The lady lay back exhausted upon a couch,
but her quick, observant gaze as we entered the room, and the
alert expression of her beautiful features, showed that neither
her wits nor her courage had been shaken by her terrible
experience. She was enveloped in a loose dressing-gown of blue
and silver, but a black sequin-covered dinner-dress was hung
upon the couch beside her.
"I have told you all that happened, Mr. Hopkins," she said,
wearily; "could you not repeat it for me? Well, if you think
it necessary, I will tell these gentlemen what occurred.
Have they been in the dining-room yet?"
"I thought they had better hear your ladyship's story first."
"I shall be glad when you can arrange matters. It is horrible
to me to think of him still lying there." She shuddered and
buried her face in her hands. As she did so the loose gown
fell back from her forearms. Holmes uttered an exclamation.
"You have other injuries, madam! What is this?"
Two vivid red spots stood out on one of the white, round limbs.
She hastily covered it.
"It is nothing. It has no connection with the hideous business
of last night.
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