-morrow; any time to-morrow; meantime I will give you a
commission which you are at liberty to perform yourself or to entrust to
some capable detective. The letter, of which a portion remains, _was_
written to Carmel, and she sent me a reply which was handed me on the
station platform by a man who was a perfect stranger to me. I have
hardly any memory of how the man looked, but it should be an easy task to
find him and if you cannot do that, the smallest scrap of the note he
gave me, and which unfortunately I tore up and scattered to the winds,
would prove my veracity in this one particular and so make it easier for
them to believe the rest."

His eye lightened. I presume the prospect of making any practical attempt
in my behalf was welcome.

"One thing more," I now added. "My ring was missing from Miss
Cumberland's hand when I took away those pillows. I have reason to
think--or it is natural for me to think--that she planned to return it to
me by some messenger or in some letter. Do you know if such messenger or
such letter has been received at my apartments? Have you heard anything
about this ring? It was a notable one and not to be confounded with any
other. Any one who knew us or who had ever remarked it on her hand would
be able to identify it."

"I have heard the ring mentioned," he replied, "I have even heard that
the police are interested in finding it; but I have not heard that they
have been successful. You encourage me much by assuring me that it was
missing from her hand when you first saw her. That ring may prove our
most valuable clew."

"Yes, but you must also remember that she may have taken it off before
she started for the club-house."

"That is very true."

"You do not know whether they have looked for it at her home?"

"I do not."

"Will you find out, and will you see that I get all my letters?"

"I certainly will, but you must not expect to receive the latter
unopened."

"I suppose not."

I said this with more cheerfulness than he evidently expected. My heart
had been lightened of one load. The ring had not been discovered on
Carmel as I had secretly feared.

"I will take good care of your interests from now on," he remarked, in a
tone much more natural than any he had before used. "Be hopeful and show
a brave front to the district attorney when he comes to interview you. I
hear that he is expected home to-morrow. If you are innocent, you can
face him and his whole office with calm a