Evening star., 1918-08-04
THE MYSTERY OF THE HA

the lining of that coat to hold the
isas." ssis is 4. deduction rather than
He stopped abruptly. An exclama-
tion-one of Mr.. Gryce's very own
had left that gentleman's lips. and
Sweetwater felt that he must pause
sSal. small triumph. But the delay was
go on" said Mr.. Gryce: and Sweet
water obeyed, but In lowered tones
az though the vision he was describ-
ing was actually before his eyes.
Next, see q sweep Of tapestry.
siowiy across 1t. It Is that Of the
lovelorn. Travis watching his inamo-
rata tripping up the marble stair
case and turning att its top in the
direction of the opposite gallery. His
to watch her, he is not at ell anxious
to be detected in the act of doing SO.
So he slips behind tho huge pedestal
towering near him, thus causing the
whole gallery to appear empty to
the eyes Of x. now entering 1t at the
there with but one idea In his head
to shoot an arrow across the court
at tho mark I have mentioned. It
may have been on a dare-sometime
/ think 1t was: but shoot 1t he means
to. before fresh crowd collects.
HE already has ,ss.y a. you win re.
about his person. and 1t is only .
few edge to the tapestry behind
which he has secreted the bow. If
he takes a look opposite. It is at the
moment when both Mrs. Taylor and
view by one Of the partitions separat-
ing the various sections. For unless
he felt the way to be free for his
arrow, he would never have proceeded
to slip behind his chosen pedestal.
secure the bow, pause to string 1t.
parent confidance. For after he has
left tho open gallery and limited his
outlook to what is visible beyond the
loophole through which he intends to
shoot. he can seas we know from
Mr.. La Fleche-little more than the
harrow line between. unhsppiiy. it
was across this line the young girl
capped Just 40 the arrow left the
bow. Don't you see 1t. sir7 do:
and see what follows. too"
1.-THE escape Of X?"
he has committed horrible crime:
he can never recall II. Whatever his
remorso or shame. nothing will ever
restore the victim Of his folly to life.
while he himsalf has many days be-
fore him-days which would be ruined
IT, his part in this tragedy were
known. Shall he confess to it. then.
or shall he fly (the way is SO easy),
and leave 1t to fate to play his game
fate, whose we'll known kindness to
fools would surely favor him? It does
not take long for such thoughts to
the dying cry Of his innocent victim
had ceased to echo through those
galleries he is behind the tapestry
and on his way toward the court.
Beyond that my dram does not go.
How about yours. sirT
an accident. No man could be such
q fool as you have made out this x
Of yours to be. Only an extraordinary.
puSpose or some imperious necessity
could drive man to shoot, an arrow
across an open court, where people
he didn't see any one in the gallery"
by which you mean@
"That he had already marked the
approach Of his victim ana was ready
with his weapon"
you are undoubtedly right. and
pose In my relation was merely to
show the method and manner of this
shooting, leaving you to put on the
emphasis of crime II you saw At"
The gravity with which Mr.. Gryce
received this suggestion had the ef-
feet of slightly embarrassing Sweet
water. Yet he presently ventured to
add after q moment Of respectful
waiting:
"Did you know that after I woke
from my dream had a moments
doubt as to its accuracy on one point?
The bow was undoubtedly 6ung be-
hind the curtain, but the man"
He paused abruptly. A morsel of
clean white paper had Just been
nished across the table under his
eyes. and peremptory voice was
saying:
write me his name. / will do the
same for you"
CHAPTER XIV
A Loop Of Silk