Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-03-11

The handwriting was strange to her. The
words were these:
81 hereby certify that the bearer of these
lines, Robert Mooiy by name, has presented
to me the letter with which he was charged
addressed to myself, with the seal intact l
regret to add that there is, to say the least
! of it, some mistake. The inclosure referred
to by the anonymous writer of the letter,
who signs "A Friend in Ned has not
reached me. No $500 bank note was in the
letter when l opened it. My wife was pres
ent when broke the seal, and can certify to
| this statement if necessary. Not knowing
who my charitable correspondent is (Mr
Moody being forbidden to give me any in
| formation), | can only take this means Of
stating the case exactly as it stands, and hold
myself at the disposal of the writer of the
letter. My private address is at the head OF
the page. SAMUEL BRADSTOCK.
Rector st. Anne's Deansbury London"
Lady Lydard dropped the paper on the
table. For the moment, plainly as the rectors
statement was expressed, she appeared to be
incapable of understanding it. What, in
Gods name, does this mean!' she asked.
The lawyer and the steward looked at each
other. Which of the two was entitled to
opCoh III 81! i<eoN SdNe tucil uo
time to decide Moody" she said. sternly,
''you took charge of the letter; l look to you
for an explanation"
Moodys dark eyes flashed He answered
Lady Lydiard. without caring to conceal
that he resented the tone in which she had
spoken to him.
IL undertook to deliver the leu.er at its
address," he said ~ found it, sealed, on
the table. Your ladyship has the clergy
mans written testimony that handed it to
him with the seal unbroken. l have done my
duty, and have no explanation to offer"
Before Lady Lydiard could speak again,
Mr.. Troy discreetly interfered He saw
plainly that his experience was required to
lead the investigation in the right direction.
Pardon me, my lady," he said. with that
happy mixture of the positive and the polite
in his manner of which lawyers alone possess
the secret. There is only one way of arriv-
ing at the truth in painful matters of this
sort We must begin at the beginning. May
l venture to ask your ladvshp question:
Lady Lydiard felt the composing influence
of Mr. Troy. 81 am at your disposal, sir"
she said, quietly.
''Are you absolutely certain that you in
closed the bank note in the letterr' the law
yer asked.
II certainly believe l inclosed it, Lady
Lydiard answered. "But.I was alarmed
at the time by the sudden illness of my dog
that do not feel justified in speaking posi-
lively"
WAS anybody in the room with your lady
ship when you put the inclosure in the let
ter, as you believe"
~ was in the room," said Moody. II can
swear that | saw her ladyship put the bank
note in the letter, and the letter in the en-
velopen
'And seal the envelope" asked Mr. Troy.
NO. sir. Her ladyship called away
into the next room to the dog before she
could seal the envelope"
Mr.. Troy addressed himself once more to
Lady Lydiard. Did your ladyship take the
letter into the next room with your
II was too much alarmed to think Of it,
. Mr.. Troy l left it here on the table"
with the envelope openP'
Yes"
"How long were you absent in the other
roomFo
"Half an hour or more"
Hal" said Mr. Troy to himself, ''this COM
plcates it little" He reflected for awhile
and then turned again to Moody. did any
of the servants know of this bank note being
in her ladyship's possession."
Not one of them" Moody answered.
do you suspect any of the servants.'
Certainly not, SIR
care there any workmen employed in the
house!'
mo, SIR"
DO you know of any persons who had
access to the room while Lady Lydiard was
absent from it!'
''Two visitors called, SIR"
''Who were they!"
"Her ladyships nephew, Mr.. Felix Sweet
sir, and the Honorable Alfred Hardyman"
Mr.. Troy shook his head irritably. 81 am
not speaking of gentlemen of high position
and repute," he said. ats absurd even to
mention Mr. Sweetsir and Mr.. Hardyman.
My question related to strangers who might
have obtained access to the drawing room
people calling with her ladyship's sanction,
for subscriptions, for instance; or people
calling with articles of dress or ornament to
be submitted to her ladyship's inspection"
mo such persons came to the house, to my
knowledge" Moody answered.
Mr.. Troy suspended the investigation, and
took turn thoughtfully in the room. The
theory on which his inquiries had proceeded
thus far had failed to produce any results.
His experience warned him to waste no more
time on it, and to return to the starting
point of the investigation-in other words;
to the letter. Shifting his point OF view, he
turned again to Lady Lydiard, and tried his
questions in a new direction
'.Mr Moody mentioned just now," he said,
''that your ladyship was called into the next
room before you could seal your letter. On
your return to this room, did you see the
letter.
Il was busy with the dog" Lady Lydiard
answered, Isabel Miller was Of no use in
the boudoir, and told her to seal it for
me-"
Mr.. Troy started The new direction in
which he was pushing his inquiries began to
look like the right direction already. Miss
Isabel Miller" he proceeded, has been
resident under your ladyship's roof for some
little time, l believer
"For nearly two years, Mr.. Troy"
"As your ladyship's companion and
reader"
'As my adopted daughter" her ladyship
answered, with marked emphasis.
Wise Mr.. Troy rightly interpreted the en-
phasis as a warning to him to suspend the
examination of her ladyship, and to address
to Mr. Moody the far more serious questions
which were now to come.
did any one give you the letter before
YOU left the house with it, !" he said to the
steward, ''or did you take it yourselfF'
81 took it myself, from the table here
''Was it sealeds'
YES"
WAS anybody present when you took tire
letter from the table!'
Miss Isabel was present"
did you find her alone in the room!
''Yes, SIR"