Page:More lives than one.djvu/99

 walked slowly across the room, unheeding the men as they rose, and seated herself in an armchair.

Hutchins said afterward, all he could think of was a Scripture verse that was something like, “Terrible as an army with banners!”

Nelson followed her in, and Claudine remained, uncertainly, on the threshold.

“Wait outside, Claudine,” Mrs. Selden said, “and close the door.”

“Now, sir,” she turned to Hutchins, unheeding Barham’s word of introduction, “who killed my daughter?”

But her speech didn’t frighten the detective as had the majesty of her appearance. Indeed, to him, that question placed her at once, as a mere foolish woman, and as such he answered her.

“We don’t know yet, Mrs. Selden, we are endeavoring to find out.”

“When will you know?”

“That I can’t say, but I am hoping that you can give us some help in our efforts to find the criminal.”

“You know the criminal! You know it was that artist person.”

“Have you any reason to think that, aside from the fact that her death occurred there?”

“Yes, the fact of his disappearance. Why else would he run away?”

“That is only negative evidence. However, it will be sifted. Now, Mrs. Selden, can you not tell me of any friend of your daughter’s who might invite her to that party? Mr. Barham is quite sure that her intimates are not to be found in that section of the city.”

“Indeed they are not! My daughter never went down there of her own accord”

“But she ordered her driver herself”