Chapter I: Front Matter

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Produced by Roland Schlenker, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

"PERSONS UNKNOWN"

BY VIRGINIA TRACY

ILLUSTRATIONS BY
HENRY RALEIGH

NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1914

Copyright, 1914, by

THE CENTURY CO.

Copyright, 1914, by The Ridgway Company

_Published, October, 1914_

TO
MY FELLOW-CONSPIRATORS
HELEN L. KLOEBER AND JESSIE C. SOULE

When winter's breath was on the pane,
Through dusk and snow, wild winds and rain,
I fled to your bright hearth again
To read about a _Shadow_!
You lit the lamp, you brewed the tea,
Pulled up the deepest chair for me,
And set yourselves to guess and see--
_What ailed that minx, Christina?_

What Herrick found--what Nancy knew--
Whose motor raced the county through--
What could that harsh Policeman do--
You never failed to argue;
Of moonlight, murders, lovers, threats,
Vengeance and kisses, siren's nets,
And pale, dark men with cigarettes,
Not once I found you weary!

Through broken music, sudden light
In the deep darkness, jewels bright,
Persons unknown in unknown plight,
You still sought _unknown_ persons;
Authors, if you would straightway know
Where faith and cheer and counsel grow,
Suggestions flourish and hints flow:
_Go ask my Nancy Cornish!_

CONTENTS

BOOK FIRST

THE SHADOW ON THE BLIND

I WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT 3

II HERRICK FINDS A DOOR BOLTED 7

III SOMETHING ELSE IS FOUND 12

IV HERRICK IS SURE OF ONE THING 14

V HERRICK READS A NEWSPAPER 19

VI HERRICK IS ASKED A FAVOR 25

VII HERRICK HAS A BUSIEST DAY 36

VIII MRS. WILLING TELLS WHAT SHE KNOWS 51

IX JOE PATRICK IS DETAINED 58

X JOE PATRICK ARRIVES 67

XI PERSONS UNKNOWN 89

XII HERRICK RECEIVES A TELEPHONE MESSAGE 96

BOOK SECOND

THE SHADOW ON THE SCREEN

I HERRICK PAYS A CALL, AND THE TEA IS SPILT 103

II IN WHICH A MYSTERIOUS ARM IS OUTSTRETCHED 115

III HERRICK GUESSES AT THE MYSTERY AND GETS IN SOMETHING'S
WAY 124

IV THE MYSTERY PAUSES, AND OTHER THINGS GO FORWARD 133

V HERRICK HEARS A BELL RING 158

VI AND HOLDS A RECEPTION AFTER ALL 166

VII MORNING IN THE PARK: THE SILENT OUTCRY 170

VIII A GREAT OCCASION APPROACHES AND THE VILLAIN
ENTERS 177

IX PRESTO CHANGE: "OUT OF THE NIGHT THAT COVERS
ME!" 184

X MIDNIGHT IN THE PARK; "JE SUIS AUSSI SANS DESIR--" 190

XI KEEPING CHRISTINA OUT OF IT 201

XII AULD ACQUAINTANCE: WHAT CHRISTINA SAW 206

XIII THE NIGHT OF NIGHTS: THE PRINCESS IN THE TRANSFORMATION
SCENE 215

XIV ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS 219

XV "WHEN STARS GROW COLD" 222

BOOK THIRD

WILL O' THE WISP

I GLEAMS IN THE RAIN: WHEELER'S STORY 231

II CORPSE CANDLES IN THE NIGHT: MRS. DEUTCH'S STORY 242

III SEARCH-LIGHTS FLASHED IN THE EYES: KANE'S STORY 254

IV A LIGHT ALONG THE ROAD: DENNY GIVES AN ADDRESS 270

V THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LIGHT: WHERE CHRISTINA
WAS 283

VI THE YELLOW HOUSE AND WHAT THEY FOUND AT IT 292

VII VANISHING LADY: THE SHADOW AT THE DANCE 298

VIII JILL-IN-THE-BOX! THE LAST OF THE GRAY TOURING CAR 305

IX A SIGN IN THE SKY 314

X "THE OLD EARL'S DAUGHTER": MRS. PASCOE ON FAMILY
TIES 324

XI THE ARM OF JUSTICE ON CLEANING DAY: AN OVERTURE
TO A COMIC OPERA 334

XII THE COMIC OPERA CHORUS: "AND SAID, 'WHAT A GOOD
BOY AM I!'" 343

XIII "WILL YOU WALK INTO MY PARLOR?": A CRIMINAL PERFORMANCE 356

XIV THE SICILIAN TRAITOR: "YOU THAT CHOOSE NOT BY THE
VIEW" 365

XV ONE WITNESS SPEAKS 377

XVI THE LAST SHADOW: "LEAVE ALL THAT TIES THY FOOT
BEHIND AND FOLLOW, FOLLOW ME!" 380

XVII HERSELF 385

BOOK FOURTH

THE LIGHTED HOUSE

I THE HOSTESS PREPARING 389

II THE EXPECTED COMPANY 399

III THE SHIPS AT ACTIUM 401

IV TURN, FORTUNE, TURN THY WHEEL-- 423

V CARNAGE: A COMIC OPERA CLIMAX 433

VI THE DARKEST HOUR: "OF WOUNDS AND SORE DEFEAT I
MADE MY BATTLE STAY!" 447

VII THE SHADOW'S FACE: BEING ALSO THE FULL STORY OF
THE SHADOW'S FLIGHT 459

VIII IN WHICH CHRISTINA HOPE DOES POSITIVELY REAPPEAR 481

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Suddenly she flung one arm up and out in such a strange and
splendid gesture, of such free and desperate passion, as
Herrick had never seen before _Frontispiece_

Not a breath, not a movement, greeted the invaders 10

"Mr. Coroner," she said, "I wish to correct a false impression;
may I? 76

"'Great Scott!' I says to myself, 'There's Miss Hope!'" 86

"There are detectives shadowing me," Christina said. "Don't
deny it--I know!" 160

Nowhere was there a letter, no significant writing nor any
other name 296

"You fool!" she cried. "You miserable, monstrous fool!
Thank God, I've done with you!" 420

"Shall I let her come in? Shall I tell at last what you are,
through and through--?" 476

BOOK FIRST

THE SHADOW ON THE BLIND