The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-10-03
J. S. FLETCHER
Illustrations by IRWIN MYERS
&c. by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.)
w. N. U. Service
CHAPTER XI-Continued'

"Safe-yesw she answered. "All
right, too. But-everything else is all
wrong! Observation-Disclosures is he?"
"Outside,'' said. 1.-THE police. too
Two of them-Corkerdale and Man
ners."
We've got to see the police at
once!" interrupted Sheila. LET them
In, Mervyn. You'll hear everything
that say to them," she added, turn
ing to Mr.. Elphinstone. There
mustn't be any delay, eitherl Open
the doori"
l thrust back the latch and threw
the door open-the three men outside
came in, wOnderingly. The two po-
ifcemen, thus admitted, appeared to
lose their tongues, but Maythorne,
after a first keen glance at Sheila,
smiled.
Il think you're none the worse for
your adventures, Miss Merchison," he
said. Il hope Mrs. Elphinstone is not
seriously the worse, either?"
My mothers had a sort of col
lapse after she came in" replied
Sheila. "The doctor says she will be
all right after a nights rest. Sit down,
all Of you, if you please want to
talk TO you" she continued, abruptly.
you've all been wondering where my
mother, and Alison Murdoch, and my
self went, and where we've been since,
haven't you?"
"a good deal of search has been
made for you, MISS" observed Cor
kerdale, finding his tongue. "Going
on now, it is, too! What happened,
IL l may ask?'
Sheila looked at Maythorne and
from him TO me.
"Happened?" she answered. my
mother and were kidnapped
by whom were you kidnapped, Miss
Merchison?" asked Maythorne quietly.
Sheila unconsciousy lowered her
voice as she bent forward to answer
ALLISON MurdochI" she replied
"And-where is Alison Murdoch ~
continued Maythorne. Butt sup
pose you don't known
"Nor' answered Sheila. 81 don't
know"
Corkerdale cleared his throat-the
sound suggested that he thought it
was high time he came in.
what I'd wish, Mr.. Maythorne," he
said that is, Sergeant Manners and
myself-would be if the young lady
would just tell us what happened after
she and her mother and this woman
left the hotel three nights ago. Seems
to me we want a consecutive nara
tive, as it were. Then"
I'm going to tell you," interrupted
Sheila. But l shall have to begin
before that. | must begin where Mr..
Maythorne and Mr.. Holt came to Miss
Apperleys fiat that evening-the eve
ming that my mother arrived here.
After you two had gone" she con-
tinued, turning to Maythorne and me,
81 thought a lOt-a tremendous lot
about the whole business. / was very
uneasy about everything-the will
the general situation. To tell you the
truth, l felt that if things were going
to remain where they were should
come perilously near to suspicion OF
my own mother. So"
Mr.. Elphinstone smote his knees
with his open palms and groaned
audihly. But Sheila gave him glance
and went on.
$50, eventually, | said to Miss APP
perley that | was going to Shorts, to
have it out with. my mother, If
could. | came here-I saw my mother
in that bedroom"
"Alone?" asked Maythorne.
"Alonei We had a sort Of row al
first-she was naturally furious with
me; first, for taking the will out 81
her possession; second, for running
away to London with it and giving il
to Mr. Holt. But in the end she
Gained down, and eventually, wheI
we had restored amicable relations be
tween ourselves, she told me that
need not have been so hasty, for II
was her full intention TO send the will
either to Mr.. Postlethwaite, who ha(
prepared it, or to Mr.. Crole, the very
next day, with an account of how il
had come into her possession"
"How had the will come into Mrs
Elphinstone's possession?" asked May
thOrne.
'In this way" replied Sheila. &c
told you and Mr.. Holt that my mother
was out late in the evening for two
evenings in succession, and that OF
the second evening | stole dOwnstair.
on hearing her come in, and, upper
ceived by her, saw her examining &
document which i afterward discov
cred to be the will. Her explanation
is that on coming in that night she
found one of the French windows il
the library open, and on the carpet
just within, an envelope containing the
will She had just picked this up an(
was examining it when | saw her."
"To be sure-to be sure!' mutteret
Mr.. Elphinstone. perfectly clear =
perfectly!
Proceed, if you please" said May
thorne, quietly.
SWELL" continued Sheila. 81 thel
began to talk to my mother abOu
various possibilities as to how the will
had come there. l pointed out tina
the possession of it, and her refusa
to account for it and to reply to ques
lions (all Of which is due to her nat
ural pride and obstinacy and dislik
of being cOerced by anyOne) woul,
make people-like you, for instance
suspicious about her. She cared YER
little about it, but we began to dis
cuss the question of the identity of tn
murderer. For it seemed to me tina
whoever had stolen the will had pre-
viously murdered its makerl An
eventually, and / think, accidentally
I told her about that cairngorr
brooch which you showed me tn
other night"
"Ah" exclaimed Maythorne, wit
doa hx,fr cI 1.fh IL. Int