said I wanted to see you first. He'll be along
soon. So you see, Jimmie boy, things aren't so bad as they seem,
though I hate it that you should be in this horrible place."

"It is horrible, Amy. But now that I know you--you haven't given me
up--"

"Don't _dare_ say such a thing, Jimmie boy!" and the girl's eyes
sparkled with a new light.

"Well, it won't be so horrible from now on. And is the colonel really
going to take my case?"

"Really and truly! I told him he _had_ to if he wanted to fish in
dad's trout stream," and she laughed--a strange sound in that gloomy
place.

Then they talked about many things. James Darcy had read much of
Colonel Ashley's achievements in detective work, and the very magic of
the name was enough to give a prisoner courage.

Soon it was time to leave, after Kenneth had conferred briefly with his
client. The prisoner went back to his little cell with a happier look
on his face than when he had left it.

As for Colonel Ashley, after he had revived Amy from her faint at the
stream, he had told Shag to take apart the fishing rod.

"For, Shag, I guess I won't be needing it for a week or so," said the
old detective, and there was a mingling of two emotions in his voice.

"Uh, ah!" murmured Shag, as, carefully, he put away the delicate rod
and reel. "It's either fishin' or detectin' wif de colonel, dat's whut
it suah am! Fishin' or detectin'! De colonel ain't one dat kin carry
watermelons on bof shoulders!"

Returning from his fishing trip with the one, lone specimen, Colonel
Ashley, having escorted Amy Mason to her automobile, went back to the
hotel with Shag.

"I might have known how it would be, Shag," he remarked, almost
mournfully. "I might have known I'd run into something when I came
here for rest."

"Dat's right, Colonel. Yo' suah might! But who does yo' s'pect did
dish yeah killin'?"

"It's too early yet to tell, Shag, and you know I don't make any
predictions. I want to get a few more facts."

This the colonel proceeded to do. First having had himself accredited
as working in Darcy's behalf by being introduced by the accused man's
lawyer, the detective paid a visit to the jewelry store. The place was
in charge of Thomas Kettridge, a half uncle to Mrs. Darcy.

The place had been opened for business again after the funeral, and
customers came in, carefully avoiding the place where a dark stain
could be seen in the floor--a stain made all the more cons