The Washington times., 1920-04-04

mouse lay tue lOIm VI my yOuht
aunt, motioniess, her face abso-
lutely pallid--psllid with even an
exaggerated deathly whiteness
given to II by those strange and
contrasting lights. Even so there
was enough, lying as she did, TO
suggest all the elements OF a trag-
edy, but palmer evidence stared up
at Us from the recumbent' body In
an irregular patch OF crimson stain
ing the bodice Of the dress around
and below the left breast.
had a stifiing feeling as II my
heart had leaped up to my throat
and was beating there SO as to i'm
pede my speaking. II was with a
great effort that l gasped out the
entirely foolish question, Good
heavens. Uncle Ralph, what Is lit
What has happenedr"
Small need indeed to ask what
had happened. with that awful evil
dence OF the fact lying there be-
fore us-that crimson witness. As
for the further question, the how
OF Its happening. that was a prob
lem crying insistently for solution,
destined to occupy US for many q
day to come.
had said the foolish words be-
fora the ray of the bulPs-eye Ian
tern, turned full In my face as
stood In the open doorway, blinded
me for a moment. think Livesay
had made a movement as II TO
stand between me and the poor
body-as II there was any addi-
tional horror still left for me to
know!-but then perhaps he real
ICED the futility of II, and did moth
ing. My uncle turned the lamp
back as before and let its ray fall
across the figure and reveal what
1t would. T..
Uncle Ralph did not try to an
swer my question Probably he
knew that It meant nothing. came
out almost unawares, and that I
should not really expect It an
swered. All he said was, "You
there, Netty?"
My coming did not seem to sur
prise him at all. He was much ac-
customed to having me at his ell
bow. to talk to about affairs OF the
house and estate.
81 came to tell you, uncle" said,
in a voice which l was grateful to
find had regained It's steadiness,
that Aunt Enid was not in her
room, that her bed had not been
slept in"
"No," he said absently, and
scarcely looking at me.
The silence, as neither Of the
men spoke, grew almost intoler-
able, and 1t seemed as II the dog
felt 1t, too, for just at the moment
when It seemed to me as II I must
cry out, 70 break the tension, q
cold wet nose, seeking comfort and
sympathy, was thrust into my
hand. I am not sure that 1t did
not help to steady me more than
any human touch could have done.
"Oh, Uncle Ralph" said. "are
you ,sure--is, 1t certain-is she
Quite"--
"Yes," he said hopelessly. "Quite!
Look at her" -.
had seen death before, but II
was the decent, ordered death of q
bedroom, not violent tragedy Of
the open night. But my nerves
we're growing steadier each instant
and l looked, as he bade me, long
and fixedly.
She lay quite peacefully, almost
as 1t might be one sleeping, on herr
back, with her face upward to the
light. The small, perfect features
had never looked more faultless,
the slightly peevish expression
which rather spoilt the almost too
tiny mouth had gone; the golden
hair lying in very little disorder
made a beautiful frame for the
marble-white face.
It was evident that she had not
come out in response to any sud-
den, unexpected sEn.mons. Even
In life the excessive neatness and
daintiness of he.' dress had almost
seemed to convey a tacit reproach
to me, who only, with the greatest
effort, could be at the trouble to-
take decent care in regard to such
matters. But now, in death, the
delicacy Of the fine lace edging
about the ne' and corsage Of the
clinging blue tea-gown and the at
tention that she had evidently
given to every detail of her toilette
made a curious contrast and al
most a mute protest against the
disorderly attire of Uncle Ralph
and myself.
Probably a man would not have
felt aware Of 1t, but to a woman,
whose education, suppose, makes
her more attentive to such things,
the incongruity and horror Of the
whole scene was intensified by this
daintiness. There was Just the one
evidence, such terrible evidence,
that she was not resting there
quietly asleep-the stain Of out
rageous crimson, which my start