Gilpin observer., 1908-10-01

DOUBT. Without the knowledge OF a
single one of our fellow passengers II
was quietly arranged that we should
all proceed in the morning by a spe-
cial stage in charge Of Hughes to
Mammouth station at the northern
end of the park there to make report
to the cavalry colonel in command.
This plan admitted Of few hours
sleep Of which we hastened to take ad.
vantage.
And now. Lady Snively," began
Clarke, when we were comfortably
slowed away in the stage the next
morning, perhaps you can tell us
your story and we can advise you as
to the future"
please do not call me Lady Snive-
ly,' answered the brave little woman
That name was my undoing and
henceforth l am content to be plain
Alice Hathaway. The story is brief
and If it would only prove warning
to all foolish American girls l would
feel that | have not lived it in vain.
My father died when | was 1S. He
was one of the organizers of the Uni
ted States Zinc Corporation, but be-
fore his death he had converted all of
his stock into bonds. | was an only
child and l suddenly found myself in
the possession of the bonds which
you have now. That was two years
ago. | was young and foolish and my
ideas of life had been gained from
reading fiction, not the best, l be-
lieve. When real lord in the person
of Lord Snively met me and asked my
hand in marriage / was innocent
enough to believe I was making
great match.
I'VE went first to London. The
world and the future looked lovely for
time, but the dream was soon dis
PEELED. Suspicion began to gnaw upon
my happiness when, instead of pro-
ceeding at once to his ancestral castle
in Surrey as he had promised, we sud
denly packed in an hour and made
hurried return to the United States.
On the passage home l found in his
luggage newspaper clipping that set
me thinking all the harder. 1t was
the story of some villain in England
who, under various names, was sus
pected of marrying number of wom
en-, securing possession of their
wealth and then numbering them'
-. Frederick Bannister was it not ?"
interrupted Clarke. DO you know,
Sexton, l rather suspected from the
first it was him. He was a sort of
English Johann Hoch and went under
a number of aliases
Yes, Bannister was one of the
names used aud the description in the
struggle as l might against the awful
thought l could not get it out of my
mind. He knew of my wealth and
knew the safe deposit company with
which it was kept l determined to
draw it out secretly and place it else
where. had secured the papers when.
with the suddennesS that marked all
his movements, he told me we were
going to the Yellowstone. l had no
opportunity to place the bonds any
where, so closely did he watch me.
am now convinced he knew l had
them on my person for our journey
was constant series of Quarrels over
the question of my placing all my for
tune in his hands that he might re-
deem from mortgage his ancestral es-
tates.
During one of these quarrels, about
the time we reached Chicago,
charged him directly with the clipping
| had found in his luggage. His first
look of terror and anger told me the
shaft had struck and then he became
the same inscrutable, oily villain as
before. But | knew the truth and
knew that upon my wits alone rested
the safety of my fortune and my life.
When you gentlemen entered the
train | studied you closely. Then
learned Mr.. Clarke's name and it was
at once familiar to me because Mrs.
Richard King, whom | know quite
well, had told me of your wonderful
work and how you had rescued her
and her husband from the wiles of a
worker of black magic. knew l could
trust you.
You received the note I slipped
through the crack in the wall. Mr.
Clarke, directing the disposition of my
fortune in case of my death?"
Yes, received it all right" an
swered Clarke. But now l have the
happiness to be able to restore it to
its rightful owner living"
We found the commandant at Nam
mouth a most reasonable man. He
was fully satisfied with our story, ex-
acting only the promise, readily given.
I assure you, that we would keep him
advised of our whereabouts in case
powers above him should wish to in
quire more closely into the matter
The stage company also treated us
with marked consideration in insisting
that we should resume our interrupted
tour as their honored guests. Lady
Snively, or Miss Hathaway, as we now