"No, but I wish to know why you were there?" "Oh, most certainly, my dear sir, you shall," said the violinist calmly. "I was in your Barnstead to watch on Mr. Herne--Darcy Herne--who was there on that night also." CHAPTER XVII. THE SOCIETY OF THE RAINBOW FEATHER. The statement made by Catinka was so incredible and improbable that Paul could only stare and repeat it. "You came to Barnstead to watch Mr. Herne!" he said, slowly. "I do not quite understand. Mr. Herne was in London on that night. "Ah! pardon, but no," replied Catinka, vivaciously. "Mr. Herne--this good man--he was at your Barnstead; but he does not require one to speak of it. So he requests me." "You have seen Herne?" cried Mexton, recalling the fact that the Squire was in town at that moment. "Eh--why not? I see him yesterday; I see him this morning; and he ask me to say nothing of his veesit to Barnstead on that night. But I no promise; I have good reason to no promise." "What reason?" asked the journalist, bewildered by her manner. Before replying, Catinka sprang lightly from her seat, and caught up the fan of rainbow feathers from off the mantelpiece. "My reason, dear Mr. Critic? Behold it!" "Ah! then your reason has to do with your society?" "Oh, yes; it has all to do with that," said Catinka, shutting the fan composedly. "I will to you explain all, if you wish." "Of course I wish, mademoiselle. I wish to find out who killed that poor girl." Catinka shook her head gravely, and resumed her seat. "That thing I cannot say." "But you were on the very spot where the murder took place." "Yes," she admitted; "there I was. How you know?" "By the rainbow feather you dropped." "Pardon--it is wrong. I did not let fall the feather. I place him there for my reason." "Place him where?" asked Mexton, adopting her grammatical error in his bewilderment. "On the breast--oh, no--on the back of that dead lady." "You saw the corpse?" "Yes; I saw him." "Then you know who killed the girl?" "No; that I know not." "Did Mr. Herne shoot Miss Lester?" asked Paul, determined to get a direct answer. "I cannot say truly. I did not see." "Did you fire the shot yourself." "I?" Catinka flashed a fiery glance at her questioner. "But what is this you would say? I did nothing to that lady. I killed her not. No! I swear it is so by all the saints!" "But you know so much that----" "What I know you will be told," interrupted Catinka, "that is, my good sir, if you this moment will be silent and wait." "I am quite at your disposal, mademoiselle," said Paul, and composed himself to listen to what could not fail to be an interesting and strange story.