Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-09-25

leave the house on account of my poor
uncle. Then l went over the keys to
the different doors by an old list we
had left by the man who had the place
before my uncle, and 1t was then I
missed the key. and remembered that
l had not seen it for long time"
Sir Neville made few notes before
he went on.
Before you missed the key you had
had suspicious, of course!'
Nell bowed her head in assent.
"YOu need not think" said the mag
istratc, sharply, that your making a
frank admission of your suspicious
can do the lady any harm. We should
get at the truth somehow, you may be
quite sure
81 am telling you all l know" said
Nell, simply.
She herself saw that no concealment
was possible any longer. And surely
if Miss Bostal were really found gull
ty OF such unlikely crimes she must
have been mad when she committed
them.
when did the idea that Miss Bostal
committed the thefts come into your
mind for the first timc:'
Even now the remembrance Of the
on that memorable occasion caused a
frown of pain and distress to contract
Ncll's pretty features.
".Jcm Stickcls-the fisherman who"
She stopped.
"Who was murdered. Yes, yes
"IIc told me he-had seen the thief"
eyes. That came out at the inquest.
Wcll?"
"IIc told me that the thief was Miss
Bostal; that he had seen her come out
of the inn on the night that an attempt
was made to rob Mr.. Hemmng.'
when did he tell you this?"
"Gn the afternoon of the next day"
"Why did you not say this at the in
quest? Why did you let it be thought
he meant he had seen your
Il was IN great difficulty. l didn
know what to think, even then.
had always thought Miss Theodore so
good, and besidcs she had been so kind
to me, that didn't know what to be-
lievc myself. 1t was all so dreadful
and l asked myself what she could do
such things for. Besides, her manner
when ! told he" Jem Stickcls had
threatened to tell the police was so
cool She didn't seem to be in the
least concerned about 1t. How couii
| suppose 1t was because she meant to
get him out OF the way? Oh, | can't
believe 1t even now, l can't | can't.
Why should she do 1t, unless she was
mad? And there never seemed TO be
trace of madness about her. always
thought she was very clever
Sir Neville smiled little at her in
gcnuouSncSs. Nell herself might not
be very clever, but assuredly she was
n loyal-hearted friend, to bear the OBJ
loquy which the affair had cast upon
her. without Il thought of clearing her.
self by bctraying her friend.
But this was not, of course, the ofli-
cial view, which was the view he was
bound to take. He coughcd severely.
ANA gave her keen look.
Don't YOU think" he said, "that you
were bound, in the interests of justice.
to he more frank?'
"Oh, sir does one help the interests
of Justice against ones fricnds!'
zone ought to-" was the prompt re-
ply.
"And then. too, nobody asked m"
any questions implying any doubts OF
her. They took it for granted that
was the thief, the jury did, and every
body. You remember that, don't you!'
Yes, Sir Neville did remember that.
And looking at the candid and swee!
face in front of him he wondered how
his brother magistrates had been such
asses, and he forgot tnat he had been
enc of those asses himself.
"Well," he said, in more pompour
manner than ever, you really gave
your evidence 50 very badly, with such
an apparent absence OF straightfOr-
wardness, that there was some excuse
for their mistake
ut was because l was so miserable,
sir, more miserable than anybody, be-
cause in . sort of way l knew th"
truth"
"You should hav" let the jury know
ii, too
"Sir, ii it had been only the thefts I
would have done so," answered she,
earnestly. II was in so much trouble
with my suspicious that I had asked
one Of my friends"-her blush be-
trayed ner-"to come and see me, that
| might ask his advice about 1t. But
before l had time to tell him wat ]
was afraid of the murder happened.
And then didn't dare"
"Well, well, it was a great pity"
said Sir Neville. you would have
saved yourself lot Of misery, and 1t
would have done the lady no harm. ss
YOU see. And now l want some infor-
nation, If you please, as to the night
OF the murder. Did you, or did you
not, hear any one go out OF the bouse
or come in, when you had come back
with Miss Bostal from your visit to
Jem Stickeis at his lodgings!'
Odd hear something falt"r"d
Nell.
"What was it?"
almost as soon as Miss Bostal left
me In the kitchen ] heard the back
door open and shut.
"Ah! Did you 60 to see who it was
hat had opened tho door"
NO"
Il suppose you had some idea in
gour mind about the sounds. What
WAS it?"
To be Continued