Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-06


chair up ,iose to his. you don't seem
to understand Just what ! mean. The
point Is simply this. No one could have
written a thing like that, In such q
positive way, unless he had known
that It was true. Now, you are h
only person living with whom I have
ever talked on this subject, for you
will remember that you once init.
mated pretty broadly that l was In
love with Miss Carney"
and you denied 1t fatty" he re.
marked.
YES" replied, II denied It
fatty"
"MacArdcl," I said, soberly. looking
him squarely In the face. you've cor.
ncrcd me and ] might as well tell you
the whole thing. II was three car &
when we talked of this before, and =
must have loved her then and from
the day | first saw her. But not as ]
love her now, old man, for 10Y she IL
my all in all and my only thoughts are
for her welfare and her happiness
Yon know ! saw her very frequently
when she was living in town, and now
that she Is away our correspondence
Is necessarily frequent, SO that ] can
keep informed of her whereabouts
and know Of her needs from he es-
tate"
"Of course, o could not pay her
any attentions unless you meant to
ask her to marry you,' said MacArdel.
but ! don't see any objection what
ever to that. | know you haven't any
money. but your social position Is as
good as hers. and o arc doing well
in your profession. 1t seems to me
that 1t would be a very appropriate
match II you love each other
mo, Mac" ! insisted. ITS better as
It is. Considering my position In o n
nectiOn with the estate It would be a
mean advantage for me to take, and.
Mac. II she refused me, ] believe ]
would kill myself, I'm such q fool
over It,"
"But suppose she didn't refuse you,"
said MacArdcl softly, laying his hand
OF my arm.
mo. old man, it's no use talking
that way" | replied. I'll just go on
as I've been doing. It's the only thing
! a do, as ! see It,"
bet you a dinner at Sherry's that
you propose to her and marry her
within two years" said MacArdcl,
with q quiZzical look In his kindly
eyes, and, with a halfhcartcd grasp OF
his hand. | accepted the wager with
a tcmcrity that was half wishing and
half hopeful.
$50 You see why I feel so strongly
about this note" | said, rising and
opening the door. which ! had cloGed
carefully on my entrance. "Thc sub.
ject Is one that | cannot bear to have
triflcd with. and. anyway. | cannot i'm
agine who could have rcai my inner.
most thoughts 80 correctly. That
puzzles me more than the mysterious
appearance of the letter in my bed
Il fancy we'll be able to explain that
without much trouble" said MacArdcl.
lighting a fresh cigar and laying his
cigar case on the table beside him.
These mysterious occurrences always
hiII''h III " " i'l' '''''i o''''
all Is said and done. One night, last
summer | was reading In bed and just
before putting out the light | aid my
eyeglasses on Il little table about six
feet from the window. | gas perfectly
sure about 1t. for the spring was bent
slightly and | had spcn, several min
utcs ~fussing with them before | put
them down. The next morning they
were gone and never turned up. In
spite of the most vigorous search. un.
I'll the maid found them. three or four
days later, hidden completely In the
folds Of the lace curtain which had
blown across the table and caught
them up. As my room was on the
fourth floor and had beer securely
locked all night, the affair was quito
=. mystifying until it was 80 simply OK,
plaincd. Wen find out before long
l how the letter got On your bed, and
that will doubtless lead to the dis.
c0very of Its author. Have a fresh
cigar and show me around the place
r u bit. 1t looks mighty interesting and
romantic"
7 (TO BE CONTINUED.)