The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-10-26

! bade Godfrey goodbye, and took =
9 direct to my rooms, for I was
ana dinner improved both. and at g.
CLOCK was ringing at Mr.. Royce's
door. for / knew how anxious he would
Dc 10 hear my story. and besides. I
owed him some reparation for leaving
aim alone at the Office.
He opened the door himself. and his
race frightened at sight OF me.
Why, Lester!" he cfied. and shook
hands warmly. Come In. I'm mighty
glad to see YOU"
y ssaoas you'd like 70 hest about
1t" I said.
"ot course ! shall. It was like you
wanted to talk It over with you.
It may help to straighten things out.
/! was afraid there wouldn't be time at
the office"
We are rushed there and that's
2 act. suppose we go up to
there. Though" he added, as he led
the way up the stair, I'VE could do
that anywhere tonight. I'm keeping
bachelors hall. That affair at Eliza
beth so upset my wife that she's gone
away to the mountains to get bracsi
up. Here we are" and he threw open,
a door.
1t was a CHEEKY room, where he had
gathered together the impedimenta
which had marked his progress
through bachelordom, mementoes of
his college days and u ch other pos
sessions as We're peculiarly his.
Now" he said, when we were set
tied, Tets have the story. OF course
I've e the papers,, but I hope you
won't take that into account"
So l told 1t step by step, while he
listened silently. save for an occasion
al exclamation of establishment.
It's the most remarkable thing 4
ever heard" he said, when I had fN-
tshed. Il don't wonder that you be-
Iiayed= ut first hiatt had -sa.:s-s..e
neetion with the Lawrence affair" !
1T was certainly G remarkable COIN
cidence that they should happen to-
gether as they did"
And the first affair is as deep q
mystery Is ever"
Godfrey says It's deeper than ever.
I showed him Miss Lawrence's photo
graph as we came In on the train to-
gether. and after he'd looked at 1t, he
said it was the strangest puzzle he'd
ever encountered. It's absolutely unex-
plainable."
Mr.. Royce smoked for a moment in
silence.
o course there must be some ex-
planation." he said. land an adequate
one. Marcia Lawrence wouldn't have
run away without good and sufficient
reason"
NO. I agreed. but there's one
thing Observation-Disclosures the reason, 1t
isn't of a nature to render the mar
riage impossible. She was probably
overwrought when she wrote that note
to Curtiss-something had upset her so
suddenly and completely that she
couldn't see clearly"
"HOW do YOU know thai? 2" If.
Don't YOU remember her mothers
last words to me? She said 1t would
be for Curtiss to decide"
Yes, I remember. And I think
there's no question as to what his de-
cis!on will be-"
mo-" I agreed. Most men would
be glad to get Marcia Lawrence upon
any terms"
mot Curt1ss-but then he's desper-
ately in love. Maybe he'll be willing
to recede a shade or two from his
IDEAL"
He Won't nave to recede," I assert
ever the secret"
81 hope So" agreed our Junior slow
ly. We'll, they'll have to fight it out
together when they meet on the other
side. If I were Curtiss, I'd be mighty
shaky about tina meeting"
And 1. OF course" I added, 1.-The
whole mystery hinges on that letter
from New York. Godfrey imagined he
knew the contents, but the event
showed how wide he was Of the mark.
He had a theory that the letter was
written by q ~disreputable, matchmaking
husband Of the girl, whom she'd be-
lieved dead. That was his theory from
the first-the only possible explanation,
he called it. Then, when he found
that a picturesque stranger had asked
the way to the Kingdom cottage he
Immediately concluded that the letter
had appointed a rendezvous, and that
Miss Lawrence had kept It. All OF
which was afterward shown to be mere
moonshine."
mot the first part Of It," Mr.. Royce
objected. There's been nothing to dis
prove that"
Nor anything to prove It,"
'True-but 1t has a certain specious-
ness"
"Yes-all of Godfrey's theories have
that. Do you remember what a perfect
one he built up in the Holiday case
and how 1t fell to pieces? Well, ]
believe this is wilder yet. A look al
Miss Lawrence's face will show you
she hasn't any past of that kind. God
frey himself admits that now"
My companion ran his fingers saw
agely through his hair.
CONTINUED Next Week.)