Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-08

dertakes, but | don't believe he fan
cies this 'butlering business. Come
around tomorrow afternoon and l
will tell you ALL
/ Now Cheney was ready to move
swiftly and surely in his work. He
was sure before that Grace Abney had
sent the threatening letters; now he
knew 1T. All that was left to do was
to bring about the denouement.
Just off of Cheney's office was an
alcove room before the door of which
hung a curtain. In this a1cove was
his secretary's Office, and his secre-
tary was very bright woman named
May Wood Cheney called her.
miss Wood, tomorrow morning |
want you to be in your Office con-
'stantly. | expect lady visitor, quite
a society woman in fact, and / want
every word spoken while she is here
taken down."
| Cheney again interviewed the post
master and that gentleman promised
to have Mrs. Abney in his (Cheney's)
office the next morning. He knew her
and would not have any trouble in
inducing her to come. Cheney didn't
want her husband to come-not just
yet, if at all. 1t depended on the
woman.
The next morning about IL o'clock
the postmaster and Mrs. Abney ar
rived. She was a beautiful woman,
stylishly gowned, and possessed pair
of blue-black eyes. The introduction
was brief and the postmaster with
! drew. Mrs. Abney had herself under
splendid control. She knew nothing
of what was in store for her. Cheney,
! too, was good to look upon that morn
ing; he was we'll dressed and decorated
with red carnation.
Mrs. Abney," he began after his
| guest was comfortably seated in an
easy chair, Il am connected with the
government service, and in process
of my work l have formed an idea
! that something is wrong with the
stamp department of the st. Louis
post ONCE"
And what has that to do with me,
pray?" asked Mrs. Abney in a rich
! contralto voice. Her eyes were look
! ing straight at Col. Cheney.
wait, please. 1t is thought there
are a number of spurious stamps be-
ing sold in st. Louis. The sub sta
ton near your residence is suspected
of being implicated
What? Mr.. Johnson? Impossible,
| Col. Cheney, impossible"
Mrs. Abney, nothing is impossible.
l have not said Mr.. Johnson was i'm
! plicated. ! am merely investigating.
| Of course Mr.. Abney buys all his
| stamps downtown but you, l pre-
sumo, purchase stamps for your cor
respondence at the sub station near
where you live
Cheney spoke in a we'll modulated
, voice. His manner was that of gen.
tleman, his eyes were quiet, there was
| not the least sign of an Interior mo-
tive in this talk The hook was bait
| ed and dangling near the fish, and the
fish nibbled.
Yes" replied Mrs. Abney, Il buy
stamps frequently from Mr. Johnson"
"Just So And when did you last
buy any from him.
why, let me see-three days ago,
| if | remember Alright"
Her memory was good; that was
the day Johnson reported the sale and
returned the remaining half sheet.
| Not a muscle of Cheney's face moved;
| the smile was still there.
Have you used all you bought on
that day, Mrs. Cheney?"
why, no. l have some of them
here now. Here they are" she said,
! laying some 50 stamps on the table.
| Col. Cheney carelessly took them.
The fish had swallowed the bait, hook,
line and sinker. All that remained
was to land the prize.
| Mrs. Abney began to wonder what
all this questioning from this quiet,
masterful man meant A slightly I'M
! comfortable feeling began stealing
over her. Miss Wood was seated in
the curtained alcove, taking down
every word.
81 have told you all l know, Col.
| Cheney. Now | beg you to excuse me;
l have an appointment and must go.
The fish was running out with the
| line; it must be brought back.
wait. Just a moment, please"
said the colonel. You know Mr..
Fred Stanton, do you not?"
Mrs. Abney's heart began beating
| faster. The color faded from her face.
"Yes, l know him; what of it ?"
You were engaged to him, were
you not?"
Col Cheney, your remarks are be-
coming personal and, to say the least,
| impertient / did not come here to
| be insulted You have no right to
| talk to me like that. l shall tell Mr..
| Abney and he can settle with you.
She turned to leave, but Col. Cheney,
who had risen again, said: Wait!
and this time there was no mistaking
| the tone; it was a command.
Excuse me, Mrs. Abney, but | do
not think you will tell Mr.. Abney any
| thing about it. You were in love with
/ ENrod Stanton and Won are vet. He