White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-07-13

of it, Mr.. Troy. left it here on the
table"
with the envelope open?"
yes"
other room?"
Half an hour or more"
Hal" said Mr.. Troy to himself,
this complexities it a little" He re-
Elected for while, and then turned
again to Moody. Did any of the serv-
ants know of this bank note being in
her ladyship's possession"
mot one of Them" Moody an
swered.
DO you suspect any of the serv-
ants?"
Certainly not, sir"
Are there any workmen employed
in the house?"
"No, sir"
do you know of any persons who
had access to the room while Lady
Lydiard was absent from it?"
1.-TWO visitors called, sir"
who were they?"
Her ladyships nephew, Mr.. Felix
Sweetsir, and the Honorable Alfred
Hardyman."
Mr.. Troy shook his head irritably.
II am not speaking of gentlemen of
high position and repute," he said.
Its absurd even to mention Mr..
Sweetsir and Mr. Hardyman. My ques-
ton related to strangers who might
have obtained access to the drawing
room-people calling, with her lady
ships sanction, for subscriptions, for
instance, or people calling with ar
ticles Of dress or ornament to be sub
mitted to her ladyship's inspection"
mo such persons came to the
house, to my knowledge" Moody an
swered.
Mr.. Troy suspended the investiga-
ton, and took turn thoughtly in the
room. The theory on which his in
quiries had proceeded thus far had
failed to produce any results. His ex-
perience warned him to waste no more
time on It, and return to the starting
point of the investigation-in other
words, to the letter Shifting his point
Of view, he turned again to Lady
Lydiard, and tried his questions in
new direction.
MIR. Moody mentioned just now" he
said, that your ladyship was called
into the next room before you could
seal your letter. On your return to
this room did you seal the letter. On
your return to this room did you seal
the letter."
II was busy with the dog" Lady
Lydiard answered. Isabel Miller was
of no use in the boudoir, and told
her to seal 1t for me-"
Mr. Troy started. The new direction
in which he was pushing his inquiries
began to look like the right direction
already. miss Isabel Miller" he pro
ceeded, has been a resident under
your ladyship's roof for some little
time, l believer"
For nearly two years, Mr.. Troy"
"As your ladyship's companion and
reader?"
"As my adopted daughter" her
ladyship answered, with marked EN-.
phasis.
Wise Mr.. Troy rightly interpreted
the emphasis as warning to him to
suspend the examination of her lady.
ship, and to address to Mr.. Moody the
far more serious questions which were
now to come.
Did any one give you the letter
before you left the house with it," he
said to the steward, cor did you take
it yourself?"
81 took it myself, from the table
here"
WAS it sealed?"
Yes"
Was anybody present when you
took the letter from the tablet"
Miss Isabel was present"
Did you find her alone in the
room?"
Yes, sir"
Lady Lydiard opened her lips to
speak, and checked herself. Mr.. Troy,
having cleared the ground before him,
put the fatal question.
MIR. Moody" he said, when Miss
Isabel was instructed to seal the let.
ter, did she know that bank note
was Enclosed in it?"
Instead of replying. Robert drew
back from the lawyer with a look of
horror. Lady Lydiard started to her
feet, and checked herself again on the
point of speaking.
Answer him, Moody" she said, put.
ting strong constraint on herself.
Robert answered very unwillingly.
II took the liberty of reminding her
ladyship that she had left her letter
he said And I mentioned
as my excuse for speaking"-he
stopped and corrected himself-"I be-
lieve mentioned that a valuable in
closure was in the letter."
you believer" Mr. Troy repeated.
Cant you speak more positively than
that?"
II can sneak nnsitivalvn said Lady