Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-06-23
CHAPTER XVII.


men entered the gate leading to the bank
er's residence.
you are quite sure, Robert" said the
elder man, as they passed UP the walk,
that the madam is not at home"
"Quite certain, Mr.. Thorn. Each day
since my sisters departure she has been
absent from the house for the greater
part of the afternoon. She will hardly
return before four O'clock"
THE Intervening time will be ample. In
what direction does the widow take her
drives:'
ooh, she does not always take the car
riage. She sometimes prefers to walk,
as she has to-day. She often goes north
ward through the park. She finds it lone
ly in the house at this time, l presume"
Robert unlocked the outer door, and the
two men were soon on the second floor.
'1This room," said the young man, as
he paused before an open door, sis occul-
pied by Earl. Opposite are the apart
ments Of his mother. l see she has left
the door ajar. Here" he continued,
throwing open door, care the rooms for
merly occupied by my sisters. On this
side" pointing toward the street, "are the
rooms to which my mother was so long
confined. They have not been occupied
since her DEATH These rooms opposite,
| am the tenant of.
"nhen right here, Robert" said MIR.
Thorn as the two men entered the apart
ments, II will divest myself for the time
being of some of the articles of makeup
of John Thorn. On account of the heat,
fluid them quite oppressive, and if l am
interrupted can seek refuge here
"WThile you are conducting your inves-
legations" the young man said, Il will
be ON guard against surprises. | thdnk it
impossible that you find any thing beneath
this roof that will aid YOU"
Thine will tell" said John Thorn. And
moment later it was Sellars that en-
tered the apartments of the widow.
Door ajar. Bureau drawers unlock
ed, closet door open: everything open to
inspection" unused the detective.
''But where are the trunks? They are
not in the closet All, here! This door
will lead to them. 1t is locked. Right
here evidences of the widows precautions
begin to be made manifest
In moment Sellars produced a bunch
of skeleton keys, and in another the door
swung open.
AZ
room. And here are one, two, three
trunks. This largest one-ah, it opens
readily. Why, there is notrAng here but
winter wearing apparel and ladies gowns
This one, what? The lid raises as read
lily as did the first Why, it is half emp
ty. Let me sec. / must use caution now.
These things must be removed with care
But 1 hardly think l will find anything
that will repay me for the trouble. More
wearing apparel, books, odds and ends,
more books, letters, but the postmark
shows them of q too recent date. This
package all addressed to Elinor kellogg.
Here is another-yes, and addressed to
Elnor Newberry. | will glance at some
of them. And the detective seated him.
self beside the open trunk.
There is nothing here" he remarked at
the expiration of half an hour; and he
replaced wGth great care the articles he
had removed and closed the trunk.
Now this last one. Why, it has seen
more travel and is older than either Of the
others, or I ann mistaken. Brass-bound
and heavy. 1t has the appearance of
having been made to withstand hard
usage. All. the catches sprung forward
the trunk locked! This is the recepta-
Gle that must study
Another bunch Of keys was produced,
but it was no easy matter to obtain q
glimpse of the interior of number three.
1t was some minutes before Sellars was
a BILE to raise the lid, but at last he did so.
A sheet. carefully folded, covered the
contents of the trunk. 1t was speedily
removed. Beneath it was spread shawl
of variegated colors. 1t must once have
been very handsome, but was DOW some
what faded.
Sellars removed the shawl and a low
whistle escaped his lips.
A moment more and he was on his
knees at the side of the trunk.
Il expected something here he said
in n low tone; but this-this is beyond
my comprehension
Carefully the detective began the I'M
packing of the trunk.
THE farther I progress the more mys-
titled I become" he presently remarked
in an undertone.
"What is this? An old album. I must
examine the contents.
by the powers!'
That expression was the nearest to an
oath that Sellars ever approached, and
when it fell from his lips it evidenced that
he had encountered something unexpect-
ed, or that his active brain had suddenly
grasped some new and important feature
in the case he had IN hand.
Page by page he turned over the pages
Of the old album, scanning the features
of each human selnblance.
Presently he held the album steadfast
and gazed earnestly at one photograph.
"A alcw thas viii reach bezond the