THE CLUB OF MASKS The Club of Masks By ALLEN UPWARD [Illustration] A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York Published by arrangement with J. B. Lippincott Company Printed in U. S. A. COPYRIGHT, 1926, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY _Copyright in Great Britain under the title of The Domino Club_ CONTENTS I ON HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE 7 II THE EVIDENCE OF MADAME BONNELL 22 III THE EVIDENCE OF THE DEAD 38 IV THE OPENED SAFE 53 V DR. WEATHERED’S PATIENTS 69 VI THE BOOKS OF THE DOMINO CLUB 84 VII THE CAUSE OF DEATH 99 VIII THE LEOPARD’S CLAWS 111 IX SARAH NEOBARD SPEAKS OUT 125 X THE CASE AGAINST LADY VIOLET 140 XI WHAT THE CIPHER MEANT 154 XII PSYCHO-ANALYSIS 170 XIII THE EARL OF LEDBURY INTERVENES 185 XIV THE UNKNOWN POISON 201 XV THE LADY OF THE LEOPARD SKIN 216 XVI THE RED LIGHT 233 XVII A SINGULAR DISMISSAL 247 XVIII MOTHER AND DAUGHTER 263 XIX THE MEANS TO DO ILL DEEDS 279 XX THE FINGER-PRINT 295 THE CLUB OF MASKS CHAPTER I ON HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE I had only just let myself into the hall of the quiet house in the respectable street beside the British Museum when my ear was startled by the subdued shrilling of the telephone bell overhead. Whether this was the first time it had sounded, or whether that alarming call was being repeated for the second or third time, I had no means of knowing, as I turned hurriedly to fasten the front door behind me. Cautiously, and yet as swiftly as I dared, I shot the bolts and began speeding on tiptoe up the two flights of stairs between me and safety from detection. The night telephone was placed beside my bed on the second floor, but Sir Frank Tarleton slept on the same landing; and unless I could reach my room and still that persistent ringing before it penetrated through his slumber I ran the risk of meeting him coming out to find why it was not answered. And not for much, not for very much, would I have had the great consultant see me returning to his house at an hour when daylight was already flooding the deserted streets of the still sleeping city.