The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-04-05

pursuit was not long. for when the
party had arrived at the little railroad
station which is nearest to the estate
of Sunnyside Clifford took advantage
Of moment when he thought that no
eye was upon him and, drawing a let
ter from the suspected pocket, he drop
ped it through a crack between two
planks Of the platform. Conroy was
surprised that the man had not torn
the letter, and yet, of course, the odds
were enormous that it would lie I'M
seen forever.
There was indeed another eXplaua-
ton which ConrOy discovered some
hours later, when he had hired a youth
full native of that region to crawl I'M
der the platform and secure the letter.
1t had already been torn and was all
in small bits inside the envelope
An hours work in the room which
had been assigned to him at Sunny
side sutficed for the task of putting the
pieces together Then Conroy pasted
them neatly upon thin paper and re.
viewed the letter as Il whole 1t had
been mailed in London and ran as fol
lows:
Dear Cliford-I write this in hurry to
catch a mail. Miss NJ. IS dead-and who
that has a heart will not be glad? You
that have none will rejoice in your own
way, for while she lived there was always
danger that some enemy would retell the
old story Fifteen years of madness!
Poor woman, poor woman! OF course
have never exaggerated your conduct.
You were engaged to her. she loved you.
you saw a chance for a rich marriage,
you Tilted her, and the shock dethroned
her reason. That's the worst of it and
the whole of it. May God forgive you.
r.
1t was now nearly 10 o'clock, but
COnroy, armed with this weapon, which
Providence had put into his hands,
could delay to use it. The trivial affair
was already upon the way to Il con-
cusion, for he had recognized in one
Of the fOOtmen an Old and clever of
fender. But in any case he would
have given all his thought to the more
serious matter. for surely Mr.. Hollen-
der would rather lose a few pieces Of
plate than that his daughter should
marry rascal.
ConrOy descended the stairs and
found the lower part of the house de-
serted except for a few servants, for
the guests were all upon the verandas.
Passing through the dimly lighted
drawing room he came suddenly face
to face with the object of his search
Miss Hollender," he said, I'm glad
to find you alone. Here's something
that you certainly ought to see. Per
haps l ought to show it to your father,
but I guess this way will be the quick
est and for that reason the best. It's
n letter that | saw Mr.. Clifford dispose
Of
a hand suddenly fell upon the detec-
tive's wrist and voice vibrant with
wrath spoke in his ear.
$50 this is your errand here, is it?
The robbery story is only n blind, Ell?
You're on my TRAIL"
Conroy wrenched himself free of
Clfford's grip and preserved his hold
upon the letter At the same moment
he heard Miss Hollender's voice, cold
and smooth as ice:
"Of course l could not read a letter
of Mr. Cliffords under any clrcum-
stances" she said, but if | did so,
whatever the contents might be, /
could not know him better than l do at
this present instant. His Inference in
regard to your business here, Mr.. Con-
ROY. will be all that l shall require.
That l owe to you, and l thank you
heartily"