“And when you saw Doctor Waring that night, was there a red ring on his forehead?”
“No,” said Miss Austin, and then, suddenly awakening to what she had done, she cried impetuously, “I mean, I don’t know. I wasn’t here.”
Stone smiled gravely. “You were here,” he said. “Now let us talk about what happened during your visit.”
An interruption was caused by a tap at the closed door.
Impatiently, Trask rose and went to the door. It was Ito, bringing a telegram for Miss Austin. It had arrived at the Adams house, and had been sent over.
Miss Mystery read it, with great difficulty controlled her agitation, as she quickly went to the blazing log fire and dropped the paper in.
“Skip over to the Telegraph office and get a copy,” said Stone quietly, and Fibsy obeyed.
Then to Miss Austin’s continued distress, Stone read the message aloud. It was from San Francisco, and it said:
“Better own up and tell the whole truth. I have annexed Carl.” It was signed merely “A” and apparently it was of dire import to its recipient. Miss Mystery sat silent, and wide-eyed in desperation, as she looked hopelessly from one to another.
“Don’t you think,” said Stone, not unkindly, “that you’d better follow A’s advice and make a clean breast of the whole matter?”