Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-02-13
He stared at me in astonishment.


Godfrey of the Record ?''
Then, in a flash, understood, and as
looked at the rueful faces of the men
gathered about me laughed until the
tears came.
$50 it was you," 1 gasped, "who
chased US up Broadway"
He nodded.
"Yes, but our horses weren't good
enough. Where did he take you?"
'To the Studio-SiXth avenue"
"Of courseT he cried, slapping his
leg I'VE might have known. Boys,
we'd better go back to PodUnk-"
'tWelI, at least, Mr.. Lester spoke up
another, you oughtn't to give Godfrey
SCOOP"
But l didn't give him a scoop. I
didn't even know who he was
"Didu't you tell him what was in the
note:"
'Not word of it. told him only
one thing"
"And what was that?'
''That the person who wrote the note
didn't know that Rogers was color
blind. You are welcome to that state
ment too. You see, I'm treating you all
alike"
They stood about me staring down at
me, silent with astonishment
But" added, Il think Godfrey sus-
poets what was in the note"
"Why?'
"Well, his theory fits it pretty close
ly.'
"His theory! What is his theory, Mr..
Lester?"
"Oh, come" 1 laughed. ''That's tell
ing. It's good theory too"
They looked at each other, and, /
fancied, gnashed their teeth.
"He seems a pretty clever fellow" I
added. just to pile up the agony. 81
fancy you'll say so, too, when you see
his theory in tomorrow's paper"
"Cleverw cried Rankin. "Why, he's
a very fiend of cleverness when it
comes to case Of this kind. We're not
In the same class with him. He's a
fancy fellow-just 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"
mo, I'm quite sure didn't tell him
anything else. I only listened to his
theory with great interest"
"And assented to it?'
II said I thought it plausible"
An electric shock seemed to ru1
around the room.
That's 1t" cried Rankin. That's
what he wanted. Now, it isn't his
theory any more. It's yours. Oh,
can see his headlines! Won't you tell
us what 1t was?"
I looked up at him.
"Now, frankly, Mr.. Rankin" I asked,
'if you were in my place would you
tell?"
= He hesitated for moment and then
held out his hand.
NO" he said as l took it. Il
right. Come on, boys; we might as
we'll be going
They filed out after him, and heard
them go singing up the street. Then
sank back into my chair and thought
again Of Godfrey's theory. 1t seemed
to fit the case precisely, point by point
overland I started at the thought
to Miss Holidays reticence 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
he :,>.>...Cc..:s'; - had gone to visit her
and had found her away from home
1t 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
her? At any rate, Miss Holiday had
awaited her return, had noticed her
agitation; had, perhaps, even seen GER
tain marks Of blood upon her. The
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 I held in my
hand the key to the whole problem.
Point by point-but what snarl it
was! That there would be a vigorous
search for the other woman 1 could
not doubt, but she had long start and
should easily escape. Yet perhaps she
had not started. She must have re-
manned in town, else how could that
note have been sent to us? She had re-
manned, then-but why? That she
should feel any affection for Frances
Holladay seemed absurd. and yet how
else explain the note?
1 felt that was getting tangled up
in the snarl again. There seemed no
limit to it's intricacies; so, in very de-
spair, I put the matter from me as
completely as l could and went to
bed.
The mornings Record attested the
truth of Rankin's prophecy. 1 had
grown famous in a night, for Godfrey
had in a measure made me responsible
for his theory, describing me with
wealth Of adjectives which I blush to
remember and which I have even yet
not quite forgiven him. I smiled as 1
read the first limos: