Johns in the
captain's cabin, had rushed by her, and out, with the axe. It is
noticeable that he made no attempt to attack her. He killed only
in obedience to his signal, and he had had no signal.
Perhaps the most curious thing, after the murderer was known, was
the story of the people in the after house. It was months before
I got that in full. The belief among the women was that Turner,
maddened by drink and unreasoning jealousy, had killed Vail, and
then, running amuck or discovered by the other victims, had killed
them. This was borne out by Turner's condition. His hands and
parts of his clothing were blood-stained.
Their condition was pitiable. Unable to speak for himself, he
lay raving in his room, talking to Vail and complaining of a
white figure that bothered him. The key that Elsa Lee picked up
was another clue, and in their attempt to get rid of it I had
foiled them. Mrs. Johns, an old friend and, as I have said, an
ardent partisan, undertook to get rid of the axe, with the result
that we know. Even Turner's recovery brought little courage. He
could only recall that he had gone into Vail's room and tried to
wake him, without result; that he did not know of the blood until
the next day, or that Vail was dead; and that he had a vague
recollection of something white and ghostly that night--he was
not sure where he had seen it.
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