you dearly i wish to marry you is not that declaration rather soon after the death of your wife my wife is gone poor soul let her rest yet you loved her i never loved her he said rising to his feet i love you from the first moment i saw you i loved you my wife is dead is in prison on a charge of her with these obstacles removed there is no reason why we should not marry she step by step � v k � � the green stone god and the if i marry you she said slowly will you help to this charge i cannot the evidence is too strong against him you know that he is innocent mr i do not i i believe that he murdered my wife you believe that he murdered your wife she coming a step nearer and holding out the green stone idol � do you believe that he dropped this in the study when his hand struck the fatal blow i don t know he said coolly glancing at the idol i never saw it before think again mr � think again who was it that went to the at eight o clock with dr and met there the captain of a new steamer with whom he was acquainted it was i said and what of that this she said in a loud voice this captain gave you the green stone idol at the and you placed it in your breast pocket shortly afterwards you followed to the man whose death you had you repaired to your house killed your unhappy wife who received you in all innocence took the balance of the money the desk and then dropped by accident this idol which you of the crime during this speech she advanced step by step towards the wretched man who pale and retreated before her fury he came right to my hiding place and almost fell into my arms i had heard enough to convince me of his guilt and the next moment i was struggling with him it is a lie a lie he said hoarsely trying to escape it is true said i him down from my soul i believe you to be guilty during the fight his pocket book fell on the floor and the papers therein were scattered miss ford picked up one spotted with blood the e god the the proof she holding it before proof the truth the ve is the e written by yon wliich wife to liim one pounds saw tliat all was against him gave further like tho he was fate in too strong for me lie said when i on his wrists i admit the crime it love of yon that i did it i hated my wife who was � on me and i who loved you one sm thought to rid myself of both his for money put the into my hand i went to found that my wife had given the money us then i killed her with the foil the smashed the desk and the chair to favour idea of the robbery and then i left the house a higher station than i caught a train and speedily back at the never my absence thinking i was in a different corner o house i had thus an ready had it not that letter which i was fool enough to keep and that idol that dropped out of my pocket i hi hanged and married you as it ns out the i has me and now sir he added turning to i you had better take me to i did so there and then after the legal i gone through was released and ultimately js miss ford was hanged as he well to be tor cowardly a crime my reward s the stone god which i keep as a of a very some weeks later miss ford told me the in had laid the trap when you revealed your suspicions about the idol i said i was convinced that had something to with tho crime you mentioned dr as been with him at the he is one of the it is true said t down � � � the greek stone god and me at the hospital in which i am employed i asked him about the idol and showed it to him he remembered it being given to by the captain of the the curious look of the thing had impressed itself on his memory on hearing this i went to the and i saw the captain he recognized the idol and remembered giving it to from what you told me i guessed the way in which the plot had been carried out so i spoke to as you heard most of it was and only when i saw that letter was i absolutely sure of his guilt it was due to the green stone god so i think but to chance also but for the accident of the idol dropping out of s pocket would have been hanged for a crime of which he was innocent therefore do i say that in nine cases out of ten chance does more to a case than all the dexterity of the man in charge � � i l i � � � ii the and the coin f i f � � � � � � � � j r � ii � � � i � i the and the coin reputation as a is known in i said lord therefore i wish you to conduct the case it could not be in better hands i feel flattered by your preference my lord said i so i shall take charge of it with pleasure but you must give me a free hand a free hand and as much money as you require i see too much of the pope s influence in england 