DEEP LAKE
MYSTERY

By CAROLYN WELLS
Author of
“The Crime in the Crypt,” “All At Sea,” “Anything But the Truth,”
“The Bronze Hand,” “The Daughter of the House,” “Face
Cards,” “Feathers Left Around,” “The Fourteenth Key,”
“The Furthest Fury,” “Prillilgirl,” “The Red-Haired
Girl,” “The Vanity Case,” “Where’s Emily,” etc.

A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York
Published by arrangement with Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc.
Printed in U. S. A.

COPYRIGHT, 1928, BY DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES AT THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N.Y.

TO MY DEAR FRIEND
LUCY C. JOYCE

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. “A STATELY PLEASURE DOME ...” 1

II. THE GIRL IN THE CANOE 16

III. THE TRAGEDY 32

IV. THE NAIL 48

V. THE LADY OF THE LAKE 63

VI. THE WATCH IN THE WATER PITCHER 78

VII. THE INQUEST 93

VIII. ALMA’S STATEMENTS 108

IX. CLUES 123

X. DISCUSSION 138

XI. EVIDENCE 153

XII. MY SECRET 168

XIII. AS TO TUESDAY AFTERNOON 183

XIV. POSY MAY 198

XV. JENNIE 213

XVI. WHISTLING REEDS 228

XVII. AMES TAKES A HAND 244

XVIII. ALL RIGHT AT LAST 260

DEEP LAKE MYSTERY

CHAPTER I
“A STATELY PLEASURE DOME ...”

As I look back on my life, eventful enough in spots, but placid, even monotonous in the long stretches between spots, I think the greatest thrill I ever experienced was when I saw the dead body of Sampson Tracy.

Imagine to yourself a man, dead in his own bed, with no sign of violence or maltreatment. Eyes partly closed, as he might be peacefully thinking, and no expression of fear or horror on his calm face.

Now add to your mental picture the fact that he had round his brow a few flowers arranged as a wreath. More flowers diagonally across his breast, like a garland. Clasped in his right hand, against his heart, an ivory crucifix, and in his left hand an orange.

Sticking up from behind his head showed the plume of a red feather duster!

And draped round all this, like a frame, was a red chiffon scarf, a filmy but voluminous affair, deftly tucked in here and there, and encircling all the strange and bizarre details I have enumerated.

On a pillow, near the dead face, lay two small crackers and a clean, folded handkerchief.

As I stared, my imagination flew to the Indians or the ancient Egyptians, who provided their dead with food and toilet implements, which were buried with them.

But in this case——

I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said: “If you have a story to tell, begin at the beginning, go through with the tale, and leave off at the ending.” So, as I most assuredly have a story to tell, I will begin at the beginning and follow the prescribed directions.

It all began, I suppose, the night Keeley Moore came to see me about fishing tackle. Kee is a wonderful detective and all that, but when it comes to fishing he’s mighty glad to ask my advice.

And Lord knows I’m glad to give it to him.

We used to go fishing together, every summer. Then Kee took it into his silly head to get married, and to a girl who cares nothing about fishing.

So from that you can see how things are.

But this time Kee seemed really excited about his prospects of fishing through the summer months.

“We’re going to Wisconsin,” he told me, with a note of joyousness in his voice, “and, Gray, do you know, there are more than two thousand lakes in one county out in that foolish old state?”

“I’d like to fish in all of ’em,” I said, with my usual lack of moderation.

“You can’t do that, but you can fish in a few, if you like. Lora sends you, and I back it up, an invitation to come out there as soon as we get settled and stay as long as you can.”

“That’s a tempting bid,” I told him, “but I can’t impose on newlyweds like that. I’ll go to the inn or lodge or whatever they have out there, and see you every day.”

“No, we want you with us.