Part 76 (1/2)

”I am listening Conny.”

”Well, you see when the robbers made off with my paste diamonds--think of its being the Lamottes, Clifford--when they robbed me of nothing, I felt quite relieved, for those diamonds _had_ been a burden. I made up my mind to make the most of the business, and let everybody think me a loser, hoping thus to possess myself and my diamonds in peace and safety. But your Mr. Bathurst--”

”My Mr. Bathurst!”

”Well, _my_ Mr. Bathurst, then; only you very well know that he has a wife. When _my_ Mr. Bathurst had talked to me a second time--I believe that man can see straight through people--he had my secret at his tongue's end; and he warned me to be very cautious and not to tell _any one_ the truth concerning the diamonds. In spite of this, one evening, when some imp possessed me, I told Sybil Lamotte; I shall never forget her strange manner, nor her wild words. Clifford, that awful mistake of mine almost made Sybil a murderess.”

”Constance!”

”Listen, dear! Sybil had brooded over what I had told her. Trouble was unsettling her mind. She had some valuable jewels; she went with her mother to the city, and while there, had the real stones replaced by paste, as I had done, and received two thousand dollars for her diamonds.

”In some way she had found out that Jerry Belknap was a man to be bought; she obtained an interview with him, and offered him two thousand dollars if he would _get John Burrill out of her way_!”

”Good heavens!”

”Don't interrupt me. Belknap agreed to remove Burrill, and received five hundred dollars in advance. He sent to the city for a ruffian, one of his tools. The man came, but Mr. Bathurst had his eye upon him. On the night of the murder, this ruffian was hidden outside of the saloon, waiting to follow and waylay John Burrill when he should go home. The boy detective, George, was hidden and watching the ruffian. Do you follow?”

”Yes! yes!”

”When Burrill came out of the saloon, the ruffian, supposing of course that he was going home, hurried on ahead, crossed the bridge, and secreted himself in the hedge. The boy, George, was far enough behind to see that Burrill was _not_ going home, but he was acting as directed by Mr. Bathurst, and so followed the ruffian. Think of it, Clifford! While Sybil's paid a.s.sa.s.sin lay in wait for his victim, Sybil's brother was saving her soul from guilt, by taking a crime upon his own. But for Evan's knife, poor half crazed Sybil would have been a murderess, and this I knew in part from the first, and that is why I said, that the true slayer must not be punished; until they brought Evan Lamotte into court, I believed that Sybil was the guilty one.”

”And you could not betray your unfortunate friend? My true hearted Constance!”

”I had promised Mrs. Lamotte not to betray her, but was nerving myself to dare all and save you, when poor Evan threw himself into the breach, and saved us, all three. You must know, Clifford, that Mr. Belknap made a full confession to Mr. Bathurst, when he found he could do no better.

And Mr. Bathurst, knowing that I was aware of Sybil's dealings with Belknap, told me everything.”

”And this is what Bathurst meant when he said that Sybil believed herself guilty. I thought he referred to some of her insane ravings.”

”So they all thought. But it is best as it is. There is no need to tell this sad story, unless--”