"
I knew that my theory was collapsing, utterly, hopelessly. I dared
not look at Godfrey.
"Is there not, connected with the drawer," I asked, "a mechanism
which, as the drawer is opened, plunges two poisoned fangs into the
hand which opens it?"
"No, Mr. Lester," she answered, astonishment in her voice, "I assure
you there is no such mechanism."
I clutched at a last straw, and a sorry one it was!
"The mechanism may have been placed there since the cabinet passed
from your possession," I suggested.
"That is, perhaps, possible," she agreed, though I saw that she was
unconvinced.
"At any rate, madame," I said, "I would ask that, in opening the
drawer, you wear this gauntlet," and I picked up Godfrey's gauntlet
from the chair on which it lay. "It is needless that you should take
any risk, however slight. Permit me," and I slipped the gauntlet over
her right hand.
As I did so, I glanced at Godfrey. He was staring at the veiled lady
with such a look of stupefaction that I nearly choked with delight.
It had not often been my luck to see Jim Godfrey mystified, but he
was certainly mystified now!
The veiled lady regarded the steel glove with a little laugh.
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