Evening star., 1907-09-01

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hold its mouth. Then l bury it. Then | dly blood
on masters instrument, and | put it in dlawer in
study. And ask you if you have looked in all
dawers if Mr.. Sibthorpe not left his instrument
there. You look. You find, You have ploof.
like old. l say nothing l say to myself, Master
wants Campiron hanged. will do it,
Am | to understand, man." said Maurice that
you found another instrument the the
murderer's in my fathers room?"
Yes said Curtis. He had one. Clampiron
had one-both same"
And that you then, when the first one disap-
peared deliberately killed of my mothers dogs
with the second one and let the blood dry it, and
then set trap for me to find it, believing it to be
the frst?"
Yes" Curtis amiably concurred But l did
not know that Englishmen could know when dogs
blood and when mans blood Magci English
magic When l heard that, | ran. Afaid l ran
here to wait till you came. Now you come. have
told you sir.
Well" said Maurice you have made an abso-
lutte of everything; that is what you have done.
You have been clever; but you haven't been clever
enough. If you had stuck the instrument into the
calf of your own leg, there would have been some
in that; but you have ruined all
Maurice laughed bitterly. There humorous
side to Curtss magnificent disregard of everything
end to be gained, and he was obliged to
laugh.
MY leg Curtis murmured; Eyes. But 1 did
not know. Too late nowl"
1t clear that, had it not been too late Curtis
would quite willingly have even cut his leg off in
order to provide the missing proof necessary for
Crampirons S conviction.
Elective voice, forgetting for instant, in his preoc
cupation with the central mystery all the complica
tions involved by Curts's trick. Curtis, you
haven't by any chance found out what these cursed
instruments are, where they came from, why
my father had one and Crampiron the other?"
No. sir, Curtis answered solemnly Magic!
All that is magc!' And he hid his hands in his
wide sleeves. Il shall be put in prison, sir?'' he
questioned
Why should you be-" said Maurice. "Ar you
have to do is to keep quiet in the witness box If
5or't Uive rcaf awa nod car owe vO
away: You say you have buried the dog?"
Yes, Sir"
Come along to the court then, and persuade
yourself that you know nothing. 1t should be per-
fectly simple to a of your attanmentS.
And Maurice returned to the assize. Hecould not be
ncensed against Curtis. Curtis had probably ruined
the trial; but then, in the absence of any blood
stained instrument, the prosecution could not
sonably have dared to proceed with the trial at all
So that Curtis, if he had destroyed chances had at
any rate begun creating them. The solution of the
enigma seemed to Maurice farther off than ever, and
he followed its retreat in his mind his interest
in the trial itself seemed to slightly. He felt
that new issues had been raised owing to the fan
tastic trick of the bland Curtis.
He was late The hearing had already been re-
sumed when he entered the The aspect of the
chamber seemed to be completely altered, and the
change bewidered him. Dusk falling in the
Streets and within the gas had been lighted and
its yellow glare smote of excited faces
that turned in the direction of the witness
box, but in the direction of the dock There were
three chandeliers, and of them hung somewhat
IN front OF the dock, illuminating the haggard and
drawn features of the prisoner. Maurice at the first
glance imagined that he must be mistaken in think
ing that Crampiron in tears He not mis-
taken. The mans face tremendously stern and
set; but reluctant drops after the other
down those heavy cheeks. Crampiron was not
speaking Nobody at the instant speaking The
Judge held up one hand in deprecatory gesture.
Then the drawing voice of Lorimer heard
This being so, shall, with Your Lordships per-
mission retire from the case"
Yes" said Crampiron with glance suddenly
savage, you may WELL; and, addressing the
Judge and the jury. Il plead guilty. l have had