Mystery in the Orient
(pages 115-116 in “Minute Mysteries” by Austin Ripley)
As the Professor sauntered through the narrow back street of Singapore, his observing eyes spotted the man, in clever disguise, whom he had trailed half-way round the world. At that moment, a native plain-clothes man stepped to his side and whispered.
Fordney indicated the suspect, got into a police car, and drove forty-five miles in the country. There in a roadside ditch lay the bodies of three men, their high powered American car wrecked nearby. Two of the men were dead, the third, unconscious, was taken to a hospital.
From examination of their clothing, Fordney ascertained all were U.S. citizens. Though there was no personal identification on any of them, the criminologist learned from papers in the car, the three men were Leonard Ball, Cedric Agar, and Alfred Huntley. Among the papers was a charred check made out to Cedric Agar from the car’s owner. The following is the only other information Fordney could secure from their clothing and car:
1) Leonard Ball’s wife was a well-known novelist writing under a pseudonym.
2) The wife of the living man was an extremely wealthy woman who had threatened to divorce her husband if his infidelities continued.
3) The car owner had secretly encouraged her, and the living man only recently discovered the fact.
4) Married to the survivor’s wife’s cousin, Leonard Ball, had tried to effect reconciliation between the survivor and his wife, and had upbraided the car owner, engaged to a planter’s daughter, for his attitude.
Fordney checked his notes, then sent a cable to the living man’s wife.
Who is the survivor of the accident?
(pages 115-116 in “Minute Mysteries” by Austin Ripley)
As the Professor sauntered through the narrow back street of Singapore, his observing eyes spotted the man, in clever disguise, whom he had trailed half-way round the world. At that moment, a native plain-clothes man stepped to his side and whispered.
Fordney indicated the suspect, got into a police car, and drove forty-five miles in the country. There in a roadside ditch lay the bodies of three men, their high powered American car wrecked nearby. Two of the men were dead, the third, unconscious, was taken to a hospital.
From examination of their clothing, Fordney ascertained all were U.S. citizens. Though there was no personal identification on any of them, the criminologist learned from papers in the car, the three men were Leonard Ball, Cedric Agar, and Alfred Huntley. Among the papers was a charred check made out to Cedric Agar from the car’s owner. The following is the only other information Fordney could secure from their clothing and car:
1) Leonard Ball’s wife was a well-known novelist writing under a pseudonym.
2) The wife of the living man was an extremely wealthy woman who had threatened to divorce her husband if his infidelities continued.
3) The car owner had secretly encouraged her, and the living man only recently discovered the fact.
4) Married to the survivor’s wife’s cousin, Leonard Ball, had tried to effect reconciliation between the survivor and his wife, and had upbraided the car owner, engaged to a planter’s daughter, for his attitude.
Fordney checked his notes, then sent a cable to the living man’s wife.
Who is the survivor of the accident?
2 comments:
Alfred Huntley owned the car, but died. Leonard Ball really didn't do much, except not be married to the survivor's wife. This leaves Cedric Agar to live another day. This man has it all! A check. A mistress. His car wasn't wrecked. He survived a car wreck. And he pulled Fordney off the Case of the Cleverly Disguised Man in Singapore. But who is Leonard Ball's wife? How were these Americans driving a high powered American car in Singapore, a place with very restrictive rules against that? I do not feel that I have solved this mystery...
They only give so much information and leave the important questions like the ones that have intrigued you unanswered. Sorry. I guess that's why they have mystery novels, so all the questions and details are answered.
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