The Curved Blades

with her love of elaborate display in life. The casket was of the richest, the flowers piled mountain high, the music, the most expen

nd horror of her death, they were not deeply bowed with sorrow. Pauline, as nearest relative, would naturally g

pieces." She was nervous, and jumped

for him, and devoted most of his time to ma

-down, and had been taken to a nearby sanatorium, w

s and detectives were coming and going, neighbors w

rdly polite, were not on good t

and Haviland were called to a

t," Hardy began, and Anita

t Charlier! Pu

er one of that pair of gloves, the mate to the

he

nier drawer; of course, to hide it, as it is not at a

en noticed that, when I've wanted to burn a letter or anyth

it there to incriminate an innocent man. It's too absurd to fasten the thing on Count Charlier! Do you suppose he went to the boudoir and gave Miss Carrington poison, and then shook hands good-evening, a

!" cried Hardy. "Somehow I can't see th

in Haviland. "Have they re

; "Did he-did he-c-confess?" The girl's voice tre

was not convincing. He takes it very hard and talks wildly and at random.

hy would the Count kill Miss Carring

f ten thousand dollars already marked for him in her will. Moreover, he couldn't realize that tidy little sum, which he very much wants, so long as she lived. To be sure, he would have had far more, had he married her, but

, "do you know these things to be true of

s chap, I'll be surprised. But also, I've set afoot an investigation, and we'll soon learn his record, antece

t Lucy to give him that mone

to devise them in her will, not to give them now. Well, four were Miss Stuart and Carr Loria, Miss Frayne and myself. And then, she hesitated for some time, but finally announced that the fifth portion should be named for the Count. I was there when the lawyer fixe

r such a time?

d with me, and crossed me off without a shilling. T

uests than those particular bonds y

beside, which was all right

ve stood from her capricious temper a

Pauline, quietly; "I'd rather you would

arms was averted by the appearan

aimed Pauline, as she

home or will you come here? Let Havilan

ngton

ile on one of his excavating tours, we mightn't have had communication for weeks. Well, he practicall

rity than I am," said Pauline, almost petulantly; "I am an equal h

w why, myself. I suppose becau

der me the head of the house as far as business matters are concerned. You can pay Carr his half

come back to Amer

g so, unless he chooses. And I'm pretty sure he won't choose, as he's so w

ssity to help investigate

he learns all the details, he will be as anxious as we that the murderer should be found. But if I know Carr, he will far rather pay for the most expensive detective service than come over himself. And,

when he puts me in charge of it all. But after a week or so we'l

as he likes. But he needn't come for my benefit. The property must be divided and all that, but we can

ray, in amazemen

these horrors. Our passage is booked for a February sailing. If necessary I

d Havilan

ak and then thought bette

o," began Anita, and Pau

uld say not! W

her pink cheeks burned rosy. "I am my own mistress,

, coldly. "Only please advise me

ly. "But I may prefer to go on the one you do. Aren'

spect me of crime, I would rather you said so definitel

re some things to be explained regarding your interview with y

ence. As you well know, I saw you come from her

iland; "you only make tro

is arrested, Pauline oug

nd it seems to

Haviland, who insisted on knowing

long enough to get word back and forth to h

ent if he does not care to come; and that I shall go to Egypt as soon as I can ar

to the library, a

ese ladies mean by accusing each other of all sorts of

never loved each other, but lately, even before the death of Miss

ry of Miss Frayne's about hearing

tuart; what she heard was Miss Carrington talking t

the old lady? She

so hard to appear young, t

ve with the Co

not quite true. Miss Lucy cared only for interesting men, but if

trious Count

rtained us. She made that bequest to attrac

, and

e temptation and he shuffled her o

he killed

girls never use

the p

blow has to be remembered. And neither Miss Stuart nor Miss Frayne can

ake? The qu

able,-unless the man has a disordered mind, and used insane methods to

have been put in h

essional burglar, say

when he has uninterrupted time enough to kill a person twice, with poison and then, to hide t

I don't see how any of the things could happen, but they did happen! Y

r the deduction therefrom. But I don't believe that. This case is bizarre enough, in all conscience, yet what can one deduce from that paper snake and t

The features were compos

ree. I wish you felt inclined to call in Fleming Stone. He'

t won't hear of it. I'd have to ha

ve you full swing

ent. I'd have to have assurance that he'd pay the bills

d like to work with him! Or under him.

and not mention it to Miss Stu

olved, and I, for one, don't believe that nincompoop Count

the widow he

hose two are in it, but t

d if he wants me to get Stone, I'll be glad to do so. As you say, it can't affect the girls,-that stuff Anita made up was only to bother Pauli

e's that F

s hysterical from sheer nervousness, and she li

ighty glad. If the Frenchman is the guilty party, Stone will nail him and prove

n't," agree