"Or merely in a tantrum extraordinary!" said Anita, her blue eyes full of laughing disrespect for her employer.

"'Nita," said Haviland, as Pauline disappeared, "hold your breakfast napkin up in front of your face, quick!"

"Why?" said the girl, wonderingly, as she did his bidding.

"Because, if you hadn't, I should have flown at you and kissed you! And I mustn't now, for Haskins is approaching with muffins."

Down came the shielding napkin and only the arrival of the muffin-laden Haskins saved the lovely laughing face from Haviland's impetuous caress.

The old butler fussed about, and several minutes passed, when Pauline called from above stairs, "Gray! Come here, at once!"

"Desperate case!" and Haviland rose, and unhurriedly left the room, pinching Anita's little ear as he passed her.

Another moment and Miss Frayne heard an exclamation from Haviland that made her rise from the table and go flying upstairs herself.

The door of Miss Lucy's boudoir was open, and entering, she saw Pauline and Haviland with horror-stricken faces, gazing at a terrible sight.

Miss Lucy Carrington, seated before her dressing-table, her face white and ghastly, her large eyes staring wide--staring horribly,--but, without doubt, unseeing. Nor was this all of the strangeness of the sight. She was robed in an embroidered Oriental-looking gown, and wore many jewels. Her red-dyed hair, dressed elaborately, as she had worn it the night before, was still crowned with the enormous comb of carved tortoise-shell, but the comb was broken to bits. One portion, still standing upright, rose above the disordered coiffure, but the rest, in broken scraps, lay scattered over the puffs of hair,--over the white hands clasped in her lap,--and on the floor at her feet.

"What does it mean?" whispered Anita, shuddering, "is she--is she dead?"

"Yes," answered Haviland, briefly. He stood, hands in pockets, gazing at the startling figure.

"Who?--What?----" Anita's eyes riveted themselves on something else.

Around the neck of Miss Lucy was,--yes, it was--a snake!

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