The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-14
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o THE DAILY STORY {
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MYSTERY IN A BOX.

Z HWkEi NDfFid9F Ou AlS Way nONM 10
I dinner a door on his right opened.
( A girl ol ~ stepped out into the corr
\ fia0r and advanced straight to Rogers
side holding ou to him a black Dox,
sx Inches square and Two inches
nigh.
VIII you do ME a great. favor2'
she asked in clear musical voice.
Please throw this into the bay tor
night And you are not to open il
VIII You do it-fgr me-
/ There was slight pause before the
last two words. Rogers took the box.
staring blankly at the girl She was
( well dressed, petite, with frank gray
\ eyes and masses Of dead-black hair
But | do not understand
Do you need to understand? Tell
ile you Will do what I ask2'
"Of course / VIII do it, and"
Thank you. Thank you!"
Sne turned and re-entered the room
from which she had Just emerged.
Roger thgust the box into his pocket
and went slowly down the stairs.
He had arrived at Pine Bay. a sum
mer resort on one Of he great lakes,
but wo hours before. Thus far he had
fmet no one at the hotel whom ne
X knew What was the meaning of the
\ girls strange errand2
\ He had nearly finished his dinner
4 when she entered the dining room.
4 With her was pretty blonde maiden OF
about her own age, a hatchet faced
cnaperon and genial, middle-aged
man whom Rogers was positive he had
lseen before. They were seated at
.aDle near BY From the greeting
that tnegirls received lit was evident
that hey were well known and social
Itavorites.
f When Roger had finished eating he
'fleH the hotel and sauntered leisnreiy
Down to the shore A wharf ran far
out into the bay, affording stopping
place for the steamers that touched
at the tiny village. The young man
stopped down and gathered his hands
full Of the flat stones that covered
the beach. AS he walked along the
( dock he threw one stone after an.
other into the water AT last he drew
the box from his pocket, and. after
q searching glance at il, sent IL flying
after the stones.
1T is tin, painted black, and there
~ something in Il that rattles,' he
said to himself: Il feel like a william
ia a melodrama. Now | am going to
make il the occupation OF my yaca-
tlcn 10 70 m the acquaintance of the
girl who was so anxious to dispose
., lhis box,
Fate favored him. As he ascended
the steps leading to the hottie vefanda
where a large party were gathered
watching the sunset flush the sky and
water with crimson, he heard his
named called The speaker was Bob
by Green. and by his side stood the
mysterious girl.
Glad to see you, old fellow Bob
J by cried heartily Ladies aud gentle
men, | want you all to be good to this
lad. He Is Roget Wayne, the maga-
zine writer whose work you all know.
Then Bobby proceeded to individual
Introduction The girl OF The box was
Audrey Fuller, and he bolnde was her
Z cousin Mildred. When Roger heard
the name he understood why their
! male companion at dinner had looked
5 so familiar The man was Thomas
! Fuller. the wealthy mine owner, and
/ The girls were daughter and niece.
. The group on the veranda chatted
j. away mernly until the sunsets alter
/ glow had faded from the sky and q
( eoC breeze swept in from the bay.
b AS hey adjourned to the parlof, Roger
! fell into step with Audrey Fuller.
+ Did You see, Miss Fuller, that |
: 1beyed your commando"
L..
You refer TO accepting the invitation
I TO 50 sailing with Us in the morning
! You will never roget il, for the bay is
beautiful.
b It was evident that she had no in
tention Of gratifying his curiosity.
4 Roger compressed his lips; he would
! be patient but persistent
he next mo ming be managed to
secure place at the table with the
! Fullers. Before he meal was finished
. the landlord entered the dining room
TO announce that bold robbery had
: been committed the afternoon before.
A small tin box containing valuable
I jewels had been taken from the room
Of Mrs. Darrow, Chicago woman.
Already a detective had arrived at the
Z nbAtt. anu lIt HNltu Alldi
the guests would patiently submit to
any questioning that seemed neces-
r sary. as the detection of the thief
wonld be protection to them all,
, oh, papa. Lee us go home,''
Audrey cried.
Roger started when he saw how
pale she was Mr., Fuller laughed.
Now, don't be frightened, puss.
You know that insisted that you
aud Mildred should leave your jew
elry in the safe. Why, Audrey. how
] white YOU are You aie not really
frightened
, She tried to smile. but II was easy
= to see that she was nervous Her
, breakfast was untouched while the
. discussion of the robbery went on
around her
A reward was offered for the appre-
hension of the thief. but he was not
found, For several days an officer
haunted the hotel corridors, and his
r errand was enough TO drive the color
from Audrey's checks. AT first she
avoided Roger He stroye to make
hec feel that he was her friend. and
/ gradually she came to trust him. The
affair of the box was never mentioned
r between them, but the passage of
time only strengthened Rogers deter
mination to solve the mystery.
. "Gha ic thn victim nf enma Dual