Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-04-04

Yes, Mss; Mr.. Stanton always used
to ave II winders OPEN"
Well, list open them as they would
be if hef;sre here
| Ise wo4An did rs she was bid. Edith
theK placed a piece & paper on the ia
hle4 where GiNert said he had laid the
colSa ssion, the door leading into the
bedroom and the entrance door having
first been opened. There was con-
siderable draught, and the paper trem-
bled on the table.
Perhaps there was more air on that
day. said Edith. Il will substitute q
lighter piece Of paper"
This she did, and almost Immediately
it was caught by current, and it tlut-
tered across the room. AS it fell on
the floor they We're both startled to see
little kitten spring from the open
doorway and pounce upon the paper,
rolling over and over with it in her
teeth.
"That explains it all!'' exclaimed
Edith, catching up the little animal In
her arms "Oh, Kitty! Oh. Kitty! How
little you know the terrible mischief
you have done!'
Her eyes were full of tears. and she
was pale and trembling with appre-
hension. The kitten must have car
ried off the confession in this way to
play with, and its recovery was hope
less.
"Lor' Miss" suddenly broke in Mrs.
Morton. Nov l remember! When the
gent shot ITSELF 1 was working in the
'ouse opposite, and came back to see
what was the matter. That little kit
ten belongs to the party in the next
set, and when I came up to the land
ing just like that with a bit O paper,
which she runs away with and leaves
ON the stairs"
Yes" said Edith, in breathless Gag
erness.
well. paper about the stairs looks
so untidy, miss, so l picked it up and
what did you do with it?''
Il threw it in the pail with the 9TH
er rubbish"
For the second time the contents of
the pail We're emptied by the laundress
and carefully examined 1t was abso-
lutely certain that the paper was not
there
Are you positive that you put the
paper in the pail?' asked Edith.
I'D take my 'davy on it, miss. And
it was just such a scrap of writing as
you say"
Edith sent the laundress home, shut
herself in the solitary chambers, and
began the hunt afresh.
1t was late in the evening when she
ceased her fruitless search.
\ Nayt y,orninO che rot1,rnod RI bo,.
hopeless task Mrs. Morton she had
relieved from further attendance, and
was walking up and down the cham
bers in thought, when there came
knock at the door, 1t was the laun-
dress herself.
II know where that bit O. paper is,
miss! 1 remembers that, when the po-
lice was here that morning, steps in
to the bedroom to hear what they had
to say. One Of 'em says to me, impu-
dent like, Well. what do you want.
old lady?' and says I wanted the bed
room candlestick."
YES interrupted Edith, "but where
is the paper?"
! "I'm just coming to that, miss I
stays bit in the kitchen-just to sec
| if I might be of any use, you under
stands-and while I was waiting I
puts new candle in the candlestick.
Them mines is rather small for the
candlestick, so 1 takes a bit O. paper
out O. the pail to make it fit. Come in
to the bedroom, miss. Why, it's
gomez
Good heavens" cried Edith. do
you mean to say that the paper round
that candle was the missing docu-
ment?"
That's my belief, miss. Where is it
gomez"
II was here late last night and
burnt the candle very low-and the
paper took fire"
And you burnt it, MISS"
"Only slightly, remember. blew
it out, threw the paper away, and put
in new candle that I removed from
the piano. What did I do with the
paper? Oh, I remember, I threw it
under the CRATE. You'll find It there
Thank Heaven, we have found It at
last! Gilbert is saved!'
'"There is nothing here, MISS" said
the woman on her knees. 1.-THE crate
is quite empty!'
1t was true, and the shock was ter
rible one to Edith. She tainted in the
old laundress's arms. Mrs. Morton,
however, soon restored her to con-
sciousness.
"You can take my word for it," she
said, that papers bewitched."
II don't care whether it Is bewitched
or not" said Edith. II mean to find
it. Fetch me that magnifying glass
from the table in the next ROOM"
Edith removed the fender carefully
and examined the dust that Mrs. Nor
toms not over scrupulous cleanliness
had allowed to accumulate.
II thought as much," she said
"Mice! They have been attracted by
the candle grease, and have dragged
the paper to their hole. Every mo-
ment now is valuable, or it will all be
destroyed"
They searched round about every
where, but no mouse-hole could be
found. Edith then directed the woman
to mix quantity of whiting, which she
placed in large fat dish on the floor
in the middle of the room. In the dish
was laid small saucer and In that a
piece of toasted cheese. They then
left the chamber for several hours
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