"
Hope nodded.
"All the same, I'll remain here until Mrs. Jasher can speak," he
said, and sat smoking with Random in the dining-room, as the most
comfortable room in the house.
Constable Painter camped, so to speak, in the drawing-room,
keeping guard over the scene of the crime, and had placed the
Chinese screen against the broken window to keep out the cold.
In the bedroom Jane and Dr. Robinson looked after the dying
woman. And dying she was, according to the young physician, for
he did not think she would live much longer. Round the lonely
cottage the sea-mist drifted white and thick, and the darkness
deepened, until--as the saying goes--it could have been cut
with a knife. Never was there so eerie and weary and sinister a
vigil.
Towards four o'clock Hope fell into a doze, while resting in an
arm-chair; but he was suddenly aroused from this by an
exclamation from Sir Frank, who had remained wide awake, smoking
cigar after cigar. In a moment the artist was on his feet, alert
and quick-brained.
"What is it?"
Random made for the dining-room door rapidly.
"I thought I heard Painter call out," he declared, and hastily
sought the parlor, followed by Hope.
The room was empty, but the screen before the broken window had
been thrown down, and they could see Painter's bulky form
immediately outside.
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