Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-06-14
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
That night Marland. the detective.
who had gone to London with the idea
of following mp some real or fancied clew.
was telcgraphed for. On reaching l.orn
Abbey In the morning of the next day,
we could see it was blow to him to
learn suddenly that in great probability
the body of Miss wynne had been found
in the moat.
The coroncr's inquest was to be held
immediately. and 1t was granted as a
matter of courtesy to Sir Wilfrid Amory
that it should be held in his house.
The important witnesses to be called
were Uncle Wilfrid. uayncs-1Iaviland,
Jerome. the Anncslcys. the policeman
who had superintendent the dragging of
the moat. Miss Hope and myself.
There was no use in Disgusting the fact
from ourselves that. taking the already
known evidence into consideration. sus-
picion would point towards the Woman
In Gray.
The coroncr's inquest was set for IL
o'clock on the second day after the dis
covery Of the body In the mont. The
jury sat in the great library, and
throughout the house there seemed to be
a solemn hush when II was known that,
one by one, the twelve men were view
ing the thing which lay in grim state In
the billiard room.
II was Jeromc's evidence which |
dreaded most. as feared that his vindic-
tive feeling against Miss Hope might
lead him to misreprcscnt words q actual
occurrences. Never did time pass 80
slowly: but at last he came out, and
Miss Hope was called In his place.
Suddenly my meditations were broken
In upon by knock at the door. which !
opened. and found Miss Traill, flushed.
excited. sparkling.eyed.
Here Is something for you," she said.
Read tit will explain itself. Nou
may thank me another time"
She was gone before I could reply. and
I opened the paper and began reading.
1t was n strange documcnt-strange as
the writer herself.
Notes taken during the progress Of
the coroncr's inquest at Lorn Abbey
the scrccd bcgan-"in the book.cupboard
between the library and Sir Wilfrid's
smoking room. A woman circumycnts
the coroner and his men. Miss Naomi
Trail. anxious to inform herself. and
willing because OF her gratitude to MIR.
Terence DarkmOre for certain favOrs e,
received. to satisfy his curiosity, estab.
fishes herself at the kcyhole, having first
concealed herself from observation In the
said book-cupboard. When all Is safe she
lights a small night lamp. brought for the
purpose, which will assist her to write.
This she will do from time 10 time. dur
ing the questioning Of less important wit.
ncsscs. or pauses for whispered consulta-
ton among the jurymen.
'''ren minutes later. Evidence has been
given regarding the finding Of the body.
Nothing discriminating for G. II.
has told OF his engagement to Miss
Wynne. Has said that she feared and
Gisliked Consuclo. Believed Consuclo
had a secret. which Mis- Wynne wished
to find cunt. and save her uncle from an
impostor. Sir Wilfrid called.
lie is the first to suggest that the body
may not be that Of his niece.
"Ah. ha! now comes the test. Here
Is little jerome! Swears he has idcnti-
fled the corpse. Noticed the rings on
Miss Wynne's hand just before she went
ont on Sunday. She invariably wore five
on the left hand, four on the third finger,
including the ring of her betrOthal TO Mr..
Terence DarkmOre-which she had not
removed though he, Jerome, was aware
she was no longer engaged to her cousin
and q small one on the little finger.
"lie had often noticed the pearl glove
on the left hand Of Miss Hope, and his
curiosity had been excited by It. He had
never seen Miss Hope when the glove
was absent. To the best Of his belief she
wore 1t continually. He would swear
that the torn fragment Of pearl beads
and threads found In the bosom OF the
gown worn by the dead woman had been
portion Of this glove.
This Is the worst piece OF evidence yet
for Z. ii. Things are looking very black
for her.
jerome gone. COnsuelo called.
"COnsuelO telling her story. She ad.
mits the quarrel. She admits everything.
cannot wait here longer, but already !
see the verdict In those twelve pairs Of
solemn eyes"
Hardly had my eyes dcvourcd the last
line when my own call came to stand
where Consuclo had lately stood.
knew that what l had to say might
mean life or death for the woman ! low.
cd. SO thinking, l scarcely heard the
first question put to me by the coroner
after had kissed the sacred book. With
an effort, l pulled myself together.
Have you seen the body found two
days ago In the mOat belonging to this
estatey" the coroner asked.
II have | answered firmly.
did you recognize 1t rs that Of your
cousin. Miss Paula Wynney"
II did not so recognize it,"
"Do you intend the jury to understand
that you are not able to swear to the
identity, or that you have reasons for be-
licying 1t to he the body Of some one
elseI'
II mean that am sure 1t Is not that
of my cousin"
"Please give your reasons for making