Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction. Vol. 27, No. 1, September 17, 1927
- Автор: Valentine, Corley H. W.
- Год: 1927
- Язык: английский
- Год: The Red Star News Company
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction. Vol. 27, No. 1, September 17, 1927». Краткое содержание книги:
But Bill Wacker was past convincing. For, at that moment, the door opened, and into the office came old Judge Oglesby, his hand uplifted for silence.
“No witnesses, no exhibits are necessary,” said he, his eyes studiously avoiding Flossie Nicholas, “Wacker has just committed suicide—”
“Without confessing?” she broke in, her voice edged with disappointment.
“My child,” answered the old judge slowly, his gaze meeting hers for the first time, “suicide is confession. Daniel Webster said that, and it is true.”
Her gaze unflinchingly meeting his, she moved to the door. “Somebody else said something that’s true,” she told him. “Let the dead past bury its dead.”
Before any of the men could utter a word, she was gone.
Old Judge Oglesby, ignoring Duke Emmett and the gaping bartender, went over to Prosecuting Attorney Barrett and put his hand on his shoulder.
“Jack, my boy,” said he gently, “I think I know what was in Bill Wacker’s mind just before he hanged himself to the bars of his cell. I think he must have told himself: ‘Nobody can beat a case when he’s up against a prosecutor who damns the torpedoes and goes ahead.’ ”
Haunts of the Invisible-III
Edited by Alexander Stewart[3]
“I SAW A GREAT SHIP COME GLIDING OVER THE GLASSY SEA,” SAID MRS. ROSE; “ITS SAILS ALL SET AND ABLAZE, YET THEY WERE NOT CONSUMED”
The late William T. Stead, well-known author and newspaper man, several years ago wrote:
“Unless all religions are based upon lies — that is to say, unless the most spiritually enlightened of the great leaders of our race, whose knowledge of the secret springs of the nature of man is attested by the enthusiastic devotion of the noblest of mankind in all ages — there is a world from which, if these founders were not deceived, they received the inspiration and the impulse which gave them their influence among men.
“For centuries the application of the inquiring spirit to these hidden forces was summarily checked by the rough methods of the rack and the tar barrel in this life, and the grim menace of eternal perdition in the next.
“Even in our day the student is overwhelmed with ridicule and punished for his temerity by the pitying compassion of his friends and the contempt and ostracism of the multitude.
“The time has surely come when the fair claim of ghosts to the impartial attention and careful observation of mankind should no longer be ignored. In earlier times people believed in them so much that they cut their acquaintance; in later times people believe in them so little that they will not even admit their existence. Thus these mysterious visitants have hitherto failed to enter into that friendly relation with mankind which many of them seem to desire.
“The reality of the Invisibles has long since ceased to be for me a matter of speculation.”
Stead was a hard-headed newspaper man. He was a trained investigator who derived much of his journalistic fame from his fearless exposure of the real facts concerning various things which he had investigated. He was not a man who could easily be fooled. Yet he believed that “beyond the veil” there are spirits or ghosts — call them what you will — which take an active interest in the affairs of this world.
A Knock at the Door
One thing is certain, that, in spite of the great advances which have been made in the field of science, there are many things which scientists confess they are unable to explain. In this and the other articles of the series some of these phenomena are related. No explanation has been attempted, no theories advanced. The accounts are merely the records of the actual facts as far as they are known.
The first instance in this article is taken from a case which William T. Stead himself investigated. He first heard of it from a friend of his, whose story was so unusual that the newspaper man immediately became interested.
Stead himself says that the narrative “rests on the excellent authority of the Rev. Father Fleming, the hard-working Catholic priest of Slindon, in Sussex.” The account which follows was written out by Father Fleming, who vouched for every word on his sacred honor as a priest. W. T. Stead, who later published it, said, in comment: “In all the wide range of spectral literature I know of no story that is quite like this.”
So here it is:
“I was spending my usual vacation in Dublin in the year 1868, I may add very pleasantly, since I was staying at the house of an old friend of my father’s, and while there was treated with the attention which is claimed by an honored guest, and with as much kindness and heartiness as if I were a member of his family.
“I was perfectly comfortable, perfectly at home. As to my professional engagements I was free for the whole time of my holiday, and could not in any manner admit a scruple or doubt as to the manner in which my work was being done in my absence, for a fully qualified and earnest clergyman was supplying for me.
“Perhaps this preamble is necessary to show that my mind was at rest, and that nothing in the ordinary course of events would have recalled me so suddenly and abruptly to the scene of my labors at Woolwich.
“I had about a week of my unexpired leave of absence yet to run when what I am about to relate occurred to me. No comment or explanation is offered. It is simply a narrative.
“I had retired to rest at night, my mind perfectly at rest, and slept as young men in robust health do, until about four o’clock in the morning. It appeared to me about that hour that I was conscious of a knock at the door.
“Thinking it to be the manservant who was accustomed to call me in the morning, I at once said, ‘Come in.’
“You must attend us”
“To my surprise there appeared at the foot of the bed two figures, one a man of medium height, fair and well fleshed, the other tall, dark and spare. Both were dressed as artisans belonging to Woolwich Arsenal.
“On asking them what they wanted, the shorter man replied: ‘My name is C...s. I belong to Woolwich. I died on... of..., and you must attend me.’
“Probably the novelty of the situation and the feelings attendant upon it prevented me from noticing that he had used the past tense.
“The reply which I received to my question from the other man was like in form: ‘My name is M...ll. I belong to Woolwich. I died on... of..., and you must attend me.’
“I then remarked that the past tense had been used, and cried out:
“ ‘Stop! You said died, and the day you mentioned has not come yet?’
“At which they both smiled and added: ‘We know this very well. It was done to fix your attention, but — and they seemed to say very earnestly and in a marked manner — ‘you must attend us!’ At which they disappeared, leaving me awe-stricken, surprised and thoroughly aroused from sleep.
“Whether what I narrate was seen during sleep, or when wholly awake I do not pretend to say. It appeared to me that I was perfectly awake and perfectly conscious. Of this I had no doubt at the time, and I can scarcely summon up a doubt as to what I heard and saw while I am telling it.
The Prophecy Fulfilled
“As I had lighted my lamp, I rose, dressed, and, seating myself at a table in the room, read and thought, and I need hardly say, from time to time prayed and fervently until day came.
3
A Story of Fact