The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-01-25


the back drawing-room--of the gate
key, which Webber always carried with
him.
Reaching Margaret's rooms, the three
sat about the fire chatting, while some
times, though rarely, Webber ordered "
carriage, and they drove in the Park.
They generally dined together late in
the evening, and a little more converse
tion concluded the strange days work.
Strange, indeed A few weeks before,
neither of these three had seen the
others, and now they were seated daily
at the same table, and, to the occupyers
of the house, appeared to be very
pleasant and we'll conducted family
party. Who could have thought that
the beautiful woman, dressed in black,
was an agent in the hands of police
constable, who together were endeavor-
ing to hunt their companion to the
scaffold 7
About Austin Slvory the detective had
woven an inextricable net of watohful-
ness. This espionage was the most
complete imaginable. He watched his
victim from morn until midnight, and
he not only watched the man himself,
but his least gestures, bis faintest words,
or parts of words; his looks, his very
thoughts, were open to the detectives
unceasing work.
And the detectives work was the
more marvellous that it was not the
police officer who daily sought out the
victim himself; 1t was this latter who
placed himself day after day in the grasp
of the detective. Without any trouble
on his part, and with his feet comforta-
bly, warming at his own flreside at
Westminster, or at Margaret's, he con-
tinued his duty perseveringly. Always
watching; always ready to analyze each
word, to find in his victim actual and
moral proofs of that guilt which Webber
still firmly believed Austin Sivory would
sooner or later demonstrate.
What had been his aim In introducing
Margaret and Austinp What had he
said to herp These words: Sivory has
never fallen in love, and you are beauti-
full. Once attract him-once make him
devoted to you, and all his secrets are
yours. This is the only means we have
of ascertaining whether he did or did
not kill Graham Forbes"
And when Margaret, for moment,
flinched from the proposal, he added,
He does not know you, he never saw
you before the murder, and therefore he
cannot mistrust you. You will creep
into his life, you will learn his past, and
sooner or later, you will unmask him.
BE the Deliah of this new Sampson, and
let us together bind him and give him
over to the Philistines."
Finally she consented, a our readers
have already learned. She, Margaret, it
was who played the principal character
in this CHASTITY drama-she, and not
Webber. He simply enacted the part Of
confidant, and had only to bring the
chief characters together, and wait, wait
until he was wanted.
His better sense told him that he
would do wisely to leave Austin to Mar
raret's watchfulness alone, but that
mysterious something (the knowledge
and strength of which so far he had not
measured) induced him to save her rep
utation as much as possible,-that un-
known power which caused him to
awake in the black night to find tears
upon his face, drew him constantly
towards her, and gradually he found
himself as eagerly listening to what she
said to Austin, as watching Sivory.
Had Margaret herself asked the detec-
tive to he present as frequently as possi-
blep Did she fear to be near Sivory
without third being close at hand
Did she fear that, if left to herself, she
should fail in the part she had to play;
that she might betray herself; that
upon some terrible occasion, unable to
hide the hate and indignation she ex-
perienced toward man she still persist
ed in believing Graham Forbes murder
er, she should suddenly overwhelm him
with reproaches
But this was certain-that she dared
not prolong this daily association with
this man beyond the time necessary
either to prove him guilty, or be assured
he was innocent, This end reached, he
and she were to part, never to meet
again in this world.
And yet, day after day, week after
week progressed, and nothing was done,
no discovery made, no innocence proved.
This want of despatch, this weary
watchfulness, this daily torture, was due
| to Webber himself. He was not wanted