The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-05-09
(oontinsed from Preceding Pess)


The sergeant agreed dryiy that
the moon is an admirable planet,
$50 4 did walk along the little
path that goes under the trees
monsieur knows it-and az ] eid
come TO that place, which Is oppo-
site the little Summer-house. what
was II that ! saw?"
well. mademoiselleT the ser
geant asked, as the French woman
with .sort OF dramatic Instinct
paused. -.
~ saw, monsieur" she said
Whispering still lower and more
agitatedly and bringing her mouth
close to the detectives ear, u saw
Sir Ralph, Sir Ralph himself. com
ing from the Summer-house.
At that announcement j DeneVe
that she did indeed alter the beat
ing OF Sergeant Crisp's heart u
great deal more effectively than by
her pathos. but that heart was
very well trained and disciplined
organ, and Celeste may have been
much disappointed Of the effect she
had hoped to produce when the
sergeant inquired simply:
! well, mademoiselle, and then!
"Well, monsieur" the girl re-
sponded in indignant surprise:
monsieur can ask What thenT
Is Il not enough? There "as no
.then'-no .Apres.' Sir Ralph, he
lust came past me; 1t was moon.
light and / was In the shade OF the
trees-he did not see me-and
went back along the path to the
house. But 10 1t not enough? He
was csming from the summer
house, I tell you-from that house
where-you know, monsieur. what
was In that house"
Celeste WAS fearfuliy indignant
and astonished at the sergeaM's
slowness In comprehending ali that
her news implied. -
"And how did he look, mademoi-
selle--Sir Ralphf"
HE WAS white" said Celeste.
His face was white--I could see
it-and very hard, He walked
quickly"
"And what had he In his hand
what was he holding?"
in his hand" she reflected.
But nothing did not notice"
He had no-no. stick-nothing
in HIS hand?" the sergeant per-
sisted.
Nothing, nothing that ! saw.
His hand, perhaps It was clenched
he walked like that, like a man
that has the hand clenched-stiff. ;"
81 see, 50 that he might have
held something in his hand"
ut is possible. / did not see."
The sergeant had to leave this
point; he could not carry 1t any
further. Then he said:
But, after all. of what use is It?
Why have you come to tell me this
this story?"
"Story, monsieur" Celeste ex.
claimed, indignant again. ut is
not story, 1t is truth that am tell
ing"
"Yes, ! know. am quite sure
that you are telling truth. But of
what value is TT"
"Of what value? do not under
stand II Sir Ralph came from the
Summer-house, and IL in the Sum-
mer-house there was lying-that-
that which you know" Celeste
seemed to have a singular repug-
nance to speak of the dead body Of
her mistress in so many plain words,
"well, does it not prove &C.
leste ended in a pause which she
made the more significant by a
shrug of the shoulders in the ma
tional manner.
"If Sir Ralph came from the
Summer-house, mademoiselle, then
indeed it might seem to prove
and | do not doubt-that what you
say is true"
(He did not add that he might
have been inclined to doubt it ex-
ceedingly had 1t not seemed to be
supported by the witness of that
footprint which he had seen be-
meath the window of the Summer
house. He did not, however, say
anything about that witness to Ce-
leste.)
81 believe your story" he re.
peated, "but before it can be OF any
value in law it will have to be be-
lieved by twelve men who will be
called a Jury, and when you tell
your story, mademoiselle, and
when Sir Ralph tells his, which we
may take It is likely to be that he
was not at the place at all at that
time-indeed, he has already said
so-why, then, mademoiselle, 1t
will be but one persons word
against another, Sir Ralph's
against yours, and I ask you,
mademoiselle-Id do not wish to be
rude-but l put It to you, which
story will those twelve men be
most likely to believe-yours,
which IL a very unlikely one upon
the face of It, or Sir Ralph's? What
do you think?"
Celeste, very much contrary to
her usual manner, did not answer
for a moment. She was very in
telligent. Intensely as disliked
and distrusted her, never doubted
for a minute the excellence OF her