The Portland daily press., 1898-04-01
SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAP

TIERS.
Chapters l. & II.-Deedes, a conf
Dental clerk in Government office re-
ceives despatch from Berlin, and his
chief, the Earl of Warnham, Her Majesty S
Principal Foreign Secretary, directs him
to seal it UP. He does sc and places it in
his pocket. He lunches with Dudley
Ogle, an old college chum, and afterwards
delivers the despatch to the Earl. In the
evening they dine at the Nook, with
Mrs. Laing, to whose daughter Decides
is engaged He is somewhat jealous of
the attentions of an old mau named
Andrew Beck. A telegram in cypher
alarms Decides, and he ssabout to leave
for London when he stumbles over the
dead body of his friend, Dudley Ogle, ly-
ing in the path.
Chapters III. Il IV.-Leaving the dead
body OF his friend to await an inquest,
Decides hurries home to learn the start
ling news that he is accused as spy by
his chief, who informs him that the
document entrusted to him has been
stolen, the envelope handed back to the
Earl containing nothing but blank
paper. At the same time Geographic
espatch informs them that Russia is on
on the point of declaring war against
England in consequence of the secret des-
patch being known to tho Russian Gov
ernment.
Chapters V. & VI.-Lord Warnham
persists in accusing Decides with being q
SOY, and renders him almost speeches.
by producing the original of telegram
apparently in Decides handwriting which
had been handed in at the Strand Post
Office, and which contained the full
text of the secret document His Lord
ship also stated that to make the docu-
ment still safer he removed 1t to his own
house, and afterwards restored 1T to the
safe. Lord Warnham oismisses him from
his presence Decides afterwards dis
covers in conversation with an old Cos
sip in the village of Warnham that Ogle
and Miss Laing have been in the neigh
bourhood meeting each other secretly, and
evidently devising deep-l9id scheme
Decides is summoned to give evidence
at the coroner's inquest, and whilst there,
just before being sworn, he observes an
article on the table which rivets his
attention, and he Is dumbfounded by an
amazing discovery that staggers belief.
Chapters VII. & VIII.-At the inquest
Decides and others give evidence, and Ella,
who is present, declares her belief that
Ogle has been murdered. An open YER
dict is returned. At subsequent inter-
view between Decides and Ella, the latter
begs of him to forgive her, saying that
what she has done was in his interest,
and she Is determined to discover Ogle' S
murderer. Decides then asks her II Ogle
was In pecuniary difficulties, at the same
moment showing her brass seal which
was found among the deceased's trinkets
on the ooroner's table. 1t is an exact
counterpart of the Earl of Warnham's seal,
and with which the false envelope bearing
the secret Russian despatch was sealed.
Ella is unable to reply.
Chapter TX.
THE BOND OF SECRECY.
1 held the small brass stamp towards
her inviting her to examine it, but she
shrank back with an expression of terror
and repulsion, refusing to touch it.
"Have you ever seen Dudley with this
in his hand?" 1 asked, repeating my
question seriously. determined upon learn
ing the truth.
HWhere did you find itP' she inquired,
a look of bewi1dermeEt upon her haggard
face.
You have not answered my question,
Ella said seriously.
"Your question? All - she cried, as if
in sudden remembrance of my words. %
Il have never seen Dudley with it, II
swear haven't.
SIS that the absolute TRUTH" l asked
in doubt.
"The truth r' she echoed. "Did I not,
moment ago, promise you | would
never again deceive you by word or &C.
me?" she asked, in tone Of mingled re-
greet and reproaoh. But this was found
in Dudley's possession, said, holding it
nearer my gaze, and detecting in the
bright sunlight streaming through the
window small portions Of black wax still
adhering TO the cleyerly cut coat of arms,
Black wax, I remembered. had been used
to secure the dummy envelope.
"And even if that were SO, is it such a
very remarkable fact that man SHOULD
carry seal?' she asked suddenly, raising
her brows and assuming well-feigned
air of surprise. At that instant 1t CO.
Cured to me that she was an adept in
preserving mystery; she could spractice
deception with versimilitude little short
of marvellous
"But this, :" 1 observed, t'is no ordinary
SEAL"
at looks ordinary enough" she an
swered, smiling. 'It's only brass -
"But its discovery forms clue to a
most serious and startling crime, - said.
ga crime!'' she gasped. What do you
m eanf Dudley's murder?"
did not fail to notice that she used
the word "murder" as if she had absolute
proof that death had not been due to
natural causes. Yet the effect of my an
sudden apprehension. She strove to ap-
pear amazed, bat thought could detect
in her attitude and bearing fear that l
had knowledge of her secret.
sit is most probably connected with
that tragic event" answered meaningly
looking her straight in the face. 1.-The
police will no doubt pursue their investi-
cations, and clear up the matter.
1.-THE police - she whispered hoarsely,
just as Mrs. Lining had done when the
officers had entered her house. "Do you
think they will discover the cause of
poor Dudley's death?"
81 cannot say" 1 answered calmly.
"They will, however, discover the reason
he had this seal in his possession.
II tell you it was not his-I mean l
never saw him with it," she protested.
"But he may have had it in his pocket
and not shown it to you. Indeed. there
were reasons that he should not do SO be-
cause it was used for a nefarious purpose.
"For wbat?" she asked, suddenly evinc-
ing an interest in the stamp, taking it
from my hand and examining it closely.
1t was on my tongue to relate to her the
whole circumstances, but suddenly re-
mem boring that for the present the secret
of England peril must be preserved if
the identity of the spy was to be discov-
cred, RETAINED, and answered.