athed in blood。 A nightmare born of torrid days and tossing nights！
But it is of the affair in Adelphi Terrace that you no doubt want to hear。 One sequel of the tragedy； which adds immeasurably to the mystery of it all； has occurred； and I alone am responsible for its discovery。 But to go back：
I returned from mailing your letter at dawn this morning； very tired from the tension of the night。 I went to bed； but could not sleep。 More and more it was preying on my mind that I was in a most unhappy position。 I had not liked the looks cast at me by Inspector Bray； or his voice when he asked how I came to live in this house。 I told myself I should not be safe until the real murderer of the poor captain was found； and so I began to puzzle over the few clues in the case … especially over the asters； the scarab pin and the Homburg hat。
It was then I remembered the four copies of the Daily Mail that Bray had casually thrown into the waste…basket as of no interest。 I had glanced over his shoulder as he examined these papers； and had seen that each of them was folded so that our favorite department … the Agony Column … was uppermost。 It happened I had in my desk copies of the Mail for the past week。 You will understand why。
I rose； found those papers； and began to read。 It was then that I made the astounding discovery to which I have alluded。
For a time after making it I was dumb with amazement； so that no course of action came readily to mind。 In the end I decided that the thing for me to do was to wait for Bray's return in the morning and then point out to him the error he had made in ignoring the Mail。
Bray came in about eight o'clock and a few minutes later I heard another man ascend the stairs。 I was shaving at the time； but I quickly completed the operation and； slipping on a bathrobe； hurried up to the captain s rooms。 The younger brother had seen to the removal of the unfortunate man's body in the night； and； aside from Bray and the stranger who had arrived almost simultaneously with him； there was no one but a sleepy…eyed constable there。
Bray's greeting was decidedly grouchy。 The stranger； however … a tall bronzed man … made himself known to me in the most cordial manner。 He told me he was Colonel Hughes； a close friend of the dead man； and that； unutterably shocked and grieved； he had come to inquire whether there was anything he might do。 〃Inspector；〃 said I； 〃last night in this room you held in your hand four copies of the Daily Mail。 You tossed them into that basket as of no account。 May I suggest that you rescue those copies； as I have a rather startling matter to make clear to you？〃 Too grand an official to stoop to a waste…basket； he nodded to the constable。 The latter brought the papers； and； selecting one from the lot； I spread it out on the table。 〃The issue of July twenty…seventh；〃 I said。
I pointed to an item half…way down the column of Personal Notices。 You yourself； my lady； may read it there if you happen to have saved a copy。 It ran as follows：
〃RANGOON： The asters are in full bloom in the garden at Canterbury。 They are very beautiful … especially the white ones。〃
Bray grunted； and opened his little eyes。 I took up the issue of the following day … the twenty…eighth：
〃RANGOON： We have been forced to sell father's stick…pin … the emerald scarab he brought home from Cairo。〃
I had Bray's interest now。 He leaned heavily toward me； puffing。 Greatly excited； I held before his eyes the issue of the twenty…ninth：
〃RANGOON： Homburg hat gone forever … caught by a breeze … into the river。〃
〃And finally；〃 said I to the inspector； 〃the last message of all； in the issue of the thirtieth of July … on sale in the streets some twelve hours before Fraser…Freer was murdered。 See！〃
〃RANGOON： To…night at ten。 Regent Street。 … Y。0。G。〃
Bray was silent。
〃I take it you are aware； Inspector；〃 I said； 〃that for the past two years Captain Fraser…Freer was stationed at Rangoon。〃
Still he said nothing； just looked at me with those foxy little eyes that I was coming to detest。 At last he spoke sharply：
〃Just how；〃 he demanded； 〃did you happen to discover those messages？ You were not in this room last night after I left？〃 He turned angrily to the constable。 〃I gave orders … 〃
〃No；〃 I put in； 〃I was not in this room。 I happened to have on file in my rooms copies of the Mail； and by the merest chance … 〃
I saw that I had blundered。 Undoubtedly my discovery of those messages was too pat。 Once again suspicion looked my way。
〃Thank you very much；〃 said Bray。 〃I'll keep this in mind。〃
〃Have you communicated with my friend at the consulate？〃 I asked。
〃Yes。 That's all。 Good morning。〃
So I went。
I had been back in my room some twenty minutes when there came a knock on the door； and Colonel Hughes entered。 He was a genial man； in the early forties I should say； tanned by some sun not English； and gray at the temples。
〃My dear sir；〃 he said without preamble； 〃this is a most appalling business！〃
〃Decidedly；〃 I answered。 〃Will you sit down？〃
〃Thank you。〃 He sat and gazed frankly into my eyes。 〃Policemen；〃 he added meaningly； 〃are a most suspicious tribe … often without reason。 I am sorry you happen to be involved in this affair； for I may say that I fancy you to be exactly what you seem。 May I add that； if you should ever need a friend； I am at your service？〃
I was touched； I thanked him as best I could。 His tone was so sympathetic and before I realized it I was telling him the whole story … of Archie and his letter； of my falling in love with a garden； of the startling discovery that the captain had never heard of his cousin； and of my subsequent unpleasant position。 He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes。
〃I suppose；〃 he said； 〃that no man ever carries an unsealed letter of introduction without opening it to read just what praises have been lavished upon him。 It is human nature … I have done it often。 May I make so bold as to inquire … 〃
〃Yes；〃 said I。 〃It was unsealed and I did read it。 Considering its purpose； it struck me as rather long。 There were many warm words for me … words beyond all reason in view of my brief acquaintance with Enwright。 I also recall that he mentioned how long he had been in Interlaken； and that he said he expected to reach London about the first of August。〃
〃The first of August；〃 repeated the colonel。 〃That is to…morrow。 Now … if you'll be so kind … just what happened last night？〃
Again I ran over the events of that tragic evening … the quarrel； the heavy figure in the hall； the escape by way of the seldom…used gate。
〃My boy；〃 said Colonel Hughes as he rose to go； 〃the threads of this tragedy stretch far … some of them to India； some to a country I will not name。 I may say frankly that I have other and greater interest in the matter than that of the captain's friend。 For the present that is in strict confidence between us； the police are well…meaning； but they sometimes blunder。 Did I understand you to say that you have copies of the Mail containing those odd messages？〃
〃Right here in my desk；〃 said I。 I got them for him。
〃I think I shall take them … if I may；〃 he said。 〃You will； of course； not mention this little visit of mine。 We shall meet again。 Good morning。〃
And he went away； carrying those papers with their strange signals to Rangoon。
Somehow I feel wonderfully cheered by his call。 For the first time since seven last evening I begin to breathe freely again。
And so； lady who likes mystery； the matter stands on the afternoon of the last day of July； nineteen hundred and fourteen。
I shall mail you this letter to…night。 It is my third to you； and it carries with it three times the dreams that went with the first； for they are dreams that live not only at night； when the moon is on the courtyard； but also in the bright light of day。
Yes … I am remarkably cheered。 I realize that I have not eaten at all … save a cup of coffee from the trembling hand of Walters … since last night； at Simpson's。 I am going now to dine。 I shall begin with grapefruit。 I realize that I am suddenly very fond of grapefruit。
How bromidic to note it … we have many tastes in common！
EX…STRAWBERRY MAN。
The third letter from her correspondent of the Agony Column increased in the mind of the lovely young woman at the Carlton the excitement and tension the second had created。 For a long time； on the Saturday morning of its receipt； she sat in her room puzzling over the mystery of the house in Adelphi Terrace。 When first she had heard that Captain Fraser…Freer； of the Indian Army； was dead of a knife wound over the heart； the news had shocked her like that of the loss of some old and dear friend。 She had desired passionately the apprehension of his murderer； and had turned over and over in her mind the possibilities of white asters； a scarab pin and a Homburg hat。
Perhaps the girl longed for the arrest of the guilty man thus keenly because this jaunty young friend of hers … a friend whose name she did not know … to whom； indeed； she had never spoken … was so dangerously entangled in the affair。 For from what she kne