Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-03

extend the invitation to him. Berry,
did not mind. He knew he was no favorite with
Miss Plantagenet, and often wondered why she
was so polite to him.
Julius departed smiling and in no wise offend
ed at the grimness of Miss Berengaria "Tll
soon be able to do without the lot of them," he
thought, as he walked to the railway station.
He would have been considerably agitated had
he learned what Durham said to the two ladies
after his departure. Not only to them, but to
Lord Commission himself That young gentleman
arrived With Lucy shortly before dinner
''Of course observed the lawyer, "the come
dy is nearly at an end. The will has been sign
ed. Now Michael will disappear to allow Beryl
to get the estates"
"He will have to supply a corpse then,' said
Commission, coolly.
''Oh, | daresay he will" reioined Durham,
struggling after the disappearance of Michael
I know exactly what will happen. A body much
decomposed will be found in the Thames and
will be recognized by Julius as that of Bernard's
Any corpse will do, so long as the face cannot
be recognized"
"Drat the mani" said Miss Berengaria. en-
phatically. "You can't get corpse without
numbering some one, and / should think that
Beryl creature has had enough of that sort of
work"
"Oh, but julius did not kill Sir Simon," said
Lucy, with dismay. He was at the theatre with
me and Mrs Webber."
so 1 believe" said Durham dryly; but tell
me- Miss Randolph, did he leave you at all dur
ing the play|
went to get something to drink, and returned be.
fore the end of the play to take us away
GLOW long was he absent?"
'Nearly half an hour. He said he had met
friend and had been talking to him.
"Ah! Very clever of him, Well" said Dur,
ham, looking round, 81 have something to tell
you all. We friends of Bernard's, are we
not?"
Certainly" said Miss Berengaria. sharply
"and | know what you are going to tell u.s. This
Bervl creature murdered Sir Simon when he
was away from the theatre"
"Impossible!" said Lucy and Alice in one
breath.
"He could scarcely have done it in half an
hour" said Commission.
''But he did for all that said Durham "Re-
member the Curtain Theatre is only ten min
utes walk from Crmea Square. Beryl could
easily slip round and strangle Sir smon-as he
did"
81 knew it," cried Miss Berengaria, trium-
phantly.
"Are you sure he is guilty." asked Lucy, tim
idly.
evidence" and he produced handkerchief.
"Tell us all about it, Durham" said Miss
Plantagenet, briskly.
This the lawyer proceeded to amidst a dead ST.
fence. No one interrupted him until his re-
cital was ended To make things clear, he mar
rated his discoveries from the very beginning, and
recounted his interview with Mrs. Gilroy, with
Toomeo and with Beryl.
AT the end of his story everyone looked at
one another,
Lucy shuddered and hid her face, overwhelmed
by the discovery of the wickedness of the man
she had been engaged to. Alice was quite pale,
thinking of the nets in which Bernard had been
caught and which were now on the eve of be-
ing broken that he might escape, Commission said
a word under his breath not exactly fitted for
the drawingroom, but which was overheard by
Miss Berengaria and approved by that lady.
"Thank YOU Conniston," she said, taking a
pinch Of snuff with relish. "Never tell me that