Charlevoix county herald., 1915-03-06

ined II slowly and carefully. The
blade, about eight inches long. was of
the finest steel. exquisitly chased
In design of the most curious work
manship, while its ivory hilt formed a
unique specimen of the carver's art.
Neither OF them had ever seen b
weapon like II and they shuddcrcd
instinctively as they looked at It,
"You found this in my coat peck
et?" Harcourt asked at last.
Yes, my lord"
did you ever see II before, Fer
gus"
mo. sir. I'm quite aure ! never
did sir"
Nor did l." said Harcourt w;th
conviction, and passed the knife To
Darlington. Fergus. has anyone but
Mr.. Darlington called this morning"
Eyes, sir. Several persons who said
they were from the newspapers aud
this gentleman"
inspector MacBee, Scotland
Yard" Harcourt read from the card
the valet handed to him. "Wh2i cid
you tell them ali?"
81 told the newspaper men that you
never gave interviews, sir. and could
not be seen at any hour. The inspec-
tor, sir, said that he would not dir
turb you, but as ed If you would
wait for him to return before go
ing out"
"Then ring him UP and say that
am ready to see him as soon as he
can come here" Harcourt directed.
ASK If he can conveniently come at
once"
The valet withdrew and the two
men stared in silence at the dagger
that Darlington had placed upon the
table, reluctant to hold 1t in his
hands.
Now what do you think, Dicky7"
Harcourt asked.
"It's more puzzling than ever"
said Darlington. THE blood on your
!, clothes-and this thing"
Pm sure | can't explain IT," liar
court admitted in perplexity. did
you ever see a more wicked looking
thing? 1t isn't mine and I'm positive
that never laid eyes upon 1t until
now. Yet If the thing was in my
pocket, l must have had it," He
paused and gazed silently at the dag
ger. then his horrned eyes met Car
rington's. "Dicky," he whispered
nervously. do you suppose
could"
"Nonsense!" Darlington broke In.
1.-THE thing has unherved you. Don't
get all upset. There is some explain
alton of course, but il ! were you I'd
see my solicitors before talking with
Inspector MacBee."
Harcourt shook his head. Look
here, Dicky," he said slowly. The
idea is so utterly, absurd that | can't
and won't believe that ! could have
been in a state where could do such
a thing as this. It's utterly foreign TO
my nature-beyond all range OF pos
sibility-yet the thing that worries
me is that | don't knowl"
"But it will come to you gradually,
Darlington assured him. You'll be
gin to recall later--to piece things to-
BeIneT anu give a sdliSAdNNoiS oSSouh'
Of yourself"
mo Dicky, ] won't" Harcourt in
sisted. 1--WE noticed lately that when
I've been drinking, well, more than !
should, | don't remember thing that
happens. My mind is an utter blank.
and it seems just like so much time
gone out of my life. don't remember
where I've been-what I've said
what I've done-alything Why i re-
Gently forgot gambling debt, and
had to be reminded of it,"
but what has all this"
perhaps you can't understand what
| mean" Harcourt explained but
there's a damned unpleasant feeling
that | can't seem to shake of.
don't think I'm a coward although I've
never had any opportunity to prove
that I'm not until now. | can't quite
figure out how a man would feel If
he had deliberately committed
crime and feared that he would be
found out, but l can readily believe
that the thought that one might have
done such a thing. and not be sure OF
it, could drive one mad"
Jack" Darlington broke In.
Don't talk like that You're simply
upset. Take a drink and brace UP
before this fool mood knocks you out
entirely. II is simply impossible that
you could have killed Towney and
YOU know it. | know it, and so does
every man who was there last night.
And, what's more. every man Of Ut
will stand by you no matter what
happens-remember that"
Thanks, Dicky." said Harcourt
with a smile. 81 appreciate that, and
it's handsome of you to say It. Hon.
estly, il the thing wasn't so serious
IL would be joke. It is funny, the
idea of the Earl of Harcourt being a
murderer-a sort Of Jekyll and Hyde
transformation from an idle and
worthless young aristocrat into
murderous demon!"
The telephone rang and Harcourt
turned to answer 1t.
"Be careful what you say to any
one" Darlington cautioned.