Loveridge Chase

Here is the secret of the death of Elenor,         From what I learn of her, from what I know         In living, knowing women, I am clear         About this Elenor Murray. Give me power         To get the letters, power to give a bond         To indemnify the company, for you know         Letters belong to him who writes the letters;         And if the company is given bond         It will surrender them, and then you'll know         What man she loved, this Gregory Wenner or         Some other man, and if some other man,         Whether he caused her death.         The coroner         And Loveridge Chase sat in the coroner's office         And talked the matter over. And the coroner,         Who knew this Loveridge Chase, was wondering         Why Loveridge Chase had taken up the work         Of secret service, followed it, and asked,         "How did you come to give your brains to this,         Who could do other things?" And Loveridge said:         "A woman made me, I went round the world         As jackie once, was brought into this world         By a mother good and wise, but took from her,         My father, someone, sense of chivalry         Too noble for this world, a pity too,         Abused too much by women. I came back,         Was hired in a bank; had I gone on         By this time had been up in banking circles,         But something happened. You can guess, I think         It was a woman, was my wife Leone.         It matters nothing here, except I knew         This Elenor Murray through my wife. These two         Were schoolmates, even chums. I'll get these letters         If you commission me. The fact is this:         I think this Elenor Murray and Leone         Were kindred spirits, and it does me good         Now that I'm living thus without a wife         To ferret out this matter of Elenor Murray,         Perhaps this way, or somewhere on the way,         Find news of my Leone; what life she lives,         And where she is. I'm curious still, you see."         Then Coroner Merival, who had not heard         Of Elenor Murray's letters in New York         Before this talk of Loveridge Chase, who heard         This story and analysis of Leone         Mixed in with other talk, and got a light         On Elenor Murray, said: "I know your work,         Know you as well, have confidence in you,         Make ready to go, and bring the letters back."         And on the day that Loveridge Chase departs         To get the letters in New York, Bernard,         A veteran of Belleau, married that day         To Amy Whidden, on a lofty dune         At Millers, Indiana, with his bride -         Long quiet, tells her something of the war.         These soldiers cannot speak what they have lived.         But Elenor Murray helps him; for the talk         Of Elenor Murray runs the rounds, so many         Stations whence the talk is sent: - the men         Or women who had known her, came in touch         Somehow with her. These newly wedded two         Go out to see blue water, yellow sand,         And watch the white caps pat the sky, and hear         The intermittent whispers of the waves.         And here Bernard, the soldier, tells his bride         Of Elenor Murray and their days at Nice: