Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-01

their reach. But now something hap.
pened. Please let me tell 1t my owns
way. A shout from the driveway, Or
bit of snow thrown against the wiil7
dow, drew her attention to man
standing below, holding up note
fastened to the end Of a whiphandle.
do not know whether or not you
have found that man. II you have
The inspector made no sign. Il Judge
that you have not, so may 60 on
with my suggestions. Mrs. Fair
brother took in this note. She may
have expected 1t and for this reason
chose the alcove to sit in, or It may
have been a surprise to her. Probably
we shall never know the whole truth
about It; but what we can know and
do, if you are still holding to our COM
pact and viewing this crime in-the light
Of Mr.. Durand's explanations, Is that
II made change In her and made her
anxious to rid herself of the diamond.
1t has been decided that the hurried
serawl should read, Take warning.
He means to be at the ball. Expect
trouble If you do not give him the
diamond or something to that effect.
But why was 1t passed up to her ufl-
I hardly think so. believe In an
other explanation, which points With
startling directness to the possibility
that the person referred to in this
broken communication was not ME-,
Durand, but one whom need not
name; and that the reason you have
failed to find the messenger, OF whose
appearance you have received definite
information, Is that you have not
looked among the servants Of GER
tain distinguished visitor In town.
Oh" burst forth with feverish volu-
bility, as saw the inspectors lips
open in what could not fail to be
sarcastic utterance, IT know what YOU
feel tempted to reply. Why should q
servant deliver warning against his
own master? If you will be patient
with me you will soon see; but first l
wish to make it clear that Mrs. Fair
brother, having received this warming
just before Mr.. Durand appeared In
the a1cove,-reckless schem1ng wo.
man that she was!-sought to rid her..
self Of the object against which 1t was
directed in the way we have tempor.
arily accepted as true. Relying on
her arts, and possibly misconeeiving
the nature Of Mr.. Durand's interest In
her. she hands over the diamond hid
den in her rolled-up gloves, which he,
without suspicion, carries away with
him thus linking himself ihdissolubly
to great crime Of which another was
the perpetrator. That other, or SO
believe from my very heart OF hearts.
was the man 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 a child. But
had come there to speak, and I
hastily proceeded before the rebuko
thus expressed could formulate itself
into words.
Il have some excuse for a dec1arap
ton so monstrous. Perhaps I am the
only person who can satisfy you In re.
gard to certain fact about which YOU
have expressed some curiosity. In
spector, have you ever solved the
mystery Of the two broken cotfeecups
found amongst the debris at Mrs. Fair.
in the inquest, I noticed"
mot vet" he cried, "butyou can
| not tell me anything about them!
this: When / reached the supper.
room door that evening looked back
and, providentially or otherwise only
the future can determine that--detect-
| ed Mr.. Grey in the act Of lifting two
cups from a tray left by some waiter
on table standing just outside the
reception-room door. / did not see
| where he carried them; I only saw
his face turned toward the alcoye;.
and as there was no other lady there,
or anywhere near there, have dared
| to think"
Here the inspector found speech.
| "You saw Mr.. Grey HIT two cups
and turn toward the alcove at a mo.
ment we all know to have been crtti-
cal? You should have told me this
before. He may be a possible wit.
ness"
scarcely listened. was too full
of my own argument.
There were other people In the
hall, especially at my end Of It. AZ
| perfect throng was coming from the
billiard-room, where the dancing had
been, and 1t might easily be that he
could both enter and leave that ses
cluded spot without attracting atten~
| ton. He had shown too early and
much too Enthusiastically his lack Of fn-
terest in the general company for his
every movement to be watched as at
his first arrival. But this is simple
conjecture; what have to say next is
evidence The stiletto-have you
1 studied it, sir? have, from the pie.
lures. It is very quaint; and among
the devices on the handle is one that
i especially attracted my attentions,
See! This is what mean" And I
handed him a drawing which. had
made with some care in expectation
] of this very interview.
| He surveyed 1t with some astonishs
| ment.
II understand" l pursued In trem.