The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-10-05

Of museum opening on Sunday that was
under discussion, and that Sir Richard most
strongly objected to any boon so capable Of
beng perverted from Its original purpose.
Quite aged and venerable men listened to
this, and when at last the speaker ceased,
there was a deep murmur of applause. Then
earnest congratulations and hand.shakings,
and then the assembly slowly dissolved and
the great man and the spy were left alone.
Mr. Grecngraves was making his mind up.
yes" said he to himself; 'the best thing
can do Is the straight thing. I've two Sc
crets, but can't sell both with safety. Sup
pose, then, go for Sir Ricfard--a moral
mana man whose good name Is of vital
Importance to him. Yes, I'll go for Sir
Richard and chance It,"
Fordyce with an air Of intense we ariness,
rose, closed, and bolted the room door.
WELL" he said; "about that business, |
suppose"
lot of trouble to you, Sir Richard, all
this inquiry? Better drop it-eh?'
"EhY" he said quickly; then recovering
himself, added in Icy tones: "Whyw
81 was thinking so myself, sir OF course
| there can be no doubt now as to who was
| the thief"
Indeed! Surely that poor unhappy girl
who drowned herself had nothing to do
with it?'
1.-THE poor unhappy girl, as you call her
| Sir Richard-and in truth think her life
was quite wretched enough--was tried three
| years ago for the murder of her child and
acquitted!'
Good Heavens! How could such per-
son have possibly obtained an entrance into
my house?'
well, sir, you see 1t was left to your
housekeeper, and to tell the truth, / hardly
think she was very much to blame. Hester
Partridge oddly enough that was her right
name, but she was tried in another-had a
mother almost as cunning rs the fend OF
darkness himself, and she was more than a
match for half-a-dozen such women rs Mrs.
Gee. 1t was with false character that
Hester Partridge entered your service and
her mother and her father, who is dead now.
have in their time both been tried and con-
victed for felony. was once myself wit
ness against the father"
'Do you mean then to imply that this wo-
man who has killed herself was the thief"'
POSSIBLY. AT any rate her mother, con-
victed thief and q suspected receiver Of
stolen goods, was in the habit of visiting
her at your house clandestinely.
Outrageous. But the woman must be
given into custody. A full inquiry must be
made into tn, whole circumstances of the
case. A"
"a private inquiry" said the detective
softly.
"Why" asked the other.
Mr.. Greengravcs rose, walked to the door,
opened it quickly, looked around, satisfied
himself seemingly that there were no caves
troopers, returned to his seat and drew
from his pocket the stolen letter.
The adhesive portion of the envelope had
oeen artfully manipulated. 1t now required
only to be damped once more, and the
cpiStle itself dropped into the lctter-box on
the garden-gate where, had ii not been for
Mr.. Greengraves's interference, it would
long ago have peacefully reposed, and how
would anyone in the wide world be any the
wiser?
This Is directed to Mr.. Cuthbert Craven,
my secretary. cannot read it."
'Oh yes, you can" replied Mr.. Green
graves with bland smile, and crossing his
legs he leant back and watched patiently.
After moments hesitation Fordyce took
the letter from the envelope, and in trcm-
bic of excitement in which his color came
and went, leaving him at last as white as
death, he read what follows.
A..