Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-10

anu NY lawyers ADVISED me to do so as
soon as you promised to join us. We
know that 1t would be folly to try to
prove that he did not kill Mr.. Caruthers,
for, Mr.. Hendricks, he actually con-
fessed it to his servant, and have some
thing else that puts it out of the quese
ton to doubt Henri's word-a letter
from Mr.. Gielow himself. In 1t he ac-
knowledges the deed"
IA letter from him?" exclaimed Hen.
bricks.
Eyes, and in it there are absolute
proofs of unsoundness of mind. oh,
Mr.. Hendricks. it drives me wild to
think that have brought him to it, and
that he may die for what he is morally
accountable. My lawyers admit that
1t may be difficult to prove his insanity,
but they say it is our only chance, and
that we ought to begin our work at
once"
Hendricks contracted his brows and
shrugged his shoulders.
MAY I see the letter."
Miss Huntington produced It from
her pocket and eyed him as he perused
1t. 1t ran as follows:
Charleston, s. c., Dec g.
Dear Dorothy: When you get this you
will have heard of the murder Of Caruth-
ers. Go at once to the studio and make
Henri tell you Of my confession. Tell him
want him to testify against me, as wish
no one else to be implicated in the slight
est. regret what have done. but 1t is too
late for regrets now. l sail from this
town tomorrow for q foreign port to be-
gin life anew. Forget mo and all the
trouble have brought on you. had one
true friend in New York besides yourself.
II Is Count Bantinni. He suspected that
was thinking of pcrpetrating crime and
plead with me almost on his knees, but
would not listen to reason. was crazy from
1t all. confessed to Henri and the count
IN the studio The count tried to persuade
me TO turn myself over to the police, but
eluded him and got away. I have been
reading stories of crime and detection. and
that, coupled with my trouble, turned my
head. ] fancied that could invent a plan
for doing away with my rival that would
In Its very holiness defy detection. even
wrote letter to Mr.. Minard Hendricks to
cause him to think the crime was commit
ted by personal enemy of his, but at the
last moment l was unable to face it all.
That you may forget me is the last wish of
ARTHUR GIELoW.''
Don't you see that it is the letter of
an insane MANI" asked the heiress, her
eager gaze resting on the face of the
detective as he lowered the letter. 1T
is not at all like him."
us it his hand ?" asked Hendricks, his
broad brow still wrinkled.
Undoubtedly, know his handwrit-
ing well. See, his name is written ex-
actly as he signs his drawings
Hendricks glanced at the signature,
his mind wandering to other things.
I'VE must submit it to a handwriting
expert" he said. Il know grapholo
gist who has never made mistake.
Will you kindly send me something else
that he has written, and will you let me
retain this?''
Certainly" answered the girl; then
she ncrvcd herself 10 ask and hear the
reply to leading question: do you
doubt his insanity, Mr.. Hendricks 2"
The detective put the letter in its en-
velope.
~ have seen nothing in this letter to
indicate insanity on the part of Gielow,"
he said, after q moments pause.
'Yon don't? Well, it is not at all
such a letter as he would have written
it himself, besides you have only to hear
Henri describe how he acted when he
confessed to the murder to know that
he was insane that night"
Hendricks smiled.
II was behind screen in the studio
when you and your aunt came in that
night. l heard Hepri's description"
Miss Huntington shrank back, white
and startled.
"You were?" she gasped, and then,
while Hendricks was nodding with the
slow movement of toy donkey's head.
she added: "And-and you stiH see no
proof of-of insanity?"
81 must say that / do not" was the
deliberate reply.
fhe girl sat notionless. 1t was as if
he Mad deprived her of her last hope.
Her great eyes seemed to expand. Then
she raised her gloved hands half way to
her eyes and held them there as she
said:
"You must believe him out of his
mind! Look at the address on that en-
velope. He has directed it to me at the
general delivery, Charleston, S. C. He
knew was not there. Surely you
see"
II noticed that" remarked Hendricks
when he saw she was going no further.
"And also saw that the envelope bore
the postmark of a railway-the Atlantic
Coast line. The letter was mailed on
the train. You see that road runs from
New York to Charleston, and, from his
postmarls, it would be difficult to prove
whether letter were mailed on the
train of that road near New York, or
rear Charleston"
II can't possibly see what you mean"
said the heiress, helplessly.
''If the letter is a forgery" explained
Hendricks, 'the writer of it would de-
sire two things strongly. First, he
would want it to bear the Charleston
postmark to guarantee the belief that
1t came from that place: and, second,
he wouldwant you to getit Now. how
would man without n confederate in
Charleston succeed in gaining his point?
If this letter is forged, the writer of it
Is an experienced villain, for he knows
that the government prevents its post
masters mailing letters sent to them for
that purpose. 1t was found to be an
avenue for much secret rascality, so
law was passed prohibiting it. Well,
we will grant, for the sake of argument.
that this forger knew that, SO what did
he do but direct this letter to you at
Charleston and then drop note to the
Charleston postmaster requesting him
in your name to forward your mail to