The Mystery of the Tapestry Room

• Watchlist

Tom Sharpleigh has grown old in the detective service. The one bright spot in the grimness of his life is his ward, Mable Brooks, between whom and Frank Sharpleigh. Tom's nephew, there is a love interest. One day the city is startled by the report that there has occurred another mysterious murder in the Addison family. Already two members of the family, Addison, Sr., and his eldest son, have met death, the younger son, Howard Addison, having been the one to discover the death of his brother, who was the second victim. Tom Sharpleigh, who is placed on the ease, discovers that his brother, Adam Sharpleigh, from whom he is estranged, has for years been butler in the Addison home. Further investigation brings to light the fact that, in the event of the Addison brothers dying without issue, the Addison estate will revert to the butler. Tom induces Howard Addison to move into the "Tapestry Room," in which have occurred the mysterious murders. Young Addison consents and Tom watches over him. At the hour of midnight, a panel opens and Tom sees a masked figure enter the room and steal to the bedside of Howard Addison. Tom closes with the intruder and in the struggle that follows receives a blow on the head. Before he can recover, the masked intruder disappears through the panel. A night or two later, Tom again takes up a position in the tapestry room. Again the masked intruder enters through the panel. This time, however, Tom is more careful. But the masked intruder sees Tom's advance, fires at the detective, and dashes through the panel, Tom firing several shots after the fleeing man. To Tom's astonishment, his brother, Adam, the butler, enters the room. Adam's presence precludes the possibility of his having been the intruder, and the three men pass through the panel and into a passageway. Here they find the body of the masked man, one of Tom's shots having brought him down. They carry the man back to the tapestry room, unmask him, and discover that he is none other than Frank Sharpleigh, son of Adam and nephew to old Tom. Frank confesses and tells how he discovered the secret panel while at play, years before in the old house; how his father was unable to meet his (Frank's) continued demands for money; how he, knowing the contents of the Addison will, decided to do away with the Addison boys, certain that Adam, once in possession of the estate, would meet all further demands for money. Frank dies, and Tom and Adam, now reunited, return to Tom's home, where they break the news to Mabel.