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Chapter XII. The Last Link
Thepaperwassafewhereitwas;sincenoonehadthoughtoflookingthereinthefirstweek,itwasnotlikelytheywoulddosoafterwards.Butforyourluckyremark,wemightneverhavebeenabletobringhimtojustice.”
“Iunderstandthatnow;butwhendidyoufirstbegintosuspectMissHoward?”
“WhenIdiscoveredthatshehadtoldalieattheinquestaboutthelettershehadreceivedfromMrs.Inglethorp.”
“Why,whatwastheretolieabout?”
“Yousawthatletter?Doyourecallitsgeneralappearance?”
“Yes—moreorless.”
“Youwillrecollect,then,thatMrs.Inglethorpwroteaverydistinctivehand,andleftlargeclearspacesbetweenherwords.Butifyoulookatthedateatthetopoftheletteryouwillnoticethat‘July17th’isquitedifferentinthisrespect.DoyouseewhatImean?”
“No,”Iconfessed,“Idon’t.”
“Youdonotseethatthatletterwasnotwrittenonthe17th,butonthe7th—thedayafterMissHoward’sdeparture?The‘1’waswritteninbeforethe‘7’toturnitintothe‘17th’.”
“Butwhy?”
“ThatisexactlywhatIaskedmyself.WhydoesMissHowardsuppresstheletterwrittenonthe17th,andproducethisfakedoneinstead?Becauseshedidnotwishtoshowtheletterofthe17th.Why,again?Andatonceasuspiciondawnedinmymind.Youwillremembermysayingthatitwaswisetobewareofpeoplewhowerenottellingyouthetruth.
