Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-26

How can we return it?' Holmes muttered. "Quick, quick, we must think of some way! Where is the dispatch box?'
 Still in his bedroom
 | What stroke of luck! Quick, madam, bring it herep'
 A moment later she had appeared with red, fiat box in her hand. | How did you open it before? You have duplicate key? Yes, of course you have. Open it"
 From out of her bosom Lady Hilda had drawn a small key. The box flew open. It was stuffed with papers. Holmes thrust the blue envelope deep down into the heart of them, between the leaves of some other document. The box was shut, locked and returned to the bedroom.
 Now we are ready for him." said Holmes. We have still ten minutes. am going far to screen you, Lady Hilda. In return you will spend the time in telling me frankly the real meaning of this extraordinary affair. "
 ''Mr. Holmes, will tell you every thing" cried the lady. "Oh, Mir. Holmes. would cut off my right hand before I gave him moment of sor- row! There is no woman in all Lon don who loves her husband as I do, and yet if he knew how I have acted how have been compelled to act-he | fnr his honor stands so high that he could not forget or pardon lapse in another. Help me, MT. Holmes! My happiness, his happiness, our very lives, are at stakew
 Quick, madam; the time grows shortv'
 Tt was letter of mine, Mir. Holmes, an indiscreet letter written before my marriage-a foolish letter, letter of an impulsive, loving girl meant no harm. and yet he would have thought I it criminal. Had he read that letter his confidence would have been forever destroyed. It is years since wrote it. l had thought that the whole mat | lCi was AOA 6oItOAs 1hSh ot AocI heard from this man Lucas that it had passed into his hands and that he would lay 1t before my husband. I implored his mercy. He said that he would return my letter if would bring him certain document which he de scribed in my husbands dispatch box. He had some spy in the office who had told him of it's existence. He assured me that no harm could come to my husband. Put yourself in my posi- tion, MT. Holmes! What was to do?''
 Take your husband into your conf dence."
 ''I could not, Mir. Holmes, l could not! On the one side seemed certain ruin; on the other, terrible as it seem ed, to take my husbands paper; still in matter of politics I could not un- derstand the consequences, while in a matter of love and trust they were on ly too clear to me. I did it, Mir. Holmes! took an impression of his key. This man Lucas furnished a duplicate. I opened his dispatch box took the paper and conveyed 1t to Godolphin street."
 ''What happened there, madami"
 T tapped at the door as agreed. Lu. cass Opehed it151 ifdlluweds finf intos his room, leaving the hall door ajar behind me, for feared to be alone with the man. I remember that there was 8 woman outside as entered Our bust ness was soon done. He had my let. ter on his desk. handed him the doc. ument He gave me the letter. At this instant there was sound at the door There were steps in the passage. Lu. cas quickly turned back the drugget thrust the document into some hiding place there and covered it over.
 What happened after that is like some fearful dream. have a vision of dark, frantic face. of a woman's voice, which screamed in French: My waiting is not in vain. At last, at last I have found you with her. There was savage struggle. I saw him with g chair in his hand: knife gleamed ir hers. I rushed from the horrible scene ran from the house, and only nex' : morning in the paper did learn the dreadful result. That night I was l. happy, for had my letter, and had not seen yet what the future would bring.
 Tt was the next morning that 1 real ized that I had only exchanged one trouble for another. My husbands an guish at the loss of his paper wen. tt ! my heart. I could hardly prevent my self from there and then kneeling dowr at his feet and telling him what had done. But that again would mean e confession of the past. I came to you that morning in order to understand the full enormity of my offense. From the instant that grasped it my whole mind was turned to the one thought oi . getting back my husbands paper Il must still be where Lucas had placed 1t. for 1t was concealed before thi, dreadful woman entered the room. I, 1t had not been for her coming. : should not have known where his hid ing place was. How was I to get into the room: For two days I watched tho place. but the door was never Jeff open. Last night made last attempt What I did and how I succeeded you l have already learned. I brought tho paper back with me and thought of de stroying it, since I could see no way oi