Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-07-29

MIND. he mas become my only conn.
dant
l am electrified by a spark Of hope
This morning received letter ad-
dressed in strange hand. l studied
the superscription long while, but
could not make out from whom 1t
could be. 1t was postmarked as sent
from this town. Finally it occurred to
me to open it. suppose would have
done so before had my mind not been
so tortured by the frightful specter
that has been hanging over me- What
was my surprise to see at the bottom
Of the letter, Your friend The Libra
rian."
This is what he says:
After talking with you yesterday went
home and, taking up a newspaper, read
detailed report of the doctors who were
deputed to analyze the poison found in
the case of your late uncle. Suddenly
my fingers released their grip on the pa
per, and 1t fell to the floor. An idea had
flashed upon me. What singular fac
ulty is memory, and how marvelously 1t is
awakened! | remembered a wet, dismal
night a month ago when was sitting at
my desk in the library. A young man,
| stranger to me. came in and asked for
rare work Of foreign author. Since II
not have remembered it except for it's
rarity. went to the shelf, where l
found 1t covered with dust. took it down
and gave 1t to the stranger.
1t was treatise on poisons.
A group Of events recorded in my brain
had led me to this remembrance. My
chats with you as to your uncle's death.
all l have heard about 1t and lastly this
report of the doctors-might not that book
contain mention Of the poison reported by
them as having been used to kill your un-
Gle, and might not this in some way con-
meet this stranger with the murder?
l hlrried to the library, found the book.
which; had been returned, and opened it.
You remember that the first day you
came here | told you how many articles
are left carelessly between the leaves of
returned books. Well. the book l opened
contained an instance of this kind. On
running over the leaves looking for men,
ton of the poison named by the doctors
found lying between two pages devoted
to description of it and its effects a
soilcd piece of paper. On 1t was note
written in a peculiar hand referring to
the chapter and page on which this poi
son that killed your uncle was described.
But one thing more remained for me to
do to establish my find as bit Of evil
dence Il referred to the record of the
books withdrawal and found the name of
the person who had withdrawn it. or at
least the name he had. given. also found
that the book had not been taken out
since he had taken 1t.
The volume, the bit Of paper-evidently
slipped in between the pages for place
mark and forgotten-and the record con.
corning its withdrawal are now all In the
hands Of the police. write this to you
before going to bed that with tho morning
light you may have hope Of being re-
lieved Of that unspoken suspicion that you
cannot but feel overshadows you.
Isn't it delightful? IL it really turns
out that this man who seems to have
been SO interested in this especial poi
son killed uncle l shall be INDICATED
and rich.
But it may turn out that he wished
the poison for another purpose. They
may never find him. II not, at any
rate this bit of evidence proves his
existence and diverts suspicion from
me:
June 20.
The young man who took the book
on poisons from the library has been
arrested. The police have been a long
while about it and would not have
succeeded in finding him had 1t not
been for the handwriting on his slip
used for bookmark. The way it
came about was this: Uncle has a
nephew. real nephew. his own Sis
ter's son. have never before heard
of him. He is physician. He put
in claim as next Of kin for uncle's
estate. AS soon as the police heard
Of this they secured a specimen Of his
handwriting. 1t turned out to b. the
same queer hand as that found in the
book
Sept. 1S.
The second part of the horror at
tending uncle's death Is ended. thank
heaven. Yesterday the murderer re-
ceived his punishment. did not
know 1t till it was all over. 1t is all
so dreadful: don't wish another for.
tune to come to me in such an awful
, way.
1t Is my wedding day. And whom
am ! to marry? Why. the man who
removed the cloud that hung over me
at the time Of uncle's death. Isn't Il
natural that should appreciate such
J an act even If it came unintendedi
But be sympathized With me from the
. first. And when he made the discov.
: f'ery that indicated me he could scarce
~ contain himself for Joy.
, And SD ends the episode of thu
, coming Of my fortune. We are to 60
; abroad. my husband having received
a commission tn oYamino lihra rfos
there and purchase new lot Of
books for the library here. There has
been gift for this purpose Who
: knows who IL the glver? ! do.