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I. The Adventure of “The Western Star”
Ileantforwardonasuddenimpulse.
“LadyYardly,”Isaid,“Iknowwhyyouhavecomehere.Youhavereceivedblackmailinglettersaboutthediamond.”
Therewasnodoubtastomybolthavingshothome.Shestaredatmeopen-mouthed,allcolourbanishedfromhercheeks.
“Youknow?”shegasped.“How?”
Ismiled.
“Byaperfectlylogicalprocess.IfMissMarvellhashadwarningletters——”
“MissMarvell?Shehasbeenhere?”
“Shehasjustleft.AsIwassaying,ifshe,astheholderofoneofthetwindiamonds,hasreceivedamysteriousseriesofwarnings,you,astheholderoftheotherstone,mustnecessarilyhavedonethesame.Youseehowsimpleitis?Iamright,then,youhavereceivedthesestrangecommunicationsalso?”
Foramomentshehesitated,asthoughindoubtwhethertotrustmeornot,thenshebowedherheadinassentwithalittlesmile.
“Thatisso,”sheacknowledged.
“Wereyours,too,leftbyhand—byaChinaman?”
“No,theycamebypost;but,tellme,hasMissMarvellundergonethesameexperience,then?”
Irecountedtohertheeventsofthemorning.Shelistenedattentively.
“Itallfitsin.Mylettersaretheduplicatesofhers.Itistruethattheycamebypost,butthereisacuriousperfumeimpregnatingthem—somethinginthenatureofjoss-stick—thatatoncesuggestedtheEasttome.Whatdoesitallmean?”
Ishookmyhead.
“Thatiswhatwemustfindout.Youhavetheletterswithyou?Wemightlearnsomethingfromthepostmarks.”
“UnfortunatelyIdestroyedthem.Youunderstand,atthetimeIregardeditassomefoolishjoke.
