第5章

The Thurstons had been friends of Halsey's before Vera Lytton had ever met Dr.Dixon, we discovered from the Danbridge gossips, and I, at least, jumped to the conclusion that Halsey was shielding the artist, perhaps through a sense of friendship when he found that Kennedy was interested in Thurston's movement.I must say I rather liked Halsey, for he seemed very thoughtful of the Willards, and was never too busy to give an hour or so to any commission they wished carried out without publicity..

Two days passed with not a word from Thurston.Kennedy was obviously getting impatient.One day a rumour was received that he was in Bar Harbour; the next it was a report from Nova Scotia.At last, however, came the welcome news that he had been located in New Hampshire, arrested, and might be expected the next day.

At once Kennedy became all energy.He arranged for a secret conference in Senator Willard's house, the moment the artist was to arrive.The senator and his daughter made a flying trip back to town.Nothing was said to any one about Thurston, but Kennedy quietly arranged with the district attorney to be present with the note and the jar of ammonia properly safeguarded.Leland of course came, although his client could not.Halsey Post seemed only too glad to be with Miss Willard, though he seemed to have lost interest in the case as soon as the Willards returned to look after it themselves.Mrs.Boncour was well enough to attend, and even Dr.

Waterworth insisted on coming in a private ambulance which drove over from a near-by city especially for him.The time was fixed just before the arrival of the train that was to bring Thurston.

It was an anxious gathering of friends and foes of Dr.Dixon who sat impatiently waiting for Kennedy to begin this momentous exposition that was to establish the guilt or innocence of the calm young physician who sat impassively in the jail not half a mile from the room where his life and death were being debated.

"In many respects this is the most remarkable case that it has ever been my lot to handle," began Kennedy."Never before have I felt so keenly my sense of responsibility.Therefore, though this is a somewhat irregular proceeding, let me begin by setting forth the facts as I see them.

"First, let us consider the dead woman.The question that arises here is, Was she murdered or did she commit suicide? I think you will discover the answer as I proceed.Miss Lytton, as you know, was, two years ago, Mrs.Burgess Thurston.The Thurstons had temperament, and temperament is quite often the highway to the divorce court.It was so in this case.Mrs.Thurston discovered that her husband was paying much attention to other women.She sued for divorce in New York, and he accepted service in the South, where he happened to be.At least it was so testified by Mrs.

Thurston's lawyer.

"Now here comes the remarkable feature of the case.The law firm of Kerr & Kimmel, I find, not long ago began to investigate the=20legality of this divorce.Before a notary Thurston made an affidavit that he had never been served by the lawyer for Miss Lytton, as she was now known.Her lawyer is dead, but his representative in the South who served the papers is alive.He was brought to New York and asserted squarely that he had served the papers properly.

"Here is where the shrewdness of Mose Kimmel, the shyster lawyer, came in.He arranged to have the Southern attorney identify the man he had served the papers on.For this purpose he was engaged in conversation with one of his own clerks when the lawyer was due to appear.Kimmel appeared to act confused, as if he had been caught napping.The Southern lawyer, who had seen Thurston only once, fell squarely into the trap and identified the clerk as Thurston.There were plenty of witnesses to it, and it was point number two for the great Mose Kimmel.Papers were drawn up to set aside the divorce decree.

"In the meantime, Miss Lytton, or Mrs.Thurston, had become acquainted with a young doctor in a New York hospital, and had become engaged to him.It matters not that the engagement was later broken.The fact remains that if the divorce were set aside an action would lie against Dr.Dixon for alienating Mrs.Thurston's affections, and a grave scandal would result.I need not add that in this quiet little town of Danbridge the most could be made of such a suit."Kennedy was unfolding a piece=20of paper.As he laid it down, Leland, who was sitting next to me, exclaimed under his breath:

"My God, he's going to let the prosecutor know about that letter.

Can't you stop him?"

It was too late.Kennedy had already begun to read Vera's letter.

It was damning to Dixon, added to the other note found in the ammonia-jar.

When he had finished reading, you could almost hear the hearts throbbing in the room.A scowl overspread Senator Willard's features.

Alma Willard was pale and staring wildly at Kennedy.Halsey Post, ever solicitous for her, handed her a glass of water from the table.

Dr.Waterworth had forgotten his pain in his intense attention, and Mrs.Boncour seemed stunned with astonishment.The prosecuting attorney was eagerly taking notes.

"In some way," pursued Kennedy in an even voice, "this letter was either overlooked in the original correspondence of Dr.Dixon or it was added to it later.I shall come back to that presently.My next point is that Dr.Dixon says he received a letter from Thurston on the day the artist visited the Boncour bungalow.It asked about a certain headache compound, and his reply was brief and, as nearly as I can find out, read, 'This compound will not cure your headache except at the expense of reducing heart action dangerously.'

"Next comes the tragedy.On the evening of the day that Thurston=20eft, after presumably telling Miss Lytton about what Kerr & Kimmel had discovered, Miss Lytton is found dying with a bottle containing cyanide and sublimate beside her.You are all familiar with the circumstances and with the note discovered in the jar of ammonia.