There were murmurings of pity from the onlookers when Nora revealed the identity of the murdered man. Sheriff Fleming rubbed his chin reflectively. “Yes, Ma’am. I wouldn’t know about that. He’s been hanging around Central for eight or ten years. Nobody ever knew any name for him but Pete. We called him Screwloose, begging your pardon, Ma’am, because he was sort of strange-like. Stayed out in the hills by himself and didn’t ever talk much. Never said where he hailed from, nor anything about his past.”
Nora cried, “I’m certainly not going to believe he was insane, if that’s what you’re hinting. He was always quiet. Perhaps,” she faltered, “he had an attack or amnesia and didn’t know who he was. That would explain everything.”
A bareheaded young man came charging through the circle of spectators. He dropped to his knees beside the girl and said hoarsely, “Nora! My God, Nora! What is this?”
He wore a neat blue suit, and his glossy black hair was disheveled. His dark, clean-cut features had a cameo-like beauty, but there was, oddly, nothing foppish about him.
Nora shivered when his arm went around her. She looked down at the blood-smeared old man and fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. She sobbed, “It’s Father. After all these years, Frank, I’ve found him.” She buried her face against the young man’s chest.
He glanced up angrily at the silent officer and demanded, “Why in the name of God don’t you do something? Can’t you cover him up — take him away?” His arm tightened protectively around Nora. “This is awful, darling. You mustn’t — please, dear, you can’t sit here like this. The play — good Lord! you’ve got to pull yourself together.”
Nora Carson let her husband draw her away from the dead man. One of the patrolmen turned the sheepskin collar up to hide the ghastly sight from view.
“Yes, Frank — the play,” Nora said. “I suppose I’ll have to go on.”
“Of course you must.” Frank Carson spoke with firm authority.
He lifted his wife and drew her back a few steps, his fine features strained and tight. He spoke to her in a soft, persuasive voice: