The Irish standard., 1908-07-18

ty. SO put on my hat and strolled
out over the lawn and down the long
drive, and before l knew 1t I had
reached the bottom of the hilly road
and had set out over the fields. The
church party had gone by the way Of
the path over the fields, for that was
a shorter route than the main road.
AS walked quickly along the we'll
beaten path between the thickets l
stopped suddenly and stopped to pick
up small dust-covered object which
proved to be a prayer book. Zone of
those careless girls has dropped it," I
said to myself, for they had all car
ried them. Opening 1t to find the
owners name, was much agitated to
read on the f1yleaf this inscription:
ITO my daughter Agatha, from her
father, Fletcher Boyd" and the date,
1900. 1t was, then, a gift which Fletch-
or Boyd had made to his daughter only
two years before his death.
was wild with excitement in
minute. I would keep the book, and
some time when all the girls were
gathered together would announce
that had it in my possession and
see If one of them did not betray her
self by asking me for it. But Fate
decreed that should make my test
of the prayer book more speedily, for
I spied in the distance the white figure
Of girl Fastening back. The path
was dusty and the sun was shining
right in her face, so I trusted she
had not seen me. and, putting the little
volume down just where had found
it, jumped behind the bushes. The
owner of the book was looking for her
property. On she came, running SLOW
ly and glancing eagerly from side to
side of the pathway. AS she came op-
posite me she stopped and snatched up
the book, and when she had run back
again the conviction that the Honor
able Agatha was no other than Agatha
Fourth was forced in upon me.
So reused was by this event that
turned my steps homeward at once.
Suspicion had now fallen on every one
of the six Agathas, but this-this was
the most convincing of proofs! That
night could hardly wait for the end
Of the evening, SO that could drag
Vincent into my room and disclose to
him my final and greatest discovery. I
was so full of excitement over 1t, be-
sides feeling certain pride in my wit
and sagacity which had led to the dis
covery of so many important clews.
that was rather disappointed when
Vincent received my disclosure with
Indifference.
"At it again, Arch" he said, rather
gloomily, as he sat cross-legged before
my fire in extreme deshabille, and
smoking his vile pipe. What is the
use? should think you'd get tired
of pursuing the elusive gold. I admire
your patience, my boy, but don't take
any more stock in this 'clew' than I
did in your others. When you think
that you have now fastened suspicion
upon each one of the six fair ladies
who have been christened Agatha I
marvel at the sanguine temperament
which permits you to place so much
Importance on this last find of yours"
He stopped, and answered him rather
sarcastically, as I didn't like the gen.
tie ridicule Of his tone or his lack of
enthusiasm.
1T seems to me-" said, that con-
sidering how you've spent your time,
my dear boy, you are very poor per-
son to look down upon my efforts to
turn this adventure of ours to some
account. The fact that I have kept
my eyes open and used those faculties
Of penetration and observation Of
which am the natural possessor to
discover piece of information which
might prove of great value, not only
to myself, but also to youths fact,
say, Vincent, ought hardly to bring
upon me your derision as we'll as your
lack of sympathy" don't mind ad-
mitting that I really felt hurt, and
Vincent saw that did.
He took his pipe out of his mouth
and looked at me with those big, truth
full eyes Of his so penitently that l
smiled inwardly; tEen he gathered up
his long limbs from my hearthrug and
came and ensconced himself at my
feet as sat in my easy chair.
"Well there, then," he said, patting
my hand as If I'd been an old woman
or small child. Poor old Arch bald,
did l make it cross? Well, 1t was a
shame!" And he smiled at me with
such mixture of contrition and fun
that was obliged after short strug-
gle to laugh unconstrainedly.
"Well, suppose you will begin op-
erations according to your latest clew
tomorrow" he laughed at me.
did not answer him, and silence
fell upon US. l was pondering over
the problem and did not look at Vim
cent for long while, but when did
saw that his face wore a troubled,
hopeless look, and that his whole at
utude indicated profound detection.
Vincent" said. leaning over him,
whats the trouble?" had been
noticing Of late that he had been sub
ject to fits of melancholy altogether
out Of keeping with his character, and
I had come to the conclusion that he