The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-04-13

"Well, just open them as they would
be if he were here.
The woman did rs she was bid Edith
then placed II piece of paper ON the table
where Gilbert said ho had laid the
confession, the door leading into the
bed room and the entrance door hav.
ing first been opened. There was
considerable iraUght, and the papes
trcmbled on the table.
"Perhaps there was moro air on that
day." said Edith. 81 will substitute n
lighter piece of paper"
This she did, and almost immediate.
ly it was caught by n current, and it
fiuttered across the room. AS it fell
on the floor they were startled to SEQ
little kitten spring from the open
doorway and pouncc upon tho paper,
rolling over and over with it in her
teeth"
'Lor', miss" suddenly broke in
Mrs. Morton, 'now [ remember |!
When the gent shot 'isself l was work
ing in the 'ousc opposite, and came
hank to see what was the matter.
That little kitten belongs to the party
in the next set, and when [ camo up
to the lanling sho was playing just
like that with n bit o paper, which
she runs away with and leaves ON the
stairs
eyes" said Edith, in breathless
eagerness.
"Wcll, paper about the stair; looks
go untidy, miss, 50 l picked it up
and"
"What did you do with it?"
81 threw it i'll the pail with the other
rubbish"
For the second time the contents OF
the phil was emptied by the leundress
and carefully examined. It was abs o.
lutely certain that the paper was not
there.
E:lith sent the ;aundrcss home, shnt
herself in tho solitary chambers AMI
began the hunt afresh
Next morning she returned t. her
hopeless task. Mrs. Morton she hal
relieved from further attendance, and
was walking up and down tho cham.
bers in thought when there came n
knock ut the door. 1t was tho laun-
dress herself.
81 know where that bit o paper il,
miss! L stays bit in the Kitchen
just to see if l might he of any use,
you understand and while waa
waiting puts u new candle in tn"
IaH;!!cativn. Them mines is rather
small for the candlcstick, SO takes n
bit o paper out O the pail to make it
fit. Come iuto tho bel room, miss.
Why, it's gone"
burnt the candle very low ant thi
paper took trc!"
"Anl you burnt it, miss! !"
''Only slightly, L remember. I
blew it out, threw the paper away anil
put in new candle that ] removed
from the piano. threw it under tho
CRATE. Thank heaven, we have found
it at last -
''There is nothing here, MISS" sail
the woman on her knees. "rhc gratc
is quite empty! You can take my
word for it, that papers bewitchcd."
81 don't care whether it is bewitched
or not, said Edith. 81 mean to find
it. Fetch me that magnifying glass
from the table in the next room"
fully examined the dust that Mrs. Nor
tons not over srrupulous clcanli2eeG
had allowed to accumulate
81 thought rs much," she said.
"Mice! They have been attracted by
the candle grease, and have dragged
the paper to their hole"
They searched around abont every
Hhere, but no mouse hole could be
found
Edith tncn directed the woman to
mix quantity of whiting, which she
placed in q large fiat dish in the floor
in the middle of the room. In the
dish was laid small saucer, and in
that n piece of toasted cheese.
When they returned thcro was Ii
track OF little whito footprints across
the room that led to little hole above.
the narrow skirtirg board, hidden by
n loose piece of wall paper.
A man was called III, and after
breaking down some of the plaster and
taking up corner Of the flooring, the
coveted scrap of paper was Mt last Sc
cured.
The confession was in part de-
stroyed, and required very delicate
handling, but when the precious relic
had been carefully mounted on another
piece of paper it was found to read as
follows, the words in parentheses be-
ing supplied on supposition:
II am) sick OF my life and ire
soive) to put an end to it. In case sus-
picion falls on Gilbert Stanton (he isi
innocent. l die (hy my own hand.
RAYMOND WILD"
Edith is now Mrs. Stanton, and her
husband insists that he owes his life to
the persistent and intelligent manner
in which she followed up that vital
and mysterious clew.