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light before he came upstairs。 They had been gone about an hour
when he came into the room bringing the lamp which had stood in the
study。 He set it on the table and waited a few minutes； pacing up
and down。 His face was terrible； his fair complexion showed livid；
his blue eyes seemed dark blanks of awful reflections。
Then he took the lamp up and returned to the library。 He set the
lamp on the centre table； and the shadow sprang out on the wall。
Again he studied the furniture and moved it about； but
deliberately； with none of his former frenzy。 Nothing affected the
shadow。 Then he returned to the south room with the lamp and again
waited。 Again he returned to the study and placed the lamp on the
table； and the shadow sprang out upon the wall。 It was midnight
before he went upstairs。 Mrs。 Brigham and the other sisters； who
could not sleep； heard him。
The next day was the funeral。 That evening the family sat in the
south room。 Some relatives were with them。 Nobody entered the
study until Henry carried a lamp in there after the others had
retired for the night。 He saw again the shadow on the wall leap to
an awful life before the light。
The next morning at breakfast Henry Glynn announced that he had to
go to the city for three days。 The sisters looked at him with
surprise。 He very seldom left home； and just now his practice had
been neglected on account of Edward's death。 He was a physician。
〃How can you leave your patients now？〃 asked Mrs。 Brigham
wonderingly。
〃I don't know how to； but there is no other way；〃 replied Henry
easily。 〃I have had a telegram from Doctor Mitford。〃
〃Consultation？〃 inquired Mrs。 Brigham。
〃I have business；〃 replied Henry。
Doctor Mitford was an old classmate of his who lived in a
neighboring city and who occasionally called upon him in the case
of a consultation。
After he had gone Mrs。 Brigham said to Caroline that after all
Henry had not said that he was going to consult with Doctor
Mitford； and she thought it very strange。
〃Everything is very strange；〃 said Rebecca with a shudder。
〃What do you mean？〃 inquired Caroline sharply。
〃Nothing；〃 replied Rebecca。
Nobody entered the library that day； nor the next； nor the next。
The third day Henry was expected home； but he did not arrive and
the last train from the city had come。
〃I call it pretty queer work；〃 said Mrs。 Brigham。 〃The idea of a
doctor leaving his patients for three days anyhow； at such a time
as this； and I know he has some very sick ones； he said so。 And
the idea of a consultation lasting three days！ There is no sense
in it； and NOW he has not come。 I don't understand it； for my
part。〃
〃I don't either；〃 said Rebecca。
They were all in the south parlor。 There was no light in the study
opposite； and the door was ajar。
Presently Mrs。 Brigham roseshe could not have told why； something
seemed to impel her； some will outside her own。 She went out of
the room； again wrapping her rustling skirts around that she might
pass noiselessly； and began pushing at the swollen door of the
study。
〃She has not got any lamp；〃 said Rebecca in a shaking voice。
Caroline； who was writing letters； rose again； took a lamp （there
were two in the room） and followed her sister。 Rebecca had risen；
but she stood trembling； not venturing to follow。
The doorbell rang； but the others did not hear it； it was on the
south door on the other side of the house from the study。 Rebecca；
after hesitating until the bell rang the second time； went to the
door； she remembered that the servant was out。
Caroline and her sister Emma entered the study。 Caroline set the
lamp on the table。 They looked at the wall。 〃Oh； my God；〃 gasped
Mrs。 Brigham； 〃there arethere are TWOshadows。〃 The sisters
stood clutching each other； staring at the awful things on the
wall。 Then Rebecca came in； staggering； with a telegram in her
hand。 〃Here isa telegram；〃 she gasped。 〃Henry isdead。〃
From 〃The Wind in the Rosebush；〃 by Mary E。 Wilkins Freeman。
Copyright； 1903； by Doubleday； Page & Company。
Melville Davisson Post
Introduction to The Corpus Delicti
The high ground of the field of crime has not been explored； it has
not even been entered。 The book stalls have been filled to
weariness with tales based upon plans whereby the DETECTIVE； or
FERRETING power of the State might be baffled。 But； prodigious
marvel！ no writer has attempted to construct tales based upon plans
whereby the PUNISHING power of the State might be baffled。
The distinction； if one pauses for a moment to consider it； is
striking。 It is possible； even easy； deliberately to plan crimes
so that the criminal agent and the criminal agency cannot be
detected。 Is it possible to plan and execute wrongs in such a
manner that they will have all the effect and all the resulting
profit of desperate crimes and yet not be crimes before the law？
We are prone to forget that the law is no perfect structure； that
it is simply the result of human labor and human genius； and that
whatever laws human ingenuity can create for the protection of men；
those same laws human ingenuity can evade。 The Spirit of Evil is
no dwarf； he has developed equally with the Spirit of Good。
All wrongs are not crimes。 Indeed only those wrongs are crimes in
which certain technical elements are present。 The law provides a
Procrustean standard for all crimes。 Thus a wrong； to become
criminal； must fit exactly into the measure laid down by the law；
else it is no crime； if it varies never so little from the legal
measure； the law must； and will； refuse to regard it as criminal；
no matter how injurious a wrong it may be。 There is no measure of
morality； or equity； or common right that can be applied to the
individual case。 The gauge of the law is iron…bound。 The wrong
measured by this gauge is either a crime or it is not。 There is no
middle ground。
Hence is it； that if one knows well the technicalities of the law；
one may commit horrible wrongs that will yield all the gain and all
the resulting effect of the highest crimes； and yet the wrongs
perpetrated will constitute no one of the crimes described by the
law。 Thus the highest crimes； even murder； may be committed in
such manner that although the criminal is known and the law holds
him in custody； yet it cannot punish him。 So it happens that in
this year of our Lord of the nineteenth century； the skillful
attorney marvels at the stupidity of the rogue who； committing
crimes by the ordinary methods； subjects himself to unnecessary
peril； when the result which he seeks can easily be attained by
other methods； equally expeditious and without danger of liability
in any criminal tribunal。 This is the field into which the author
has ventured； and he believes it to be new and full of interest。
It may be objected that the writer has prepar