The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-12-15
Mystery
Of T w g
Continents
0y
BURTON E. |
STEVENSON |
Copyright. 1908. by
Henry Holt and
Company

We might nave known. Boys,
we'd better go back to Podunk."
well. at least. Mr.. Lester" spoke un
another, you oughtn't to give Godfrey
q SCOOP"
But / didn't give him SCOOP. I
didn't even know who he was"
Didn't you tell him what was In the
note7"
Not a word Of it. 1 told him only
one thing"
And what was that?"
Ihat the person who wrote the note
didn't know that Rogers was color
bIind. You nre welcome to that state.
ment too. You see, I'm treating you all
alike"
Ihcy stood about Inc staring down Mt
Inc. silent with astonishment.
But l added. II think Godfrey sus-
poets what was In the note"
"whyT
Well, his theory fits it pretty close
His theory! What is his theory, Mr.
Lester2"
"oh. come" laughed. That's tell
Ing. It's n good theory too"
Ihey looked at each other, and, I
rancitd. snesned their teeth.
He seems pretty clever fellow" I
sdded, just to pile up the agony. II
fancy you'll say So too, when you see
Ms theory in tomorrow's paper
"Ciever?' cried Rankin. "Why, he's
very nend Of cleverness when II
comes to a case Of this kind. We're not
IN the same class with him. He's a
fancy fellow-5ust the Record kind.
you're sure you didn't tell him any
thing else. Mr.. Lester?" he added anx-
iously. "Godfrey's capable Of getting a
story out Of fence post"
NO I'm quite sure didn't tell him
anything else. I only listened to his
theory with great interest"
And assented to itT'
II said thought 1t plausible"
An electric shock seemed to run
around the room.
That's itr cried Rankin. "That's
what he wanted. Now, 1t isn't his
tneory any more. It's yours. Oh, I
can see his headlines! Won't you tell
~ what It wasp
"Now. frankly, MIR. Rankln."I asked,
"if you were In my place would you
tell7"
He hesitated for a moment and then
held out his hand.
Ne" he said as / took 1t. II
shouldn't. Shake hands. sir; you're all
right Come on. boys; we might as
well be going"
They fled out after him, and heard
them go singing up the street. Then
sank back into my chair and thought
10 H@Af I
to At the case precisely, point by point
--evep-and ! started ut the thought
to Miss Holidays retlcence as to her
whereabouts the afternoon before. The
whole mystery lay plain before me. In
some way she had discovered the ex-
istence Of her half sister. had secured
her address; she had gone to visit her
and had found her away from home
II was probable. even, that the half
sister had written her, asking her to
come-though, In that case, why had
she not remained at home to receive
herr At any rate, Miss Holiday had
awaited her return, had noticed her
agitation: had, perhaps. even seen GER
tain marks of blood upon her. Tho
news Of her fathers death had pointed
all too clearly to what that agitation
and those blood spots meant. She had
remained silent that she might not be-
smirch her fathers name, and also,
perhaps, that she might protect the
other woman. felt that held in my
hand the key to the whole problem.
Point by point--but what snarl 1t
was! That there would be vigorous
search for the other woman I could
f~.,A A<l,o ., n ~e,kn MT
should easily escape. Yet perhaps she
had not started. She must have re-
mained in town, else how could that
l.note have been sent tn us? She had re-
mained. then-but why7 That she
should feel any affection for Frances
Holiday seemed absurd. and yet how
else explain the notef
felt that was getting tangled up
In the snarl again. There seemed nc
limit to its intricacies; so, In very de-
spair. I put the matter from me as
completely as could and went to
bed.
The mornings Record attested the
truth Of Rankin's prophecy. had
grown famous in a night. for Godfrey
had in q measure made me responsible
for his theory. describing me with {
wealth of adjectives which blush t.
remember and which I have even We
not quite forgiven him. I smiled as
! read the FIRST lines:
A Record representative had the pleas
ure yesterday evening Of dining with Mr.
Warwick Lester, the BRILLIANT young at
tornsy who achieved such a renarkabl
. victory before Coroner Goldberg yester
day Afternoon In the hearing OF the Hoi
tladay case, and, OF course. took occasion
to discuss with him the latest Aeveiop
. ments OF this extraordinary crime. Mr.
. Lester agreed with the Record In a the