LITMIR.BIZ

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      ‘The day was an unusually hot and beautiful one and Diana Ashley’s suggestion of a Fancy Dress party that evening was received with general favour. The usual laughing and whispering and frenzied secret sewing took place and when we all made our appearance for dinner there were the usual outcries of merriment. Rogers and his wife were Neolithic hut dwellers—explaining the sudden lack of hearth rugs. Richard Haydon called himself a Phoenician sailor, and his cousin was a Brigand Chief, Dr Symonds was a chef, Lady Mannering was a hospital nurse, and her daughter was a Circassian slave. I myself was arrayed somewhat too warmly as a monk. Diana Ashley came down last and was somewhat of a disappointment to all of us, being wrapped in a shapeless black domino.

      ‘“The Unknown,” she declared airily. “That is what I am. Now for goodness’ sake let’s go in to dinner.”

      ‘After dinner we went outside. It was a lovely night, warm and soft, and the moon was rising.

      ‘We wandered about and chatted and the time passed quickly enough. It must have been an hour later when we realized that Diana Ashley was not with us.

      ‘“Surely she has not gone to bed,” said Richard Haydon.

      ‘Violet Mannering shook her head.

      ‘“Oh, no,” she said. “I saw her going off in that direction about a quarter of an hour ago.” She pointed as she spoke towards the grove of trees that showed black and shadowy in the moonlight.

      ‘“I wonder what she is up to,” said Richard Haydon, “some devilment, I swear. Let’s go and see.”

      ‘We all trooped off together, somewhat curious as to what Miss Ashley had been up to. Yet I, for one, felt a curious reluctance to enter that dark foreboding belt of trees. Something stronger than myself seemed to be holding me back and urging me not to enter. I felt more definitely convinced than ever of the essential evilness of the spot. I think that some of the others experienced the same sensations that I did, though they would have been loath to admit it. The trees were so closely planted that the moonlight could not penetrate. There were a dozen soft sounds all round us, whisperings and sighings. The feeling was eerie in the extreme, and by common consent we all kept close together.

      ‘Suddenly we came out into the open clearing in the middle of the grove and stood rooted to the spot in amazement, for there, on the threshold of the Idol House, stood a shimmering figure wrapped tightly round in diaphanous gauze and with two crescent horns rising from the dark masses of her hair.

      ‘“My God!” said Richard Haydon, and the sweat sprang out on his brow.

      ‘But Violet Mannering was sharper.

      ‘“Why, it’s Diana,” she exclaimed. “What has she done to herself? Oh, she looks quite different somehow!”

      ‘The figure in the doorway raised her hands. She took a step forward and chanted in a high sweet voice.

      ‘“I am the Priestess of Astarte,” she crooned. “Beware how you approach me, for I hold death in my hand.”

      ‘“Don’t do it, dear,” protested Lady Mannering. “You give us the creeps, you really do.”

      ‘Haydon sprang forward towards her.

      ‘“My God, Diana!” he cried. “You are wonderful.”

      ‘My eyes were accustomed to the moonlight now and I could see more plainly. She did, indeed, as Violet had said, look quite different. Her face was more definitely oriental, and her eyes more of slits with something cruel in their gleam, and the strange smile on her lips was one that I had never seen there before.

      ‘“Beware,” she cried warningly. “Do not approach the Goddess. If anyone lays a hand on me it is death.”

      ‘“You are wonderful, Diana,” cried Haydon, “but do stop it. Somehow or other I—I don’t like it.”

      ‘He was moving towards her across the grass and she flung out a hand towards him.

      ‘“Stop,” she cried. “One step nearer and I will smite you with the magic of Astarte.”

      ‘Richard Haydon laughed and quickened his pace, when all at once a curious thing happened. He hesitated for a moment, then seemed to stumble and fall headlong.

      ‘He did not get up again, but lay where he had fallen prone on the ground.

      ‘Suddenly Diana began to laugh hysterically. It was a strange horrible sound breaking the silence of the glade.

      ‘With an oath Elliot sprang forward.

      ‘“I can’t stand this,” he cried, “get up, Dick, get up, man.”

      ‘But still Richard Haydon lay where he had fallen. Elliot Haydon reached his side, knelt by him and turned him gently over. He bent over him, peering in his face.

      ‘Then he rose sharply to his feet and stood swaying a little.

      ‘“Doctor,” he said. “Doctor, for God’s sake come. I—I think he is dead.”

      ‘Symonds ran forward and Elliot rejoined us walking very slowly. He was looking down at his hands in a way I didn’t understand.

      ‘At that moment there was a wild scream from Diana.

      ‘“I have killed him,” she cried. “Oh, my God! I didn’t mean to, but I have killed him.”

      ‘And she fainted dead away, falling in a crumpled heap on the grass.

      ‘There was a cry from Mrs Rogers.

      ‘“Oh, do let us get away from this dreadful place,” she wailed, “anything might happen to us here. Oh, it’s awful!”

      ‘Elliot got hold of me by the shoulder.

      ‘“It can’t be, man,” he murmured. “I tell you it can’t be. A man cannot be killed like that. It is—it’s against Nature.”

      ‘I tried to soothe him.

      ‘“There is some explanation,” I said. “Your cousin must have had some unsuspected weakness of the heart. The shock and excitement—”

      ‘He interrupted me.

      ‘“You don’t understand,” he said. He held up his hands for me to see and I noticed a red stain on them.

      ‘“Dick didn’t die of shock, he was stabbed—stabbed to the heart, and there is no weapon.”

      ‘I stared at him incredulously. At that moment Symonds rose from his examination of the body and came towards us. He was pale and shaking all over.

      ‘“Are we all mad?” he said. “What is this place—that things like this can happen in it?”

      ‘“Then it is true,” I said.

      ‘He nodded.

      ‘“The wound is such as would be made by a long thin dagger, but—there is no dagger there.”

      ‘We all looked at each other.

      ‘“But it must be there,” cried Elliot Haydon. “It must have dropped out. It must be on the ground somewhere. Let us look.”

      ‘We peered about vainly on the ground. Violet Mannering said suddenly:

      ‘“Diana had something in her hand. A kind of dagger. I saw it. I saw it glitter when she threatened him.”

      ‘Elliot Haydon shook his head.

      ‘“He never even got within three yards of her,” he objected.

      ‘Lady Mannering was bending over the prostrate girl on the ground.

      ‘“There is nothing in her hand now,” she announced, “and I can’t see anything on the ground. Are you sure you saw it, Violet? I didn’t.”

      ‘Dr Symonds came

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