The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-11-19
allow no one to whit you now unless yen dc
sire 10. win you promised"

may search the hall from the roof to tho
cellars, IL necessary, for proof of your inno-
cence. The first thing have to find Is that
parcel of strychnia. Can you help meP
She shook her head doubtfully. IL wish
1 could; but / cannot recall what I did
with it"
"By the way" said, "do you know thisr
took from my pocket the rusted knife or
dagger which had found on my bed ON the
ni2ht that slept at the hall.
She looked at it, and then the color dyed
her cheeks once more
"Where did you find it" she asked
Tn my bcdroom-ths haunted chamber"
"Ah. remember" she cried. ~ remember
now where placed the poison 1t is in the
secret passage leading to the haunted room.
do you indeed remember, my darlingl
Are you sure"
"Quite, quite sure Stay, let me tell you
al On that night when my uncle heard,
after he had said good night TO you. of what
had passed Letween us in the garden, he
came TO my room. 1 had no. gone to bed,
for 1 was thinking of all that you had been
saying to me We had dreadful scene, as
you know Some one had poisoned his
mind. He told me l should never see you
again, and was in despair Then Iremem-
bered that you were to sleep in the haunted
room and that there was q private stair
leading to it from the drawing room cor
ridor. l resolved to send You q letter,
so that you might not leave the hall
thinking that / was unfaithful to you.
My maid and | had discovered the
assage shortly before, AMI knew that it led
up to your room, which was entered by
means OF sliding panel. l wrote the note,
and gave It to her to take to your chamber
cba In, Sha
went with it; but returned almost i'm
meliately to say that she could not move
the panel. We looked about for something
by which to open it, and saw this old knife
in its sheath. 1t was given 10 me as curl
osity, years ago. by an old sailor. Taylor,
my maid, took the knife, and went back to
your room. When she returned she told
me that she had placed the note upon your
pillow, but that at the moment when she did
so you had moved in your sleep; and in her
fright she had left the room at once, forget
ting to bring the knife with her."
"Then there was no ghost but the one you
sent to me- darling! But about the strychnia;
for that is about the most important thing
of ell now"
81 placed it on a shelf over the door by
which the secret stair is entered. 1t was the
sight of the knife WHICH reminded me i'm
mediately of the place."
Irose breathless with excitement
"My darling, by Gods help, all will yet be
well. But l must not delay moment
longer now"
Istrained her in my arms, and kissed her
passionately. Half an hour afterwards !
was on my way to Great Lorton, having
dispatched telegram to Mr.. Eastmead. beg
ging him to meet me at the Barton railway
station.
found the chief constable waiting for me
on tho platform at Barton. Like other men
ain the force" he was probably happier
when engaged in bringing criminal to
justice than when he was saving an innocent
person from an unjust punishment But in
Daisy's case he showed as much zeal as
though he had been one of her personal
friends, and had no need to complain Of
the interest he displayed when l told him
the errand upon which I was bent, and the
important facts which had elected during
my visit to the prison.
81 want you to accompany me in my
search through the hall, Mr.. Eastmead, both
because you will be an unimpeachable wit
ness regarding any discoveries may make,
and because may need TO appeal to the aid
of the law in my task. For you will under
stand that l shall not do things by halves.
This power of attorney makes me Miss
Stancliffes legal representative, and / shall
use all my rights under it, not only to prove
her innocence, but, If possible, to discover
who the guilty person Is.
"You have set yourself hard task, Mr..
Fenton," he replied; "but there is some
hope of success; for am quite certain that
as yet, we do not know the truth"
We had to walk from Little Lorton station
to the hall. My interview with Daisy had
taken place in the early morning, and it
was barely two o'clock in the afternoon
when found myself once more standing on.
the broad terrace in front of the quaint old
house.
The first person I saw was the evil-omened
Flinter He came forward with an insolent
air and demanded my business.
"My business, sir, might very well be to
give you into custody for the outrage which |
you committed upon me. As it is. am here
in the exercise of my rights, and have moth
ing to say to YOU"
"You won't get into the hall, at all events"
he said, doggedly.
'None of that nonsense" interposed tho |
chief constable, cor shall have to take you |
into my hands, my man. Mr. Fenton,, inn |
agine. is the only person who has any rights |
here, If it comes to that"
At that moment l saw DIR. Branksome |
sauntering along tho terrace from the direc"
ton of the garden. He looked genuinely |
surprised when he saw who it was with |
whom Flinter was having this alteration
He came forward with quickened step, and |
his usual air of bland gravity.
"Mr. Fenton! Mr. Eastmead This is an
unexpected pleasure"
Possibly" said, all the suspicious of the
man which during the last few hours had
risen in my mind betraying themselves in
my face and voice. II am here, however,
DR.. Branksome, as the representative of
Miss Stancliffe, and as you will see, l am
accompanied by Mr.. Eastmead, as the rep
resentative of the law"
II think, sir, you forget yourself" replied
Branksome. al have no wish to cast any
doubts upon the sincerity of your interest in
the unfortunate lady whose guardian 1 am,
but have the honor to be the only person
who can claim to be her legal representa-
tive"
My hot blood mounted to my cheeks, and
was about to answer him angrily, when
Eastmead again interposed
0'Thia Cantlaman DIR Rranksome acte nm