But that cat-like spirit of impish mischief which possessed her at this season (and especially at night) together with an almost insane joy which she took in gloating over the destruction of her cousin, had led her, contrary to my special injunctions, to haunt the vicinity on the evening of the experiment.  Thus, she not only witnessed the arrival of the doomed man, but also saw the constable perform the duty imposed upon him.  This might have mattered little, had it not been for the presence of Mr. Addison, whom an unkind fate at this juncture involved in the matter.

For Mr. Addison Nahemah conceived one of those sudden and violent infatuations which characterized the feline element of her complex mentality.  Unknown to me, Nahemah followed Mr. Addison to his home in the neighborhood and indeed was actually seen by him, I believe, on two occasions.  Thus far all might yet have been well; but when later I entered the Red House to carry out the only dangerous part of the scheme, to my consternation Nahemah insisted upon accompanying me.

Prompted by that destructive devil which sometimes possessed her she not only (unknown to me) painted a figure of a cat upon the crate, but also she placed an image of Bast in the box with the dead man!

The premature discovery of Sir Marcus, owing to the accident at the docks, prevented the plan being carried out in all its details, but when, through certain rumors which began to creep into the press, I learned of the presence of the statuette, I began to realize the dangerous position in which I was placed and the handicap of such an accomplice.

As a result of the scene which ensued, Nahemah, still under the worst influences of her hybrid disposition, openly visited Mr. Addison and recovered the image of Bast!  This she did in circumstances which hopelessly compromised both of us, since they revealed in a hitherto faultless plan the presence of an unsuspected party and directed the police inquiries into an entirely new channel.

I thought it expedient to retire immediately to the Bell House, which during my brief absence in London had been in charge of Cassim, all approaches to Friar’s Park being carefully guarded by the man Hawkins.

At this point I may touch upon a previous danger which had been met and overcome.  Provision had been made in the will of Sir Burnham for the retention by his widow of Friar’s Park and the revenues thereof; but since in the event of her death I should have been compelled to appear in the character of the mortgagee, it was contrary to our interests that Lady Coverly should die whilst any heir to the estate remained alive.

Nevertheless, despite all my care, this stricken woman had died six months prior to the first return of Sir Marcus from Russia.  Since she had been a helpless invalid during the last years of her life I experienced little difficulty in concealing the fact of her death.  Cassim and I interred her by night in the family mausoleum where she lies beside her husband.