The Cat's Paw

Miss Susan Baird let her gaze rest on her companion in speculative silence. Apparently, her last jibe had failed of its mark, judging from the man's unchanged expression. With a...

The broad streets of Washington City presented a lively scene as Dr. Leonard McLean drove his car with increasing slowness down Connecticut Avenue, crowded with government emplo...

Inspector Mitchell and Dr. McLean watched the taxicab, in which rode Major Leigh Wallace and Coroner Penfield, until it passed out of sight on its way to Washington, before re�n...

The reception was in full swing and Mrs. Amos Parsons contemplated her crowded drawing room in a spirit of happy self-congratulation. She had just welcomed a newly accredited am...

Coroner Penfield adjusted his glasses and gazed at the six men who composed the jury, as they filed into their places, and then turned to look at the spectators assembled in the...

There was craning of necks and bending of heads as the Morgue Master opened the door leading to the room where the witnesses waited to be called, and every eye was focussed on K...

Mrs. Amos Parsons laid down her evening newspaper and stared at her own reflection in the upright, silver-framed mirror standing on the table by her side. So absorbing were her...

Unaware that he had a place in Mrs. Parsons' meditations as well as in her conversation with Major Leigh Wallace, Ted Rogers parked his car near the entrance to "Rose Hill." His...

Washington society, or such portions of it as had known Miss Susan Baird in her lifetime, was agog over the latest development in the Baird tragedy; while Washingtonians persona...

The clerks in the outer office of "Craige and Lewis, Attorneys" looked up as the hall door opened with an unmistakable wrench and Ben Potter precipitated himself into the room....

"Stop a moment!" And at the stern command in his voice Oscar halted. "I am convinced that you know more of Miss Susan Baird's death than you have admitted, Oscar, and--" his voi...

"Mrs. Parsons is not at home," she repeated. "Why, Oscar brought me a telephone message from her asking me to be here at noon and to lunch with her." She consulted her watch. "A...

A resounding knock on the side door, through which she had entered the library a few minutes before, caused Kitty to start violently and her hand reached out instinctively to ca...

Kitty paused before her bureau and inspected herself in the mirror. It had been a relief to change from her street clothes to a dressing gown. She had spent nearly an hour lying...

"Whar yo' goin', Honey, at dis time o' night?" Mandy's voice was raised in shocked expostulation and Kitty could not refrain from a smile. She had interrupted the old servant in...

Craige smiled indulgently. "Get as much pleasure as you can," he advised. "You deserve the good things of life, Kitty. Now, put your aunt's tragic death out of your mind--for to...

"She's been ill with the grippe, and all news of the murder was kept from her," the policeman answered. "She told her boy to-day, after learning about Miss Baird's death, to wat...

Inspector Mitchell felt extremely pleased with himself as he hurried along Seventeenth Street in the direction of the Munitions Building. In his interview with Mrs. Augustus Mur...

It was not often that Charles Craige was late in keeping an appointment with Mrs. Parsons. But the pretty widow had occasion to glance repeatedly at her parlor clock with ever i...

Mandy was not happy in her mind. No matter how tempting the dishes she cooked, her beloved "Miss Kitty" failed to eat more than "jes' scraps," as Mandy expressed it in her disgu...

When Nina Potter re�ntered the library a few minutes later she found Charles Craige playing with the Angora cat, Mouchette. With a word of greeting she moved over to the fire an...

Charles Craige sat staring into vacancy, while beads of perspiration trickled down his ghastly face. Several drops slipped into his eyes and half blinded him. Raising his hands...