r, both of whom I had met in previous cases. Simmonds was a stolid, unimaginative, but industrious and efficient officer, with whom Godfrey had long ago concluded an alliance offensiv

ght. He was in his glory in a case like this. This was shown now by his gleaming eyes and the trembling hand which pulled nervously at his short,

entrance and nodded briefly. Then their

he plain-clothes-men whom Simmonds had brought along at Godfrey's suggestion. The

ian," Goldberger was saying. "But t

n," I said, bringing him forward.

avorably impressed by Hinman's dark, eager f

lp," said Goldberger, shaking hands with

nman. "But it is evident that the

has he b

again and ran his fingers a

hours, I s

glanced a

ore his presence was suspected. The victim would hardly have remained seated in the chair if he had known his danger. After the cord was round his throat, he had no chance-he could not

up with a litt

I see you didn't," and he pointed to where it lay on th

handkerchief. Then he and Simmonds examined it minutely. Final

not cut the flesh. The blood, then, must have come from the murderer. He must have been

s met, and there was a shadow in his which I knew my own reflected. Then I glanced at Hinman. He was looking at

ck to the body. He bent close above it, examining the blood spots, an

lded it and bent above the stains again, scrutinising each in turn. At last he closed the glass with an emphat

who finally passed it on to me. Looking through it, I saw that Goldberger was right. The stains had been made by h

ague," I remarked, passin

h clearer in photographs. It's lucky this stuff is so smooth and closely-woven," he added, fing

berger?" Godfrey asked, and there was in his tone a

ered impatiently. "They were put there by the murderer's fingers a

swered, quietly, and Goldberger, after looking at hi

t the cord loose,

it had not cut the flesh of the neck, it had sunk deeply into it, and Simmonds worked at the knot for some moments witho

e," he said, at last.

ose above it an

gestion, Mr. Goldberger, you'll cut the cord and leave the

Goldberger, promptly. "

e cord, cut it, and pulled it out of the ridge of flesh. He looked at it a

, too," he remarked, and

little tour of the room. "Ah!" he added, after a mome

which the curtains covering the upper p

he murderer entered by this door, for he stopped here and c

rked Goldberger. "If he did that, he was certainly a cool cust

ut; "besides, the back of the chair was toward the door. A

e jumped from the chai

d heard a noise, and looked around and saw me standi

no reason to j

if he saw anyone. I'm inclined to think, however, that he didn't suspe

, "it was while the murderer was making it into a noose with his blood-sta

le explanation,"

uired the coroner; "the knot which holds th

e had to stand there holding it until his victi

rel calmly tying the knot to secure his noose, a

like that," Godfrey added, thought

heavy manila envelope out of his pocket and placed the cord carefully inside. "Now we

on its back on the couch. Seen thus, with the light full on it, the face was horrible, and Goldberger laid his handkerchief over the swollen and distorted features, while,

eak dress is this,

d Godfrey. "Mr. Va

wha

n Hinduism or some oth

s this way a

is probably the dr

wonder why Vaughan had come to a strange and violent end. Surely anything might happen to a mystic! Then he placed the b

Simmonds tells me it was you who called him, Mr.

it. I knew that Godfrey felt it, too, from the way in which he told the st

e rendezvous, dwelling upon it lightly, as a love-affair which could have no connection with the tragedy. He passed on to his own arrival from the city

onds, and suggested that he stop for you, Mr. Coroner, for I knew that the case would interest you. Dr. Hinman arrived p

inferences which Godfrey wished to avoid; but I feared the more penetratin

is man Swain

Lester and Dr. Hinman took him over to my place and pu

ng on one side of his head, as though some one had struck him, and the pupils of his eyes w

r, with a glance at Godfr

" Godfrey explained; "a mere scratch, b

he turned to the doctor. "Did I unders

ve him a good strong op

he'll sleep

ine or ten hou

his chair again. "But didn't anybody live in this house exce

gh the lower floor and part of the upper one and didn't find any. There's a bell there by the door, but nobody answered wh

was

t in one of the

at up and st

e repeated. "

ism. I judge that Va

sked the coroner, as though t

was having

u or not," he said, airily. "I di

doing?" Goldb

ust sitti

tared at him, this

That was three or four hours ago! You

dfrey drily, "

shed, and he sprang t

e room," he

laconically, and led t

rose to follow, I saw that the outside worl

rs, looked out in alarm, and held up a warni

she?"

rse; "but please don't make any

g into the little entry. Then he paused and looked around at Goldberg

sna

est snake i

ack a little, as

if we don't crowd it. It's sitting there, too," and he opened the out

monds, and I heard their gasp of ama

with intangible shadows flitting across its surface; the adept still sat cross-legged sta

ish it. The glow within it flickered and fluttered and finally vanished, and it hung there dull and grey. An instant later, the motionless figure raised it

. Then I saw the adept bowing low before it, his arms still extended. Once, twice, thrice

The peace of the Holy One be on you