Show HIS i L oYflQUa IOUE1 1I 7 IL I L Uficl7 is Told a Tirilip Story 1 4 of Baffled Srime If CHAPTER UI EpeliTi sank into a chair and covercd hcr face with her trembling hands When I came down before dinner I found Ralph and Charles talking earnestly earn-estly by the hall fire Ralphs hand on his brothers shoulder You see we are no further forward L than we were ho was saying We shall have Marston back tomorrow tomor-row said Charles as the gong began to sound Wo cannot take any step till I then especially if vro dont want to put our foot in it I have been racking my brains all the afternoon without the vestige ves-tige of a result We must just hold our lands for the moment Die announced and we waited I yatiently for a few minutes and atenty minute impatiently impa-tiently fo a good many more until I Evelyn hued down apologizing for being late and with a message from Lady Mary that we were not t wait for her as she was dining upstairs in her own rom a practice t which she seemed tather addicted II And where i Aurelia asked Ralph She is not coming down to dinner i either said Evelyn She h a bad headache again and is lying down She I asked me t tell you that she wishes par ticularly t see you this evening as she J i going away tomorrow and if she i well enough she will come down to the morning room at 9 indeed she said she would come down anyhow After Ralphs natural anxiety respect I j ing his Lady love had been relieved and i he had been repeatedly assured that I nothing much was amiss we went i t duvner and a more lugubrious repast I never remember being present at The meals of the day might have been classi i me te dy hve clas L fled thus Breakfast dismal fed thu Breakat dma luncheon L dismaller or more dismal dinner dis i I mallest or most dismal There really was no conversation Even I who I tout going very deep which I con I Eider i not i good taste have something some-thing to Bay on almost every subjetI 1 even I felt myself nonplused for the time being Each of us in turn got out I gt a few constrained words and then re lapsed into silence rI Evelyn 1 nothing and her hand trembled BO much when she poured out a glass of water that she spilt some on the cloth I saw Charles was watching her furtively and I became more and more certain that Aurelia was right and that Evelyn knew something about the mystery of the night before I must ing and would speak to her that very even ig ingBitterly cld said Ralph when at last wo had reached the dessert stage I is snowing still and the wind is getting upI up-I truth the wind was moaning round the house like an uneasy spirit I xnai souna in tuo winu always means snow said Charles evidently r forthe sake of saying something It i easterly I should think Yes after a pause when another silence seemed sence seee imminent there goes tho 8 oclock tram It must bo quite a of tn mut b qut quarter o a hour late though for it has struck S some time I can hear it distinctly The station i three miles away and yon never hear the train unless the wind i i the east Come Charles not three miles two jnilesaad a half put in Ralph Well two and a half from here down r the station but certainly three from the station up here replied Charles and so silence was laboriously avoided I Viv diligent small talk until wo returned 61So3rawing room thankful fhefb nt least wo could take up a book and be 8i j I lantif jrowished We all did wish it ap parently Evelyn wassitting by a ap when wo came in with a book beforo 1 her her elbow on the table shading her face with a slender delicate hnd She remained motionlces her fired rme motoulc eyes fed upon the page but I noticed after some time that she h never turned it over j I Charles may have read his newspaper but i ho did it was with one newsper eye upon Evelyn all the time Between watching them both I did not as may be imagin imn e make ranch progress myself How was I to manage t speak to Evelyn cone and without Charles knowledge I kowleg At last Ralph who had gone into the morning room opened the drawing room door and put his head in Aurelia h not come down yet and i is a quarter past 9 I wish you would run up Evelyn and seo if she i com ing so cm ingShe I She i sure t come replied Evelyn I without raising her eyes She said she must see you Ralph disappeared again and the te books and papers were studied anew with unswerving devotion At the end of another ten minutes however the Impatient lover Ipatent reappeared It i halfpast 9 he said in a in i jured tons Do pray run up Evelyn I i dont think she can be coming Evely n afraid she i worse i Evelyn laid down her book and left the room Ralph sauntered back into Bio morning room where we heard him 1 beguiling his solitude with a few chords pn the piano chord 4 Presently Eel returned She was II j I prle even r the lips and her voice falt j ered as fiho said She lins not gone to bed for there is a light in her rom but she would not aiswcr when I teocked and the door is locked losa JOlof whira circumstances are not sufficient to tko you a white a saf ghost said Charles HI think even saM Aurolia has a headache you would bear the occurrence ear occunc with fortitude My dear child yea do not act so well of the stag as on it Them is some thing on Cur mind Peoplo dont upset up-set water at dinner and refuse all up except pellets of pinched bread for noth ing What is itr luh Evelyn sank into a chair and covered her face with her trembling hands Yes I thought s said Charles kneeling down by her and gently with drawing her hands Coma Evelyn what is it I dare not say And she turned I away her face and tried to disengage I her hands but Charles held them firmly Ii it nbo it what 1 Ir bt hl happened last night ho asked in a tone that was kid but that evidently intended to havo an answer Yes 1 And do you know that I am suspected pected You Charles Never sho cried starting up Yes I Suspected by my own fa then So i you know anything Evelyn which I see you doit is your duty tell tell u and to help u in every way you canHo Ho had let go her hands now and had risen rsen I dont know anj hing for certain I i she raid butVbutytfsjxm shall Aure lia knows and p1eioing tel Ralph Miss Grant I is Grnt erclahned She knew nothing at tea time She was asking me about it I i It is thrice then I I I cce ten continued Evelyn I q went to her up t he room before dinner to ask her for a fan that I had lent her She was packing some of her things and the floor was strewn with packing paper and parcels She gave me my fan and was I going on putting her things together ail the time talking when she asked mo to bend her a glove box on the dressing table An I did 5 my eye fell on a piece of paper lying together with others and I instantly recognized it as the same that 7 bed been wrapped lound the diamond crescent when Col Micldleton first showed us tho jeels I should never have no I ticad itfor though it a rico paper it l looked just like the other pieces stew aboui if I had not saen two little angu l lar team which I ang ia lr uidenly remembers making in it myself when Gen Mars ton asked mo not to pull it t piece i which I suppose Iud baon absently do j ing I made eoisa sort of exclamation j of surprise and Aurelia turned1 round tre sharply and askedma what wasthe matter mat-ter A I did not answer s ho left her packing and canio to tho table Shosaw I in a momeht what I was looking at I j I had turned as red a fire and she was j quite white I did net mean you to see that she said at last quietly taking up the paper I meant no cne to know I I until I had shown it to Ralph Do you I know where I found it and she looked hard at mo I could only shako my head I was too much ashamed of a suspicion I had had to be able to get out a word I am very sorry continued Aurelia but I rm afraid it will be my duty to toll Ralph whatever the ut to telltlph cone I quances may be Iliavo boon thinking j it over and r think he ought to know I ani going to show it him tonight after dinner andshe put it in icr pocket and then began to cry I did not know what to say or do I was so frightened at the thought of what was coming and as the dressing ball rang at that inomwifc I vent inst learn the I rom when she called me back 0 al cant come down to dinner she said I hate Ralph t see me with redeye I red-eye Toll him I shall come down after wad at 9 fclock and that I want t seo him particularly only dont tell him what it i about or mention it to any ono elso I did not mean any ono t know till ho did Sho began to cry afresh and I made her lie down and put n shawl over her and then left her n I had still to dress st and I know that Aunt Mary was not coming down I was late a it va I that aliT said Charles who had been intently listening intentv All replied Ev ly We shall soon know the worst now Very soon said Charles Ralph may come i hero at any moment Evelyn and Middloton will you have fiio gooaacsa to coo WITH icr > Ancf no led tho way into tho hal Wo could hear Ralph in tho next room Imnjming over nn old Irish melody with n improvised accompaniment Now show na her room said I I Charles and be quick about it7 quc I Evelyn looked at him astonished and anl then led the way up stairsolong the pict I uro gallery to another wing of the I housa She stopped at last baforea door I at tho end of the passage dimly lighted I i by n lamp Tit tho further end There j I was a light under tho door and a bright I chin tho keyhole but though we list j I ned intently wo could hear nothing J stirring within I Knock again said Charles to Evelyn j Louder n her hand failed her Thsre a no answer As we listened tho light within disappeared I Bring that lamp from the end of the passage said Charles t Evelyn and sha brought it I Hold it there ho said and you j Middleton stand aside 11 He took n few steps backward and then flung himsalf against the door with his I whole force It cracked and groaned crcked anl Eoaned i I but resisted I I The lock is old It i bound t go < he slid panting little I Really Charles I recarastrated ladys private apartment Miss Derrick I wonder you allow this Charles retreated again and then made n fresh and oven fiercer onslaught on the door Thefe vas a sound of rhe splintering wood and of bursting screws and in another anl i f moment tho door flew > I > I open inward and Charles was precipl toted headforemost into the room his evening pumps flourishing wildly in the i air I an instant ho va on his feet i again gasping hard and had seized the lamp out of Evelyns hand Before I had I time to remonstrate on the liberty that room he was taking wo were all the in the roomI empty I one corner stood I box half packed with various articles of clothing rou aricc cot1in lying lyn by it On the dressing table was a i j whole medley of little feminine kaick 11 j knacks with a candlestick in the midst Ithe I dead wick still de wck stl smoking i tho socket I and accounting for tho disappearance of the light a few minutes before The fire I i had gone out but on a chair by it was i laid 1 little black lace evening gown evidentlj put out t bo worn while over tho fender a dainty pair of nilk stockings i i had been hung and two diminutive i black satin shoes wero waiting on tho I i hearthrug The wholo aspect of tho i room spoke of a sudden and precipitate I i flight ghtBolted fghtBolod said Charles when ho had L recovered his breath And so the mys tery is out at last I might have known there was a woman afc tho bottom of it Unpremeditated though ho continued looking round She meant to have gone tomorrow but your recognition E that paper frightened her though she turned 1 it off well to gain time No fool that Sho only had an hour and she mado tho most of it and got off no doubt while we were at dinner by the 803 London train which is the List tonight to-night and after the telegraph office was closed too She knew nothing could bo done till tomorrow She has more wits than I gave her credit for I distrusted her before though I had no reason for it but I never thought she was gone said Evelyn trembling io 0I I lentiy and still looking round the room I I I I I knew itt said Charles from the moment I sW the light through the keyhole A keyhole with a key in it i would not have shown half the amount o light through it and a locked door ithout a key in itis safo to have been locked from the outside Had she a mad with hor No replied Evelyn she used to come to me next door when she wanted help but not often because I think she se knew I did not like her though I ted 13d not to chow it I Well we have seen the last of her or I am much mistaken said Charles And now he added compressing his compreng kII lips j i I suppose I must go and tel Ralph I Oh Ralph Ralph gasped Evelyn with a sudden sob And he was so fond j of here And s yon distrusted her before Evelyn And why did you not mention that fact n little sooner Without any ron fQr it And when Ralph oh I couldnt I ponldnt i said the girl crimsoning gl crmsoning Charles gazed intently at her as she turned 1 away pressing her hands tightly together and evidently struggling with some sudden emotion for which there really was no apparent reason She was overwrought I suppose and indeed the exertion of breaking in the door Inn ed In-n rather too much for Charles too for now that the excitement was over his hand shook so much that he had to put down the lamp and even his you Co trembled a little a he said I dont think Ralph i very much to be pitied He has had a narrow escape i Dont como down again either of you ho continucda moment later in his usual voice I had better go and get it over at once He will be wondering wonder-ing what has become of u if I wait much longer Evelyn good night Good night Middleton I it is too early for you the smokimr to go to bed you will find a fire in rom I bade Evelyn good night and followed Charles down the corridor He replaced the lamp with a hand that was steady enough now and went slowly across the picture gallery The way to my room led mo through it also Involuntarily I stopped at the head of the great carved staircase which led into the hall and watched him going down step by step with lagging tread From the morning room annie the distant sound of a piano and a mans voice singing to it singing softly as though no Nemesis were approaching ap-proaching singing slowly as if there were time enough end to spare But Nemasis had reached the bottom of the staircase Nemesis with a heavy stop I was going across the client hall was I hailuii even now opening the door of the morning i morn-ing l loom The door was gently closed gain and then in tab middle of a bar the music stopped CILiPTERXU iU i I y I j i II I I 4 I tlJ I 4 Iivi All was over at least all in the cart WCCI I I passed an uneasy night The wind moaned 3 wearily round the house atone at-one < moment scorning t die away alto 11 gather at another returning with redoubled re-doubled < fury roaring down the wide chimney < shaking the wholo building I J dropped completely toward dawn and after j hours of fitful slumber I slept heavily I I I the gray of the early morning I was awakened by some one into awJne sme coming my room and started up t find Charles standing by my bedside dressed and with a candle in his hand His face was worn and haggard for want of sleep i I have come t speak to you before I f go j Middleton he S aid whe I was thoroughly awake Ralph and I are off by 1 the early train Will you l my of father J that we may not be able to return I till l tomorrow i then and may T count upon you t keep a yon saw and heard I secret i until after ou return Where are you going To London We start in l twenty minutes I dont think it is tent use but Ralph insists on going and I cannot let him go alone My dear Charles I said all my a anger had vanished at the eight of his Worn face I will accompany you I Not for wnrWi hn i1jJV i S i o I I i would b no good Indeed I should not wish it j But I know better A old head is often of use I re p lied rapidly getting into my clothe You may cpuat on me Charles 1 shall b ready in ten minutes i I Charles made some pretence at annoy ance but I was not to be dissuaded I know very well how invaluable the judgment judg-ment of an elder man of experience could be on critical occasion and b sides I always mako D point of seeing everything I can on a occasions In ten minutes I was down in the dining rOOD where beside n spluttering fire the brothers both heavily booted and ulstered were drinking coffee by candlebe light A hastily laid breakfast was on tho t table but it had not been touched Tho gray morning lightwas turning tho I flame i of tho candles to fme cades a rusty yellow nud outside upon the wide stone sills the I snow lay high against the panes Ralph was sitting with bent head by I the t fire stick and cap in i hand his heavy boot 1 beating the floor impatiently Ho looked l up as I came in but did not I speak Tho ruddy color in his cheek I was faded his face was drawn and setasi i Ho looked ton years older I We ought to be off ho said at latin i lat-in i i n low voice 1 I No hurry replied Charles finish I your coffee j I I I hastily drank some also and told I Charles that I was coming with them No said Charles I Yest 1 replied You a going to London and so am I I have decided to curtail my visit by a few days under the I circumstances I shall travel up with you My luggage can follow I A soon a Charles grasped the idea that I was not going to return to Stoke StokiS Moreton his opposition melted away He even seemed to hail my departure with D certain sense of relief u As you like ho said You can leave at this unearthly hour i you wish I and travel with u a far as Padding ton tonI I nodded and went after my great i coat Of course I had not the slightest intention of leaving them at Padding ton but I felt that the time had not arrived ar-rived to say so Hero comes the dog cart said Charles as I returned Ralph was already on his feet But the dog cart with its great bay horse i could not be brought up to the door The sow had drifted heavily before the steps and right up into the archway and the cart had to go round to the back I again before we could get in and start t > strt Charles took the r in and his brother got up beside him The groom and I squeezed ourselves into the back seat I could see that I was only allowed to come on sufferance and that at tho last moment they would have been whIm g to dispense with my presence However Howev-er I felt that I should never have forgiven for-given myself if I had let thom go alone Charles was not 30 and Ralph several feara younger A experienced man of 50 to consult in case of need might be of the greatest assistance in an emergenc I Quicker said Ralph we shall ms the train No quicker if we mean t catch it said Charles I allowed ten minutes extra for the snow We shall do it if we go quietly but not if I let him go An upset would clinch the matter We drove noiselessly the itt noiele8lr through gent gates with their stone lions on either side rampant in wreaths of snow and up tho village street where life was hardly stirring yet Tho sun was rising large and red a ball of dull fire in the heavy sky it seemed to b rising on a dead world I Before us only to bo seen on my part by craning ground stretched the long i white road At intervals here nndthero among the shrouded fields lay cottages half 1 hidden by a white network of trees Groups of yellow sheep stood clustered together 1 under hedgerows motionless in the 1 low mist and making no sound A lonely colt with tail erect ran beside us tin the other sido of tho hedge as fur RS his Held would allow him his heavy Voofs falling noiselessly in the snow The cold was intense There will be n drift at tho bottom of Furrow hill said Ralph we shall be late for the train And in truth a wo came cautiously down the h on turning a corner wa beheld a smooth sheet of snow lapping over the top of the hedge on one side like iced sugar on a cake and sloping downward t the ditch on the other side of thoTosd I Hold on cried Charles as I stood to look and in up another moment we were pushing our way through the I snow keeping as near the ditch n pos ps siblo too near as it turned out But it was not to be A few yards in front of u lay the I road snowy but practicable 1t we could not reach it We swayed back ward and forward we tilt d up and dow Charles whistled and made i divers consolatory and encouraging j I sounds to the bay horse but the bay I horse began to plunge he made a side I movement one wheel crunched down through tho ice in the ditch and all was over at least all in the cart were We fell soft I most providentially alighting on tho groom who was young and inclined in-clined to bo and cined t plump thus breaking a fall which to a heavy man of my age mIght have Ivnn serous flVinrlnc nnH Ralph were up in a moment nnt I thought I could not do it But it was worth n trial said Charles shaking himself George look aster the horse and cart and take them straight back Now Ralph we must run for it if we mean to catch the train Middleton you had better go back in the cart And off they set plunging through tho of without further ceremony I watched the two dark figures disappearing aghast with w astonishment They were posi Lively leaving me behind In a moment my mind was made wa mae up and leaving the gaping young groom t look after the horse and cart I set off to run too It was only a chance of course but in this weather the train might be late Jt was all the way down h I thought I could do it and 1 did My feet wero balled with snow I was hotter than I had been for years I was completely out of breath but when I puffed into tho little roadside station five minutes after tho train was due I could see that it was not yet in and that Ralph and Charles were waiting on the I platform Jay word Middl6ton said Charles coming t meet me I thought I had seen the last of you when I left you reclining re-clining on George in the drift I do believe you have got yourself into this state of fever heat purely to be of use t us two and I treated you very cavalier ly I am sure Let bygones be bygones and let us shake bands while in lV u shke hand whe you are i c J t I 1 couia not speak but we shook hands cordially and I hurried of to got my gt ticket p I You can only book to Tarborough ho called after me where wechango wecage an catch the London express 1 The station master gave mo my ticket and i then approached Charles and touched his cap I Might any of you gentlemen bo go ing London sir he inquired 1oudon s inqured j All three of us fI dont think you will get on sir sr The news came down this morning that the < evening express from Tarborough last night was thrown off the rails by a drift aid got knocked about and I dont expect tho line is clear yet There will be no trains running till later in the day I am afraid 1 j The night express said Ralph sad ae n1y I i Do you mean tho 9 train which you can catch by the 802 from here I i I Yes sir I She was in i said Ralph in a hoarse voice as theman walked away How late the train is said Charles quarter of an hour already I say Jervis calling after him any particulars partic-ulars about tho accident Serious I Oh dear no sir not to my knowledge knowl-edge Never heard of anything but that the train had been upset and had I I stopped traffic Not many people traveling in such I weather at any rate I daresay there was not a creature who went from hereby I here-by J the last train last night I Only two sir One of the young gentlemen from the rectory and a young lady who was very near late poor thing j I I and all wet with snow Ah there she is at last as the train came in sight and he went through the ceremony of g ringing the bell although we were the i only travelers on the platform j It was only an hours run to Tar borough where we were to join tho mainline main-line I What aro we t do now said Charles I as the chimneys of Tarborough hove insight in-sight and the train slackened Ten to one wo shall not be able to get on t I London Nor she either said Ralph I shall see her I shall see her here There was an air of excitement about j the whole station a wo drew up bef ore th or-e platform Groups of railway oil 1 i cials were clustered together cal clutere tgether talking eagerly the barmaids were all gut g-ut of ° the refreshment room door po I licemen were stationed hero and p C and outside the iron gates of the station a little crowd of people were waiting in j the trodden yellow snow peering i through the bars I We got out and Charles went up to a respectable looking man in black evi dently an official of some consequence I and asked what was the matter Tho I man informed him that D special had I been sent down the line with workmen j4to clear the mils and that its return with the passengers in the ill fated Cress C F C-ress was expected at any moment You dont mean to say the wretched passengers have been there all night r I exclaimed Charles From the mans account i count it appeared that tho travelers had taken refuge in a farm near the scene of the t accident and the snow storm con f I r tinning very heavily it had not been thought expedient to send a train dom the line to bring them away till after > daybreak I h been gone an hour i ht said looking at the clock and it is hardy 9 yet Considering how late we received notice of the accident for the nows had to travel by night and on foot for a considerable distance dont think there has been much delay I Will all the passengers come back by th t train asked Ralph i Yes sir I We will wait said Ralph and ho I went and paced up and down tho most deserted part of the platform The man followed 1 him with his folowed hi eyes Anxious about friends sir ho asked Charles < Chares Yes I heard Charles say as I went off to warm myself by tho waiting room fire i keeping a sharp lookout for the or rival of the train When I camo out some time later wondering if it were over going t arrive at all I found Charles and tho man in black walking up and down together evidently in earnest conversation When I joined them < they ceased talking I never can imagine i i why people generally do win income I J in-come up and tho latter said that lIe would make inquiry at the booking office and left u Who is that man I asked How should I know said Charles absently Ho says he has been a London Lon-don < detective till just lately but ho is an i inspector of police now Well a tho i man returned Booking clerk cant remember sir butt but-t 1 o clerk at the telegraph office rcmem hors 1 a young lady leaving a telegram lat l 1 night t be sent on frt thing th morning i morngH been sent yet Yes sir some time Whero was it sent to That i against the rules s The clerk < ha no right t give information Anyhow it is as good as certain from what you say that tho party was in the train and at all events you will not b kept in doubt much longer and ho pointed to the long expected puff of white smoke in tho direction in which all eye had been so anxiously turned The train came slowly round a broad curve and crawled into the station Ralph had como up and his eyes were fixed intently upon it The hand he laid IDd on Charles ar shook a little as ho whispered whis-pered in a hoarse voice I I must speak t her alono before any thing i said I I You shall replied Charles and he moved forward a little and waited for tho passengers alight I felt that any chance of escape which lay in eluding II i I I those deed keen light eyes would b small in I Then ensued a scene of confusion a j babel of tongues as the passengers t poured out upon the platform What I was tho meaning of it al holly demanded de-manded an infuriated little man before he was well out of tho carriage Why had a train been allowed to start if it was to be overturned by a snow drift What had the company been about not t make itself aware of the state of the line What did tho railway officials mean byetc etc But he was not going to put up with such scandalous treatment He should cause an inquiry to be made he cuo nn inqu b should write to The Times he should in short he behaved like a true Englishman in adverse circumstances and poured forth abuse like water Others followed some angry some silent all cold and miserable Astoutwrtjuuiin mble wqjauji black who C had been sent for t a dying child was I weeping aloud a dazedman with bound L 11 1 < t t k H 0 I upon immediately by expectant friends and borne off with voluble sympathy I One or two people slightly hurt were help out after the others The train was emptied at last Aurelia was not there Charles went down the length of the train looking into each carriage and ten came back answering Ralphs glanco with a shake of the head The man in black who seemed to have been watching him came up I < Have a come back by this train Charles asked ae t All s except and ho hesitated except a few The doctor who went ha not returned and the guard says sy th ere were some of tho passengers badly hu rtthat ho would not allow to be moved from tho far when tho train camo for them The engine driver and ono or two others were enge I Charles i made a sign to him to be si lent sg s How far is it ho asked I Twenty miles sir Are the roads practicable I No sir At least they would bo very uncertain once you got into tho lanes I We can walk along tho line said i Ralph That must be clear Let us I i cear u I start at once Cud not the station master sand u I i dow on an engine asked Charles We would pay well for it The police inspector shook his head o but Charles went off to inquire never = theless and ho followed him I thsugnf him a very pushing inquisitive land of person I have always had a great d like the lke to idle curiosity whicli is con tinually prying into the concerns of J others Ralph and I walked up and L u1 down up and down the now deserted I platform I spoke to him once or twists but he hardly answered and after a e time I gave it up and we paced silence At last Charles returned His request t for an engine had been refused but a further relay of workmen was being sent t dow line in a couple of hours time and ho had obtained leave for himself and u to go with them After two long interminable hours of that everlasting ever-lasting pacing we found ourselves in an open truck full of workmen steaming slowly out of the station At tho lat moment the man in black jumped in and accompanied u The pace may havo been great but to u it seemed exasperatingly slow and in the open truck the cold was piercing The workmen who laughed and talked I among themselves appeared t take no notico of it but I saw that Charles was shivering and presently he made his brother light his pipe and began to smoke hard himself Ralphs pipe however went out unheeded heeded in his fingers Ho sat quite still 1I I ith Irs back ant th side of tVm track t his eyes fixed upon the gray hori upn gy bor iou i Once ho ted suddenly to h brother and said as if unable to keej i Eilwjce on what was in his mind What was her object Charles shook his head They were hers already he went on She would have had them nIl I sha had 1 had debts would have paid them What could her object have been And seemingly without expecting a reply I oft relapsed into silence We had left tho suburbs now and were passing through a lonely country Here and there a village of straggling cottages met the eye clustering round their little church I places the hedge rows alone marked the Ho of the hidden lanes in others men were digging out the t roads through drifts of snow and carts and horses wero struggling pan fully i along I one place D little walking funeral was laboring across the fields from a 11 lonely cottage in the direction of tho church high on the hill the bell of which was tolling through the quiet air The sound reached u a we passed and seemed t accompany us on our way I heard 1 tho men talking among themselves that 1 there had been no sow storm lik > to 1 this for thirty years and ns they spoke como of them began shading their eye and trying to look in tho direction in which we were going We had now reached a low waste of uninclosad land with sedgo and gor so gorhe pricking up everywhere through the snow i and with long lines of pollards marking J the bed of a frozen steam Near tho line was a deserted brick kiln surrounded by long uneven mounds and ridges of ico with three poplars mounting mount-ing guard over it Flights of rook hung over the barren ground and wheeled in the air with discordant clamor a wo passed the only living moving things in the utter desolation of the scene As I looked there was an exclamation ex-clamation from ono of the workmen and the engine began to slacken We were there at last UlER x r J f = r t I jJ II i j J I I tii l I 1 I I II r ri II 1 1 It was Aurelia The engine and trades stopped the C CI men shouldered their tools and tumbled I out and wo followed them A few hundred hun-dred paces i front of us was n railway bridge over which n road passed and I 1 under which the rail went at a sl1r curve The snow had drifted heavily against the bridge with its high earth embankment making manifest at a glance the cause of the disaster The bridge was crowded with human figures and on the line below men were wonang in tne drift amid piles of debris and splintered wood The wrecked train had a been slightly draped in snow tho engine alone barely cold lying black and grim like some mighty giant formidable for-midable in death A sheet of glass ice near it showed how the boiler h burst Some of the hindormost carriages were still standing or had fallen comparatively aI I comparative-ly uninjured but others seemed to have leaped upon their fellows and plowed right through them into the drift I wag well that i began to snow as we reached the spot There were traces of dismal smears on the white ground which would be seemly to hide I 1 c P L I as ked a few questions of the man in chargo and presently returned The remainder of the rader passengers a at the farm he said pointing to a house at a little distance and without further delay we began to scrambloup tho steep embankment and clamber over the stone wall of the bridge into the road My mind was fu of other things but I rE member still the number of peoplo a I Ecmbled on the bridge and how a man w standing up in his donkey cart to view to scene I j I was Saturday and there were quantities quan-tities of school ttes village boys sitting as tride on the low wall or perched on adjacent hurdles evidently enjoying tho spectacle jostling bawling eating oranges and throwing tho peel at tho engine Some older people touched their hats sympathetically and one went 1 and opened D gate foru into a field i though which many feet seemed to have I I come and gone but for the greater I number the event was evidently T garded a an interesting variation in the C dull routine of everyday life and to the C school boys it was an undoubted treat I Ralph and Charles walked on in frontin following tho track across the field I i was not particularly heavy walking after what wo had had earlier in tho day but stumbled ay Ralph stmblea perpetually and presently Charles drew his arm L through his ow and the two went on togethe < the police inspector following 1 with me I I I a few minutes we reached the far und entered the farmyard which IS II entred faya whc D I tho nearest way t the house A Jittlo j k not of calves intrenched on a mound of j o straw in the center of the yard lower I I their heads and looked askance at us as wo came in and a party of ducks re i par duck re j treated hastily from our path with a chorus of exclamations who a thin colly dog burst out of n barrel at tho back door and made a series of gym nasties at the end of D chain barking I hoarsely a i he had not spared himself of late I An elderlv woman with red arms met us at tho door and on u whisper from tho police inspector i first shook her head and then i answer to a further with per nodded at another door and a voica cnllins bar from within hastily disp i pac I I The inspector opened the door she had opne se indicated and went in I with h Charles who had grown very gravo C V r g ve hung back with Ralph who gw to much dazed to notice anything i heaven above or the earth beneath The door opened into an outhouse roughly paved with round stones where barrels stave I and divers lumber had been put away I There was straw in the further end I of it out of which a yellow cat raised two t gleaming eyes and then flew up a ladder against the wall and disappeared among tho rafters I the middle of tho for i lying a little apart wero three fig I ures with sheets over them Instinctive I 1 Ily lo we felt that we were in the presence of death I looked back at Charles and Ralph who were still standing outsido in i the falling snow Charles was bare headed 1 but Ralph was looking absent Lyn i i Ly-n front of him seeming I fnt hi emig conscious of > nothing J The inspector made me a sign He J had raised one of the sheets and now withdrew it altogether My heart seem j I I ed < to stand still j i It was Aurelia I Aurelia changed in i the i lat great change of all but still Aurelia The fixed artificial color in the j i cheek < consorted ill with the bloodless pallor of the rest of the ret face which was set i in I look of surprise and terror Sho was altered beyond what should kin ia been 1 She looked several years older I but 1 it was still Aurelia Those little gloved l hands tightly clinched the hna tghty clched were ee I same i which she had held to the library fire i a we talked the day before even the dress was tho same Alas she had I been in too great a hurry to change it little before Aurelia she left or her thin shoe Poor > j I ltle < urla t > And thenI i dOt know how it w i but in another moment Ralph was kneeling by her bending over her I taking tho stiffened hands in his trem j bling clasp imploring the deaf ears to hear him calling wildly t the pale lips to speak to h which had done with human speech I could not bear it and I turned away and looked out through tho open door at the snow falling The I inspector came and stood beside me In the silence which followed wo could hear Charles speaking gently from time to time and when at last we both turned toward them again Ralph had flung I himself down on an old bench at the further end of the outhouse with his back turned toward us his arms resting on a barrel and h head bowed down upon them Ho neither snoke nor moved Charles left him and came toward u and he and the inspector spoke apart for D moment and then the latter dropped I on his knees beside the dead woman and J after t looking carefully at n dark stain on one of tho wrists turned back the sleeve Crushed deep into the round i white arm gleamed something bright I was an emerald bracelet which we j both know Charles cast a hasty glance at Ralph but he had not moved and he drew me beside him so as to interpose our two figures between him and the inspector in-spector The latter quietly turned down the sleeve and recomposed the arm uI knew she would have them on her i i sho had them at all he said in a low I voice Wo need look no further at I present Not one will be missing They a all there He gazed long ad earnestly at the dead face and then to my horror ho sud denly unfastened the little hat I made an involuntary movement a if t stop him but Charles laid an iron grip Cles ion upon me and motioned to me t be gp The stealthy hand quietly pushed back the I fair curls upon the forehead and in another I an-other moment they fell still further back showing a few short locks of sowing shor 10ck dark hair I beneath them which so completely al I I toned the dead face that I could hardly recognize it as belonging to the reogizo belongng to same e I person The inspector raised his head 1 and looked significantly at Charles Then ho quietly drew forward the I yellow hair over the forehead again replaced re-placed the hat and rose t h feet Charles and I glanced apprehensively at t Ralph but he had not apeevey stir we looked a hurried step came across the yard a hand raised the latch of tho nand n-and some one entered abruptly It SCan S-Can For one moment he stood in the doorway for one moment his eyes rested horror struck on the dead woman ten darted at us from u to the inspector who was coolly watching h and he I I was gone gone a suddenly a ho had come gone swiftly out again into the falling snow followed by the wild baking > i bak-ing of the dog I Charles who had bad his back to the door turned in time to sea hU and he made a rush for the door but the inspector I r ina spector flung himself in his way and held Let me got Let me get at him panted Charles struggling furiously I shall do no such thing s It can do no good and might do harm He bared b-ared and you are not and he would I not b overscrupulous if ho were pushed Besides < what can you accuse him of In tent to rob For ho did not do it Ii I yon have lost anything remember you have found it again I you caught h a hundred times yen have no hold on him I know him of old I You Yes I have known him by sight long 1 enough He i not a new hand by any means nor she either a to that poor < thing i But what on earth brought him here < I reHo was waiting for news of her i London most likely and he knew she f would have the jewels on her and came dow hen he got wind of the accident Knew she would have tho I hve jewelsl Ten do you mean to say there was collusion col-lusion between the two The inspector glanced furtively at Ralph but ho had never stirred or raised his head since he had laid it down in his clinched hands I They aro both well known t tho J police he said at last and I think it probable there w collusion between I I I wifo them considering they were man and I wj CONCLUSION I a told that I ought t write something some-thing in the way of n conclusion to thIs account of the Daavers jewels as if the end of tho lat chapter were not conclusion con-clusion enough Charles who h just read it says especially that his character j T eqnireswhut he calls a elegant finish I j m and suggests that a slight indication ota ot-a young and lovely heiress in connec ton with himself would givo pleasure to the thoughtful reader But I do not mean at tho lost moment to depart from I the exact truth and dabble in fiction I just to mao n suitable conclusion I I must write something more I must beg that it will b kept in mind that if further details fuer detil concerning the robbery are now added against my own judgment j they will rest on Charles authority I au-thority t not mine as anything I afterward I after-ward heard was only through Charles f whoso information I never consider reli j ablo in the least degree j It was not till thee months later that I saw him again on a wet April after non I was still living in London with Jane i when ha came to see me having just returned from a long tour abroad with Ralph I Sir George he said was quite well again but the coolness between hinwlf I and his father had he fater dropped almost to freezing i point since it had come to light that i he had been innocent after all H father i could not forgive his son for put I ting 1 him in tho wrong j I seldom disappoint him in matters of < this kind he said Indeed I may say f I have a a rule surpassed his C pectations and I must b careful never to l fall short of them in this fa sr i th way again But ah Miss Middleton I Mddeton a sure you will agree with me how difficult it is t preserve an even course without relax ing a little at times My dear M Charles said Jane i beaming at him over her knitting but not quite taking him in the manner ho intended you are young yet but dont b down hearted I am sure by your face that a you grow older these dev times which you s properly regret will grow fewer and fewer until a life goes on they will gradually cease altogether I I consider it cnsder not improbable myself said Charles with S faint smile and he changed the conversation I really cannot can-not put down here all that he proceeded to say in the most cold blooded manner concerning Car and Aurelia or a he l would call them Mr and Mrs Brown alias Sinclair alias Tibbits I for one 1 dont believe a word of it and I dont see how ho could have found it all out a ho said he had through the police and people of that kind I dont consider it is at all respectable consorting with the police in that way but then Charles never was respectable a I told Jane af tel ho left arousing excited feelings on her part which mado mo regret having mentioned it According t him C who hod never been seen or heard of since the day after the accident W a professional thief who had probably gone to in India with the express design of obtaining pe session of Sir Johns jewels which had son Si Jola jewe whch hd till near the time of his death been safely safe-ly stowed away in a bank in Calcutta TTn and his wife h wfe usaly worked together but on th ocoesioa she had by means of her engaging manners and youthful appearance struck up a acquaintance abroad with Lady M Cunningham i who it will b remembered had jewels of considerable value with a view to those 1 jewels I Ralph she had used as her tool and engaged herself to him in the expectation I expecta-tion that on her return t England she might by of her means intimacy with the family have an opportunity of Inking Ink-ing them Lady Mary having left them while abroad with her banker in London Lon-don The opportunity coma while she was at Stoke Moreton but in the meanwhile mean-while Sir Johns priceless legacy had arrived having eluded her husbands vigilance That certainly was true The jewels were safe enough as long 8 I I h anything to do with them Her husband who followed them saw that he was suspected and threw the wa scte game into her hands devoting himself entirely entire-ly to putting his own innocence putng h ow beyond doubt in which with Ralphs assistance assist-ance ho succeeded I I I sea now continued Charles why she spilt her tea when Carr arrived She I was taken by surprise on seeing him I enter the room having had probably no idea that he was tho friend whom you had telegraphed for I suspect to that same evening after the ball when she and Car went together to find the bag it was to havo a last word to va hvo D la vord enable en-able them t play into each others hands being aware if I remember rightly that father had gone to b in company with the key of the safe and that consequently tho jewels might b left within easier reach than usual No doubt she weighed the matter in her ow mind and decided to give up a thought of Lady Marys jewel and to secure those which were ten times their value She could not have taken both without drawing suspicion upon herself Like a wise woman she left the smaller and went i for the larger prize a less clever ono would have tried for both and have failed She led it i true by a oversight She could never have noticed that this piece of paper wrapped round the crescent was peculiar in any way or she would not have left it on the table among the others She tue it off well when L r Evelyn 1 1 recog I fche was within an ace of success butte but-te wss against her And Carr lost no iime either for that matter for I have inca found out that the telegram she tontwas to Birmingham where he was no doubt hiding bidding him meet her in London earlier than had been Arranged Of coursehe set off for the cene of the accident directly he heard Cf it having received no further com nnnication from her Wo only arrived ten minutes before Mm For my part I Admired her more than I ever did before be-fore when the truth about her came out i considered her to be a pinkandwhite honenity without an idea beyond a neat adjustment of pearl powder and then round that she possessed brains enough to outwit two minds of no mean caliber namely yours Middleton and my own Evelyn < was the only person who had the I fciightcst suspicion of her and that hardly hard-ly amounted to more than an instinct lor she owned that she had no reason to show for it 1 r wonder Lady Mary was so completely com-pletely taken in by her to start with I tlid I dont replied Charles I have oven heard of elderly men being taken in by young ones Besides suspicions V people are always liable to distrust their own nearest relatives especially their prepossessing nephews and then lay themselves open to be taken in by entire btrangers She wanted to get Ralph lusrried and she took a fancy to this girl who was laying herself out to 1 10 taii i fancy to In short she trusted to her own judgment and it failed her as usual I wrote very kindly to Lf r from abroad telling her how sin c rely I sympathized with her in her tlhtrC5s at finding how entirely her jud mont hail been at fault how la snrnuibly she hid been deceived from ilr t to lust and bow much trouble sho 11 been the innocent means of bring iri on tho family I havo had no reply Dt ar Aunt Maryl That reminds me tat lie is in London now and I think a cl from mo and n personal expression of vmpathy might givo her pleasure And La roso to take his leave I r 1 let Charles go without contradict ii r vrord be had said because unfort ucctc ly I vas not in position to do so A I have said before I am not given to suspecting a friend oven though appear ancris may be against him and I still be li vpil in Carrs innocence though I must otni list I was sorry that lie never anEw an-Ew < > red any of tho numerous letters I wrote to him or over came to see me in London as I had particularly asked him t j do Of course I did not believe that ho vas married to Aurelia fo it was only on the word of a stranger and a po Lee inspector while I knew from his own lips that he was engaged to a countrywoman countrywo-man of his own However bo that howit may my own rooted conviction at the time which has remained unshaken ever SIDM 11 I that in some way ho became aware that ho was unjustly suspected and being like all Americans of asensi live nature ha retired to his native land Anyhow I have never seen or heard any tiiing of him since I am aware that Jane liolds a different qpiuion but then Charles had prejudiced her against him BO much cothat it has ended by becoming becom-ing a subject on which wo do not converse con-verse together I saw Charles again a few months later on a sultry night in July I was 3c jving town tho next day to be present at Ralphs wedding and Jane and I were talking it over toward 10 oclockthe first cool time in the day = when he alkod in He looked pale and jaded as he sat down wearily by us at the open window and stroked tho cat which was taking the air on the silL He said that he felt the heat and he certainly looked nr much knocked up I do not feel heat myself I am glad to say I an going abroad tomorrow he fid after a few remarks on other subjects sub-jects It is not merely a question of pleasure though I shall be glad to bo out of London but I have of late become an object of such increasing interest tot to-t ose who possess my autograph that I have decided on taking change of air for n time Do you mean to say you are not going go-ing down to Stoke Horeton for Ralphs wedding exclaimed I thought we should have traveled together as we onc did sir months ago I cant go said Charles almost sharply 1 have told Ralph so I am sure he will be very much disappointed dis-appointed and Evelyn too and the t wedding being from her uncles house as she has no home of her own will i ako your absence all the more marked It must bo marked then but the 3 oung people will survive it and Aunt Mary will be thankful She has not i fcf Dken to me since I made that little cal upon her in the spring When I pass i ner carriage in the Row she looks the other way1 I I lam glad Ralph has consoled him S F If I said A good and charming oman like Evelyn and nice steady I f low like Ralph are bound to be happy igpther Yes said Charles I suppose they are She deserves to bo liappy She al I I vvavs liked Ralph and ho is a good fell S fel-l nv The model young men make alit L ali-t 1 running nowadays In novels the I good woman always marries the scapegrace scape-grace but it iloesnot seem to be the casein case-in real life An < hoY not in Anyhow this instance I remarked re-marked cheerfully No notin this 1 I instance s as you so justly observe he replied with I a passing pass-ing gleam of amusement in his restless j I tired eyes And now producing a I j i I small packet as I am not going myself r 1 want to give my wedding present tithe j i ti-the bride into your charge Perhaps you will take it down tomorrow and give it b into her own hands with my best I wishes Might wo tea it first said Jane with all a womans curiosity evidently scenting scent-ing a jewel case from afar i i Charles unwrapped a small morocco I i case and touching a spring showed the I I I I diamond crescent beautifully reset and polished blazing or its red satin couch I I Ralph said I should have it and he tent it me some time since lie said I I turning it in his hand but it seems a pity to fritter it away in paying bills End in a lower touel should like to give it to Evelyn I hear she has refused re-fused to wear any of Sir Johns jewels ru her wedding day but perhaps if you were to ask her she and I are old friends she i might make an exception in favor of the crescent And she did I didTUE THE END |