The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-23

Maxwell. Nor do / want to ex
press any opinion, that may be
wrong or unfounded and thereby
cast suspicion toward one who
may be-who must be entirely in
nocent."
Meaning whom?" L asked
breathlessly.
That's just what l hesitate tc
say"
Lord Clarence" | said seri.
ously, IF you will tell me what
you know, | will promise that the
secret shall be put to no use what
ever, unless we can feel sure that
it will positively lead to the dis
covery of the criminal.
Then | will tell you about this
seal. AS you remember, | was
showing it to Mr.. Alexander Max
well in his study, and you were
present. That was just before the
guests arrived for the dance. Very
shortly after, l danced with Miss
Leslie. She told me, laughing.
that a watch fob was entirely in
correct with evening clothes, and
In obedience to her pretty, wilful
dictate, l took the fob off my
watch. She admired this seal, be-
ing esecially interested in the
crest, and detached it from the
rest of the fob and gave it to
her."
las an out and out gift -
Yes; l was greatly attracted
by Miss Leslie, in fact. | quite lost
my head over her. She attached
the seal to long neckchain she
was wearing, and seemed child
ishly delighted with it. She is a
strange little person, isn't she?"
She is. And since you were not
in the librar~ that night, it is to
be supposed, then, that she lost
this seal from her chain while she
was there with Philip"
Or perhaps she purposely de-
tached it to throw at the intruder.
1t is heavy missile, you know,
and the little lady seemed in
clined to throw anything she could
lay her hands on"
But you don't think Mildred
Leslie in any way guilty." l ex-
claimed; land beside, she did
throw that horse and inkstand."
And then / detailed to the earl
how we had found the red ink
stains, and the broken ear of the
horse.
He looked utterly astounded
''But," he said, how could those
things get back on the table
again."
THAT is the mystery. To me IL
simply proves that some one else
was in that room later who had a
reason for wanting those things
restored to their places"
"And you thought l did il, and
ileft my seal by mistake" said the
earl, smiling little; "but, Mr.
King, to return to your former
question, do not think Miss
Leslie guilty of any art in the
shooting, but l do think she
knows very we'll who the intruder
was"
Frankly, you do not believe
Miss Leslie's story, them" / said
Frankly, l do not" replied
the earl; "and that is the reason
l left Maxwell Chimneys when |
did. l felt sure she had done
something with my seal, because
asked her sister the next day if it
were on her chain when she was
carried to her room, and Mrs.
Whiting told me it was not. AL
together, Mr.. King, hto perhaps
my reasons were not entirely log
ical, they were sufficiently strong
to make me want to leave Max
we'll Chimneys."
ITO be honest, you had lost
your deep interest in Miss Les
lie?"
ITO be honest, | had. She is
most attractive, an unusual type
to me, and positively fascinating.
But l cannot think her entirely
truthful; and, at any rate, I pre-
ferred to come away, lest my pres
ence should disturb her."
Truly the Englishman gave me
food for thought. At his request,
we dismissed the subject from our
dinner conversation; buOI had
carefully laid up in my memory
all he had said, and resolved to
act upon it later.