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: