The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-08-20
Malcolm Sage,
August 18th, 1918.

August 18th, 1919.
but on this sheet the number was 20a.
Suddenly there was a scream, and
Muriel Crayne fell forward on to the
floor.
oh! father, father, forgive mel"
she cried, and the next moment she
vas beating the floor with her hands
in violent Mysteries.
From the first I suspected the
truth" remarked Malcolm Sage. as
he, Robert Freynes and Inspector
Murdy sat smoking In the car that
Tins was taking back to London at
its best pace. "Eighty.hve years ago
a somewhat similar case occurred in
France, that Of Marie de Morel.
when an innocent man was sen
fenced TO ten years imprisonment,
and actually served eight before the
truth was discovered. This suspicion
vas strengthened by the lengthy ac-
count OF the affair written by Miss
Crayne. which Murdy obtained from
her. The punctuation. the phrasing.
the inaccurate use Of auxiliary verbs.
were identical with that Of the
anonymous letters.
THE difficulty, however, was TO
prove it. There was only one way:
10 substitute secretly marked paper
for that in use at the vicarage.
Il accordingly went down to CYL
ston, and the vicar found me ksenly
interested in monumental brasses,
his pet subject, and Norman archi-
lecture. He invited me to the vicar
age. In his absence from his study
l substituted a supply Of marked
Olympic Script in place Of that In
his lettcr-rack. and also in the
drawer Of his writing-table. AS a
further precauuon. arranged for
my fountain-peh 10 run out Of ink.
lie kindly supplied me with a bottle,
obviously belonging to his daughter.
I replenished my pen, which was full
OF Il chemical that would enable me.
II necessary, to identify any letter
in the writing Of which II had been
used. When I placed my pen, which
Is a self-filler, in the Ink, forced
this liquid into the bottle. It was
then necessary to wait until the ink
in Miss Crayne's pen had become
exhausted, and she had to replenish
her supply Of paper from her fathers
study. After that discovery was
Inevitable"
But suppose she had denied IT."
questioned the inspector.
There was the ink which she
alone used. and which could iden-
tify." was the reply.
Why did you ask Gray to b
PRESENT." inquired Freynes.
AS his name had been associated
with the scandal it seemed only fair"
remarked Malcolm Sage, then turn
ing to Inspector Murdy he said, Il
shall leave It to you. Murdy. to see
that proper confession is obtained.
The case has had such publicity that
Mr.. Blades innocence must be made
equally public"
You may trust me, Mr.. Sage"
said the inspector. But why did tho
curate refuse to say anything"
Because he is A high-minded and
chivalrous gentleman" was the quiet
reply.
But how do you account for Miss
Crayne writing such letters about
herself?" inquired the inspector.
I'm not n pathologlst. Murdy." re-
marked Malcolm Sage, drily. but
when you try to suppress hysteria in
a young girl by sternnesS, its about
as effectual as putting ointment on
q plague-spot.
when you are next in Great Rus
sell Street, drop in at the British
Museum and look ut the bust Of
Faustina. You will see that her chin
is similar In modelling 70 that Of
Miss Crayne."
But who was Faustina?" inquired
tho inspector. unable TO follow the
drift of the conversation.
"Faustina,' arked Malcolm
Sage. was tho domestic hy in the
philosophical ointment OF an en-
reror"; Inspector Murdy laughed:
for. knowing nothing Of the mar
riaGe or the Mcditations OF Marcus
Aurelius, It seemed to him the only
thing 20 do.