Lost Chord,' played on a cornet. And these also
were cut short. Then came a bundle of discs tied together. Hugo himself
fixed the top one, and the machine, after whirring inarticulately, said
in slow, clear tones:

'In case I should die before--'

Hugo arrested the action.

'Go,' he said, almost threateningly, to Albert and his wife. 'Mrs.
Shawn, look after your husband's wound. It needs it. See the blood!'

'But--'

'Go,' said Hugo.

And they went.

And when they were gone he released the mechanism, and in the still
solitude of the bedroom listened to the strange story of Francis Tudor,
related in Francis Tudor's own voice. It occurred to him that the man
must have been talking into a phonograph shortly before he died. He
remembered the monotonous voice on that fatal night in August.

CHAPTER XIX

WHAT THE PHONOGRAPH SAID

In case I should die before I can complete my arrangements for the
future (said the phonograph, reproducing the voice of Francis Tudor), I
am making a brief statement of the whole case into this phonograph. I am
exhausted with to-day's work, and I shall find it easier and much
quicker to speak than to write; and I'm informed that I ought never to
exert myself more than is necessary. Supposing I were to die within the
next few days--and I have yet to go through the business of the funeral
ceremonies!--circumstances might arise which might nullify part of my
plan, unless a clear account of the affair should ultimately come into
the hands of some person whom I could trust not to make a fool of
himself--such as Polycarp, my solicitor, for instance.

Hence I relate the facts for a private record.

When I first met Camilla Payne she was shorthand clerk or private
secretary, or whatever you call it, to Louis Ravengar. I saw her in his
office. Curiously, she didn't make a tremendous impression on me at the
moment. By the way, Polycarp, if it is indeed you who listen to this,
you must excuse my way of relating the facts. I can only tell the tale
in my own way. Besides meddling with finance, I've dabbled in pretty
nearly all the arts, including the art of fiction, and I can't leave out
the really interesting pieces of my narrative merely because you're a
lawyer and hate needless details, sentimental or otherwise. But _do_ you
hate sentimental details? I don't know. Anyhow, this isn't a counsel's
brief. What was I saying? Oh! She didn't make a tremendous impression on
me at the moment, b