The Crooked House

tru

ock in the hous

ed across the lawns with his collar turned up. The danseuse

sult," she complai

ore," said the

sively. Wild shouting arose in the darkness, and the soun

shing towards the house as if the ent

the river! Miss Mande

d a terrified cry.

he gasped, s

n was shatte

... almost tor

the clergyman's throat in a savage grip. The furious, distorted face of George Co

dful has happened to Miss Manderson. I fo

ion, Tranter reache

matter? What

cier clun

rthon ... m

atrical manager and Mrs. Astley-Rolfe arrived at a run, Copplestone, with a sound like the cry

a few yards from the water's edge. The man

n her knees, sobbing, and covered her face with her hands. T

d-"some one must ha

. "Thea...."

b shook him. But th

a wild beast," shud

the manager hoarsely. "He has utter

ded from his face, leaving it set in a pallid, lifeless mask. He contemplated the dreadful destruction at his feet without a sign of horror, or

ing at him curiously. "She ought not

htened himself, an

in, and telephone to the Police

lfe raised her

"Let me go. It's too hor

and was crying hysterically. Suddenly the financier startled them

t there behind uth! Who

training their eyes

e?" the man

ger struck another match. On the edge of

ur Dupont!"

sieur Dupont, "at last I fi

looked at

enly, "is that Miss Mand

nized into a condition of seething energy. With what was almost a snarl, he

he knelt beside it.

eard him mutter-"ut

his eyes were

le. Who was w

ied. "She said she was going back to the house, and asked me to f

police?" asked

dies back to the house, and telepho

he four men remained, facing each other ov

said the cler

should be at large,

ound. He seemed unconscious of their presence. He

in torrents, the lightning was incessant. It was as if the elements the

n this-police or no polic

him aside, and assisted Copplestone to lift the ghastly burden in his ar

a couch, and hurled himself furiously upon the confusion of decorations, tearing and crushing everything into a smashed heap on the floor. So overwhelming was his violence that no one dared attempt to stop him. He

tric current. The dull heavy cloud descended on him again. He stared vacantl

a loud ringing at the front door bel