Gray Dusk (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1919. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIX A GRAY pallor crept slowly over the face of Mart Farnam; his hands clenched and unclenched spasmodically; his eyes widened and a look of infinite terror dawned in them. He gazed upon Carroll as though upon the superhuman. His knees trembled and he clutched the edge of the table for support. Sullivan caught Carroll's eyes and moved unostentatiously across the room. He closed and locked both doors and put the keys in his pocket. Then he returned and took a position near the elongated swamp angel. Farnam was trembling violently--beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. He glanced helplessly toward Carroll and hopelessly toward the locked doors. But he was no more surprised than was Sheriff Potter. That dignitary was staring pop-eyed at Carroll. As for the detective the boyish softness had disappeared from his face as though by magic. The mildly inquiring gaze of his quiet blue eyes had hardened to steely gray, every muscle of his lithe figure was tensed. He breathed with difficulty, the inhalations making a dull, sobbing sound in his throat. Sullivan waited quietly; watchful of any move on the part of the cornered prey. The bolt had fallen from the blue. Throughout the case Jim Sullivan had rather pitied Carroll whose personal interest seemed to have warped a usually sober judgment and analytic genius. He had seen his superior apparently blind himself to the possibility that Stanford Forrest, the man against whom the evidence most strongly pointed, was guilty. To Jim Sullivan the removal of the cloxid from the shoulders of Averyt had incontrovertiljly fastened the stigma of guilt upon Forrest. From the first he had considered no other person; save possibly Esther Devarney, and for a brief period of time--Robert Carter, the chauffeur. And now, quite suddenly and casu...