s to point
to Miss Lloyd can be easily proved or disproved, once we get at the work
in earnest. That coroner's jury was made up of men who were friends and
neighbors of Mr. Crawford. They were so prejudiced by sympathy for Miss
Lloyd, and indignation at the unknown criminal, that they couldn't give
unbiased judgment. But we will yet see justice done. If Miss Lloyd is
innocent, we can prove it. But remember the provocation she was under.
Remember the opportunity she had, to visit her uncle alone in his
office, after every one else in the house was asleep. Remember that she
had a motive--a strong motive--and no one else had."

"Except Mr. Gregory Hall," I said meaningly.

"Yes; I grant he had the same motive. But he is known to have left town
at six that evening, and did not return until nearly noon the next day.
That lets him out."

"Yes, unless he came back at midnight, and then went back to the city
again."

"Nonsense!" said Mr. Goodrich. "That's fanciful. Why, the latest
train--the theatre train, as we call it--gets in at one o'clock, and
it's always full of our society people returning from gayeties in New
York. He would have been seen had he come on that train, and there is no
later one."

I didn't stay to discuss the matter further. Indeed, Mr. Goodrich had
made me feel that my theories were fanciful.

But whatever my theories might be there were still facts to be
investigated.

Remembering my determination to examine that gold bag more thoroughly
I asked Mr. Goodrich to let me see it, for of course, as district
attorney, it was now in his possession.

He gave it to me with an approving nod. "That's the way to work," he
said. "That bag is your evidence. Now from that, you detectives must go
ahead and learn the truth."

"Whose bag is it?" I said, with the intention of drawing him out.

"It's Miss Lloyd's bag," he said gravely. "Any woman in the world
would deny its ownership, in the existing circumstances, and I am
not surprised that she did so. Nor do I blame her for doing so. Self
preservation is a mighty strong impulse in the human heart, and we've
all got a right to obey it."

As I took the gold bag from his hand, I didn't in the least believe that
Florence Lloyd was the owner of it, and I resolved anew to prove this to
the satisfaction of everybody concerned.

Mr. Goodrich turned away and busied himself about other matters, and I
devoted myself to deep study.

The contents of the bag proved as