In the Fog | Page 9

did not cry out at what I saw nor retreat from it. Immediately at
my feet was the body of a beautiful woman, lying at full length upon
the floor, her arms flung out on either side of her, and her white face
and shoulders gleaming dully in the unsteady light of the candle.
Around her throat was a great chain of diamonds, and the light played
upon these and made them flash and blaze in tiny flames. But the
woman who wore them was dead, and I was so certain as to how she
had died that without an instant's hesitation I dropped on my knees
beside her and placed my hands above her heart. My fingers again
touched the thin slit of a wound. I had no doubt in my mind but that
this was the Russian princess, and when I lowered the candle to her
face I was assured that this was so. Her features showed the finest lines
of both the Slav and the Jewess; the eyes were black, the hair
blue-black and wonderfully heavy, and her skin, even in death, was rich
in color. She was a surpassingly beautiful woman.
"I rose and tried to light another candle with the one I held, but I found
that my hand was so unsteady that I could not keep the wicks together.
It was my intention to again search for this strange dagger which had
been used to kill both the English boy and the beautiful princess, but
before I could light the second candle I heard footsteps descending the
stairs, and the Russian servant appeared in the doorway.

"My face was in darkness, or I am sure that at the sight of it he would
have taken alarm, for at that moment I was not sure but that this man
himself was the murderer. His own face was plainly visible to me in the
light from the hall, and I could see that it wore an expression of dull
bewilderment. I stepped quickly toward him and took a firm hold upon
his wrist.
"'She is not there,' he said. 'The Princess has gone. They have all gone.'
"'Who have gone?' I demanded. 'Who else has been here?'
"'The two Englishmen,' he said.
"'What two Englishmen?' I demanded. 'What are their names?'
"The man now saw by my manner that some question of great moment
hung upon his answer, and he began to protest that he did not know the
names of the visitors and that until that evening he had never seen
them.
"I guessed that it was my tone which frightened him, so I took my hand
off his wrist and spoke less eagerly.
"'How long have they been here?' I asked, 'and when did they go?'
"He pointed behind him toward the drawing-room.
"'One sat there with the Princess,' he said; 'the other came after I had
placed the coffee in the drawing-room. The two Englishmen talked
together and the Princess returned here to the table. She sat there in that
chair, and I brought her cognac and cigarettes. Then I sat outside upon
the bench. It was a feast day, and I had been drinking. Pardon,
Excellency, but I fell asleep. When I woke, your Excellency was
standing by me, but the Princess and the two Englishmen had gone.
That is all I know.'
"I believed that the man was telling me the truth. His fright had passed,
and he was now apparently puzzled, but not alarmed.

"'You must remember the names of the Englishmen,' I urged. 'Try to
think. When you announced them to the Princess what name did you
give?'
"At this question he exclaimed with pleasure, and, beckoning to me, ran
hurriedly down the hall and into the drawing-room. In the corner
furthest from the screen was the piano, and on it was a silver tray. He
picked this up and, smiling with pride at his own intelligence, pointed
at two cards that lay upon it. I took them up and read the names
engraved upon them."
The American paused abruptly, and glanced at the faces about him. "I
read the names," he repeated. He spoke with great reluctance.
"Continue!" cried the Baronet, sharply.
"I read the names," said the American with evident distaste, "and the
family name of each was the same. They were the names of two
brothers. One is well known to you. It is that of the African explorer of
whom this gentleman was just speaking. I mean the Earl of Chetney.
The other was the name of his brother, Lord Arthur Chetney."
The men at the table fell back as though a trapdoor had fallen open at
their feet.
"Lord Chetney!" they exclaimed in chorus. They glanced at each other
and back to the American with every