The Hollow of Her Hand

and a reluctant porter opened his vestibule door to descend to the snow-swept platform: a solitary passenger had reached the journey's end. The swirl of snow and sleet screaming

at each end of the station; two or three frost-encrusted windows glowed dully in the side of t

bout their ears nor wondered at the stopping of the fast express at a place where it had never stopped before. Far ahead the panting engine shed from its open fire-box an aureole of glaring red as the stoker fed coal i

d it even so much as slowed down for the insignificant little station, through which it swooped at midnight the whole year round. Just before pulling out of New York on thi

snow-clogged window, peering through veil and frost into the night that whizzed past the pane, seeing nothing yet apparently intent on all that stretched beyond. As still, as immobile as death itself she had held herself from the moment of departure to the instant that brought the porter with the word that they were whistling for B--. Without a word she arose and followed him to the

pounding the air with quick, vicious snorts in the effort to get under way; the vestibule trap and door closed with a bang; the

across the platform opened

e called above the

anced q

es

her. "I'm sorry you would insist on coming to-ni

is Mr.

as she put the question. Her voice was muffled. The man in th

l you that we still have two miles to go by motor before we reach the inn. My car is open,-I don't

impatiently. "Pray d

ot afraid of

ch of nervousness. "I drive my own car. The road is good, but I shall drive cauti

e, but for you. You have been most k

if trying to penetrate the thick, wet veil. "I may have brought you on a fool's errand. You see, I-I have seen Mr. Wrandall but once, in town somewhere, and I may be wro

on. It was as if she lacked the power to utter more than a si

at the inn, Mrs. Wrandall. You did not bring a maid, I see. M

hank you, Mr. Drake. I

ce. I shall return t

y started toward the door. "No trains stop here after ten o'clo

ring. I must see, I must know. The suspense-" She did not complete the sentence, but hurried p

ad her across the icy platform to the autom

took his place at the wheel. Then she took her seat beside him and permitted him to tuck the great buff

el, ungoggled and tense, sent the whirring thing swiftly over the trackless villag

omes in like a lion," but apparently the storm swa

en. If she heard him say: "Fierce, wasn't it?" she gave no sign, but sat hunched forward, peerin

ked as he swerved from th

Wrandall. W

he in

n vigorously as he drew up to the long, low porch. Two men dash

ndall," said Drake. "I

place, a dreary looking person with dread in his eyes, hurried forward. She stopped stock-

hing hot to drink, madam," the

from her face. Then she took in the rather bare, ch

k you," s

ays it's all right to serve it, although it is after hours. I run a respectable, l

am the sheriff, madam. This gentleman is the coroner, Dr. Sheef. We waited up for you after Mr. Drake said you'd got the fa

. She was young and strikingly beautiful, despite the intense pallor that overspread her face. Her dark, questioning, dreading eyes looked up into his with an

'road-house'?" she asked dully, her e

haste to resent th

a respectable

ff waved

l say, however, that Burton has always kept well within the law. This is the first-er-real bit of trouble he's had,

ful one. "It's got a black eye now. Not th

eady look in her eyes, a

backs to the woman who had just come among them. They were grouped about the roaring fireplace in the lower end of the room. Steam aros

out for you if you should require anything. Will you go in there and compose yourself before going up

there to-night,"

is your husband. It's an ugly affair, Mrs. Wrandall. We had no means of identifying him until D

g me something about i

prepared for anything.

reception-room, if you please. Burton, is

" interposed Mrs. Wrandall. "You

dear Mrs.

railway station until

not

owed with the sheriff. The men looked worn and haggard in the bright lig

ittle rest. It's been a hard case for all of us-a nasty one," explained the sher

the nervous little woman who bustled up and inquired

seven o'clock this morning--that is to say, yesterday morning, for this is now Wednesday. It is quite clear, from this, that she neglected to close the door tightly when she came out, probably through haste or fear, and the draft in the hall blew it wider open during the night. Burton says the inn was closed for the night at half-past ten. He went to bed. She must have slipped out after every one was sound asleep. There were no other guests on that floor. Burton and his wife s

he man, on their arrival at the inn, about nine o'clock at night, ordered supper sent up to the room. The tray of dishes, with most of the food untouched, and an empty champagne bottle, was found on the service table near the bed. One of the chairs was overturned. The servant who took the meal to the room says that the wo

bers hearing the key turn in the lock as she went down the hall. It seems pretty clear that the man ate and drank but not the woman. He

ase," said

time of year. The couple came here about nine o'clock in a high power runabout machine, which the man drove. They had no hand-baggage and apparently had run out from New York. Burton says he was on the point of refusing them accommodations when the man handed him a hundred dollar bill. It was more th

ed the room. Mrs. Wrandall d

snowing," announ

ittle French car, painted red," she announced to

ake nodded his head. Mrs. Wrandall's body stiffened perceptibly, as if deflectin

ll, rather querulously. "It seems odd that no one should hav

veil or her coat until the door was locked. That proves that she was not the sort of woman we usually find

mber that," she said steadily. "It is easier to hear the details now, before I KN

d the sherif

not POSITIVE," put in

ably certain

have the story first," said she, with

saw her face or who can give the least idea as to what she looks like, excepting a general description of her figure, her carriage, and the out-door garments she wore. We have reason to believe she was young. She was modestly dressed. Her coat was one of those heavy ulster affairs, such as a

say so myself. About five feet six, I'd judge; rath

an's face. "I am five feet six," s

ed his throat som

ce in very low tones to the man she was with, and then she was standing by the fireplace out in the main office, quite a distance from the desk. She went upstairs alone, an

all, that she robbed the man afte

," she said quickly. There was a note of relief in her voi

ff-links, scarf pin, cigarette case, purse and bill folder,-a

ne to offer a suggestion that might be

t some one else might have taken the v

ught of it,

ever: the murderess may have taken all of these things away with her in order to prevent immediate

that very particular," said Mrs. Wrandall in such a self-contained way that the three men looked at her in wo

ertain that it is your husband," said the coroner uncom

railed out into a long, tremulous wail, showing how near she was to the breaking point in her wonderful effort at self-control. The men looked

must not think of venturing out in this wretched night, madam. It would be the worst kind of

reathe. I could not live. If, on the other hand, Mr. Drake is mistaken, I shall stay. But if it is my husband, I cannot remain under the

derstand," mu

eriff, arousing him

ion to them. Feeling as they did that she was about to be confronted by the most appalling crisis imaginable, they could not but marvel at her composure. Drake's mind dwel

, a chilly blast of air blew upon the faces of those in the hall. The curtains in the window of the room were flapping and whipping in the wind. Mrs. Wrandall caught her breath. For the briefest instant, it seemed as though she

ood the bed. She went swiftly toward it, her eyes fastened upon the ridge that ran

ad of the bed and turned it back. As he let it fall across the

instant removing her gaze from the face of the man who lay before her: a dark-haire

d men, not one of whom seemed to breathe during the grim minutes that passed. The wind howled about the corners of the inn,

emples. Her head drooped slightly forward, and a great shudder ran th

was saying in an absol

ere alone for

er with a single question in their eyes. Was it quite

her arms in a wide gesture of self-abso

ine. I want to look at him for t

at you intend to-" bega

do not want him. Can you understand? I DO NOT WANT THIS DEAD THING. But there is something I would say to him, something that I must say. Something t

from the room. She watched th

lower the window. It squ

he group in the hall

down?" asked the wife of the

wonder what she is sayi

heef. "Positively wonderful. I'

. "Why, I-I should have said she'd go in

his fellow, Wrandall, he's not been

k his head

l bet on that," said t

hell if e

horror. "God forgive you fo

y knows what sort of

ak

mily," said the corone

never been much of a

horus girls," said Mrs.

me with him," mused the sheriff, with a je

said the inn

ore about his not coming home nights. I say, this business will create a

now who he is, it shouldn't be hard to pick out the women he's been trailing with

dinary type. It wouldn't surprise me if she belongs to-well, you might say, the upper ten. Somebody's wife,

single sign behind her," acknowledged the sheri

eyes were wide, apparently unseeing; her colourless lips were parted in the drawn rigidity that suggested but one thing to the professional man who l

esence for the first time. Her eyes narrowed in a curious manner, and the rigid lips seemed to surge with bloo

"It was very cold in there." She shivered slightly. "Will you be so k

. Wrandall. The first thing you are to do is to take so

, if you will tell me what I am to do as speedily as possible, and let me do it so that I may leave this-this unhappy place without del

please, Mrs. Wrandall," said the sheriff

re might be legal restraint." She sent a swift glance over her shoulder, and

door to t

d to close it. Involuntarily, all of her listeners looked in the direction of the room, as if expectin

hasis. The man hesitated, and then did as he was ordered, but not withou

she, divining his thought. "I had the feeling that

d the coroner. "I beg of you to come downstairs, where we may attend to a few necessary details without d

for the inn-keeper, who came in and glowered at her as if she were

ne to the station with me in your depot

n a 'bus in the winter

at hung from her wrist and abstracted a

s the card issued by the State. It is in my name. The factory number is there. You may c

h an ugly laugh. Then he quail

o seasons. All I ask is that some one be directed to go with me to the station. No! Better than that, if there is some one here who is willing to accompany

gure that seemed to detach itself entirely from its surroundings and their

iver the car to you. The sheriff has gone out to compare the numbers. If he finds that the car is yours, he will see to it, w

nodded. "I shall make it a point, Dr. Sheef, to present the car to the St

you may elect. Now, may I trouble you to make answer to certain questions I shall wr

He is-or was-C

r as one. A toddied individual in a great buffalo coat waited for her outside, hiccoughing and bandying

d all the questions that had been put to her, and had signed the document with a firm, untrembling hand. Her veil had been lowered

ean. My husband's only brother. He will be here in the morning, Dr. Sheef. My own apartment is not open. I have been staying in a

efore putting the question that

ur husband has been living during your absen

seconds, and then it was

return. His brother Leslie came to the dock. He-he said that Challis, who came back from Europe two weeks ahead of me, had been call

id the coro

the throbbing motor-car. They fell away as she approached, silently fading into th

ne. "He is the only one who will undertake it. They're all played out, you see. He has been drinking,

e air was free from particles of sleet; wetly the fal

nced upward. The curtains in an upstairs window were blowing inward and a dim light shone out upon t

standing in the middle of the roa

's a wonder!" s