The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-08-15

at may be-" answered, shat Mrs.
Elphinstone could give a perfectly
proper and valid explanation as to
how she became possessed of the will"
Sheila turned on me like a flash.
"Mervyn !" she exclaimed, Il believe
you think should have asked her that
before l stole the will and ran Off
with ito you'll"
"No-no" l protested. Il"
II believe you dol believe you do 7"
she exclaimed. "a pretty fool should
have been IL I'd as much as let her
know that l knew 1t was therel I
know what would have happened II
I'd told her that knew what was hid
den in the book! She'd have burned
| it before my very eyes. l knowI Mol
knowing what l did, there was only
one thing to do, and that was to place
it in safety"
"Miss Merchison's right" said May.
| thOrne. "That was the only thing to
| do. And here II is, and tomorrow
| morning I'll hand IL over to CrOle.
Mind you, Miss Merchison, your moth
! er. as Holt suggests, may have a per-
| fectly good explanation as TO how she
| got The will. But, under the circum-
stances, you took the best step you
could
Shela jumped up. suddenly, and be-
gan to button her coat.
"Then that's all tight" she said,
i've done my bit, anyway-and now
I'm off-I'll sleep tonight"
"Where are you going?" | asked as
MaythOrne and rose. wherever it
is. you must let me see you there.
| safely?'
"Oh. you can do that" she an
| swered, half-carelessly. "im going to
my old school friend, Rhoda Apperley.
| She lives in a fiat of her own in Ash
| ington mansions, in Mazda Vale. I'm
all right-but you can get me taxi
and ride there with me If you like"
"And tomorrow. In the morning"
| said MaythOrne. "let Holt call for you
and bring you TO my office. And by
| the-bye, before we 20 out, I've got
something in my pocket, Miss Merchi-
son, that I'd like to show you. Come
to the tight"
Suddenly, from some inner pocket,
he produced and laid on the table in
| the full glare of the lamp, an old
| fashioned cairngorn brooch, set in
fine, much-worn silver. He locked
| closely at Sheia.
"Have you ever seen that before?'
he asked. think -
"No!" replied Sheila. "Never
Whose is it?-What is it,"
| Maythorne picked up the brooch.
and began to finger it. Turning it
over, he pointed to the pin at the back,
which was considerably worn. and
| fitted loosely TO its socket.
sit would easily slip out of any
woman's gown" he said. "And-I
| picked it up at Reiver's den. close to
| the spot where Mazaroff's dead body
was found"
She turned on him quick, question
ing glance that shifted from him 10
the brooch, and he picked up the
+, brooch again, and restored ii to his
| pocket.
Soto the best of your recOllec-
| tion-you've never seen it befOre?' he
! said.
| "Neverl" she repeated. "Neverr"
Presently we all three went down
stairs, and into the street got a
| taxicab, and Sheila and | got into 1t.
| MaythOrne said goodnight and went
off; we. too, set out on our ride to
Mazda Vale. She suddenly laughed
shyly.
"Mervynl' she said. "Were-were
you glad to see me?"
"Will il be an answer" said |, III
tell you that I'd beer thinking about
you all the EVENING"
THAT'S nice answer" she laughed.
"Oh, well-now don't let's talk-we'll
talk tomorrow, or next day, or some
other day. But you can hold my hand,
if you like, till we get to the end OF
the ride"
We held each others hands-in
silence-all the way to Mazda Vale.
| saw her safely in charge of her
friend, and went back home in the
same cab. Wondering, of course
wondering what next?