San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-10

btrouB OneI suppose you haven't q
ghost Of an idea who wrote this?''
IF had, am afraid could hardly
tell you, Mr.. Clifford" was the reply.
given with smile, "but I have not
am thinking where to look.
$50 am l." returned the other Short
ly. "Who is there owes you grudge,
Sir Jaffray-Miss LEICESTER or, for
that matter, Lady Walcote either? Hate
of some kind inspired that letter."
II am at loss even to guess, " re-
piled Sir Jaffray.
MAY take a tracing of bit Of the
letter. Mr.. Borderham?' And without
waiting for permission Mr.. Clifford did
so, rapidly and cleverly, and handed
the letter back to the inspector, and
then Sir Jaffray and the private detect
i've walked back together to the manor
house, the baronet explaining more fully
all that had passed.
What do you think of it. Mr.. Gift
ford2" he asked at the close.
II can't see 1t all yet, but I have q
suspicion. / think the better plan will
be to hold out against the inspectors
hint, at any rate for time. It's clear
enough what he means. What he wants
is to be spared the trouble of having to
solve the mystery of the weapon, and
somebody seems to want to help him.
Who's that somebody"
~ can't imagine.
Exactly. Neither can I at present
but we must find that out In the first
place, is it a somebody at all, or is it
just dodge of our friend Borderham?
II he had ghost of an idea that any
thing Of the kind had been done, it's all
| on the cards he'd get such letter writ
ten to himself just to bounce MS into
throwing that trump card down ON the
table. 1t stands to common sense that
he'd give lot to get the difficulty Of
that dagger business cleared up, and if
he could show that it really was Lady
Walcote's dagger and not Miss Leyces-
ter's it would be a good enough thing
for him to conclude that Lady Walcote
was the person wanted. And, don't
make any mistake, that inspector would
give half his nose to spot the truth In
this thing. never saw a man keener.
He scents promotion in it, removal to a
busy center and reputation as a clever
spot mean, detective. know him"
His manner was in the highest de-
gree courteous to me" said Sir Jaffray
in reply.
"'Cause he's no fool, was the blunt
answer. He wants to stand well with
You, and, if anything is to be found out
that will pain you, to have 1t seem to be
forced out. But he's quite clever enough
to try to use you all the same, Sir
Jaffray. You see, he argues in this
way: If there's been any exchange Of
these daggers, he can brighten you to
go running off to your solicitor in the
fear that you may be involved AS some
sort of accessory
do you mean began the baronet
hurriedly, taking alarm for Beryls
sake at the others words and bursting
in with his interruption.
"Wait a moment, sir, please, and
try to hear what / have to say. He
wants to brighten you to go rushing Off
to tell some very respectable, steady
going solicitor all the facts, knowing
full well that such mans first advice
will be to you to take Borderham's hint
and make the change again while the
chance seems OPEN
If there is any possibility" inter-
rupted Sir Jaffray again, when his COM
panion cut him short once more:
Please, please, please allow me and
do try to hear me patiently. If you do
that, Borderham will not hesitate one
minute. He'll be off to the nearest ].
P. and get warrant for Lady Walcote's
arrest At present he has absolutely
nothing to go on, bar the fact Of her
ladyship's absence and the circumstance
that there was quarrel on the morn
ing of the day about her as the result Of
which you turned the Frenohman out
of the house. That's all the evidence
he's got, because we've got all the rest,
and at best it's only mere flimsy sus-
picion. But add the fact of the dagger
found in the mans heart being the
property of her ladyship, and you have
just that substantial evidence on which |
man can work and act. You see thatr"
Eyes, yes. OF course" assented the
baronet hurriedly.
Exactly. Well, then, if it's bounce, |
it's clear that you had better not give
the thing away yet. But I'm not dis
posed to think it's bounce. believe he
did receive a letter. "
well, but who could send such a
thing?"
Precisely. Well see about that
presently. First let us see what we
ought to do in this matter, supposingl
the letters genuine. What can he do?
He won't threaten you. He knows bet |
ter than to do that for personal reasons.
If you were poor and obscure indi-l
vidual, and if Miss Leyoester were
wretched, friendless girl, nothing would
be easier than to take you both by the
throat, SO to speak, and just shake the
knowledge out Of you. There's no
difference between rich and poor in the
eye of the law, you know, but there's
deal of difference between 'em in the