The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-03

| "A little 100 mucn SO. IL seemed 10 ne
 that her mistress allowed her to take
 great liberties. Still, of course in Ameri- ca they look upon these things in dif- ferent way"
 How long did she speak to this Alice?''
 "Oh a few minutes. l had something else to think of"
 You did not overhear what they said?n
 Lady St. simon said something about i to use slang of the kind. l have no idea what she meant"
 American slang is very expressive sometimes. And what did your wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?"
 "She walked into the breakfast-room." ]"
 "On your arm?"
 No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. Then, after
 we had sat down for ten minutes or SO, she rose hurriedly, muttqed some words of apology, and left the room. She never
 came back
 But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to her room, cov- cred her brides dress with a long ulster, put on a bonnet and went out"
 Quite so. And she was afterward seen walking into Hyde Park in company with Flora Millar. a woman who is now in custody. and who had already made a disturbance at MT. Dorans house that morning."
 Ar yes. should like a few particu- lars as to this young lady and your re-
 lations to her"
 Lord St. Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. We have been on a friendly footing for some years l may say on a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro I have
 not treated her ungenerously and she hos s,.-4 .f .laf., s,t
 me. but you know what women are, MT. Holmes. Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed. and devot- edly attached to me. She wrote me dread full letters when she heard that I was
 about to be married; and. to tell the truth,
 the reason why I had the marriage cele- brated so quietly was that I feared lest 1 there might be a scandal in the church. She came to MT. Dorans door just after
 we returned, and she endeaYored to push her way in, uttering very abusive ex-
 pressions toward my wife and even
 threatening her; but had foreseen the
 possibility of something of the sort and had two police fellows there in private clothes, who soon pushed her out again. She was quiet when she saw that there i was no good In making rotv. Did your wife hear all this?' "No, thank goodness, she did not.' And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwardY 'rYes, that is what Mir. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard. looks upon as so serious. It Is thought that Flora deeoyed my wife out and laid some terrible trap for her. Well, it is a possible supposition.' You think so, too?" 'I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon this as likely?'
 'I do not think Flora would hurt
 fly"
 aStilI, jealousy is strange transformer
 of character. Pray what is your own the
 ory as to what took placer Well really, I came to seek a theory, not to propound one. 1 have given you all | the facts. Since you ask me however, l l may say that 1t has occurred to me as | possible that the excitement of this affair, 1 the consciousness that she had made so 1 immense a social stride, had the effect i of causing some little nervous disturbance 1 in my wife,
 "In short, that she had become sud- I denly deranged?'
 Well, really. when I consider that she l has turned her baelS-1 will not say upon l me, but upon so much that many have
 aspired to without successs--I can hardly l explain it in any other fashion, | Well, certainly that is also con | ceivable hypothesis" said Holmes, smil- ing. And now. Yord St. Simon l think that I have nearly all my data. May ask whether you were SedIeu aI lhe DitdhldSt table so that you could see out of the
 window?"
 we could see the other side of the road and the park
 Quite so. Then do not think that need to detain you longer. I shall communicate with you" "Should you be fortunate enough to l solve this problem" said our client, ris- ing.
 sI have solved it." "Eh? What was that?" q say that I have solved 1t" "where,y then, Is my wife, "That is a detail which I shall speed | fly supply"
 Lord St. Simon shook his head. 'I am afraid that it will take wiser heads than yours or mine" he remarked. and. bow ing in stately old-fashioned manner.