of innocence, and innocent
she must be proved, whatever the result may be to Francis Jeffrey."

To such an extent had I been influenced by the lofty expression
which I had once surprised on her face.

Had Mr. David Moore been sitting open-eyed behind his vines that
morning, he would have been much surprised to see so many of his
natural enemies intrude on his property at so early an hour. But,
happily, he had not yet risen, and we were able to enter upon our
investigations without being watched or interrupted by him.

Our first move was to go in a body to the southwest chamber, take
down the picture, examine it with a magnifying-glass and satisfy
ourselves that the words I had picked out of its mazy lines were
really to be found there. This done and my veracity established,
we next proceeded to the closet where, according to the
instructions embodied in this picture, the secret spring was to be
found by which some unknown and devilish machinery would be released
in the library below.

To my great satisfaction the active part in this experiment was
delegated to me. Durbin continued to be a mere looker-on. Drawing
out the two large drawers from their place at the end of this closet,
I set them aside. Then I hunted for and found the small loophole
which we had been told afforded a glimpse of the library hearthstone;
but seeing nothing through it, I called for a light to be placed in
the room below.

I heard Durbin go down, then the major, and finally, the district
attorney. Nothing could stay their curiosity now, not even the
possibility of danger, which as yet was a lurking and mysterious one.
But when a light shot up from below, and the irregular opening
before me became a loophole through which I could catch a very wide
glimpse of the library beneath, I found that it was not necessary
for me to warn them to keep away from the hearth, as they were all
clustered very near the door--a precaution not altogether uncalled
for at so hazardous a moment.

"Are you ready?" I called down.

"Ready!" rose in simultaneous response from below.

"Then look out!"

Reaching for the spring cleverly concealed in the wall at my right
I vigorously pressed it.

The result was instantaneous. Silently, but with unerring certainty,
something small, round, and deadly, fell plumb from the library
ceiling to where the settle had formerly stood against the
hearthstone. Finding nothing there but vacancy to expend itself
upon,