Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-07-05
CHAPTER XIII.
Quiet 10 Restored.

NOW then" said MacArdel, the next
morning, as we were comfortably seat
cd in the library, this mystery is
clearing itself up more rapidly than
expected. Have you got those two
notes with you? l mean the one you
found on your bed the other morning
and the one that slipped out Of your
pocket last night!'
handed them to him and we
spread them out on the table and ex-
Amined them closely. The first was
written In cramped labored hand
which was obviously disguised while
the more recent one had evidently
been dashed Of hurriedly and with
) no attempt at masking the chriog-
rRphy of its author In both in
stances, however, the English style of
writing was 80 clearly exemplifed
and there were 50 many letters having
points in common, that 1t did not re-
quire the skill Of an expert to per-
: ceive that the two notes were the
work Of the same individual.
"You see," exclaimed MacArdel, II
was right, only got the cart before
the horse. l told you that after we
had discovered how the first note was
placed on your bed we would have lit
tie or no difficulty in tracing its au-
thorship As matters have turned out,
however, we know the author but we
don't know how she got the paper
into your room. Nevertheless you
ought to be satisfied for you remem-
Der you said that you cared very little
how the letter reached you If you
could only find out who wrote it."
81 am not so sure that we know who
wrote it even now" returned, gloom
ny. The goings-on in this house are
altogether too bewildering to suit my
taste"
Why it must have been the
woman" cried MacArdel, with empha-
sis. Who else could have done it, man?
You'll admit that both were written by
the same hand, and | hardly think
you'll deny that she was responsible
for the one we found last night. II
: che wrote one she must have written
the other, too"
Perhaps she didn't write either"
. ! muttered insistently.
"0h, rubbish, Ware." exclaimed
MacArdel, impatiently. What's the
use of looking for more mystery when
the whole thing is as good as ex-
planned! There she was, locked up
in that little room across the hall. She
couldn't get out, except through the
window, and there was only one, which
opened on the veranda right beside
my chair. But she could look out and
see all that was going On, and when
We had our little tussle with jerks.
she took it all in from start to finish
Now, the widows no fool, Ware,
and as soon as she realized that she
and jerks were completely in our pow
er she wrote this note at the desk in
the corner of the room and kent it
q In her hand until the opportunity came
to slip it into your pocket. She wrote
hurriedly for she did not know when
a she would be interrupted and so she
had no time to disguise her hand as
she did before She's English the
writings English and I'll warrant the
. paper in the desk is the same as this
she used"
We crossed the hall to the little re.
ception room, and, as MacArdel had
suggested, we found the desk open and
some stationery strewn about which
exactly matched the paper | held in
my hand. Moreover, on the floor near
by was a lead pencil which, apparent.
ly, had been thrown down carelessly
so that it rolled of the desk to the
place where we discovered it.
The note was in pencil, and, un-
aoubtedly. had been written with this
eeneil or with one of the same quality
Of lead.
There seemed to be no room for
further argument as to the identity of
the author Of these remarkable COM
munications, but, while the facts con-
corning the second were sufficiently
plain, much mystery still surrounded
the first.
Hang it all, Mac!" / exclaimed, I'll
nave to admit that the widow wrote
the notes in spite of myself, but how
on earth did she know of my feelings
toward Miss Carney? And, what's
more, how did she get that letter on
my bed?"
Guessed at it, as far as your first
question is concerned" replied Mac
Ardel' cheerfully. "Just used her com.
mon sense as to the fitness Of the
match, and took the chance. That's
9 al there is to it, Ware"
Even So" I returned, and I'm
hardly willing to admit that your ex-
PLANTATION is correct, how did the note
get on the bed?"
Easiest thing in the world" laughed
MacArdel. you were in and out of
your room after you made up the bed
Ter the night, weren't your"
why, certainly" / rejoined. 81
. liked 1t up first and then came down
and locked up the house. must have
. been out Of the room for Is or 20
minutes after the bed was made"
We'll" he continued "whaf mora