The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-01-05
CHAPTER VII-Continued

way-and Brenda wide-eyed behind
him, with one of her hands to her
throat.
''Nobody's hurt" said I. "Mr.
Herrick's pistol went off. Where
did you put it, Brenda? ] mean,
when you made the bed"
"On the chest of drawers, sir
pointing.
81 see," said I. Sand what time
did you make the bed?"
eat six o'clock, sir. AS rule I
make it at nine: but, as you were
out to dinner, I made it before"
'And them"
''I visited my cousins at Monein,
and spent the evening with them"
'Well, that's all right" said I.
"You go back to bed. Let your
father and mother believe that we
fired by mistake"
'I will do that" said Brenda:
''but please may know the TRUTH"
''It's simple enough" said I. GAS
soon as you'd left for Monein, some
body entered this house and came
up to this room. They took Mr..
Herrick's pistol, which you had laid
over there, and put it into his bed.
Before they put it in, they put down
the safety-catch. And they laid it
with its mouth to the pillow-that
ruck shows that: on firing, the pis-
toll kicked-and shifted towards the
foot Now they've very light
triggers-these things. Mr.. Herrick
touched it off by sitting on the
edge of the bed. But if he'd got into
his bed in the ordinary way, and
had touched it off with his foot-as
somebody meant him to do :"
After so full day and in view of
what was to come, we were thank
full to have a weekend with moth
ing to do: for all that, I must con-
fess that, had I not been sure that
the Duchess would be annoyed, /
would have driven to Tracery ev-
cry day-not to assure myself that
my lady was safe, for of that I
could have no doubt, but because I
was mad to see her and hear her
call me by name. Instead, I sat in
the meadows and played with the
dream which the Duchess of Whelp,
in her wisdom, had taken away,
which the Countess of Brief, in her
sweetness, had given me back. And
because I was foolish, I wrote her
a little note, which all the world
might have read, which I posted
myself at Cable on Saturday after
noon.
Here I should say that out of evil
came good: the attempt upon Her
rick's life had cleared the air. We
had thought it likely that some such
attempt would be made, and, while
we were not uneasy, our senses did
constant duty against some sur
prise. But now the attempt had
been made, and the danger was past
for Virgil would know that, wheth-
er he won or lost, his throw could
not be hidden or made out an acct
dent, and so would be sure to give
Raven very wide berth.
On Sunday the police came to
Raven, and we reconstructed for
them what had been so nearly a
crime.
AS they were leaving
"Sirs," said the sergeant, zone
day he will go too far, and will pull
UP the sluice which will let all our
evidence go. And then he will be
overwhelmed. To arrest him now
would be futile. He bears a very
big name, and his word would be
taken before yours, in the absence
of definite proof"
'I entirely agree" said Herrick.
SIN fact, was in two minds wheth-
er or no to report this latest af-
fair. You see, we were frightfully
tired. Dining outs all very well,
but when the house you're dining
ats 80 miles off -"
NINETY miles?" cried the SER
geant..
''Well, how far is Tracery?" said
Herrick. eff you go by Gosch-
en-
"Tracery?"
Herrick surveyed the sergeant in
some surprise.
"Tracery," he said. "We dined
with the Duchess of Whelp." The
sergeant appeared to have lost the
power of speech. At length
81 beg your pardon, my lord. l."
ST am not a lord" said Herrick.
The other waved his statement
away.
Ell had no idea," he stam-
mered. eff I had known-that first
day ;" He broke off there and
put a hand to his head. eff Her
Grace were to learn that one of
her friends had been subjected to-"
"Her Grace" said Herrick, swift
ly, "would also learn how highly the
friend in question thought of the po-
lice"
The sergeant flushed with delight.
"Your lordship is very good"
'.Not at ALL" said Herrick. "Not
at all. And now don't you rush
this business. We both agreed just
now that the time wasn't ripe. And
If I am content to wait-well, I'm
pretty closely concerned. In fact,
may I leave it like this-that before
you take any action, you'll let me
know"
The sergeant gave his assurance
with all his might and, after fur
Their civilities, took his leave.
2 AS we turned to the house
''Of SUCH" said Herrick, quietly,
sis the kingdom of earth"
On Monday a note came by hand
from Brief.
"The Count of Brief presents his