The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1907-06-27
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The Mystery
Carne'y-Croft
BY
JOSEPH BROWN COOKE
tcopyrsA. 1907. BY Story Press corpors,ou1
CHAPTER XIII,


CHAPTER XIII,

morning, as we were comfortably seat
ed in the library, this mystery is
clearing itself up more rapidly than
j 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 e1-
amined them closely. The first was
written In cramped labored hand
which was obviously disguised. while
the more recent one had evidently
been dashed or hurriedly and with
no attempt at masking the chriog
raphy of its author. In both in
stances, however, the English style of
and there were SO many letters having
points in common, that it 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 l 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."
II am not so sure that we know who
wrote it even now" l returned. gloom
lily. The goings-on in this house are
altogether too bewildering to suit my
taste"
why, it must nave 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
she wrote one she must have written
the other, too"
Perhaps she didn't write either"
muttered mistakenly.
"Oh. rubbish, Ware" exclaimed
MacArdel impatiently. Whats 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 kept it
in her hand until the opportunity came
to slip it into your pocket. She wrote
hurriedly for she did not know when
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 Iii 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 l held in
my hand. Moreover. on the floor near
by was lead pencil which, apparent
ly, had been thrown down carelessly
40 that it rolled off the desk to the
place where We discovered 1t.
The note was in pencil, and, un
doubleday had been written with this
pencil 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," l exclaimed, I'll
have 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 Oh
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
all there is to it. Ware"
Even So" l returned. land 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 bee
for the night, weren't you?"
why. certainly" l rejcined. 'l
fixed 1t up first and then came dowr
and locked up the house. must hav.
been out of the room for Is or q
L. LIZ