Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-21

furtiyely. My hostess had excused me from
dressing, but her daughter, neat in her
widows collar and cuffs, sat prim and up
right, her eyes now and then raised to
mine in undisguised inquisitiveness.
She was a trihe paler than heretofore, but
her pallor was probably rendered the more
noticeable by the dead black she wore. Her
hands seemed thin, and her fingers toyed
nervously Will her spoon in a manner which
betrayed a concealed agitation. outwardly,
however, 1 detected no extraordinary signs
Of either grief or anxiety. She spoke
calmly, it was true, in the tone of one upon
whom a great calamity had fallen, but that
was only natural. l did not expect to find
her bright, laughing and light-hearted, like
her old self in Richmond Road.
As dinner proceeded l began to believe
that with a fond mothers solicitude for her
daughters welfare Mrs. Mivert had slightly
exaggerated Mary's symptoms. They GER
tainly were not those of a woman plunged
in inconsolable grief, for she was neither
mopish nor artihcially gay. As far as
could detect. not even a single sigh escaped
her.
She inquired of Ethelwynn and Of the
Hennikers, remarking that she had seen
nothing OF them for over three weeks, and
then, when the servants had left the room,
she placed her elbows upon the table at the
risk of a breach OF good manners, and, rest
ing her chin upon her hands, looked me full
in the face, saying:
Now, tell me the truth, doctor. What
has been discovered regarding my poor hus-
bands death? Have the police obtained any
clue whatever TO the assassin?"
Monochrome whatever, / regret to say"
was my response.
They are useless-worse than uselessl"
she cried a~ngrily. They blundered from
the very first"
That's entirely my own opinion, dear"
her mother said. "Our police system now
adays is a mere farce, The foreigners are
far ahead Of us, even in the detection Of
crime. Surely the mystery of your poor
husbands death might have been solved if
they had worked assiduously."
Il believe that everything that could be
done has been done" l remarked. The
case was placed in the hands Of two of
the smartest and most experienced men at
Scotland Yard. with personal instructions
from the superintendent Of the criminal in
vestigation department to leave no stone
unturned in order to arrive at a successful
issue"
And what has been done?" asked the
young widow in a tone OF discomfort. why,
absolutely nothing. There has, / suppose.
been a p~retense at trying to solve the
mystery, but. finding 1t too diicult, they
have given II up and turned their atten-
ton to some other crime more open and
plain-sailing. I've no faith in the police
whatever. It's scandalous!"
| smiled, then said:
my friend, Amber Jevons-you know
him. for he dined at Richmond Road one
evening-has been most active in the af-
fair
But he's not a detective. How can he
expect to triumph where the police fail?"
He often does" / declared. His methods
are different from the hard and fast rules
followed by the police. He commences at
whatever point presents itself, and labori-
ously works backwards with & patience that
is absolutely extraordinary. He has IN
earthed a dozen crimes where Scotland Yard
has failed"
And he is engaged upon my poor hus-
bands case?" asked Mary, suddenly inter-
ested.
YES"
For what r~eason?"
"Well-beeause he is one Of those for
whom a mystery OF crime has a fascinating
attraction"
but he must have some motive in de-
voting time and patience to a matter which
does not concern him in the least" Mrs.
Mivart remarked.
Whatever is the motive. l can assure
you that 1t Is an entirely disinterested one
/ said.
But what has he diseOyeredG Tell me-,
Mary urged.