by
CAROLYN WELLS
Author of
“The Come Back,” “In the Onyx Lobby,” “The Curved Blades” etc.
A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers :: New York
Published by arrangement with George H. Doran Company
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CONTENTS
CHAPTER II—The Telephone Call
CHAPTER III—The Lindsays
CHAPTER IV—Pollard’s Threat
CHAPTER V—Mrs Mansfield’s Story
CHAPTER VI—The Fur Collar
CHAPTER VII—Barry’s Suspect
CHAPTER VIII—Miss Adams’ Story
CHAPTER IX—Ivy Hayes
CHAPTER X—The Signed Letter
CHAPTER XI—Miss Adams Again
CHAPTER XII—Louis’ Confession
CHAPTER XIII—Philip and Phyllis
CHAPTER XIV—Hester’s Statement
CHAPTER XV—Phyllis and Ivy
CHAPTER XVI—Buddy
CHAPTER XVII—Zizi
CHAPTER XVIII—The Luminous Face
THE LUMINOUS FACE
CHAPTER I—DOCTOR FELL
“A bit thick, I call it,” Pollard looked round the group; “here’sMellen been dead six weeks now, and the mystery of his taking-offstill unsolved.”
“And always will be,” Doctor Davenport nodded. “Mighty few murders arebrought home to the villains who commit them.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” drawled Phil Barry, an artist, whose dress anddemeanor coincided with the popular idea of his class. “I’ve no headfor statistics,” he went on, idly drawing caricatures on the margin ofhis evening paper as he talked, “but I think they say that onlyone-tenth of one per cent, of the murderers in this great and gloriouscountry of ours are ever discovered.”
“Your head for statistics is defective, as you admit,” DoctorDavenport said, his tone scornful; “but percentages mean little inthese matters. The greater part of the murders committed are notbrought prominently before public notice. It’s only when the victim isrich or influential, or the circumstances of some especial interestthat a murder occupies the front pages of the newspapers.”
“Old Mellen’s been on those same front pages for several weeks—offand on, that is,” Pollard insisted; “of course, he was a well-knownman and his exit was dramatic. But all the same, they ought to havecaught his murderer—or slayer, as the papers call him.”
“Him?” asked Barry, remembering the details of the case.
“Impersonal pronoun,” Pollard returned, “and probably a man anyway.‘Cherchez la femme,’ is the trite advice, and always sounds well, butreally, a woman seldom has nerve enough for the fatal deed.”
“That’s right,” Davenport agreed. “I know lots of women who have allthe intent of mu