d the old
detective. "I just couldn't resist the pleading of her eyes. It isn't
the first time a man has made a fool of himself over a woman, and it
won't be the last. But maybe I'll make fools of some of these folks,
instead of being made a fool of myself. Fooled out of my fishing
though. By gad! that's what I have been!

"But no matter. I must see what friend Aaron is up to and what his
little game is. Of course, he may have been at the store the day of
the murder--before I arrived. I must ask Darcy about that. Poor lad,
he's in tough luck--just when he ought to be thinking of getting
married. Well, I'll do what I can."

There were few tricks known to modern detectives of which Colonel
Ashley was not master, among them being the ability to disguise
himself--not by clumsy beards and false moustaches, though he used them
at times--but by a few simple alterations to his face and carriage.

Of course costume played its part when needed, but the time had not yet
come for that. He was now following Grafton without the latter being
aware of it--no very difficult matter in a city the size of Colchester,
and on one of its main streets.

"I think I want to know a little more about him," mused the colonel.
"I'd like to have a talk with him, and see how he acts. But I won't
chance that yet. I'll play 'possum for a while."

Having followed his man to the latter's store, and even inside it,
where he made a trifling purchase, and having seen Mr. Grafton enter
his private office, the detective paid a visit to Darcy in the jail.

"How is she, Colonel?" were the first words of the prisoner, when they
were in the warden's office with a detective from the prosecutor's
office seated a few chairs away. It was only under such arrangements
that visitors were allowed to see the jewelry worker. "How is Amy?"

"Why, she's very well, the last I saw of her. But I came to talk about
something else."

"I suppose so. This horrible affair. But she still believes in me,
doesn't she?" he asked eagerly.

"As much so as I do, my boy!"

"Thank God for that! I don't know what I'd do if she went back on me!
I wouldn't want to live!"

"Tush! Nonsense! Don't get sentimental!"

"I can't help it, Colonel. But as long as Amy thinks I didn't do this
horrible thing--and God knows I didn't--and as long as you believe in
me--why I can stand it. Maybe it won't be for long."

"Well, there's no use buoying you up with false hopes,