The Washington times., 1907-09-29
CHAPTER Y.
The Unfolding Of the Plot.

The body OF Adolf Myers. pending its
oval to his brothers homo IN the
city. from which the funeral was to
take place. rested In the back parIor,
& room little freduentsd az any time
by the family. and separated from the
apartment where the shrorded BODY OF
Major Fairfax lay IN solemn state By
a fast-looked door.
When AnnerIy entered. II was cool,
and empty save for the dead body.
The windows. left open slightly. were
on the north side OF the house. and
through the half-drawn curtains the
detective caught a tantalizIng glimpse
OF the shadOwy forest.
An old pear tree, gnarled and
crooked. held withered arms across
the low sill as II 10 greet the sodden
burden which death had brought The
wind brought fragrant harvests OF
pale. shell-like. pink petals and laid
them about the black coffin resting on
its low trestles.
Ono or two OF The faded blossoms,
caught IN q breath of the air-current.
lowered aImlessly like pnIg. FROST
touched butterflies above the shrouded
form.
The coffin was open. Annerly won
dered, as he had once before that day.
what fast-held secret lay behind those
cynical lips so tightly closed
May 1 speak to you a moment, Mr..
Annerly-outside2
He crushed the paper in his fingers
and looked Up. little startled.
ct is only 1, you know. Mr.. An
nerly-Jean Fairfax. I would speak to
you here. but the coffin and the
dead territy men. May we go out
side. please?'
He put tie paper in an inner pocket
of his coat.
Certainly, my child" he said kind
~. Your aunt told me that you
wanted to see me. but l am ashamed
to say that had forgotten it. Come
we will walk outside in the orchard"
They met no one on the stairs or IN
the hTll II was growing just q little
dark within the house. There was
faint jinsli1g Of glass and china from
the direction Of the dining room
Outside, the soft spring shadows
were falling gently as II there were no
such things as sin or death or mys-
terry. Across the levee and the wide
Terre Rouge voices Of home-going
field-hands called to each other. and
dogs barlSed. A negro sang in a sweet,
melodious voice a scrap Of a camp
meeting hymn.
What is It. Jean?" asked the de-
tective patiently
4 ought 70 have told you yester-
day, or else, 1 dare say. have held my
tongue altogether" she said petu-
lantly. She was painting a little. and
the face upturned to his vas whittier
than the sun-faded cherry blossoms.
They tell me today-Laura does
that It was q mistake. after all: shat
my uncle died in = 1T or something.
and that one one was in the least to
blame"
That is what the doctors say-yes."
ne said quietly. 1t seemed to I'll the
gap IN her words some way. and ne
was afraid Of frightening her.
Il was-am-so glad" There was
unmistaiable relief in her words
You see, my uncle never car fer
me as he did the others. Indeed he
scarcely ever noticed me in any wav
1 was free TO come and go as
would like n mcJse,' he told me
once little iGpatently.
He admired Laura very much
sne went on. II heard him say that
she reminded him Of the blossoms OF
the night-blooming cereus. He would
give her anything on earth she
wanted. think that he cared for
Rosamond great deal, too-in wav.
I have heard him say that she was 2
far better woman than Laura. but he
added after minute that he didn't
like her oEe-half so wei"
Annerly moved a little iuoatientlv.
L had the headache thar mfght-vou
know. My uncle did not stay down
stairs very long. Laura and Mr.. An
Um had disagreed about sometime
and ne was cross, and she was mopisht
and dull, and wouldn't TAX to me
Walter went away somewhere ana
Aunt Helen was in the parlor with the
others She was trying to persuade
Ros2mcnd 10 sing.
Il waited a long time. thinking that
she would sing, but at last 1 gave IN
ard bad made up my mind to go 20
bed and leave her 10 get over her IN
temper in her OWL way closed the
parlor door behind me and waited in
ID a q II