ple Of

f the study?" asked White Mas

id the inspector,

e of the people in the house. We could use the dining-room,

rich gentleman who had made his money in America. He had been a kind and considerate employer-not quite what Ames was used to, perhaps; but one can't have everything. He never saw any signs of apprehension in Mr. Do

irritable, which was unusual with him. He had not gone to bed that night; but was in the pantry at the back of the house, putting away the silver, when he heard the bell ring violently. He heard no shot; but it was hardly possible he would, as the pan

ying; it did not seem to him that she was particularly agitated. Just as she reached the bottom of th

" he cried. "Poor Jack is dead! You ca

r. Barker had then returned to the study, where they had found everything exactly as the police had seen it. The candle was not lit at that time; but the lamp was burning. They had looked out of the window; but th

tials, was the evi

had attracted her attention. She was a little hard of hearing. Perhaps that was why she had not heard the shot; but in any case the study was a long way off. She remembered hearing some sound which she imagined to be the slamming of a door. That was a good deal earlier-half an hour at least b

with her!" he had

ust sat in her dressing gown by her bedroom fire, with her head sunk in her hands. Mrs. Allen stayed with her most of the night. As to the other servants, they had all g

hing on cross-examination save lamen

murderer had escaped by the window. The bloodstain was conclusive, in his opinion, on that point. Besides, as the bridge was up, there was no other possible way of escaping. He could not explai

very young man. He had prospered well, and Barker had first met him in California, where they had become partners in a successful mining claim at a place called Benito Canyon. They had done very wel

gland, as being connected with this peril. He imagined that some secret society, some implacable organization, was on Douglas's track, which would never rest until it killed him. Some remarks of his had

Douglas in California?"

ars alto

bachelor

idow

ard where his fir

ion, and I have seen her portrait. She was a very beautif

is past with any parti

and had worked there. I have heard him talk of the coal an

Had this secret societ

d nothing ab

ason to think i

never met a straig

curious about his

it. That's why I first thought that someone was after him. Then when he left so suddenly for Europe I made sure that it wa

sort o

nted to know where he was. I told them that he was gone to Europe and that I d

en Americans-

cans, all right. But they were not miners. I don't know

s six ye

er se

California, so that this business dates ba

t is

up with such earnestness for as long as that. It

whole life. It was neve

m, and knew what it was, don't you think h

lways went about armed. His revolver was never out of his pocket. But, by bad luck, he was in his dressin

acDonald. "It is quite six years since Douglas left

t is

years. You must have returned

before. I was

s. Douglas befor

d been away from Eng

een a good deal

since," he answered. "If I have seen her, it is because you cannot visit

und to make every inquiry which can bea

e offensive," Bark

nd everyone's interest that they should be cleared up. Did

lsively together. "You have no right to ask such questions!" he c

epeat the

refuse to

at your refusal is in itself an answer, for you wou

l you that poor Douglas had just one fault in the world, and that was his jealousy. He was fond of me-no man could be fonder of a friend. And he was devoted to his wife. He loved me to come here, and was forever sending for me. And yet if his wife and I talked together or there seemed any sympathy between us, a kind of wave of jealousy would pass over him, and he wou

eeling, and yet Inspector MacDon

t the dead man's wedding ring

pears," s

by 'appears'? You

I said 'appears' I meant that it was concei

y have removed it, would suggest to anyone's mind, would

to hint that it could reflect in any way upon this lady's honour"-his eyes blazed for an instant, and the

hing else to ask you at pres

Holmes. "When you entered the room there was on

that w

that some terrible i

act

nce rang

es

rived very

a minute

the candle was out and that the lamp had

e, Mr. Holmes," he answered after a pause. "The candle threw a very bad light. M

w out th

act

te look from one to the other of us, which had, as it seemed

ssed to a remarkable degree, very different from the tragic and distracted figure I had pictured. It is true that her face was pale and drawn, like that of one who has endured a great shock; but her manner was composed, and the finely moulded h

anything out y

e was an undertone of fear rath

Douglas," said the inspector. "You may re

, even tone. "It is my desire that e

omething which may throw s

all I know is a

you did not actually see-that you were nev

on the stairs. He begged

rd the shot, and you h

essing gown and

the shot that you were stoppe

nt. He implored me not to go on. He assured me that I could do nothing. Then Mrs.

ong your husband had been downs

him go. He did the round of the house every night, for he was nervou

come to, Mrs. Douglas. You have known yo

been married

ing which occurred in America and

im. He refused to discuss it with me. It was not from want of confidence in me-there was the most complete love and confidence between

you know

his American life. I knew it by certain precautions he took. I knew it by certain words he let fall. I knew it by the way he looked at unexpected strangers. I was perfectly certain that he had some powerfu

, "what the words were whic

en in the Valley of Fear. I am not out of it yet.'-'Are we never to get out of the Valley of Fear?' I have ask

im what he meant by

have been in its shadow,' he said. 'Please God it shall never fall upon you!' It was some real valley in which h

er mentione

e it with anger and a sort of horror. McGinty was the name-Bodymaster McGinty. I asked him when he recovered who Bodymaster McGinty was, and whose body he was master of.

in a boarding house in London, did you not, and became engaged to him there

is always romance. There

d no r

was qui

anything to you? Suppose that some enemy of his old life had tracked him down and c

that the faintest shadow of a smil

answered. "It is certainly

t you to this trouble at such a time," said the inspector. "There are

she had just surveyed us. "What impression has my evidence made upon you?" The qu

n here a good deal. He is a man who might be attractive to a woman. He admits that the dead man was jealous, and maybe he knew best himself what cause he ha

deepest thought. Now he rose and rang the bell. "Ames," he s

see,

ment to say that Bar

Barker had on his feet last night

bedroom slippers. I brought him his

e the sli

under the chai

ortant for us to know which tracks may

ed that the slippers were stained

the condition of the room. Very goo

ought with him the carpet slippers from the hall. As Am

in the light of the window and examine

d the slipper upon the blood mark on the sill. It exact

th excitement. His native accent

elf. It's a good deal broader than any bootmark. I mind that you said it was a spla

me?" my friend rep

her in his professional satisfaction. "I said it wa