Middletown transcript., 1909-11-13

one sowing al enigma, know
| have it lisa case of somnam.
bulism! You've swallowed it,.
Lord Cartrell's voice rose high
in an earnest adiuraLion to Peter
not to play the fool. Injured
and indignant, deploring the
folly of the human race in re-
fusing to be helped Peter protest.
ed that he washed bis hands of
the matter, and went back to his
unfinished breakfast. He left
The dining.room door open, how
ever, and heard the interroga-
tories administered to Mr.. Epp-
stein by his stepmother, his
father, and half a dozen guests
in turn. Then the butler was
questioned, then the housekeper.
Between them they made it clear
that none Of the servants could
have yet gone near Mr.. Epp.
stems bedroom.
By this time the grocer prince
was once more his bright, organ.
izing self. All his being was
strung up to the endeavor to re-
cover his lost jewel. He insisted
on wiring at once for a detective,
to the bitter annoyance of his
hosts. But they could not pro-
test.
The men drifted into the smok-
ing. room, discussing the affair.
Peter went with them. Lord
Cartrell made no secret Of his
conviction that it was entirely
the grocer princes own fault for
wearing an emerald of that beast
ly size. That had been the view
of Lady Cartrell; and Lord Cart
rell always took his wife's view.
Then Peter began to enlarge
on the danger of circumstantial
evidence and its tendency to Sc
cure the conviction of innocent
persons.
Peter went briskly to a group
of ladies discussing the lost en-
erald on the terrace. At once he
began to develop again the theme
Of circumstantial evidence con-
victing the innocent. They
listened to him with an air
that grew more and more start
led and at the end of his disquisi-
tion their voices rose loud in den-
unciation of Mr.. Eppstein.
In the middle Of it Peter left
them to meet his stepmother
coming from the house. I'm
afraid Eppsteln's emerald is
going to spoil your party, Manner
culus, he said.
In a few well.chosen words
Lady Cartrell told Peter her
opinion of him; from frequent
repetition the formula had be.
come practically stereotyped.
On one of the croquet lawns he |
found Helen and Colonel Brown |
playing croquet.
The suitor is not going at all |
strong at present, said Peter,
taking a slow, luxurious pull at
his excellent cigar.
Both of them smiled on him
kindly.
So you can countermand the
Lochinyar motor car. Which of
you was going to hire it? said
Peter, turning their smiles to
confusion.
l do think you're silly! said
Helen.
Well, well, you needn't blush
quite SO hard for my Stiffness, old
girl, said Peter; and he strolled
on through the shrubberies, en-
joying the peace of the garden.
When he came back to the
Court he found It's atmosphere
all that he5 had desired. His
stepmother's guests forcing on
one another the most elaborate
accounts of their movements be-
fore breakfast, with the intention
ofaverting all possible suspicion
from themselves; and they were
now at the stage Of liking sus.
picson the persons they chanced
severally to dislike. Some of
them were talking of leaving at
once; and they were prevented
from putting the intention into
effect only by the desire to be on
the spot to see the upshot of the
matter.
The atmosphere oppressed
most deeply Mr.. Eppstein. He
had, to his own thinking, been
making admirable progress in
this new exalted circle. He had
found himself welcome when he
joined any group of takers; and
had dispensed to it Stock Ex-
change tips with a gracious,
Aorid lordliness. He had observed
with pleasure that his hearers
L.,,x~. -, L.. l;,.e Ne, III IT. |