00.00 - 66.83 0099 11.29 80.12 cy, fo po [pow astw ar ET rs CHAPTER IV, have begun, if necessary, to the end of “my -days. All the people who have ' not ask us to help you?” I oN 2 Ee nl NN \ AZ EE 5 nl ol a TRIESY MONK’S EXAMINATION. "I BAVEN’T much more to tell you now, (continued Monk). A few days after- ward, Sigrid left to join her brother in Hamburg, whence they both sailed for America, and I have not seen either of them since. With regard to the life I have led these last few years, you, Fred- erick, know about as much as I do my- self. If I have not left the country, it was because an irresistible impulse forced me to haunt the place where my happiness and my expectations had. been overthrown, and to try again and again to clear up the mystery which had de- stroyed the happiness of so many. My profession of private detective has provided me. with sufficient means, both in finances. and other respects, to comn- tinue my attempts—attempts which up to now laye unfortunately brought no results whatever, ; At first I had many difficulties to con- tend agamss, before I could attain to the position I now occupy. The part I played in the diamond case had made me unpopular with the public, and all ; my friends advised me to leave the country, Still, the public does not remain of the same opinion from one day to an- other. The feeling against me gradually subsided. I fancy people had an idea that a hard and entirely undeserved fate had befallen me and others concerned in this matter. ,I was fortunate in being able to clear. up one or two mysterious affairs, show, in short, I can no longer complain of want of sympathy from the public. I have nothing more to add than that I still consider it the object of my life to unravel this mysterious affair. I have not followed the superintendents advice, and I intend continuing as I played a'part in the events which I have told you of, I keep well under my sur- veillance, either personally, or through my agents. /Sometimes I feel as if I could give up everything in despair, for, as I have told you, up till now I have no result to show. Then again my com- mon sense and my experience—not my presentiments—tell me that the solution must come in time; perhaps before I -ex- pect it. | “But why have you decided so sud- denly to go to America?” This time it was I who spoke. “Some days ago,” he replied, “I re- ceived the notice of Einar Frick’s death. I shall once again speak to Sigrid. I have certain things to ask. her about; ! perhaps she will now answer me.” We were all silent. Monk went over : to the bookcase and began to put some | books to rights which were disarranged on the shelf. ; dal “Clara got up and crossed over to him, but he did not turn round, although he must have heard her steps. He did not even look when she laid her hand on his, shoulder. gE #‘But even now, you have not told us everythingd® J 0 tu) Lo ds Leak “Yes, everything that can be of inter- est, to others.” 3 Gs 4: No, you are wrong, Monk,” said my wife, in a friendly tone, not removing her hand from his shoulder. “Did you Yes, 1 did.” ; x © Well, and however strange: itemay seem, yet I believe that one of these lit- tle mice cap this time helo the lion. But yas must first tell us everything. When Miss Frick left, why didn’t you go with her 2... Perhaps-tyou thought then that she had stolen the diamond?” “No, I didn’t=shut=-well, how. can I explain myself; you will not understand , me—I belieyg in her, and yet there are moments when—"' BAF 4 “You men are a miserable-lot of creas tures when it comes to a. question of trust,” ssid Clara, with unction.. “You, Monk, and yery Mcelyiyou, Fredericl, would do the samey, You do not hesi- tate to assure aiweman that.you respeet and love her above everything in the world; but if only there comes a wretched phgtograph, or some acciden- tal coincidence, then you believe the same woman,t6 be eapable-of commit- ting the lowest and most degrading. of crimes. Yes, I speak not ‘so much with regard to the robbery, as that she, if she were guilty, allowed anothersto suff in her place] Let me tell ‘you what passed betweéen you and Sigrid, and then you shall tell me i I am right?” Monk only nodded, with his face half turned away, and my wife continued in a severe tongs— “You wentto Sigrid and assured her that you belived in her innocence, spite of all, and you proposed that you should get married at once and go abroad I” : Monk nodded again. “But he :amswered that she read doubt at the botiew, wour hearic-and that it was better that you should both part; isn’t that so?” “Yes,” answered Monk, turning round to us—he wgs dreadfully pale—*“I tried hard to get her to tell me why she had attempted that day to get money at the pawnbroker’s. If it could clear the mat- ter and prove my innocence, she said, then she would do it; but as the affair stands, it would not serve any purpose, | and only bring disgrace upon another. “‘It was to get your brother out of some difficulty,” T urged. “‘It is of no use talking about it,” she . said. ‘It will not take away the doubt from your heart. Even if you fancy it gone, it will come again and again; and do you think we can get away from peo- ple’s talk and malice? No, the world is too small for that! And if we got mar- ried, and had children, could we be sure that they would never get to know of their mother’s past? I have also a duty to fulfil to my brother; and in that you could not take part. To you he would always be the one who had poisoned our life.’ “Such were .her words, as. near, as possibl~. I felt I had only empty and mean. .gless words to say in reply to them, and so we parted.” “There, didn’t I tell you so!” ex- claimed Clara, “It is your own doubt which is the cause of ;your weakness. That is the reason you have not been able to penetrate the darkness.” “I think you are wrong. there, Mrs. Viller,”. answered -Monk;-gently, “but the work has been too much for my strength. I fancy it would have been too much, for any man. Mention any- thing I ought to have done, and I think I can answer you that it has already been tried.” £. “Don’t be angry,” were Clara’s mext words, and this tine they were as gentle 13 : as Monk’ own. *Y know you have as much feeling ag you have common sense, and perhaps more feeling than most people; but with you men, reason al- ways comes off victorious 4n the end. You cannot alter your natures, I sup- poses Now we must see how ‘we ean help: Monk, Frederick, ds he can’t help himself; isn’t that so?” ~~ i. “Yes,” I answered as cheerfully as I possibly coula; “it would be strange if we three, when we have put our heads together, should not be able to clear up the mystery. You have here what you | ‘hitherto have lacked, Monk-“the.éxpe- rience of an expert in many Branches, as represented by nie, and a woman’s in- guition and instinct, as represented by Clara. But as a prelimi have to be: examined. y, Monk, will ave you any- thi 0 ;3sk Monk, Clara You shall be the first, then my turn cames.” 1 #Yes, I must begin,” answered Clara, looking in a very friendly manner at Monk, as if to appease him if she had wounded him with her remarks. “Tell me, was not the Englishman, Howell, as he was called, in love with Sigrid? Didn't he pay his attentions to her, and wasn’t he rejected?” 443 Monk began to smile. a ‘fancy he did try a little at first, but he soon saw that I had forestalled him, and so, with a good grace I'll admit, he left the field clear. If he had made any definite ad- vances, I think Sigrid would have told me.” ; i & “Are you quite sure about that?” am- swered Clara, with an air of superior- ity. “One is not of course father con- fessor to one’s fiancée. But can you tell me any other reason why he should hate both of you?” “Are you sure he hates us?” “Yes, I am quite sure about it; he is theicause of the whole mischief. The photograph was of course nothing but. humbug.” } Monk’ smiled resignedly. “The pho- tograph was only too genuine.” “And then. there was that wretched j actor,” continued Clara; “he left, I un- derstand, just before Evelina committed suicide. Have you heard anything of him since? It was of course on his ac- count that the young girl killed herself. I believe he first of all got her to steal the diamond, and then left her. That was the reason of the.poor girl com- mifting suicide.” “I also thought of that,” was Monk's answer, “and I had him watched after he left Christiania. He went first to Gothenburg and later to Copenhagen. But jit is hot probable that the ‘money which Jurgens paid for the diamond has at any time been in his hands. He lived the whole time from hand to mouth, andi often in the greatest misery.” “Are you quite. certain of this?” I money, all my theories are upset.” . “Yes, isn’t that so?” said Monk, smil- Ing again, in the same resigned way. “And you would have had the same experience; not only in one, but in ten points of the case, if you had weighed them and turned .themi over in your head as_long as I have done . uk 4 Mut there must be one theorytwhich 8s mght’s I exclaimed. ¢Some one must have stolensthe diamond Wi = “Yes, that’s the dreadful part of it alli” groaned Monk, . “There. is only one theory which can’ be applied” to -all that has happened in this. dreadful -af- fai, and that is heres His “voice sank almost to a whisper,—"and. that is, shat —that Sigridstoolkvthe ‘diamond te Help her brother, was photographed. by Mr. Howell,_and then sold the wdiamend to A Mr. Jurgens. No, don’t say what you want to say, Mrs. Villers. Rather bear in mind that it is my fixed determina- tion, in a few. days ,to «80 to ‘Amegi apd again offer 8igsid my hand. Can better show: my faith in her?” Claga didnot answer 4 +: AE “Where fs the actor now?” T asked, “He died in deliriam tremens, ing publici hospital in:Denmark:* 4 had agent there for some time, who tried to get something out.ofr him, but it awas of no.use, The agent was under. tBe.im- pressiomr that the actor knew nothing of the diamond robbery,—nothing of any impoftande to us, at least - “And Mrs. Reierson—have yeu tried her?” ‘By allrpossiblecmeans.throush-g 3 EE WEEE | plates, which were held together by india © through the magnifying glass.” | session of the photograph,” continued t ~ Monk. ¥ asked. 4iI§ the.acter dida’t get the : trial. He. made ‘me promise, “however, " quest me to da that.) imine 1 “Pie photograph answered to the brief | flesqriptiod which Monk had ‘already if ef it Itswas three or fouf'inches | that little was to be seen but thetgirlish : figure in front of the open ctipboard | swith tle /sheleeds These shelves were | filled with all sorts of curiosities; which ——— i %] ook at the girl's left hand” said 1] | sarver in Naples. Do you see, for ex- third person. She will not see me. If I show myself to her, she swears and curgbs me for having brought about her daughter's death. Old Frick gives her a yearly pension; but as she has com- pletely given herself over to drink, it does not last very long, and between each quarterly payment she lives in the greatest destitution.” “And Mr. Howell?” ! “I have not lost sight of him, “al- ! though it is often didicult enough to ; keep an eye on him. . He leads the life of so many rich Englishmen. He spends the season in London, the autumn in. ! the: country, and the rest of the year in travelling. He has a yacht, and has sev- eral times visited Norway in the sum- mer. He has, however, been only three or four times in Christiania all these years, and then only for a short time. He has on these occasions stayed at Villa Ballarat with old Frick. My agent in England informs me that he is well known as a gambler.and as a man whg spends more money than he can afford. | He has for many years paid frequent visits to a country house in Yorkshire, i s—Ashton .Hall,~belonging-'to- a rich’ the stde or itm “Yes, I see it. But tell me, Monk, who does the girl in the photograph re- semble, Miss Frick or Evelina?” “Oh, Evelina! I was, of course, ac- customed to see Sigrid in that costume —the braided jacket and the little hat with the bird’s wing on it—so at first glance I might have doubted; but after a more careful inspection I should never have hesitated in saying it was Evelina, —she and no one else, if only this ques- tion of the finger hadnt cropped up.” “The photograph was examined, was- n’t it?” “i1 any photograph in this world has been examined, this is the one. As you ‘ may remember, the photographer Rodin and amother expert gave their opinion upon it at the first trial. Later on it was examined ct the physical laboratory of the university. All were of one mind in saying that no attempt had been made either to tamper with or to make any alteration in: it,—neither by retouching nor by any other means.” While [| continued to converse with Monk, Clara took possession of the pic- ture. I handed her the magnifying gentleman, Mr. Ashton. They say it '8lass, but she pushed it aside, and con- eldest daughter, a lady who is no longer | young. The reason for this long court- ship no ome can explain. They think he’ll not swallow the bitter pill until he is obliged. Here, people believe that he will inherit old Frick’s money. Very likely that ds, the reason: he goes on courting so fong. “Very.likely, too, the old man’s death might put him on his legs again, and save him from marry- | ing the lady in Markshire” . “You seem no longer to like the Eng- | lishman !” : aad, as I have told you earlier, his con | pS T20 sajlien hy pyond Tnpd ; duct frequently appeared to me to be | ~suspiciousw Yet 1'cannot very well ac count for the reason of my distrust for him. I have an idea that he played a prechend. I believe your wife's instinct b téligsher the same. TVS HOT tL “Instinet!” répeated Clarajiwithering- Yin ‘We sovodien | niusth always sthider, » when wet in. sonté way or other hit upon { al sight soldtion,’ hat:hit dio instinct | which has come to our aid—never a word is saig about logical dédiretion! Look here, Mr. Monk. What I mean to say is, thaf.l am shati:Mr. Howell # tampered’ with’ the photograph in order to ruin Sigrid. This result I arrive at | from the following reason, If the pho- tograph is to be relied upon, Sigrid must shave had thé diamond in'hef hind that day; butishe. denied this betaibhely i 0, doi’titsy to avoid it} Mon ¥ You ‘efe afrgidito~tell mre“that now T adr il- | logicaMisn’t that what you call it?— | like all women, and so. you won't even i look at me. But I haven't finished yet. Suppose Sigrid could and would tell a “le, what could have been easier for her | than to admit she had that afternoon i ri io Sos urea ba akon ro } ‘elephant's forehead might not have been will endvinshis marfying the gentleman’s | tinued studying the photograph without once looking up. “You must be quite tired,” I said to Monk, “with all our questioning, but if it will not be too tedious to you to an- swer me, I should like to examine you a little « #4 “Od the cbntrary, I would prefer noth- ! ing better than listening to your re- marks. What I wish is to'get out of this vicious circle in which my thoughts have run during the last six years.” d¥Have you avy guarantee that this photograph was taken that afternoon ‘ea %F haveepever liked him jparticidarly, -the-10th of May=-between five and haf} Dost seven?” | iiopdd dians all Yes, only too positive'proof ; but the report in the Morning Néws'is perhaps sufficiently ‘clear. The facts are these: The sn sufficient to take ten photdgraphs. 1 sup Pose you ‘have Seen these apparatus. For every new picture ‘yéu want te take you turn a little Werew outsidy which is connected with the roller, u & new number @ppears on the indicator. When all the paper on the‘toll has been used, ‘it is taken out, in ordef to get the pictures developed, and a new roll is in- serted. On the back of this photograph you will find number ten printed. Num- bes. nine, whicki'Was also*produced in court, was a group which Mr. Howell had taken in the museum before Jurgens left. The next, that is to say, number ten, must therefore have been taken in the interval before the roll was handed over to the photographer,~in other words, between five and seven o'clock. You will at’ once see that even if Mr. ‘Howell had wanted to deceive us, it would not have been possible.” “Yes, 1 fear, it is only teo true. I have now nothing else to ‘ask, except er the hands of the watch in the and then put it back in its place again? { ‘moved backward, or forward, by some ~No one could-have said a word against | - this explanation as to how theiphoton.: 3 { What Sigrid was not a fool; and you must admit that if she wanted to tell g lie, she would not do it in sueh a foolish way. Adniit that I am right, Monk! All probabilities "go to prove that Sigrid spoke the truth. She had not set foot in Mr. Frick’s museum that day between five and half past seven, and—the photograph was tampered with. i asl Monk could not help smiling; but it was the same smile—the hopeless smile with which the giant who has in vain atempted to lift a burden watches the dwarf endeavoring to lift it. He went across to a small iron safe in: the corner of the room, and! came back at once with a little «object ’which he laid on the table before us. It was a small photograph nlaced. between glass | rubber bands. uit “This is the photograph.” Both Clara and 1 stretched out our ‘hands at the ‘same moment, and Monk aid it on the table between us, together with an oblong magnifying glass of un- usual size. FF - “Now you cam look at it for’ your- selves. ‘What cannot be seen with the naked eye can be easily discerned Clara and I used it in turn. “Fk have to thank my old friend, the ‘chief superintendent, ‘that I am in pos- "At my earnest request he gave it up to me, but not till two years after.the that I should keep it in a fire-proof safe, and...take the: «greatest care of “it. Heavens! it was hardly necessary to re- height, but very narrow, so much so “moet “distinctly Oh the: plate, “the ‘Whole, ‘the photograph was un- usuallyrclea iStinagy ¢ 17 Monk. . 24% jo +8 Fihgld the mgnifying glass over the photograph. “Yes, I see, she has a ring. op the ring finger. £1 - as the finger is quite normal —not at-all deflrmed.” “No, it ds te well shaped” ® T “You see little elephant on the ghelf over the ewpboard, and thé elock in its forehead? What time does it shows! aa # “Let me see! It is twenty-one min- utes to six. The figures are not easy to distinguish, but the position of the hands is plain. enough?” x “Yes, although the elephant is scarce- ly three inches high, that and the: other email thingsion the shelf over the cup- board are the. masterpieces of ankivory emplepg lice sony of Venus de Milo at - one, either accidentally or’ purposely?” _ "You ask: the same question which I an asking myself for many years. t we do know is that the watch was right at five o'clock, and again at’ half- past seven. It is impossible “that it could have been altered in the meantime. It appears that the glass which covers the dial is not movable. If the watch has to be regulated, the whole of the clockwork must be exposed by removing a small metal plate under the stomach of‘the elephatit. On examining the ele- phant, ‘two days after Evélina’s aequit- tal, it ‘was found that there were no ' marks whatever to be found'in the thin layer of dust which had settled inthe jeint between the ivory-and this plate.” - “But then we have the question of the time to settle,” I asked. “It proves that Miss Frick could not have returned | ‘from the pawnbroker at the time which ‘ the watch in’ the photograph shows. As far @s I understand you, it was this cir cumstance alone which saved her at the trial.” ’ “I'll tell you exactly what I think. It was that fact which saved her as far as it ‘gave the jury a pretext to answer ‘No’ to the question whether she was guilty ‘or not—or, more correctly, an ex- cuse for not answering ‘Yes’ to it. I do not: believe ‘there! was a person in the court who, in their heart of hearts, did not believe Sigrid was guilty. But her counsel very cleverly laid stress on the obscurity “which enveloped the whole matter, ‘and the possibility that they might ‘give Anunjust ‘verdict’ and ‘that the truth “afterward * might tranipire. They, or: more correctly; five vofi them, chose, therefore, so the rumbr goes; and I think it is correct, to.answer: ‘No; ‘as the discrepancy with regard to the time gave them the opportunity to do. You undetstand Whit I'mean?” | #¥es, I Understand ; bit what's your personal opinion with regard to the dis- crepancy in the time? cuemsuf 1 1 “Well; for my own part, I'eannot deny that those: who believed in-Sigrid's ghilt + ‘ were right in saying: Supposing:-that fhe driver had driven rather more quick- ly than ordinarily, then the discre in the time would riét be“g¥eater tham fivé' ‘inufes. He might easily hapgen that