A Terrible Secret

cry. Then she rushes to the door, along the passages, into the midst of the star

ep her still by main force. They ask her questions, b

an," cries Mr. Hooper, the butler, giving her a shake, "do com

my lady! my

she sees it, and with a gasping cry at the grisly sight, and before t

hey look into one a

at, in an awe-struck

te this here. Lay this young woman flat on her back on the floor, sprinkle

dashes water into her face, then in a body, with Mr.

rse Pool suggests, in a whisper,

very terrifying. Only the solemn moonlight, only the motionless little figure in the arm-cha

ays Mr. Hooper, a tremble in his voice; "it-

mp will ever awake now. They bend above her, holding their breath. Yes, there it is-the blood

etween his shaking fingers. Stilled forever, already with the awful chill of death. In the cryst

traightens himse

of sob. "O Lord, have mercy on us-it's

lled, dead hand falls limp and heavy. He put

ictor? O my master!

upon them. Murdered in their midst, in their peac

Catheron?" asks

ks; no one seems to c

Catheron?" the

the butler. Since his tenth year he has been in the service of the Catherons-his fathe

ds. "Of course Miss Inez

but he is unconsciousl

nce," he says. "I'll g

rtains, will you, an

n, the waxlights illumine the apartment. No one else stirs. The soft, abundant lig

iss Inez may be, but she is very dear to him. He has carried her in his arms many

, helpless sort of way; "everybody knows t

o reply. He knocks ag

ere? For the dear Lord

" a voice

is Miss Inez or not. He

a solitary figure sits, crouches, rather, near the window in a strange, distorted attitude of pain

e shakes-"I bring you

d-but-a murder

m she does not heed. She just sits

ez! you

e nearer-he trie

r me?" h

ear

d is clutching the arm of her chair-her wide-o

red. O Miss Inez! do you hear?

ut no word comes. An awful fear begin

y are waiting for you below. There is no one

kes out his handkerchie

aster! He loved the very ground she wa

She looks at the old man. In her eyes there is a blind, dazed sort

ill him-the horror of it. So pretty and so young-so sweet a

though her white lips cannot shape the wo

, Miss Inez," he implores;

as if he had

nd for Sir V

sort of whisper, "send

e voice of Inez Catheron. The butler lo

ez," he says. "It is a fearful

a refusal, but sh

she answers, and t

room. It lies there, in its dreadful quiet, before them.

ks over and looks down upon the dead mistress of Catheron Royals. No change comes over her-she softens neither into pity nor tears. So long s

please give your orders? Shall I

herself to say it. "And I think you had better s

pol

she says, in a cold, hard voice

lm, stately haughtiness

il Sir Victor comes. Ellen, Pool, Hooper, you three had better remain to watch. Edwa

in a low voice; "and please, m

ace changes, her voice shake

swers, faintl

m. She turns to anothe

our way stop at the police station and apprise them

ght nursery," Jane P

am going to my own room. When," she pauses a second and speaks with an effort, "when S

Jane Pool looked

een her set lips; "y

h!" Ellen whis

ct accusation, but they unde

y lady dead? Why wouldn't she let me in? why did she tell me a lie? what made her say my lady was still asleep? Asleep! Oh, poor soul, to think

, J

Them that killed the mother hated the child. When the time

h a nervous jump, "don

blood a mask of

said solemnly, "w

t da

y lady used as a paper knife. I'll take my oath I saw it lying on the tabl

other. It had a long, keen steel blade, a slim handle of wrought gold set with a large ruby. Si

k away baby," Jane said compressing her

swered. "Oh, Jan

e glittering knife has done the deed. There it was ready for its work, as if Satan himself had left it h

in her hands. Two hours had passed, an awful silence filled the whole house, while she sat there and never stirred. As eleven struck from the turret clock, the thunder of horses' hoofs