The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-12

learn whether he was the person who had
owned the articles OF clothing marked III. A
found to the present whereabouts of Ark
wright. And Bruce, he knew. attached
much significance TO these initials as Illus
trating theory OF his own
He wouldn't if he could see the man."
said Swan TO himself.
Swan learned to mis- satisfaction that
Edes neither sent off nor received letters.
Indeed, al appearances indicated, Edes
could not write legibie letter If he tried.
His education must have been terribly neg
lected. he once said TO Mrs. Fry with an
air OF extreme candor, apd this remark
she repeated TO the detective.
"Oh. he's just what he seems. you may
be sure OF that" she said There amt
nothin behind the door nor hid about Pri-
mus Edes I'd as soon suspect my Dam
Then you are willing to help prove it.
L suppose" said the willy detective, laying
a trap for the outspoken woman.
Yes, l am
We'll. then. if you ever find a scrap of
1t TO me. 1 Will leave addressed and
stamped envelope. All you will have TO
Go VIII be to inelose it," and he handed
Hunt as he might he had been unable
TO find the least scrap Of handwriting OF
Edess, or indeed of anyone else in his pos
resort
I'll do as you say, but it will be long
time before you see this wrapper, guess,
she answered. with a smile at his folly.
"A man that can't write read writin'
amt like to git many letters"
But strange to say the good woman was
departure Mrs. Hamilton called in TO see
her. ostensibly on an errand connected
with the weekly wash, but really TO hear
from Mrs. Fry about the detectives pro-
ceeGings while there, for TO her he had said
very little.
She found Mrs. Fry at work mending the
lining TO an old coat but she was glad
to see Mrs. Hamilton, and told her so.
You find me TO work. I've threatened
an threatened to take a day for the last
month TO mend up Edes's things But I've
jest got about it, an such a mess Why
did seei"
Mrs. Fry was given to exaggeration.
An to think" she said a moment later,
after all said to that detective Teller.
that l should find letter in the linin' Of
the first coat L took to mend"
Yes, crowded way into the corner of
the linin,; went through the hole in the
Where is the letter."
over there on the table"
| constance glanced in the direction indi-
| Gated, and saw a misunderstanding address,
Robert d. Swan with name of street and
number, which she knew perfectly well.
turning II over she observed that it was
! sealed.
You open it if you want to- said
/ Mrs Fry, whose principles always accom-
modated themselves to Mrs. Hamilton s
needs, and satisfied that they could not
But Mrs Hamilton shrank from having a
seal broken TO a wrapper provided by the
receiver. and, besides, what right had she
with the correspondence Of Primus Edes
! Her brief period of investigation had
| brought no results worth mentioning, and
since that time she had felt little curiosity
concerning the history of the man, though
deeply grateful for his kindness to Perley
| and to herself the night when he was lost.
Truth TO tell, it seemed an i'll requital of
| his kindness to pry into his private history.
She would have nothing TO do about it.
Still she experienced a faint uprising OF
curiosity regarding the letter so close al
to herself, unless Mrs Fry had made her
self acquainted with the contents.
She had. as her next words informed
Il read it from beginnin' to end" she
said, calmly; but. lor', it never was wrote
to Edes in the world-never.'
| 'Why?"
Because it begun dear husband an
was signed your lovin' wife, an. he told
me himself he never was married. So il
stands to reason"
tell you the truth"
Il can tell when folks is lynn. and he
was tellin' the honest truth when he said
he never was married. 1 know that" said
Mrs. Fry, decidedly.
What did she writer" asked Mrs. Hamil-
ton. led on by curiosity in spite of herself
"Oh, she was lonesome without him, an
wanted him to come home an settle down
quiet like with her. Twas all a good dea
like that clear through, sorter as if she
want contented without him. Whoever
twas wrote to, orter gone back to her, fol-
you could see, plain as could be, she set
her life by him.
DO you recollect the name signed tc
mo, l don't I've forgot it,, / forgi
names turribly as L grow older. Seems
if twas l. or S it began with; jest one name
it was"
"A long one?"
mo; twas in two parts, though"
Il, you say. Was it Lenora?" for thai
name would live in her consciousness for.
ever, she thought.
mo, l don't think it was"
'Le-nora; you might have read it thai
way"
Yes, but I didn't. 'Twan't that, Tn
pretty sure. I've good mind TO open tha
letter. 1 will, if you say so''
"Oh, no; have no right to it, anyway
and | am ashamed of my curiosity"
And so the letter went away, freighteC
with writing protentous in meaning anC
possibilities, not alone to Primus Edes bu
to others, among them the stately lady
whose hand had touched that very packet