e eleven when the blow
was struck. Aunt might have had strength to crawl to the bell and
touch it, but the assassin could not have escaped from the house,
seeing--as you say--the policeman was on guard."

"Aunt died instantaneously," insisted Basil.

"Then she could not have sounded the bell," said Juliet triumphantly.

"The assassin did that," said Peter.

"And thus called a witness," cried Basil. "Ridiculous!"

"Then how do you explain the matter?"

"I can't explain. Neither can the detective Jennings. It's a mystery."

"Could any of the servants--" began Peter.

"No," interrupted Saxon. "The four servants were having supper in the
kitchen. They are innocent. Well, we'll see what the inquest reveals.
Something may be found before then likely to elucidate the mystery.
But here comes Mallow. He questioned Jennings also, so you can
question him if you like. Does mother know?"

"Yes. And she doesn't want the fact of her relationship to your aunt
talked about."

Basil understood at once. "No wonder," he said, shrugging his
shoulders. "It is not a pleasant affair for a woman of mother's
celebrity to be mixed up with."

Meantime, Juliet having heard the ring at the front door, escaped from
the room to see her lover. She met him divesting himself of his
overcoat in the hall, and ran to him with outstretched hands. "But why
have you got on an overcoat this warm day?" she asked.

"I have a cold. I caught one last night," said Cuthbert, kissing her.

"Where were you last night?" asked Juliet, drawing him into a side
room. "I thought you were coming to the Marlow Theatre with Basil and
me."

"Yes. But my uncle arrived unexpectedly in England and sent for me to
his hotel in Guelph street--the Avon Hotel, you know. He will insist
on a fire even in June, and the room was so hot that I caught cold when
I came out. I had to go down to Rexton to-day on his business, and put
on a coat so as to avoid catching further cold. But why this room,
Juliet?"

"Father and Basil are in the drawing-room. They are talking of the
murder, and I don't want to hear any more about it."

"There are pleasanter things to talk about," said Mallow. "I knew
Basil would come crammed with news. Has he told you--"

"He told us everything he could gather from the detective. It seems
that the crime is quite a mystery."

"Quite. Why your aunt should be killed, or how the assassin escaped,
after killing her, cannot be di