Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/55

Rh "Why, what's this?" she asked, pointing to a large, flat, heavy parcel on the table. "Why, it's addressed to Mr. Hepson in Chicago! Oh! have you found the Folio already?"

Astro smiled. "I told you some time ago that Hepson already had it. But this is getting warm."

Valeska fingered the package. "It looks just like a big atlas wrapped up."

"It is," said Astro. "I bought it at a book-shop after I left you."

"What in the world do you want to send it to Hepson for, then?"

"I don't particularly. But I should like to show it to the clerk at a certain branch office of the Adams Express Company here."

"Oh, I do wish you'd explain!" Valeska exclaimed.

"I'd rather let you do a little thinking for yourself. You have seen White. You know that Hepson was in town. You have heard Barrister's story. Nothing could be simpler. For instance, how about Mary the maid, and the violet ink stains? What would you make of that?" He stopped a moment, smiling. "I will tell you, however, that I found the screw-driver that was used to open the bookcase with and to force the window with; for it wasn't a jimmy at all."

"Where was it?"

"You recall when I gave you the signal to distract Mrs. Barrister's attention? You did it very cleverly. At that moment I was more interested in the appearance of several books in a case in the library than I was in the scrap of paper. The instrument, badly bent and twisted, was behind those projecting books."

"Oh!" Valeska studied at it. "No wonder Mary