To her few intimates it was known that Cynthia had gone to the little
village of Pompey, where her father owned a small summer home. As for
Larch, he met the various questions fired at him by his friends and
others at the Homestead, as well as he was able. It was all due to a
misunderstanding, he said.

That was before the whole story of his cruel treatment of his wife
became known. For the papers of her testimony had been sealed, and it
was only by a sharp trick on the part of Daley that he got access to
them. Incidentally the vice chancelor was furious when it became known
that the documents had been inspected by a reporter, but then it was
too late.

The story spread over half the front page of the _Times_, and it was
noted that the evening the paper came out a dinner which was to have
been given by the Lawyers' Club at the Homestead was unexpectedly
postponed.

"It wouldn't do, you know, after that story came out, for me and the
vice chancellor who sat in the case, as well as other judges and
members of the bar, to be seen there," Kenneth explained to the colonel.

Slowly and gradually, but none the less surely, a change came over the
Homestead. The gathering of congenial spirits, who knew they would be
undisturbed by a roistering element, grew less frequent in the grill
and Tudor rooms. And it was whispered about:

"Larch is lushing!"

Meanwhile Colonel Ashley was a very busy man, and to no one did he tell
very much about his activities. He saw Darcy frequently at the jail,
and to that young man's pleadings that something be done, always
returned the answer:

"Don't worry! It will come out all right!"

"But Amy--and the disgrace?"

"She doesn't consider herself disgraced, and you shouldn't. The best
of police headquarters or prosecutor's detectives make mistakes. I'm
going to rectify them. But it will take time."

"Do you know who killed my cousin?"

"I think I do."

"Then for the love of--"

"I can't tell you yet, Darcy. All in good time. I've got to be sure
of my ground before I make too many moves. Oh, I know it's hard for
you to stay here, and hard to have the stigma attached to your name.
It's hard for Miss Mason, too, although she's bearing up like a major.
Gad, sir, that's what _she's_ doing!

"You've got a friend in her of whom you may be proud. And her father,
too--he's with you from the drop of the flag, he told me. Quite a
racing man he is, a gentleman and a fine judge not only of whisky,
which is good in its place, but of horses and men, too. Darcy, you've
got good friends!"

"I know it, Colonel, and I count you among the best."

"Thanks. Then prove it by not asking me to play my hand before I have
all the cards I want. All in good time. I'm working several ends, and
they all must be fitted together, like the old jigsaw puzzle, before I
can act. Besides, anything I could say now wouldn't set you free. You
can't get out before a trial or before I can produce some one on whom I
can actually fasten the murder. And I can't do that yet. You aren't
the only suspect, though. There's Harry King, still locked up--"

"No, he isn't, Colonel."

"He isn't?" cried the old detective, and there was surprise in his
voice.

"No. He was bailed out to-day. I thought you knew it."

"I didn't. I'm glad you told me, though. So King got bail! Who put
it up? It was high!"

"Larch!"

"The hotel keeper?"

"So I understand. They took Harry away a while ago. I wish I had been
in his shoes."

"I'm glad you're not. I don't imagine, for a moment, that fool King
had a hand in this affair. In fact I know he didn't. But his are
pretty uncertain shoes to be in just the same. Now cheer up! This
setting him free on bail has given me a new angle to work on. So cheer
up, and I'll do the best I can for you. Any message you want to send
to Miss Mason?"

"Only that I--" Darcy hesitated and grew red.

"I guess I understand," said the colonel with a laugh. "I'll tell her!"

The colonel spent that evening in the grill room of the Homestead.
Though it was not the same as it had been, and though patronage of the


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