The Tupelo journal., 1910-06-10
CHAPTER fV.-continued.

thing more, l ought to know"
There's nothing more" he said
evasively. There's just one thing we
may bank on, Miss Innes. Any cou
in the country will acquit a man who
kills an intruder in his house at
night. If Halsey-"
why. you don't think Halsey did
it," / exclaimed. There was a queer
feeling of physical nausea coming
over me.
mo, no, not at ALL" he said with
forced c~heerfulness. Come, Miss In
mes, you're a ghost of yourself, and
l am going to help you upstairs and
call you maid. This has been too
much for you"
About six o'clock Gertrude came in.
She was fully dressed, and | sat up
nervously.
poor Aunty!" she said. What a
shocking night you have had!" She
came over and sat down on the bed,
and 1 saw she looked very tired and
worn.
as there anything new?" I asked
a%nxiously.
Nothing. The car is gone, but War
ner"-he is the chauffeur-'Warner
is at the lodge and knows nothing
about it."
"Well,' I said, "if I ever get my
hands on Halsey Innes l shall not let
go until l have told him a few things.
When We get this cleared up, | am
going back to the city to be quiet.
One more night like the last two will
end me. The peace OF the country
fiddlesticks!"
Whereupon 1 told Gertrude of the
noises the night before, and the figure
on the veranda in the east wing. AS
an afterthought / brought out the
pearl cuff-link. =
81 have-nos doubt now" ! said, that
it was Arnold Armstrong the night
before last, too. He had a key, no
doubt, but why he should steal into
his fathers house l cannot imagine.
He could have come with my permits
sion easily enough. Anyhow, whoever
it was that night left this little SOU
venir."
Gertrude took one look at the cuff
link and went as white as the pearls
in it; she clutched at the foot of the
bed and stood staring. AS for me, I
was quite as astonished as she was.
Where did-you-fnd it?" she
asked finally, with a desperate effort
at calm. And while I told her she
stood looking out of the window with
a look I could not fathom on her face.
1t was a relief when Mrs. Watson
tapped at the door and brought me
some tea and toast. The cook was in
bed, completely demoralized, she re-
ported, and Liddy, brave with the day
light, was looking for footprints around
the house. Mrs. Watson herself was
a wreck; she was blue-white around
the lips, and she had one hand tied
up. She said she had fallen down
stairs in her excitement. 1t was Inatur-
al, of course, that the thing would
shock her, having been the Arm
strongs' housekeeper for several years
and knowing Mr.. Arnold well.
Gertrude had slipped out during my
talk with Mrs. Watson, and 1 dressed
and went downstairs. The billiard
and card rooms were locked until the
coroner and the detectives got there,
and the men from the club had gone
back for more conventional clothing.
/ could hear Thomas in the pantry
alternately wailing for Mr.. Arnold,
as he called him, and citing the
tokens that had precursed the murder.
The house seemed to choke me, and,
slipping a shawl around me-. | went
out on the drive. At the corner by
the east wing l met Liddy. Her skirts
were draggled with dew to her knees
and her hair was still in crimps.
GO right in and change your
clothes" 1 said sharply. You're a
sight, and at your age!"
She had a golf stick in her hand,
and she said she had found it on the
lawn. There was nothing unusual
about it, but it occurred to me that a
golf stick with a metal end might
have been the object that had scratch
ed the stairs nea the cardroom. /
took it from her, and sent her up for
dry garments. F1eT udyIlSQI courage
and self-importance, and her shud-
dering delight in the mystery, irri-
tated me beyond words. After I left
her / made a circuit of the building.
Nothing seemed to be disturbed; the
house looked as calm and peaceful in
the morning sun as it had the day I
had been coerced into taking it. There
was nothing to show that inside had
been mystery and violence and sud-
den death.
In one of the tulip beds back of the
house an early blackbird was pecking
~viciously at something that glittered
in the light. / picked my way gingerly
owe through the dew and stopped
down; almost buried in the soft
ground was a %revolveri I scraped the
earth off it with the tip Of my shoe,
and, picking it up, slipped it into my
pocket. Not until / had got into my
bedroom and douDle-locked the door
did ] venture to take it out and ex-
anime it. One look was all | needed.
1t was Halaey's revolver. I had I'M