The Spectator., 1915-06-18


 wilderment.
 "Yes-about thirty, they say. The police have taken him to the mortuary at Dumfries, and the detectives are up there now looking at the spot, they say"
 A man! And yet the body found was that of a woman-that could swear.
 After lunch I took the dogcart and drove alone into Dumfries
 The police constable on duty at the town mortuary took me up a narrow alley, unlocked door, and found my self in the cold, gloomy chamber of death. From a small dingy window above the light fell upon an object lying upon large slab of gray stone and covered with soiled sheet.
 The policeman lifted the end of the sheet, revealing to me white, hard set face, with closed eyes and dropped jaw. I started back as my eyes fell upon the dead countenance. I was en- tirely unprepared for such a revela- tion. The truth staggered me. The victim was the man who had acted as my friend-the Italian waiter. Olinto.
 1 advanced and peered into the thin inanimate features. scarce able to real ize the actual fact But my eyes had not deceived me. Though death dis torts the facial expression of every man, had no difficulty in identifying him.
 You recognize him, sir" remarked the officer Who is he? Our people are very anxious to know, for up to the present moment they haven't succeed. ed in establishing his identity. T will see your inspector" I an- swered with as much calmness as l could muster. Where has the poor fellow been wounded?" Through the heart" responded the constable, as turning the sheet farther down he showed me the small knife wound which had penetrated the vic tim's jacket and vest full in the chest
 This is the weapon" he added. talk ing from shelf close by long, thin poniard with an ivory handle, which he handed to me.
 In an instant l recognized what it was, and how deadly. It was an old Florentine misericordia. with a hilt of yellow ivory, the most deadly and fatal of all the daggers of the middle ages, It was still blood-stained, but as l took the deadly thing in my hand saw that its blade was beautifully dam ascened, most elegant specimen of medieval arm. Yet surely none but an Italian would use such a weapon. or would aim so truly as to penetrate the heart. And yet the person struck down was woman and not a man!
 looked again for the last time upon the dead face of the man who had served me so we'll, and yet who had enticed me so nearly to my death. In the latter incident there was a deep mystery. He had relented at the last moment. just in time to save me from my secret enemies.
 Could it be that my enemies were his? Had he fallen victim by the same hand that had attempted so in. geniously to kill me?
 Why had Leithcourt gone so regu- larly up to Rannoch wood? Was it in order to meet the man who was to be entrapped and killed? What was Olinto Santini doing so far from Lon. don, if he had not come expressly to meet someone in secret?
 With my own hand recovered the face with the sheet. l accompanied the constable to the inspectors office some distance across the town.
 Having been introduced to the big, fair-haired man in rough tweed suit who was apparently directing the in. Quiries into the affair. he took me eagerly into small back room and began to question me. was, however wary not to commit myself to any. thing further than the Identification of the body
 The fact is." l said confidentially, you must omit me from the witnesses at the inquest"
 "Why?" asked the detective sus- piciously.
 Because if it were known that have identified him all chance of getting at the truth will at once van ish." l answered. 'I have come here to tell you in strictest confidence who the poor fellow really is."
 Then you know something of the anairT he said. with a strong High land accent
 T know nothing" declared. Moth. ing except his name"
 "H'm. And you say he's foreigner -an Italian-eh?''
 He was in my service in Leghorn for several years. and on leaving me he came to London and obtained an engagement as waiter in a restaurant. His father lived in Leghorn; he was doorkeeper at the prefecture"
 But why was he here in Scotland?"
 How can tell?"
 You know something of the affair. l