Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-03-18

tii;lt ne had said 1t precisely.
"Tcll us how you do it, Don?o said
Carl lightly.
You press me unreasonably," an
swered Donald, with annoyance. 81 do
1t by means of a power of which pos
sess Il little, but there is some one in
| Iuhpr1dge who possesses n thousand
| times more"
You mean your father" said Bum
| quickly.
NO, ! don't mean my father" an.
swcred Donald, land unless Uncle John
commands me / shall not say whom l
mean"
Il shall not command you, my boy"
said l. "Indeed, it is not necessary
And / won't have you cross questioned
any more" added, seeing how deeply
lie was irritated. II thank heaven that
you possess this power, and l verify be.
licve that it will be the salvation of
us all"
When Donald had gone, Bum asked
me whether l could bring myself to be.
lieSe that Mrs. Donaldson was the
source of all these mysteries.
Il never doubted that she had the
power" said l, but am skeptical
about her having more of it than her
SON."
At this Carl Archer arose and waved
his arms around his head in a protest
that transcribed speech.
1--WE have all gone crazyw he cried
ut last. 'Thcre is no such power
There is not an atom of evidence in all
the worlds history that any human
being ever exercised it. Donald is
merely travelling the way of all i'm.
| posters, and think we ought to stop
| him."
what do you think about it, JimT'
said l.
Bum had his hand upon the open
| door.
81 think that nobody will stop him, y
he replied. HE will so OH to the end.''
And the old man went away mutter.
ing.
On the following day Donald came to
| me with Il remarkable request, and
| despair of making clear the reason why
l granted it. l can say no more than
that the boy had begun to exercise an
influence over me that was nearly ir.
resistible.
"You have noticed" said he, that
my father is not very well. That is
why l come to you with this matter
and why ask you not to bother him
| about it. He has enough upon his mind
without being worried by my foolish.
| ness"
Iasked him what thematter might be.
"My father has the papers in the old
Strobcl correspondence" said he. "a
| few weeks ago he got them together
and put them in his box in the vault
as the bank"
1t is not necessary here to explain
| what the Strobel correspondence was
| nor why Donaldson had taken charge
| of it, as these things have no bearing
upon the case. replied that the facts
| were as the boy had stated them.
II want you to ask my father fol
these papers" said Donald. when
you so up to the house this noon, yor
can stop at the bank with him and gel
them. Don't let anybody else see yol
take them, don't tell anybody that yor
have them, and ask my father not t.
mention the circumstance at all. Wi
| you do this?"
saw no objection, and told him SO
Then l asked what | should do will
the documents.
l Put them into that little handbag
said he, pointing to one which was be
side my desk. Don't take them ou
while you're ut the house. Afterwart
bring them down here and put them IL
this safe. When you have done SO
change the combination"
Evidently he wanted me to hav,
them In place where l could get then
handily and at any hour of the day, no
in bank, which closed at in the aft
ernoon, and in box which nobod,
but his father, then seemingly threat
ened with an illness, could open
But what was the value of the pa
pers? AS now know that 1t was moth
ing, will not enlarge upon the ques
ton, though it bothered me at the time
The only indication l could get wa
that Isaac Thorndyke had been con
cerned In the correspondence In ques
ton, though how the fact could b.
used to influence his vote in the com
ing stockholders meeting was unabl
to understand. However. did pre-
clsely as Donald had asked me to dc
and by 2 in the afternoon the paper
reposed in my safe, the door of whicl
would answer only to violence or t
my own hand.
That evening Donald asked me YER
particularly whether l had followe,
his instructions. He seemed to regar,
the matter as extremely important
and he took me into the library t
speak the more privately, though ther
was no one about, for Donaldson ha
gone to his room and Dorothy an
Carl to neighbours house.
We sat together in window lookin
out at the moonlight which was flooG
ing over the roof of the long, 10,
house and pouring down the slope of til
lawn beyond in n great white stream.
Suddenly | heard steps upon tn
path that ran in the shadows belo,
: the window. and a voice cried, "Dort
thy" The tone was strange, and some
how it went to my heart.
"Carl and my little mother" sal
! Donald; they're coming back"
lie left the window and walked OF
of the room. was vaguely glad tina
. he should so and was, indeed, promp
ed to follow him, but somehow coul
not do SO.
: Carl and Dorothy had stopped belo'
} the window. AS the room was darl
thcy could not have suspected that an
: one was within hearing of their voice
. After the single word which I ha
: overheard there was silence for nearl
! minute.
j Carl" said Dorothy. speaking q
one who has summoned up strength
r meet an emergency. II won't hay
Z this. 1t shall not be So"
"You refuse to listen to me-" he r
sponded. you will not let me speak
UJ cora pothipu for that che n,