The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-12-20

Their L proceeded. the more my spiEts
fell: for they told no story. they seemed
to have no relation 10 each other-no
ominon thread. Apparently they had
been gathered aimlessly at haphazard
TO satisfy the whim of The moment.
one ~hrOnicle a wreck at sea; another
a bank robbery; a third an escape from
prison: u fourtil was merely a marriage
notice; a fifth told of a row III a sailors
dive. and so OH down the list. They
We're about different people-friends OF
~lhoHlpson's, perhaps; none of them
had any connection with Tremaine:
they told no story. furnished no clew,
shed not Il ray of light on the mys-
tely-they were absolutely worthless.
| laid them down in despair. Yet If
they We're worthless, why had Miss
croydon taken them? Why had Ire
maine sought for them? Were they
mistaken, too? Had they imagined the
clippings told Il secret which in fact
they did not tell? But perhaps they
did tell it-perhaps j Il overlooked
1t. They must have some connection
with the Tragedy" Why should l not
perceive it?
l a through them feverlshly again.
but with no better result. At last I
lald them down and took up my pipe.
| must submit them to a keener brain
than mine. If Godfrey We're only
here.
I heard a step come down the hall.
stop at my door. Someone knocked.
l hastily stuffed the clippings into my
pocket and opened the door. But it
was not Tremaine who stood THERETO
was Godfrey.
Well. Of all things!" I cried. II was
just wishing for you. Come in"
With that quiet smile of his, he
stepped over the Threshold.
mat must mean you've got some
new problem to solve he said smil-
ing.
II have: the worst yet; impenetrable
as lhe countenance of h Sphinx. But
irst give me your coat and hat"
Ihey We're dripping with water, and
LOT the first time . heard the rain beat
ing savagely against the windows.
y happened to be across the street
talking with Simmons" he said. "and
l 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
luck!!" ~ 'iS
l handed him a cigar and took one
1nyself. L confess thai the match with
winch l lighted it was not wholly
steady. ~
Come" said Godfrey, smiling in
Will my excitement. what's
the great discovery? Some news from
the house party?"
NO; l haven's heard q word from
the houseparty."
.What is it. then? out with it."
clip mdarTey', ana : cried, I've found the
my pocket and drew them forth.
lie was out of his seat in an Instant.
nIhe clippings! Not the ones"-
antly. '-iu''ipa-
Let me see them; but wait" and he
held himself back. II confess YOU ~ sur n
such a bomb, This is great luck. Wherse
did you find them?"
l told him of Higgins chance remark
That had put ms on the track, and in
the same breath related what Cecily
had told me OF Tremaine and his en-,
counter with his Zo1nbi
Good boy" Godfrey commended
When ! a finished. You're worth all
the rest OF us put together. You see.
h we re pe Na.n to get the threads in
here to the desk under the light"
L laid them on the desk and he sat
down before it.
.r shat here" he said, starting up
a gam you'll want to see them.
NO, no." I protested. "sit down. I
have seen them" and then suddenly I
how I had beer disap-
pointed. They contained no secret, they
gave us no clew.N
So" he said. sitting down again;
so you're in the secret, then?"
I've looked them over" i reneated
d%espondently, but Tn not in the Sc
eret; They don't tell any secret, or
anything else that concernse this case.
! don't believe they'll help us a bit Cod
frey. THEY'RE about everything under
me sun but the one thing we're inter-
ested in"
went back to my chair and applied
myself to my cigar; 1 hardly dared
would be SO intense. A silence Of three
or four minutes followed, broken only
by the rustling of paper and the how
ling of the wind about the bu1lding.
Then I glanced at Godfrey. HIS
cheeks were flushed. his eyes were
beaming with triumph. ~
What" I cried. starting up, d you
He looked up with a little nod.
yes he said; they tell us the
fCont,pI,ed Nav NM>.l