Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-08-08
CHAPTER VI.
The Jcwclcd Stilctto.

The Jcwclcd Stilctto.
The captain of police was first to
place his hand upon the door knob.
''Who has the key" he inquired.
Without a word of answer, Mrs. Mar
tin placed it in his hand. He opened
the door and entered, followed b the
two police officers. the detective and
Mr.. Baldwin. who We're in turn followed
by all who could force their way into
the room.
The mother and father of Clarice
whose first intention had been to seek
their daughter. had baen borne along
with the crowd and now stood gazing
..a1 the dead face Of him who had. by
the law Of God and man. been made
their son-their daughters husband
scarcely more than two short hours
ago.
Mrs. Mowbray gave q groan Of abso-
lutte suffering; her face became utterly
colorless, and she seemed in danger or
fainting. Brian Mowbray turned sick
at the sight. and was glad TO occupy
himself in the care of his wife.
He drew her backward out of sight.
and would have carried her from the
room if the doorway had not been
blocked up by throng of people close
1y wedged together there. AS it was,
he kept her from another glimpse of the
dead man, and was equally careful him.
self not to look in that direction.
Mrs. Martin had again entered the
room; but she withdrew to the window.
where she stood concealed by the heavy
velvet curtain. gazing out on the rear
of the houses in the next block.
Carl, the Swiss valet, was profoundly
affected. He gazed with streaming eyes
on the dead face, till, unable to bear 1t,
he buried his face in both hands, sob
bling and weeping.
The kindest master-the kindest
MASTER" he sobbed. "Ah, when will I
find another?"
Mr.. Baldwin had Immediately pro-
ceeded to the duty for which he had
been summoned and, having sealed all
such private papers, drawers. escli-
torres, ETC., as he deemed of import
ance, he, too, came forward to look at
the still, white face of Philip Grayson.
1t was the face of man who had been
kind friend to him, and the lawyer
had valued the friend.
He heaved deep sigh and turned
away. 1t was sight that no man
would like to dwell upon, and, hard
man of business though he was, Mr..
Baldwin shuddered, and there was a
suspicious, dewy moisture in his keen,
gray eyes.
But here was one person in that room
whom no one seemed to notice particu-
LAZY, though, to an observant eye She
was Of all there, the most profoundly
affected by the tragedy that had been
enacted in that room. This was Mrs.
Grayson's new waiting maid-the
French girl, Leonce.
She was a remarkable-loo girl
tall, slender, and eminently graceful
and ladylike in appearance. In COM
plexion she was clear pale brunette,
with eyes and hair of midnight dark
ness, delicate, clearly-cut features,
full, red mouth, exquisitely-fine teeth,
as white and even AS a row of pear't
and the kind of hands and feet that are
considered proof of good birth in Eu
Irope.
Naturally pale, as brunettes of her
type always are, she was now of livid
pallor, and even her red mouth was pale
and ashen, and her lips thin and COM
pressed, as if she feared some sound of
terror or grief might force it's way be-
tween them.
Her dark eyes cleaned and glittered
like light on polished steel, and her gaze
never for moment dwelt on the muir
dered man, but roved wildly over the
apartment, with a curious intentness
that evidently took a mental inventory
of everything in it, and seemed to seek
for something it did not find, yet feared
to find, or feared still more, that some
ether ewes than her own might fino
NT3ut, apparently, no one noticed her
Ehrticularly, and her extreme pallor, the
ql.rror and agitation so evidently held
! Ider strong control, might easily have
! assed for nothing more than signs of
Natural emotion under the circum-
;tances, even il she had been specially
observed.
81 The captain of police knelt down be
Ade the body and looked critically at
the face; then, raising the right arm,
ct it fall with a dull, heavy thud.
II suppose the body has been exam
ined by 6octor?" he said, inqu1ringly.
DIR. Sprague at once stepped forward.
81 was for some years physician to
the deceased. 1 have examined the
body. Death was caused by wound
ins.the throat, made by some sharp and
pointed Instruments should judge
something in the nature of a small dag
ger or poniard. Death must have peen
almost instantaneous, IS you will OBJ
a,,rve the carotid artery has been com
pletEly severed. Under such circur-
stances a man will die within three
"sooner. 1t is the
artery that leads directly frcm the
heart to the brain"
t.sThen you consider the case to be one
Of murder, not suicide?" the captain OF
police inquired.
.Not suicide---certainly not. NO man
could deal himself such blow as that
Let me prove it to you" He gently
raised the head and pointed to the back
az the neck. You will observe, sir. that
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