Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-11-03
CHAPTER VIII.
THE IVORY QUEENS SECRET.

There was no train back to Barnstaple
late in the afternoon. and Darrent
ed in the time with hearty meal
/ a long country walk. pondering
pr the discovery he had made that
! and feeling that the latest phase Of
case only tended to deepen the evil
bee that had already condemned
bray Marsden to the scaffold.
When at last he found himself alone
the train for Barnstaple. he drew
pa his pocket the paper that he had
eived from Miss Kingston in which
chessmen had been wrapped and
htinized it carefully. 1t was an or
Ery sheet of coarse brown paper.
b an adhesive address label, indicat-
that it had been expressed from
nstaple Jan. IS, 1898.
arrent sat back in his seat in the
ker. lighted a cigar and ruminated.
as scarcely likely. he felt, that in
time that had elapsed. some six or
p weeks, the express clerks would
ember who handed in that parcel
ecognize the writing on the label.
he would go to the express office
city on his arrival in Barnstaple
make inquiries.
nddenly the train pulled mp with q
X Signals were against them at the
Zion, and they stuck for good
ter of an hour. with the result that
they did get into Barnstaple the
ess Office was closed. He tried to
the clerk, but failed, and then how
Il the l2 hours till 8 next morning
fne the problem that sorely per-
ed him. for he must stop in Barn
& that night. Suddenly he recalled
fiend of the Gaiety theater From
;hly colored placards that deco
the streets and the entrance to the
Fer he learned that an equally
ling melodrama to that which was
Dyed to the public on his last visit
IN progress.
found his way down the grimy
bge again. and the stern vjanitor
eyed his card to Mr. Ridgeway and
ght it backed with the message
the manager that he would be on
tage all the evening. but if Mr..
ent would go in front and see the
Mr.. Ridgeway would see him aft
Fd, and on the card was penciled
Her for stall Darrent glanced at
writing and received his second
that day. and, instead of accept
be hospitality of Mr.. Ridgeway,
ID his money at the. door and care
placed the card in his pocketbook
tn the fall of the curtain Mr.. OAR
cached the stage door and a cou-
minutes afterward was in the
gers room again
Ridgeway motioned him to a
nd awaited the commencement of
pnversation, for, while he could
my that. upon the evidence sub
at the trial. the verdict had been
one. he did not somehow feel
niable toward the man who had.
bit. built up that evidence.
rent. who had great belief in the
Of getting home the first shot,
ply opened fire.
by did You post box Of chess
Miss Ethel Kingston, Bideford,
18th of January he asked.
effect upon Mr.. Arthur Ridge
Fas instantaneous and astonish-
G simply collapsed into the near
ir and gasped. "How the dickens
know p
ver mind how l know. l ask YOU
ID you do it9''
I'D it for Astray Marsden 8 sake "
ne. come. Mr.. Ridgeway; this is
too thin. It's no. play, you
sure as heavens above us. Mr.
{, that S the truth
me, now" said the detective
you'd better make a clean
OF the whole affair. or you may
We put yourself in a very ser;-
Bition -
Astray confessed -
yer mind what Astray's done.
" me your version -
pre- not much to tell. I always
Touns Marsden. l told You that
Sou came before | always be-
n him and thought him straight
chap. and so | do now, mind
said Ridgewsy. $50 l do now. "
yes; go ou." calmly interjecs-
rent.
N. the day after the murder
came over here''-
l know.
boxing scared and white. and
and prayed me to go over to
Aoe the first thing the next
z and y Eetend to Dobson. the
Police there. that l was q de-
and get him TO give me box Of
nessmen from the library of Tie
u. you did. ehf'
1n;'ed at first, but Astray per