Wichita eagle., 1889-12-01


into headquarters, and had talked with
the high official who had supplied him
with the sample of cloth and the-dia-
mond button. He had discussed the
theory with the high official, and was
compelled to acknowledge that from the
standpoint of the authorities, and with
the information they possessed, the
theory was plausibly argued.
He was troubled over his own conceal
ment of certain things, and while he
felicitated himself upon the fact that
neither Tom nor himself had said word
concerning Fountain, now that 1t was
clear that he was not the guilty man.
yet he thought he ought to tell the
authorities of the suspicious they had as
to Tempieton's and Fountains relations
to each other and to the dead Pierson.
But what was he to say? He was in pre-
cisely the same predicament as he was
before they had found Fountain to be
guiltless. He couldn't speak without
bringing Flora into the affair, and if it
had been difficult to do so before, now
after his interview with her. and after
what was practically promise on his
part not TO use his KNOWLEDGE to the dis
o,Iruntage of herself or Fountain, it was
doubly So Besides, to open himself to
the high official would be to prove treach-
erous to Tom.
So, without revealing any Of his
thoughts, he left and went his way to
his office. He dismissed all further con-
sideration of his duty in the matter with
the thought that he was SO involved by
circumstances that he. could not do what
seemed to be an obvious duty without
doing greater harm in other directions,
and let his mind run on the joys Of his
walk with Annie on the previous even
ing and her charming qualities of mind
and person.
Thus engaged, he reached his Office.
AS he opened the door of the outer room,
with more than usual vigor, he was star
tied by loud crash. a clerk had so
placed ladder that one leg was imme-
diately in front of the door. He had
mounted it SO as to gain access to a row
of high shelves surrounding the Office.
the figures of past years, the names of
clients and of estates whose affairs the
Office had in charge being lettered in
white on them.
When Holbrook had hastily swung
open the door it had struck a leg of the
ladder, nearly topping over the clerk
and causing him to drop one of the boxes
to the floor, upon which it fell so heavily
as to burst open.
This was the crash which had startled
him. Several of the clerks sprang to
save the box, and as they lifted it up it
fell apart, scattering its contents.
"What papers are they?" asked Hol-
brook, viewing the wreck he had caused.
''Old ones, 1 should judge" replied
Clark, the managing clerk, bending over
to pick one of the packages up. ''They
refer to Sampson, Hurcomb & Co., a
concern that has been out of existence
these ten years. Their affairs are all
closed up"
Among the papers was small tin box.
"What is that" asked Holbrook.
81 don't know" said the clerk, picking
it up. "Look for the key" finding it
locked and the key not in the lock.
The Office boy paved over the papers,
but could find none.
Holbrook took the box and turned it
around and around. On one end he saw
the letters &C. P"
''What can it be-" he said, struck by
the initials. ''Bring something to break
it open"
He carried it into his private room,
and there they brought him hammer
and broken dining knife.
With these he broke open the box and
found it filled with papers.
The first one he lifted from the box
was a note long since overdue.
1t was drawn to the order Of Charles
Pierson and signed GA. P. Duncan"
"It is as l supposed" he muttered.
cit belonged to Pierson and escaped the
boys when his papers were returned. 1t
must have been misplaced in that box" "
He lifted out other papers. They were
all overdue notes, drawn to Persons
order and mostly signed by Duncan.
HolbrOok did not know and did nos
care who Duncan was.
He turned the contents of the box out
on his desk.
At the bottom was large blue envel-
ope tied with red tape, and sealed with
red wax back and front over the tape.
The tape was wound around the mar
row and then the long way, so that it
could not be opened without the seals
being broken.
On the back was inscribed:
Private papers of Charles Pierson.
Not to be opened unless upon the writ
ten consent Of Charles Pierson, or after
his death, and then only by Judge Hank
ner"
But Judge Harkner died before he
did" said Holbrook, talking to himself.
He balanced it in his hand.
Should he open it? Who was to stop
him, and who was there to say nay?
And was he not the executor OF Judge
Harkner2
He broke the seals. To open the en-
velope he was compelled to destroy it.
1t had been fastened with glue. The en-
velope was one of the kind lined with
muslin.
He tore it open and took out written
paper. 1t was sheet of legal cap writ
ten on both sides
The contents of the sheet had been
penned by the same hand as had written