THE LUMINOUS FACE by CAROLYN WELLS Author of “The Come Back,” “In the Onyx Lobby,” “The Curved Blades” etc. A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers :: New York Published by arrangement with George H. Doran Company COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS CHAPTER I—Doctor Fell CHAPTER II—The Telephone Call CHAPTER III—The Lindsays CHAPTER IV—Pollard’s Threat CHAPTER V—Mrs Mansfield’s Story CHAPTER VI—The Fur Collar CHAPTER VII—Barry’s Suspect CHAPTER VIII—Miss Adams’ Story CHAPTER IX—Ivy Hayes CHAPTER X—The Signed Letter CHAPTER XI—Miss Adams Again CHAPTER XII—Louis’ Confession CHAPTER XIII—Philip and Phyllis CHAPTER XIV—Hester’s Statement CHAPTER XV—Phyllis and Ivy CHAPTER XVI—Buddy CHAPTER XVII—Zizi CHAPTER XVIII—The Luminous Face THE LUMINOUS FACE CHAPTER I DOCTOR FELL “A bit thick, I call it,” Pollard looked round the group; “here’s Mellen been dead six weeks now, and the mystery of his taking-off still unsolved.” “And always will be,” Doctor Davenport nodded. “Mighty few murders are brought home to the villains who commit them.” “Oh, I don’t know,” drawled Phil Barry, an artist, whose dress and demeanor coincided with the popular idea of his class. “I’ve no head for statistics,” he went on, idly drawing caricatures on the margin of his evening paper as he talked, “but I think they say that only one-tenth of one per cent, of the murderers in this great and glorious country of ours are ever discovered.” “Your head for statistics is defective, as you admit,” Doctor Davenport said, his tone scornful; “but percentages mean little in these matters. The greater part of the murders committed are not brought prominently before public notice. It’s only when the victim is rich or influential, or the circumstances of some especial interest that a murder occupies the front pages of the newspapers.” “Old Mellen’s been on those same front pages for several weeks—off and on, that is,” Pollard insisted; “of course, he was a well-known man and his exit was dramatic. But all the same, they ought to have caught his murderer—or slayer, as the papers call him.” “Him?” asked Barry, remembering the details of the case. “Impersonal pronoun,” Pollard returned, “and probably a man anyway. ‘Cherchez la femme,’ is the trite advice, and always sounds well, but really, a woman seldom has nerve enough for the fatal deed.” “That’s right,” Davenport agreed. “I know lots of women who have all the intent of murder in their hearts, but who never could pull it off.” “A good thing, too,” Barry observed. “I’d hate to think any woman I know capable of murder! Ugh!” His long, delicate white hand waved away the distasteful idea with a gesture that seemed to dismiss it entirely.