The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-09-11
A Personal"
A DETECTIVE STORY.


Not the least in world. Whoever
entered it must have possessed
duplicate key"
"And you have discoveIed no
reason to suspect your clerks since ?"
"No; when they entered I watch
ed them narrowly, but could not
detect any evidence of guilt in their
manner. then determined that /
would apply to you, Brampton. |
assure you l have eaten nothing
since the fatal discovery. The
thought that Mary Norval will be
reduced to penury is horrible to me-
Leave the matter in my hands
I will do what l can. Ifthe will is
not already destroyed, I trust | shall
be able to restore it to you"
M-took his leave. | then threw
myself back in my easy chair and
tortured my mind for some means
to discover the missing will. l
formed half a dozen different plans,
but was ut loss to know which to
adopt, for the case was involved in
much difficulty, While l was thus
engaged, my eye fell upon copy
of the New York Herald which lay
on my desk. l mechanically took
it up, without, however, intending
to read it. My eyes rested on a col
umn Of advertisements. Suddenly
they We're arrested by the following
under the head of Personal"
IA strong will can overcome every
obstacle. Eight o'clock tonight.
Love and joy await you p
started from my chair like one
bereit of his sense. A sentiment
which l can never explain told me
that I had found the clue. The
mysterious advertisement seemed
to me us plain as daylight. IA
strong WILL can overcome every OBJ
stacle," evidently referred to the
missing document. Eight o'clock
tonight, was the time appointed
for Il rendezvous. ..Love and joy
await you,' meant that the place OF
Injecting was to be Lovejoy's Hotel.
was very much pleased with
this discovery, for besides my wish
to obligc NJ, | really felt great cs-
teem for Mary Norval, while on the
other hand | knew her cousin to be
Il worthless young man. felt GER
tain that he was ut the bottom OF
the conspiracy, and that he had in
all probabilities bribed one of Ms
clerks. | almost fancicd that | had
the will again in my possession, and
pictured to myself Ms joy at re-
covering it again from my hands
My mind was Immediately made up
what to do | determined that l
would visit Lovejoy's Hotel, and be
present at the interview.
sat watching the clock until the
hour should arrive. How slowly
the time passed ! At last the hands
pointed to half-past seven. rose
up, put on my overcoat, and de-
parted on my errand. 1t was a bit
ter cold winters night. The snow
was drifting directly in my face, but
still | pressed on. 1 soon reached
the hotel and entered one Of the
private supper rooms, as every fire.
quenter of Lovejoy's knows, are di-
vided only by thin partition from
the adjoining apartments can, by
attentive listeners, be overheard
I ordered my supper, and while pre-
tending to cat it kept my ears open.
Some time passed and no sound
reached me AT last l heard the
sound of door shutting, and one
person entered the room ON my
right a few minutes more elapsed
and again the door shut. The first
person had been joined by another
/ crept cautiously up to the parti-
ton and fixed my ear to it.
"Mr. Norval,' exclaimed a voice
which ] did not recognize, Il am
glad to see you p
"And | assure you Mr.. Mills am
more pleased to see you. | saw
your advertisement in to-day's Her
aid, and am here in consequence
knew Mr.. Mills was Ms con-
fidential clerk The other speaker
was, of course, Charles Norval.
"Yes, l worded it as agreed" con.
tinued the clerk. 81 was almost
afraid, however, you might have for
gotten it, and feared it would be too
obscure. But it was necessary, you
know to blind others eyes"
ooh, yes, | understand all about
that. When did you get hold ofthc
precious docment?'
Only yesterday, You know he
| q II =. L