"HAND AND RING,"

By AXN'A KATircUIHK GIWKN, Author of "Tho Leu yon worth Murder," "The Sword of Damodoa," "Tho Dotcnco of the Prude," otc.

CHAPTER IT.

AN Al'l'KATj TO IIRAVKN

irer step was royal—nuocn-Uko. —LoxoKiauow. It was now half-past 0110. An hour and a half had elapsed since the widow had been laid upon her bed, and to all appearance no change had taken place in her condition. Within tho room where she lay were col lected the doctor and ono or two neighbours of the female sex, who watched every breath she drew, and stood ready to notice the slightest change in the stony face that, dim with the shadow of death, stared upon them from the unruffled pillows. In tho sitting room Lawyer Orcutt conversed in a sub dued voice with Mr Ferris in regard to euch incidents of the widow's life as had como under his notice in the years of their daily companionship, while the crowd about the gate vented their interest, in loud ex clamations of wrath against the tramp who had beon found, andtho unknown hump back who had not. Our story leads us into the crowd in front. "I don't think she'll ever come to," said one, who from his dusty coat might have been a miller. "Blow's like that have'nt much let-up about them." "Doctor says she will die beforo morn ing," put in a pert young miss, anxious to have her voice heard. "Then it will be murder and no mistake, and that brute of a tramp will hang as high as Haman." " Imn't condemn a man before you ye had a chance to hear what he has to say for himself," cried another in a strictly judicial tone. "How do you know as he came to this house at all ?" "Miss Perkins says he did, and Mrs Phillips too; they saw him go into the gate." "And what elso did they see? I warrant he wasn't the only beggar that was roam ing round this morning." "No; there was a tin pedlar in the street, for I saw him my own self, and Mrs Clemmens standing in the door nourishing her broom at him. She was mighty short with euch folks. Wouldn't wonder if some of the unholy wretches killed her out of spite. They're a wicked lot, the whole of them."

"Widow Clemmens had a quick temper, but she had a mighty good heart notwith standing. See hoy/ kind she was to them Hubbells." "And how hard she was to that Pratt

girl." "Well, I know, but " And so on and so on, in a hum .and a buzz about the head of Mr Byrd, who, engaged in thought seemingly far removed from the subject in hand, stood leaning against the fence, care less and insouciant. Suddenly there was a lull, then a short cry, then a woman's voice rose clear, ringing, and commanding, and Mr Byrd caught the following words : "What is this I hear? Mrs Clemmens dead? Struck down by some wandering tramp ? Murdered and in her own house ?" In an instant, every eye, including Mr Byrd's, was fixed upon the speaker. The crowd parted, and the young girl, who had Bpoken from the street, came into the gate. She was a remarkable-looking person. Tall, large, and majestic in every propor tion of an unusually noble figure, she was of a make and possessed a bearing to attract attention had she borne a less striking and beautiful countenance. As it was, the "lance lingered but a moment on the grand curves and little loveliness of that match less figure, and passed at once to the face. Once there, it did not soon wander ; for though its beauty was incontestable, the something that lay behind that beauty was more incontestable still, and held you, in spite of yourself, long after you had become acquainted with the broad white brow, the clear, deep, changing grey eye, the straight but characteristic no3e. and the ruddy, ner vous lip. You felt that, young and beauti ful as she was, and charming as she might be, she was al3O one of nature's unsolvable mysteries—a woman whom you might study, obey, adore, but whom you could never hope to understand ; a Sphinx with out an CEdipus. She was dressed in dark green, and held her gloves in her hand. Her appearance was that of one who had beenprofoundly startled. " Why don't some one answer me? she asked, after an instant's pause, seemingly unconscious that, alike to those who knew her and to those who did not, her air and manner were such as to naturally impose silence. "Mu3t I go into the house in order to find out if this good woman is dead or not?" "Shure she isn't dead yet," spoke up a brawny butcher-boy, bolder than the rest. •' But she's sore hurt, miss, and the doctors say as how there is no hope." A change impossible to understand passed over the girl's face. Had she been less vigorous of body, she would have staggered. As it was, she stood still, rigidly still, and seemed to summon up her faculties, till ths very clinch of her fingers spoke of the strong control she was putting upon her self. .•••■■ "It iB dreadful, dreadful!" she mur mured, this time in a whisper, and as if to some rising protest in her own soul. "No good can come of it, none." Then, as if awakening to the scene about her, shook her head and brtwD to those nearest: "It was a tramp'who did it, I suppose; at least, I am told so." " A tramp has been took up, miss, on suspicion, as they call it." "If a tramp has been taken up on sus picion, then he was the one who assailed her, of course;" And pushing on through the crowd that fell back still more awe struck than before, she went into the °The' murmur that followed her was subdued but universal. It made no imprei sion on Mr Byrd. He had leaned forward to watch the girl's retreating form, but, finding his view intercepted by the wrinkled profile of an old crone who had leaned for ward too, had drawn impatiently back. Something in that crone's aged face made him address her. "You know the lady?" he inquired^ "Yes " was the cautious reply—given, however, with a leer he found not altogether Pl" aShe tis a relative of the injured woman, or a friend, perhaps ?" , The old woman's face looked frightful. "No," she muttered grimly; "they are Str!t gthis"unexpected response Mr Byrd made a perceptible start forward. The old woman's hand fell at once on Ins arm. "Stay!" she hoarsely whispered. ay strangers I mean they don't visit each other. The town is too small for any of us to be StrMr g!yrd nodded and escaped her clutch. " This is worth seeing through, he mur mured, with the fir»t gleam of interest he had shown in the affair. And, hurrying forward, he succeeded in following the lady into the house. The sight he met there did not tend to allay his new-born interest. There she stood in the centre of the sitting-room, tall, reso lute, and commanding, her eyes fixed on the door of the room that contained the still breathing sufferer, Mr Orcutt's eyes fixed upon her. It seemed as if she had asked one question and been answered ; there had not been time for more. '• I do not know what to say in apology for my intrusion," she remarked. "But

I tho death, or almost tho death, of a person of whom wo have all hoard, seems to mo so I terrible that " But hero Mr Orcutt interrupted gently, almost tenderly, with a fatherly authority which Mr Byrd expected to see her respect. "Imogeno," he observed, "this is no place for you ; the horror of tho event has mado you forget yourself: go homo and trust mo to tell you on my return all that it is advisable for you to know." But she did not even meet his glance with her steady eyes. "Thank you," she protested ; " but I cannot go till I have seen the place where this woman fell and the weapon with which she was struck. I want to see it all. Mr Ferris, will you show me?" And without giving any reason for this extraordinary request, she stood wait ing with that air of conscious authority which is sometimes given by great beauty ~.!,.,., ~,.:;,,:[ t 0 a distinguished personal l' The Distil. : Attorney, taken aback, moved toward Uio dining-room door. "1 will consult with tho oorouor," said ho. But sho waited for no man's leave Fol lowing close behind him, sho entered upon tho sceno of tho tragedy. "Where was tho poor woman hit?' she inquired. They told her; they showed her all she dosired and asked her no questions. She awod them, all but Mr Orcutt—him she both astonished and alarmed. " And a tramp did all this V" she finally exclaimed, in tho odd, musing tono sho had used once before, whilohor oyo fell thought fully to the floor. Suddenly she started, or so Mr Byrd fondly imagined, anil moved a paco, setting hor foot carefully down up on a certain spot in tho carpet beneath her. " Sho has spiod something," he thought, and watched to see if she would stoop. But, no, slie held herself still more erectly than beforo, and seemed, by her rather desultory inquiries, to be striving to en gage the attention of the others from her self. "There is some one surely tapping at this door," sho intimated, pointing to the one that opened into the lane. Dr. Tredweli moved to see. "Is there not 1" she repeated, glancing at Mr Ferris. He, too, turned to see. But there was still an eye regarding hor from behind the sitting-room door, and, perceiving it, she impatiently ceased hor efforts. She was not mistaken about the tapping. A man was at tho door whom both gentlemen seemed to know. "I come from the tavern where they are holding this tramp in custody," announced the new-comer in a voice too low to peno trate into the room. "He is frightened almost out of his wits. Ho seems to think ho was taken up for theft, and makes no bones of saying that he did take a spoon or two from a house where he was let in for a bite. He gave up the spoons and expects to go to gaol, but seems to havo no idea that any worse suspicion is hanging over him. Those that stand around think ho is inno cent of the murder.'" "Humph ! well, we will see," ejaculated Mr Ferris; and, turning back, he met, with a certain sort of complacence, the eyes of the young lady who had been somowhat impatiently awaiting his ro-appearance. " It seems there are doubts, after all, about tho tramp being the assailant." The star'; she cave was sudden and in voluntary. She "took a step forward and then paused as if hesitating. Instantly, Mr Byrd, who had not forgotton tho small object she had been covering with her foot, sauntered leisurely forward, and, spying a ring on the floor whore sho had been .stand ing" unconcernedly picked it up. Sho did not seem to notice him. Look ing at Mr Ferris with cycs> whoso startled, if not alarmed, expression sho did not suc ceed in hiding from the detectivo, sho in quired, in a stilled voice : " What do you moan 1 What has this man been telling you ? You say it was not the tramp. Who, then, was it ?" "That is a question we cannot answer,1' rejoined Mr Ferris, astonished at her heat, while Lawyer Orcutt, moving forward, at tempted onco more to recall her to herself. "Imogene," ho pleaded—" Imogene, calm yourself. This is not a matter of so much importance to you that you need agitato yourself so violently in regard to it. Come home, I beseech you, and leavo tho affairs of justice to the attention of thoso whose duty it is to look after them." But beyond acknowledging his well . meant interference by a deprecatory glance, she stood immovable looking from Dr. Tredwell to Mr Ferris, and buck again to Dr. Tredwell, as if sho sought in their faces some confirmation of a hideous doubt or ; fear that had risen in her own mind. Sud- , I denly she felt a touch an her arm. . j " Excuse me, madam, but is this yours ? inquired a smooth and careless voico over herehouldor. As though awakening from a dream, she turned ; they all turned. Mr Byrd was holding out in his open palm a ring blazing with a diamond of no mean lustre or value. The sight of such a jewel, presented at such a moment, completed the astonishment of her friends. Pressing forward, they stared at the costly ornament and then at her, Mr Orcutt's face especially assuming a startled expression of mingled surprise and apprehension, that soon attracted tho at tention of the others, and led to an inter change of looks that denoted a mutual but not unpleasant understanding. " I found it at your feet," explained tho detective, still carelessly, but with just that delicate shade of respect in his voice neces sary to express a gentleman's sense of pre sumption in thus addressing a strango and beautiful young lady. The tone, if not the explanation, seemed to calm her, as powerful natures are calmed in the stress of a sudden crisis. " Thank you," she returned, not without signs of great sweetness in her look and manner. "Yes, it is mine," she added slowly, reaching out her hand and taking the ring. "I must have dropped it with out knowing it." And meeting the eye of Mr Orcutt fixed upon her with that startled look of inquiry already alluded to, she flushed, but placed the jewel nonchalantly on her finger. • . v ■ This cool appropriation of something lie had no reason to believe hers startled the youthful detective immeasurably. He had not expected such a denouement to the little drama he had prepared with such quiet assurance, and, though with the quick self-control that distinguished him, he for bore to show his surprise, he none the less felt baffled and ill at ease, all the moro that the two gentlemen present, who appeared to be the most disinterested in their regard for this young lady, seemed to accept this act on her part as genuine, and therefore not to bo questioned. "It is a clue that is lost," thought ho. " I have made a mess of my first unassisted efforts at real detective work." And, in wardly disgusted with himself, he drew back into the other room and took up ME stand at a remote window. The slight stir he made in crossing the room seemed to break a spell and restore the minds of all present to their propei balance. Mr Orcutt threw off the shadow that had momentarily disturbed his quiei and assured mien, and advancing onct more, held out his arm with even_ more kindness than before, saying impressively " Now you will surely consent to accom pany me home. You cannot mean t< remain here any longer, can you, Imogene ( But before she could reply, before hoi hand could lay itself on his arm, a suddei hush like that of awe passed solemnh through the room, and the physician wh. had been set to watch over the dyinj gasps of the poor sufferer within appearec !n the threshold of the bedroom door hold ing up his hand with a look that at one commanded attention and awoke the mos painful expectancy in the hearts of all wh. b6" eShe stirs ; she moves her lips," he an nounccd, and again paused, listening.

Immediately there was a sound from the diinnOSH behind him, alow sound, inarticu late at first, but presently growing loud enough and plain enough to bo heard in tlio utmost recesses of the furthermost room on that lloor. , , "Hand! ring!" waa tho burden of the short ejaculation they heard. " Ring ! hand !" till a sudden gasp cut short tho fearful iteration, and all was silont again. " Great heavens !" came in an awe-struck whisper from Mr Ferris, as he pressed hastily toward the place from which these words had issued. But tho physician at onco stopped and silenced him. " ttho may speak again," ho suggested. " Wait." But, though they listened breathlessly, and with ever-growing suspon.se, no further break occurred in tho deep silence, and ! soon the doctor announced : ! " She has sunk back into her old state ; - tsho may rouse again, and sho may not." ' As though released from some painful i tension, tho coroner, the District Attorney, and tho detective all looked up. They found Miss Dare standing by the open win dow, with her face turned to the landscape, and Mr Orcutt gazing at her with an expres sion of perplexity that had almost the ap peaianco of dismay. This look passed instantly from tho lawyer's countenance as ho mot tho oyos of his friends, but Mr Byrd, who was stilt smarting under a sonse of his late defeat, could not but wonder what that gentleman had seen in Miss Daro, during the period of their late preoccupa tion, to call up such an expression ta his usually keen and composed face. The clinch of her white hand on tho window-sill told nothing ; but when in a few moments later she turnod toward thorn again, Mr Byrd saw, or thought ho saw, the last lingering winding of a great horror fading out of her eyes, and was not sur prised when she walked up to Mr Orcutt and said, somewhat hoarsely: " I wish to . go home now. This place is a terrible ono to bo in."' Mr Orcutt, who was only too glad to comply with her request, again otl'ored her his arm. But anxious as they evidently were to quit the house, they were not allowed to do so without experiencing another shock, .fust as they wore passing the doer of tho room where the wounded woman lay, tho physician in attendance again appeared before them with that silently uplifted hand. "Hush!" said ho; "she stirs again. I think she is going to speak." And onco more that terrible susponso held each and everyone enthralled ; once moro that faint, inarticulate murmur eddied through the house, growing gradually into speech that this time took a form that curdled the blood of the listeners, and made Mr Orcutt and the young woman at his side drop apart from each other as though a dividing sword had passed between them. "May tho vengeance of Heaven light upon the head of him who has brought mo to this pass," wore the words that now rose ringing and clear from that bed of death. " May tho fate that has como upon me bo visited upon him, measure for measure, blow for blow, death for death." Strango and awe-inspiring words, that drew a pall over that house and made tho dullest person thero gasp for breath. In tho silence that followed—a silence that could be felt—tho white faces of lawyer and physician, coroner and detective, turned and confronted each other. But the young lady who lingered in their midst looked at no ono, turned to no one. Shuddering und white, she stood gazing before her as if slio already beheld that retributive hand des cending upon tho head of tlio guilty ; then, as sho awoke to the silence of those around her, gave a quick start'and Hashed forward to the door, and so out into tho street, beforo Mr Orcutt could rouse himself sufficiently from the stupor of tlio moment to follow her. CHAPTER 111. THE tWTINI.sIIKIi tiETTKR. Faith, thou hast some crotchets in thy head ! ' — Jlkhhv WiviaofWi.vßbOK. " Would there bo auy indiscretion in my asking who that young lady is?" inquired Mr Byrd of Mr Ferris, as, after ascertaining that the stricken sufferer still breathed, they stood together in a distant corner of the dining-room. " Xo," returned tlio other, in a low tono, ■with a glance in the direction of the lawyer, i 'who was just re-entering thehouse, afteran unsuccessful effort to rejoin tho person of whom they were speaking. She is a Miss Dare, a young lady much admired in this town, and believed by many to be^ on the ; verge of matrimony with ' Ho 1 nodded toward Mr Oreott, and discreetly : forbore to finish the sentence. ! " t\h !" exclaimed tho youthful detective, i"I understand." And he cast a look of suddenly awakened interest at the man ' who, up to this time, he had merely re . garded as a more than usually acute crimi ■ nal lawyer. He saw a small, fair, alert man, of some forty years of age, of a good carriage, easy manner, and refined cast of countenance, overshadowed now by a secrot anxiety he : vainly tried to concoal. He was not as : handsome as Coroner Tredwell, nor as well | built as Mr Ferris, yet he was, without i doubt, tho most striking-looking man in the i room, and, to the masculine eyes of the de- I tective, seemed at first glance to be a person ■ to win the admiration, if not the affection, 1 of women. . . 1 " She appears to take a great interest in '. this affair," he ventured again, looking back ! at Mr Ferris. . " Yes, that is woman's way, replied the other, lightly, without any hint of secret feeling or curiosity. " Besides, she is an .inscrutable•girl, always surprising you by || her emotions—or by her lack of them, ■he added, dismissing the topic with a wave of his hand. . , " Which is also woman's way, remarked Mr Byrd, retiring into his shell, from ! which he had momentarily thrust his "Does it not strike you that there are ■ rather more persons present than are neces sary for the purposes of justice? asked the lawyer, now coming forward with a look ot rather pointed significance at the youthful

, stranger. ~, ': Mr Ferris at once spoke up. Mr I ; Orcutt," said he, "let me introduce to you Mr Byrd, of New York. He is a member .of the police force, and has been rendering "me assistance in the case just adjourned. " A detective !" repeated the other, eye- I me the young man with a critical eye. It lisa pity, sir," he finally observed, "that your present duties will not allow you , to render service to justice in this case of ! i mysterious assault," And with a bow of ' more kindness than Mr Byrd had reason to look for, ho went slowly back to his former 1 place near the door that hid the suffering . woman from sight. " .:,<.' v However kindly expressed, Mr Byrd felt that he had received his dismissal, and was about to withdraw, when the coroner, who » had been absent from their midst for the s last few minutes, approached them from the r foot of the stairs, and tapped the detective v on the arm. 4. "I want you," saidhe. Mr Byrd bowed, and with a glance c toward the District Attorney, who returned j him a nod of approval, went quickly out ~' with the coroner. " I hear you are a detective," observed » the latter, taking him upstairs into a room , r which he carefully locked behind them. A n detective on the spot in a case like this is v valuable ; are you willing to assume the o duties of your profession and act for justice v in this matter ?" 3 "Dr Tredwell," returned the young 1. man, instantly conscious of a vague, inward .» shrinking from meddling further in the £ affair, "I am noc at present master of my 0 proceedings. To say nothing of the obedience I owe my superiors at home, I am j. just now engaged in assisting Mr Ferris m the somewhat pressing matter now beforo

tho court, and do not know whether it would moot with his approval to havo me mix up matters in this way." "Mr Ferris is a reasonable man," said tho coroner. "If his consent is all that is necessary " " But it is not, sir. I must have orders from New York." " Oil, as to that, I will telegraph at once." But still the young man hesitated, lounging in his easy way against the table by which he had taken his stand. "Dr. Tredwoll," he suggested, "yourr.ust have men in this town amply able to manage such a matter as this. A woman struck in broad daylight, andainanalroady taken up on suspicion ! "i'is simple, surely ; in tricate measures are not wanted hero. " So you still think it is the tram]) that struck her?" quoth tho coroner, a trillr batlled by the other's careless manner. 11 1 still think it was not tin:man who sat in con it all tho morning and hold me fascinated by his eye." "Ah, lie held you fascinated, did ho ? repeated tho other, a trillo suspiciously. " Well, that is," Mr Byrd allowed, with the least perceptible loss of his easy bear ing, " he made mo look at him moro than onco. A wandering eye always attracts me, and his wandered constantly." " Humph ! and you are sure ho was in tho court ovqry minute of tho morning?" " Thero must bo other witnesses who can testify to that," answered tho detective, with the porcoptiblo irritation of ono weary of a subject which ho fools ho has already amply discussed. " Well," declared tho other, dropping his eyes from the young man's countenance to a shoet of paper ho was holding in his hand, " whatever rule, this humpback has playod in tho tragedy now occupying us, whether he bo a wizard, a secrot accomplice, a fool who cannot keep his own secret, or a traitor who cannot preserve that of his tools, this affair, as you call it, is not likely to prove tho simple matter you seem to con sider it. The victim, if not hor townsfolk, knew she possessed an enemy, and this half finished letter .vhich I havo found on her table raises the question whether a common tramp, with no motive but that, of theft or brutal revenge, was the one to meditate the fatal blow, oven if he wore tho one to deal it." , A perceptible light Dickered into the eyes of Mr Byrd, and ho glanced with a now but unmistakable interest at the letter, though iho failed to put out his hand for it, even though the coroner held it toward him. "Thank you," said ho ; " but if I do not •take the case, it would be bettor for mo not 'to meddle any further with it." ; " But you are going to take it," insisted the other, with temper, his anxioty to securo jthis man's services increasing with the opposition ho so unaccountably received. |" The officers at tho detective bureau in Now York are not going to send anotkor man up hero when there is already ono on tho spot. And a man from New York lam determined to have. A crime like this shall not go unpunished in this town, whatever it may do in a great city liko yours. Wo ■ don't have so many murder cases that we need to stint ourselves in tho luxury of pro fessional assistance." '' "But," protested the young man, still determined to hohl back, whatever argu ments might be employed or inducements loll'ered him, " how do you know I am tho ■ man for your work ? Wo havo many sorts, land kinds of detectives in our bureau. Some for one kind of business, some for an other : the following up of a criminal is not mine." "What, then, is yours?" asked the I coroner, not yielding a jot of his dotermina ; tion. ' Tho doteotivo was silent. "Read the letter," persisted Dr. Tred well, shrewdly conscious that if once tile ; young man's professional instinct was aroused, all the puerile objections which in ; lluonced him would immediately vanish. There was no resisting that air of com mand Taking the letter in his hand, the youtig man road : ! " Dear Emily,—l don't know why I sit j down to write to you to-day. I have plenty to do, and morning is no time for indulging [in sentimentalities; but I feel strangely : lonely and strangely anxious. Nothing ! goes just to my mind, and somehow the i many causes for secret fear which I have ! always had assume an undue prominence in my mind. It is always so when lam not ! quite well. In vain I reason with myself, j saying that respectable people do not lightly enter into crime. But there aro so many to whom my death would be moro than wel come that I constantly .see myself in the act of being " "Struck, shot, murdered,"suggested Dr. Tredwell, perceiving the young man's eye lingering over the broken sentonco. "Tho words are not there," remonstrated Mr Byrd ; but tho tono of his voice showed that his professional complacency had been disturbed at last. The other did not answer, but waited with tho wisdom of the trapper who sees the quarry nosing round the toils. " Thero is evidently some family mystery," the young man continued, "lancing again at the letter. " But," he remarked, "Mr Orcutt is a good friend of hers, and can probably tell us what it all means." "Very likely," the other admitted, "if we choose to ask him." Quick as lightning the young man's glance flashed to the coroner's faco. " You would rather not put the ques tion to him t" ho inquired. "No. As ho is the lawyer who, in all probability, will bo employed by the criminal in this case, I am sure he would rather not be mixed up in any preliminary investigation of tho affair." The young man's eye did not wavor. Ho appeared to take a secret resolve. " Has it not struck you," he insinuated, " that Mr Orcutt might have other reasons for not wishing to give any expression of opinion in regard to it ?" The surprise in the coroner's eye was his best answer. " No," ho rejoined. Mr Bvrd at once resum«d all his old

monchalance. "The young lady who was here appeared to show such agitated interest in this horrible crime, I thought that, in kindness to her, he might wish to keep out of the affair as much as possible." "Miss Daro? Bless your heart, she would not restrict him in any way. Her interest in the matter is purely one of curiosity. It has been carried, perhaps, to a somowhat unusual length for a woman of her position and breeding. But that is all, I assure you. Miss Dare's eccentricities aro well known in this town." "Then the diamond ring was really hers ?" Mr Byrd was about to inquire, but stopped ; something in his memory of this beautiful woman made it impossible for him to disturb tho confidence of the coroner in her behalf, at least while his own doubts were so vague and shadowy. Tho coroner, however, observed the young detective's hesitation, and smiled. "Are you thinking of Miss Dare as having anything to do with this shocking affair ?" he asked. Mr Byrd shook his head, but could not hide the flush that stole up over his fore head. . The coroner actually laughed, a low, soft, decorous laugh, but none the less one of decided amusement. " Your line is not in the direction of spotting criminals, I must I allow," said he. " Why, Miss Dare is not ! only as irreproachable a young lady as we have in this town, but she is a perfect j stranger to this woman and all her concerns. I doubt if she even new her name till to day." A laiu'h is often more potent than argu ment. The face of the detective lighted up, and he looked very manly and very handsome as he returned the letter to the coroner, saying, with a sweep of his hand as if he tossed an unworthy doubt away forever:

" Well, 1 do not wish to appear obstinate, j If this woman diem, and the inquest fails to reveal who lior assailant is, I will apply to J Now York for leave to work up fclio caso ;, i tlrnt is, if you continue to desire my as,-sst- |j i unco. Meanwhile-—" " You will keep your eyes open," inti mated the coroner, taking back the letter and putting it carefully away in his breast pocket. "And now, mum !" Air Byiil bowud, and (hoy went togother down Hie stair*. It was by thin timo made certain that the dying woman was destined to linger on for some" hours. She was completely uncon scious, anil her breath barely lifted the clothes that lay over the slowly labouring breasl ; but such vitality as there was held its own with wnreoly |)orceptiblo elnngo. and the doctor thought it might be mid night before the solemn struggle would end. "In tiic mcantiinu, expect nothing, ho ox claimed ; " she lias said her last word. What remains will bo a mere sinking into the eternal sleep." Thin being no, Air Orcutt and Mr Ferris decided to leave. M r Byiil saw them safely out, and pioeeoded to take one or two private observations of his own. They con sisted mostly in noting the precise position of (he various doors in reference to the hearth where the stick was picked up, and tlioclook where the victim was attacked. Or so the coroner gathered from the direction which Mr Hyrd's eye took in its travels over tho scono of action, and tho diagram which ho hastcly drew on tho back of an envelope. Tho table was noticed, too, and an inventory of its articles taken, after which he opened tho side-door and looked carefully out into the lane. To observe him now with his quick eye flashing from spot to spot, his head lifted, and a visiblo air of of determination infused through his whole bearing, you would scarcely recognise the easy, gracefully indolent youth who, but a little while before, lounged against tho tables and chairs, and met "the most penetrating eye with the rfeopy gaze of a totally uninterested man. Dr Trcdwcll, alert to the change, tapped the letter in his pocket complacently. " 1 have roused up a weasel," lie mentally decided, and congratulated himself accordingly. It was two o'clock when Mr Byrd wont forth to join Mr Ferris in the court-room. As ho stepped from the door, he encountered, to all apnearanco, just the same crowd that hud encumbered its out ran co n half-hour before. Evon the old crone had not moved from her former posi tion, and seeing him, fairly pounced upon him question after question, all of which he parried with a nonchalant dexterity' that drew shout after shout from those who stood by, and finally, as he thought, won him tho victory, for, with an angry shuke of the head, sho ceased her importunities, and presently let him pass. He hastened to im prove the chance to gain for himself the refuge of tho streets ;and having done this, stood for an instant parleying with a tremb ling young girl, whose real distress and anxiety seemed to merit somo attention. Fatal delay. In that instant the old woman had got in front of him, and when ho ar rived at tho head of the street ho found her there. " Now," Bftid she, with full-blown triumph in her vonomous eyes, "perhaps you will tell mo something! You think lam a mumbling old woman who don't know what she is bothering herself about. Hut 1 tell you I've not kept my eyes and ears open for seventy-live years in this wicked world wit h out knowing a bit of the devil's own work when I see it." Here her face grew quite hideous, and her eyes gleamed with an as pect of gloating over the evil she alluded to that, qiiito sickened the young man, ac customed thou»h ho was to the worst phases of moral depravity. Leaning for ward, she peeved inquiringly in his face. " What has s/ir to do with it?" she sud denly asked, emphasising the pronoun with an oxprcssive leer. "She?" he repealed, starting back. "Yes, sho; the pretty young lady, the pert and haughty Miss Daro, that had but to apeak to make the whole crowd stand back. What had she to do with it. I say? Something, or she wouldn't be here !" "I don't know what you are talking about," he replied, conscious of a strange and unaccountable dismay at thus hearing his own passing doubt put into word? by this vilo and repellent being. "Miss Dare is a stranger, sho has nothing to do either with this "affair or the pour woman who has suffered by it. Her interest is purely one of sympathy." " Hi ! and you call yourself a smart one, I dare say." And the old creature ironic ally chuckled. "Well, well, well, what fools men are ! They see a pretty face, and blind themselves to what is written on it as plain as black writing on a white wall They call it sympathy, and nevor stop to ask why she, of all the soft-hearted gals in thetown, should he the only one to burst into that house like an avenging spirit ! But it's all right," she wont on, in a bitterly satirical tone. " A crime like this can't bo covered up, however much you may try ; and soonor or later we will all know whether this young lady has had anything to do with Mrs Oleminons' murder or not." " Stop !" cried Mr Byrd, struck in spite of himself by the look of meaning with which she said these last words. "Do you know anything against Miss Daro which other folks do not? If you do, speak and let mo hear at onco what it is. But "he felt very angry, though he could not for the moment tell w hy "if yon are only talking to gratify your spite, and have nothing to tell me excopt the fact that Miss Dare appeared shocked and anxious when she came from the widow's house just now, look out what use you make of her name, or you will get yourself into trouble. Mr Orcutt and Mr Ferris are not men to lot you go babbling round town about a young lady of ostimable character." And he tightened the grip he had taken upon her arm and looked at her threateningly.

The effect was instantaneous. Slipping from his grasp, she gazed at him with a sinister expression and edged slowly away. "I know anything?" she repeated. " What should I know ? I only say the young lady's face tells a very strange story. If you are too dull or too obstinate to read it, it's nothing to me." And with another leer and a quick look up and down the street, as if she half feared to encounter one or both of the two lawyers whoso names he had mentioned, she marched quickly awiy, wagging hor head, and looking back as she went, as much as to say: "You have hushed me up for this time, young man, but don't congratulate yourself too much. [ have still a tongue in my hoad, and the day may come when 1 can use it without any fear of being stopped by you." Mr Byrd, who was not very well pleased with himself or the way he had managed this interview, watched her till she was out of sight, and then turned thoughtfully to ward the court-house. The fact was, he felt both agitated and confused. In the first place, he was disconcerted at discover ing the extent of the impression that had evidently been made upon him by the beauty of Miss Dare, since nothing short of a deep, unconscious admiration for her personal attributes, and a strong and secret dread of having his lately acquired confi dence in her again disturbed, could havo led him to treat the insinuations of this babbling old wretch in such a cavalier manner. Any other detective would have seized with avidity upon the opportunity of hearing what she had to say on such a subject, and would not only have cajoled her into confidence, but encouraged her to talk until she had given utterance to all that was on her mind. But in the stress of a feeling to which he was not anxious to give a name, ho had forgotten that he was a detective, and remembered only that he was a man ; and the consequence was that he had frightened the old creature, and cut short words that it was possibly his business to hear. In the second place, he felt him self in a quandary as regarded ML'S Dare. If, as was more than possible, she was really

the innocent woman the coroner considered her, and the insinuations, if not threats, to which he had been listening wcro simply the result of a wicked old woman's privately nurtured hatred, how could ho reconcile it to his duty as a man. or even as a detective, > to let the day pass without warning her, or the eminent lawyer who honoured her with . hi.s regard, of the danger in which she stood from this creature's venomous tongue ''. As In.1 .sit in court that afterm on, with his eye upon Mr Orcutt, beneath whose ordinary aspect of quiet, sarcastic attention he thought he could detect the secret work ings of a deep, personal perplexity, if not of actual alarm, lie asked himself what he would wish (lone if he were that man, anil a sonndnl of a debasing eharae! or threatened fie peace of one allied to him by Ihe most endearing tics. " Would I wish to bo in formed of it?" he queried. c;l most cer tainly should," was his. inward reply. A lid so it was that after the adjournment of court, he approached Mr Orentt, anil leading him respectfully aside, said, with visible reluctance : ' "I bog your pardon, Kir, but a fact has come to my knowledge to-day with which I think you ought to be marie acquainted. It is in reference to the young lady who was with us at Mrs C'lemmcns' houso this morn ing. Did you know, sir, that she had an enemy in this town';" Mr Orcutt, whoso thoughts had been very ' much with that young lady sinco she left him so unceremoniously a few hours before, started and looked at Mr Byrd with sur prise which was not without its element of distrust. " Anencmy 1" ho repeated. "An enemy ? What do you mean ?" " What I say, Mr Orcutt. As I came out of MrsClommcns' house this afternoon, an old hag whoso name I do not know, but ■whom you will probably have no difficulty in recognizing, seized me by the arm and made me the recipient of insinuations and throats against Miss Dare, which, however foolish and unfounded, betrayed an nnimos ity and a desire to injure her that is worthy your attention." " You are very kind," returned Mr Orcutt, with increased astonishment and a visible constraint, "but I do not under stand you. What insinuations or threats could this woman have to make against a young lady of Mis? Dare's position and character?" "It is difficult for mo to tsllyou," ac knowledged Mr Byrd; "but the vicious old creature presumed to say that Miss Dare must have had a special and secret interest in this murder, or she wrould not have gone as she did to that house. Of course," pursued the detective, discreetly dropping his eyes from the lawyer's face, " 1 did what 1 could to show her tho folly of her suspicions, and tried to make her see the trouble she would bring upon herself if she persisted in expressing them ; but I fear I only succeeded in quieting her for the moment, and that she will soon be attack ing others with this foolish story." Mr Orcutt,who, whatever his own doubts or approhsnsio.is, could not fail to be totally unprepared for a communication of this kind, gave utterance to a fierce and bitter exclamation, and fixed upon the defective his keen and piercing eye. "Tell me just what she said," he demanded. " I will try to do so," returned Mr Byrd. And calling to his aid a very excellent i memory, ho gave a verbatim account of the : conversation that had passed between him j and tho old woman. Mr Orcutt listened, ' as he always did, without interruption or outward demonstration; but when tho re cital was over and Mr Byrd ventured to look at him once more, he noticed that he was very pale, and greatly changed in ex pression. Being himself in a position to understand somewhatof the other's emotion, he regained by an effort the air of polite . nonchalance that became him so well, and quickly suggested: "Miss Dare will, of COUIW, bo able to explain herself." The lawyer flashed upon him a quick glance. " I hope you have no doubts on tho sub ject," lie said : then, as the detectis-e's eye fell a trifle before his, paused and looked at him with the self-possession gained in fifteen years of practice in the criminal courts, and said, : " I. am Miss Dare's best friend. 1 know her well, and can truly say that not only is her character above reproach, but that I am acquainted with no circumstances that could in any way con nect her with this crime. Nevertheless, :■ the incidents of the day have been such as to make it desirable for her to explain her self, and this, as you say, she will probably have no difficulty in doing. If you will, therefore, wait till to-morrow before taking any one else into your confidence, I promise . you to see Miss Dare myself, and from her own lips learn tho cause of her peculiar in terest in this affair. Meanwhile, let me re quest you to put a curb upon your imagina tion, and not allow it to soar too high into tho regions of idle speculation." And he held out his hand to the detec tive with a smile whose vain attempt at un concern affected Mr Byrd more than a vio lent outbreak would havo done. It be trayed so unmistakably that his own secret doubts were not without an echo in the breast of this eminent lawyer, j (To be. Continual).

Perfidious Man!

Casks for broach of promise of marriage have always more or less of an interesting element in them, and now that Colonel Making threatens us with his hard-hearted bill for the total abolition of this only pro tection of lone, lorn womanhood against the perfidiousness of deceitful man, the re ports of such cases will be read with more than usual interest. One of the most amus ing of these actions, which was, unhappily, not without its graver side, was heard at the Mayor's Court last week. There was no documentary evidence as to a promise of marriage—for, as the plaintiff herself naively remarked, "Nocorrespondence was necessary, as she and the defendant lived opposite to each other"—and when the learned counsel endeavoured to find some proof that these two people were, as they put it themselves, "engaged sweethearts," one Sarah Jane Lumbiss came forward with testimony to the effect that she invited both parties, on one occasion, to her house, and offered them the delightful, if incon gruous, refreshment of shrimps and onions for tea ! She went on to say that the plaintiff would not take the onions until Mrs Lumbiss said to the defen dant, "If you eat them, she will;" and than they both proceeded to par take of the oderiferous food, and Mra Lum biss felt sure, from that significant fact, that they must be engaged to be married. Aspiring lovers will do well to take this story to heart, and unless their intentions are of that honourable kind which are destined to end in holy matrimony, it will be well for them not to veiituie in future upon such tempting luxuries as shrimps and onions for tea.—"Modern Society."

Ladies Smoking.

Laky John Manners, in the "National Magazine," has touched a tender chord in denouncing the extravagance of the rich. Her ladyship's "dormant talent " is roused at the waste that goes on around her. She finds the wealthy growing effeminate—the younger men beginning the day with soda and brandy, the women nursing themselves in bed until the morning is shed ; the break fast table covered with a meal of solids, and the side-board at 10 a.m. supplied with wines ; the first meal of the day prolonged until nearly noon, the luncheon a repetition of overloaded meat, dinner always a luxur ious feast, ladies smoking, gentlemen drink ing until the small hours'; and her ladyship denounces the whole fashion with the heartiness that shows how the old simplicity of the ancient aristocracy the simphiity that gave It its charm—is not quite killed by the rise of the plutocracy.

THEATRICAL NOTES.

(From Onn London Cobhespokdkst). London*, March G. The unfortunate American play, Marjory's Lovers," lias not had much of a run at the Court Theatre. It was withdrawn last night to make way for a revival of one of Gilbert's most powerful pieces the drama called "Dan'l Umce," which was .a great success at tlto old Haymarket in 1870. Mr Herman Vezin, who created the title vole then, Ims been re-ongaged for it now, and the management have also scored greatly through seeming Miss Fortescue for the part of the heroine, Dorothy. i under stand, by-the way, thatthetjarmoylebreaeu of premise case may not, after all, come into Court. Lord Cairns is being very strongly advised to pay up and look [ileasant. The score of " Princess Ida " was duly published last week, and the first edition is already exhausted. Tl«e opera will, I firmly believe, prove to be the most popular of the series. The manager of the Savoy says his takings for the three weeks ending February !)tli were C 413 more than for the same three weeks of " lolnnthe," and .0,025 more than for the same threo weeks of " Patience." Moreover, ho is com pelled regretfully to turn hundreds away from the Theatre nightly, and has been obliged to get tickets printed for the reserved seats three months in advance. Augustus Harris signalised the 100 th performance of his mammoth pantomime, " Cinderella," by presenting every member of the audience witli a souvenii; and pub lishing some wonderful statistics. The one hundred performances, he alleges, have cost .20,000, or £300 each. Mow, Drury Lane holds £500 at an evening and £400 at a morning performance, so as the house has always beeo crammed up to low, Mr, Harris's profits should be £15,000 at least. A revival of " Chilperic," with gorgeous scenery and hallets, is to be the piece de resUlnnee of the Pandora Theatre, Leicester Square, which opens on Easter Monday as the "Empire." The Alhambra has done very poor business indeed since it was rebuilt, and the direc tors are beginning to feel uneasy. " The Beggar Student," which is in prepara tion for Easter, will be produced regardless of expense, and Mr Henry Leslie has been engaged at a high salary for the principal part. Alex. Henderson, of the Comedy Theatre, who hates the Alhambra folk, means to put them in a hole if he can, and is hurriedly mounting "The Beg gar Student" for a series of matinee performances at the Avenue. This will naturally take the gilt off the production at the big theatre, but I doubt its materially injuring it, as the Alhambra relies mainly on spectacle. An intrepid French vocalist called Cor nelia D'Anka, who was once the idol of " masherdom," but is now rather a wreck, has resolved to venture on a tour in the English provinces with our old friend Luscombo Searelle's "Estrella." Charles Dv Val, a mimic and vocalist, well-known in the colonies, is having a grand season at St. James's Hall. He has already given 250 performances there, and still draws capital houses. The new opera " Naega," libretto by the Queen of Koumania (Carmen Sylva), is to be brought out at Stockholm immediately under the supervision and in the presence of the royal author. " Our Regiment," which enjoyed a succcs d'estiine at the Globe Theatre, has been withdrawn, and Sumn's popular comedy, " The Member for Sloeum,"substitued. The Olympic management have engaged Henry Neville to play his original part of "Vierre" in a revival of " The Two Orphans," which ran so long here several years ago. "Breaking a Butterfly," a version of Ibsen's Sweedish play "Norah," was pro duced at the Princes Theatre on March 4 with moderate success. The story turns on the troubles brought about by the innocent, ignorant, and frivolous "child-wife" of an honest and upright Bank manager, who, thinking no evil, lauehingly forges her hus band's employer's name, and thus places herself in the power of an unscrupulous scoundrel named Dunckley. The flatter loses his place as clerk in the Bank, and threatens Flora (the wife) with exposure unless she persuades her husband to reinstate him. The manager refuses, upon which Dunckley cruelly breaks to him the story of bis wife's crime. Dunckley is, however, dumbfounded when the good man, to save Flora, avows himself the forger. Things are looking very black, when a friend of the family possesses himself by a trick of the incriminating document, and, tearing it up, renders Dunckley powerless and enables the wife to explain how she came to do such a foolish act. Miss Lingard scprcely rea : liscs one's ideal of the "airy fairy" I ingenue, Hitting hither and thither, full lof butterfly life and laughter. Her in- I nocence is too obviously assumed, The ! idea of this stately, elephantine female, who I undulates sensuously out of one person's arms into another's, forging a man s name through sheer ignorance iseems impossible. 1 No jury would beMeve such a tale, and even i a theatrical audience finds it rather " thin." Mr Kyrle Bellew has achieved a well-de served success in the character of the self sacrificing husband, and Mr Beerbohra Tree makes Dunckley quite a picturesque black guard. The minor characters are unusually well played. Should " Breaking a Butter ! fly" (as is very probable) fail to draw gcod houses, the new comedy founded on " Called Back" will be put in rehearsal.

Five Pounds a Day For Cigars.

Lady John says strong things of luxury in furnitnre, and mere spending in drees. Her ladyship says that 1600 a-jear ia spent by many ladies in clothes. They will change their dresses three times in the course of the evening. The men spend £200 a-year on hansoms ; some of them think it no shame to give £5 a day for their cigars. Flowers for a ball cost £2,000. Rents have gone up for no reason save fashion. Bouquets cost three guineas, because the com petition is severe. Lady John lifts up the voice of a prophetess against all this, calls for simplicity of lile again, and what comes with simplicity of life, sympathy for others, and work for the poor. While all this self-indulgence is going on the real duty of wealth is unperformed, and her ladyship demands that the rich shall accept the greatest luxury of all, the luxury of doing good. Ifor a lady who may yet be a duchess some day thus to talk is one of the most refreshing signs of the times.

He Was Tempted.

" Why, asks the "snemeia xeiegrapn, " should the prisoner, as well as the Bench and the Bar, not have his little joke t But of all jokes which occupants of the dock have ever attempted to palm off on naturally incredulous judges, commend us to one attempted at Birmingham the other day. The accused in question was charged with having " disposed" of a sofa which by no stretch of ingenuity could be called his own. His account of the manner in which he had come into ' possession of the "household god " had the merit of extreme novelty. He admitted that he did pick up "the thing" in the street. He endeavoured to dogde out of " it's " way, but failed to do so. It blocked the road, so that he could not pass in the dark. He tried to get round one end of the barricade but could not manage it- Then he tried the other end, but failed. He tried to get over it, r.nder it, "any wny, uny way," out of its road. But it was all of no use. Naturally enough, ho was not going to he nonplussed by a lucre thing like a sofa, so he hoisted it upon liis shoulders, and parted with it in the next street for a trifle. It wa3 a novel line of de fence, but the magistrates, u.«ed to all sorts of astounding ■\arns. committed him for trial, although immensely tickled with the , pleasantry." ,

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1884

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