The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-19

Their Il proceeded, the more my SPIRITS
fell; for they told no story, they seemed
TO ave no relation to each other-no
common thread. Apparently they had
been gathered aimlessly at haphazard
to satisfy the within OF the moment.
One chronicled a wreck at sea; another
a bank robbery; a third an escape from
prison: a fourth was merely n marriage
notice; a fifth told of a row In a sailors
dive. and so on down the list. They
were about different people--friends OF
Thompson's, perhaps; none OF them
a any connection with Tremaine;
they told no story. furnished no clew,
shed not q ray of light on the mys-
teIy--they were absolutely worthless.
L laid them down In despair. Yet II
they We're worthless, why had Miss
Croydon taken them? Why had Tre-
maine sought for them? Were they
mistaken, too? Had they imagined the
clippings told a secret which in fact
they did not tell? But perhaps they
did tell it-perhaps l had overlooked
it.. They must nave some connection
with the tragedy? Why should ! not
perceive it2
/ ran through them feverishIy again,
but with 10 better result. At last I
laid them down and took up my pipe.
l must submit them to q keener brain
than mine. II Godfrey were only
here.
7 heard o step come down the hall,
stop at my door. Someone knocked.
I hastily stuffed the clippings into my
pocket and opened the door. But IL
was not Tremaine who stood there-it
was Godfrey.
well OF all things!" I cried, 1T was
just wishing for you. Come in"
With that quiet smile Of his, he
stepped over the threshold.
THAT must mean you've got some
new problem to solvef' he said smiI-
ing.
II have; the worst yet; impenetrable
as h countenance OF the Sphinx. But
first give me your coat and hat"
They were dripping with water, and
for the first time I heard the rain beat
ing savagely against the windows.
Il happened to be across the street
talking with Simmons" he said, land
l thought I'd u over and see you a
moment"
When did you get back from Wash
ington?"
lust this evening. and I've got to
put in tomorrow at Boston. worse
luckI" IT,.
/ handed him a cigar and took one
myself. ] confess that the match with
which / lighted 1T was not wholly
steady.
Come" said Godfrey, smiling In
sympathy with my excitement, what's
the great discovery? Some news from
the house party?" ..a
mo; 1 Ravens heard a word from
the houseparty."
What is it, then? Out with it,"
Godfrey" I cried, i've found the
clippings" and / plunged my hand into
my pocket and drew them forth.
He was out of his seat in an instant.
THE ciippingsi Not the ones'--
The very ones!" I nodded triumph
antly.
Let me see them; but wait" and he
held himself back. II confess you sur
such a bomb. This is great luck. Where
did you find them?"
1 told him of Higgins chance remark
that had put me on the track. and In
the same breath related what Cecily
had told me OF Tremaine and his en-
counter with his zombi.
'Good boy!" Godfrey commended
when / had finished. You're worth all
the rest OF us put together. You see,
we're beginning to get the threads in
hand. Now bring the clippings over
here to the desk under the light
1 laid them on the desk and he sat
down before 1t.
But here" he said, starting UT
again, you'll want to see them.
oo"- :
mo, no." I protested. "Sit down. 7
have seen them" and then suddenly I
remembered how L had been disap-
pointed. They contained no secret, they
gave iuS no clew.
so" he said, sitting down again;
so you're in the secret, then?'
1--WE looked them over" I repeated
despondently, ''but I'm not in the Sc
cret. They don't tell any secret, or
anything else that concernse this case.
/ don't believe they'll help us a bit God
frey. They're abou everything under
the u but the one thing ere inter
ested in"
/ went back to my chair and applied
myself to my cigar; i hardly dared
look at Godfrey, his disappointment
would be so intense. A silence of three
or Q u minutes followed, broken only
by the rustling of paper and the how
ling OF the wind about the building.
Then / glanced at Godfrey. His
cheeks were flushed. his eyes were
beaming with triumph.
What" I cried. starting up, do you
think"-
He looked up with a little nod.
Yes" he said; they tell US the
whole story, Lester"
(Continued Next Weekly