bove　the　heart！
  What　provocation　I　was　under；　what　stern　necessity　moved　me　…　all　this　you　must　wait　until　to…morrow　to　know。　　I　shall　spend　another　anxious　day　preparing　my　defense；　hoping　that　through　some　miracle　of　mercy　you　may　forgive　me　…　understand　that　there　was　nothing　else　I　could　do。
  Do　not　judge；　dear　lady；　until　you　know　everything　…　until　all　my　evidence　is　in　your　lovely　hands。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　YOURS；　IN　ALL　HUMILITY。
  The　first　few　paragraphs　of　this　the　sixth　and　next　to　the　last　letter　from　the　Agony　Column　man　had　brought　a　smile　of　relief　to　the　face　of　the　girl　who　read。　　She　was　decidedly　glad　to　learn　that　her　friend　no　longer　languished　back　of　those　gray　walls　on　Victoria　Embankment。　　With　excitement　that　increased　as　she　went　along；　she　followed　Colonel　Hughes　as　…　in　the　letter　…　he　moved　nearer　and　nearer　his　denouement；　until　finally　his　finger　pointed　to　Inspector　Bray　sitting　guilty　in　his　chair。　　This　was　an　eminently　satisfactory　solution；　and　it　served　the　inspector　right　for　locking　up　her　friend。　　Then；　with　the　suddenness　of　a　bomb　from　a　Zeppelin；　came；　at　the　end；　her　strawberry　man's　confession　of　guilt。　　He　was　the　murderer；　after　all！　　He　admitted　it！　　She　could　scarcely　believe　her　eyes。
  Yet　there　it　was；　in　ink　as　violet　as　those　eyes；　on　the　note　paper　that　had　become　so　familiar　to　her　during　the　thrilling　week　just　past。　　She　read　it　a　second　time；　and　yet　a　third。　　Her　amazement　gave　way　to　anger；　her　cheeks　flamed。　　Still　…　he　had　asked　her　not　to　judge　until　all　his　evidence　was　in。　　This　was　a　reasonable　request　surely；　and　she　could　not　in　fairness　refuse　to　grant　it。
  CHAPTER　VIII
  So　began　an　anxious　day；　not　only　for　the　girl　from　Texas　but　for　all　London　as　well。　　Her　father　was　bursting　with　new　diplomatic　secrets　recently　extracted　from　his　bootblack　adviser。　　Later；　in　Washington；　he　was　destined　to　be　a　marked　man　because　of　his　grasp　of　the　situation　abroad。　　No　one　suspected　the　bootblack；　the　power　behind　the　throne；　but　the　gentleman　from　Texas　was　destined　to　think　of　that　able　diplomat　many　times；　and　to　wish　that　he　still　had　him　at　his　feet　to　advise　him。
  〃War　by　midnight；　sure！〃　he　proclaimed　on　the　morning　of　this　fateful　Tuesday。　　〃I　tell　you；　Marian；　we're　lucky　to　have　our　tickets　on　the　Saronia。　　Five　thousand　dollars　wouldn't　buy　them　from　me　to…day！　　I'll　be　a　happy　man　when　we　go　aboard　that　liner　day　after　to…morrow。〃
  Day　after　to…morrow！　　The　girl　wondered。　　At　any　rate；　she　would　have　that　last　letter　then　…　the　letter　that　was　to　contain　whatever　defense　her　young　friend　could　offer　to　explain　his　dastardly　act。　She　waited　eagerly　for　that　final　epistle。
  The　day　dragged　on；　bringing　at　its　close　England's　entrance　into　the　war；　and　the　Carlton　bootblack　was　a　prophet　not　without　honor　in　a　certain　Texas　heart。　　And　on　the　following　morning　there　arrived　a　letter　which　was　torn　open　by　eager　trembling　fingers。　The　letter　spoke：
  DEAR　LADY　JUDGE：　This　is　by　far　the　hardest　to　write　of　all　the　letters　you　have　had　from　me。　　For　twenty…four　hours　I　have　been　planning　it。　　Last　night　I　walked　on　the　Embankment　while　the　hansoms　jogged　by　and　the　lights　of　the　tramcars　danced　on　Westminster　Bridge　just　as　the　fireflies　used　to　in　the　garden　back　of　our　house　in　Kansas。　　While　I　walked　I　planned。　　To…day；　shut　up　in　my　rooms；　I　was　also　planning。　　And　yet　now；　when　I　sit　down　to　write；　I　am　still　confused；　still　at　a　loss　where　to　begin　and　what　to　say；　once　I　have　begun。
  At　the　close　of　my　last　letter　I　confessed　to　you　that　it　was　I　who　murdered　Captain　Fraser…Freer。　　That　is　the　truth。　　Soften　the　blow　as　I　may；　it　all　comes　down　to　that。　　The　bitter　truth！
  Not　a　week　ago　…　last　Thursday　night　at　seven　…　I　climbed　our　dark　stairs　and　plunged　a　knife　into　the　heart　of　that　defenseless　gentleman。　　If　only　I　could　point　out　to　you　that　he　had　offended　me　in　some　way；　if　I　could　prove　to　you　that　his　death　was　necessary　to　me；　as　it　really　was　to　Inspector　Bray　…　then　there　might　be　some　hope　of　your　ultimate　pardon。　　But；　alas！　　he　had　been　most　kind　to　me　…　kinder　than　I　have　allowed　you　to　guess　from　my　letters。　　There　was　no　actual　need　to　do　away　with　him。　Where　shall　I　look　for　a　defense？
  At　the　moment　the　only　defense　I　can　think　of　is　simply　this　…　the　captain　knows　I　killed　him！
  Even　as　I　write　this；　I　hear　his　footsteps　above　me；　as　I　heard　them　when　I　sat　here　composing　my　first　letter　to　you。　　He　is　dressing　for　dinner。　　We　are　to　dine　together　at　Romano's。
  And　there；　my　lady；　you　have　finally　the　answer　to　the　mystery　that　has　…　I　hope　…　puzzled　you。　　I　killed　my　friend　the　captain　in　my　second　letter　to　you；　and　all　the　odd　developments　that　followed　lived　only　in　my　imagination　as　I　sat　here　beside　the　green…shaded　lamp　in　my　study；　plotting　how　I　should　write　seven　letters　to　you　that　would；　as　the　novel　advertisements　say；　grip　your　attention　to　the　very　end。　　Oh；　I　am　guilty　…　there　is　no　denying　that。　　And；　though　I　do　not　wish　to　ape　old　Adam　and　imply　that　I　was　tempted　by　a　lovely　woman；　a　strict　regard　for　the　truth　forces　me　to　add　that　there　is　also　guilt　upon　your　head。　　How　so？　　Go　back　to　that　message　you　inserted　in　the　Daily　Mail：　〃The　grapefruit　lady's　great　fondness　for　mystery　and　romance　…　〃
  You　did　not　know　it；　of　course；　but　in　those　words　you　passed　me　a　challenge　I　could　not　resist；　for　making　plots　is　the　business　of　life　…　more；　the　breath　of　life　…　to　me。　　I　have　made　many；　and　perhaps　you　have　followed　some　of　them；　on　Broadway。　　Perhaps　you　have　seen　a　play　of　mine　announced　for　early　production　in　London。　There　was　mention　of　it　in　the　program　at　the　Palace。　　That　was　the　business　which　kept　me　in　England。　　The　project　has　been　abandoned　now　and　I　am　free　to　go　back　home。
  Thus　you　see　that　when　you　granted　me　the　privilege　of　those　seven　letters　you　played　into　my　hands。　　So；　said　I；　she　longs　for　mystery　and　romance。　　Then；　by　the　Lord　Harry；　she　shall　have　them！
  And　it　was　the　tramp　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer's　boots　above　my　head　that　showed　me　the　way。　　A　fine；　stalwart；　cordial　fellow　…　the　captain　…　who　has　been　very　kind　to　me　since　I　presented　my　letter　of　introduction　from　his　cousin；　Archibald　Enwright。　　Poor　Archie！　A　meek；　correct　little　soul；　who　would　be　horrified　beyond　expression　if　he　knew　that　of　him　I　had　made　a　spy　and　a　frequenter　of　Limehouse！
  The　dim　beginnings　of　the　plot　were　in　my　mind　when　I　wrote　that　first　letter；　suggesting　that　all　was　not　regular　in　the　matter　of　Archie's　note　of　introduction。　　Before　I　wrote　my　second；　I　knew　that　nothing　but　the　death　of　Fraser…Freer　would　do　me。　　I　recalled　that　Indian　knife　I　had　seen　upon　his　desk；　and　from　that　moment　he　was　doomed。　　At　that　time　I　had　no　idea　how　I　should　solve　the　mystery。　　But　I　had　read　and　wondered　at　those　four　strange　messages　in　the　Mail；　and　I　resolved　that　they　must　figure　in　the　scheme　of　things。
  The　fourth　letter　presented　difficulties　until　I　returned　from　dinner　that　night　and　saw　a　taxi　waiting　before　our　quiet　house。　Hence　the　visit　of　the　woman　with　the　lilac　perfume。　　I　am　afraid　the　Wilhelmstrasse　would　have　little　use　for　a　lady　spy　who　advertised　herself　in　so　foolish　a　manner。　　Time　for　writing　the　fifth　letter　arrived。　　I　felt　that　I　should　now　be　placed　under　arrest。　　I　had　a　faint　little　hope　that　you　would　be　sorry　about　that。　　Oh；　I'm　a　brute；　I　know！
  Early　in　the　game　I　had　told　the　captain　of　the　cruel　way　in　which　I　had　disposed　of　him。　　He　was　much　amused；　but　he　insisted；　absolutely；　that　he　must　be　vindicated　before　the　close　of　the　series；　and　I　was　with　him　there。　　He　had　been　so　bully　about　it　all。　　A　chance　remark　of　his　gave　me　my　solution。　　He　said　he　had　it　on　good　authority　that　the　chief　of　the　Czar's　bureau　for　capturing　spies　in　Russia　was　himself　a　spy。　　And　so　…　why　not　a　spy　in　Scotland　Yard？
  I　assure　you；　I　am　most　contrite　as　I　set　all　this　down　here。　　You　must　remember　that　when　I　began　my　story　there　was　no　idea　of　war。　Now　all　Europe　is　aflame；　and　in　the　face　of　the　great　conflict；　the　awful　suffering　to　come；　I　and　my　little　plot　begin　to　look　…　well；　I　fancy　you　know　just　how　we　look。
  Forgive　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　can　never　find　the　words　to　tell　you　how　important　it　seemed　to　interest　you　in　my　letters　…　to　make　you　feel　that　I　am　an　entertaining　person　worthy　of　your　notice。　　That　morning　when　you　entered　the　Canton　breakfast　room　was　really　the　biggest　in　my　life。　　I　felt　as　though　you　had　brought　with　you　through　that　doorway　…　　But　I　have　no　right　to　say　it。　　I　have　the　right　to　say　nothing　save　that　now　…　it　is　all　left　to　you。　　If　I　have　offended；　then　I　shall　never　hear　from　you　again。
  The　captain　will　be　here　in　a　moment。　　It　is　near　the　hour　set　and　he　is　never　late。　　He　is　not　to　return　to　India；　but　expects　to　be　drafted　for　the　Expeditionary　Force　that　will　be　sent　to　the　Continent。　　I　hope　the　German　Army　will　be　kinder　to　him　than　I　was！
  My　name　is　Geoffrey　West。　　I　live　at　nineteen　Adelphi　Terrace　…　in　rooms　that　look　down　on　the　most　wonderful　garden　in　London。　　That；　at　least；　is　real。　　It　is　very　quiet　there　to…night；　with　the　city　and　its　continuous　hum　of　war　and　terror　se