Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-08-26

-terest in the man most threatened by
my visit. Was 1t, could it be, on her
own account? Recalling what ha6
heard whispered about the station con.
corning a maid Of the Jeffreys who al.
ways seemed on the point of saying
something which never really left her
lips. stopped her as she was about to
slip upstairs and quietly asked:
Are you LorettaT
The way she turned, the way she
looked at me, Us she gave me q short
ainrmative and then quickly proceed.
ed on her way, convinced me that my
colleagues We're right as to her being q
woman who had some cause for dread.
Ing police interference l instantly
made up my mind that here was q
mine to be worked and that I knew
just the demure little soul best equip.
ped to act the part Of miner.
In moment she came back, and ]
had a chance to note again her pretty
but expressiOnless features, among
which the restless eyes alone bespoke
character or decision.
Mr.. Jeffrey Is in the back room
upstairs" she announced. HE says
for you to come up"
''Is 1t the room Mrs. jeffrey used to
occupyT' asked, with open curiosity
as passed her.
An involuntary shudder proved that
she was not without feeling. So did
the quick disclaimer:
mo, no! Those rooms are closed
He occupies the one Miss Tuttle had
before she went away"
"Oh, then, Miss Tuttle Is goneT
Loretta disdained to answer. She
had already said enough to cause hel
to bite her lip as she disappeared down
the basement stair. Decidedly the boys
were right. An uneasy feeling followed
any conversation with this girl. Yet
while there was slyness in her man.
ner, there was q certain frank honesty
visible in 1t, too, which caused me to
think that II she could ever be made to
speak her evidence could be relied on.
Mr.. jeffrey was sitting with his
back to the door when I entered, but
turned as l spoke his name and held
out his hand for the note I carried. He
appeared to shrink from observation
and shifted uneasily as long as stood
In front Of him, though he said nothing
and did not lift bis eyes from the letter
he was perusing till he heard me step
back to the door l had purposely left
open and softly closed it Then he
glanced up with a keen If not an
alarmed look. which seemed an exag.
gerated one for the occasion-that IL,
II he had no secret to keep.
do you suffer 30 from draftsT he
asked, rising In way which in Itself
was a dismissal.
with the simple directness I thought
most likely to win me his confidence,
entered straight upon my business in
these plain words:
Pardon me, Mr.. jeffrey, I have
something to say which is not exactly
fitted for the ears Of servants" Then
as he pushed his chair suddenly back
I added reassuringly: 1T Is not q DO
lice matter, sir. but an entirely per.
sonal one. 1t may strike you as i'm.
portant, and 1t may not. Mr.. jeffrey,
was the man who made the unhappy
discovery In the Moore mansion which
has plunged this house into mourning"
This announcement startled him and
produced a visible change in his man
ner. His eyes few frst to one door
and then to another. as II it were he
who feared intrusion now.
II beg your pardon for speaking on
so painful topic" went on as soon
as saw he was ready to listen to me.
my excuse is that came upon a lit
tie thing that same night which I have
not thought Of sufficient importance to
mention to any one else, but which It
may interest you to hear about"
Here I took from book I held q
piece Of blotting paper. 1t was white
on one side and blue on the other. The
white side had thickly chalked.
though this was not apparent. Laying
down this piece Of blotting paper,
chalked side up. on the end of q large
table near which we were standing, /
took out an envelope from my pocket
and, shaking it gently to and fro, re-
marked:
I'm an upper room of the Moore
house-you remember the southwest
chamber. STRIP
An. didn't he! There was no mis-
doubling the quick emotion-the
shrinking and the alarm with which