Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-31
ri.
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

\ 4IjIk SAxs
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
I arose betimes in the morning. de-
spite the fact that I had been up most
of the night, for was determined
TO II entrance to the Kingdom cot
tage and force an interview with
Marcia Lawrence before I went to my
appointment with her mother. Day had
taken from my dream nothing OF it's
'Vlvldness. but my nerves were normal
again, and I could approach the task
with a GOODNESS which had not been
possible the night before. That Marcia
lawrence had taken refuge with the
Kingdoms. I did not for an instant
doubt; 1t was my business to prove it
to gain entrance to her presence and
persuade her to grant Burr Curtiss a
final interview.
There was another mystery about the
cottage which piqued INC puzzled me.
h cellar? What work had been going
Orward there, hour after hour? Whose
was that shrill and violent voice which
had threatened me through the door?
n how had 1T been possible for the
other inmates OF h house to sleep
on undisturbed through all that COM
motion? If Miss Lawrence were really
there. would she not have heard me-?
I descended to the dining room, re-
volving this problem in my mind, SO
intent upon 1t that I brushed into "a
man at the door. l turned to apologize
mt.
why, hello. Lester" he cried. hold
Ing out his hand. This is luck."
"Hello, Godfrey" answered. return
ing his clasp with interest. Glad to
mot half so glad as 1 am to see you.
Come over here to this side table where
We a talk in peace Quite like the
Studio. isn't it?"
1 laughed responsibility at the mem
CRY of that night when Jim Godfrey.
Of the Record, for Of
entertained me with a superb dinner at
the famous Sixth avenue resort. l had
met him occasionally since, and had
found him always the same genial. gen.
erous, astute fellow he had proved him
self then. Trained on the detective
Records star reporter and was en-
ployed only on what the newspapers
o to call causes celebres. OF course,
/ knew instantly what cause" it was
had brought him to Elizabeth.
Here on business?" he asked. as we
sat down.
Yes. And you?"
"Oh, I came down last night to write
up this Lawrence-C urtiss affair. You've
heard about it?"
He was looking at me keenly.
YES" I answered steadily, deter
mined to keep. him from guessing my
connection with it: II read about it in
the papers last night. Queer affair,
wasn't ft?'
Mighty queer. You haven't hap
Dened to form a theory about it. have
you?"
1 laughed outright. He had come to
me for a theory once before. and here
he was at his old trick.
Il haven't enough data to form a
theory" I said.
We'll. maybe I can furnish you with
more. l did some pretty lively work
last night. and covered all the details 1
could think Of"
II haven't seer this mornings Rec
ord" l said. "Of course it's all there"
Not quite all. / don't want to give
the other fellows too much rope.
They're all tied up in a knot. now. and
I want them to stay that way"
The other fellows I suppose. are
your esteemed contemporaries"
I'm plain English, my hated rivals.
But l DOM mind telling you. You
treated me square in the Holiday case.
The boys told me afterwards how you
refused to give me away"
"All right: fire ahead" I said. and
U my steak.
Well" he began, II saw at once,
" 1OONCA ON0A SIlS llCIU dIlU IOuuQ
out that 1t was impossible to see either
Curtiss or Mrs. Lawrence. that the per-
sons who could probably tell me most
o the inside workings of this affair
were h servants in the Lawrence
house. Evidently there must have been
trouble Of some sort there: and 1t prob
ably would not escape the servants no.
tice. So ! went after Them"
/ nodded, but kept my eyes on INV
plate. Here was luck, indeed!
There are five OF Them" he went
on: IAN outside man.. who takes care Of
the grounds n horses; a cook, two
house girls. and a maid. The outside
man 10 the husband Of the cook; they
and the house girls stay at the place,
cottage just off the grounds"
And could they tell you anything ?'
Neither the man. the cook, nor the
house girls could tell me a thing.
They'd all been busy preparing for the
wedding. and didn't know anything was
wrong until the maid. whose name is
Lucy Kingdom. told them Miss Law
renee had disappeared. The house
girls had been passing back and forth
all the time, and had caught q glimpse
Of Miss Lawrence now and then, but
had noticed absolutely nothing unusual.
had seen no stranger about the place,
o heard any cutlery. One Of them
passed Miss Lawrence in the hall as
she was talking with the decorator. and
says that she was radiant with happi-
ness"
put the maid?" I asked, anxious to
hear what he had got from her.
"Ah. she was different. She's been
with the family a long time. She seems
trusted %confidante: though why my one
ahnNld wish to trust her IL havana noe