Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-11-02
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SECRET.

CHAPTER XIV.
THE SECRET.
The dusk OF evening was falling al
We were ferrted across to the city.
I JADE Godfrey goodbye. and took a
cab direct to my rooms, for / was.
weary in body and spirit. But = bath
and Inner improved both. and at 8
door. for I knew how anxious he would
be to hear my story. and besides. I
owed him some reparation for leaving
him alone at the office.
He opened the door himself. and his
face frightened at sight Of me-.
why. Lester!" ne cried. and shook
hands warmly. Come in. I'm mighty
glad to see you"
IT," I said.
'of course shall. It w.s ike you
to think Of IT,"
Il wanted to talk 1t over with you.
It may help to straighten things out.
I was afraid there wouldn't be time at.
the Office"
I'VE arc rushed there and that's
q fact. Suppose we go up to.
the den. We can tall our talk out
the way up the stair, we 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 braced
up. Here we are." n he threw open
a door.
II was a CHEEKY room. where he had
gathered together the impedimenta
through bachelordom. mementoes Of
his college days and such other pos
sessions as were peculiarly his.
Now" he said, when we were set
tied. lets have the story. OF course
won't take that INTO account"
So I told 1t step by step, while he
listened silently. save for an OCCASION
al exclamation Of astonishment.
Its the most remarkable thing L
ever heard" he said. when I had fin
ished. II don't wonder that you be-
lieved ut first that 1t had some con-
nection with the Lawrence affair.""
1t was certainly a remarkable COIN
gether az thew did"
And the first affair IL AZ deep q
mystery as ever"
GODFREY says IT'S deeper than ever.
graph as we came In on the train to-
gether. and after he'd looked at 1t, he
said 1t was he strangest puzzle he'd
ever encountered. It's absolutely unex-
plainable."
MIR. Royce smoked for q moment in
silence.
"Of course there must be some ex-
planation." he said. a an adequate
one. Marcia Lawrence wouldn't have
run away without good and sufficient
reason"
NO." 1 agreed. but there's one
thing certain-whatever the reason, 1t
isn't OF a nature to render the mar
riage impossible. h 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 that?"
Don't YOU remember her mothers
last words to me? She said it would
be for Curtiss to decide"
Eyes. I remember. And think
cision will be-"
NO" I agreed. Most men would
be glad to get Marcia Lawrence upon
any terms"
mot Curtiss-but then he's desper-
ately in love. Maybe he'll be willing
ideal"
HE won't have to recede." I assert
ed confidently. She's spotless, what
ever the secret"
II hope 80" agreed u Junior slow
together when they meet on the other
side. II I were Curtiss. I'd be mighty
shaky about that meeting"
And 1. OF COURSE" I added, 1.-The
whole mystery hinges on that letter,
from New York. Godfrey lima ined 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 a 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 1t. Then. when he found
that a picturesque stranger had asked
the way to the Kingdom cottage he
Immediately concluded that the letter
had appointed q rendezvous, and that
Miss Lawrence a kept 1t. All Of
which was afterward shown 20 be mere
moonshine."
Not 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 q perfect
one ne built up In the Holiday case,
and how 1t fell to pieces! Well, I
believe this Is wilder yet. A look at
Miss Lawrence's face will show you
she hash I n past of hat kind. Cod
frey hin self admits that now
My companion ran his fingers sav.
agely through his hair.
CONTINUED Next Wsek.)
A new rival to South Africa In the
matter OF ostrich breeding has como
forward. This is the state Of Las Beyla
a little colony in The southwest Of
Baluchistan, whence news comes that a
certain sum is to be set apart for ex-