I had been a junior partner in the firm of Veeley, Carr & Raymond, attorneys and counsellors at law, for about a year, when one morning, in the temporary absence of both Mr. Veeley and Mr. Carr, there...

I had been a junior partner in the firm of Veeley, Carr & Raymond, attorneys and counsellors at law, for about a year, when one morning, in the temporary absence of both Mr. Veeley and Mr. Carr, there...

For a few minutes I sat dazed by the sudden flood of light greeting me from the many open windows; then, as the strongly contrasting features of the scene before me began to impress themselves upon my...

Turning my attention back into the room where I was, I found the coroner consulting a memorandum through a very impressive pair of gold eyeglasses. “Is the butler here?” he asked. Immediately there wa...

The cook of the establishment being now called, that portly, ruddy-faced individual stepped forward with alacrity, displaying upon her good-humored countenance such an expression of mingled eagerness ...

In the midst of the universal gloom thus awakened there came a sharp ring at the bell. Instantly all eyes turned toward the parlor door, just as it slowly opened, and the officer who had been sent off...

Third floor, rear room, first door at the head of the stairs! What was I about to encounter there? Mounting the lower flight, and shuddering by the library wall, which to my troubled fancy seemed writ...

Have you ever observed the effect of the sunlight bursting suddenly upon the earth from behind a mass of heavily surcharged clouds? If so, you can have some idea of the sensation produced in that room...

And now that the interest was at its height, that the veil which shrouded this horrible tragedy seemed about to be lifted, if not entirely withdrawn, I felt a desire to fly the scene, to leave the spo...

Miss Leavenworth, who appeared to have lingered from a vague terror of everything and everybody in the house not under her immediate observation, shrank from my side the moment she found herself left ...

This astounding discovery made a most unhappy impression upon me. It was true, then. Eleanore the beautiful, the lovesome, was⁠—I did not, could not finish the sentence, even in the silence of my own ...

The morning papers contained a more detailed account of the murder than those of the evening before; but, to my great relief, in none of them was Eleanore’s name mentioned in the connection I most dre...

The door was opened by Molly. “You will find Miss Eleanore in the drawing-room, sir,” she said, ushering me in. Fearing I knew not what, I hurried to the room thus indicated, feeling as never before t...

When we reentered the parlor below, the first sight that met our eyes was Mary, standing wrapped in her long cloak in the centre of the room. She had arrived during our absence, and now awaited us wit...

That the guilty person for whom Eleanore Leavenworth stood ready to sacrifice herself was one for whom she had formerly cherished affection, I could no longer doubt; love, or the strong sense of duty ...

That the guilty person for whom Eleanore Leavenworth stood ready to sacrifice herself was one for whom she had formerly cherished affection, I could no longer doubt; love, or the strong sense of duty ...

I attended the funeral of Mr. Leavenworth, but did not see the ladies before or after the ceremony. I, however, had a few moments’ conversation with Mr. Harwell; which, without eliciting anything new,...

The next morning’s Tribune contained a synopsis of Mr. Leavenworth’s will. Its provisions were a surprise to me; for, while the bulk of his immense estate was, according to the general understanding, ...

And now followed days in which I seemed to make little or no progress. Mr. Clavering, disturbed perhaps by my presence, forsook his usual haunts, thus depriving me of all opportunity of making his acq...

Excited, tremulous, filled with wonder at this unlooked-for event, I paused for a moment to collect my scattered senses, when the sound of a low, monotonous voice breaking upon my ear from the directi...

The next day as, with nerves unstrung and an exhausted brain, I entered my office, I was greeted by the announcement: “A gentleman, sir, in your private room⁠—been waiting some time, very impatient.” ...

Instantly a great dread seized me. What revelations might not this man be going to make! But I subdued the feeling; and, greeting him with what cordiality I could, settled myself to listen to his expl...

For one moment I sat a prey to superstitious horror; then, my natural incredulity asserting itself, I looked up and remarked: “You say that all this took place the night previous to the actual occurre...

Starting with the assumption that Mr. Clavering in his conversation of the morning had been giving me, with more or less accuracy, a detailed account of his own experience and position regarding Elean...

“You have never heard, then, the particulars of Mr. Leavenworth’s marriage?” It was my partner who spoke. I had been asking him to explain to me Mr. Leavenworth’s well-known antipathy to the English r...

When I told Mr. Gryce I only waited for the determination of one fact, to feel justified in throwing the case unreservedly into his hands, I alluded to the proving or disproving of the supposition tha...

I stared at him in amazement. “I doubt if it will be so very difficult,” said he. Then, in a sudden burst, “Where is the man Cook?” “He is below with Q.” “That was a wise move; let us see the boys; ha...

I do not propose to enter into a description of the mingled feelings aroused in me by this announcement. As a drowning man is said to live over in one terrible instant the events of a lifetime, so eac...

I had a client in R⁠⸺ by the name of Monell; and it was from him I had planned to learn the best way of approaching Mrs. Belden. When, therefore, I was so fortunate as to meet him, almost on my arriva...

I had a client in R⁠⸺ by the name of Monell; and it was from him I had planned to learn the best way of approaching Mrs. Belden. When, therefore, I was so fortunate as to meet him, almost on my arriva...

The first thing I did was to inspect with greater care the room in which I sat. It was a pleasant apartment, as I have already said; square, sunny, and well furnished. On the floor was a crimson carpe...

“Mr. Raymond!” The voice was low and searching; it reached me in my dreams, waked me, and caused me to look up. Morning had begun to break, and by its light I saw, standing in the open door leading in...

I do not think I called immediately for help. The awful shock of this discovery, coming as it did at the very moment life and hope were strongest within me; the sudden downfall which it brought of all...

“It was all a hoax; nobody was ill; I have been imposed upon, meanly imposed upon!” And Mrs. Belden, flushed and panting, entered the room where I was, and proceeded to take off her bonnet; but whilst...

It will be a year next July since I first saw Mary Leavenworth. I was living at that time a most monotonous existence. Loving what was beautiful, hating what was sordid, drawn by nature towards all th...

Mrs. Belden paused, lost in the sombre shadow which these words were calculated to evoke, and a short silence fell upon the room. It was broken by my asking for some account of the occurrence she had ...

A half-hour had passed. The train upon which I had every reason to expect Mr. Gryce had arrived, and I stood in the doorway awaiting with indescribable agitation the slow and labored approach of the m...

A half-hour had passed. The train upon which I had every reason to expect Mr. Gryce had arrived, and I stood in the doorway awaiting with indescribable agitation the slow and labored approach of the m...

One sentence dropped by Mr. Gryce before leaving R⁠⸺ prepared me for his next move. “The clue to this murder is supplied by the paper on which the confession is written. Find from whose desk or portfo...

Promptly at the hour named, I made my appearance at Mr. Gryce’s door. I found him awaiting me on the threshold. “I have met you,” said he gravely, “for the purpose of requesting you not to speak durin...

I never saw such a look of mortal triumph on the face of a man as that which crossed the countenance of the detective. “Well,” said he, “this is unexpected, but not wholly unwelcome. I am truly glad t...

I am not a bad man; I am only an intense one. Ambition, love, jealousy, hatred, revenge⁠—transitory emotions with some, are terrific passions with me. To be sure, they are quiet and concealed ones, co...

“Oh, Eleanore!” I cried, as I made my way into her presence, “are you prepared for very good news? News that will brighten these pale cheeks and give the light back to these eyes, and make life hopefu...

For those who are interested in the details of this affair, the following diagram is given: 1. Library table. 2. Chair. 3. Passageway. 4. Bed. 5. Shaving stand. ↩...