he's quite
calm ... you'll come ... the sooner the better ... many thanks...."

Anstice hung up the receiver and turned away, feeling almost stunned by
the news he had received. The woman's death, coming on the top of the
events of the preceding twenty-four hours, was in itself sufficient to
shake even his nerve; but he lost no time in obeying the summons and
arrived at Cherry Orchard just as the clock struck twelve.

He found the entire household up, the tragic news having circulated with
the rapidity peculiar to such catastrophic tidings; and preceded by
Major Carstairs, who met him in the hall, he hurried upstairs to the
room where Tochatti lay in her last sleep.

It was quite true, as Major Carstairs had said, that she was dead. She
had only too evidently been aware of the dagger's hiding-place, probably
through familiarity with Chloe's movements in normal times; and had
seized a moment when the housekeeper, thinking her asleep, had left her
to procure a fresh stock of candles for the night's vigil, to slip into
Chloe's room in search of the weapon.

Once in possession of the dagger the rest was easy; and whatever might
be the nature of the emotions which drove her to the deed, whether
remorse, dread of punishment, or some half-crazed fear of what the
future might hold, the result was certain--and fatal.

She had made no mistake this time. The dagger had been plunged squarely
in her breast; and when the housekeeper stole in again, expecting to
find her charge still asleep, her horrified eyes were met by the sight
of Tochatti's life-blood ebbing over the white sheets, her ears assailed
by the choking gurgle with which the misguided woman yielded up her
life....

* * * * *

"Yes, she is quite dead, poor thing." Anstice replaced the bedclothes
and stood looking down on the dead woman with a steady gaze. "Perhaps,
knowing her former brain weakness, I ought to have expected this. But in
any case, Mrs. Carstairs"--he turned to Chloe, who stood, white and
rigid, by his side--"the decision has been taken out of your--of our
hands now. The matter is bound to come to light, after all."

"You mean there must be an inquest--an inquiry into this affair?" It was
Major Carstairs who spoke.

"I'm afraid so--you see a thing like this can't very well be hushed up,"
said Anstice rather reluctantly. "And though I can't help feeling
thankful that Mrs. Carstairs will have justice done to her at la