Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-10-05

don. And you saw Mrs. Jersey 2" "I saw her body. She was dead" At what time was that?" About 12 o'clock"
 "Why did you not give the alarm?''
 "What7" George smiled derisively. You think should have put the rope round my neck?"
 NO, but--well, no matter. We can talk of that later But as to getting out of this room when the door was lock- cdr"
 T didn't get out of this room, Mir. Bawdsey. I"-
 "Wait a bit. Come into the room ing the way. T have made discov- cry"
 The bedroom was in the same con ditlon as when Brendon had last seen 1t, with the exception thab the ward robe was moved to one side. The wall at the back, which divided the room from the passage, appeared blank, but on touching spring a masked door opened. Shelves were revealed and 1t was evident that this door form cd the back of a cupboard that was in the passage q cupboard used by the housemaid, as was apparent from the dust shovel and brooms lying within 1t. For a moment Bawdsey left the door opcf- md looked at Brendon with l quiet triumph. Then he snapped the | door to and the wall appeared in its 1 former blank condition. No one, with out making close examination, would have suspected the presence of that | s.7 A.vhA the cupboard door in the passage at any tiine," explained Mir. Bawdsey, ac- counting for his action, "and it would never do for her to look through the back of the shelves into this room. She might talk, MT. Brendon, and then there would be trouble. Yes'-Bawd- l sey rubbed his nose and looked at the astonished George-"I am sure there would be great trouble"
 T congratulate you on your clever ness, MT. Bawdsey," said Brendon when he had somewhat recovered. "You have discovered my secret. I should like to know how you discov- cred it."
 "Well," said Bawdsey, pushing the wardrobe back to its place with m ef- fort, 'you see when learned through the advertisement that George Bren- l don was the grandson of Lord Derring- ton told him of 1t. He related your history"
 Including the murder of my fa- ther?'
 "Yes, including that" replied Bawd- l sey, with queer expression. ''but that has nothing to do with the matter in hand, MT. Brendon."
 "I'm not so sure," retorted George. 'T should not be at all surprised to find that Mrs. Jersey was murdered to keep her quiet on that point"
 "How do you make that out?"
 "Well, she was in San Reno at the l time my father was murdered. She loved him, and dare say, in spite of having been discharged, watched him. She might know who the lady in blue But I forgot, you are ignorant of all these things"
 Not at all Don't I tell you that I Lord Derringtvn told me the whole l story? I see what you mean. You l think that Mrs. Jersey might know who killed your father, and for the l sake of shutting her up the assassin 1 committed the second murder.s
 That Is my idea,'' said George cool ly.
 "It's ingenious, but 1t won't hold wa ter. However, we can talk of that on another occasion. Tn the meantime wish to tell you how discovered the secret door"
 There's no need to. Darlington told you that knew this house, as my grandfather had brought me up in it. When you knew through Mrs. Ward that had passed a night here and learned through her, by means of Train, that the yellow holly berry had been you set to work to lind out how es- capped from this room. You knew that Train had locked the door"
 "Yes," answered Bawdsey, The told Mrs. Ward that"
 'He seems to have told her every thing. However, to make a long story short, you hunted for an exit and you found it."
 That's so," replied Bawdsey quietly. "And now we had better return to the sitting room and talk over the matter quietly"
 "One moment" said George, "have you told Lord Darlington or Mrs. Ward of this discovery? ?"
 "No, and won't tell them, either. wish to get you out of trouble, Mir. Brendon. They haven't the least idea that you could leave the room, and the impression with them is that Train is screening you. If am to help you l must know all"
 "Then you shall know whatever I can tell you.' George hesitated. and \ Bawdsey guessed that he was not go- ing to be so frank as was necessary. However, he made no remark, and Brendon continued: T came to this house to see Mrs. Jersey and get the truth out of her. 1t was my iptention to speak to her the next morning. How ever, in the drawing room she stated that she wished the company to dis ! perse at 10 o'clock, as she had business to attend to. Also, she came up to this i r .H A.lA