Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-08-02
CONTINUED


lowed his impotence to expend itself.
But once seated within and out of the
range of peering eyes and listening
ears he allowed a sigh to escape him
which expressed the fulness of his
agitation.
"My dear" he began and stopped. 81
feer-here he again came to a pause
that you should know
WHAT l managed to ask.
THAT l do not like Mr.. Durand and
that others do not like him."
'Is 1t because Of something you knew
about him before tonight"
He made no answer.
cor because he was seen, like many
other gentlemen, talking with that wo.
man some time before-a long time be-
fore-she was attacked for her dia-
mond and murdered?"
Pardon me, my dear, he was the
last one seen talking to her. Some
one may yet be found who went In
after he came out, but as yet he is
considered the last. Mr.. Ramsdell
himself told me So"
1T makes no difference" l exclaimed
in all the heat of my long suppressed
agitation. Il am willing to stake my
life on his integrity and honor No
man could talk to me as he did early
this evening with any vile intentions
at heart. He was interested. no doubt,
like many others, in one who had the
name of being a captivating woman.
but
l paused in sudden alarm. A look
had crossed my uncles face which as
sured me that we were no longer
alone. Who could have entered so ST.
lently? In some trepidation ] turned
to see. A gentleman was standing in
the doorway, who smiled as l met his
eye.
as this Miss Van Arsdale?" he
asked.
Instantly my courage, which had
threatened to leave me, returned and
l smiled.
Il am" said l. "Are you the in
spector?"
inspector Dalzell," he explained
with bow, which included my uncle
Then he closed the door.
Il hope have not frightened you."
he went on, approaching me with a
gentlemanly air "a little matter has
come up concerning which l mean to
be perfectly frank with you. 1t may
prove to be Of trivial importance; if
so, you will pardon my disturbing you
Mr.. Durand-you know him.
Il am engaged to him." | declared
before poor uncle could raise his hand
you are engaged to him. Well. that
makes 1t difficult, and yet, in some re
spects. easier for me to ask a certain
question"
1t must have made it more difficult
than easy, for he did not proceed to
put this question Immediately, but
went on:
you know that Mr.. Durand visited
Mrs. Fairbrother in the alcove little
while before her death?'
81 have been told So"
"He was seen TO go In, but | have
not yet found any one who saw him
come OUT consequently we have been
unable to fix the exact minute when
he did so. What is the matter, Miss
Van Arsdale? You want to say some
thing"
mo, no. l protested. reconsidering
my first impulse. Then, as | met his
look, He can probably tell you that
himself. l am sure he would not hest
tate"
ha nell lot l,n
Inspectors response MEANWHILE, are
you ready to assure me that since that
time he has not iptrusted you with a
little article to keep No, no, l do
not mean the diamond" he broke in,
in very evident 9ismay, as l fell back
from him in irrepressible indignation
and alarm. "The diamOnd-well, we
shall look for that later; it is another
article we are in search of now, one
which Mr.. Durand might very well
have taken in his hand without realiz-
ing just what he was doing. AS it is
important for us to find this article,
and as ii is one he might very nat
urally have passed over to you when
he found himself in the hall with II
/ III MS manu-, nave heuluTtu 10 hSh
you If this surmlse Is correct"
at is not" | retorted fiercely, glad
| that could speak from my very heart
HE has given me nothing to keep for
him. He would not
Why that peculiar look In the In.
spector's eye? Why did he reach out
for chair and seat me in it before
he took up my interrupted sentence
and finished It?
would not give you anything to
hold which had belonged to another
woman? Miss Van Arsdale, you dc
not know men. They do many things
which young, trusting girl like your
self would hardly expect from them
mot Mr.. Durand," maintained
stoutly.
perhaps not; let us hope not" Then
with a quick change of manner, h
bent toward me, with a sidelong lool