The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-03-10

the disappearance Of the body, the High.
lander's quick glance caught something,
and STOPPING he picked 1t up and exam
ined the little object by the aid OF his
lantern.
Within his palm / saw lying tiny
little gold cross, about an inch long,
enameled in red, while in the center was
circular miniature Of kneeling saint,
an elegant and beautifully executed lit
tie trinket which might have adorned u
lady's bracelet.
"This is pretty little thing!" re-
marked the detective. ut may possibly
lead us to something. But, Mr.. Gregg"
he added, turning to me, "are you quite
certain you left the body herer'
"Certainp l echoed. "Why, look at
the hole made. You don't think have
any interest in leading you here on a
fools errand, do your
"Not at ALL" he said apologetically.
"Only the whole affair seems so very
inconceivable-I mean that the men, hay
ing once got rid of the evidence of their
crime, would hardly return to the spot
and reobtain possession of it,"
"Unless they watched me exhume It,
and feared the consequences II 1t fell
into your hands," suggested.
"Of course, they might have watched
you from behind the trees, and when
you had gone they came and carried it
away somewhere else," he remarked du-
biously; "but even If they did, it must
be in this wood. They would never risk
carrying body very far, and here is
surely the best place of concealment in
the whole country"
"The only thing remaining 10 to search
the wood at daylight" ! suggested. eff
the two men came back here during my
absence they may still be on the watch
in the vicinity"
"Most probably they are. We must
take every precaution," he said decis-
lively. And then, with our lanterns low
cred, we made an examination of the
vicinity, without, however, discovering
anything else to furnish us with q clew.
While l had been absent the body OF
the unfortunate Armida had disappeared
"a fact which, knowing all that I did
was doubly mysterious.
The pair had, without doubt, watched
Muriel and myself, and as soon as we
had gone they had returned and carried
off the CHASTITY remains of the poor
woman who had been SO foully done to
death.
But who were the men-the fellow
with the broad shoulders whom Muriel
recognized, and the slim seafarer in his
pilot-coat and peaked CAPT The enigma
each hour became more and more in
scrutable.
At dawn Mackenzie, with four men
made thorough examination OF the
wood, but although they continued until
dusk they discovered nothing, neither
was anything heard Of the mysterious
seafarer and his companion in brown
tweeds.
called on Muriel as arranged, and
explained how the body had so sud
denly disappeared, whereupon she stared
at me pale-faced, saying
"The assassins must have watched us
They are aware, then, that we have
knowledge Of their crimef"
"Of course" I said.
"Ahl "she cried hoarsely. 'Then we
are both in deadly peril-peril Of our
own livesl These people will hesitate
at nothing Both you and I are marked
down by them, without doubt. We must
both be wary not to fall into any trap
they may lay for US"
Her very words seemed an admission
that she was aware of the identity of
the conspirators, and yet she would give
me no clue to them.
We went out and up the drive togeth-
er to the kennels, where her father, a
tall, imposing figure in his shoOting-kit,
was giving orders to the keepers.
"Hulloa, Gregg!" he cried merrily, ex.
tending his hand. "You1l make one of
a party to Glenlea tomorrow, won't you 7
Patton and Phillips are coming. Ten