Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-31

low upon tDe laSt OCCdoioh' "hSh 'uN
cashier was, so far as could be proved,
seen alive by any one except the muir
derer. This amply sufiiced and Ernest
Crisp, clerk, was formally remanded--
bail being of course refused-until the
following Thursday upon the charge of
wilful murder. The inquest, opened
the same day. was adjourned to await
the result of the magisterial inquiry.
CHAPTER ".
A clergyman to SEQ Miss Maunder?
| will see him first myself" said Miss
Maintree in her stifiest tone. She was
the principal Of the Naintree-House
Seminary, the propriety of which was
so rigid that no letters were permitted
to be received by pupils or gOvernesseS,
save such as could first be read by
that dragon Of virtue, the principal.
She was absent from the school-room
tenminuteS. The girls looked curiously
at Ethel, and the latter wondered who
it could be. She knew Of no clergy
man likely to visit her, and was sur
prised by the gracious permission to go
to the drawing-room which Miss Main
tree presently vouchsafed her; an in
diligence due not so much to the reve-
rend VISITORS subtle politeness as to the
fact. casually made known by him, that
he had three daughters Of an age to be
at school.
"You wished to see me?" Ethel
said, surprised at confronting a short,
portly clergyman, who was a complete
stranger TO her.
- do. You look a sensible young
lady, and will tell you right out who
am and what | want. Please don't
faint or scream, or all my trouble ex-
pended in making things comfortable
for you will be thrown away. My
name is Peters. am detective Off
Ger. You know gentleman called
Crisp-I see you do. Are engaged to
marry him? Just so. Well, he has
been charged But there, read that,
please, and pray be as calm as you
can" And he put into her hands an
early Globe, pointing ont the report OF
the proceedings at the Mansion House.
- Pray be as calm as you can
She went white to the lips as she
read, but save one faint cry when its
meaning broke upon her, gave no sign
of the demonstrations so much dreaded
by the detective.
"Now, am quite aware, miss. that
you were the lady who was with the ac-
cused. If you are implicated he
did not think after a glance at her face
that she was-"you had best say
nothing. But if the young man is in
,ocent, you take it very coOlly'
miss -
And why not?" she cried indig-
nantly. "Why should be troubled
because false charge is brought
against him? Why" But then
her voice broke. and she cried piteously.
"Oh. tell me, sir, how can help
him ?"
First, miss, by telling me all you
did on Saturday" The girl did so,
and he took note Of it. "Quite So"
he said, when he had heard all, but
may ask if you met by appoint
ment?"
She colored. 81 had y message from
him on the Friday morning"
- Verbal or written?
Neither. | cannot receive letters
here, so when Ernest could take me out
on Saturday-his and my half holiday
he would put an advertisement in Fri
day S. Standard. 1t was foolish. per-
haps. but Ernest had fancy to put it
in cipher, and /, well, with bright
blush liked it because it took me
longer 10 read the message"
Just so You'll forgive me saying
that now | know you are telling me
the truth. So will you please explain
what that ugly little bit means:" He
han ded to her the slip he had shown to
Mr.. Parkman, and pointed out the
words IL will have rid myself Of our
worst enemy"
Yes. We had a silly quarrel. |
told him--oh, how could l?-that his
temper was his worst enemy and mine.
lie meant that as al mean he wished
TO apologize and make it up"
"One more question, young lady.
What should you say if | told you that
Mr.. Crisp denied on his way to the
Mansion House this morning being the
author Of that: ?"
Say :" she cried fiercely. |
should say | believed him But still
it surprises me. This message begins
and ends as his always did. Yet | re-
member that | thought it odd that he
made no reference to this passage on
Saturday. And it was strange that
though he was half an hour after the
appointed time he did not seem aware
of it-or say he was sorry"
Peters sat thinking deeply. Its a
cipher child could read" he murmur.
/ ed to himself. And any one reading
previous advertisements could have
identified the Ernest very likely. Is i
possible that some one having learned
/ no matter how, his habit of correspond
ing with this girl has done this to diver
suspicion from himself? Unlikely, bu
still possible. Do you know, miss,
he continued aloud, of any one beinI
acquainted with these CIPHER mes
ssges.'
at is a more formality, Crisp" Mr
Palkman volunteered, speaking for I'll
first time with earnest kin lness. "
will attend myself and say how pei
fccily ridiculous your cond let for year
makes this charge appear
The color came back to the clerk
face. THANK you, SIR he said.
perhaps you will let yourself b
s,srched herey" asked tn policeman
GiSp nodeed acquiescencc. and did nc
finch when the operation began. Bu
the first articles TO appear were tw
k,ys. The policeman looked carelessl
q, tic frst; but his face liz up wor
| fufully - he held mp the econl.
| "3his is the missing key. he e.