ecialist pulls her
through in good shape."

"Yes, yes, so do I. But we must clear her, Mr. Adams--it must be done."

"I said I would do my best. But this is going to be no ordinary
mystery to unravel. It is deeper than most folks suspect. A deep
motive was the cause of the double murder--a motive I hope to unearth
before I am through."

"Unless the mystery is speedily cleared up I am afraid Miss Langmore
will go raving mad, and the specialist is afraid so, too."

"Yes, such things have happened before--the mental strain is too great
for sensitive nerves to bear. So I must lose no time. Now to come to
business. I want you to tell me all you can about Mr. Langmore's life
and his business dealings with people in this vicinity."

CHAPTER XIX

ADAM ADAMS MAKES A NEW MOVE

It was not until an hour later that Adam Adams left Martha Sampson's
cottage. He had gained from Raymond all the information he could and
also the names and addresses of half a dozen people he thought to
interview. He spent what was left of the forenoon in the town, calling
at the bank, and on a lawyer and one of the merchants, and about three
o'clock in the afternoon made his way once more to the vicinity of the
Langmore mansion. Here, to his surprise, he ran into Charles Vapp.

"Is your man around here?" he asked, as the pair met in the shadow of
some bushes.

"Yes, went into the house five minutes ago."

"Have you learned anything unusual?"

"Not much. He has been around arranging his business affairs and he
met Miss Bernard and the two had a confidential talk, but I couldn't
get close enough to hear what was said. After that he came out to
Sidham and there met a man named Matlock Styles."

"Go on."

"The two had a long talk, and Ostrello seemed to be angry about
something. Then this Styles seemed to threaten Ostrello and the young
man seemed to lose all his nerve and wilt. I never saw a fellow change
so. 'You can't do it!' I heard him say and Styles answered: 'I can and
I will, if you try to interfere with my business.' Then they talked in
a low tone and Styles went off in a buggy, saying he was going home.
Ostrello walked up the street and down again, as if he didn't know what
to do. At last he hired a rig and came out here. He went into the
house and I was just going to change my disguise and take a look around
when you came up."

"I see. Well, Vapp, if he meets this Styles again you do your level
best to he