"Aaron Grafton, one of Colchester's best and wealthiest citizens. He
owns the Emporium."

"That big department store?"

"Yes. He has built it up from a small establishment. I have known him
a number of years, and he knew Mrs. Darcy quite well. He often has
purchased diamonds here, though he is not married, and I don't know
that he is engaged--rather late in life, too, for him to be considering
that."

"Oh, well, you never can tell," and the colonel smiled.

"So that is Aaron Grafton!" he mused. "Well, Mr. Grafton, in spite of
the well known reputation you bear, I think you will stand a little
watching. I must not neglect the smallest clew in a case like this.
Yes, decidedly, I think you will bear watching!"

For at that moment the merchant, after another round of the store,
seeking for something it seemed he could not find, turned and hurried
out, a much-troubled look on his face. Colonel Ashley followed.




CHAPTER VII

THE COLONEL IS SURPRISED

"This," said Colonel Ashley to himself, as he glided rapidly along the
street, "is very much like old times--very much! I never expected to
do any shadowing again. What's that Walton says about man proposing
and Providence disposing? Or was it Walton? I must look it up.
Meanwhile--"

Continuing his musing, and with a satisfied smile on his face, a smile
that might indicate that the colonel was not so very much averse to
giving over his fishing for the time being to take up his profession
once more, he followed Aaron Grafton as the merchant left the jewelry
store.

"I wonder," mused the colonel, "what his object was in coming to the
Darcy place, and nosing around as he did? There must have been some
object. A man such as he is doesn't do things like that for fun. And
it wasn't mere curiosity, either. If it was, he'd have been at the
place before, when the evidences of the crime were there to be stared
at by those who care for such things.

"And that Aaron Grafton hasn't been there since I was forced into this
thing, I'm positive. For I _was_ forced into it," grumbled 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


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