She stared across at Gird's body, and then she screamed, tremulously and long. Zoberg caught her in his arms, and she swayed and shuddered against their supporting circle. From her own wrists my irons still dangled, and they clanked as she wrung her hands in aimless distraction.
Going to the dead man once more, I unchained him from the chair and turned him upon his back. Susan's black cloak lay upon one of the other chairs, and I picked it up and spread it above him. Then I went to each door in turn, and to the windows.
"The seals are unbroken," I reported. "There isn't a space through which even a mouse could slip in or out. Yet——"
"I did it!" wailed Susan suddenly. "Oh, my God, what dreadful thing came out of me to murder my father!"
I unfastened the parlor door and opened it. Almost at the same time a loud knock sounded from the front of the house.
Zoberg lifted his head, nodding to me across Susan's trembling shoulder. His arms were still clasped around her, and I could not help but notice that they seemed thin and ineffectual now. When I had chained them, I had wondered at their steely cording. Had this awful calamity drained him of strength?
"Go," he said hoarsely. "See who it is."
I went. Opening the front door, I came face to face with a tall, angular silhouette in a slouch hat with snow on the brim.
"Who are you?" I jerked out, startled.