hire that scoundrel, yet the darkey heard
her promise to pay him liberally, and you see her very first attempt
to pay him was by the sale of some of those jewels. I'll acknowledge
I'm not prepared to say how or when she secured them."

"Could she open the safe?"

"That I cannot say. Mainwaring told me, some months ego, that he
found her one day attempting to open it, and he immediately changed
the combination. Whether she had discovered the new combination, I
am unable to say; but she is a deep woman, and usually finds some way
of accomplishing her designs."

"Brown, the coachman, seems to have no place in this theory of
yours."

"Well, of course we none of us thought of him in connection with
this affair until since his sudden disappearance yesterday, but I
am inclined to think that he is to be regarded in the light of an
accessory after the fact. I think it very probable that Mrs.
LaGrange has employed him since the murder to assist her in
concealing evidences of the crime, and that is why I suggested
dragging the lake in search of what may be hidden there; but,
according to his own story, he was in the city that night until
some time after the murder was committed."

"Yes, according to his own story, but in reality he did not go to
the city at all that night. More than that, he was seen in this
vicinity about midnight with a couple of suspicious looking
characters."

"By George! when did you learn that?"

"I knew it when Brown gave his testimony at the inquest."

"The deuce you did! and then let the rascal give you the slip,
after all!"

"Don't give yourself any anxiety on that score; I can produce Brown
any hour he's wanted. One of my subordinates has his eye on him
day and night. At last reports, he and Brown were occupying the
same room in a third-class lodging house; I'll wager they're having
a game of cards together this evening."

"Well, well! you have stolen a march on us. But, if I may ask, why
don't you bag your game?"

"I am using him as a decoy for larger game. Whatever Brown is mixed
up in, he is only a tool in the hands of older and shrewder rascals."

Before the attorney could say anything further, Merrick rose abruptly
and stepped to a table near by, returning with a package.

"What do you think of that?" he asked, removing the wrappings and
holding up the rusty, metallic box.

"Great heavens!" ejaculated Mr. Whitney, springing forward excitedly.
"Why, man alive, you do