The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-23

6ligree gold keepsake that was mover
made for any puprose on this earth save
to please the eyes Of woman. It looks
like An Indian thing or Japanese, and
it's one Of those balls that those east
ernsrs are 40 clever in making. There's
o bit Of a wrench here where the thing
seems to have been pulled off with a
jerk. That found lying close to the
body, and that also took leave to bring
away with me. Those are my reasons,
Sir Jaffray, for saying this is the work
Of a woman, and ! venture to think
that any 10 men in the country would
find them convincing"
Sir Jaffray took up the little trinket
and held it close, as If to scrutinize it.
But there was no need for any close
examination.
Both he and Beryl knew it well
enough. a.
It was the pendant Of q gold filigree
bracelet, one Of pair which had been
bought in Mexico when he and Lola
were on their honeymoon. The COM
panion to it had been given, with sew
eral other things, to Beryl.
Before either Of them said word
Mr.. Clifford continued in just the same
businesshke way and tone:
There ia one other thing ! should
like to have done, more unprofessional
still, but ! dared not 60 SO fur. want
ed to bring away the dagger This muir
der's been done with dagger that has
enough character In it to hang regi-
ment Of soldiers don't suppose that
there's another like 1t in all the blessed
country. But couldn't touch 1t, you
see, because the doctor would see in
trice that some one had been tampering
with the body after death, for the rea-
son that any boy student could tell
when dagger had been taken out Of
the wound hours after death. Then
there'd have been no end of awkward
questions for me to answer as to what
I'd been up to. So I had to lsaye it,"
"What was il like?" asked Sir Jaffray,
who now had come to expect that every
answer the, man gave would only in
criminate Lola more and more. He
was right in this case.
"It's smallish affair, but very dead
~, should say. The haft ia q singular
reddish kind of porpoise or alligator
hide, with three rings of horn running
round it to give the holder firm grip,
and these rings are of different colors,
while the steel which shows up the back
Of it is studded with tiny bronze knobs,
and the extreme end Of it is Of bronze
and made for all the world like one Of
those SLOUGH hats which the cowboys in
the wild west are generally pictured as
wearing, only, Of course, very, very
small. I never saw such thing before,
and I should know it again out Of 50,-
O0O."
Neither Sir Jaffray nor Beryl dared
to look at one another during this de.
scription, and at the close neither said
q word,
Both knew the dagger only too well.
Like the bracelet, it had been bought
when on the wedding tour in America,
and the fellow to it had been given by
Sir Jaffray to Beryl's father, and it was
at the present moment in the collection
of arms at LEICESTER Court.
Mr.. Clifford himself seemed to feel
that there was some strong reason for
the silence, and he made haste to break
it.
II must go. There's lot to do. l
thought I'd better bring these two
things here" he said, pointing to the
bit of lace and the little gold trinket,
land I'd have had the other if it hadn't
been that it would have been seen at
once. I'll keep this bit Of lace. shall
want that, and you'd better say nothing
about 1t. I suppose you want me to go
on with the matter, Sir Jaffray?' And
he looked up as if waiting for instruc-
lions.
Eyes, you must so through with it.
Sift it to the bottom
''There's not much to sift now. The
man who puts his hand on the owner Of
that dagger and that little bauble there
and this scrap of lace won't have any
difficulty in finding the murderess Of
tho Trenchman. ="
His two hearers shuddered at the
words.
I'm not at all sure that you're
right" said Sir Jaffray, "but you must
find out at any cost. Of course he
added, with some hesitation, "you un-
derstand that you are acting privately
for me, and you have no need to toll
one elso Your fees will be mid by me-
The man q ewes cleaned in an instant
with sort of restrained ayarice.
II have done nv best, Sir ,JatYray, l
know the extreme min and trouble
which NAV often be saved by a little
silence If Won will excuse me now, I
will 90. You know all 60 far. I had
better be out aud doing, because the DO.
lice make sucb mistakes at times"
He took his hat and went away, and
fir Iaffray and Beryl remained aahast
at the story to which thew had listened