CHAPTER XIV.
A DETECTIVE'S WORK Morning.
The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
Some one had been there before them.

The tray of bottles and glasses had been removed from the table, and in their place were to be seen a woman's damaged hat and a small tortoise-shell comb.

Mr.Harper's hand was on the former, which was wound about with a wet veil.
"I think I recognize this," said he.

"At least I have a distinct impression of having seen it before." "It was picked up with the veil still on it near the entrance of the lane," explained Ransom.
"Then there can be no doubt that it is the hat Miss Hazen wore during her journey.

She tossed it off the moment her foot touched the ground, and taking the shawl from her neck pulled it over her head instead.