Evening star., 1915-01-17


he never had such sport in his life as he had
up there with poor old Aynesworth last
spring.
Il thought I'd like to look you up for a
minute or two," he went on, "before you
went. l saw Grayson this morning. He
told me that he had reached point in his
Investigations when he was absolutely con-
vinced in his own mind that he could put his
finger upon the guilty party. He waits only
for one slight piece of evidence.
Did he mention the name" Jermyn
asked, "of the guilty party?"
He did," Gerald admitted.
"Am | to know"
"Grayson was very anxious that l
shouldn't tell YOU, Gerald replied. Seems
afraid of YOU for some reason or another.
! don't believe in that sort of thing myself.
Blood is thicker than water, and fellow
like that doesn't, of course, understand how
we feel. | am sure that you only want the
truth to prevail, and all that. Grayson is
practically convinced that Aynesworth was
shot by Miss Sybil Cluley."
TERMYN was SO prepared that he was not
> even agitated. "Of course, he said little
YEARLY, there isn't man in London who
has read the case who hasn't at some time
or another suggested that either Miss Sybll
Cluley or l committed the murder. You
see, as a matter of fact we didn't, Gerald.
That is why this wonderful discovery OF
Gravson's leaves me cold. That is why
hated to have you employ him. These fel-
lows are never really any good. They SIM
ply walk along the obvious path and choose
the most obvious person as butt for their
suspicious. Miss Sybil Cluley never fired
off a pistol in her life. She doesn't know
how. Besides that, remember, she had no
quarrel with Aynesworth. They were ex-
cellent friends when we left them, and 1t
was quite impossible that any cause of dis
agreement of so serious nature could have
sprung up during those few minutes"
Gerald nodded. "Well," he said, "that
sounds all right. Personally, know nothing
of Miss Sybil Cluley except that she's a
laundering good-looking girl, and I'd much
rather think that it was anyone else.
"I wish you'd take the affair out of the
fellows hands," Jermyn begged. "You
morrow, and l must confess that it sits like
a black cloud over me to think that at any
moment l may hear that that young lady
is in danger of being annoyed by these abb
surd charges.
Il can't take it out of his hands now,"
Gerald regretted. "The fellows worked like
a brick, and have given him my promise.
He's frightfully keen over the matter, and
he's got something up his sleeve that he
hasn't even told me. He has collected all
his evidence in a perfectly justitiable and
decent sort of way. He hasn't bothered
Miss Cluley at all; in fact, he hasn't really
mentioned her name to me. | only put two
and two together myself when l told you
that she is, without doubt, the person whom
he is going for.
Jer1nyn sat quite still for sometime, look
ing into the fire.
a am afraid you're bit hit over all this,
old chap" Gerald remarked. Il am sorry.
l feel for you very much indeed. But, you
see right behind it all there was poor old
Aynesworth, my own brother. | can stand
man being killed in fight; but, hang it
all, a cold -blooded murder, without a chance!
It's dogs death, and | can't bring myself
to sympathize for one moment with a
murderer, whatever the provocation."
you are right, of course Jermyn ad
mitted. Things must go their own way,
Gerald On the other hand, if anything
happens to Miss Cluley, shall come back
to England at once. Every farthing have
in the world, if it is necessary, will be spent
in her defense. And there's something else,
Gerald. If find that that fellow Grayson
has been connecting any evidence, those
creatures aren't above it, you know,-I1l
thresh him within an inch of his life!"