Kennedy and I apologised very profusely for our
intrusion, but Tom quickly interrupted, as we had agreed, by
explaining that he had insisted on our coming, as old friends on
whom he felt he could rely, especially to set the matter right in
the newspapers.
I think Craig noticed keenly the reticence of the family group in
the mystery--I might almost have called it suspicion. They did
not seem to know just whether to take it as an accident or as
something worse, and each seemed to entertain a reserve toward
the rest which was very uncomfortable.
Mr. Langley's attorney in New York had been notified, but
apparently was out of town, for he had not been heard from. They
seemed rather anxious to get word from him.
Dinner over, the family group separated, leaving Tom an
opportunity to take us into the gruesome living-room. Of course
the remains had been removed, but otherwise the room was exactly
as it had been when Harrington discovered the tragedy. I did not
see the body, which was lying in an anteroom, but Kennedy did,
and spent some time in there.
After he rejoined us, Kennedy next examined the fireplace. It was
full of ashes from the logs which had been lighted on the fatal
night. He noted attentively the distance of Lewis Langley's chair
from the fireplace, and remarked that the varnish on the chair
was not even blistered.
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