The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-23
FINE

to do it,
Then he told her of some of the con-
illusions he had already reached in regard
to the murder.
mis- Lorne," he said after pause
"Ailsa-tell me, will you-have you ever
seen this thing before?"
His hand had gone to his pocket and come
forth TIGHTLY shut. Now he opened his
closed fingers and let her see that there
was scrap of pink chiffon edged with rose
colored stitchery lying on his open palm.
Alisa Lorne gave little start as~she exc
amined the fragment. 81 thought at first
that it was torn from my own Dress" she
said frankly, looking up at him, "for, as it
happens, do possess pink dress, but not
quite of this shade. l will show it to you
if you like
s'There is no need, Miss Lorne,'' said
Cleek, his eyes shining. Tell ME: Has
Lady Katherine certain kind of bracelet
to which there is attached a small capsule
by link of gold, and which smells aderably
of vieiet?'
eyes. Anybody that knows her could tell
you that. Her father, Lord st. Timer,
brought it TO her from South America. He
had her name and the st. Ulmer arms en-
graved upon it."
"Thank you! l supposed as much. Now
win you tell me, Miss Lorne. how long it ia
since Lady Katherine lost that little golden
Capsule IRON feT DIdCelGt.
"What a strange question. She hasnA
los it at all. At any rate, she wore it last
night when We went to Claverfng Close"
"H-m-m!' said Cieek, puckering up his
lips and looking grave. "You are estab-
fishing very unpleasant fact by that state
ment. 1t proves that, in spite of your be-
lief to the contrary, Lady Katherine visited
Gleer cottage last night, and that, too, after
the affair at Clavering Close"
hcur Wb1- cho cpAt
cut of my sight for a single instant. Ne.
not once, Mr.. Cleek, up to the very moment
she left me to go to bed"
'Just so. But after that"
"Aftef that? After" she began; and
then stopped and grew very pale for there
had come recollection of that moment
when she heard Lady Katharines door open
and shut in the night.
"After that? After" she began; and
then stopped, and grew very pale for there
had come a recollection of that moment
when she heard Lady Katharnes door epeA
and shut in the night
81 can't believe it; will not believe ite'
protested Ailsa, Loyalty. Il know that she
did not! l know"
"How?"
katharine is an accomplished violin-
cellist, Mr.. Cleek. Last night, after she left
me, heard her playing in her ROOM"
''For long,"
"No. OF sudden something went snap
and the music ceased. She opened her door
and called across the passage to me: 'Ailsa,
pray for me. l am so wretched, so aban-
doned by fortune, that even the solace Of
my cello is denedeme. l have broken tbs
A-string and have not another in the house.
Good night, dear After that she closed and
locked the door, and heard her go to bed'
Cleek turned away his head and took his
chin between his thumb and forefinger. The
A-string. And it was with a moose of cat
gut that the Count de Louvisan had been
strangled!
An automobile swung suddenly into view
in the drive leading up nom the gate to
the house. and in it were two men, one
white of hair and snowy of beard but as
erect as statue; the other slim and young
and fashionably dressed and clearly of the
order "Johnnie" General Raynor and his
son had returned from a visit to Gleer
cottage.
Miss Lorne made that fact clear to Cleek
in a few words.
''Now we shall have the full account Of
everything in Harry Raynor's original aud
detestable style" she whispered
"You do not appear to have much of an
opinion of the young man, Miss Lorne."
II have not. detest him. / never did