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?'