ecause he felt that he was in a fair way to solve the problem--or,
rather, the many problems connected with the Darcy murder.

"It's worse tangled than before," mused the old detective. "I wonder
if Grafton-- No, it couldn't be. But I must have a talk with his
friend Cynthia. Ticklish business when a man goes out walking with a
married woman and steps on her cross. There are complications and
complications. I wonder when I'll begin to unravel some of them?"

For reasons of his own, the colonel said nothing to the police or
county authorities in Colchester about the arrest of Spotty, nor did he
mention that, nor the finding of the diamond cross, to Darcy or
Grafton. He wanted to be sure of his ground before he told of this end
of the affair.

"I wish I knew what to make of Grafton," mused the colonel, "His share
in it--if share he had--is getting more complicated. Can he and Spotty
be up to some trick between them and did the gunman get away with the
cross? It wouldn't be the first time Spotty had hired out his services
to a man who wanted something desperate done! Now in this case,
Grafton may have wanted something from Mrs. Darcy she wasn't willing to
do. In that case--"

The colonel shook his head.

"I guess," he half-whispered, "that Shag was right. This is going to
be a mighty complicated case. Talk about a diamond cross, there may be
a double-cross in it on the part of Grafton. I must watch you a bit
closer, my friend."

The colonel considered that he was working to clear Darcy, and he
wanted to do it in his own way. He was willing--perforce--that, for
the time, the young man be considered guilty. He could not help the
young man by making these few disclosures now. The prisoner would not
be released because Spotty or any one else was suspected, nor would he
be admitted to bail. In any case he must remain in jail.

The Grand Jury was setting considering the evidence against the
prisoner, and against others accused of various crimes.

"And I suppose they'll indite Darcy," mused the colonel. "It means
only another step, however, a step I have already counted on. It won't
help or hinder the solving of the mystery. Hang Spotty, anyhow! Why
couldn't he keep out of this? He surely has tangled it worse than
ever. I wonder if he's telling the truth when he says he didn't go
near the place? It was Spotty, or one of his kind, who got in and out
without leaving a trace. It took Spotty's skill