The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-02-17

Ages. The blade being sharp on three
angles produced wound that caused
internal hemorrhage and which never
healed-hence the name given to it by
the FlOrentines.
It was still bloodstained but as took
the deadly thing in my hand saw that
its blade was beautifully damascened,
most elegant specimen of medieval
arm. Yet surely none but an Italian
would use such weapon, or would aim
so truly as to penetrate the heart.
And yet the person struck down was
a woman, and not man!
A wound from O misericordia always
proves fatal, because the shape of the
blade cuts the flesh into little flaps which
on withdrawing the knife, close up and
prevent the blood from issuing forth.
At the same time, however, no power
can make them heal again. A blow from
such weapon is as surely fatal as the
poisoned poignard of the Borgia or the
Medici.
l handed the stilletto back to the man
without comment. My resolve was to
say as little as possible, for / had no
desire to figure publicly at the inquiry,
and consequently negative all my own
efforts to solve the mystery of the,
Leithcourts and of Martin WOodroffe.
returned to where the figure was
lying so CHASTITY and motionless, and
looked again for the last time upon the
dead face of the man who had served
me so well, and yet who had enticed me
so nearly to my death. In the latter
incident there was a deep mystery. He
had relented at the last moment, Just
in time to save me from my secret enc
mics.
Could it be that my enemies were his?
Had he fallen victim by the same hand
that had attempted so ingeniously to
kill me2
Why had Leithcourt gone so regularly
up to Rannoch Wood? Was it in order
to meet the man who was to be entrapped
and killed? What was Olinto Santini
doing so far from London, if he had not
come expressly to meet someone in Sc
cret?
AS l glanced down at the cold, mani
mate countenance upon which mystery
was written, | became seized by regret.
He had been faithful and honest SER
want, and even though he had enticed
me to that fatal house in Lambeth, vet
l recollected his words, how he had done
so under compulsion. I remembered,
too, how he had implored me not to
PREJUDICE him before | became aware of
the full facts.
With my own hand I recovered the
face with the sheet, and inwardly re.
solved to avenge the dastardly crime.
regretted that l was compelled to
reveal the dead mans name to the police.
yet l saw that to make some statement
was now inevitable, and therefore I ac-
companied the constable to the inspect
ors office some distance across the
town.
, Having been introduced to the big,
ialr'haired man in rough tweed suit.
VINO was apparently directing the in.
quiries into the affair." he took me Gao
erly into small back room and beoan
. TO question me. l was, however. wary
{ not to commit myself to ANYTHING fur.
ther than the Identification of the BODY.
: The fact is," said confidentially
you must omit me from the witnesses
, at the inquest" "Ao''0'
"Why% asked the detective suspic-
Q iously. '0'P'''
r Because if it were known that have
Q identified him, all chance of getting at
the truth will at once vanish" 7 on
swered. Il have come here to tell Won IN
, really is" rO' '0''o"
Then you know something of the af.
iairY, he said, with strong Highland
1 Il know nothing" declared. "Notb.
: ing except his NAME" 0'"
h lin: And you say he's foreigner
VI CONTINUED on Fourteenth Pagel