The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-05-13

sheets Of foolscap whereon attempts
had been made, and successfully, too,
to initiate my handwriting, explain
ing where had discovered them.
These he also examined very infinitely,
giving vent to a low grunt as was
habitual to him when treasured.
Anything more?" he asked impa-
tiently. Il can't waste time. The
outlook is too serious"
"But you must-you shall spare time
to fully investigate this mystery"
cried. you will remember that the
dummy envelope you took from your
safe bore an imitation of your private
seal?"
Eyes. What Of that?"
Here is the seal with which that
impression was made" replied in
triumph, handing to him the little
brass stamp Il have had the por-
tions of wax microscopically examin-
ed and they are Of the same wax as
was used to seal the dummy"
He took it between his thin fingers,
that now trembled with excitement.
The production of this object, was saw,
entirely unexpected. Suddenly rising
from his chair he unlocked his great
safe and took therefrom the dummy
envelope. Then, returning to his ia
BILE, he lit a taper and carefully made
an impression in wax of the seal had
given him, afterward taking it to the
light, and by the aid of large mag
nifying glass compared it closely with
the seal upon the dummy.
And where did you find this SCALP
he inquired, glancing across to me.
Among the contents Of the dead
mans pockets" l answered.
Impossible" he retorted. "The po-
lice have possession of everything
found on the man."
Eyes, they had, but this came into
my possession yesterday at the in
| quest"
"How?"
hesitated, then, determined to con-
ceal no fact from the great statesman
answered boldly: Il stole it from
the table wherein it was displayed"
"Stole it," he echoed. Slowly he
| turned the brass stamp over in lis
| hand, as if deep in thought; then
with brows knit in anger, he looked
me straight in the face, exclaimins
! bluntly:
"Your story is an absolute tissue Of
lies from beginning to end"
His words startled me. l had ex.
pected him to be eager to further probe
the mystery, and try and elucidate the
manner in which Dudley had manu-
featured the dummy and exchanged il
for the secret convention. Instead o.
this he was distrustful and suspicious
indeed, he boldly accused me of at
tempting to wilfully mislead him ant
conceal the truth.
81 have told you no lies. Ever,
word I have uttered is the truth"
answered, with fierce indignation.
"You certainly never obtained pos
session of this seal in the manner IL
which you would have me believe, To-
the detectives sent to Staines hat
strict instructions to search for an.
object that would lead them to sup
pose the dead man was not what h
represented himself to be, and
made a special request that any seal
discovered might be submitted to m
for examination. If this had been il
the dead mans pockets it would hav
been brought to NE
"But l tell you it was among tn
articles found upon him. picked i
up from the Coroner's table, and, fine
ing it was not missed, brought it
you, rather than inform the police {
our suspicious, which I understoo
you desired should, for the present, |
kept secret"
81 do not believe you." he retorte,
angrily.
ASK whoever searched the bod
and they will no doubt remember firt
ing the SEAL" l answered.
st is quite unnecessary" he e.
claimed.
Unnecessary? Why?"
: Because l don't believe one word I
this elegantly romantic story
yours"
{ But have brought you evident
in black and white that Ogle was
spy" cried.
Evidence of Sort" he answert
carelessly, returning to his table al
sinking into his arm chair. ~Ye
have brought these things to me In o
der to induce me to believe that the
were in the dead mans possession ii
stead of where they really were,
! your own"
ut is false" l protested, flushing
his base and logged insinuations.
$50 is this elaborate so-called ev
e swered.
in what way?" l demanded.
'You wish to know" he erie
well, l will tell you. First, the pas
port is forged enc, and was new
8 written in st. Petersburg"
: ''Why?" l cried in dismays "Ho
: can you tell?"
Because its water-mark shows
l to be English paper, whereas all Ru
sian official paper, as this is suppos
: to be, is manufactured by Yarono
ski, of Moscow, and bears his name"
This fact had never occurred to n
d and taking up the paper l examin
the water-mark, finding to my su
y prise the name of well-known En-
5 lish mill.
: Then the attempts at imitatil
J. your handwriting are quite as unsatl
: factory" he went on. Indeed, ha
no proof that all those letters al
e words have not been made by you
: self"
d They have not" / protested. ~
seem determined not to believe IN