The Jewel of Seven Stars

pic

as Miss Trelawny. There was a haught

y one. We must not expect much faithfulness from any one who is beset with fears. Those who remain are to have in future double wages; and please send these to me presently wh

servants so well treated or anyone so good to them and gracious to them as you have been. They might be in the household

staff of other servants, or at any rate try to do so. "For you know, ma'am," she went on, "when once a scare has been established in the servants' hall, it's wellnigh impossible to get rid of it. Servants may come; but they go away just as quick. There's no holding them. They simply won't s

cult to get a few maids; perhaps some that you know already. And please bear in mind, that those whom you get, and who are suitable and will stay, are henceforth to have the same wages as those who are remaining. Of course, Mrs. Grant, you well enough understand that though I do not group you in any way with the servants, the rule of double salar

ke a King's house, when th

gown of some filmy black material shot with gold. For ornament in her hair she wore an old Egyptian jewel, a tiny crystal disk, set between rising plumes carved in lapis lazuli. On her wrist was a broad bangle or bracelet of antique work, in the shape of a pair of spreading wings wrou

sent for the faithful servants. I thought that she had better have this interview

in the afternoon Sergeant Daw came into the study where I was sitting. After closing the door c

im. "I see you wish to

ay I speak in abs

of course Mr. Trelawny-you may be perfectly frank. I take it that we both

-a detective; and it is my duty to find out the facts of any case I am put on, without fear or favour to anyone. I would rathe

, my heart sinking, I did not know why. "Be qui

ss beyond you-not to anyone. Not to Miss Trelawny herse

little more stiffly. The man recognised the chan

all on the subject. I know you, however, of old; and I feel that I can

n!" I said. He

ordinary solution of it. At the time of each attempt no one has seemingly come into t

g-was in the house already," I ans

, with a manifest sigh of relief. "

thing,' was what I

e key off his arm. Such things are all very well in books where your amateur detectives, who know everything before it's done, can fit them into theories; but in Sc

people' by all

aking of 'so

ht. Someon

occasions where outrage was effected, or attempted, there was o

ennedy. When I woke there were several people in the room; you were one of them. I understand that on that occasion also Miss Trelawny was before yo

ught for a momen

m on all the occasions; there was only

best thing to do was to meet it half-way. I have always found that the best

e, Miss Trelawny's being the first to discover it is a proof that she did i

doubt which I had leads." Sergeant Daw was a man of courage; he ev

e of least resistance; and if it could be proved that any personal gain to anyone could follow Mr. Trelawny's death, should such ensue, it might prove a difficult task for anyone to prove innocence in the face of suspicious facts. I found myself instinctively taking that deferential course which, until the plan of battle of the prosecution is unfolded, is so s

know," I said, "and without fear.

uel weight to bear. And you will be sure that I won't say a word that'll prompt anyone else to make such a charge. That's why I speak to you in confidence, man to man. You are skilled in proofs; that is your profession. Mine only gets so far as suspicions, and what we call our own proofs-which are nothing but ex parte evidence after all. You know Miss Trelawny better than I do; and though I watch round the sick-room, and go where I like about the house and in and out of it, I haven't the same opportunities as you have of knowing

both want to find out the truth; and there is so much about this case that is strange-so strange as to go beyond all experiences-that to aim at truth is our only ch

e such ideas as would convince yourself, either for or against it. Then we would come to some conclusion; or at any rate we should so exhaust all other

iss Trelawny entered the room. The moment

were here, and engaged." By the time I

ergeant Daw and I were o

d, saying as she entered the room: "Doctor Wi

wny's look; togethe

ss he would like to stay in the house that night is he might. Miss Trelawny looked glad, and sent word to Mrs. Gr

in the evening when Miss Trelawny is watching her father." We still kept to our arrangement that either the sick man's daughter or I should be on watch all night. We were to share the duty a

lieve the Nurse. Mrs. Grant remained with her, Sergeant Daw being on duty in the corridor. Doc

confidential talk. We are 'tiled,' of

sation with Sergeant Daw in the morning, and of the disturbing

e more I think of it, the madder I seem to get; and the two lines, each

awny, in the matter. As it was, however, I stood it unruffled. I was now an attorney in the case; an amicus curiae in one sense, in another retained for the defence. The mere thought that in this clever man's mind were two lines, e

to either criminal hypnotism and thought suggestion, or some simple form of poisoning unclassified yet in our toxicology. In the other there is some infl

things in Heav

mt of in your

clever-is sleeping in the very next room to his. There is seemingly no possible reason for expecting any attack or disturbance of any kind; and no reasonable opportunity for any outsider to effect it. And yet we have an attack made; a brutal and remorseless attack, made in the middle of the night. Discovery is made quickly; made with that rapidity which in criminal cases generally is found to be not accidental, but of

obability that the stupefying medium was not hypnotic, whatever else it may have been. But again, there is a fact which is contradictory. Miss Trelawny, who was in the room more than any of you-for she was in and out all the time and did her share of permanent watching also-did not seem to be affected at all. This would show that the influence, whatever it is, does not affect generally-unless, of course, it was that she was in some way inured to it. If it should turn out that it be some strange exhalation from some of those Egyptian curios, that might account for it; only, we are then face to face with the fact that Mr. Trelawny, who was most of all in the room-who, in fact, lived more than half his life in it-was affected worst of all. What kind of influence c

t better not to say anything. In such a case silence is indeed golden; and if I said nothing now I might have less to defend, or explain, or take back later. I was, therefore, secretly glad that his form of putting his argument did not require any answer from me-for the present, at all events. Doctor Winchester did not seem to expect any answer-a fact

mummy cat, and am to get possession of it in the morning. When I bring it here we shall find out if it be a fact that racial instinct can survive a few thousand years in the grave. However, to get back to the subject in hand. These very mummy smells arise from the presence of substances, and combinations of substances, which the Egyptian priests, who were the learned men and scientists of their time, found by the experience of centuries to be strong enough to arrest the natural forces of decay. There must be powerful agencies at work to effect such a purpose; and it is possible that we may have here some rare substance or combination whose qualities and powers are not understood in this later and more prosaic age. I wonder if Mr. Trelawny has any knowledge, or even suspicion, of such a kind? I only know this for certain, that a worse atmosphere for a sick chamber could not possibly be imagined; an

had the effect of hopelessness. It came to me as a conviction that now was my time to f

in a way startled rather than sur

y suspicion is held within such limit. Later on, if there be any sufficiently definite conclusion to my

own heart seemed to stand still. There was over me some grim, vague apprehension. The inter

and Miss Trelawny

paused; at such a time a few succeeding seconds seem to lengthen in geometrical progressio

ou if I might go to bed tonight with safety, as you will be here. I feel so tired and worn-out that I fea

ou want it. I am more than glad you have made the suggestion, for I feared

elt from her face. Never shall I forget the deep, earnest

om for tonight. I'm afraid that if I stay so close to Father's room I shall multiply every sound into a new terror. But, of course, you will have me waked if there be any cause. I shall be in the bedroom of the little suite next th

come back to the little table at which w

l be all right. Her nervous system is on the verge of a breakdown. Did you notice how fearfully disturbed she was, and how red she got when she c

ing the Detective and myself alone together earlier in the day, when I remembered that that conversation

r I could not help thinking, again and again, and again-ay, and for many a day after-how str

nge web of accidents, in whos