were towards the door and her head under the cabinet. Two, the decent even precise arrangement of the clothing about her feet, which precludes any theory involving accident. Under the second, reason for not thinking it suicide. She could not have been found in the position observed without having lain down on the floor while living and then pulled the shelves down upon herself, a theory obviously too improbable to be considered. Under the third, reason for not thinking it murder. She would need to have been held down on the floor while the cabinet was being pulled over her, something which the quiet aspect of the hands and feet may appear impossible. To this I added reasons for accepting the theory of murder. One, the fact that she did not go into the house alone, that the man entered with her, remained ten minutes and then came out again and disappeared up the street with every appearance of haste and an anxious desire to leave the spot. Two, the front door which he had unlocked on entering was not locked by him on departure, the catch doing the locking. Yet though he could have re-entered so easily, he had shown no disposition to return. Three, the arrangement of the skirts which show the touch of a careful hand after death. Nothing clear you see I was doubtful of all, and yet my suspicions tended most toward murder. I had eaten my luncheon before interfering in this matter which was fortunate for me, as it was three o'clock before I was summoned to meet the coroner of whose arrival I had been conscious some time before. He was in the front parlor where the dead girl lay, and as I took my way thither I felt the same sensations of faintness which had so nearly overcome me on the previous occasion. But I mastered them and was quite myself before I crossed the threshold. There were several gentlemen present, but of them all I only noticed two, one of whom I took to be the coroner, while the other was my late interlocutor Mr. Greiss. From the animation observable in the latter I gathered that the case was growing in interest from the detective's standpoint. Ah, and is this the witness as the coroner as I stepped into the room? I am Miss Butterworth was my calm reply, Amelia Butterworth, coming next door and present at the discovery of this poor murdered body. Murdered, he repeated, why do you say murdered? For reply I drew from my pocket the bill on which I had scribbled my conclusions in regards to this matter. Read this, said I. Evidently astonished he took the paper from my hand, and after some curious glances in my direction condescended to do as I requested. The result was an odd but grudging look of admiration directed towards myself and a quick passing over of the paper to the detective. The latter, who had exchanged his bit of broken china for a very much used and tooth-marked lead pencil, frowned with the whimsical air at the latter before he put it in his pocket. Then he read my hurried scrawl. Two richmans in the field commented the coroner with a sly chuckle. I'm afraid I should have to yield to their allied forces. Miss Butterworth, the cabinet is about to be raised. Do you feel as if you could endure the sight? I can stand anything where the cause of justice is involved, I replied. Very well, then, sit down, if you please, when the whole body is visible I will call you. And stepping forward he gave orders to have the clock and broken china removed from about the body. As the former was laid away on one end of the mantel someone observed what a valuable witness that clock might have been had it been running when the shelves fell. But the fact was so patent that it had not been in motion for months that no one even answered, and Mr. Grice did not so much as look towards it. But then we had all seen that the hand stood at three minutes to five. I had been asked to sit down, but I found this impossible. And by side with the detective I viewed the replacing of that heavy piece of furniture against the wall, and the slow disclosure of the upper part of the body which had so long laid hidden. That I did not give way is a proof that my father's prophecy was not without some reasonable foundation, for the sight was one to try the stoutest nerves as well as to awaken the compassion of the hardest heart. The coroner, meeting my eye, pointed at the poor creature inquiringly. Is this the woman you saw enter here last night? I glanced down at her dress, noting the short summer cape tied to the neck with an elaborate bow of ribbon, and nodded my head. I remember the cape, said I, but where is her hat? She wore one. Let me see if I can describe it. Closing my eyes I endeavored to recall the dim silhouette of her figure as she stood passing up the change to the driver, and it was so far successful that I was ready to announce the next moment that her hat presented the effect of a soft felt with one feather or one bow of ribbon standing upright from the side of the crown. Then the identity of this woman with the one you saw enter here last night is established, remarked the detective, stooping down and drawing from under the poor girl's body a hat. Sufficiently like the one I had just described to satisfy everybody that it was the same. As if there could be any doubt, I began, but the coroner, explaining that it was a mere formality, motioned me to stand aside in favor of the doctor, who seemed anxious to approach nearer the spot where the dead woman lay. This I was about to do when a sudden thought struck me, and I reached out my hand for the hat. Let me look at it for a moment, said I. After Grice at once handed it over, and I took a good look at it inside and out. It is pretty badly crushed, I observed, and does not present a very fresh appearance, but for all that it has been born but once. How do you know, questioned the coroner? Let the other Richmond inform you, was my grimly uttered reply, as I gave it again into the detective's hand. There was a murmur about me, whether of amusement or displeasure, I made no effort to decide. I was finding out something for myself, and I did not care what they thought of me. Neither has she worn this dress long, I continued, but that is not true of the shoes. They are not old, but they have been acquainted with the pavement, and that is more than I can say of the hem of this gown. There are no gloves on her hands. A few minutes elapsed then before her assault, long enough for her to take them off. That woman whispered a voice in my ear, a half-admiring, half-sarcastic voice, that I had no difficulty in ascribing to Mr. Grice. But are you sure she wore any? Did you notice that her hand was gloved when she came into the house? No, I answered frankly, but so well-dressed a woman would not enter a house like this without gloves. It was a warm night, someone suggested. I don't care, you will find her gloves as you have her hat, and you will find them with the fingers turned inside out just as she drew them from her hand. So much I will concede to the warmth of the weather. Like these, for instance, broke in a quiet voice. Startled for a hand had appeared over my shoulder dangling a pair of gloves before my eyes, I cried out, somewhat too triumphantly I own. Yes, yes, just like those. Did you pick them up here, are they hers? You say that this is the way hers should look. And I repeat it. Then allow me to pay you my compliments these were picked up here. But where, I cried, I thought I looked this carpet over well. He smiled not at me, but at the gloves, and the thought crossed me that he felt as if something more than the gloves was being turned inside out, I therefore pursed my mouth and determined to stand more on my guard. It is of no consequence I assured him. All such matters will come out at the inquest. Grace nodded and put the gloves back in his pocket. With them he seemed to pocket some of his geniality and patience. All of these facts have been gone over before you came in, said he, which statement I beg to consider is open to doubt. The doctor, who had hardly moved a muscle during all this colloquy, now rose from his kneeling position beside the girl's head. I shall have to ask the presence of another physician, said he. Will you send for one from your office corner at all? At which I stepped back and the coroner stepped forward, saying, however, as he passed me. The inquest will be held day after tomorrow in my office. Hold yourself in readiness to be present. I regard you as one of my chief witnesses. I assured him I would be on hand and obeying a gesture of his finger retreated from the room, but I did not yet leave the house.  You are Miss Butterworth, he inquired. I am, sir. And I am a reporter from the New York world. Will you allow me? Why did he stop? I had merely looked at him, but he did stop, and that is saying considerable for a reporter from the New York world. I certainly am willing to tell you what I have told everyone else, I interposed, considering it better not to make an enemy of so judicious a young man, and seeing him brighten up at this I thereupon related all that I considered desirable for the general public to know. I was about passing on when reflecting that one good turn deserves another I paused and asked him if he thought they would leave the dead girl in the house all night. He answered that he did not think they would, that a telegram had been sent some time before to young Mr. Van Burnham and that they were only awaiting his arrival to remove her. Do you mean Howard, I asked? Is he the elder one? No. It is the elder one they have summoned, the one who has been staying at Long Branch. How can they expect him then so soon? Because he is in the city, it seems the old gentleman is going to return on the New York, and as she is due here today, Franklin Van Burnham has come to New York to meet him. Huh, thought I. Many times are in prospect, and for the first time I remembered my dinner and the orders which had not been given about some curtains which were to have been hung that day and all the other reasons I had for being at home. I must have shown my feelings as much as I pride myself upon my impassibility upon all occasions. For he immediately held out his arm with an offer to pilot me through the crowd to my own house, and I was about to accept it when the doorbell rang so sharply that we involuntarily stopped. A fresh witness or a telegram for the coroner, whispered the reporter in my ear. I tried to look indifferent and doubtless made out pretty well, for he added after a sly look in my face, you do not care to stay any longer? I made no reply, but I think he was impressed by my dignity. Could he not see that it would be the height of ill manners for me to rush out in the face of anyone coming in? An officer opened the door, and when we saw who stood there I am sure that the reporter as well as myself was grateful that we listened to the dictates of politeness. It was young Mr. Van Burnham, Franklin, I mean the older and more respectable of the two sons. He was flushed and agitated, and looked as if he would like to annihilate the crowd pushing him about on his own stoop. He gave an angry glance backward as he stepped in, and then I saw that a carriage covered with baggage stood on the other side of the street, and gathered that he had not returned to his father's house alone. What has happened? What does all this mean? Were the words he hurled at us, as the door closed behind him, and he found himself face to face with a half dozen strangers, among whom the reporter and myself stood conspicuous. Mr. Grice coming suddenly from somewhere was the one to answer him. A painful occurrence, sir, a young girl has been found here dead, crushed under one of your parlor cabinets.  Here in this shut up house, what young girl? You mean old woman, do you not, the house cleaner or someone? You know, Mr. Van Burnham, we mean what we say, though possibly I should call her a young lady, she is dressed quite fashionably. The—really I cannot repeat in this public manner the word which Mr. Van Burnham used. I excused him at the time, but I will not perpetuate his forgetfulness in these pages. She is still lying as we found her, Mr. Grice now proceeded in his quiet, almost fatherly way. Will you not take a look at her, perhaps you can tell us who she is. I, Mr. Van Burnham, seemed quite shocked. How should I know her? Some thief probably killed while meddling with other people's property. Perhaps, quoth Mr. Grice laconically, at which I felt so angry as tending to mislead my handsome young neighbor, that I irresistibly did what I had fully made up my mind not to do, that is, stepped into view, and took apart in this conversation. How can you say that, I cried, when her admittance here was due to a young man who let her in at midnight with a key, and then left her to eat out her heart in this great house all alone. I have made sensations in my life, but never quite so marked a one as this, in an instant every eye was on me, with the exception of the detectives. Grice was on the figure, crowning the Newell post, and bitterly severe his gaze was, too, though it immediately grew wary, as the young man started towards me and impetuously demanded. Who talks like that? Why, it's Miss Butterworth. Madam, I fear I did not fully understand what you said, whereupon I repeated my words, but this time very quietly, but clearly, while Mr. Grice continued to frown at the bronze figure he had taken into his confidence. When I had finished, Mr. Van Burnham's countenance had changed, so had his manner. He held himself as erect as before, but not with as much bravado. He showed haste and impatience also, but not the same kind of haste, and not quite the same kind of impatience. The corners of Mr. Grice's mouth betrayed that he had noted this change, but he did not turn away from the Newell post. This is a remarkable circumstance which you have just told me, observed Mr. Van Burnham, with the first bow I had ever received from him. I don't know what to think of it, but I still hold that it's some thief. Killed, did you say? Really dead. Well, I'd have given five hundred dollars not to have had it happen in this house. He had been moving towards the parlor door, and he now entered it. Instantly Mr. Grice was at his side. Are they going to close the door? I whispered to the reporter, who was taking all this in equally with myself. I'm afraid so, he muttered. And they did. Mr. Grice had evidently had enough of my interference, and was resolved to shut me out. But I heard one word and caught one glimpse of Mr. Van Burnham's face before the heavy door fell too. The word was, oh, so bad is that? How can any one recognize her? And the glimpse, well, the glimpse proved to me that he was much more profoundly agitated than he wished to appear, and any extra ordinary agitation on his part was certainly in direct contradiction to the very sentence he was at that moment uttering. End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Silas Van Burnham However much I may be needed at home, I cannot reconcile it with my sense of duty to leave just yet, I confided to the reporter, with what I meant to be a proper show of reason and self-restraint. Mr. Van Burnham may wish to ask me some questions. Of course, of course, acquiesced the other. You are very right. As you are very right, I should judge. As I did not know what he meant by this, I frowned. Always a wise thing to do in an uncertainty, that is, if one wishes to maintain an air of independence and aversion to flattery. Will you not sit down, he suggested. There is a chair at the end of the hall. But I had no need to sit. The front doorbell again rang, and simultaneously, with its opening, the parlor door unclosed, and Mr. Franklin Van Burnham appeared in the hall. Just as Mr. Silas Van Burnham, his father, stepped into the vestibule. Father, he remonstrated with the troubled air, could you not wait? The elder gentleman, who had evidently just been driven up from the steamer, wiped his forehead with an irascible air. That I will say I have noticed in him before, and on much less provocation. Wait with yelling crowds screaming murder in my ear, and Isabella on one side of me calling for salts, and Caroline on the opposite seat getting that blue look about her mouth. We have learned to dread so in a hot day like this. No, sir. When there is anything wrong going on, I want to know it, and evidently there is something wrong going on here. What is it? Some of howards, but the sun, seizing me by the hand and drawing me forward, put a quick stop to the old gentleman's sentence. Miss Butterworth, father, our next door neighbor, you know. Ah, hm, ah, Miss Butterworth, how do you do, ma'am? What the—is she doing here, he grumbled. Not so low, but that I heard both the profanity and the none too complementary allusion to myself. If you will come into the parlour I will tell you urged the sun. But what have you done with Isabella and Caroline, left them in the carriage with that hooting mob about them? I told the coachmen to drive on, they are probably half way around the block by this time.  A sad accident has occurred here, and you must expect the sight of blood. Blood? Oh, I can stand that. If howard? The rest was lost in the sound of the closing door.  If you would, then condemn me for lingering just a few minutes longer. The voices in the parlour were loud, but they presently subsided, and when the owner of the house came out again, he had a subdued look, which was as great a contrast to his angry aspect on entering, as was the change I observed in his son. He was so absorbed indeed that he did not notice me though I stood directly in his way. Don't let howard come, he was saying in a thick, low voice to his son. Keep howard away till we are sure. I am confident that his son pressed his arm at that point, for he stopped short and looked about him in a blind and dazed way. Oh, he ejaculated in a tone of great displeasure. This is the woman who saw. Miss Butterworth, father, the anxious voice of his son broke in. Don't try to talk such a sight as enough to unnerve any man. Yes, yes, blustered the old gentleman, evidently taking some hint from the other's tone or manner. Where are the girls? They will be dead with terror if we don't relieve their minds. They got the idea it was their brother howard who was hurt, and so did I, but it's only some wandering wave, thumb. It seemed as if he was not to be allowed to finish any of his sentences, for Franklin interrupted him at this point, and asked him what he was going to do with the girls, certainly he could not bring them in here. No, answered his father, but in the dreamy, inconsequential way of one whose thoughts were elsewhere. I suppose I shall have to take them to some hotel. Ah, an idea! I flushed as I realized the opportunity which had come to me, and had to wait a moment not to speak with too much eagerness. Let me play the part of neighbor, I prayed, and accommodate the young ladies for the night, my house is near and quiet. But the trouble it would involve, protested Mr. Franklin, is just what I need to allay my excitement, I responded. I shall be glad to offer them rooms for the night, if they are equally glad to accept them. They must be, the old gentleman declared, I can't go running around with them hunting up rooms to-night. Miss Butterworth is very good. Go find the girls, Franklin. Let me have them off my mind at least. The young man bowed. I bowed, and was slipping at last from my place by the stairs, when for the third time I felt my dress twitched. Are you going to keep to that story, a voice whispered in my ear, about the young man and the woman coming in the night, you know? Keep to it, I whispered back, recognizing this grub woman, who had sidled up to me from some unknown quarter in the semi-darkness. Why it's true, why shouldn't I keep to it?  Oh, you are a good one, she said. I didn't know they made him so good. And with another chuckle full of satisfaction and an odd sort of admiration I had certainly not earned, she slid away again into the darkness. Certainly there was something in this woman's attitude towards this affair which merited attention. I welcome the Mrs. Van Burnham with just enough goodwill to show that I had not been influenced by any unworthy motives in asking them to my house. I gave them my guest-chamber but I invited them to sit in my front room as long as there was anything interesting going on in the street. I knew they would like to look out, and as this chamber boasts of a bay with two windows we could all be accommodated. From where I sat I could now and then hear what they said, and I considered this but just, for if the young woman who had suffered so untimely an end was in any way connected with them it was certainly best that the fact should not lie concealed. And one of them, that is, Isabella, is such a chatterbox. Mr. Van Burnham and his son had returned next door, and so far as we could observe, from our vantage point, preparations were being made for the body's removal. As the crowd below, driven away by the policemen one minute, only to collect again in another, swayed and grumbled in a continual expectation that was as continually disappointed, I heard Caroline's voice rise in two or three short sentences. They can't find Howard, or he would have been here before now. Did you see her that time when we were coming out of Clarke's? Fanny pressed and did, and she said she was pretty. No, I didn't get a glimpse. A shout from the street below. I can't believe it were the next words I heard, but Franklin is awfully afraid. Hush, or the ogre's. I am sure I heard her say ogre's, but what followed was drowned in another loud murmur, and I caught nothing further till these sentences were uttered by the trembling and over-excited Caroline. If it be she, Pa will never be the same man again, to have her die in our house. Oh, there's Howard now! The interruption came quick and sharp, and it was followed by a double cry and an anxious rustle, as the two girls sprang to their feet in their anxiety to attract their brother's attention, or possibly to convey him some warning. But I did not give much heed to them. My eyes were on the carriage in which Howard had arrived, and which, owing to the ambulance in front, had stopped on the other side of the way. I was anxious to see him descend, that I might judge if his figure recalled that of the man I had seen cross the pavement the night before. But he did not descend. Just as his hand was on the carriage door, a half-dozen men appeared on the adjoining stoop carrying a burden which they hasten to deposit in the ambulance. He sank back when he saw it, and when his face became visible again, it was so white it seemed to be the only face in the street, though fifty people stood about, staring at the house, at the ambulance, and at him. Franklin Van Burnham had evidently come to the door with the rest. For Howard had no sooner showed his face the second time than we saw the former dash down the steps, and tried to part the crowd in a vain attempt to reach his brother's side. Mr. Grice was more successful. He had no difficulty in winning his way across the street, and presently I perceived him standing near the carriage, exchanging a few words with its occupant. A moment later he drew back, and addressing the driver jumped into the carriage with Howard, and was speedily driven off. The ambulance followed, and some of the crowd, and as soon as a hack could be obtained, Mr. Van Burnham and his son took the same road, leaving us three women in a state of suspense, which as far as one of us was concerned, ended in a nervous attack that was not unlike heart failure. I allude, of course, to Caroline, and it took Isabella and myself a good half-hour to bring her back to normal condition, and when this was done Isabella thought it incumbent upon her to go off into hysterics, which, being but a weak simulation of the other's state, I met with severity and cured with a frown. When both were in trim again I allowed myself one remark. One would think, said I, that you knew the young woman who had fallen victim to her folly next door. At which Isabella violently shook her head and Caroline observed, it is the excitement which has been too much for me. I am never strong, and this is such a dreadful home welcoming. When Will Father and Franklin come back, it was very unkind of them to go off without one word of encouragement. They probably did not consider the fate of this unknown woman a matter of any importance to you. The Van Burnham girls were unlike in appearance and character, but they showed an equal embarrassment at this, casting down their eyes and behaving so strangely that I was driven to wonder, without any show of hysterics I am happy to say, what would be the upshot of this matter, and how far I would become involved in it before the truth came to light. At dinner they displayed what I should call their best society manner. Seeing this I assumed my society manner also. It is formed on a different pattern from theirs, but is fully as impressive, I judge. A most formal meal was the result, my best china was in use, but I had added nothing to my usual course of vions. Indeed I had abstracted something. An entree upon which my cook-prides herself was omitted. Was I going to allow these proud young misses to think I had exerted myself to please them? No, rather would I have them considered mean-niggeredly and an enemy to good living. Although the entree was, as the French say, suppressed. In the evening their father came in, he was looking very dejected, and half his bluster was gone. He held a telegram crushed in his hand, and he talked very rapidly, but he confided none of his secrets to me, and was obliged to say good night to these young ladies, without knowing much more about the matter and grossing us than when I had left their house in the afternoon.  A dramatic and highly exciting scene had taken place that evening at the undertakers, to which the unknown's body had been removed. And as I have more than once heard it minutely described, I will endeavor to transcribe it here with all the impartiality of an outsider. When Mr. Grice entered the carriage in which Howard sat, he noted first that the young man was frightened, and second that he made no effort to hide it. He had heard almost nothing from the detective. He knew that there had been a hue and cry for him ever since noon, and that he was wanted to identify a young woman who had been found dead in his father's house. But beyond these facts he had been told little, and yet he seemed to have no curiosity, nor did he venture to express any surprise. He merely accepted the situation and was troubled by it, showing no inclination to talk till very near the end of his destination, when he subtly pulled himself together and ventured this question.  The detective, who in his long career among criminals and suspected persons, had seen many men and encountered many conditions, roused at this query with much of his old spirit. Even from the man rather than toward him, he allowed himself a slight shrug of the shoulders, and he calmly replied, She was found under a heavy piece of furniture, the cabinet with the vases on it, which you must remember stood at the left of the mantelpiece. It had crushed her head and breast, quite a remarkable means of death, don't you think? There has been but one occurrence like it in my long experience. If I don't believe what you tell me, was the young man's astonished reply, you are trying to frighten me or make a game of me. No lady would make use of any such means of death as that. I did not say she was a lady, returned Mr. Grice, scoring one in his mind against his unwary companion. A shiver passed down the young man's side, where he came in contact with the detective. No, he muttered, but I gathered from what you said she was no common person, or why. He flashed out in sudden heat. Do you require me to go with you to see her? Have I the name of associating with any persons of the sex who are not ladies? Pardon me, said Mr. Grice, in grim delight at the prospect he saw slowly unfolding before him, of one of those complicated affairs in which minds like his unconsciously revel. I meant no insinuations. We have requested you, as we have requested your father and brother, to accompany us to the undertakers, because the identification of the corpse is a most important point, and every formality likely to ensure it must be observed. And did not they, my father and brother I mean, recognize her? It would be difficult for anyone to recognize her who was not well acquainted with her. A horrified look crossed the features of Howard Van Burnham, which, if a part of his acting, showed him to have genius for his role. His head sank back in the cushions of the carriage, and for a moment he closed his eyes. When he opened them again the carriage had stopped, and Mr. Grice, who had not noticed his emotion, of course, was looking out of the window with his hand on the handle of the door. Are we there already, asked the young man with a shutter? I wish you had not considered it necessary for me to see her. I shall detect nothing familiar in her, I know. Mr. Grice bowed, repeated that it was a mere formality, and followed the young gentleman into the building, and afterwards into the room where the dead body lay. A couple of doctors and one or two officials stood about, in whose faces the young man sought for something like encouragement, before casting his eyes in the direction indicated by the detective. But there was little in any of these faces to calm him, and turning shortly away he walked manfully across the room and took his stand by the detective. I am positive he began that it is not my wife. At this moment the cloth that had covered the body was removed, and he gave a great start of relief. I said so, he remarked codely, this is no one I know. His sigh was echoed in double chorus from the doorway. Glancing that way he encountered the faces of his father and elder brother and moved toward them with a relieved air that made quite another man of him in appearance. I have had my say, he remarked, shall I wait outside till you have had yours? We have already said all that we had to, Franklin returned. He declared that we do not recognize this person. Of course, of course, assented the other. I don't see why they should have expected us to know her. Some common suicide who thought the house empty, but how did she get in? Don't you know, said Mr. Grice, can it be that I forgot to tell you? Why she was led in at night by a young man of medium height. His eye ran up and down the graceful figure of the young elegant before him as he spoke, who left her inside and then went away, a young man who had a key. A key? Franklin, I—was it a look from Franklin which made him stop? It is possible, for he turned on his heel as he reached this point and tossing his head with quite a gay air exclaimed, but it is of no consequence. The girl is a stranger, and we have satisfied, I believe, all the requirements of the law in saying so, and may now drop the matter. Are you going to the club, Franklin? Yes, but here the elder brother drew nearer and whispered something into the other's ear, who at that whisper turned again towards the place where the dead woman lay. Seeing this movement, his anxious father wiped the moisture from his forehead. Silas Van Burnham had been silent up to this moment and seemed inclined to continue so, but he watched his younger son with painful intentness. Nonsense broke from Howard's lips as his brother ceased his communication, but he took a step nearer the body notwithstanding, and then another, and another, until he was at its side again. The hands had not been injured, as we have said, and upon these his eyes now fell. They are like hers, oh God! They are like hers, he muttered, growing gloomy at once. But where are the rings? There are no rings to be seen on these fingers, and she wore five including her wedding ring.  The young man was caught unawares. He flushed deeply but answered up boldly and with great appearance of candor. Yes, my wife left Adam yesterday to come to New York, and I have not seen her since. Naturally I have felt some doubts lest this unhappy victim should be she. But I do not recognize her clothing, I do not recognize her form, only the hands look familiar, and the hair is of the same color as hers, but it's a very ordinary color. I do not dare to say from anything I see that this is my wife. We will call you again after the doctor has finished his autopsy, said Mr. Grice. Perhaps you will hear from Mrs. Van Burnham before then. But this intimation did not seem to bring comfort with it. Mr. Van Burnham walked away white and sick, for which display of emotion there was certainly some cause, and rejoining his father tried to carry off the moment with the aplomb of a man of the world.  If it is she, so help me God, her death is a mystery to me. We have quarreled more than once lately, and I have sometimes lost my patience with her. But she had no reason to wish for death, and I am ready to swear in defiance of those hands, which are certainly like hers.  Well, well, we will wait, was the detective's soothing reply. Sit down in the room opposite there, and give me your orders for supper, and I will see that a good meal has served you. The three gentlemen, seeing no way of refusing, followed the discreet official who preceded them, and the door of the doctor's room closed upon him, and the inquire is he was about to make. End of Chapter 5 CHAPTER 6 New Facts Mr. Van Burnham and his son had gone through the formality of supper, and were conversing in the haphazard way natural to men filled with a subject they dare not discuss, when the door opened and Mr. Grice came in. Being very calmly he dressed himself to the father. I am sorry, said he, to be obliged to inform you that this affair is much more serious than we anticipate him. This young woman was dead before the shelves laden with bric-a-brac fell upon her. It is a case of murder, obviously so, or I should not presume to forestall the coroner's jury in their verdict. Murder it is a word to shake the stoutest heart. The older gentleman reeled as he half-rose, and Franklin his son, betrayed in his own way an almost equal amount of emotion. But Howard shrugged his shoulders as if relieved of an immense weight, looked about with a cheerful air, and briskly cried, Then it is not the body of my wife you have there. No one would murder Louise. I shall go away and prove the truth of my words by hunting her up at once. The detective opened the door, beckoned in the doctor, who whispered two or three words into Howard's ear. They failed to awake the emotion he evidently expected. Howard looked surprised, but he answered without any change of voice. Yes, Louise has such a scar, and if it is true that this woman is similarly marked, then it is a mere coincidence. Nothing will convince me that my wife has been the victim of murder. Would you not better take a look at the scar just mentioned? No, I am so sure of what I say that I will not even consider the possibility of my being mistaken. I have examined the clothing on this body you have shown me, and not one article of it came from my wife's wardrobe. Nor would my wife go, as you have informed me this woman did, into a dark house at night with any other man than her husband. And so you absolutely refuse to acknowledge her? Most certainly. The detective paused, glanced at the troubled faces of the other two gentlemen, faces that had not perceptibly altered during these declarations, and suggestively remarked, You have not asked by what means she was killed. And I don't care, shouted Howard. It was by very peculiar means also new in my experience. It does not interest me, the other retorted. Mr. Grice turned to his father and brother. Does it interest you, he asked? The old gentleman, ordinarily so testy and so preemptory, silently nodded his head, while Franklin cried, Speak up quick, you detectives, hesitate over the disagreeables. Was she throttled or stabbed with a knife? I have said the means were peculiar. She was stabbed, but not with a knife. I know Mr. Grice well enough now to be sure that he did not glance towards Howard while saying this, and yet at the same time he did not miss the quiver of a muscle on his part or the motion of an eyelash. But Howard's assumed sang-froid remained undisturbed and his countenance imperturbable. The wound was so small, the detective went on, that it is a miracle it did not escape notice. It was made by the thrust of some very slender instrument through. The heart, put in Franklin? Of course, of course, assented the detective.  Is there any reason why we should not go, demanded Howard, ignoring the extreme interest manifested by the other two, with the determination that showed great dogginess of character? The detective ignored him. A quick stroke, a sure stroke, a fatal stroke, the girl never breathed after. But what of those things under which she lay crushed? Ah, in them lies the mystery. Her assailant must have been as subtle as he was sure. And still Howard showed no interest. I wish to telegraph to Adam, he declared, as no one answered the last remark, Adam was the place where he and his wife had been spending the summer. We have already telegraphed there, observed Mr. Grice, your wife has not yet returned. There are other places, defiantly insisted the other, I can find her if you give me the opportunity. Mr. Grice bowed. I am to give orders then for this body to be removed to the morgue. It was an unexpected suggestion, and for an instant Howard showed that he had feelings with the best. But he quickly recovered himself and, avoiding the anxious glances of his father and brother, answered with offensive lightness. I have nothing to do with that you must do as you think proper. And Mr. Grice felt that he had received a check, and did not know whether to admire the young man for his nerve, or to execrate him for brutality, that the woman who he had thus carelessly dismissed to the ignominy of public gaze was his wife, the detective did not doubt.


What is going on guys welcome back to the channel critical overload here, so this will be a WWE related video So if you aren't a WWE fan, I don't expect you to watch, but if you are welcome aboard I don't really do too many WWE videos. I know in the past. I have stated that I want to try to weave This company and talking about my fandom for the company and just talk start talking about pro wrestling in general on this channel Now I might actually need to start jumping on that now more than ever because we just got something I didn't expect to Learn about at all during this lifetime at least not this young in my lifetime. This has been a part of my childhood For the longest time and now going into my early adulthood. I never thought I would be Making something like or making a video like this to discuss topics like this that seem to be Unconfirmed, but I wouldn't be shocked to learn about their legitimacy going into tomorrow Now six or eight months ago one of the best things that ever happened to WWE occurred this McMahon resigned as chairman of the company Shortly afterwards. We have what many have been wanting for years myself included and that was a sign of hope or change for The product because Paula Vecke aka Triple H would become head of creative Steph Newton man alongside Nick Khan would become co CEOs for six months. We Me personally for six months. I did see some changes. I saw changes in the product I saw long-term booking match cards featuring matches that had actual build up to invest in and not just things thrown together For the sake of the fact that you knew you had a pay review coming up Michael Cole has absolutely been killing it on commentary from what I have been hearing from him ever since this change Bray Wyatt returned people like Johnny Gargano came back and so many other signs of improvement And although not everything was just completely fixed with events his removal because he did such a bad job for the longest time in his role Triple H and his team definitely have done a better job at presenting a sports oriented product that everyone can just simply enjoy now Not even a full month into the new year a report came out earlier today That's Stephanie Stephanie McMahon had announced her resignation from the company via an official statement that she shared on her social media Where she stated this about eight months ago I took a leave of absence and within a few weeks unexpectedly had the opportunity of a lifetime I had the privilege to return as the co CEO and chairman of the board of WWE I cannot plan to work how proud I am to have led what I consider to be the greatest company in the world Working alongside a remarkable leadership team and one of the strongest executives I have known in my co CEO Nick Khan our founder Vince McMahon has returned as executive chair and is leading an Exciting process regarding strategic alternatives and with Nick's leadership in Paul Triple H. Lavec as chief content officer I am confident WWE is in the perfect place to continue to provide unparalleled creative content and drive Maximum value for shareholders WWE is such a strong was isn't it such a strong position I've decided to return to my leave and take it one step further with my official resignation I look forward to cheering on WWE from the other side of the business where I started where I was a little kid as a pure fan I will always remain dedicated to WWE I truly love our company our employees our superstars and our fans and I am grateful to all of our partners now This was what many thought would be the most shocking news of the day by the time this is uploaded probably midnight past midnight on Wednesday This is what many people thought would be the most shocking news of the day because I believe just this past Friday She led a meeting assuring people that things wouldn't change like no big changes were gonna come like creatively But then this happens so then the real big deal of the day so far is the reports that WWE has reportedly been officially sold to Saudi Arabia and will be going private This report seemingly began thanks to the Kermit user over on Reddit who has had scoops in the past that were correct related to WWE wrestling Inc. I saw picking up on it. No DQ was picking up on it. Just a shout out a few of those outlets I'm aware of but I want to recognize That WWE hasn't officially made any sort of statement about this so all eyes are on Wednesday and what the hell will go down today So like let me just say this Vince McMahon might be the most annoying person of the year and the year has just started this man Isn't able to just let go in peace and even when he was removed. It wasn't because Vince wanted to go It was mostly because well, we know what it was. I'm not gonna get into that Most of us myself included again with this. We didn't care how he was being removed it was just something we were glad finally happened because Vince has been so bad and detrimental to the product for so long Vince intended to hold on to that power until he died and thus proving every single word from punk punk's pipe bomb in 2011 to be true This on the service to me is just not not good at all. Absolutely not if it's true. That's just years of Just memories I would say tossed down the toilet I have no hopes if this is true that anything is anything positive for the fans is gonna come from this I have no high hopes of that at all if anything the the person who benefits the most from this Would be the person who only cares about himself the most and that is Vince McMahon I'm certain there will be walkouts if this is true. Something tells me this will there will be walkouts I'm probably being overly dramatic just because I cannot believe a report like this is out here But so much is uncertain as we speak and I believe this is true because Stephanie's resignation makes a lot more sense I'd imagine Triple H is probably next because we all know Vince couldn't stand what Hunter was doing with NXT in its glory days So he killed that when that when the black-and-goal brand couldn't be thrown AW during that pathetic Wednesday night wars They tried to have speaking of AW I'm more than thankful right now for someone like Tony Khan because he seems to be an actual wrestling fan Vince has just grown into this gritty narcissist who just couldn't let things go So he's willing to sink the ship completely and just screw everyone else in the process People talk about how wrong it was for Jeff Hardy to leave the company the way he did last year or how Mercedes and Naomi Walking out was wrong on their part. No, let me tell you was wrong the fact that Vince McMahon Thinks he's competent enough to still be running this company. That's what's wrong. That's what people should be outraged about I had a loss for words because I again as I mentioned I grew up with this product and I remained patient over the years My weekly viewings died down But I continued to stay up to date every week even when I missed an episode of Ross Macdon I still had an understanding of what was happening.  I am a big fan of the WWE. I watched the pay-per-views I watched Ron Smackdown again as I was getting older and as I come as I more more or less Continue to see the product just dwindled down into just an abysmal mess My weekly viewership did start to swindle. I started turning on AW more frequently I did start turning to other alternatives for my wrestling fix for the week because WWE has been in such a bad state of affairs It's not that they didn't have their highlights because again, there have been some strong moments of the product thus far over the past I would say three years this recently it's been Roman Reigns and what's going on with Roman Reigns Sami Zayn who I am certain would walk out of this is true So hopefully we get some clarity on all of this going into Wednesday and hopefully I Mean I I want to be positive But I don't know how to be positive about something like this if it's true I just I just don't I cannot stand Vince McMahon I cannot stand how he just couldn't let things be because he's so He's so envious of how the company could be ran better if it's not ran by him He doesn't want to see that but let me know what y'all think about this down the comment section below If you have already of course make sure you subscribe turn on post notification in this video in the description I have links to all my social media accounts I am on Facebook Twitter and Instagram you can message me there Of course let me know is any movies news or reviews let me cover in the future and with all that in Mind guys. I will see you in the next video


There we go. All right, there we go. I knew I was a little rusty for a quick moment I realized that we actually didn't do the afternoon meeting on our YouTube or Facebook streams while I was away I apologize on that and I just realized I was muted for the last couple of seconds on YouTube and Facebook live So now I'm good to go good to go folks, but with that in mind. We got a busy afternoon I got to go quick because we have the phase one stock course lined up this afternoon talking all about order types Market versus limit we actually talked about that earlier in the pre-market movers masterclass if you're a part of that as well So I know the rich just posted the link in the chat board just now for all of our gold platinum diamond C2 students So we got to go through things quick. I do got to jump to Bitcoin. Of course, trust me I didn't leave because Bitcoin was tanking, but I think the second I left to go on my vacation right from that point Bitcoin tank So I don't think it was happy that I left, but great to be back. Hopefully we'll get a nice squeeze up on Bitcoin And we'll talk about that at the end of this meeting But for right now the MPL and stock to begin it's on the screen and otherwise We'll just go right from top to bottom after we're gonna put this on our watch list stock ended up making a really nice move across The whole day it wasn't one that was on our you know morning or you know Call-out list throughout the day But it was to say at least this thing just kept breaking higher and by 12 o'clock in the afternoon once it broke Above 450 from that point. It really caught our attention. So from there It's still pushed up pretty nicely upwards towards the high of 488 the reason I'm actually more keen to put this on our list I do like you know the fact that it's still pretty close to its highs You know pulled back a bit, but if it doesn't break higher. Well, actually this stock is shortable So, you know God forbid if this doesn't make a lower or a higher low and pushes back up to resistance off of five If it ends up breaking support, you know showing a lot of selling weakness from that trend up Then I would say that that could be a pretty good opportunity to try and short So either way the MPLN stock to begin will put on our main list. All right Now we'll go right from top to bottom. Otherwise. We'll see what else can join the MPLN Oh, that's a click the LG VN stock first So LG VN this one actually was breaking all-time highs right before 2 p.m. Eastern here it exploded above resistance of 1475 that was just the high back from Friday last week while I was away So, you know seemingly enough. This was building a really steady trend off the lows All be a pretty choppy move in its own right, you know a minute by minute But across the day after this broke higher it kept building this trend across the afternoon So even here built a new trend off these lows and then once it broke the all-time high 1475 really wasn't much after that before this thing exploded actually so much So you can kind of look back on this trend line at least now and say wow That was a pretty strong trend off the lows. Huh, just even looking at this Pretty interesting right how it played out just now to where this came back down exactly to this trend line here and just spiked up So really good sign for right now. It's not legavel in the Scotch whiskey for anyone that is a Scotch whiskey drinker LG VN. That was my funny name for it, but long ever in I don't know what the company does Do not care. I'm just gonna put it on our watch list for the meantime at least with this Just you know pushing right back up to the highs All right, so we keep it going from there the ISPC we talked about this in the pre-market movers masterclass Right for those that have access to that we talked about this trade. I showed you my entries You know, I wish I could have done way better on it But still made money the name of the games to make money I took a 14 cent loss I jumped back in got about 34 36 cents after I didn't want to lean back in all those Just pushing up so nicely. You can't just jump into a trade for the hell of it You got to just try and wait for the stock to come back to you Unfortunately, it didn't really do that up until like 12 o'clock anyway, right? But by the time it did that it held support pretty nicely off the nine level That was a pretty big resistance going into the pre-market here. So resistance created support Just kept pulling back down a bit more. So, you know, certainly for right now I mean the ISPC only looks like it will continue dropping off if it was shortable Then it would easily be on our watch list like the MPL and but it's not so though I wouldn't bother looking at this trade now at this stage. All right, so we keep it going water break number one But Lee spotty chart the new Bev NB EV we saw this get called out just a moment ago I think one of our students Norman picked up like two or three cents on it ended up pushing up nicely towards 147 Yes resistance at 150 77,000 share order on the ask. So that definitely is your major top to work off of for right now Certainly, we'll put this on our list in hopes of it breaking higher Stock is like watching the grass grow otherwise though. So, you know, if it does push up Hopefully it will make a better move than even what you're seeing here. All right, the RAAS stock I think for my own I think for job security reasons. We'll put this right back on the watch list for the afternoon I'd say that more ingest than anything. Fausto called us out really quickly after the market opened up I don't think it made the pre-market or the morning list But hey as soon as the market opened up He was the one that called out the pop the slingshot from 330 335 and moved up really nice at first ended up pushing up towards just about four ended up Sneakily pushing up higher across the late morning the early afternoon The reason I do actually like it right now. It's trading about 20 or so thousand shares per minute That's at least over the last 20 minutes on average But you know, it's to say the stock pulled down to 375 380 it bounced back up about 25 30 cents for a $4 stock That's a good move. So for right now at least in relation to what it's doing across the last 30 or so minutes Why not? All right, so we keep it going see it else we got here another you know, no name actually the CEI trade Unfortunately, this one didn't really offer us too much across the day You know, it was very active from the after hours back from Friday It was pretty active this morning in pre-market usually is that doesn't mean it's going to make for a great trade upon the market opening up You know, this stocks always on the top or always on the most active list, you know by volume Another one PR OG was also up there on the most active list You know, at least after the market opened up This gave us a little room to see a nice slingshot Obviously that was that was very short short lived It made a lower high and then from there snapped right back down But no at least comparing those that were on the most active list the most gainers. It's not always The case that you see a stock trading, you know Hundreds and millions of shares in pre-market. It's not a guarantee It's gonna be a great move for after 9 30. Just look at this was it tradable. Yeah Could you picked up three cents on it? Yeah, I'm sure but right now though It's not really worth the time, you know Maybe if it pops up to 150 later on once we finish this meeting, maybe we'll reconsider at that point All right, so the ASTR this thing stole the show today I mean really outside of the you know LG VN and obviously the ISPC but you know ASTR Hey, it was shortable from the get-go folks, you know, we talked about this earlier in the morning Of course when the market opened up it popped up pretty nicely, but we were looking for those lower highs We were expecting this drop off. So from there it took a damn long time to get going I mean it really broke down right when we were finishing up class But it was to say once it rebroke below the 1250 here and namely it's opening bell print off right around I think 1220 Now is it? That was it. It was a short trade right from there and still could be heading into the close I mean if you look at the highs that we had from last week even to act as a potential historical support Roughly around 1074 1083 perhaps You know technically has a little room to get down there Maybe it makes another lower high then drops down again. I still find this stock pretty tradable either way So for right now the ASTR, I'll put this on our list. It'll actually be kind of number three so far Like the MPLN my legavalin whiskey. That's not that but no after those two the ASTR I think is next best GOE view is on a nice run today. Yeah, look at this this pushing right back up So if anything this GOE V definitely put near the top right now, too Actually gonna put this right at the very top just pushing up here to the high of the day You know stock that trades a lot of liquidity on a day-to-day basis today It's trading about 17 plus million shares even prior to you know What we had last week while I was away even prior to those days stock was trading about 3.2 million shares a day on average that makes it pretty damn tradable by our standards inside cyber group So, you know, obviously with this at the highs of the day right now How can we not but you know at a minimum this has been a sideless stock at least All right, so we keep it going a EVA just broke a new high now It's got thinner volume on the book, you know, it did pull back a bit Maybe I'll come back that if I need to at the end looks interesting at least All right, so we keep it going across the gainer side otherwise Number fifties up nine plus percent, you know, of course the market had a pretty nice day at least from the market Open really took a hit going into the early afternoon and has recovered from that point So, you know, whether we have a pretty flat market heading into the glows or not I mean, I still feel like there's a lot of stocks that are up percentage wise that we may have missed BTU talk about flat Alright, we'll come back to anything else on the gainer's list if it looks pretty good folks last one I'll check out here just because it's one. That's a familiar name for me RLX The that's flat. All right, so we're gonna move over to the loser's list again If there's anything that's you know up that looks good that's trending back on up Then let me know in the chat board But for right now, we'll see what we have on this side of the field the AUPH down over 29% Shortable, so I like all that it is dropping back down, you know towards 20 ended up essentially holding underneath 2040 I would assume iceberg at 2050 so for right now still Traitable right it's near the low as much closer to the lows right now than it is to the highs So if we put a stock on the gainers list on our list, that's near the highs It's hard for us to not put a stock on the loser's list on our watch list. That's near the lows Right. All right, so we keep it going though Otherwise strn not a whole lot happening there just looking at some stocks that are easy to borrow on my platform I don't really see many other familiar names that look like notable worthy at least on the loser side I'm kind of just skimming so again if there's anything on the loser's list That looks pretty good folks that I didn't really check out just yet type it in the chat board I mean you could even say Furthermore what I said on the gainers list about the losers. I mean number 50 is down 13% So there could be a lot more that technically is on the loser's side of things That's down 10% 12% 9% that didn't really see so as I check back to the trading room right now I got a couple of us talking about the g-tech trade to which Mitch Connor on YouTube wrote that in already I appreciate all the shouts on that stock. So yeah g-tech. We are calling out a little bit earlier, too I know that rich was talking about this in inside the trading room prior to 230 at least so I'm happy that I came to this I guess this was like screaming up the gainers list as I was going from top to bottom otherwise Actually shoot. It's only up like six to seven to eight percent. So very good call wouldn't have found this really here Oftentimes you find stocks, you know trending up climbing up the gainers list as we go from top to bottom Would not have found this at least just yet haven't so yeah great call g-tech All right, and from Doug the a uph from earlier Doug cherry on YouTube So I appreciate that from Doug and yeah, that looks all right for right now This won't be on the top of our list like the g-tech trade will now at this point or Gov or MPL and the others but no a uph definitely will put a little spotlight on and seeing if this could break down below 20 Again, I'll tell you what folks I think bitcoins like a like a clingy girlfriend because the second that I stepped away Boy was Bitcoin pissed because man, I'll tell you looking at the six-hour chart here This vertical line represents practically when I did the afternoon meeting back Monday last week The second I finished up this thing was completely tanking afterwards. So, you know, I want to go over a couple of things first This ended up dropping off a hell of a lot more than I was expecting it to that's first things first I was actually in a bit of a leveraged futures position before I left I had to close it out and I took a small hit. I'm not even small. I took a hit. I didn't get crushed Thank God, but I took a hit it sucks And if I kept my position leveraged I would have been down way more So, you know, it happens now though to say this right before I left and you can go back on her Afternoon stream on YouTube actually before I left I recorded that one and I was saying at the time on the six-hour graph Watch out for the 200 EMA on this exact six-hour graph. I was saying at this stage It's not really looking that great if it ends up beginning to break down below that 63-7 line or so that we've been harping on for so long Then it wouldn't shock me over time to see it come down to the 200 I was saying, you know, hey You kind of have to prepare for the worst in these situations or you know prepare for the other side of the situation You know, I'm so bullish and I still am but that doesn't mean that we can't Or that we shouldn't think about what happens if it goes the other way Well seeing a drop down to the 200 EMA because of my expectation there before I left that I wasn't that worried at the time But holy crap guys when this just kept breaking down more and more adding into the 18th into the 19th Trust me. I was in Florida in a nice hot tub nice pool outside. I was I was not really that relaxed So, you know, it's just to say at this point, I ended up buying a little bit more over the last couple of days right around 58 I'm content with that entry, but here's the part that's kind of making me worry a bit And this happened over the last really just couple of hours. This is a six-hour chart So this bar Started today at 1 p.m. Like just an hour and a half ago the next six-hour bar began All right So that means that on this one is what we were working with from overnight Into this morning going into the early afternoon Well, it did push up a little bit Bitcoin was pushing back up back up back up Move pretty much right up to the 200 EMA on my six-hour graph. I mean popped a little bit above it Not only did it of course come back down It closed below my next line that I had here from my chart a horizontal line I had there roughly off at 58,000 or so it closed below that and that's not a good sign So I'm not surprised to see Bitcoin drop off a little bit more across the last, you know 45 minutes last hour and a half or so. This is what we've been kind of dealing with, you know over the last couple of hours So it's to say this I'm expecting more of a drop at this point now I am expecting more of a drop. So where should we get that drop down to? Well, let's pull up the 500 EMA on my six-hour graph, you know for anyone new joining our streams I do this Bitcoin analysis Monday Wednesday Friday. I don't really predict what Bitcoin's gonna do We try and react as we go that's all But it is to say at least if it's gonna close and then continue to drop on the six-hour graph below the 200 below my horizontal line I had Why not think that it can drop down towards my 500 EMA right around 53? That would you know fairly coincide well and I drew this just before I started the meeting But you know this white trend line I drew pretty recently today and It's to say at least you know at least looking at a straight trend line touching the lows back from 2020 and here, you know, it wouldn't shock me if we happen to see this come back down a little bit more at this stage Should that happen? I'll be one of the first to buy that's for sure, but at this stage now I'm not gonna buy anymore at least just yet. I'll let you know when I do Louis says to be honest. I set my next entry Position at around 50,000 ish once it started breaking down Well so far that's been paying off for you Louis and yeah for right now I'm gonna sit on my hands at least until we see a little bit more clarity if it can get back over my 60,000 line here make a higher low Maybe I'll add more at that point if it keeps dropping though Then I'd kind of wait towards the 500 here maybe this straight trend line perhaps which was holding pretty nicely So those are all just you know thoughts that you can kind of use going into the next week or so. That's it But obviously it wasn't a true vacation with seeing Bitcoin drop off as much as it did So I was a little stressed out and took a little bit of a hit, but we live we learn. I'm breathing air I'm fine health-wise I'm fine financially took a small hit, but here we are we're doing alright Get right back up on the horse Hopefully if we find a good entry point again right around here over time or otherwise if it makes a higher low Wouldn't mind trying to check this back out again if it can get back over 60 All right AUPH pulling back down to the 20 so that is the reason why we put that on our watch list at least for the afternoon from RJF calling out the ISPC trade again, you're looking for that second wind type of move and We rarely look for that here at this time of the day. So given the volatility given how much it had moved up If it does make a second wind type of move, maybe you can get a dollar out of it If so then you know kudos, but for right now the majority of this moves done with it It's not really going to be as good as it was to us at least in pre-market All right folks, but I think that just about wraps it up for me here time is 250 We got about 15 minutes until phase one continues for all over Students live inside cyber group. I know that rich posts the link in the chat board there So make sure that you click that link just so you can get early access make sure that you're you're all squared away on the Tech end of things I'm about to do that myself and then for all this on social media Facebook live YouTube I know that we were not able to stream our afternoon meetings on YouTube Facebook live over the last week But we are back and I'm back in my normal seat So we're gonna be good to go across the board if you have any questions feel more than free to send over an email Right to my email address type didn't type it in there on the stream Josh at C2 trading comms Some things don't change and neither does my stutter at the end of this meeting doing a lot of talking today So I appreciate you folks bearing with me here RGF says he'll take a dollar move I would do especially if it could break back over nine coming up here But for right now though, I think that there are other stocks that are more notable so far But you know hey, we'll see where the road takes us here across the next hour. All right folks I'll talk to you all soon. Take care