Happy Thoughts - Sleep Stories for Grownups-Violet Strange-Vol 3-2

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, this is Stefania at Positive Affirmations and Audio Stories,
bringing you happy thoughts, inspiration, motivation, and entertainment to start
your day. Today's episode is a sleep story. It's time
to head off to a peaceful, enjoyable sleep with a

(00:22):
relaxing bedtime story. We use the power of positive words
to help you of the positive, uplooking lifestyle that you deserve.
The last time that we visited Violent Strange, she was
in the midst of figuring out who had murdered the

(00:49):
unfortunate woman, the unfortunate victim. She was a bit reluctant
to even do it, but curiosity of curiosity got the
better of her. In this next part, she's now at
the scene of the crime. She needs to get into

(01:11):
the woman's house, but she can't just say let me in.
But she is going to use her cunning and your
charms to get.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
What she wants.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
The Golden Slipper and other problems for Violet Strange The
Intangible Clue William three, Part two. That's where she lies.
I suppose, she feelingly exclaimed, and not one of you
knows who killed her. Somehow I cannot understand that. Why

(02:13):
don't you know when that's what you're hired for. The
innocence with which she uttered this was astonishing. The detective
began to look sheepish, and the reporter turned aside to
hide his smile. Whether in another moment either would have spoken,
no one can say, for with the mock consciousness of

(02:34):
having said something foolish, she caught up her parasol from
the table and made a start for the door. But
of course she looked back. I was wondering, She recommenced,
with a half whisperful, half spect ladaver whether I should

(02:54):
ask to have a peep at the place where it
all happened. The reported shuckled behind the pencil end he
was chewing, but the officer maintained a solemn air, for
which act of restraint he was undoubtedly grateful, when in
another minute she gave a quick, impulsive shudder, not altogether assumed,

(03:15):
and vehemently added, but I couldn't stand the sight. No,
I couldn't. I am an awful coward when it comes
to things like that. Nothing in the world would induce
me to look at the woman or a room what
I should like here, Both her dimples came into play,

(03:36):
though she could not be said exactly to smile, just
one little look upstairs where he went poking about so
long without any fear, it seems of being interrupted. Ever
since I've read about it, I have seen in my
mind a picture of his wicked figure sneaking from room

(03:59):
to room, tearing open drawers and flicking out the contents
of closets, just to find a little money, a little
little honey. I shall not sleep to night, just for
wondering how those high up attic rooms really look. Who
could drink that back of this display of mingled childishness

(04:22):
and audacity there lay a hidden purpose, intellect, and a
keen knowledge of human nature. Not the two men who
listened to this seemingly irresponsible chatter. To them, she was
a child to be humored, and humor her they did.
The dainty feet, which had already found their way to

(04:45):
that gloomy staircase, were allowed to ascend. Followed, it is true,
by those of the officer who did not dare to
small back at the reporter because of the brother's wortsful
and none too conciliatory eye at the stairhead, she paused
to look back. I don't see those horrible marks which

(05:09):
the papers described as running all along the lower hall
and up these stairs. No, Miss Strange, they have gradually
been rubbed out, but you will find some still showing
on these upper floors. Oh, oh, where you frightened me?
Frightened me horribly.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
But but.

Speaker 1 (05:29):
If you don't mind, I should like to see. Why
should not a man on tedious job amuse himself. Piloting
her over to the small room in the rear, he
pointed down at the boards. She gave one look, and
then stepped gingerly in. Just look, she cried, A whole

(05:54):
string of marks going straight from the door to window.
They have no shape, have they just blotches? I wonder
why one of them is so much larger than the rest.
This was no new question. It was one which everybody

(06:14):
who went into the room was sure to ask. And
there was such a difference in the size and appearance
of the mark nearest the window. The reason, Well, mindes
were devised about that, and no one had a satisfactory theory.
The detective therefore kept discreetly silent. This did not seem

(06:38):
to offend Miss Strange. On the contrary, it gave her
an opportunity to babble away to her heart's content. One, two, three, four, five, six,
She counted with a shudder at every count, and one
of them bigger than the rest. She might have added,

(07:03):
it is the trail of one foot, and strangely intermingled
at that, But she did not, though we may be
quite sure that she noted that fact. And where, just
where did the old wallet fall? Here? Or here? She
had moved as she spoke, so that, in uttering the
last here she stood directly before the window. The surprise

(07:29):
she received there nearly made her forget the part she
was playing. From the character of the light in the room.
She had expected, on looking out to confront a nearby wall,
but not a window in that wall. Yet that was
what she saw directly facing her from across the old

(07:51):
fashioned alley separating this house from its neighbor, twelve unshuttered
and uncurtained pains, through which she caught a darkened view
of a room almost as forlorn and deavored of furniture
as the one in which she then stood. When quite

(08:14):
sure of herself, she let a certain portion of her
surprise appear. Why look, she cried, if you can't see
right into the next door, what a lonesome looking place?
From his desolate appearance, I should think the house quite empty,

(08:34):
and it is. That's the old Chaffer homestead. It's been
empty for a year, oh empty. As she turned away
with the most inconsequent air in the world, crying out
as her name rang up the stairs. There's Arthur calling.

(08:54):
I suppose he thinks I've been here long enough. I'm
sure I'm very much subliged to you, officer. I really
shouldn't i've slept or wing tonight if I hadn't been
given a peep at these rooms, which I had imagined
so different. And with one additional glance over her shoulder
that seemed to penetrate both the windows and the desolate

(09:14):
space beyond, she ran quickly out and down in response
to her brother's reiterated call. Drive quickly, as quickly as
the law allows to hear in Brown's office in Dwayne Street,
arrived at the address named. She went in alone to

(09:35):
see mister Brown. He was her father's lawyer and a
family friend. Hardly waiting for his afficionate greeting, she cried out, quickly,
tell me, how can I learn anything about the old
Schaeffeer house in seventeenth Street. Now, don't look so surprised.
I have a very good reason for my request, and

(09:56):
I'm in an awful hurry. But I know, I know
there's been a dreadful tragedy next door to it. But
it's about the Chaffeer House itself. I want some information.
Has it an agent? Of course it has an agent,
and here is his name. Mister Brown presented her with

(10:17):
a card on which he had hastily written both name
and address. She thanked him, dropped him a mocking courtesy
full of charm, and whispered don't tell father, and was God.
Her manner to the man she next interviewed was very different.

(10:41):
As soon as she saw him, she subsided into her
usual society manner with just a touch of the conceit
of the successful debutante. She announced herself as Miss Strange
of seventh second Street. Business with him was in regard

(11:02):
to the possible renting of the Cheffel's. She had an
old lady friend who was desirous of living downtown. In
passing through seventeenth Street, she had noticed that the old
Chaffeur house was standing empty, and had been immediately struck
with the advantages it possessed for her elderly friend's occupancy.

(11:24):
Could it be that the house was for rent? There
was no sign on it to that effect. But his
answer left her nothing to hope for. It's going to
be torn down, he said. Oh what a pity, She exclaimed,
real colonial, isn't it? I wish I could see their
rooms inside it before it is disturbed. Such doors and

(11:47):
such dear old fashioned mantlepieces as it must have. I
just towed on the colonial. It brings up such pictures
of the old days, weddings, you know, and parties, all
so different from ours, and so much more interesting? Is
it a chance shot that tells? Sometimes? Violet had no

(12:13):
especial intention in what she said, save as a prelude
to a pending request. But nothing could have served her
purpose better than that one word, wedding. The agent laughed, and,
giving her his first indulgent look, remarked genially, romance is
not confined to those ancient times. If you were to

(12:36):
enter that house today, you will come across evidences of
a wedding as romantic as any which ever took place
in all the seventy odd years of his existence. A
man and a woman were married there day before yesterday?
Who did the first courting under its roof forty years ago.
He isn't married twice and she once in the interval,

(13:00):
but the old love held firm, and now, at the
age of sixty and over, they have come together to
finish their days in peace and happiness. Orse so we
will hope married married in that house, and on the
day that she caught herself up in time, he did

(13:20):
not notice the break. Yes, in memory of those old
days of courtship.

Speaker 3 (13:26):
I suppose they came here about five, got the keys,
drove off, and went through the ceremony in that empty house,
returned the keys to me in my own apartment, took
the steamer for Naples, and were on the sea before midnight.

Speaker 1 (13:43):
Do you not call that quick work as well as
highly romantic? Very? Miss Stranger's cheek had paled. It was
up to when she was greatly excited. But I don't
underst stand, she added the moment after. How could they

(14:03):
do this and nobody know about it? I should have
thought it would have gotten into the papers. They are
quiet people. I don't think they told the best friends
a simple announcement. In the next stage, journals testified to
the fact of their marriage, but knows all I would
not have felt at liberty to mention the circumstances myself

(14:24):
if both parties were not well on their way to Europe. Oh,
how glad I am that you did tell me such
a story of constancy and the hold which old associations
have upon sensitive minds. But why, miss what's the matter?
You look very much disturbed, don't you remember? Haven't you

(14:47):
thought something else happened that very day, and almost at
the same time, on that block, something very dreadful missus
Doolittle's murder. Yes, it was as near as next door,
wasn't it. Oh if this happy couple at noon? But
fortunately they didn't, nor are they likely to till they

(15:09):
reached the other side. You needn't fear that their honeymoon
would be spoiled that way. But they may have heard
something or seen something before leaving the street. Did you
notice how the gentlemen looked when he returned you the keys?
I did, and there was no cloud on his satisfaction. Oh,

(15:30):
how you relieve me? One two dimples made their appearance
in Miss Stranger's fresh young cheeks. Well, I wish them joy?
Do you mind telling me their names? I cannot think
of them as actual persons without knowing their names. The
gentleman was Constantine Amidon, the lady Maryann Scheffer. You will

(15:54):
have to think of them now as mister and missus Amidon,
and I will thank you, mister Hutton, thank you very much.
Next to the pleasure of getting the house from my friend.
Instead of hearing this charming bit of news its connection.
She held out her hand, and as he took it, remarked,
they must have had a clergyman and witnesses. Undoubtably I

(16:20):
wish I had been one of the witnesses, she sighed sentimentally.
They were two old men. Oh no, don't tell me
that fogies nothing less. But the clergyman, he must have
been young. Surely there was someone there capable of appreciating
the situation. I cannot say about that. I do not

(16:40):
see the clergyman. Oh well, doesn't matter. Miss Stranger's manner
was as nonchalant as it was charming. We will think
of him as being very young, and with a merry
toss of her head, she flitted away. But she sobered
very rapidly upon entering her limouzine. And that's it for

(17:20):
part two. Stay tuned for part three. What was Violet's
next step after she took off that mask of coquettishness.
We'll be back very soon with the next part. In
the meantime, please feel free to tell your family, tell

(17:42):
your friends, tell everybody about the podcast. We'll be bringing
you more stories good for sleeping, good for resting, good
for any time. And if you want to learn more,
please feel free to visit our coffee page, which you
will find that you are on the show notes. And
that's it for now. Stay well, be happy, and we'll

(18:06):
be back again very very soon. Bye for now.