Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-03-09

that any 12 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 we'll
enough.
1t was the pendant of 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
businesslike way and tone:
'There is one other thing | should
like to have done, more unprofessional
still, but dared not 60 SO far. l want.
ed to bring away the dagger. This mur.
der's been done with a dagger that has
enough character in it to hang regi-
ment of soldiers. don't suppose that
there's another like it in all the blessed
country. Bat couldn't touch it, 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 a 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 rp to. So | had to leave it. "
"What was it 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 a smallish affair, but very dead
", should say. The haft is 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 slouch 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 / should know it again out of co..
OO0."
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 we'll
Like the bracelet, it had been bought
when Oh 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 Leycester 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 60. There's lot to do. |
thought I'd better bring these two
things here" he said, pointing to the
bit of lace and the little gold trinket,
"and 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. I shall
want that, and you'd better say nothing
about it. l suppose you want Inc to go
on with the matter, Sir Jaffray?" And
he looked up as if waiting for instruc-
tions.
eyes, you must 60 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
the Frenchman.
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 tell
anything of what you find out to any
one else. Your fees will be paid by Inc. "
The mans eyes cleaned i'll an instant
with a sort of restrained avarice.
Il have done MY best. Sir Jaffray.
know the extreme pain and trouble
which may often be saved by a little
silence If you will excuse me now, !
will 20. You know all so far. / had
better be out and doing, because the po-
lice make such mistakes ut times. "
He took his hat and went away, and
Sir Jaffray aud Beryl remained aghast