THE CAT'S PAW BY NATALIE SUMNER LINCOLN AUTHOR OF "THE RED SEAL," "THE UNSEEN EAR," "THE TREVOR CASE," "THE MOVING FINGER," ETC. D. APPLETON AND COMPANY NEW YORK :: 1922 :: LONDON COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY Copyright, 1922, by Street and Smith PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ~By NATALIE SUMNER LINCOLN~ THE CAT'S PAW THE UNSEEN EAR THE THREE STRINGS THE MOVING FINGER THE NAMELESS MAN THE OFFICIAL CHAPERON THE LOST DESPATCH THE RED SEAL I SPY C. O. D. THE MAN INSIDE THE TREVOR CASE [Illustration: DROPPING THE CAT, SHE SPRANG TO HER FEET WITH A SLIGHT CRY.] [page 27] TO EDNA LEIGHTON TYLER THIS YARN IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED IN TOKEN OF A FAITHFUL FRIENDSHIP CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. KITTY! 1 II. THE SUMMONS 6 III. DETAILS 17 IV. SUICIDE? 35 V. AT THE MORGUE 52 VI. TESTIMONY 63 VII. MRS. PARSONS HAS CALLERS 79 VIII. THE CASE OF THE GILA MONSTER 94 IX. MRS. PARSONS ASKS QUESTIONS 116 X. RUMORS 127 XI. I. O. U. 139 XII. A WORD OF WARNING 155 XIII. BRIBERY 169 XIV. AND CORRUPTION 185 XV. BOUND IN RED TAPE 203 XVI. A STARTLING ENCOUNTER 215 XVII. "K. B." 223 XVIII. ELUSIVE CLUES 239 XIX. SUSPICION 252 XX. THE FEET OF THE FURTIVE 260 XXI. MOUCHETTE, THE SEVEN-TOED 270 XXII. GREED 287 THE CAT'S PAW CHAPTER I KITTY! Miss Susan Baird let her gaze rest on her companion in speculative silence. Apparently, her last jibe had failed of its mark, judging from the man's unchanged expression. With a vexed sigh she proceeded to pour out another cup of tea. They were an oddly matched pair. Miss Baird, still erect in spite of her seventy years, her small slight figure tucked into one corner of the carved, throne-shaped chair which was her habitual seat when in her library, appeared dwarfed in comparison with the broad-shouldered, powerfully built man who faced her across the tea table. "So you wish to marry my niece, Kitty," she remarked. "_You!_" And she broke into shrill laughter. Her companion flushed hotly. Her ridicule cut deeper than had any of her previous comments. "I intend to marry her," he answered, and the stubborn determination of his tone matched his set features.