In answer to Markham’s question Vance drew out the sheaf of papers he had brought with him.
“Last night,” he explained, “I set down briefly and chronologically all the outstanding facts of the Greene case—that is, I noted each important external factor of the ghastly picture we’ve been contemplating for the past few weeks. The principal forms are all here, though I may have left out many details. But I think I have tabulated a sufficient number of items to serve as a working basis.”
He held out the papers to Markham.
“The truth lies somewhere in that list. If we could put the facts together—relate them to one another with their correct values—we’d know who was at the bottom of this orgy of crime; for, once we determined the pattern, each of the items would take on a vital significance, and we could read clearly the message they had to tell us.”
Markham took the summary and, moving his chair nearer to the light, read through it without a word.
I preserved the original copy of the document; and, of all the records I possess, it was the most important and far-reaching in its effects. Indeed, it was the instrument by means of which the Greene case was solved. Had it not been for this recapitulation, prepared by Vance and later analyzed by him, the famous mass murder at the Greene mansion would doubtless have been relegated to the category of unsolved crimes.
Herewith is a verbatim reproduction of it:
General Facts
An atmosphere of mutual hatred pervades the Greene mansion.
Mrs. Greene is a nagging, complaining paralytic, making life miserable for the whole household.
There are five children—two daughters, two sons, and one adopted daughter—who have nothing in common, and live in a state of constant antagonism and bitterness toward one another.
Though Mrs. Mannheim, the cook, was acquainted with Tobias Greene years ago and was remembered in his will, she refuses to reveal any of the facts in her past.
The will of Tobias Greene stipulated that the family must live in the Greene mansion for twenty-five years on pain of disinheritance, with the one exception that, if Ada should marry, she could establish a residence elsewhere, as she was not of the Greene blood. By the will Mrs. Greene has the handling and disposition of the money.
Mrs. Greene’s will makes the five children equal beneficiaries. In event of death of any of them the survivors share alike; and if all should die the estate goes to their families, if any.
The sleeping-rooms of the Greenes are arranged thus: Julia’s and Rex’s face each other at the front of the house; Chester’s and Ada’s face each other in the centre of the house; and Sibella’s and Mrs. Greene’s face each other at the rear. No two rooms intercommunicate, with the exception of Ada’s and Mrs. Greene’s; and these two rooms also give on the same balcony.
The library of Tobias Greene, which Mrs. Greene believes she had kept locked for twelve years, contains a remarkably complete collection of books on criminology and allied subjects.
Tobias Greene’s past was somewhat mysterious, and there were many rumors concerning shady transactions carried on by him in foreign lands.
First Crime
Julia is killed by a contact shot, fired from the front, at 11:30 p.m.
Ada is shot from behind, also by a contact shot. She recovers.
Julia is found in bed, with a look of horror and amazement on her face.
Ada is found on the floor before the dressing-table.
The lights have been turned on in both rooms.
Over three minutes elapse between the two shots.
Von Blon, summoned immediately, arrives within half an hour.
A set of footprints, other than Von Blon’s, leaving and approaching the house, is found; but the character of the snow renders them indecipherable.
The tracks have been made during the half-hour preceding the crime.
Both shootings are done with a .32 revolver.
Chester reports that an old .32 revolver of his is missing.
Chester is not satisfied with the police theory of a burglar, and insists that the District Attorney’s office investigate the case.
Mrs. Greene is aroused by the shot fired in Ada’s room, and hears Ada fall. But she hears no footsteps or sound of a door closing.
Sproot is halfway down the servants’ stairs when the second shot is fired, yet he encounters no one in the hall. Nor does he hear any noise.
Rex, in the room next to Ada’s, says he heard no shot.
Rex intimates that Chester knows more about the tragedy than he admits.
There is some secret between Chester and Sibella.
Sibella, like Chester, repudiates the burglar theory, but refuses to suggest an alternative, and says frankly that any member of the Greene family may be guilty.
Ada says she was awakened by a menacing presence in her room, which was in darkness; that she attempted to run from the intruder, but was pursued by shuffling footsteps.
Ada says a hand touched her when she first arose from bed, but refuses to make any attempt to identify the hand.
Sibella challenges Ada to say that it was she (Sibella) who was in the room, and then deliberately accuses Ada of having shot Julia. She also accuses Ada of having stolen the revolver from Chester’s room.
Von Blon, by his attitude and manner, reveals a curious intimacy between Sibella and himself.
Ada is frankly fond of Von Blon.
Second Crime
Four days after Julia and Ada are shot, at 11:30 p.m., Chester is murdered by a contact shot fired from a .32 revolver.
There is a look of amazement and horror on his face.
Sibella hears the shot and summons Sproot.
Sibella says she listened at her door immediately after the shot was fired, but heard no other sound.
The lights are on in Chester’s room. He was apparently reading when the murderer entered.
A clear double set of footprints is found on the front walk. The tracks have been made within a half-hour of the crime.
A pair of galoshes, exactly corresponding to the footprints, is found in Chester’s clothes-closet.
Ada had a premonition of Chester’s death, and, when
