Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-05-08

| lCSelt INTO MS Draln. lC was tne same
sign he had noticed carved into the
ivory hilt of the dagger Fergus had
discovered that morning in the pocket
of his greatcoat.
CHAPTER w.
Further Doubts.
From the club Harcourt rode quick
| ly to the Marston house in his broug-
ham. Sir Thomas had remained at the
club with MacBee and Harcourt was
glad that he had done so, for he was
trying as best he might to associate
the monogrammed cigarette with the
dagger locked up safely in his own
room.
| Here of course was a clue. 1t would
be comparatively simple matter to
discover which of his guests carried
cigarettes so marked yet it seemed
unlikely that a man who thus openly
carried such marking would use, to
commit murder, knife so easily
identifiable.
ever as the motor drove up before
Graces home and he walked quickly
up the steps to be admitted by Bajhab,
the old Sepoy servant Major Marston
had brought back with him from In
dia.
Harcourt smiled at the Indian in his
quaint native costume land with a
salaam Bajhab led him to the library,
saying his mistress would be there in
moment. Over the mantle was a
group of scimitars and queer eastern
weapons Sir Thomas had collected
during his term of foreign service,
and Harcourt stared at them fascin-
ated. He had often seen and exam
ined the swords, but this afternoon
they made him shudder, for the mere
sight of them suggested that he would
have given anything to forget.
At he sound of a footstep behind
him he turned and saw Grace. She
was simply dressed, and there were
traces of weeping in her great blue
eyes, but she came forward eagerly
with a smile on her face and both
hands eXetnded in hapy greeting.
at has been such long day." she
said. ~ thought you would never
come"
81 could not get away any sooner"
Harcourt explained. "There has been
a great deal to do"
And is there any news Have they
She paused, hesitating to speak the
word.
Nothing yet" Harcourt said. "Sit
down here. have something I want
to say to you"
/ Something in his tone frightened
her and she looked anxious into his
face.
"There is nothing wrong-nothing
that concerns us?" she asked nervous
ly.
eyes something that concerns us
very much. / suppose you are famil-
lar with the details of this affair ?"
Father has told me, and have
read all the newspapers" she said.
"You know then that was the last
man seen with poor Towney?"
"Yes."
"Then 1 want you to try to under
stand what l am going to say ,and to
realize what it costs me to say it. You
know the old weakness of the Har-
courts-the one thing that made you
hesitate"
"Oh, Jack!" she cried with an ex-
preston of pain. "You haven't"
eyes, DEAR" he said, taking her
hand in his. "Last night-for the first
time since I gave you my promise not
to touch it-I drank too much. You
! remember, | told you long time ago
that l had become frightened at the
effect liquor was beginning to have on
me, the absolute loss of mental facul-
ty-the failure to recall single hap
| pening while was under the influence
of it? That is what happened last
night"
"Then you don't remember having
talked with Towney?"
from her. 81 remember nothing"
Harcourt turned and looked into her
eyes. He saw that she di not realize
the significance of what he had said
1t was difficult thing to explain to
her, yet he knew he must do it and dc
it then.
Cant you see what the result is
dear? The fact that I do not remem-
ber-and other things, of which l can,
not even tell you-make me wonder
! if"
She seemed to divine the meaning
and looked at him in terror
"You-you can't mean" she fall
tered.
"I do mean-just that. 1t is posi-.
ble-I may have been the mani"
With start of terror she drew
back for a moment. Then with g
laugh she leaned forward and seized
both his hands. "Jack, you dear Ole
silly! Are you serious or are you
merely trying to frighten me?"
II only wish I were," he said ten,
derly. 81 wonder if man was ever
placed in such a position before? ]
don't believe did i'll can't think sc
but until can know certainly,
want you to release me from our en-
gagement."
"Jackw
Surely you appreciate how I fee.
about it,"
Do you mean that you don't care fol
me" she asked.
"You know better than that" he an
swered feelingly. II am not man Of
emotion. Perhaps ave been a coo
lover, for it is not my nature to be
demonstrative-but you know that ant
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