“I understand perfectly. I will get in touch with Doctor Oppenheimer in the morning and explain to him the official character of the situation. I’m sure he will expedite matters.”
When we were again in the taxicab Markham gave voice to his perplexity.
“Von Blon strikes me as a particularly able and trustworthy man. And yet he has obviously gone woefully astray in regard to Mrs. Greene’s illness. I fear he’s in for a shock when he hears what Oppenheimer has to say after the examination.”
“Y’ know, Markham,” said Vance sombrely, “I’ll feel infinitely bucked if we succeed in getting that report from Oppenheimer.”
“Succeed! What do you mean?”
“ ’Pon my word, I don’t know what I mean. I only know that there’s a black terrible intrigue of some kind going on at the Greene house. And we don’t yet know who’s back of it. But it’s some one who’s watching us, who knows every move we make, and is thwarting us at every turn.”
CHAPTER XX.
The Fourth Tragedy
(Thursday, December 2; forenoon)
The following day was one that will ever remain in my memory. Despite the fact that what happened had been foreseen by all of us, nevertheless when it actually came it left us as completely stunned as if it had been wholly unexpected. Indeed, the very horror that informed our anticipation tended to intensify the enormity of the event.
The day broke dark and threatening. A damp chill was in the air; and the leaden skies clung close to the earth with suffocating menace. The weather was like a symbol of our gloomy spirits.