The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19

rand's interest in her, she hands over
the diamond hidden in her rolled-up
gloves, which he, without suspicion,
carries away with him, thus linking
himself indissolubly to great crime of
which another was the perpetrator. That
heart of hearts, was the man I saw
leaning against the wall at the foot Of
the alcove few minutes before passed
into the supper-room.
I stopped with gasp, hardly able
to meet the stern and forbidding look
with which the inspector sought to re-
strain what he evidently considered the
senseless rawlings of child. ? But 1 had
come there to speak and / hastily pro-
ceeded before the rebuke thus expressed
could formulate itself into words.
, "I have some excuse for declara-
tion so monstrous. Perhaps 1 am the
only person who can satisfy you in re-
gard to a certain fact about which you
have expressed some curiosity. 1nspec-
tor, have you ever solved the mystery of
the two broken teacups found amongst
the debris at Mrs. Fairbrother's feet9"
,"Not yet,' he cried, "but- You
cannot tell me anything about them!'
"Possibly not. But I can tell, you
door that evening I looked back and,
providentially or otherwise-only the
future can determine that-detected Mr..
Grey in the act of lifting two cups from
tray left by some waiter on a table
standing Just outside the reception-room
door. I did not see where he carried
them; [ only saw his face turn towards
the alcove; and as there was no other
lady there, or anywhere near there, l
have dared to think
Here the inspector found speech.
"You saw Mr.. Grey lift two cups and
turn toward the alcove at a moment we
all know to have been critical? You
should have told me this before. He
may be a possible witness.'
I scarcely listened. I was too full of
my own argument.
"There were other people in the hall,
especially at my end of it. A perfect
throng was coming from the billiard
room, where the dancing had been, and
enter and leave that secluded spot with
out attracting attention. He had shown
, too early and much too unmistakably
his lack of interest in the general COM
pany for his every movement to be
watched as at his first arrival. But this
is simple conjecture; what I have to
: say next Is evidence. The stiletto-
nave you stuuleu IL, Sll2 nave, lfoH
. the pictures. It is very quaint: and
among the devices on the handle is one
r that especially attracted my attention.
Y See! This is what | mean.' And I
o handed him drawing which I had
t made with some care in expectation of
this very interview.
He surveyed it with some astonish
;. ment.
q ~ underestimate I pursued in tremb
f ling tones, for I was much afflicted by
v my own daring, "that no one has sc
n far succeeded in tracing this weapon
d to its owner. Why didn It your expert:
a houses9 They would have found that
l. this one is not unknown in England:
4 can tell you on whose blazon it can otter
q be seen, and so could-Mr. Grey
Q I was not the only one to tremble
e now. This man Of infinite experience
l. and daily contact with crime haC
r turned as pale as even I had done my
'e CT will see about this,'' he muttered
it crumpling the paper in his hand. "Bu
II this is a very terrible business you ar
plunging me into. I sincerely hope tina
E. you are not heedlessly misleading me. ,
10 10 'sI am correct in my facts, if that i
" what you mean,' said I. 1.-THE stilett
~ is an English heirloom, and bears o.
>. its blade, among other devices, that o
: Mr.. Grey's family on the female side
:, But that is not all I want to say. [
q the blow was struck to obtain the dia
- mond, the shock of not finding it o.
~ his victim must have been terrible. Nov
w w Mr.. Grey's heart, if my whole theory
~, ~ not utterly false, was set upon obtain
W ~ ing this stone. Your eye yas not o.
~ him, as mine was, when you made you
20 20 appearance in the hall with the recov
d. d. cred jewel. He showed astonishment
:. eaeerness and a determination whic
II finally led him forward as you know
~ with the request to take the damon
y: in his hand. Why did he want to tax
10 10 it in his hand7 And why, having take
70 it, did he drop it-a diamond suppose
aa' a' to be worth an ordinary mans fortune
20 Because he was startled by a cry b
~ chose to consider the traditional on
81, 81 of his family proclaiming death? Is
* likely, sir7 Is it conceivable even tha
Nc ~. any such cry as we heard could in tn
u ~ day and generation, ring thru such a
" " assemblage, unless it came with vel
at triloouist's power from his own lips
nss tis You observed that he turned his back
~ that his face was hidden from us. Di
rs is Greet and reticent as we have all bee
~ ne and careful in our criticisms of s
81 81, bizarre an event, there still must /
III many to question the reality of sue
~ superstitious fears, and some to ask
an such a sound could be without hums
NV ~, agency, and a very guilty agency to
ny Inspector, I am but child, in your est
81 nation, and I feel my position in tn
- matter, much more keenly than yoursel
eae, but I would not be true to the me-
as whom I have unwittingly helped
m aus place in his present unenviable positit
tp. if I did not tell you that, in my iud
ISL ISL ment, this cry was spurious one, ell
me ployed by the gentleman himself as {
9ct excuse for dropping the stone.'
'ne ae "And why should he wish to dr'
10 the stonef'
)u- (To be continued next Sunday.)