“Run across to number seventy-three—­Doctor Morton’s,” he ordered.  “Don’t you let any one come in, fireman.  Don’t either of you say a word about this.  Here, Exchange, urgent call.  Give me the police-station—­yes, police-station!...  Don’t be a fool, girl,” he added under his breath.  “You won’t do any good throwing water on her like that.  Let her alone for a moment....  Yes!  Manager, Leeland Hotel, speaking.  A murder and robbery have taken place in this hotel, suite number forty-three.  I am there now.  Nothing shall be touched.  Send round this moment.”

The young man hung up the receiver.  Lenora was filling the room with her shrieks.  He took her by the shoulder and pushed her back into a chair.

“Shut up, you fool!” he exclaimed.  “You can’t do any good making a noise like that.”

“She said she saw the door handle turn,” Lenora sobbed.  “I went to fetch Macdougal.  He’d gone out.  When I came back she was there—­like that!”

“What door handle?” the manager asked.

Lenora pointed.  The young man crossed the room.  The lock was still in its place, the door refused to yield.  As he turned around the doctor arrived.  He hurried at once to Ella’s side.

“Hands still warm,” he muttered, as he felt them....  “My God!  It’s the double knot strangle!”

He bent over Ella for several moments.  Then he rose to his feet.  The door from outside had been opened once more.  A police inspector, followed by a detective, had entered.

“This is your affair, gentlemen, not mine,” the doctor said gravely.  “The young lady is dead.  She has been cruelly strangled within the last five or ten minutes.”

The Inspector turned around.

“Lock the outside door,” he ordered his man.  “Has any one left the room, Mr. Marsham?”

“No one,” the manager declared.

“Who discovered her?”

“The maid.”

Lenora rose to her feet.  She seemed a little calmer but the healthy colour had all gone from her cheeks and her lips were twitching.

“Her ladyship had just come in from the Opera,” she said.  “She was sitting in her easy-chair.  I was in the bedroom.  She looked toward the handle of that door.  She thought it moved.  She called me.  I tried it and found it fast locked.  She sent for Mr. Macdougal.”

“Macdougal,” Mr. Marsham explained, “is a confidential servant of Lord Ashleigh’s.  He was sent over here with Lady Ella.”

The Inspector nodded.

“Go on.”

“I found Mr. Macdougal’s door locked.  He must have gone out.  When I came back here, I found this!”

The Inspector made a careful examination of the room.

“Tell me,” he enquired, “is this the young lady who owned the wonderful Ashleigh diamonds?”

“They’ve gone!” Lenora shrieked.  “They’ve been stolen!  She was wearing them when I left the room!”

The Inspector turned to the telephone.