Fear Stalks the Village (Murder Mystery Classic) by Ethel Lina White

Author:Ethel Lina White [White, Ethel Lina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9788075830081
Publisher: Musaicum Books
Published: 2017-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XVIII — THE TRAP

Table of Contents

"I was wrong to distrust a matrimonial alliance," chuckled Ignatius, when he and the Rector had returned to the study, where the faithful Charles was guarding the biscuits. "Mrs. Perry spilled the beans most effectively. I like the doctor. Poor devil, I wonder he has a patient left, or a shilling in his pocket."

"But she's really kind-hearted," said the Rector. "She sits up with the doctor's poor patients, and is always first with beef-tea."

"Made from the best cut," remarked Ignatius acidly. Then he filled his glass and held it up. "Here's to our anonymous friend. He's finding his range."

"How? That letter was an infamous lie."

"Yes, but it was a definite charge, and not a vague warning. What we have to do is to try and wander in the labyrinth of a chocked mind. If he aims to create an atmosphere of general fear and suspicion, he has spread some useful poison this time."

"'He'?" repeated the Rector. "Then you think it's a man?"

"I do not. On a numerical basis, the chances are the writer is a woman. I use the masculine pronoun solely for convenience...What a confounded nuisance that woman is."

"Who?"

"Miss Corner."

"Remember she's dead, Ignatius."

"Dead or alive, she's nothing but a name, to me. Hang it, I can't be sentimental over your excellent Miss Corner. If she hadn't blundered it, and confused the issues, I could have easily solved your little problem."

It was plain to the Rector that his friend was in excellent spirits; his peaked face wore an elfin grin as he waved his cigarette.

"Your mystery," he said, "is a snake, which I'm out to scotch. But the miserable Miss Corner has chopped it in two, and the halves go wriggling off in opposite directions. I don't know whether to follow the harmless tail, or the poisonous head."

"Then it may be harmless?" asked the Rector eagerly.

"My dear fellow, all the facts point to a mere village storm in a teacup. Jealousy between two single women. One writes the other a spite-letter—gets suspected—so writes one to herself. Then, most unfortunately dies. So a loyal friend writes two foolish anonymous letters, to clear her name."

"We'll give them their names," said the Rector. "Miss Asprey, Miss Corner and the doctor. How have you established your facts?"

As he listened to Ignatius, he kept rubbing his eyeballs and pulling his lids, in the way of a man troubled with nerves.

"Well," he said. "It seems to be Q.E.D. Only Miss Corner could have known Miss Asprey's second name."

"That is the assumption," agreed Ignatius. "But I must know it for a fact. The full name was written in the fly-leaf of all Miss Asprey's old books that I had time to examine. I wanted to find out about what period she suppressed the second. If she was then in her teens, it is unlikely Miss Corner would know it, for Miss Asprey was a senior girl when they first met, and she left the school soon afterwards."

He hit the arm of his chair.

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