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Rh knew. I gathered up every speck of saw-dust and took it to my room; and the next morning I burned it in the tray of the parrot's cage, which I had removed ostensibly for Jane to clean, and hid the ashes in Gene's grate. The saw and file I put in the tool-chest in the cellar, where anyone might find them. But only Richard was hurt; and the police came, and I had to be on my guard. That strange maid of Christine's was following me about too, and staring at me, as if she had begun to read through my eyes what was going on in my thoughts; and I dared not try another plan I had for getting Gene out of the way because I had to watch myself so closely.

"That wicked Cissie was the means of early bringing my secret to light; and for that I determined that she should be the next to go. She tried to run away, and when I stopped her at the very door she sneered at my love for Rannie. I would have killed her then, I think, only the young man from Headquarters was in the drawing-room, and I remembered in time that I must not use strength. My seeming weakness was the most perfect evidence in my defense as long as I could keep people from knowing how strong I really was."

She had babbled on as if talking to herself; and the others sat spellbound, listening as the dreadful story unfolded itself to their ears; and more than once the detective had glanced at Doctor Adams inquiringly. It did not seem possible that one of unsound mind could tell so connected and clear a tale; and the thought recurred that perhaps the woman was feigning insanity. Her hatred and jealousy of her sister and the money-lust combined would have been motive enough for even so hideous a series of crimes; but