Miss Hurd: An Enigma

Miss Hurd: An Enigma is a detective story by Anna Katharine Green. Green was an American poet and novelist. Excerpt: "Mr. Livermore was a man with a taste for curios. His house was filled with specimens of foreign art and workmanship. In the library especially there was a collection of Eastern swords and Japanese vases, fine enough to rouse cupidity in the breast of the most indifferent.
There was one small dagger in particular which attracted general attention, and when, later in the evening, a certain game was proposed in which this dagger was offered as a prize, not only myself, but all who were present became deeply interested in the venture, and sat down to play for this exquisite weapon with feelings little calculated to prepare any of us for its loss."