Page:Chipperfield--Unseen Hands.djvu/83

Rh looked over his shoulder—and then, I don't know; I went to pieces, I guess."

As he talked they had passed along the hall to the front room and Odell unlocked the door. The windows were open, but the old-fashioned Venetian blinds were drawn close to keep out any possible rain, and in the gloom the furniture loomed indistinctly.

Gradually, however, as his eyes grew accustomed to the semi-darkness Odell made out the outlines of a bed, a dresser, a desk, a table, an old chest of drawers, and, in the wall at right angles to the hall, the casing of another door.

He went to the nearest window, folded one of the blinds halfway back, and then turned inquiringly to Gene, who had visibly hung back.

"Is that the bathroom?" He motioned toward the door in the opposite wall, and at the younger man's nod he strode over to it. After a moment Gene followed.

"Julian had on a thin bathrobe over his pajamas and he had not taken his bath, although the tub was drawn," he volunteered. "I seemed to take the whole thing in at one glance, every detail, as though it had been photographed on my mind; I wish to heaven I could forget it! His shaving-mug stood just here on the edge of the wash-basin, with the brush and stick of soap beside it; and he was lying on his back on the floor with the razor under one of his hands. He looked as if he had just sunk down, except for the wound in his throat and the blood everywhere. There were bloody handprints, too, along the outer rim of the tub nearest him, as if he had tried to save himself from falling— Oh, I can't—"