“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 hear what is said.”

“I did it before, but they kept in a corner of a building and I couldn’t get near without attracting their attention.  I tried it once but both of them gave me such a suspicious look I had to move on.”

“That’s all?”

“He sent three letters and a telegram.  The telegram was to the firm he works for, something about an order for quinine pills—­I heard it clicked off at the telegraph office.”

“Well, you can stay here and I’ll go into the house.  If he comes out you follow him,” said Adam Adams.

The detective found the mansion in charge of the policeman and Mrs. Morse.  Both looked at him questioningly as he entered.

“Nothing is to be touched,” said the policeman.  “Them’s orders from headquarters.”

“Is anybody here?”

“Mrs. Morse and myself, that’s all.”