The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-20
CHAPTER XxXEI,

IQdluSQ USSlQ0 Luc UOuy, WdhAAS WV
notable discoveries. For he was quick
to note the fact that one of the dead
mans hands was tightly clenched,
while the other lay half-open and
limp. The former was closed upon a
leather thong 80 stout as to resist any
attempt to break 1t by main strength
so firmly held that the murderer had
found it necessary to sever 1t with
knife. The knife itself was there,
for proof Of this; the sheen OF light
upon its mother r-of-pearl handle caught
the Irishman's eye.
Picking it up, be subjected It to q
close examination that, however,
cleaned no information. Il was sim
ply a small pocket penknife, little
worn, with blades of German steel. It
carried no identifying marks and told
him but one thing-that the assassin
had been a European; a native would
never have bothered with 80 ineffec-
tual q thing when a sturdy weapon,
ser7iceable alike for offense and de-
tense, would have served It's purpose
equally well.
From this he turned to the dagger
which he had taken from the body;
a stiletto with plain ebony handle,
unmarked, unscratched, apparently
fresh from the dealers showcase. 1t
meant nothing, save that it indicated
still more strongly that the murderer
was most probably not a native. A
Greek or an Italian, Genoese sailor
or a, native of Southern France-say
a seafaring man out of Marseilles-
might have carried it.
'sOho!" said O'Rourke, speculative.
"a Frenchman, mayhap!"
He got up, satisfied that he would
learn nothing more by continuing his
search of the solicitors body. The
mental link between the fact Of the
crime and it's perpetrator was 1nevlta-
BILE; O'Rourke believed implicitly that
Sypher had been murdered by Des
Trebes masquerading as "De Hyeres." ="
And he could have done himself an
injury In the impotent fury aroused by
realization that he had permitted him.
self to be so childishly hoodwinked,
despite the suspicious he had enter
tanned of the soi-disant de Hyeres." "
He felt himself responsible, since he
had neglected to warn Sypher. It had
been On his tongues tip that after
noon, when Sypher himself had divert
ed the warning by his request that the
O'Rourke could more comfortably spin
his yarn after they rad dined.
"Poor divvle!" said the adVenturer
again. He stopped to spread his
handkerchief over the staring, pitiful
face. "And poor, poor young woman!"
He was startled by the thought OF
her; for the first time 1t entered into
his comprehension, until then bounded
by the hard and fast fact of the muir
der. Now instantly his concern about
the crime was resolved into solicitude
for the girl. What could have hap
pened to her? What had become OF
the servants, whose sudden desert1on
had left the house so sinisterly quiet?
Swept on by a fervor Of anxiety on
the girls behalf, O'Rourke glanced
quickly about the study to assure him
self that he had overlooked nothing Of
importance, then passed out into the
main hall or reception-room. Here the
most searching inspection revealed
nothing amiss. He moved on to the
other room on the main floor and
found himself in the dining-room; here
again all was in perfect order.
The kitchen Offices in the rear ot
the house next received his attention;
he found them completely untenanted,
having apparently been abandoned in
desperate haste. Everything was In
disorder; the meal he had been in
vited to partake Of was cooking to Gin.
ders in pots and ovens; a heavy Of
fense of burning food thickened the
atmosphere. Half-stifed, he left the
place as quickly as possible, returned
to the main hall and ascended to the
upper story.
Here he found three bed-chambers
and a bath. He first entered Sypher's,
then the room evidently occupied by
Miss Pynsent, finally what was un-
questionably q guest-chamber, discov-
ering nothing noteworthy until he
reached the latter. And here he re-
ceived a shock. Thrown carelessly
across the foot Of the bed was wom-
ans evening wrap, while on the bureau
were gloves, long, white and fresh, but
wrinkled from recent wear, and silk
en- veil: Plainly these were the prop
erty Of the fourth guest, whose place
had been set at the table below, but
of whose identity he had not been ap-
prised. Presumably, he reflected, she
(whoever she was) had been intended
as the fuIhllment of Sypher's limited
surprise
A guess formed vaguely in his brain,
and suddenly curdled into suspicion.
He took the gloves in his hand, ex-
enoining them for marks Of identif1ca-