Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-27
AUTHOR or The NM IN SLACK.
A GENTlEMtN OF france, EnE~.
~Dra,eHr 1885, eY eAsselLpvsusAinc. c

how you once dressed UP n dog in n rochct
and handled it before Gardiner? And it
is our matter in which Clarence is en-
plOyed. Then who is it who has been CO.
operating with him, and whose aid is of
so much value to HIM"
Even as it is easicr,'" l muttered
thoughtfully, ''tO unfasten a barred door
from within than from without" What
was it Of which that strange sentence re-
minded me? Ha! had it. OF the night
on which we had fed from Master Lind
strom's house, when Mistress Anne had
been seized with that odd fit of pcrvcrse-
ness and had almost opened the door look
ing upon the river in spite of all could
say or do. 1t was of that the sentence re-
minded me. ITO whom is it Addressed"
l asked abruptly.
Ito Mistress Clarence" my lady an
swered.
'No-inside, I mcan.''
"Ob! to Mistress A. B.. But
that gives us no clcw,'' she added. 1T is
a disguise. You see, they are the two first
letters of the alphabet
So they were, and tho initial letters of
Ammo Brandon wondered that the
duchess did not see it; that she did not at
once turn her suspicious toward the right
quarter. But she was, for a woman. sim
gularly truthful and conflding, and she
saw nothing.
looked ut Master Berthe. He seemed
puzzled, discerning fancy, how strange
ly the illusions pointed to Mistress Anne,
but not daring at once to draw the infer
encc. She was his wifc's kinswoman by
marriage, albeit distant one, and much
indebted TO her She had been almost as
his own sister. She was young and fair,
and to associate treachery and ingratitudc
such as this with her seemed almost too
horrible.
Then why was SO clear sighted as to
read tho riddle; Why was l the first to
see the truth: Because had felt for days
vague and i'll defined distrust of the girl.
l had seen more of her odd fits and ca
prices than had tho others. Looking back
now, l could find confirmation of my
idea in IA dozen things which had befallen
us. remembered how ill and stricken
she had looked on the day when had
first brought out the letter, and how
strangely she had talked to me about 1t.
remembered Clarcncc's interview with
hot Dymphna, rs had then thought
but, as L now guessed, Anne, wearing her
cloak. l recalled the manner in which she
had used mo to persuade Master Berthe to
take the Vessel instead of the Santon road.
No doubt she had told Clarence to follow
in that direction, if by any chance we es.
capped him on the island. And her despair
when she heard in the church porch that
had killed Clarence at the ford! And
her utter abandonment to fcar-poer gull
ty thing!-wEcn she thought that all her
devices had only led her with us to "a
dreadful death! These things, in tho light
In which l now viewed them, were cogent
evidences against her.
1T must have been written to some ono
about us!" said the duchess at length.
ITO some one in our confidence On our
side of the door, as he calls it,
Yes; that is certain" l said
And on the wrapper he styles her Mis-
trcss Clarence. Now, who
"Who could it have been? That is the
question VIC have to answer" Master Der
tic replied dryly. Hearing his voice, /
knew he had come ut last to tho same con.
clusion to which had jumped. Il think
you may dismiss the servants from the in
quiry," he continued. Tho bishop Of
Winchester would scarcely write to them
in that style"
left:" she protested.
thAhh 1ic lOsb COuTuRc, ucSltatpu
and broke off. Sho looked at him won
deringiy. lie turned to me, and gaining
confirmation from my nod began again.
II think l should ask A. B." he
said.
A. By" sho cried, still not sec
ing ono whit,
Yes; Aono Brandon" he answered
stornly.
She repeated his words softly and stood
n moment gazing at him. In that mo-
ment she saw it all. She sat down sudden
ly on the chair beside her and shuddered
violently, as if she had laid her hand un.
Willingly upon a snake. "Oh. Richard"
she whispered, lit is too horrible!'
Il fear it is too true no answered
gloomily.
l shrank from looking ct them, from
meeting lnr eyes or his. felt rs if this
shame had come upon us all. The thought
that the culprit might walk into tho room
ut any moment filled me with terror I
turned away and looked through tho win
dow, leaving the husband and wife to-
gcther
rs it only the namo you are thinking
Off" shc fnuttered.
mo, " hc answered. "Beforc left Eng
land to 20 To Calais l saw something pass
between theEl-between her and Clarence
which surprised me. Only in the con-
fusion of those last days it slipped from
my memory for tho time
II see, she said quietly. THE villainr
Looking back on the events of the last
week, l found many things made plain by
the lurid light now cast upon them. l un-
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