May 15, 2025 • 10 mins
Delve into a world where a mere accident unravels to be a cunningly planned murder. Narrated by a lawyer who dons the detective hat, this story takes you on a thrilling ride through Bolshevik headquarters, elite country clubs, and barren creek beds, before revealing the true key to the mystery. Hold onto your seats for riveting suspense!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter twelve of thirty two Caliber by Donald mc gibney.
This LibriVox recordings in the public domain. Thirty two Caliber
by Donald mc gibney, Chapter twelve. Who am I? I
jumped into the automobile and drove as fast as I
could to the offices of Simpson and Todd, the best
(00:20):
criminal lawyers in the state, to retain them as counsel
for Helen. Simpson had already gone home, but George Todd
was there, and I talked the case over with him.
You can get a stay of proceedings, can't you, I asked, surely?
He replied, I'll see that the warrant isn't served until
missus Felderson's doctor assures me she's out of danger. The
(00:42):
trial needn't come off for three or four months six
if you wish. We can see to that. In the meantime,
when will you be able to see Missus Felderson? I
was going up there now, I answered. The chances are
the doctor won't let me question her yet, but it
may be we can see her. Will you come with me?
I'd like very much to wait till I get my coat.
(01:06):
We ran up to the hospital and asked if we
could be admitted, if only for a few moments, to
missus Felderson's room. Johnson, the little intern with the glasses,
had just come in, and when he heard my request,
he was sputteringly indignant. What the devil do you think
missus Felderson is suffering from a broken ankle. Don't you
(01:27):
realize she has been desperately ill. If you tried to
question her now, she'd become excited and it might result
in a serious relapse. Of course, you can't see her.
You won't be able to talk to her for two
or three weeks. Yet, I'm sorry, I said. I should
have known better. It was stupid of me, But then
(01:48):
I've been little else than stupid for days. This tragedy
has been too much for me. You will let me
know as soon as she can be seen, won't you. Johnson,
I'll let you know, he murmured. You may be able
to see her tomorrow, but I won't let you bother
her with any infernal questions until she is well. The
(02:08):
week passed only too slowly. Each day I went to
the hospital and sat for a brief fifteen or twenty
minutes by Helen's side. She was fully conscious, and I
thought I could see at times that there were questions
she wanted to ask me. Remembering the doctor's emphatic instructions,
I said very little, never asking any questions, only telling
(02:31):
her a few of the unimportant happenings of the town.
She seemed uninterested and lay apathetically, except when some apparently
perplexing question corrugated her brows. They told her of Jim's
death early in the week, but far from being shocked,
she had appeared almost indifferent, showing only too plainly how
(02:53):
little he meant in her life. Woods she never referred to. Mary,
of course, was her devoted slave, hardly leaving her bedside,
and in our daily meetings at the hospital, I fell
more in love with her, if such a thing were possible. Once,
when I was coming up the corridor with a large
bunch of flowers, I met her outside Helen's door. As
(03:16):
she took the blooms from me, she reached up and
patted my cheek. Bups, you're a darling to bring these
lovely flowers to Helen every day. I think you're quite
the nicest brother a girl could have. If you think that,
why won't you have me, I asked, I think I will,
she answered, smiling for a brother. She started to open
(03:38):
the door, but I grasped her hand. Mary, do be serious.
You know I love you. She haughtily drew herself up
in all the majesty of her five feet three inches
and commanded, unhand me, villain, I spurn your tempting offer.
Then earnestly let me go. Bups, I've got to put
(03:58):
these flowers away. With a quick wrench. She freed herself
and was gone, leaving me half sick with love of her.
After the first sensational extra, the newspapers had said but
little of Helen in Frank's indictment. Somehow I was confident
that Helen would be able to clear herself. Woods had
(04:19):
published a statement in which he said he would be
able to prove where he was every minute of the
evening of the tragedy, and so had had no difficulty
in finding bail. In fact, since the indictment he seemed
to have gained a good deal of sympathy and popularity.
Every One who knew of his devotion to Helen felt
(04:40):
that he had indicted himself to try to save her.
One morning, about a week after my interview with the
bespectacled intern, I met doctor Forbes as he was coming
from Helen's room, and he gave me permission to ask
her a few questions. I'm trusting to your good sense, Thompson,
not to overdo it. Forbes cautioned, remember she is still
(05:03):
in a very weak condition, and don't be surprised if
she fails to respond to your questions as you expect.
Above all things do not refer in any way to
the fact that she has been indicted. The shock might
be too much for her. Thank you, doctor, I replied,
eager to get away. I'll be very careful and remember
(05:25):
no more than ten minutes this first time. I nodded
and opened the door. Helen was propped up in bed
and showed unmistakably the great suffering she had been through.
She was pale and wan but smiled when she saw
me and gave me her cheek to kiss. Good morning,
she whispered. The flowers were lovely. I'm glad you liked them, Sis, dear,
(05:48):
I said, Sitting down by the side of her bed,
I asked her the usual questions how she felt and
if she wanted anything, and then tried to lead up
to the only question question that was of any consequence
to either of us. Helen, Dear, there are certain questions
about your accident that have puzzled us. The doctor said
(06:09):
that you could talk for ten minutes this morning, and
I want to ask you some questions. Wait a minute,
she interrupted, Did the doctor say I might really talk
this morning? Yes, dear, there are a hundred questions that
you must answer me. I want to know so many things.
She looked away and passed a thin hand over her forehead. Finally,
(06:32):
she turned her big brown eyes toward me and said, first,
tell me who I am. For a brief second, I
felt numb all through. My brain whirled until I thought
my head would burst. Helen, dear, what did you say?
My speech was thick, as though my tongue was swollen.
Still keeping her gaze fixed on me, she continued, They
(06:56):
call me Helen, and I gather that you are my brother.
There is a beautiful girl who comes here every day.
She and I seem to be great friends, but I
don't know her. I have heard them call her Mary.
Tell me who she is. If I could have run
from that room, I should have done so. A horror
(07:17):
gripped me such as I never felt before. Then I
saw two large tears tremble in Helen's eyes, overflow and
coarse down her cheeks. And I gathered all the strength
that I could muster for the task of trying to
awaken a memory that had apparently ceased to function. Helen, dearest,
(07:38):
little sister, I am your brother. The beautiful girl you
speak of is Mary Pendleton, one of the best and
truest friends you ever had. She was your bridesmaid. Don't
you remember? Helen shook her head weakly. I have been married.
Then she asked, you were married to James Felderson. Can't
(07:58):
you remember him? I beg again. She shook her head. No,
it's all gone. She thought hard a minute, and then
she asked, he is dead, my husband. Yes, I muttered,
trying to keep the tears back. He was killed in
the same accident. What was he like, she interrupted, Helen, think,
(08:21):
I cried, fighting blindly against the terror that was choking me.
Little sister, You must think hard. Jim, don't you remember,
big handsome Jim. I snatched my watch from my pocket
and opened the back, where I carried a small picture
of Jim, taken years before. I had put it there
(08:43):
in boyish admiration when I first knew him. I held
it up in front of her eyes. You must remember him, Helen.
She gazed at the picture with eyes in which there
were tears and a little fright, but not a spark
of recognition. Fearing that I was over exciting her, I
sat close to her and drew as best I could
(09:05):
a mental picture of Jim. I was only half way
through the recital when the door opened and doctor Forbes
came in. Ten minutes are up, mister Thompson. I stooped
and kissed Helen. Promise that you'll come back tomorrow, she whispered.
I promised, and hurried from the room. Outside. The doctor
(09:26):
awaited me questioningly. Her memory is completely gone, I gasped.
The doctor patted me on the shoulder sympathetically. We suspected
that day before yesterday. I would have told you before,
but thought that your questions might start her memory functioning.
I gripped him by both arms. But doctor, can nothing
(09:50):
be done? Will she have to have to begin all
over again? I can't say yet. There may be some
pressure there. Still will have to wait until she is
much stronger before we can tell. End of Chapter twelve.
Chapter twelve of thirty two Caliber by Donald mc gibney.
This LibriVox recordings in the public domain. Thirty two Caliber
by Donald mc gibney, Chapter twelve. Who am I? I
jumped into the automobile and drove as fast as I
could to the offices of Simpson and Todd, the best
(00:20):
criminal lawyers in the state, to retain them as counsel
for Helen. Simpson had already gone home, but George Todd
was there, and I talked the case over with him.
You can get a stay of proceedings, can't you, I asked, surely?
He replied, I'll see that the warrant isn't served until
missus Felderson's doctor assures me she's out of danger. The
(00:42):
trial needn't come off for three or four months six
if you wish. We can see to that. In the meantime,
when will you be able to see Missus Felderson? I
was going up there now, I answered. The chances are
the doctor won't let me question her yet, but it
may be we can see her. Will you come with me?
I'd like very much to wait till I get my coat.
(01:06):
We ran up to the hospital and asked if we
could be admitted, if only for a few moments, to
missus Felderson's room. Johnson, the little intern with the glasses,
had just come in, and when he heard my request,
he was sputteringly indignant. What the devil do you think
missus Felderson is suffering from a broken ankle. Don't you
(01:27):
realize she has been desperately ill. If you tried to
question her now, she'd become excited and it might result
in a serious relapse. Of course, you can't see her.
You won't be able to talk to her for two
or three weeks. Yet, I'm sorry, I said. I should
have known better. It was stupid of me, But then
(01:48):
I've been little else than stupid for days. This tragedy
has been too much for me. You will let me
know as soon as she can be seen, won't you. Johnson,
I'll let you know, he murmured. You may be able
to see her tomorrow, but I won't let you bother
her with any infernal questions until she is well. The
(02:08):
week passed only too slowly. Each day I went to
the hospital and sat for a brief fifteen or twenty
minutes by Helen's side. She was fully conscious, and I
thought I could see at times that there were questions
she wanted to ask me. Remembering the doctor's emphatic instructions,
I said very little, never asking any questions, only telling
(02:31):
her a few of the unimportant happenings of the town.
She seemed uninterested and lay apathetically, except when some apparently
perplexing question corrugated her brows. They told her of Jim's
death early in the week, but far from being shocked,
she had appeared almost indifferent, showing only too plainly how
(02:53):
little he meant in her life. Woods she never referred to. Mary,
of course, was her devoted slave, hardly leaving her bedside,
and in our daily meetings at the hospital, I fell
more in love with her, if such a thing were possible. Once,
when I was coming up the corridor with a large
bunch of flowers, I met her outside Helen's door. As
(03:16):
she took the blooms from me, she reached up and
patted my cheek. Bups, you're a darling to bring these
lovely flowers to Helen every day. I think you're quite
the nicest brother a girl could have. If you think that,
why won't you have me, I asked, I think I will,
she answered, smiling for a brother. She started to open
(03:38):
the door, but I grasped her hand. Mary, do be serious.
You know I love you. She haughtily drew herself up
in all the majesty of her five feet three inches
and commanded, unhand me, villain, I spurn your tempting offer.
Then earnestly let me go. Bups, I've got to put
(03:58):
these flowers away. With a quick wrench. She freed herself
and was gone, leaving me half sick with love of her.
After the first sensational extra, the newspapers had said but
little of Helen in Frank's indictment. Somehow I was confident
that Helen would be able to clear herself. Woods had
(04:19):
published a statement in which he said he would be
able to prove where he was every minute of the
evening of the tragedy, and so had had no difficulty
in finding bail. In fact, since the indictment he seemed
to have gained a good deal of sympathy and popularity.
Every One who knew of his devotion to Helen felt
(04:40):
that he had indicted himself to try to save her.
One morning, about a week after my interview with the
bespectacled intern, I met doctor Forbes as he was coming
from Helen's room, and he gave me permission to ask
her a few questions. I'm trusting to your good sense, Thompson,
not to overdo it. Forbes cautioned, remember she is still
(05:03):
in a very weak condition, and don't be surprised if
she fails to respond to your questions as you expect.
Above all things do not refer in any way to
the fact that she has been indicted. The shock might
be too much for her. Thank you, doctor, I replied,
eager to get away. I'll be very careful and remember
(05:25):
no more than ten minutes this first time. I nodded
and opened the door. Helen was propped up in bed
and showed unmistakably the great suffering she had been through.
She was pale and wan but smiled when she saw
me and gave me her cheek to kiss. Good morning,
she whispered. The flowers were lovely. I'm glad you liked them, Sis, dear,
(05:48):
I said, Sitting down by the side of her bed,
I asked her the usual questions how she felt and
if she wanted anything, and then tried to lead up
to the only question question that was of any consequence
to either of us. Helen, Dear, there are certain questions
about your accident that have puzzled us. The doctor said
(06:09):
that you could talk for ten minutes this morning, and
I want to ask you some questions. Wait a minute,
she interrupted, Did the doctor say I might really talk
this morning? Yes, dear, there are a hundred questions that
you must answer me. I want to know so many things.
She looked away and passed a thin hand over her forehead. Finally,
(06:32):
she turned her big brown eyes toward me and said, first,
tell me who I am. For a brief second, I
felt numb all through. My brain whirled until I thought
my head would burst. Helen, dear, what did you say?
My speech was thick, as though my tongue was swollen.
Still keeping her gaze fixed on me, she continued, They
(06:56):
call me Helen, and I gather that you are my brother.
There is a beautiful girl who comes here every day.
She and I seem to be great friends, but I
don't know her. I have heard them call her Mary.
Tell me who she is. If I could have run
from that room, I should have done so. A horror
(07:17):
gripped me such as I never felt before. Then I
saw two large tears tremble in Helen's eyes, overflow and
coarse down her cheeks. And I gathered all the strength
that I could muster for the task of trying to
awaken a memory that had apparently ceased to function. Helen, dearest,
(07:38):
little sister, I am your brother. The beautiful girl you
speak of is Mary Pendleton, one of the best and
truest friends you ever had. She was your bridesmaid. Don't
you remember? Helen shook her head weakly. I have been married.
Then she asked, you were married to James Felderson. Can't
(07:58):
you remember him? I beg again. She shook her head. No,
it's all gone. She thought hard a minute, and then
she asked, he is dead, my husband. Yes, I muttered,
trying to keep the tears back. He was killed in
the same accident. What was he like, she interrupted, Helen, think,
(08:21):
I cried, fighting blindly against the terror that was choking me.
Little sister, You must think hard. Jim, don't you remember,
big handsome Jim. I snatched my watch from my pocket
and opened the back, where I carried a small picture
of Jim, taken years before. I had put it there
(08:43):
in boyish admiration when I first knew him. I held
it up in front of her eyes. You must remember him, Helen.
She gazed at the picture with eyes in which there
were tears and a little fright, but not a spark
of recognition. Fearing that I was over exciting her, I
sat close to her and drew as best I could
(09:05):
a mental picture of Jim. I was only half way
through the recital when the door opened and doctor Forbes
came in. Ten minutes are up, mister Thompson. I stooped
and kissed Helen. Promise that you'll come back tomorrow, she whispered.
I promised, and hurried from the room. Outside. The doctor
(09:26):
awaited me questioningly. Her memory is completely gone, I gasped.
The doctor patted me on the shoulder sympathetically. We suspected
that day before yesterday. I would have told you before,
but thought that your questions might start her memory functioning.
I gripped him by both arms. But doctor, can nothing
(09:50):
be done? Will she have to have to begin all
over again? I can't say yet. There may be some
pressure there. Still will have to wait until she is
much stronger before we can tell. End of Chapter twelve.
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