The Huttig news. (Huttig, Ark.) 1907-1955, 1912-07-20

You don't know Katharine as I do
she said reprovingIy cor you never
would have said that She is the sous
of honor. If she was going to see Hugh
she would have done sc openly
But he telephoned her today per-
sisted
That's So" admitted Louise And
! think he must have done so day be.
fore yesterday, too. Some one called
her, and she went out Just as she aid
today. Generally we tell each other
where We are going, and ! thought it
peculiar at the time that she said moth
ing to me-"
In deep perplexity we both sat. 81
lently pondering the mystery of Katha-
rine's action. What could have made
her do it? Was it, | wondered. because
her father had learned omethisg dis.
creditable about her sutton and had
forbidden him the house? Had Cram
dali been trying 70 persuade her to
continue to see him despite her IA
theirs wishes? Was the conflict in her
heart between love AMI duty too much
her hand gently on my arm.
Harding, she said, there is some
deep mystery behind all this that has
been creeping like black shadow
across the lives OF both Katharine and
my father. In some way Hugh Gran
dali is concerned in it, | know It.
feel IT, 1t is something more than mere
| Nv tho rpfnCql Of fat To
her to marry Crandal1. | have watched
them both and | know. | have seen
this mysterious speeter lowering over
my father gradually crushing the very
soul out of him. | have seen Kath-
arine's life, too, blighed by its con
slant presence. Whether Katharine
lives or whether she dies. | must find
out what it is. l must, before it kills
my father, too. You'll help me. wont
you?@
There have been strange wooings
and strange betrothals in loves his
tory. but never before has any man
been brought to fuller realization of
the depth of a woman's affection for
him or her confidence and trust in him
Use put this question to me- My arms
went about her and my lips met hers
in one long kiss that was a pledge-a
pledge that henceforth my life, my
heart, my mind, my powers, my every
thing were hers. All my abilities would
be devoted to clearing this mystery
that was stealing the JOY from her
years, when they should be the pleas
antest. But this was no time for love
dallianee. The mystery must be
solved Suicides generally left letters
Perhaps
Hand in hand, Louise and | went
into Katharine's apartments, where
the rooms disorder still told of the
tragedy so recently enacted there In
one corner stood little open desk
Its contents bore evidence of recent
careful sorting that limited very plain
! ly of generalization, but there was no
note or letter there. | looked next on
the mantelpiece, hoping to find among
the photographs and cotillion favors
that Uttered it some clue which might
solve the mystery, but there was MOTH
ing there, her.
My eye fell to the CRATE below
where a fire burned cheerily. Here
gain was evidence of generalization
in the ashes of burned letters and the
ch2rred corner of a Photograph. A
blaekened bit of paper that had fallen
through the crate before it burned
caught my glance and | stopped to
nick II inc ff oil
low, torn from folded letter, with its
edges burned to fragileness. Careful
ly Louise and | unfolded it, for it
seemed the only thing in all the room
that might yield some explanation. As
we pored over the meaningless frag-
ments of sentences, an exclamation of
horror came from the doorway. Look
ing up We saw the tall form of General
Parrish tottering on the SILL
Clad in a dressing Jacket, his white
hair in wild disorder, he pointed with
accusing finger at the yellow scrap of
paper in my hand. Never in mortal
face have | seen such terror as | saw
in his. His eyes, dilated, seemed bulg-
ing from their sockets. His eounte-
nance Was Wnlte as chalk. his Jaw
had dropped in the paralysis of terror
From his throat came horrible numb
lings, as he tried to speak and could
not.
Louise and | sprang to his side, but
with almost maniacal strength he
shook us off and, with finger still
pointing to the yellow scrap | had let
fall to the floor, he managed to gasp:
THAT yellow letter Where did"
Before he could finish the sentence
he fell stricken to the floor, his voice
choking, his eyes glazing, paralyzed by
some hidden terror-we knew not
what.
CHAPTER II,