The Riddle of the Purple Emperor

t Cheyne awo

of opening and closing doors, the buzz of voices, and blaze of light, caused the forget-me-not blue eyes to

his came the memory of her journey, and all the misery that it had entailed. With a little cry, half mental pain, half physical tiredness, she starte

put out to her, she remembered only just in time not to ki

t last. I missed yo

devils as they are, gobblers all of them. I've been looking for you, and I find you here all the time. I w

nd that he is a friend of a lady who was on the boat, Miss Ailsa Lorne, who was so good to m

ut, and must get to bed. I don't keep any servants, so you'll have to set to, and do for yourself-the lazy good-for-noughts, they eat y

en if she had thought of so doing, and s

lemonade and a plate of thickly cut bread and butter, which she could not touch. She was thirsty, however, and carr

thing, Auntie, after all,

response. "You'll catch your death of cold driving a

Lady Margaret's tired mind took in the strangeness o

of the liquid, then fled up the staircase, pausing at

the bejewelled and rouged figure standing

all on the bare staircase of the second flight. A moment later there ca

lips and she met the peculiar look of h

she commanded, "and don'

r high-heeled shoes, and minced p

in the lemonade, Lady Margaret slept as soundly as the proverbial top till close on m

thought to herself, with rough, unkept hair,

her as she banged on the table a cup of weak

med as she was to the soft, pure French of the good nuns at Notre Dame. "An' the quicker you gets up and attends to yerself, the

equire anything more, and please tell

surprising manner, then without another word she swung on her

on. Oh, I am so thankful to be home," and she ran lightly to the window and looked out. With all the resilience of youth, she s

and into the dining room where she found the Honourable

Lady Margaret took but scant notice. It was not long, however, before

Auntie," she said presently, "and to thank

is a friend of Lady Margaret Cheyne! Oh, I know the breed, she and her blessed accomplice, Beland, or Deland, or whatever his name is, they were probably

ted ban on a friendship to which she had looked forward with such pleasure. "I am sure y

ot be admitted. Don't you dare to argue with me, child, or back to school you'll go. I'm n

impatience. "I slept in the car all the time till I got here. I don't know what I s

shaking a finger in the girl's face. "Don't forget you have something more important to think of than designing minxes and pert Lieutenants, if he is really a genuine officer, which I doubt.

ly her grief for Miss Lorne's rejected friendship in the idea of se

ad forgotten them, are you re

. I mean to have you presented at Court, and you will certainly have to wear some jewellery t

, in case there was any trouble? I don't remember all of them, but I know there were three strings

" said Miss Cheyne drily. "It is so

little tremor of fear in her voice. "It's not particularly beautiful. In fact, I don't suppose it

s the girl looked up at her, she saw a face that was changed out of all recognition, distorted as it was with avarice and

unexpected outburst. "You can have them and wear them, too. I shan

Miss Cheyne, sharply, switc

am going to be married some day to Sir Edgar Brenton--" She paused as if waiti

d your jewels will be a good wedding present." She gave

other things, "you had better get upstairs and unpack your boxes.

't exactly charming, and I must say I don't quite like the look of her. Can't you get rid of her, A

le your head about what doesn't concern you, my dea

She could only dimly remember her aunt when she had been allowed to spend her holidays at Cheyne Cour

he had been undeniably attracted, but also, and this she considered far more important, Lady Brenton, the m

pay visits or write letters that day, and when night did fall, she was

below that supposedly sleeping household came a queer bumping noise, and it seemed to

, and donning a dressing gown, uncons

on the outside, locked! She w

sisted, but to her delight the old lock, rotten with age, gave way under her vigorous onslaught. A

amid complete silence, and for a moment she th

aning cry that chilled her very heart. Startled and terrified she gave a shriek, and losing her balance, came hurtling down t

o find herself once more in her own room, with Aggi

-worn hand of the girl. "Oh, what was it? Didn't you hear it?" She st

ou gave us all a turn, Miss-yer

le noise!" shud

t's what you heard," retorted Aggie. "A nice twist you've given this ankle of yo

ible sound. Appallingly human it was; no dog could have screamed li

heyne, who appeared with lotions and bandages, and literally took possession of the patient. Her lon

mly. To Lady Margaret it seemed as if this eccentric relative were by

yne's eye fell on the splintered lock, "and that reminds me, I was l

that the girl was obliged to rest content. But when she fell into an uneasy sleep, it w

t is sufficiently painful and depressing to be worthy

y on such books and magazines as Miss Cheyne brough

Lorne, bribing Aggie with such coins as she

sent to the post, and later the girl was not surprised to fi

istant moans, but had schooled her

d walk about her room she was

ss Cheyne relaxed

ow is, my dear," she said, looki

a moment, then gave a

thday, of course,

yne, "you are the owner of the Cheyne jewels. We're

flashing old eyes. "Do you think it safe enough? Thieves might break in. Why not le

ne snapped ferociously. "I'm curious, you know, more

ant to see them, too, only I

Miss Cheyne. "If you have them here you can wear them whenever you like without

ve the Cheyne jewels in the safe custody of Messrs. Shallcott, Woodward & Company in Lond

icable antipathy even against Ailsa Lorne seemed to have died a natural death. When Lady Margaret, albeit a

ack from London, then there is no reason a

er from Lady Brenton or her lover, as well as from Ailsa Lorne herself, had filled Lady Margaret's mind with strange forebodings. She

aloud with a queer little chuckle

o you shall, my dear