Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23

| door leading to the room where Sir Charles
| lay. On the official seal placed there by the
| police officers was a tiny thread of silk. 1t
| was not attached to the seal in any way It
came away in Beatrice's hands when she
| pulled it, if it had been fixed there by
gum. But Beatrice knew better than that.
| On the silk was wax, as she discovered
when her hand touched it. piece of soft
white wax had been pressed on the seal, and
| had left strong traces behind.
Now, what did this strange mystery
mean? Beatrice asked herself. Why did
anybody require an impression of that seal?
| What object could any one have in getting
into the room where the dead man lay? The
more Beatrice asked herself this question
the puzzled did she become. She
i thought it over till her head ached and her
| eyes grew heavy. So engrossed was she
that she quite falA to notice several little
| impatient knocks at the door Then the girl
came to herself with start, and opened
| the door to admit her maid, as she ex-
| pected.
! But 1t was not Adeline come back but the
| countess with dazzling white silk wrap
| over her shoulders. She was profoundly
| apologize, but what was she to do? Her
| maid had been taken i'll and she had been
commanded to bed by doctor The count
ess was very sorry for Marie, but she had
| little sympathy left for herself 1t was
| impossible for her to unlock the back of
her dress. Would Beatrice be SO kind as to
do it for her?
| "Of course I will" Beatrice said. ut is
awkward being without a maid. Let me
shut the door,
1t was no great task that Beatrice had set
herself, but it was not rendered any more
easy because the countess pranced about
| the room as If unable to keep still She
held in her hand a smelling bottle with a
powerful perfume that Beatrice had never
smelt before. 1t was sweet yet pungent,
and carried just suggestion of tonic per-
fume with it. But the task was accom-
plshed at length.
Il fancy that is all you require Beatrice
said. What scent Is that you are using?"
1T is some new stuff from Paris" the
countess said carelessly. ut is supposed to
be the most marvellous thing for headaches
in the wide world Personally, l find it
/ little too strong. Do you like perfumes?"
II am afraid they are a weakness of
mine" Beatrice confessed. TT is very silly
l know, but it is so.''
The countess removed the glass stopper
from the bottle.
"Try it. if you like" she said only
you must not take too much of it a first
Beatrice placed the bottle to her nostrls.
A delicious thrill passed through her veins.
All sense of fatigue had gone; she felt con-
scious of only one thing, and that was the
desire to lie down and sleep. In a dreamy
way she watched the countess depart and
close the door behind her. then she crossed
over to the bed and lay on it just she
washer thoughts seemed to be stepped in
sunshine.
When Beatrice awoke at length, it was
broad daylight, and Adeine was leaning
over her. The girls face white and
her lips unsteady.
IT am glad you have come round, Miss"
she said. You wouldn't believe the trouble
/ have had to arouse you, and you such
light sleeper a rule. Don't you feel
well?'
81 never felt better in my lfe," Beatrice
said. Il have slept for hours and hours
But it is for me to ask If you don't feel
well. Adeline. Your face is so curiously
white and your lips tremble. What is it?
Has something happened? But that is quite
out of the question. All the dreadful things
came together yesterday. Tell me, what
time is it. Adeline?"
Its little past TO- Miss" Adeline said
in low voice that shook little "On and
Off have been trying to wake you since
o'clock. And there is a gentleman to see
you in the sitting room soon as you have
time-two gentlemen, in fact"
Beatrice asked no further questions
though she could see from Adelne's man
ner that something out of the common had
taken place. But Beatrice felt curiously
strong and steady today. 1t seemed i'm
possible that fate could have anything
worse in store than had already befallen
her. With a firm step she went into the
sitting room where two men rose and bowed
gravely. One she recognized as the In
spector of police who had come after the
tragedy yesterday, the other was DR.. An
drews.
quietly. ut is a matter of the inquest, of
course? Will you have to call me? am
afraid can give You no Internationally