was stretched out upon the couch. She was dressed as she came from
dinner, in a gown of ivory-tinted satin, relieved at the breast by
a large bouquet of scarlet poinsettias. I mention this adornment,
because it was what first met and drew our eyes and the eyes of
every one about her, though the face, now quite revealed, would
seem to have the greater attraction. But the cause was evident and
one not to be resisted. The doctor was pointing at these poinsettias
in horror and with awful meaning, and though we could not hear his
words, we knew almost instinctively, both from his attitude and the
cries which burst from the lips of those about him, that something
more than broken petals and disordered laces had met his eyes; that
blood was there--slowly oozing drops from the heart--which for
some reason had escaped all eyes till now.

Miss Challoner was dead, not from unsuspected disease, but from the
violent attack of some murderous weapon; As the realisation of this
brought fresh panic and bowed the old father's head with emotions
even more bitter than those of grief, I turned a questioning look
up at George's face.

It was fixed with a purpose I had no trouble in understanding.



II

"I KNOW THE MAN"


Yet he made no effort to detain Mr. Slater, when that gentleman,