Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-08
CHAPTER VIII.
THE IVORY QUEENS sEcRRr.

S11<h4 L. LIN JILL
THE IVORY QUEENS SECRET.
There was no train back to Barnstaple
till late in the afternoon, and Darrent
filled in the time with hearty meal
and long country walk. bordering
over the discovery he had made that
day and feeling that the latest phase Of
the case only tended to deepen the evil
dence that had already condemned
Astray Marsden to the scaffold.
When at last he found himself alone
in the train for Barnstaple. he drew
from his pocket the paper that he had
received from Miss Kingston in which
the chessmen had been wrapped and
scrutinized it carefully. It was an or
binary sheet of coarse brown paper.
with an adhesive address label, indicat-
ing that it had been expressed from
Barnstaple Jan. IS, 1906.
Darrent sat back in his seat In the
smoker. lighted cigar and ruminated
1t was scarcely likely. he felt, that In
the time that had elapsed. some six OF
seven weeks, the express clerks would
remember who handed in that parcel
or recognize the writing on the label
Still, he would go to the express Office
directly on his arrival in Barnstaple
and make inquiries.
| Suddenly the train pulled up with a
! jerk Signals were against them at the
junction. and they stuck for good
quarter Of an hour. with the result thai
/ when they did get into Barnstaple the
express office was closed He tried tc
find the clerk. but failed, and then how
to kill the 10 hours till next morning
became the problem that sorely per
picked him, for he must stop in Barn
staple that night. Suddenly he recalled
his friend of the Gaiety theater. From
the highly colored placards that deco
rated the streets and the entrance to thu
theater he learned that an equally
thrilling melodrama to that which wa
purveyed to the public on his last vid
was in progress.
He found his way down the grim.
passage again, and the stern janito
conveyed his card to Mr.. Ridgeway AMI
brought it backed with the messag
from the manager that he would be o,
the stage all the evening. but II MI
Darrent would go in front and see tn
show Mr.. Ridgeway would see him aft
erward. and on the card was pencile'
an order for stall. Darrent glanced Q
the writing and received his secon
shock that day. and, instead Of accept
ing the hospitality Of Mr.. Ridgeway
he paid his money at the door and care
fully placed the card in his pocketbool
With the fall of the curtain Mr.. Da,
rent reached the stage door and COZ
pie of minutes afterward was In ID
managers room again.
Mr.. Ridgeway motioned him to
seat and awaited the commencement {
the conversation. for, while he coul
not deny that, upon the evidence sui
mitted at the trial, the verdict had bee
a just one. he did not somehow fe
overamiable toward the man who hat
bit by bit. built up that evidence
Darrent, who had great belief In Il
efficacy Of getting home the first sho
} suddenly opened fire.
! "Why did you post box Of ches
men to Miss Ethel Kingston. Bidefor,
on the 18th Of Januaryf" he asked
The effect upon Mr.. Arthur Ridg
way was instantaneous and astonis
ing. He simply collapsed into the nea
: est chair and gasped. "How the dickel
did you knowf"
"Never mind how know. I ask u
, why did you do it3"
81 did it for Astray Marsden' g sake
: Come, come, Mr.. Ridgeway; this
q little too thin. It's not q play, y,
> know"
l GAS sure as heavens above US, N
, Darrent, that's the truth"
: "Come, now." said the detecti
I quietly; you'd better make q ole
l breast Of the whole affair. or you m
0 find you We put yourself In very Sc
8 GUS position. /"
. "Has Astray confessedf"
d "Never mind what Astray's dor
i You tell me your version"
: "There's not much to tell alwa
d liked young Marsden. told you Il
/ when you came before. always
! lievea An him and thought him straie
o going chap, and 80 I do now, mi
y you" said Ridgeway. $50 1 do now
It Eyes. yes; go on. !" calmly interje
ed Darrent.
Il "Well, the day after the muir
II Astray came over here'-
q eyes, l know"
Hooking scared and white. q
D begged and prayed me to go over
Norcombe the first thing the NJ
u morning and to pretend to Dobson,
., chief Of police there, that I was .
tective and get him to give me bon
ivory aheaamen hem ~ hhesxy Il