The Curved Blades

Pauline and Anita, demanding admittance. There was no response from inside, until Pauline

y ajar, and Estelle's face appeared,

ay, Miss Pauline?

l. Her eyes were reddened with weeping,-a condition which a hasty dabbing of powder had not conc

magnificent as an accusing angel, "wh

d threw herself on her b

ered Pauline, "sit up h

at up, sobbing, "I kn

ea-tray to her at eight o

ting before her mirror. She, I assumed, was engrossed in r

amiss?" said Anita,

rshly last night, and I had no wish to annoy her. I

wn? Who, then,

the impersonal one of the trained servant, who must s

p to realities. Miss Carringt

and Estelle's calm gave way and she

ked Anita, helplessly; "she m

ill tell us nothing. It is useless to questio

looked frightened. "Wil

uddenly, "what are you going to say was the errand that t

I was not in her room a

it," and Pauline dropped her eyeli

's dark ones could never match. "Be careful, Pauline Stuart, or I shall tell what I know! You dare to make

from the room and returned slowly do

d heretofore housed only gentle-mannered aristocrats and obsequious liveried servants! The men looked ill at ease as they stood against the rich background of

ld high, went straight to her aunt's room. Sergeant

aid; "he'll be here himself sho

viland appeared and took her

telle's room. Oh

e; mind what I say. Don't give the least bit of information or express the slightest notion of opinion except to

id it,

even ask questions. The

that brea

e, of c

ys she

ill lie; why, Pauline,

it! I have n

you, that you will keep your mouth shut. There will be devel

t harmonious furnishings and appointments of the Marie Antoinette period, was occupied with eager representatives of

ng the report of Doctor Moor

avy weapon that had fractured the skull, but he admitted the wounds showed so

thought as he studied th

s almost smiling! it is the face of a happy woman.

ck from behind," i

straight into the large glass,-must have been looking in it at the moment of her death. W

ely, and for the most part sil

if she did see the assailant, it was some

face and then, seeing himself narrowly watched by the detecti

and trembled, but s

t on the Coroner; "Is it not customary for ladies

Inspector looked interestedly at the chair in que

aunt usually sat at her dressing-table in a small chair,-that one, in fact," and she pointed t

have sat down there to admire the effect of her bel

ent watched Coroner

ramed mirror, was that of one admiring or criticising her own appearance. Added to this, the fact of her bizarre costume and strange adornments, it seemed

the

that all might see. A Japanese paper snake, a cheap toy, such as is found

ound her neck after death?" Sc

le, yet the appearance of the flesh beneath it seemed

nt Lucy couldn't have sat there and sm

te patient's aversion to snakes. It amounted almost to a mania! It is not an

the snake was put on after the crime. But that is even more myster

and the latter immediately responded: "Give the

but he looked at Paulin

ofield, as he carefully removed the s

carf and was sent to her by her nephew who lives in Egypt

Then the Coroner unfastened the large pearls from their place as eardrops, and taking

of the other hand he drew forth a crumpled gray object. It was a glove, o

r, smoothing it out. "Will the w

it was of medium size and superior qualit

ed the scarab bracelet, al

d of Oriental jew

home much of it. But, as we informed you, Miss Carrington was also wearing pearl

am told, are o

"That bracelet, however, is n

toise-shell from the puffs of hair, and carefully laid them together

"that it will be wise to photograph the whole picture fro

Detective Hardy, a young man from Headq

m, Pauline and Gray went out together,

What does it all mean?" she cr

, and leaving the two together, she wen

t also they followed the movements of every one else, and

esome work of pho

ning back in her luxurious arm-chair, with that strange smile of happy expectancy, Miss Lucy Carrington presented the same air of regal aut

d crack a skull like that, but an experienced and professional burglar and housebreak

d Scofield, briefly,

s frightened away at

him would be known to s

be i

ory?" and the Corone

no possible theory th

t the

efore we find that, I'm afraid. It strikes me

t'd be a nice how d'y' do for

hat the very fact of there being such strange and irreconcil

he proud domineering autocrat, now laid low, was borne to a distant room, for