Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-12-20

Their I proceeded, the more my spirits
fell; for they told no story, they seemed
to have no relation to each other-no
common thread. Apparently they had
been gathered aimlessly at h~aphazard
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 a 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
Thonpson's. perhaps; none of them
had any connection with Tremaine;
they told no story, furnished no clew,
shed not a ray of light on the mys-
tefy-they were absolutely worthless.
l laid them down in despair. Yet IL
they were worthless, why had Miss
Croydon taken them? Why had Ire
maine sought for them? Were they
mistaken. too? Had they imagined the
clippings old a secret which In fact
they did not tell? But perhaps they
did tell ~it-perhaps / had overlooked
it. They must have some connection
with the tragedy? Why should l not
perceive it?
l ran through them feverishly again,
but with no better result. At last I
laid them down and took up my pipe.
l must submit them to a keener brain
than mine. IL Godfrey were only
here.
i heard a step come down the hall,
stop at my door. Someone knocked.
1 hastily stuffed the clippings into my
pocket n opened the door. But it
was not Tremaine who stood there-it
was Godfrey.
We'll Of all things" I cried: Il was
Just wishing for you. Come n"
With that quiet smile OF his, he
stepped over the threshold.
n must mean you've got some
new problem to solve" he said mil
Ing.
Il have; the worst yet; impenetrable
as the ~countenance of the Sphinx. But
nrst give me your coat and hat"
They were dripping with water, and
for thef first time / heard the rain beat
ing savagely against the windows.
happened to be across the street
talking with Simmons" he said, and
1 thought I'd run over and see you a
moment"
When did you get back from Wash
ington?"
Just this evening. and I've got to
put In tomorrow at Boston, worse
l handed him a cigar and took n
] confess that the match with
which | lighted 1t was not wholly
Come said Godfrey, smiling in
~ ''l'oNi lily excitement, WHAT'S
the great discovery? Some news from
he house party?'
No: / Ravens heard a word from
the houseparty."
What is 1t, then? Out with It,"
Godfrey" / cried, i've found the
clippings" and l plunged my hand into
pocket and drew them forth.
He was out OF his seat In an instant.
The clippings. 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
Drfssd me, Lester--I wasn't expecting
,uch a bomb. This is great luck. Where
lid you find them?'
told him OF Higgins chance remark
hat had put me On the track, and In
he same breath related what Cecily
lad told me OF Tremaine and his en-
with his zombi.
Good boy!" Godfrey commended
when l had finished. You're worth all
ne rest OF US put together. You see,
we're beginning to get the threads in
lere to the desk under the light"
l laid them on the desk and he sat
before It.
But here he said, starting I'M
'gain, you'll, want to see them,
oo'-
mo, no, L protested. sit down.
seen them,' and the suddenly /
how / had been disap-
'ofnted. They contained no secret, they
rave us no clew.
so" he said, sitting down again;
so you're In the secret. Them"
I've looked them over" I repeated
but I'm not i'm the Sc
ret. They don't tell any secret. or
else that concernse this case.
don't believe they'll help us a bit Cod
They're about everything under
u but the n thing we're inter-
in"
l went back to my chair and pplied
myself To my cigar: / hardly dared
ook at Godfrey. his disappointment
would be so intense. A silence OF three
IT four minutes followed, broken only
~ the rustling of paper and the how
Ing OF the wine about the building.
Then l glanced at Godfrey. His
heeks were flushed. his eyes were
with triumph.
What" 1 cried, starting up, d you
hink"-
He looked up with a little nod.
YES" he said; they tell us he
story. Lester"
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