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Show I Tiie Wcjiiaii fit itieffiovcl ' A MASTEBPIECE 07 DETECTIVE STOBIXS. By Anna Katharine Green, Author of "The Leavenworth Case," "To Amethyst Box," Etc, "With Drawings by Georgo Wright. My faculties were too ' confused, my heart too deeply shaken by the suggestion sugges-tion which the Inspector's words conveyed con-veyed for me to be conscious of anything any-thing but the devouring question as to what I would do if by my own mistaken zeal I had succeeded in plunging the man I loved yet deeper into the tolls In which he had become enmeshed. The Inspector left me no time for the settlement of this Question. Ushering me back into the room where Mr. Durand Du-rand and my uncle awaited our return In apparently unrelieved silence, he closed the door upon the curious eyes of the various persons still lingering In the hall, and abruptly said to Mr. Du-rand: Du-rand: . ' . "The explanations you have been pleased to give of the manner in which this diamond came into your possession are not oo fanciful for credence, if you can satisfy us on another point which has awakened some doubt in the mind of one of my men. Mr. Durand, you appear to have prepared yourself for departure somewhat prematurely. Do you mind removing that handkerchief for a moment?- My reason for so peculiar pe-culiar a request will presently appear." Alas, for my last fond hope! Mr. Durand, Du-rand, with a face as white as the background back-ground of snow framed in by the uncurtained un-curtained window against which he leaned, lifted his hand as if to comply with the Inspector's request, then let it fall again with a grating laugh. "I see that I am not likely to escape hny of the results of my Imprudence," he cried, and with a quick Jerk bared his shirt front A splash of red defiled its otherwise uniform whiteness! That it was the red of heart's blood was proved by the shrinking look he unconsciously cast at it "In the evening, or In the afternoon, making caller "In the afternoon." : "I am told that the main entrance is not in use tonight." y "No. A side door Is provided for occasions oc-casions like the present. Guests entering enter-ing there find a special ball and staircase, stair-case, by which they can reach the upstairs up-stairs dressing-rooms, without crossing the main- hall. Is that what you mean?" "Yes. that is what I mean." I stared at him in wonder. What lay back of such Questions as these? "You came in as others did, by this side entrance," he now proceeded. "Did you notice, as you turned to go upstairs, up-stairs, an arch opening into a small passageway at your leftt" "I did not," I began, flushing, for I thought I understood him now. "I was too eager to reach the dressing-room, .to look about me." - "Very well, I may want to show you that arch." The outline of an arch backing the figure we were endeavoring to identify, was a marked feature in the sketch I had shown him. ' "Will you take a seat nearby, while I make a study of. this matter?" I turned with ajbcrlty to obey. There was something in his air and manner which made me almost buoyant. Had my fanciful interpretation of what I had seen reached him with the like conviction It had me? If so, there was hope hope for the man I loved, who had gone in and out between curtains, and not through any such arch as he mentioned, or I had described. Providence Provi-dence was working for me. I saw It in the way the men now moved about, swinging the window to and fro, under the instruction of the Inspector, manipulating manip-ulating lights, opening doors and drawing draw-ing back curtains. Providence was working for me, and when, a few minutes min-utes later, I was asked to reseat myself in my old place at the supper table, and take another look in that slightly deflected glass, I knew that my effort had met with Its reward, and that for the third time I was to receive the impression im-pression of a place now indelibly imprinted im-printed on my consciousness. "Is not that It?" asked the :ispector, pointing at the glass with a last look at the imperfect sketch I had made him, and which he still held In his hand. "Yes," I eagerly responded. "All but the man. He whose figure I see there Is another person entirely; I see no remorse re-morse or even fear m his looks." "Of course not. You are looking at the reflection of one of my men. Miss Van Arsdale. do you recognize the place now under your eye?"' "I do not. You spoke of aa arch In the hall, at the left of the carriage entrance, en-trance, and I see an arch in the window win-dow pane before me, but" "You are looking straight hrough the alcove perhaps you aid not know that another door opened at Its back into the passage which runs behind it. Further on is the arch, and beyond that arch the side hall and staircase, leading lead-ing to the dressing-rooms. This door the one in the rear of the alcove, I mean I hidden from those entering IV. -. . . ' EXPLANATIONS. My love died a't sight of that crimson splash or I thought it did. In this spot of blood on the breast of him to whom I had given my heart I could read but one word guilt, heinous guilt, guilt denied and now brought to light lfi language that could be read and seen of all men. Why should I stay in such a presence! Had not the Inspector himself advised me to go? Yes, but another voice bids me remain. re-main. Just as I reached the door, Anson An-son Durand found . his voice and I heard, in the full, sweet tones I loved so well: "Walt: I am not to be judged like this. I will explain." But here the Inspector Interposed. "Do you think it wise to make any such attempt without the advice of counsel, Mr. Durand?" The Indignation -.lh which Mr. Durand Du-rand wheeled toward him raised in me a faint hope. "Good God. yes!" he cried. "Would you have me leave the woman who has Just done me such honor one minute longer than Is necessary to such dreadful dread-ful doubts! Rita Miss Van Arsdale weakness, and weakness only has brought me Into my present position. (To be continued.) from the main hall by draperies which have been hunz over It for this occasion, occa-sion, but it Is quite visible from the back passageway, and there can be no doubt that It was by Its means the man whose reflected Image you saw, both entered and left the alcove. It Is an important fact to establish, and we feel very much obliged to you for the aid you have given us In this regard." Then, as I continued to stare at hint, in my elation and surprise, he added, in quick explanation, "The lights in the alcove, in the several parlors, are hung with shades, as you must perceive, but the one in the hall, beyond the arch, is very bright, which accounts for the distinctness of this double reflection. Another thing and it is a very interesting inter-esting point t would have been impossible im-possible for this reflection to have been noticeable from where you sat. If the level of the alcove flooring had not been considerably higher than that of the main floor. But for this freak of the architect, the continually passing to and fro of the people would have prevented pre-vented the reflection in its passage from surface to surface. Miss Van Arsdale, it would seem that by one of those chances which happen but once or twice in a lifetime, every condition was propitious at the moment to make this reflection a possible occurrence. Even the location and width of the several doorways and the exact point at which the portiere was drawn aside from the alcove's entrance.'" "It is wonderful," I cried, "wonderful." "wonder-ful." Then, to his astonishment perhaps, per-haps, I asked If there was not a small door of communication between the passageway back of the alcove and the large central hall. "Yes." he replied. "It opens Just beyond be-yond the fireplace. Three small steps lead to It" "I thought ' so," I murmured, but more to myself than to him. In my mind I was seeing how a man, if he so wished, could pass from the very heart of tms assemblage into this quiet passageway and so on into the alcove, without attracting very much attention atten-tion from bis fellow guests. I forgot that there was another way of approach ap-proach even less noticeable; that by the small staircase running up beyond the arch directly to the dressing-rooms. dressing-rooms. That no confusion may arise In one's mind in regard to these curious approaches, ap-proaches, I subjoin a plan of a portion of this lower floor as it afterwards appeared ap-peared in the leading dallies: "And Mr. Durand?" I stammered, as I followed the Inspector back to the room where we had left that gentleman. gentle-man. "You will believe his statement now and look for this second intruder with the guiltily hanging head and the frightened mien?" "Yes," he replied, stopping me on the threshold of the door and taking my hand kindly in his, "If (don't start, my dear; life is fuU of trouble for young and old, and youth is the best time to face a sad experience) If he is not himself him-self the man you saw staring in frightened fright-ened horror at his breast Have you not noticed that he is not dressed in all respects like, the other gentlemen present? pres-ent? That though he has not donned bis overcoat he has put on, somewhat prematurely one might say, the large Ilk handkerchief -he presumably wears under it? Have you not noticed this, and asked yourself why?" I had noticed it I had noticed It from the moment I recovered from my fainting fit but I bad not thought it a matter of sufficient Interest to ask, even of myself, his reason for thus hiding hid-ing his shirt front Now I could not |
