The Moseley Mystery, AS TOLD BY A LADY EX-DETECTIVE.

Lake County Press, Issue 2116, 3 May 1906, Page 2

The Moseley Mystery, AS TOLD BY A LADY EX-DETECTIVE.

\*m By John K. Leys, £3

(Copyright.)

Author of "Dark Doings," "The Black Terror. fhe Lindsays," "The Sign of the G'ulden Horn," &c, &c.

CART 3. CHAPTER VI. A NEW IDEA SUGGESTS ITSELF. The tame evening I had another private interview with Lady Farrell. fn a. few words 1 told her that 1 had ascertained, beyond the possibility of a doubt , that there had been no collusion between Miss Troup ami her nephew in the. matter of the cheque. 1 strongly urged her to speak frankly to Mr. Moseley on the sub jeet, and ask him whether ho had any explanation to otter, venturing a him that this was a matter of simple justice to him. And 1 wound up by saying that as 1 had failed lo throw any light upon the mystery, and sawno' prospect, of my being able to do so; there seemed no reason why she should burden herself with the expense of my services any longer. I. said'" this with much inward regret; for I foresaw that at my first essay in the business of a detective had only resulted in failure, the chances Were Hint Messrs. Weeby and Turner would inform me that they did not wish to retain me. in their employment. However, Lady Carroll's first words, ungracious as they wore, set my mind at rest on that point. "it will be time enough to talk of going when I tell you that 1 have no further need of your services." said she. "It is a comfort to me to have you here: and I don't, care for the expense. I think you are right about telling Mr. Mosoley that f know that the cheque has been altered. Hut I wish you would do it for mo. The ■.idea of speaking to him about it is simply abhorrent, to me. Will you do it ■}"-

The task was unpleasant enough for me; but I could see that it must have been still more painful for Lady Farrell, so I consented to do whal she required of me. It. was not until the following day that I had an opportunity of speaking to Mi". Moseloy alone. 1 watched for him as he was leaving the house after his usual afternoon call, and begged him to step into tho drawing room, which I knew to*bo empty. "Well, what is it?" he asked, with a smile, as lie followed me into the room and closed the door behind him. "f have a very unpleasant duty to perform, Mr. Moselev." I began ; "one. which has boon entrusted to me. ] might almost sa.v against my will." He looked surprised, but said nothing, and flung himself flown on a couch, to listen to what I had to sa.v. "You remember a conversation we had about an advance, a, gift of money which your aunt made to you lately ?" J began. "Yes," he answered, flushing, and sitting upright ; "and you must allow me to tell you. Miss Hamilton (if you still prefer Lo be called by that name), that I thought you showed on that occasion that you possessed a very fair share of feminine curiosity. I can't conceive—pardon me for saying so—what intercsl you can possibly have in my private affairs."

For the moment I felt angry ; but I soou repressed the feeling. It. was only natural that Frank should resent my interference. "It would indeed be unwarrantable in me to say a single word on the subject ; but the truth is. thai I a.m speaking uioreK as the mouthpiece of your aunt." "The mouthpiece of m.v aunt. ! I can't understand why she should not sa.v herself what she wants to sa.v. However, go on. please." "That cheque. Mr. Moseley—l mean the last one yon had from her—do vou know of anv thing peculiar about it—anything requiring explanation '!" Ho stared at me, and for a moment did not answer.

•'Do you mean about Ihe man I paid il away lo?" he asked, al lengih. "Not part if it Li tly . But is 1 hero no circumstance, no ver.v important circumstance, which needs lo be explained '.' Oh, Mr. Moseley. believe me. if there is. your besl plan is lo go at, once to Lady farrell and tell her Hie whole truth." "I don't, understand you." he said, slowly, a look of intense surprise on his face. "I know she would be grieved and angry if she knew what I had done with (he money : bnl you seem to hint al something else." I had never really doubted Crank's innocence. Now | was firmly con Vtnced of it. His word: and tones

were nut those nf a euill\ man. Hul I determined In test him still further "Believe me, it were Ivsi ihat your aunt, should know all." I repealed. "She is not. unforgiving : she loves you, and" "What, on earth are you driving at ?" he cried, impat ienl hj "Only this," said I. looking turn straight in I he fare- "that cheque was originally mad" out for one thousand pounds, not four thousand." "It's a lie !" He sprang to his feel. quivering with excitement "My aunt sent me the cheque herself, with a very kind note ; and I wrote and thanked tier for it al oner.. It was for lour thousand pounds. Who dares to sa.\ that it was only for one thousand '.' Who says it '?" "Your aunt herself." lie turned pale, trembled, and sank down on the couch from which he had risen, "She must he mad. or dreaming ; or she must, have forgotten, or made some strange mistake. I know the cheque was for four thousand." Wis excitement had gone, lie had a bewildered, vacant look, uhich was more painful to witness than his anger had been. "Go to your aunt, and 101 l her all about it," 1 urged "f am going." he said, using to his feet, still with the same liewild-

ered air. 'Toes she think thai I »l (...i-.'(l the cheque— committed forger.v . in fad . and cheated her out of three thousand i>ounds '.'" "She does not know what I n think, hut ii wit! ho hotter I" go to her at once," I answered.

He turned slowlv , left the room mil win! upstairs, I remained w hero I wus

| M ahont. a quarter of an lit mi* —ii seemed more like an hour t>> mo—l hoard his footsteps in tho hall outSid.., for lie had left tho drawing room door open, anil 1 had not closed it . lie came in, and shut Ihe door. "Miss Hamilton," ho said, "do you believe that. I am guilty of t his V" "No," 1 cried, impulsively : "1 do not. !"

"God bless you !" His voice was husky, and his eyes had a strange dimness in them. "And your aunt '.'" I said, almost in a whisper. "I almost, think she believes me, in spile of appearances. Lan, as you say, she does not know what, to think."

"And you cannot imagine how tin Ihing happened ?" I asked.

""I believe my aunt made a mistake." he said, firmly—"changed her mind, anil forgot thai she had carried out her original intention. She meant, at first, to send the four t liousaiul, and"—

"HuCthere is the counterfoil, which is plainly marked, 'C. M , £1,000.' Lady Carroll declares that she wrote that on Hie counterfoil at the same time she made out Ihe cheque." "True. II is inexplicable. I wonder that you can believe in my innocence, no wonder my aunt doubts it," he added, sadly. "Good bye."

He loft the room, and in another moment I hoard tho street door close behind him.

Almost, at the same moment Lady Carroll's maid appeared with a message, begging mc to go to her mistress at once. ""Miss Hamilton, thai poor boy is guilty !" exclaimed Lady Farre.ll as soon as she saw me. ••| do not think so. madam." was m.v answer. "You go by his fair words, his looks, and the tones of his voice ; I go hv facts," said she, almost snva gely.'

Yet, even then, 1 did not believe I hat. in her heart of hoar's Lady Carroll was convinced of her nephew's jjUJH . She look a sort of morbid pleasure iii maintaining what she hoped was nol true. I a use she could see no other way of proving it to !„• false.

Suddenly an idea darted into m.v mind.

"Was Miss 'Croup in t he room w it hj von when you made out the cheque'.'" I asked.

"Yes, she was." answered l.ad.v Carroll, wit It a look of surprise "Sin is always with me when I write ui.v loiters. Hul sho did not even know thai frank had written lome, asking for money." "She may have guessed that much from your looks," I suggested. "I'ossiblv. lint she did nol know

that I had s.-nt him anv inoii.-.v mil il I banded her the blank die,pie book with the counterfoils. I o add up I lie

amount of the cheques I had signed." "T wish v oil would 101 l me precise ly how il happened." said I "Thai cheque must have been altered before it, reached your nephew's hand- hj" fore it left Ibis house." "You think Miss Troup did it . per haps'.'" asked Lady Carroll, with a smile. "I think it is possible." "I listen, t hen, and v ou will see t hat il is impossible. I made out the cheque, signed ii , and laid i' down before til,'. Chen I W rote Ihe auiouiit ill (he counterfoil, and handed it to Miss TtOlip Ihe cheque book contain jng all i he counterfoils of the cheque--1 had signed that da.v . for I had Signed several I asked her lo add I hem Up, « bib' I vk rote a note i o Crank, lo go wil hj I he cheque." I interrupted Lad... farrell al tinpoint. "Where was she sit I ing '.'" ",.\| that table ;" and as I lie lad;, spoke, she point",! lo a small will ing-table near her own. A n.v one sit t j n g near it would be mi Lady far rell's rigid hand, and a little behind her.

"When I had written the nolo," continued l-adv farrell, "I put it ilM d Ihe cheque into an envelope, ad dressed it myself, and dropped it into a small basket standing on M chair beside me. containing letters for tin; post. Afterwards I put that letter, alone wit hj lhe ol hers, into Ihe let tor-box in the hall, which i keep lock ed. I did mil ask Miss Troup lo pul the lei lers ill! o Ihe box i hai da.v . I did it myself. Does I hai sat isi'.v \ ou?" "Thank you. Lady farrell ; ,v ou have made il very clear." "And in anv case, if I here was, as von say, no collusion between Miss 'Croup and m.v nephew, whal possible interest could she have in altering frank's cheque 7" "I admit that I hai is a dillicull.v . Itlll please let tile keep lll.V suspicions (o myself for a while. It can do no harm." And so saying I made m.v escape from the room.

Suppose I here had been collusion, not bel ween Miss Croup and frank Moselev , but bet ween her and Hai'lon'.' 'Chat was the question that had been iii my mind. Barton, after all, had got Ihe iiione-. .11l could t race anv connection between Miss 'Croup and this Barton. I might be able lo show l hat. Miss 'Croup had really an interest in the alteration which the cheque had undergone. As i hose thoughts wore running in my head, I was seated at the window of my own room. The window commanded a v iew of the square ; and my ga/.e beca fixed on two persons, a man and a woman, who wore walking up and down the furl her end of the enclosure. The square was a. very large one ; and the garden in the centre Was quite an extensive piece of ground.

Oi these iK'.r.son.s I thought from h'T ligure in he Miss Troup. What ii I lio otln'i' should In: Hurt on, 11,,, person 1.0 whom Frank Mosoley 1,;,,1 paid over his aunt's four thousand | mis '.' If I could gel n sight, Df I his man, I said I <> myself, I might, lists ,'rnnk to describe Mr. Hurt on to me, and see whether his description hilljed with the appearance i>f Miss Troup's companion. hj, ; ,ny rase, I thought, it run iln ~,, harm io see for myself w hat. Miss Troup's friend is like. So, throwing on mi;., lial and jarket, I went into I he .square Uv the ii I had reached it the two persons I had conic to seek had disappeared. I went into an ornnmen tnl summer-house which stood near

I |," middle ~i' l he enclosure, I n seo who! her I hev were there. The place was eiupt.v : Inn hel'ore I turned away Miss Troup's voice foil mi my ear. 11 in me from I he mil side <>i t hi' lit tlo building. 'The lady and her companion must have hem standing or sitting close to the wall. I coujectured : and her voice had penetrated hoi ween the ill lit tint; hoards of whhh tlie wall was composed. This, I found. w as net daily 1 he ease. Vvhal Miss Troup had said I had not heard ; hut. 1 easily heard her companion's rejoinder. "Hand.ley !" ho ejaculated. "Hid you say her real name was Hamhloy?" I was so utterly surprised by those words I hat I sank down on a. wood en seal which ran round the summerhouse, unable for a moment to speak or move. UHAPTRR VII. WHAT I OYCUHKARD IN Till'; SQUAWK. The reader may think of me what he chooses. I know that it is dishonourable to listen deliberately to a conversation that is intended to he private. All J can say is that 1 believe that ninety-nine women out of a hundred—and, for the matter of that, nine hundred and ninety-nine men out, a\' u thousand—would have dorve exactly as 1 did, when I heard my own name uttered under these strange circumstances. Who was this friend of Miss Troup's who manifest erl such surprise to hear that 1 w a.s living at Cumberland-s-qunre '.' Not a former acquaintance of m,\ own ; I felt tolerably confident of that, for the voice was quite strange to me. Vet if he ware a stranger, what possible interest, could he take in my i»a me V I deliberately sot. myself to lislon lo the remainder of the conversation. "Are you xuro that Hip lady's name is Hambley '.' How did you find out'.'" "Mr. Moseley (old me; or, rather, I got it. out of him." "Is she a relation of his, do you know '.' " Th.' words wore carelessly spoken, hut I fancied that. I could delect a lone of anxiety in the speakers \ (dee. "\oi I hat I know of.' - answered Miss Troup. "And whal if she were?" "Nothing. I only wondered if it wore so." "Why -" "(food heavens. Alice ! how you lease a follow ! There. now—don't make a fuss about nothing. What is il I o me if she is I he follow 's nun' . or niece, or grea I -gninilinot her '.' "You seemed so surprised to hear her name." "Well, if I seemed surprised, I wasn't . I hat s all." •Mut isn't ii odd that Lady Car-I--II should have a person living under a false u.i me i II her house '.'" "Kuthor." " I should say sho came t her.' as a spy. I don't holiev o she is a relal ion of old Sir Joseph Carroll's. And jf I ratch her al anv tricks I shall 101 l lb,' old hyena that she passes under a false name." liy 'ih,. old hyena" 1 understood i hai l,ad,v Kan-ell was meant . " |lim'| bo foolish. Alice," said 1 lie man. ill a peiempl oi'.v tone. "Don't x on .-,.,• i hat ii i he hv enn . as v on rail her, has brought this .Miss llam|,h>.\ on i ho scene, passing her o(T a.s a rolal ion of her husband's, > ou gain not him; hv peaching on her '.' I'rohabl.v l.ad.v farrell herself suggested I ho change of name." "Win should she do that '.'" •• ||, ,v. can I I,'II ".' W hill is she like, (his Miss llainiil on. or I lalllhley '.'" "Oh. an insignificant little crea i are. Si irks hers.'lf up, and puis on i hr Ind.v 11U<• in her nianiiors." "I'.otlior her manner.-' In looks, I ••She's rather dark—dark hrown hair and e.v es. and a pah- complexion A (| ( .conl ish inoiil ii. hill plain on I ho u hole. \ Ii! t 1" more, and she w oilhl have hen positively hideous." ■'Can't \ on tell me am thing I could know her In '.'" ■•\S h.\ an- v on so anxious I o know whal she is like '.'" Thai w as exact ly I he qucsl ioll I w ou ii I have asked m.v self, had I ! n privileged t n pill one ' I listened i •; i l: <' r 1 \ to know how il would he answered. But I he roplv , w hen it came, u as disappoint in;;. "I novel" Knew such a girl as you an-. Alice, for taking up a fellow's words, and leasing him with quos--1 ions." ■■ | ask ijiiest ions '" cried Miss Troup, "You arc a pre I I.V one lo sa.v I hat . w hen you have I n doing lit ' lo else I han ask ipiosl ions of me ever sum.' I came out ' Why are you so rurioii: aboiii Miss Hamilton '.'" -I « anted i o know w bother .she would he likely to have Mosoley falling in love wit hj her, I ha' "s all." 'fhe man w us lying, I 'fell sure. I lo had protended lo he annoyed hv Miss Troup's question, simply because he had not got an answer ready for it . \ud. s,,m,.how. I did mil bolie.vo that I he reason he had given for his curiosi I,\ aboil) me was tin' I rue one. But evidently Alice 'I roup believed in il . " You may make y our mind easy on that point," said she, with a little scornful laugh "Crank Moscle.v is a booby . I can t urn him round my lit I le linger." "I suppose that means that there has Ix'on a good deal of love making bet ween vim and him." "How can you speak in thai coarse way, Harvey ?" exclaimed the girl, in an injured lone "You know Unit I care for you, and you only. Did you not tell me that I must, acquire an influence over this young man '.' And how could I do so with out allowing him to make love to me ?" "Allowing him to make love to you is one I hing; being regular sweethearts is another." "You are jealous, Harvey; and I am sure you have little enough occasion for it." "Cli, well, never mind." •• Itui I do mind. I won't have you being jealous. I want you to be nice, and —as you used to bo." "So I am. Hut how late il is! .1 am afraid, if you don't go in now, you will be missed." Somehow, this vulgar talk did not strike me as having much j,"oal feeling of any kind in it . Thai Miss Troup was really in love with this man, whoever he might be, I had little doubt. Hut she seemed rather pleased at Hie idea that her lover should be jealous of Crank Mosoley. And it seemed I o me I hat he, on his ;Jdc, was rather pretending to feel jealousy than actually experiencing Hint passion, lie did not respond very warm ly to Miss Troup's protestation of affection; and I noticed that the re

I mark about I he lateness of the hour had come from him, not from her. 'fhe same thing seemed to have occurred lo Miss Troup. "You seem tired of my company already, Harvey." "What nonsense! (hit, you must be careful, v ou know." "As if vim were always so prudent | A,,,! that reminds me—l told von il. was a mistake to walk in the si reel together. Wo are much safer hero." "Were we noticed on Tliursda.v by a n.v one in pa rl hula r '!' "frank Mosoley saw us, and tool, il into his wise head to be jealous of y mi." "'fhe deuce he did !" "He wanted i o know who you Were." '' A ad you told him '.''' '' I sa id \ ou w ere my ei nisi n, a M r. Troup, from llirmiughani : so if you should over meet ! hat ,\ iiling gent nian"—Miss Troup was interrupted by an exclamation, or rather a series of ex damn I ions, in mi her lover, v, Inch I need not transcribe. "How could you be such an utter idiot ".»" he cried, angril.v , v\ hen his remarks look an intelligible shape. "Whal would v ou have had undo ?" cried tho girl, angril.v "Could I fell him I had another lover " I was forced to say that J mi were a rela t ion : and I had no time I o think what was I he host explanation to give." \o answer was vouchsafed lo I his tpiesl ion, a ml i I was repoa led. "Don't you see i hat if ever I n I I ho fellow I must either go under a false name, or let him know Ilia! you have told him a lie ?" "I don't see that you need over meet him." "It is Yi'iy unforl imat e, t hat's all." "Why '.' Why should it matter to yon ?" An impatient exclamation was the only reply to this, and Miss Troup's answer was pitched in too low a key to hear il . I could make out however that she wa.s endeavouring lo coax her lover back into good humour, and i hat was quite enough for me. Apparently she succeeded in her oh jeel : for shortly afterwards 1 heard 1 he man's v nice. He was speaking in a tolerably ideas,ml I one, and I o m.V renewed surprise his words wore : "My the way. before I go I wish you would describe that Miss Ham bley, or Hamilton, to me. I quite agree with v ou in thinking that she has not gone to Cumberland-square without some motive, and that we ought to be on our guard against her. I want to be able in know her when I see her." Thereupon Miss Troup gave her lover so minute a description of my |h'rsonal appearance and of m.v ordinary dress, t hat I felt thai I had not hitherto done justice in my own mind to that lady's powers of observation. Some love passages to which I did not I isten follow ed l his ; and I hen the receding voices warned me that i he two lovers had left the gardenseal on which I hoy had been sitting. I n a moment I si ood up a ml glided to the door of the summer house. | was intensely anxious to catch a glimpse oi l his man. in order l ha' I might be able afterwards to identify him ; but I feared to follow 1 he re I real ing couple too closely. | argued with m.v self i hat I might have ot her j opportunities of seeing Miss 'Croup's j |ov or. A t t he worst 1 would be able to recognize him, I I houghl. by his v oioe. Itui if I were seen by Miss j Troup at I he present moment , I might give up all hope of turning the I summer-house to account on a second occasion. |„ .nucli doubt as to whal was the ! best course to pursue, I loft m.v place ' of concealment , and Went down 1 he j path which I (houghl Miss Troup and I her companion must have taken in i mder to reach I he gale opening upon ; i he square. Tho.v had by I his t ime j got so f.ir ahead of me I lull I (houghl j i hce was litl le danger of their observing me, even if they should hap- ; pen i o |o,it s behind. I caught sight of I ho pair just as I i lie.v reached t he gate ; and fortuna- '■ t <■!•■. for up- i hoy did not pause t o ! look round the gardens before passing through it. Miss Troup was the ] lirsi lo leave the enclosure. Her comI paniou line.,-red behind her for a few j minifies, no doubt a.s a measure of precaution. I was too far oil to see his features distinctly; but I could ; per, eive l hat he was a tall man, I with dark hair ami dark moustache. j | did nol dare to venture nearer, lesl the stranger might recognize me through Miss Troup's description of me, and suspect thai I might have overheard some of his conversation. \s soon as iie left the square, however, I followed him, Bui I was I oo late, 'fhe broad carriage-way and the pave nf were alike deserted. I went down one street on the chance of overtaking hint, in order that I might gel a nearer v iew of hj im I ha n I had been able lo gel in the garden. Hut ho was not to be sen ; and 1 came lo (he conclusion thai he must have cither walked away al I he lop of his speed, or must have caught a passing hansom, and driven oil rapidly. When I returned to l.ad.v Carroll's j_hoil.se the door n;r opened before I had i line I o knock, and frank Mosoley i ante onl I could see |,y his lace t hat s<unci hing seriou -, siini"t hing painful, had occurred lie was as pale a- if he had I n in a sw noli, a ml he blundered past me. and descended two or I hi ee of i he si ep.s w it houl seeing me "Mr. Moselev , w hat has happened'.*" 1 cried, involunlnril.v . He turned, and the ghost of a smile came to his face as he recognized me "II is all m n-," he said, in a husky voice. "I may as well bid you good live, for I shan't come to this house aga in." "I wish you would slop inside," I said, "and toll me what has occurred. Do !" He v ielded- he always did yield to any one who expressed a strong dosire for anything—poor Crank ! I look him into (he library and closed the door. "■M.v aunt and I have had a quarrel," he said. "She persists in believing that I wilfully cheated her out of three thousand pounds by altering her cheque. Of course, I can't go on coming lo the house with an accusation of thai sort hanging over < mo. So I (old her I wouldn't see her J again till she could sa.v she believed I me to be innocent. Hoi things wore I said on both sides, which I need nol j repeat. I (old her I o send for I he J police, and she seemed to think t hat I the height of impudence Oil lll.V pari | In short, we had a scone. I'm sorry

for it, I can 101 l you ; for in.y aunt ifl 11n- only niol her I have everknnwn, : i lid she Tins been \ cry kind t.o me unI il now. Besides, i In- fact is. .lam;, I don'l know what I'm to do for a living !" '.rim old familiar nam.' had slipped (ml unawares. "litin'l losi- ln-ai-1 ," I said. " Von Hro not ! In> lirsl w ho lias had I o hear Hie brunt of a falsi- accusation. And you should uol In- so hitter against. your mini for doubling you. Koinemlior how dreadfully appearances are tign i nst you '." "Thai is inid, Vmi arc the only one who believes in me, .Jam;. Who else i:ould 7" "Can \ on t hiak of no one who could have had an opportunity of getting at Mi'- ch'-cJin- and altering it 7" I aski'd, I'iirni'si l\ . ".Noliod.N ," said Crunk. "Till! lliorningmy aunt's letter came I was looking out lor I he post man's knock, and I look i he letter almost from his hand. The cheque was for four thousand pounds, and was in my aunt's handwriting, as I hope to he saved!" '•.Never mind ; you will he cleared yet," I said, as cheerlully as I. could; and I hen I let him go. I w us clad I hat l here was no occasion for me to .sec Lady Carrell ac.i iii i ha I night . She did not come (low u to dinner, and she did iiot send for me. Miss Troup and I spent the evening in each other's company, keeping up the usual forms of politeness, of c>.i\n<<\ hul making no pretence of trying to entertain one a not her. I had plenty of fond for relied ion. and long after I had retired In rest (hat night my mind was husy with the strange conversation I had overheard in the square. Poor Prank ! 1 could see that he was destined In he bankrupt in affection as well as in worldly goods. I had discovered that Miss Troup was only playing with him; and, stranger still. I had learned thai she had been incited to gain an influence over him by a stranger, and that stranger her own lover ! That there was some mystery here I fell certain ; and, more than this, it was a mystery in which I was personaly concerned. I could not forget the loin; of surprise in which 'Miss Troup's lover had said "Bid .you say I hat the lady's real name was llamble.v V" nor his accent, of guarded meaning as he asked further "Is she a relation of his ?'" meaning Frank Mosoley. As for the cheque, not a single reference to it had fallen from the lips of either Miss Troup or her companion. I had made little or no progress in my efforts to read tbc riddle of the altered draft. But I felt that I was on the xi>\-;.:<> of another mystery one in which I as well as my old friend Frank Moscley, was concerned. Who was this man? Why should he encourage his sweetheart to make a vassal of Frank, and then complain, or pretend to complain, as if he were jealous? Was he the 11. Barton whose name appeared on the back of the altered cheque? Harvey might he his Christian name. If so. was he Unguilty man ? Hut . above all. why should he concern himself about me, or feel surprise at my being in I .ad.v Carrcll's house ? \\h\ should he inquire if I were related t o frank Moseley ? Why should he be so anxious to know what I was like ? To these and a dozen similar qtiesj ions I could find no answer ; but (hey continued In vex my worried brain, until at 'length I fell asleep. CHAPTER Vll.l. J FAY A VISIT TO ClO TUFF COURT, TC.MCI.C. On the following mornine. I visited Lady Carrell, and I saw at I lie first glance that she had not slepl that night. She was ill a wretched state of mind ; at one moment indignant at her nephew's ungrateful crime, and his subsequent duplicity (as she chose, to consider it), and the next tormented by the thought that, after all, it. was possible that she might be accusing him unjustly. To justify her own conduct, she went on talking of the forgery, placing Frank's conduct in its worst light, and insisting on two things—first, that by his own confession Frank had broken his plighted word anil had gambled away this money before it had become his; and. secondly, that no one but himself could have committed the forgery. 1 saw that in her present mood it was useless to say a word in Crank's behalf, or \u-£f anything in his favii ir -. and I heard instructions given to have a new will prepared without interposing a word. I may say at once (hat I did not think it necessary to make Lady Farrell acquainted with whal I had heard in the garden. I could not see that it had any bearing upon the nuttier of the forged cheque. Put I had not. abandoned the idea Ihal Miss Troup might, possibly be concerned in I lie fraud—she and Mr. Part on working together. On I lie contrary, that notion haunted m.\ brain. I again went up to Lady Carrcll's room, and asked her whether she could give me (.lie address of any one of Mr. Moscley's more intimate acquaint aiu'es. I'or whal purpose?" she asked sharply. •• | want 11) Mml out, something nlioul Mr. 11. Part on," I answered. Lady Carrell shrugged her shoulders conl empt iiously. "There is Mr. Lister," she said, after a pause—"Air. Hugh Lister, of No, 7, fig Tree-court. Temple, lie and Crank arc or were very intimate I believe he I ried to exercise a good iiilltience over my nephew—and failed. Perhaps he mighl be of use in you." And Lad,\ Carrell turned again to her writing, as if the subject were not worthy of another moment's I hotighl. As for me, I set off at once for the Temple. Kig Tree c '! I found t ■ > be a narrow, paved yard, surrounded by dirty brick house.'., so lofty as in almost shut out t he sky. Mr. Lister's chambers were on the I hjl'd Hoor : and I was fort unate in liiuling him in. He turned nut to be a frank, pleasant man, of perhaps live-and-thirty years of age. Some grey hairs mingled with the brown locks ; but he seemed as fresh and full of life as a lad of twenty could l„. ||e received me with a staid politeness which did not prevent my Heein"' the suspicion of a twinkle in his eves. I had forgotten that 1 was a comparatively voting woman; and Ihnt for me to be visit iiiig a gent lemau til In'"- chambers at the Temple might be thought singular. True. Mr. Lister, I presumed, was a lawyer ; Ijul i hen I had a notion that ladies

never w«mt to consult barristers in person. it. was too late, however, to reflect, on these points. Mr. Lister was politely waiting for me to slate, my business. i did so in as few words as I. possibly could. "I have taken the. liberty of calling on behalf of Lady Farrell, who furnished me with your address," J began. "She suspects that her nephew has been ill some wa.v victimized by a Mr. IT. Barton. Can yon, as Mi-. Moseley's friend, tell us anything about this Mr. Barton V" Mr. Lister's open countenance became clouded. "I know -Mr. Hart on to my cost," he said at length. "He. is not a fortunate acquaintance for young men ; and I was old enough to know better. The fact is, Mr. Hat-ton keeps what is practically a gambling hell in a certain si feet oil' St. James'ssireet. Prank Moseley lost large sums there on two successive nights; and I believe Dart on offered to lend him the money to pay his losses." "Was the money fairly lost, do you I hink •>" "I don't know, but. i had my suspicions, and so had others. There is little use going into that," he added, "for Ihe money is lost past recall, anil I think there is little fear of Moseley going there again. Certainly, I shall not," he concluded with a smile. "l>o you think Darton and the men to whom Mr. Moseley lost the. money may have hi in collusion with each 01 her '.'" I asked. "It is possible-, certainly." "Is Harton's Christian name Harvey '.'" "No ; it is Henry. Hut he may have many aliases for anything I can tell.' "What is he like 7" "A tall, thin fellow, with lantern jaws, a short, fox-tail coloured beard and shifty, light blue eyes." Kxcept in the matter of height, not a single point, in this description answered to the appearance of the man whom 1 had seen at the gate of the garden in the square. Not one. I rose to go, but Mr. Lister detained me by asking a few polite questions about. Lady Faerell. "You "ill think that the. question is tin odd one," said I ; "but can you tell me this Mr. Barton's private address ?" Mr. Lister looked at me curiously as he answered : "1 fancy there are few men in London who could tell you that; but perhaps I could lind out for you." He scribbled a few words on a,shcet of paper, rang for his clerk, and despatched him with the note he had just written. "I ought to tell you," said I, anxious to justify myself to some extent in Mr. Lister's eyes, "that this is not a mere question of money. Mr. Moseley's honour and his whole future are at stake." The barrister answered this only by a bow and a look of surprise ; and then, apparently thinking that his silence might be misconstrued, he begged to be allowed to do anything he could for Frank Moseley and Lady Farrell. The clerk soon returned with an address, which I copied in my memo-randum-book, and Mr. Lister insisted upon piloting tiie down stairs and out of the labyrinth of the Temple to the St rand. No one who has not been placed, as 1 I hen was placed, in an equivocal and embarrassing position, can understand how much I appreciated thai little act of politeness. Thai evening, after obtaining the necessary authority from Lady Farrell, 1 wrote to Messrs. Weeby and Turner, desiring them to have a watch kept, on the movements of Mr. Henry Darton. with the view of ascertaining whether he was in any way related to Miss Troup, or was in the habit, of holding communication of any kind with that young lady. To be Continued. (993.)