Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-09-17
n.nrrvs rnrrn w D.

still II - a secret Mnlen nEEu never 10 uAAAAN
known. and In being uniformed Of which you
will be most happy.
As have more than once told you, ] consider
that between those Who are destined 20 be
united IN marriage there should be no conceal-
mont. You will therefore, / am sure, realize
with me that. terrible though Il Is TO utter
these words Of farewell. I am bound TO ask you
TO release me from an engagement which un-
toward circumstances render practically I'M
possible. | pray you not 20 ask me 20 be more
explicit Il would only be under the most
stringent compulsion that I could be induced
to divulge what by such an extraordinary co
incidence has conn 10 my knowledge. ! am-
yours sincerely. CHARLEs CAHtous
Lamia promptly handed the letter 20
her father and watched his face.
why. what the blazes is the fellow
referring tor reared Mr.. Smith, when
/ he read e. with his confederation Of
circumstances. and his tragical secret,
which would imbitter your existence If
YOU ever became aware OF II. and his
not being induced 10 divulge il but
under the most stringent ~compulsionf
Why. / suppose the fellow thinks we
shall bring an action against him for
breach Of promise OF marriage and
force him In the witness box to give
ais reasons for jilting you. What did
( tell you, Lamiai This Sawbones isn't
The man for you, and you're damned
well rid Of him"
"Mr. Smith, Mr.. Smith. please re-
member your manners before ladies!"
cried his better half.
Mrs. Smith" said her husband. who
was somewhat overexcited by what he
had read. ladies, or no ladies, | re-
peat. Lamia's damned well rid Of him;
and | think she'll agree with me that
I've been perfectly right all along. and
that I'm justified in saying So"
The long and short Of the matter
was hat Mr.. Smith undertook, with
Lamia's consent. 20 write a reply 10 DR..
Carious, which reply. as may be mag
med. was clothed in language rather
more strong than courteous, and in
which he told him that nothing could
exceed his regret hat he had ever been
engaged 70 his daughter except his Joy
that he had now ceased to be Z.
A few months later DIR. Carious read
he announcement In The Times Of a
marriage between Michael Careless, of
Montreal. Canada, and Lamia daugh-
ter Of Joseph Smith. Esq, Of Rabnet
Manor. Crampshire. He at once sat
down and dispatched a small, carefully
packed parcel to the bridegroom.
why Michael, here's a belated we'd
ding present. ] do believe. cried LAMA
the morning after their return from
their honeymoon to her fathers house.
It's addressed TO you. and ! do believe
the handwriting is DIR. Carious
Lets see IL" said Careless. and
forthwith he proceeded 20 undo the
parcel Under the paper was a wooden
box with a sliding lid As he pulled
this away a piece Of paper iuttered to
the ground. Lamia picked it up and
read aloud the following extraordinary
note:
sR-IncIosod esend you what circumstances
force me 10 believe are your father-in-law's
toes. You will. no doubt, do as y0u think NJ
about returning them. after 40 long a separa-
ton. TO their original owner. ! Am yours faith
fully, &C
While Lamia was reading this letter
aloud Michael was gazing. with a broad
smile upon his face, at a small bottle
which he held in his hand and which
contained ia spirits Of wine a very re-
markable object This object was the
toe piece Of a stout boot with a felt
sole containing five human toes and
the fragments Of a thick wooden sock,
cut as clearly of a booted foot as
though il were the section Of a Ger
man sausage. Pasted on the bottle
was a fragment Of newspaper dated
Just forty years ago. Michael volun-
teered 10 read il aloud.
1t contained a partial description Of
what had evidently been a ghastly
tragedy. Among other things it stated
that the room In which murder for
the sake of plumber had been com
mitted was in a state of terrible con-
fusion, which evidenced that a desper-
ate struggle had taken place. and that
the deceased had evidently at one time
during the encounter been in possession
of a large az which lay on the floor,
since the only trace of the murderer
left behind was the toe piece of his
boot cut clean of. with the five toes
remaining in It.
These last words were underlined in
red ink, and in writing was added, evil
IDENTIFY by DIR. Carious' father:
Owner Of the toes stl1 at large. and
now two years since murder was com
mitted John Carious."
.And what the deuce does IL all
meanT' cried Mr.. Smith.
well, said Michael. rather shame
faeedly, for lac was uncertain what son
, of a reception his story would receive,
the fact is l saw this curiosity in DIR
Carious' museum the night dined witt
/ him, and when he eame down TO shoOI
with me | took the liberty Of blocking
up all the toe Of your right boots, and
-and-he chose to draw the unwar
rantable inference"-
, 'You mean that you chose to maxi