The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-12
THE MISSING NOTE.

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tsed wife mercenary and dishonest-i1n-
possibIel
Yet appearances were against her-he
acknowledged himself doubtful as to her
innocence-but how he loved her even un-
der the shadow of his Doubt
The note for e100, sum of money she
bad declared that very afternoon would be
godsend to her, was missing. She was
last seen in the room by two Of the maids,
and Adele FSsbank had intimated to Sid
don, the butler, that she herself had OBJ
served his Marjorie handling the crisp pa
per, while glancing timidly, as if afraid OF
discovery, down by the alder hedge in a re-
mote corner of the grounds.
Marjorie had protested her innocence.
She owned to having handled the note
when Squire Redfern touched it with his
gum brush, but declared positively that it
was replaced by her on the heap of papers,
by the side of the desk, just before quit
ting the room.
But when he pressed her to try to re-
member if she had not again entered the
squires study, she had blushed and STAN
mered, as if the recollection were painful,
that she had passed through the apart
ments for the purpose of picking up her
handkerchief perhaps half an hour later.
Probably the maids were in the room then,
but she did not know positively.
"You would not care to marry Marjorie
with stain on her character, his cousin
Adele had remarked. 81 am sorry for you
and her-it is a very mysterious and IN
pleasant affair all through
Something about her tone had annoyed
him, and he had bluntly observed:
You don't know anything about this
matter, Adeles"
She had flared up instantly, and with an
air becoming a tragedy queen cried:
10 hor- %,I~ ~,
Charles Redeem? AS if I should stoop to
run away with paltry a1O0 when papa
would grant ms that for the mere askingl"
That was three days ago. but nothing
further had been brought to light. Mar
jorie had fastened home by the earliest
train on the morning after the disappear
ance of the money, refusing to be escorted
by her fance, and today he had received
back the ring and little note begging OF
him to free her from the engagement.
Adele had said this was an acknow1
edgment of her guilt.
What mad freak had induced him to
show the note to the girls? Some peculiar
ity in its careful patching together by a
previous owner, and as the note had only
come into his possession little while be-
fore he had failed to take it's number.
Was this miserable patch of paper to
part him from the girl he adoredP No;
longed to solve the mystery, how he hun
gered to clear fair Marjorie from the shroud
of guilt that EMBODIED her.
The days dragged their weary length,
but a solution was still unattained. To
the squire, the servants and his cousin il
was apparently no NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. had
stolen the note and was thief pure and
simple.
But Charles was unwearied in his at
tor anti, 70. 81 =
missing note, for the more he pondered
over the matter the more he felt convinced
that his lovely sweetheart was innocent of
the theft.
He had written, but no answer was &C
corded him; he had wandered about the
lanes near his adored ones home, but had
returned by a late train with his wish un-
gEatified
What had become of the note? When
Marjorie's thoughts rushed back to that
miserable day, she seemed to see Adele
Fosbank with sinister expression of face
hooking her. Bravely she endeavored to
suppress the thought, but it haunted her
through all the weary hours-Adele had
taken the note.
Mrs. Fame tried to comfort her daughter
and induced her to unburden her mind Of
the trouble which was crushing out the
fair young life. Brokenly the dreadful
DGOAJ was OOAO W Gllo pdOn6UlC 1lSU6u6r.
My dear girl l will go myself to in
vestigate this matter today There shall be
no delay" And though Marjorie would
fain have bid her remain at home she felt
1nstinct1vely that some good would come
of this visit.
The squire was away from home, and
the only troublesome person with whom
Mrs. Fame had to do battle was Adele Fos-
bank.
once when she beheld the haggard face Of
the squire's son, for she knew at once the
extent of his suffering.
"HOw is Marjorie?'' he faltered, after
customary exchange of commonplace.
"Have you solved this mystery yet? I
am naturally most anxious to carry back
good news to my daughter
Marjorie confessed to having handled
the note after it's contact with the gum
brush, you say?'' Mrs. Fame inquired.
Charles nodded.
"Then, do you think it has stuck and
become wrapped up in some other paper,
or slipped within the leaves of ledger?''
she asked quite feverishly.
This notion seemed so feasible that
Charles proposed an examination then and
there, Mrs. Fame begging to be allowed to
aid in the search, while Adele darted an
angry glance in her direction.
A long, long search followed. But their
work was without avail
My poor, poor girl, - walled the dis
tressed lady.
Mrs. Fame once more approached the
desk and threw an anxious glance about
the room, as if to read it's secret in the pa
pered walls. Then her eyes rested for
moment on the table.
With a sudden cry she turned to Charles,
and, pointing to a mark on the polished
| mahogany surface, asked:
! 1.-THE desk has been removed, has it notP
Here is its outline-it must have been
! pushed aside?''
| He lifted the desk in his strong arms,
! but the excited lady gasped: "No, no, it is
not there. 1 thought it might have been
removed when the desk was pushed from
its usual position. -