For my heart was crushed with longing。
What had been could never be：
It was best to leave you thus； dear；
Best for you and best〃
But the line was never finished。 With a wild cry； more of fear than
of pain； Darrow sprang from his chair。 〃Gentlemen； I have been
stabbed！〃 was all he said； and fell back heavily into his seat。 Gwen
was kneeling before him in an instant； even before I could assist
him。 His right hand was pressed to his throat and his eyes seemed
starting from their sockets as he shouted hoarsely： 〃A light； a
light！ For God's sake； don't let him strike me again in the dark！〃
Maitland was already lighting the gas and Herne and Browne； so Browne
afterward told me； were preparing to seize the assailant。 I
remembered； after it all was over； a quick movement Browne had made
toward the darkest corner of the room。
The apartment was now flooded with light； and I looked for the
assassin。 He was not to be found！ The room contained only Gwen；
Darrow； and his four invited guests！ The doors were closed； the
windows had not been touched。 No one could possibly have entered
or left the room； and yet the assassin was not there。 But one
solution remained； Darrow was labouring under a delusion； and
Gwen's voice would restore him。 As she was about to speak I
stepped back to note the effect of her words upon him。 〃Do not
fear； father；〃 she said in a low voice as she laid her face against
his cheek； 〃there is nothing here to hurt you。 You are ill； … I
will get you a glass of cordial and you will be yourself again in
a moment。〃 She was about to rise when her father seized her
frantically by the arm； exclaiming in a hoarse whisper： 〃Don't
leave me！ Can't you see？ Don't leave me！〃 and for the first time
he removed his hand from his throat； and taking her head between
his palms； gazed wistfully into her face。 He tried to speak again；
but could not； and glanced up at us with=20a helpless expression
which I shall never forget。 Maitland； his eyes riveted upon the
old gentleman； whose thoughts he seemed to divine； hurriedly
produced a pencil and note…book and held them toward him； but
he did not see them； for he had drawn Gwen's face down to him and
was kissing her passionately。 The next instant he was on his feet
and from the swollen veins that stood out like cords upon his neck
and forehead； we could see the terrible effort he was making to
speak。 At last the words came； … came as if they were torn hissing
from his throat； for he took a full breath between each one of them。
〃Gwen … I … knew … it！ Good…bye！ Remember … your … promise！〃
… and he fell a limp mass into his chair； overcome； I felt sure；
by the fearful struggle he had made。 Maitland seized a glass of
water and threw it in his face。 I loosened the clothing about his
neck and； in doing so； his head fell backward and his face was
turned upward toward me。 The features were drawn； … the eyes were
glazed and set。 I felt of his heart； he was dead！
CHAPTER II
Silence is the only tender Death can make to Mystery。
The look of pain and astonishment upon my face said plainly enough
to Gwen：
〃Your father is dead。〃 I could not speak。 In the presence of her
great affliction we all stood silent； and with bowed heads。 I had
thought Darrow's attack the result of an overwrought mental condition
which would speedily readjust itself； and had so counted upon his
daughter's influence as all but certain to immediately result in a
temporary cure。 When； therefore； I found him dead without any
apparent cause； I was； for the time being； too dazed to think； much
less to act； and I think the other gentlemen were quite as much
incapacitated as I。 My first thought； when I recovered so that I
could think； was of Gwen。 I felt sure her reason must give way under
the strain； and I thought of going nearer to her in case she should
fall； but refrained when I noticed that Maitland had noiselessly
glided within easy reach of her。 To move seemed impossible to me。
Such a sudden transition from warm； vigorous life to cold； impassive
death seems to chill the dynamic rivers of being into a horrible
winter； static and eternal。 Though death puts all things in the
past tense； even we physicians cannot but be strangely moved when
the soul thus hastily deserts the body without the usual farewell of
an illness。
Contrary to my expectations Gwen did not faint。 For a long time；
… it may not have been more than twenty minutes； but it seemed；
under the peculiar circumstances； at least an hour； … she remained
perfectly impassive。 She neither changed colour nor exhibited any
other sign of emotion。 She stood gazing quietly； tenderly； at her
father's body as if he were asleep and she were watching for some
indication of his awakening。 Then a puzzled expression came over
her countenance。 There was no trace of sorrow in it； only the look
of perplexity。 I decided to break the gruesome silence； but the
thought of how my own voice would sound in that awe…inspired
stillness frightened me。 Gwen herself was the first to speak。 She
looked up with the same impassive countenance； from which now the
perplexed look had fled； and said simply：
〃Gentlemen； what is to be done？〃 Her voice was firm and sane； … that
it was pitched lower than usual and had a suggestion of intensity in
it； was perfectly natural。 I thought she did not realise her loss
and said： 〃He has gone past recall。〃 〃Yes；〃 she replied； 〃I know
that； but should we not send for an officer？〃 〃An officer！〃 I
exclaimed。 〃Is it possible you entertain a doubt that your father's
death resulted from natural causes？〃 She looked at me a moment
fixedly； and then said deliberately： 〃My father was murdered！〃 I
was so surprised and pained that； for a moment； I could not reply；
and no one else sought to break the silence。
Maitland； as if Gwen's last remark had given rise to a sudden
determination； glided to the body。 He examined the throat； raised
the right hand and looked at the fingers： then he stepped back a
little and wrote something in his note…book。 This done； he tried
the folding doors and found them locked on the inside； then the two
windows on the south side of the room； which he also found fastened。
He opened the hall door slightly and the hinges creaked noisily； of
all of which he made a note。 Then taking a rule from his pocket he
went to the east window； and measured the opening； and then the
distance between this window and the chair in which the old gentleman
had sat； recording his results as before。 His next act astonished
me not a little and had the effect of recalling me to my senses。
With his penknife he cut a circle in the carpet around each leg of
the chair on which the body rested。 He continued his examinations
with quiet thoroughness； but I ceased now to follow him closely；
since I had begun to feel the necessity of convincing Gwen of her
error； and was casting about for the best way to do so。
〃My dear Miss Darrow；〃 I said at length； 〃you attach too much
importance to the last words of your father； who； it is clear； was
not in his right mind。 You must know that he has； for some months；
had periods of temporary aberration； and that all his delusions
have been of a sanguinary nature。 Try to think calmly；〃 I said；
perceiving from her expression that I had not shaken her conviction
in the least。 〃Your father said he had been stabbed。 You must see
that such a thing is physically impossible。 Had all the doors and
windows been open； no object so large as a man could possibly have
entered or left the room without our observing him； but the windows
were closed and fastened； with the exception of the east window；
which； as you may see for yourself； is open some six inches or so；
in which position it is secured by the spring fastening。 The folding
doors are locked on the inside and the only possible means of
entrance； therefore； would have been by the hall door。 Directly in
front of that； between it and your father； sat Mr。 Maitland and
myself。 You see by my chair that I was less than two feet from the
door。 It is inconceivable that； in that half…light； anyone could
have used that entrance and escaped observation。 Do you not see
how untenable your idea is？ Had your father been stabbed he would
have bled； but I am as certain as though I had made a thorough
examination that there is not so much as a scratch anywhere upon his
body。〃 Gwen heard me through in silence and then said wearily； in
a voice which had now neither intensity nor elasticity； 〃I understand
fully the apparent absurdity of my position； yet I know my father
was murdered。 The wound which caused his death has escaped your
notice； but … 〃
〃My dear Miss Darrow；〃 I interrupted； 〃there is no wound； you may
be sure of that！〃 For the first time since Darrow's death Maitland
spoke。 〃If you will look at the throat a little more closely； you
will see what may be a wound；〃 he said； and went on quietly with his
examinations。 He was right； there was a minute abrasion visible。
The girl's quick observation had detected what ha