La Junta tribune., 1907-03-23

WILL.
ed my eye with the agreeable green OF
the national currency. Many bank
bills. tightly folded. were wrapped In
the single sheet OF paper which ! have
mentioned. The total sum WIS $3.50.
Will not attempt TO describe the
perplexity into which WAS thrown by
this mysterious communication.
After cudeeling my brains for some
hours | reached the very annoying
conclusion that this money must have
been sent to me by Mrs colvin.
whom ] had come 10 know when
lived AT my crandfather's house In
Nontclatr.
( After thc sudden death OF her hus-
band assisted her In settling the cs'
tate and In 40 doing spent some OF
my own money. which fact studious-
Iy concealed. was n snitor for the
hand OF Mrs Colyin's daughter at that
time and had n faint hope. which was
speedily qucnchcd, though not my love,
alas.
would rather that almost anything
else had happened than that Mrs. Col
win should have discovered her debt TO
me TO have put her under this ohll-
cation WAS an offense against good
taste. and She was one who would see
the matter IN It's proper light. Perhaps
for this reason she had paid the money
secretly. desiring TO avoid the dishon-
esiy OF pretending TO forgive me.
Unfortunately she had considerably
ovcrpaid me, yet the money must have
come from her. for there WAS no other
explanation. II remained, then for me
10 20 10 Mrs. Colvin. whom ] had not
seen In more than year. and render
her true account, returning the bal
'ancc now due her.
With this purpose went 10 Mont
clair in the afternoon OF the followin:
day. II was mid.June. and the beau
tiIul town was ut Its best, with all the
rose gardens blooming aud the scented
mir thrilling with gHyeiy, as II there
were some public mcrrymaking. Ii Is
needless 10 say that my own mood was
not fcstai dreaded the coming In
,crvlew, and my heart ached at the
thought OF seeing Amy colviu again.
walked slowly aud went out OF my
way TO pass my grandfathers house.
untenanted since his death. and there
NI' ~
the shu,tered windows and recalling
the tragedy which had cut him on In
what he used cheerily 10 call the prime
Of old age" We found him dead upon
the floor OF his chamber one morning.
and his hands were ciinched tightly
upon the collar and sleeve OF n rough
cost OF dark cloth. This garment was
r burglars. My grandfather had dis
covered the man in his room. had
sprung from his bed TO grapple with
the thief and had died OF his own too
violent excrIions. for his heart had been
weakened by a recent serious Illness.
We discovered that the burglar had
entered by n window OF my room and.
after relieving me OF II considerable
sum OF money. had passed TO my grand
fathers apartment where the silent.
swift and fatal struggle had occurred
and whence the intruder. stripped of
his coat. had escaped into the night.
Mrs. Colviu's house. when l came to
1t. looked chcery and homeiike In CON-
parison with the great empty manston
that had just left. A servant an
swerei my summons aud greeted me
with surprise and voluble JOY. She
had been for many years in my grand
fathers employ and had strong SEN
ltiment Of loyalty to the family.
There's nobody nt home said she
after paying her respects TO me. But
Mrs. colvin will be back soon. Miss
Amy and Mr.. Durland have gone to the
ball game
Mr.. Durland was young man who.
npon my recommendation. had been
taken as boartIcr by Mrs. Coivin
shortly after her husbands desth, for
Il seemed advisable for her to increase