Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-06-17

Lad never seen her lC,k so well, ano
she passed us men without so much as
glancing in our direction, though Win.
cents gaze, | thought, was trifia
rude.
They had been gone Fome Is min
utes when it occurred to me that 1t
might do my head good to go out and
get some fresh air. Besides which
had begun to regret that had per
mitted Vincent to go to church the
only ESQUIRE of such galaxy Of beau
ty. So | put on my hat and strolled
out over the lawn and down the long
drive, and before knew it / had
reached the bottom Of the hilly road
and had set out over the fields. The
church rarty had gone by the way Of
the path over the fields, for that was
a shorter route than the main road
AS walked quickly along the we'll
beaten path between the thickets
stopped suddenly and stopped to pick
up small dust-coyared object which
proved TO be prayer book. "One of
those careless girls has dropped it,"
said to myself, for they had all car
ried them. Opening it to find the
owners name, | was much agitated to
read on the flyleaf this inscription:
ITO my daughter Agatha from her
father, Fletcher Boyd and the date,
1900 1t was, then, gift which Fetch
er Boyd had made to his daughter only
two years before his death
was wild with excitement In a
minute, | would keep the book, and
some time when all the girls were
gathered together | would announce
that had it in my possession and
see If one of them did not betray her
self by asking me for it. But Fate
decreed that | should make my test
Of the prayer book more speedily, for
spied In the distance the white figure
Of girl Fastening back. The path
was dusty and the sun was shining
right in her face, so trusted she
had not seen me, and, putting the little
volume down just where | had found
it, jumped behind the bushes. The
owner OF the book was looking for her
property. On she came, running slow
ly and glancing eagerly from side to
side Of the pathway. AS she came OPP
posite me she stopped and snatched up
the book, and when she had run back
again the conviction that the Honor
able Agatha was no other than Agatha
Fourth was forced in upon me.
So reused was by this event that
turned my. steps homeward at once.
Suspicion had now fallen on every one
of the six Agathas, but thisthis was
the most convincing of proofs! That
night | could hardly wait for the end
Of the evening, so that | could drag
Vincent into my room and disclose to
him my final and greatest discovery.
was SO full Of excitement over 1t, be-
Substituting a certain pride in my wit
and sAgacity which had led to the dis
covery Of SO many important clews,
that I was rather disappointed when
Vincent received my disclosure with
indifference.
AT it again, Arch" he said, rather
gloomily, as he sat cross-legged before
my fire In extreme deshabille. and
smoking his vile pipe. What is the
use? ! should think you'd get tired |
Of pursuing the elusive gold. | admire
your patience, my boy, but don't take
any more stock mi this 'clew' than
did In your others When you think
that You have now fastened suspicion
upon each one Of the Six fair ladies
who have been christened Agatha /
at the sanguine temperament
which permits You to place SO much |
on this last find of yours"
ne STONED. and answered him rather