The evening world., 1910-12-01

- the daughter. l thought OF
what the woman who claimed to
be the dead mans second wife had
said tho day before. II the stair
case she had spoken OF opened into
the room where Fleming was shot.
and II Schwartz was In town at the time.
then. In view OF her story that he had
already tried once to Kill him. the likeli.
hood was that Schwartz was at least
implicated.
IL Wardrop knc that why had ne not
denounced him7 Was I TO believe that.
after all the mystery. the number eleven
twenty-five was to resolve itself into the
number OF n house? Would It be typical
OF the Schwartz / knew to pin bits of
paper to n mans piliow7 On the other
hand. II no had reason TO think that
Fleming had papers that would incrin-
mate him. 1t would be like Schwartz to
hire some one to search for them. and
he would be equal TO having wardrop
robbed of the money he was taking to
Fleming.
Granting that Schwartz a killed
Fleming-then who was tho woman
with Wardrop the night no was robbed1
Why did he take the pearls and sell
them? How did tho number eleven
twenty-five come into Aunt James pos
session. How did the leather bag get to
Boston7 Who had chloroformed Mar
gerry? Who had been using the Tlem-
ing house while II was closedf Most
important OF all nowhere was Aunt
janet
The house At Bcllwood looked almost
cheerful In the May sunshine as I went
up the walk.
folds Of tho II -fashioned iaos curtains:
no dog over tracked the porch or buried
sacr!legious and odorous bones on the
level lawn: tho birds were nesting In the
trees. we'll above the reach OF Roberts
ladder. but they were decorous. well be-
haved birds. whose prim counting never
partook OF the exuberance OF their
%neighbors'. bursting their little throats
IN an elm above the baby perambulator
In the next yard.
When Bella had let me in and I stood
once more In the stnight hall. with the
green rep chairs and the japanese UNI
Drella stC.nd, involuntarily ] listened for
the tap II Miss James small feet on tho
stairs. Btead came Bella's heavy tread
and a request from Mlss Letiua that 1
go upstairs.
The old lady was sitting by q window
OF her bedroom In a chintz upholstered
chair. She did not appear to be feeble.
the only change l noticed was q re-
Taxation In the severe tidlness Of her
dress. guessed that Miss James ex-
q~uis,te neatness had been responsible
-. aha UhItA r,iahingu tha EaVt ,an.
and the spotless shoulder shawls which
had made lovely their latter years.
You've taken your " time about
coming. haven your" Miss Letitia
asked sourly. 'It It hadn't been for
,hat cousin of yours you sent here.
Burton. I'd have been driven to send
ing for Amelia Miles. and when I send
for Amelia Miles for company In In q
bad way"
81 have had a great deal to attend to-"
] said as loud as 1 could. Il came some
days ago to tell you Mr.. Fleming was
dead; after that we had to bury him,
and clo1s the house. Its been a very
SAD
ID he leave anything7" she inter-
rupted. 1T isn't sad ut all unless he
didn't leave anything"
HE left vary little. Tho house, per-
haps, and l reg t TO have to tell you
that a woman came to me yesterc ?
who claims to be a second wife,
She took Off her glasses. wiped them
n put them on again.
Then" she said with a snap. there's
one other woman in the world as big a
fool as my sister Martha was. I didn't
know there were two OF 'em. What do
you hear about Jane?'
The last time | was here shouted.
you thought she was dead. have you
changed your mind2'
The last time you were here she
said with dignity. II thought a good
many things that were wrong. I thought
l had lost some OF the pearls, but I
hadn't"
WHAT" exclaimed. incredulousIy,
She put her hands on tho arms of her
chair. and. leaning forward. shot the
words at me yiciously:
'I-said-I-had-lost some-of-the-
pearIs-well-I-hayen't"
she didn't expect me TO believe her
any more than she believed It herself.
But why on earth she had changed her
attitude about tho pearls was beyond
me. merely nodded comprohensively.
VERY we'll" l said. In glad to know
IT was a mistake. Now. the next thing
IS to ind Miss Jane"
I'VE have found her" she said tartly,
That's what 1 sen for you about"
.'Fouud her!" This time did get our
OF my chair. What Oh earth do you
mean. Miss Letitia? Why. we've been