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decision I at once mended my ways and resigned my seat of observation to
Maitland's entirely professional care。 This； doubtless； I should have done；
if we fallible human beings governed our conduct by our knowledge of
what is right and proper。 Inasmuch； however； as desires and emotions are
the determining factors of human conduct； I did nothing of the sort。 I
simply watched there day after day； with ever…increasing avidity； until at
length I got to be impatient of the duties that took me away； and more than
half inclined to neglect them。
I shall gain nothing by attempting to make you believe it was the man
in the neighbouring room that interested me； so I shall not essay it。 I
confess； with a feeling of guilt because I am not more ashamed of it … that
it was the young lady who attracted me。 You will； I trust； assume I had
enough interest in her father to palliate my conduct in a measure。 Be
generous in your judgment。 How do you know you will not be in the same
predicament？ Think of it！ A young woman beautiful beyond my feeble
powers of description； her eyes of a heavenly blue； her luxuriant hair like
a mass of spun gold； her complexion matched to the tint and transparency
of the blush rose … and such a throat！ From it came a voice as musical as
the unguided waters when Winter rushes down the hills in search of Spring。
Never you mind； that's the way I felt about it； and； if you had been in my
place； you'd have been just as bad as I； come； now； you know you would。
Suppose I was a bachelor； and almost old enough to be her father。 Does
that help matters any？ Is the heart less hungry because it has been
starved？ Just look at your history。 When nuns have relapsed from other…
worldliness to this…worldliness how have they been？ I'll tell you。 They
have been just a round baker's dozen times worse than they would have
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been if they had never undertaken to cheat Nature。 Look at the thing
fairly。 I don't expect to dodge any blame that I deserve； yet I do want all
the palliating circumstances duly noted。 Many months have passed since
then； and yet the thought of that sweet girl sends a thrill all over me。 I
wonder where she is now？ I feel that we shall meet again some time； and
perhaps you will see her yourself。 If so； you will see that I couldn't be
expected to withstand any such temptation。
On these visits Maitland and I talked but very little； and while I was
spying nothing of interest occurred … i。 e。； nothing of interest to him … or； if
it did； things of interest to me prevented my observing it。 On several
occasions he alluded vaguely to things he had learned which he said he
should not divulge even to me until the proper time came。
Things went on in this way for about two weeks。 I visited Maitland
daily； and daily the little lady in the next room wove her spell around me。
If； as I am inclined to believe； thinking a great deal of a person is much the
same thing as thinking of a person a great deal； I must have adored her。
One night； about a fortnight after Maitland's change of abode； I found
Alice in a terrible state of excitement upon my arrival home。 She met me
at the door； and said Gwen needed my attention at once。 I did not stop to
hear further particulars； but hastened to the sitting…room； where Gwen lay
upon the lounge。 She was in a stupor from which it seemed impossible
to arouse her。 In vain I tried to attract her attention。 Her fixed； staring
eyes looked through me as if I had been glass。 I saw she had received a
severe shock； and so； after giving her some medicine； I took Alice aside
and asked her what had happened。 She said that Gwen and she had been
sitting sewing by the window all the afternoon； and talking about
Maitland's recent discoveries。 At about five o'clock the Evening Herald
was brought in as usual。 She； Alice； had picked it up to glance over the
news； when； in the column headed 〃Latest；〃 she had seen the heading：
〃The Darrow Mystery Solved！〃 This she had read aloud； without
thinking of the shock the unexpected announcement might give Gwen；
when the sudden pallor that had overspread the young woman's face had
brought her to her senses； and she had paused。 Her companion；
however； had seized the paper when she had hesitated and； in a fever of
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excitement； had read in a half…audible voice：
John Darrow was murdered。 … The assassin's inability to pay a
gambling debt the motive for the crime。 … Extraordinary work of a
French detective！ … The net …=20
But at this juncture the paper had dropped from Gwen's hands； and she
had fallen upon the floor before Alice could reach her。
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THE EPISODE OF THE
TELLTALE THUMB
CHAPTER I
When Disaster is bigger than its victim its bolt o'erlaps the
innocent。
It was some time after Gwen had fallen before Alice had succeeded in
getting her upon the lounge； and then all her efforts to revive her had
failed。 She had remained in the same nerveless stupor as that in which I
had found her。 I asked Alice if she knew why this announcement had
produced such an effect upon Gwen； and she returned my question with a
look of amazement。
〃Have you forgotten Gwen's promise to her father in this matter？〃 she
replied。 〃Has she not already told you that she should keep that promise；
whatever the sacrifice cost her？ She is； therefore； entirely at the mercy of
this M。 Godin； and she is also obliged to advise him of this fact； if she
would carry out her father's wishes。 Is this nothing for a sensitive nature
like hers？ If she has any love for anyone else she must crush it out of her
heart； for she is M。 Godin's now。 Surely； Ned； you are not so stupid as
your question would indicate。〃
〃We won't discuss that；〃 I rejoined。 〃Let us go to Gwen and get her
to bed。〃
This done； and the sufferer made easy for the night； I glanced at the
article which had so upset her； and read its sensational 〃scare…head。〃 In
full it ran as follows：
THE DARROW MYSTERY SOLVED！ JOHN DARROW WAS
MURDERED！
The Assassin's Inability to Pay a Gambling Debt the Motive for
the Crime。
EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF A FRENCH DETECTIVE！
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The Net so Completely Woven About the Alleged Assassin That it is
Thought He Will Confess。
The Arrest Entirely Due to the Unassisted Efforts ofM。 LOUIS
GODIN！
I did not stop to read the article； but seized my hat and hastened at
once to Maitland。
A copy of the Herald lay upon his table； advising me that he was
already acquainted with the strange turn affairs had taken。 He told me
that he had heard the newsboys in the street calling out 〃The Darrow
Mystery Solved！〃 and had at once rushed out and bought a paper。
I informed him of Gwen's condition and he wished to go to her at once；
but I told him he must wait until the morrow； as she had already retired；
and was； I had reason to hope； fast asleep。 I reassured him with the
information that a night's sleep and the medicine I had given her would
probably put Gwen in full possession of her faculties。 Having thus
satisfied his fears； I thought it fitting he should satisfy mine。 I asked him
what had become of the young woman in the next room。 He did not
reply； but quietly led me into his camera obscura that I might see for
myself。 She was sitti