We stood by and watched. He placed both his palms to his brow and stood for a few seconds in the centre of the room. Then a paroxysm of pain seemed to double him completely up, and he fell to the carpet writhing in most fearful agony. It was horrible to witness, and Phrida, with a cry, turned away.
Then suddenly he lay stiff, and stretched his limbs to such an extent that we could hear the bones crack. His back became arched, and then he expired with horrible convulsions, which held his limbs stiffened and extended to their utmost limits—truly, the most awful and agonising of deaths, and a torture in the last moments that must have been excruciating—a punishment worse, indeed, than any that man-made law might allow.
As Herbert Cane paid the penalty of his crimes the woman Petre at last recovered consciousness.
I saw the look of abject terror upon her face as her eyes fell upon the man lying dead upon the carpet before us.
She realised the terrible truth at once, and giving vent to a loud, hysterical scream, rose and threw herself on her knees beside the man whose wide-open eyes, staring into space, were fast glazing in death.
Edwards bent, and asked in a low voice whether I wished to give her into custody for the attempt upon me.
But I replied in the negative.
"The assassin has received his just punishment and must answer to his Maker," I replied. "That is enough. This scene will assuredly be a lesson to her."
"She falsely accused Miss Shand, remember," he said. "She knew all the time that Cane struck the poor girl down."