The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-06-29
CHAPTER xI
The Spring-Lancet.


Suppose you take back this key
md the bookplate. If at any time you
think they might get response from
Miss Grosvenor, show them to her.
| give them to you because she as
sociates you. rather than me, with
that book, and you might have
chance to win her confidence more
adroitly. Once more, do your best to
get her to talk"
We passed the box trees; we paced
the blue-and-white tiled hallway; we
mounted the steep staircase to the
second floor, and approached the door
of the Grosvenor apartment. And
Out of it walked Mr.. easel
[ decided that the hall was too dark
for me to see him; what Mr.. Almy
did, | don't know, for he was behind
me, but at all events. he didn't speak
The maid admitted us to the living
room; and there sat Julia, In the
same chair where we had left her
the previous evning, so still that 1t
seemed as If she had never moved
"Miss Grosvenor, we want to do
something for you, If you will only
let u.s." said Mr.. Almy.
Nobody can do anything for me, !"
she answered in dead, level tone.
Mr.. Almy glanced at me.
you're mistaken" said l, rather
bluntly, to rouse her. 81 should not
have dreamed of intruding here If I
could not help you. You see, was
here last night when you and your
| cousin had that discussion-you re-
member you asked me to stay?-and
[ think I have here what you were
discussing with him, that object you
want"
| took the key from my bag, and
held it out to her. She looked at it
with perfect Darkness, her express
sion changing from bewilderment to
disappointment, then to suspicion.
"What is it?" she demanded with
some asperity. II haven't the faintest
| notionl"
flung 1t down on the table, and
| drew the boOkplate out of my bag.
"Is this what you want, them"
asked.
Her eyes fairly blazed with recog-
milton! With trembling fingers she
snatched 1t from my hand hesitated
almost imperceptibly one instant as
| If screwing her courage up to su.
preme effort, then turned the stout
paper oblong over and scanned the
blank back avidly. Then, with q
heartrending cry of bitter disap-
pointment, she flung the bookplate on
the floor.
| Mr.. Almy snatched II up.
| miss Grosvenor, you recognized
thisw he announced sharply. you
saw 1t at the auction galleries in
Richmond, week ago last Thurs
day."
Julia GrosvenOr caught her breath
sharply, half In chagrin in having
/ betrayed herself so utterly. half in
CONSERVATION at Mr.. Almy's informa.
ton.
"You wanted to buy the book with
the bookplate, didn't you? Surely
there was no reason why you should
not have done so If you wished"
"Yes," she finally whispered; "but
had no money. So really went
to see who would buy it-where II
would be afterward."
"Your cousin entered a bid for five
hundred dollars" resumed Mr.. Almy
Julia made no sign or movement
"But, as you know. he was outbid.
den. Mr.. Burton got the book. Ii
was in Darrow's shop last Monday
She gazed steadily at the floor. In
dead silence. "Miss Grosvenor, | must
remind you that the authorities are
still waiting for you to explain your
presence at that shop on Monday
morning for an hour and a half"
81 have explained It'll You won't
believe mel You think | followed my
grandfather there to kill him 70 sud
denly blazed the girl, frightened and
furious.
"No," denied Mr.. Almy, very quiet.
ly, 81 think you went there after
that boOkplate again. But you didn't
find it. and something else happened
What, | am going to find out. Miss
GrOsvenor, when did you learn that
Mr.. Burton was Darrow's buyer?"
"When / left the auction, directly
after the book had been bought,
made Inquiries" she aLjwered reluc
family.
did you tell your cousin that Bur
ton had bought it?'
mo. ! didn't even meet him In
Richmond. If he knew. he must have
found out from the galleries"
HE did," rejoined Mr.. Almy. "Your
constant avoidance of your cousin
while both of you are attempting tc
get possession of this drawing makes
certain only one conclusion, Miss
Grosvenor: Your motive for wanting
it conflicts with his. Now. your cousin
went to Darrow's Monday morning
and bought a book. Did you see bin
there?"
mo"
"Did you at any time during that
morning know he had been there p
The question startled her, but she
looked at her questioner steadily and
answered point-blank. "Yes!"
"How did you known"
"That," said Julia in a tone OF
fnality, cannot tell you"
"Why did your cousin 70 to Oar