The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-03

NSSSN, room out into the hall
 Seeing light downstairs, and hear ing the servants bells, one after an- ether, as if rung by a frantic hand, she hesitated a moment only, and then ran downstairs.
 In the lower hall Schuyler Carle- ton, with a dazed expression on his white, drawn face, was uncertainty pushing various electric buttons which, in turn, flashed lights on or Off, or rang bells in distant parts of the house.
 For a moment Cicely stared straight at the man. Their eyes met, their gaze seemed to concen- trate, and they stood motionless, as if spellbound.
 This crisis was broken in upon by Marie, Madeleine's French maid, who came running downstairs in a hastily donned negligee.
 Mon Dieu!" she cried. "Ou est Mademoiselle?
 With a start, Carleton turned from Cicely, and still with that dazed look on his face, .h he motioned Marie to- ward the wide doorway of the lib- rary. The girl took step toward the threshold, and then, with a shriek, paused, and ventured no fur ther.
 Cicely, as if impelled by an unseen force, slowly turned and followed Marie's movements, and as the girl screamed, Cicely grasped her tightly by the arm, >and the two stood star ing in at the library door. What they saw was Madeleine Van Norman, seated in a chair at the lib- rary table. Her right arm was on the table, and her head, which had fallen Ito one side, was supported by her right shoulder. Her eyes were rartly closed, and her lips were part ed, and the position of the rigid fig ure left no need for further evidence that this was not natural sleep. But further evidence there was. Miss Van Norman still wore her yell low satin gown, but the beautiful embroidered bodice was stained a dull red, and a crimson stream was even then spreading its way down the shimmering breadths of the trailing skirts. On the table, near the outstretched white hand, lay a Venetian dagger. This dagger was we'll known to the onlookers. It had lain on the lib rary table for many years, and though ostensibly for the purpose of a paper-cutter, it was rarely used as such. Its edges were too sharp to cut paper satisfactorily, and. more over, it Was a wicked-looking affair and many people had shuddered as they touched it. It had a history, too and Richard Van Norman used to tell his guests of dark deeds in which | the dagger had taken part while il was still in Italy.
 Madeleine herself had had a hor- TOT of the weapon, though she had often admitted the fascination of its l marvellous workmanship, and had said upon several occasions that the thing fairly hypnotized her, and some day she should kill herself o1 somebody else with it.
 From an instinctive sense of duty Marie started forward. as if to helI her mistress. thenewith a convulsive shudder she screamed again an6 clasped her hands before her eyes te shutout the awful sight " l Cicely, too, moved slowly toward I the silent figure, then turned ana again gazed steadfastly at Schuyler I Carleton.
 | tion in her eyes, for the man point ed toward the table, and Cicely look. ed again, to notice there a bit O. 1 paper with writing on it. l She made no motion toward it, bu the expression on her face changed to one of bewildered surprise. Be fore she had time to speak, how ever, the other people of the hous all at once began to gather in tn, | hall.
 Mrs. Markham came first, ant though when she saw Madeleine sh turned very white and seemed abou to faint, she bravely went at ono toward the girl and gently tried t. raise the fallen head.
 She felt firm grasp on he
 shoulder, and turned to see Mis-
 Morton, with stern, set face, at he
 side.
 Don't touch her, said Miss Nor
 ton, in whisper. Telephone for
 doctor quickly
 "But she's dead," declared Mrs
 Markham, at the same time bursting into violent sobs.
 we do not know; we hope not''
 went on Miss Morton, and withou
 another word she led Mrs. Markham
 to a sofa, and sat her down rathe
 suddenly, and then went hersel
 straight to the telephone
 As she reached it she paused onl
 to inquire the name of the famil physician