| Show BY WHOSE HAND by EDITH author of by a hair s breadth the black diamond etc coper 1889 by W hard fracker co coper fht 1900 by street sm th n CHAPTER IV continued well it was a most shocking and mysterious affair I 1 observed as I 1 flung my cigar away and rising con suited my watch I 1 saw that I 1 had barely time to catch the train from sea view my horse waa at the door and so without even a parting word to angele I 1 rode hastily away I 1 had resolved upon my next step and could scarcely wait until I 1 reached new york to put my design into execution the next morning I 1 was ushered into the presence of the kindly faced keen eyed chief inspector of police I 1 told him I 1 wanted the whereabouts of a man named john williams occupy alon that of a valet A detective was called and at once detailed to begin the search and I 1 went to my office satisfied that something was being done on the fourth morning after the de called at my office and told me where to find my man As good fortune would have it I 1 discovered that he was valet to a prominent actor whom I 1 chanced to know very well I 1 immediately took my way to the apartment of mr harry sinclair lead ing man in one of the best known corn canles of the city I 1 found him in bed reading the morning papers I 1 ve not come to see you I 1 said we shook hands but your man williams dont tell me you want my treas ure I 1 really keep house without him sinclair gayly cried no no I 1 simply wish to see him on a matter of business he may able to give me some valuable anfor nation well here he Is now with my odar tee responded the actor as williams entered the room A few words with him were satisfactory and an appointment was made tor the afternoon and I 1 must say sir he treated me most handsome for he gave me a good sized bill and told me never to speak of it and he would always be my friend and if I 1 was ever in need to come to him does he know where you are nowa I 1 asked yes sir I 1 wrote him and told him I 1 had a good place and then I 1 met him a few weeks ago on foi street and he stopped and e with me and said he got my letter and was glad I 1 had a fins situation and said again it I 1 was ever 11 need not to hesitate to come to him well sir I 1 ain t a fool and I 1 coulden couldn t fall to see there was something back of all this and it has worried a good deal at times well what about this bit of dress goods I 1 have never spoken of that to a human being said the man earnestly but when I 1 was straightening up the room that morning down by the foot of the bed lying well to one side was a piece of cloth I 1 picked it up it was torn sort of zig zag looked as if the wearer had caught her foot in it or something of that kind ive kept it ever since and have always carried it about me have you got it with you nowa I 1 asked with a beating heart yes sir I 1 haven t dared leave it anywhere for the professors acting so strange set all sorts of queer fan cies afloat in my head then too I 1 recognized the cloth he concluded as he opened his coat and drew from his pocket a piece of filmy gauzy stuff a broad yellow and black stripe I 1 took it with shaking fingers you say you recognized thise I 1 asked yes sir I 1 m sorry to say I 1 did I 1 ve seen a dress of that sort of stuff often on miss capel this would tempt her from the cage at three clock therefore the sleek tidy valet made his appearance at my office taking him into my con suiting room and closing the door be hind us I 1 asked him point blank you were in mr dalrymple s service were you not yes sir williams answered you I 1 believe were the first to discover bis deatha yes sir said the man with a con shudder tell me did you discover any thing unnatural about the room did vou find traces of any one s pres the man hesitated a moment and then said well sir I 1 dont like to talk about this it was a fearful at fair I 1 told all I 1 knew at the inquest are you sure you told all you I 1 asked the man started a little and looked anxiously at me you would not I 1 continued like an innocent person to be ted of having caused your masters death would youa no sir said williams in a suppressed tone then you had best speak out my man I 1 am determined to thoroughly sift this mystery I 1 have important clues in my bands which I 1 propose to follow you may be of great assist ance to me williams rose walked to tho win dow and stood several minutes star ing out I 1 waited patiently I 1 saw there was a struggle going on in his mind and was positive he would speak at last he turned I 1 think I 1 had better tell you sir he said quietly what I 1 know has often disturbed me I 1 did not tell quite all I 1 know at the inquest I 1 answered the questions which were asked me but I 1 did not volunteer any informs tion I 1 have felt there was some awful secret back of my poor mas death but I 1 have never spoken to any one except the professor except the professor I 1 barlly exclaimed yes sir and I 1 did not tell him quite everything I 1 told him about the bits of root I 1 found but not about the scraps of cloth torn from some woman s dress my heart leaped to my throat what did this man knowd how did you come to tell him about the roote I 1 asked as calmly as I 1 could he asked me sir williams said he a day or so after he returned I 1 think it was sir williams said he did you find any bits of this stuff scattered about either of these rooms during my absence 7 then he show ed me some roots he had in a little jar on one of his shelves I 1 looked closely at them and says I 1 yes sir gnats like the scraps I 1 found along side mr dalrymple s bed sir he turned deathly pale and says he have you told any one of thise no sir says I 1 you did well says he CHAPTER V my feelings may better be fancied than described as I 1 sat staring at this flimsy bit ot gauze such a trifle light as air and yet confirmation strong as holy writ of my suspicions everything Ivery thing pointed toward my theory as the correct one the professor had ilea to me about his knowledge of williams whereabouts he was evi dently shielding catane and did not care to have me come in contact with the valet was the professor an ac 7 it surely looked so and yet what motive could he have hada it was a puzzling knot to unfasten but I 1 did not despair it was but a week since I 1 had undertaken this quest and already I 1 had made momentous discoveries of course sir williams said sud denly breaking the profound silence I 1 don t like to suspect a fine young lady like miss capel of such a wicked act but it has bothered me terribly I 1 haven t known what to do some times I 1 ve thought as it might be my duty to go to mrs dalrymple and tell her but I 1 coulden couldn t bring myself to do it that poor lady has had so much trouble so whenever I 1 ve thought about it something has always said to me that I 1 d better keep still and wait since I 1 left there I 1 haven t thought so much of it but just now when you began questioning me some way I 1 felt at once that the time had come for m speak you have done exactly right I 1 answered no doubt this mystery will all be cleared away and no doubt miss capel can satisfactorily explain how a piece of her dress came in her brother in law s room you need not worry over the matter at all keep your own counsel and it I 1 wish you further I 1 will let you know williams bowed respectfully and soon after went away I 1 sat for a long time in a brown study and the result of my eions took this shape miss catane capel was years ago jated by reginald dalrymple she Is of a revengeful disposition bhe bided her time she discovered that the venomous reptile which her cousin brought from india could be tempted from its cage by means 0 a certain root which the professor had in his posse sion she watched her sister come from their cousin s apartment that night with diabolical dexterity she arranged her revenge in her fright or haste her gown was torn and a damning bit of evidence left behind she by her extraordinary powers of comprehension saw that her sister fancied herself to be guilty and thus intensified her vengeance by holding this belief over angele so far plain enough he who runs may read now come two inexplicable features ot the case the professor s complicity and catane s sudden reformation these problems I 1 cannot as yet de cipher but I 1 doubt bot 1 hall fand the key shall I 1 take angele into tny bonfi dence and tell her what I 1 have dincov ereda no not yet I 1 must have more proof before the iniquity of her sister Is disclosed to her what next am i do where turn there is nothing more to be gained by remaining in new york what may I 1 not stumble upon it I 1 return to sea view and watch this precious pair besides there is angele she must be cheered encouraged ay protect ed from catane it this beautiful hicl ed woman should get an inkling that she is in danger she would not hesitate to crush her defenseless sis ter I 1 must at al hazards guard an gele my decision made I 1 proceeded to pack my belongings for a somewhat extended stay at sea view I 1 took the train next morning and having arrived in safety and arranged my goods and chattels I 1 dispatched a note to angele A speedy reply contained the re auest ouest that I 1 should dine with them that evening toward sunset accord angly I 1 drove down to the dalrymple place the soft summer twilight brooded over the sea stretched brazen and mo tl onless along the beach the cam son sun was just sinking from sight as we turned into the grounds I 1 saw little marcelle flying about the tennis court she caught sight of me and ran screaming with delight to ward the carriage I 1 ordered the daiv er to stop and took the pretty child in who embraced me rapturously I 1 next saw the smoke from the professor s cigar in the shrubbery and received a gracious bow and wave ot the hand from him as I 1 drove by then I 1 aw a stately figure on the broad piazza and something about that supple pliant form caused a curious clutching sensation about my heart miss catane capel stood there lean ing against the broad balustrade her throat and arms were bare she held an enormous cluster of yel low roses in her hands and her gown was of some filmy transparent yellow and black striped stuff a bit of which at that moment was hidden in my waistcoat pocket never had she looked so radiant 0 o dazzling as she came toward me holding out her hand in welcome it was with difficulty I 1 could touch it the hand of a murderess and such a murderess had she taken a dagger in that soft white hand and driven it home in hex dalrymple s heart I 1 could have pitied and forgiven her to be continued |
