The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-09-05
A IriAing
Mistake
1t Led to Turning the Careers
of Two Persons Into a
Single Channel.
By EcBERT CROSBY

Z By EGBERT CROSBY y
+ Copyright by American Press Asso-
Z citation. 1911. q
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Letter carriers are proverbially care
less in leaving mail at the wrong ad-
dress. or. rather, having so many to
leave, it is wonder they don't make
more mistakes than they do. Careless
ness in the writer has perhaps more to
do with letters being delivered to the
wrong person than either of these
causes.
One day letter addressed IN fem
mime hand was left by the carrier for
me. l opened it and read 1t. 1t was
very short and to the point:
Ten p. m. Thursday at the fountain. vio-
hand LAURA.
opened my eyes very wide and gave
q low whistle. Who could it be who
was making an appointment with me7
Then ! looked again at the address.
Ny name is Francis B. Marshall, and
the superscription appeared to be b.
B. Marshall. but it might have been r.
B. Winchell. thought over every per-
son who might possibly desire to see
me clandestinely, but could tx upon
no one. What should / do In the mat
ter? Should / return the letter to the
postman? Since had opened it, that
would not do at all. Besides, l was
not sure the letter was not for me.
Should / keep the appointment and
possibly risk intruding upon the secret
Of others? finally decided to meet
Laura and. IL ] was not the person
she desired to meet. hand her her let
ter. that she might know it had been
missent
Since there was but one fountain in
town, and that in the center of an
open square, was not in doubt as to
the place designated for the meeting.
1t was public place. where strangers
might meet without being especially
noticed Laura had evidently never
seen me nor l Laura, else we would
not have to wear some mark by which
to be known to each other
When the clock in a church tower
near by the park struck 10 l entered
the park carrying rose In my hand,
and. approaching the fountain, stood
leaning upon the basin looking at the
tiny wavelets made by the water
sprinkling down upon it. l had waited
perhaps five minutes when l saw a
lady advancing with some violets
tucked In her belt. 1t occurred to me
that she was purposely a trifle late
that she might inspect me before
should be able to inspect her and did
not doubt that she had got view of
me while | was standing under the
lighted fountain. As she approached
advanced to meet her, lifting my hat
at the same time. AS we walked away
together she said:
''Let me explain to you why have
arranged this meeting instead of call
ing at your Office or asking you to
come and see me. As you are aware,
Mr.. Lathrop's death without a will
has put the estate in a tangle. l am
not so sure that he did not leave a
will in my favor. am the only
daughter Of his favorite brother and
took care OF him during his last Ill
ness. He said to me on several occa-
sions: Marion. / have made a will
leaving everything to you. You will
find 1t In the tin box in which keep
all my papers In the closet Of my bed
room When opened the box after
the funeral it was not there"
This revealed to me that the letter
sent me had not been intended for
me. But though / am not a profess
sional detective 1 think l have a de-
tective's instinct, for in this case so
far as the girl had impaired it to me
thought / smelled rascality, and its
uncovering interested me. l permitted
her to go on.
II saw your personal stating that
you had a knowledge of such a will
and would like to see me regarding
the matter. Ny cousin. Edgar Bangs,
who will inherit with me under the
law concerning estates where there
is no will. is very bad man. Mr..
Lathrop lent him money till Edgar
showed that he was dishonest; then
his uncle turned him off. Edgar may
have stolen the will In order that I
shall have to divide the estate with
him and others. It would not give
him very much. but little win be
better than nothing. and Edgar is In
desperate straits"
1T is your duty" | said, las well
az your interest. to do all you can to
prevent your uncle's estate from going
where it was not intended, especially
to such person as you describe"
Edgar has suspicion that l am on
the track of the lost will and is watch
ing me like cat; therefore didn't
dare communicate with you except
clandestinely. Now I have explained
everything TO you am ready to hear
what you have to say. Mr.. WinchelL"
The last word-the name-enabled
me to get more of the story in case |
chose to do so without giving away
the fact that was an outsider. I
concluded to do SO.
"Have you any MEANS" asked, "at
your disposal to pay for information
that will lead to the recovery Of the
lost, probably stolen. willf'
mot cent"
The lady had by this time removed
her veil. and had caught glimpse
Of her face rs we passed under street
lamps. She appeared to be about
twenty years old and was decidedly
comedy. Under an impulse 1 decided
to take up the case for her, find out
IL she were about to fail into the hands
Of swindlers and. If she were. protect
her.
Permit me to assure you" / said.
''that in me you have a friend"
81 do not doubt it."
"Why not?'
81 can tell dishonest man the mo-
ment I see him. You are trustworthy"
Thank you. Now give me an ad-
dress to which can write you
l gave her a bit Of paper torn from
letter had in my pocket and PEN
ell. She wrote Laura G. Ostrander,
1877 d street" 1t was the house Of a
friend to whom she had confided her
case.
/ left her at the door Of her own
house and went to my room. Before
going to bed l wrote note disguised
for feminine hand. addressed to F.
B. Winchell The letter that had come
to me had no street and number on 1t,
SO none was needed on the note
wrote. informed Mr.. Winchell that
at certain hour on certain night he
would find carriage standing at a
certain place. He was to get into the
~..4r l. A.