I will put them in the safe myself. Where is the key?”
“There, mademoiselle, on your dresser. But if I might – ”
“You mayn’t do anything except to get out and stay out! Do you hear? Shall I never be obeyed?”
“Yes, mademoiselle; good-night.”
The soft tone was fully belied by the evil glare of the French girl’s eyes, but that was not seen by Miss Lucy Carrington.
III
THE TRAGEDY
The house faced the east, and, built on an English model, was far wider than deep. A broad hall ran through the centre from front to back, and on either side there were successive rooms whose windows looked out on equally beautiful scenes, both front and back. On the right of the hall, as one entered, was the long living room, and beyond it, the library and music room. The other side of the hall was a reception room, opening into the sun parlor, and on to the conservatory, and back of these, the dining room and smaller breakfast room.
Breakfast was served at nine, and the members of the family were usually all present. Miss Carrington, herself, made a point of being on time partly from habit, and also because it gave her opportunity to chide those who were late.
When she was not in her place, on the morning after the stormy bridge game, Pauline expressed surprise, and Haviland echoed her words.
But Anita said scornfully, “She went to bed in an awful tantrum and probably didn’t sleep well.”
Miss Frayne was looking her prettiest, and her roseleaf face with its fluffy golden halo, was like a Greuze picture. She wore a frivolous little house gown of blue crêpe de chine that just matched her forget-me-not eyes. Not especially appropriate garb for a secretary, but Miss Carrington preferred her household to be well-dressed, and really commanded pretty tints and fabrics for the two girls. Pauline was in white serge, of rather severe cut, but which suited her as no frills and flounces could. Her black hair was smoothly parted and coiled low over her ears, and her clear ivory-tinted skin was flushed faintly pink from the glow of the big, crackling wood fire.
“It’s most unusual,” went on Pauline, after a few moments more had passed, and the Lady Lucy had not appeared. “I’m going up to see if she is ill, – or – ”
“Or merely in a tantrum extraordinary!” said Anita, her blue eyes full of laughing disrespect for her employer.
“’Nita,” said Haviland, as Pauline disappeared, “hold your breakfast napkin up in front of your face, quick!”
“Why?” said the girl, wonderingly, as she did his bidding.
“Because, if you hadn’t, I should have flown at you and kissed you! And I mustn’t now, for Haskins is approaching with muffins.”
Down came the shielding napkin and only the arrival of the muffin-laden Haskins saved the lovely laughing face from Haviland’s impetuous caress.
The old butler fussed about, and several minutes passed, when Pauline called from above stairs, “Gray! Come here, at once!”
“Desperate case!” and Haviland rose, and unhurriedly left the room, pinching Anita’s little ear as he passed her.
Another moment and Miss Frayne heard an exclamation from Haviland that made her rise from the table and go flying upstairs herself.
The door of Miss Lucy’s boudoir was open, and entering, she saw Pauline and Haviland with horror-stricken faces, gazing at a terrible sight.
Miss Lucy Carrington, seated before her dressing-table, her face white and ghastly, her large eyes staring wide – staring horribly, – but, without doubt, unseeing. Nor was this all of the strangeness of the sight. She was robed in an embroidered Oriental-looking gown, and wore many jewels. Her red-dyed hair, dressed elaborately, as she had worn it the night before, was still crowned with the enormous comb of carved tortoise-shell, but the comb was broken to bits. One portion, still standing upright, rose above the disordered coiffure, but the rest, in broken scraps, lay scattered over the puffs of hair, – over the white hands clasped in her lap, – and on the floor at her feet.
“What does it mean?” whispered Anita, shuddering, “is she – is she dead?”
“Yes,” answered Haviland, briefly. He stood, hands in pockets, gazing at the startling figure.
“Who? – What? – ” Anita’s eyes riveted themselves on something else.
Around the neck of Miss Lucy was, – yes, it was– a snake!
With a low scream, Anita flung herself into Haviland’s arms, but he put her gently away from him.
Aghast at this repulse, Anita put her hand across her eyes and turned to leave the room.
“Mind where you go, ’Nita!” called out Haviland, and the girl stopped just in time to save herself from stepping into a mass of débris.
“Why!” she cried, “why, it’s Miss Lucy’s tray!”
It was. The silver tray that had held the breakfast tea was on the floor, and near it a jumbled heap of silver and broken china that had once been a costly Sevres set. Dainty white serviettes were stained with the spilled tea and a huge wet spot was near the overturned silver teapot.
Hastily Anita ran from the room, but she sank down on a couch in the hall just outside the door, utterly unable to go further.
Fascinated by the beady eyes of the green snake, Pauline stared at it, with clenched hands. Haviland stepped nearer and lightly touched it.
“Is it – is it alive?” gasped Pauline.
“It’s paper,” replied Haviland quietly. “A paper snake, a toy, – you know.”
“But who put it there? Aunt Lucy is deathly afraid of snakes! Did fright kill her? Gray, is she – murdered?”
“Yes, Pauline, she has been killed. But could it be – fright? Impossible!”
“Not for her! You don’t know her horror of snakes. Why, going through the Japanese department of a shop, I’ve seen her turn white and fairly fly from the counter where those paper things were displayed.”
“But what else killed her? There is no wound, no shot, no blood.”
“Get the doctor, Gray! Don’t wait a minute. Telephone at once.”
“He can do nothing, Pauline. She is dead.” Haviland spoke like a man in a daze.
“But no matter, we must call him. Shall I?”
“No, I will.”
“Go into her bedroom, – use that telephone by her bedside.”
Obediently, Haviland went on to the adjoining room, the soft rugs giving forth no sound of his footfalls.
The door was ajar, and as he opened it, he called, “Come here, Pauline; look, the night lights are burning, and the bed untouched. She hasn’t been to bed at all.”
“Of course she hasn’t. She has her hair as it was last evening. But her comb is broken.”
“Broken! It’s smashed! It’s in tiny bits! She has been hit on the head, – don’t touch her, Pauline! You mustn’t! I’ll call Dr. Stanton. You go out of the room. Go and find Anita.”
But Pauline staid. Turning her back to the still figure in the chair, she gazed curiously at the upset tray on the floor. She stooped, when Haviland’s voice came sharply from the next room. “Don’t touch a thing, Pauline!” he cried, as he held his hand over the transmitter.
She looked up, and then as she saw him turn back to speak into the instrument, she stooped swiftly and picking up something from the floor she hurried from the room.
She found Anita on the couch in the hall, and speaking somewhat sharply, Pauline said, “Where’s Estelle?”
“Mercy! I don’t know!” and Anita’s blue eyes stared coldly.