Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-25
Forms n BewiIderine Enigma.
XIV.

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YVES the only conclusion that could be ar
rived at in the circumstances, there being
no marks Of violence and no evidence to
show how the unfortunate lady got into the
Meme.
Amber Jevons, who had seen a brief
account Of the affair in the papers, arrived
hurriedly in time to attend the inquest;
therefore it was not until the inquiry was
over that we we're enabled to chat. His
appearance had changed during the weeks
of his absence; his face seemed thinner and
wore a worried, anxious expression.
well, Ralph, old fellow, this turns out
TO be a curious business, doesn't itP' he
exclaimed, when, after leaving the public
room Of the Golden Ball. wherein the in
quiry had been held, we had strolfed on
through the long struggling village Of
homely cottages with matched roofs and
out upon the white level highroad.
"Yes,' l admitted. "It's more than
curious. Frankly. l have a distinct sus-
picion that Mary was murdered"
That's exactly my own opinion" he ex-
claimed quickly. There's been foul play
somewhere. OF that I'm certain"
And do you agree with me, further. that
it is the outcome OF the tragedy at Kew"
Most certainly" he said. THAT. both
husband and wife should be murdered only
a few months after one another points to
motives of revenge. You'll remember how
nervous old Courtenay was. He went in
constant fear of his life. it was said. That
fact proves conclusively that he was aware
of some secret enemy"
Eyes. Now that you speak OF 1t, I recol-
lect it quite WELL" I remarked. adding:
But where, In the name of fortune. have
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weeks of silence?"
1--WE been travelling" he responded rather
vaguely. Nv been going about a lot"
And keeping watch on Ethelwynn during
part of the time 1 laughed.
"She told you, eh?" he exclaimed. rather
apprehensively. 81 didn't know that she
ever recognized me. But women are al
ways much sharper than men. Still, I'm
sorry that she recognized me-"
There's no harm corresponding you've
made some discovery regarding the seven
secrets that compose the mystery" I said.
Seven secrets!' he repeated thought
fully, and then was silent a few moments
as though counting to himself the various
points that required elucidation. Eyes"
he said at last. you're right, Ralph. there
are seven of them-seven of the most ex-
traordinary secrets that have ever been
presented to mortal being as part OF one
and the sam mystery"
He did not, of course, enumerate them
in his mind. as I had done. for he was not
aware of all the facts. The seven secrets,
as they presented themselves to me, were:
First, the identity of the secret assassin OF
Henry Courtenay; second, the secret man
ner in which that extraordinary wound had
been caused; third, the secret of Ethel
wynn, held by Sir Bernard; fourth. tho
secret motive of Ethelwynn in remaining
under the roof Of the man who had dis
carded her in favor of her sister; fifth. the
secret of Courtenay's temperance after
burial; sixth, the secret OF the distardly
attempt on my life by those rufians of Lis
son Grove: and seventh. the secret of Mary
Courtenay's death. Each and every one OF
the problems was inscrutable. Others, OF
which / was unaware, had probably &C.
Cured TO my friend. To him, just as to
me, the secrets we're seven.
"Now, be frank with me, Amber l said
after a long pause. you've gained knowl-
edge Of some of them, haven't you?'
By his manner I saw that he was in pos
session Of information of no ordinary char
acter.
He paused and slowly twisted his small
hua AhChoNhNhNs ~ ANoN 1oAAANNAh6s
Yes, Ralph, l have"
'"what have you discovered" 1 cried in
fierce eagerness. Tell me the result Of
your Inquiries regarding Ethelwynn. 1t IL
her connection with the affair which occu,
pies my chief-thoughts."
For the present, my dear fellow, W.
must leave her entirely out Of L" my
friend said, quietly. ITO tell you the truth
after announcing my intention to give III
the affair as a mystery impenetrable I SCI
to work and slowly formed a theory. TheI
l drew up a deliberate plan of campaign
which I carried out in its entirety"
And the result?"
Its result" he laughed. "WeIl, wheI
} IL spent several anxious weeks in makinl
the most careful inquiries I found, to m!
chasrin, that I was upon an entirely wronl
scent, and that the person / suspected o
being the assassin at Kew was innocent
There was no help for 1t but to begin al
/, over again. and / did so. My inquiries thei
led me in an entirely opposite direction.
/ followed my new and somewhat startling
T theory and found to my satisfaction tina
/ had at length struck the right trail
Through a whole fortnight I worked on
night and day. often snatching a few hour
OF sleep in railway carriages. and some
times watching throngs the whole night
for when one pursues inquiries alone II I
frequently imperative TO keep a watchfu
vigil. To Bath, to Hereford TO Edinburgh
to Birmingham, to Newcastle, and also {
I several places far distant in the south O
=, England, I travelled In rapid succession
4 until at last | found a clue, but one s
extraordinary that at first / could not Civ
! 1t credence. Ten days have passed, an
: even now ! refuse to believe that such
e thing could be. I'm absolutely bewiIdere
. by IT,"
Then you believe that you've at las
e gained the key to the mystery" / SAID
eagerly drinking in his words.
v 1T seems as though I have. Yet my IN
5 formation is so very vague and shadow
that l can really form no decisive opinion
y II Is this mysterious death Of Mrs. Courte
Q nay that has utterly upset all my theories
= Tell me plainly. Ralph, what causes you I
suspect foul play? This is not a time 10
y prevarication. We must be open an
STRAIGHTFORWARD to each other. Tell me N
II absolute truth"
. Should l tell him frankly OF the amazln
discovery l had made? feared TO do q
" lest he should laugh me 10 scorn. tn
ID SEXUAL existence OF Courtenay seemed "a
incredible. And yet as he was working
solve the problem. just as I was. theI
81 seemed every reason why We should I
aware OF each others discoveries. We ha