Daily camera., 1897-07-24

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caused the writer some inconvenience,
l wired my address, and at the same
time wrote cordial note of explana-
ton and apology, which mailed to the
address given.
"The matter might then have escaped
my memory, if the note had not left
sort of uneasy impression on my mind
that l might suddenly be called to New
York, and, as I was deeply interested
in this case, dreaded interruption. 1t
was this frame of mind that caused
very trifing circumstance to bring
back the whole thing to me.
'The letter of apology which 1 had
sent after the telegram happened to be
put in an envelope bearing the business
card of my hotel in this city, under
which, being rather methodical in al
most everything, I had written the num-
ber of my room. Well, in few days it
was returned to me marked: Not De-,
livered' a..
This at once excited suspicion that
something was wrong-that some de-
signing person, for reasons of his own,
had tricked me into betraying my
whereabouts. The telegram had not
been returned. That showed that some
one at 234 Union street, Brooklyn, had
received it and signed for it in due
form, or l should have been advised of
his failure to do so by the telegraph
office here. The letter addressed in the
same way had been returned. That
proved that Frederick. CEampney either
was not there or wanted ul= = .;nk he
was not, and my curiosity Was :oused.
But, as your case was just then becCm-
ing more interesting, I put the letter
away for safe keeping. along With the
note to my mother, TO take up again
when | was more at leisure, ard dis
missed them from my mind. However.
as said just now. there was something
strangely faE-iLiaI about the envelope
we found at the rag shop yesterday, ant:
I could not for the life Of me tell what it
could be. 1t was not until I had left
you and reached nv hotel last night
that | found out. 1t was simply the
large capital D in TIE center of the New
York postmark, for it corresponded eX-
actly with the big d in the postmarl of
the letter NY mother had received.
You smile. You think that very little
thing. Well so it was: but wait. The
d indicated the station at which the
letters were posted; they had both been
mailed in the same postal district |
know that much, you see. as a starter;
but I was not satisfied. l was sure the
two envelopes held better clew be-
tween them, and L was bound to have it.
81 lay awake half the night, thinking,
till I got so wrought up I
could not reason logically at all. I
knew that would do no one any good. so
I banished thoughts of all kinds, and
was getting into a drowsy state, in fact
was almost dropping off. when sudden
ly an idea popped lnto Eiy brain.
81 sprang up, lit the gas, and with my
magnifyingglass examined the letter
which had been returned TO me from
New Yorl. marked: Not Delievered.'
What do you suppose L discovered? My
letter had been steamed and carefully
opened. 1t was perfectly evident. l
could see indications of its having been
regummed and resealed. 1t is almost
impossible to put paste on an envelope
as smoothly by hand as it is done by
machine"
$50 you thought" began WILDLY.
THAT when the individual who had
written my mother under the name of
Frederick Champney had received the
letter coming on the heels of my tele
r9ar, !! :irst impulse was to return it
.Morcned, being afraid the reception of
it would tend to show his whereabouts.
But, being curious to know what had
to say, he first opened it, read it, and
then sealed and returned it. Not bad
idea, Ell ?"
WILDLY nodded. "It failed, however,
to take you in
"And, moreover, it put me on to sub
stantial clew. See, here are the two
envelopes side by side-the one ad
dressed to my mother and the other to
Mr.. Strong. Now for points of re-
semblance. The handwriting, though
is the same; the ink under
glass shows the same crystal forma-
tions; the two letters were sent from
the same postal station in New York;
and, though the color and quality of
each envelope are different. yet under
the flaps, in raised letters, are the names
of the same retail dealers in New York.
See-Ramage & Co.. Stationers, East
Fourteenth street. The two envelopes
were purchased at the same shop"
But" said WILDLY, doesn't it strike
you that it is rather an unnatural thing
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