Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-02-01

a bottle Of wine with a corkscrew
which I kept attached to my key ring.
| 1t was several days later that l called
her attention to my oversight and re-
| ceived them back from her. While 1
thrust her implicitly yet she has vel
low maid who is inscrutable to me and
who always seems to be lowering
within earshOt. To my mind it is not
impossible that this maid was in pos
session of the keys while they were
on those premises-in fact, her mis-
tress so intimated when she returned
them to me. That the maid through
outside acquaintance might have
taken advantage of any information
which she CHANGED to overhear is
within the realm of possibilities You
understand I merely offer this as a
suggestion"
And do you know anything of the
character of the maids acquaintance
on the outsider" was the swift inter
| rogation. I bit my lip.
mo. But do know this. I know
that Richard Mackay is the business
agent of this girls mistress-Mrs.
Dace of the Arcadia-and that he
sometimes calls upon her. And know
| ing his reputation as do, it has oc-
Cured to me that stranger things
have happened than that this girl
might be under his influence and re
veal secrets to him that she has be
come possessed of. I understand
there is practically no limit to the
| mans Vaccinations"
LeDuc brought me to a sudden
standstill. do you mean Richard
Mackay Coughing Dick the boodler
and arch cOnspirator?" he cried, his
hand gripping my arm like trap.
Yes. You will remember the fact
that uncle mentioned the fact that the
man who choked him cleared his
| throat in a peculiar manner"
The grip upon my arm Ioosened and
for moment my friend stood staring
| into my face. Then with a soft whis-
tie he drew me on again. 1t was sew
era1 moments before he once more
| broke the silence
| Bye the bye, you had better give
me your card with your telephone
number on it so that I may be able
! to reach you over the wire in case of
necessity" he suggested refectively,
! and I felt in the pocket in which ]
| always carried my card case in order
to comply with his request. The case,
| which was an unusually handsome af-
fair, had been presented to me by
| Mrs. Dace, and I would not have lost
| it for a great deal, but at the end of
a couple of minutes search, which
! exhausted every nook and Granny of
my raiment. I was compelled to give
up the quest in despair.
81 must have lost it" I announced,
deeply chagrined. LeDuc looked at
/ me with question in his eyes.
''And you had it 1ast-when?" were
! his words 1 ran the course of my
actions during the past few days
/ through my mind until I recalled the
| occasion of its last use.
Last evening. After the theater I
gave the friend who was with me one
/ of my cards with the request that he
call me up some evening when he was
| lonesome. But I have a distinct recol-
lection of putting it back in my upper
! vest pocket 1 would not have lost it
for many times its value, and it was
a rather expensive trinket at that"
RuefulIy I continued my search for
! the fourth or fifth time as he sympa-
/ thized with me- following his con-
! doIences with the remark that a pen
/ Gil memorandum in his book would
answer the same purpose. Therefore
| I gave him the number orally and
noted that he wrote it down correct
! ly. Then with an apology and an ex-
cuse of urgent business he darted
aboard a passing car with a farewell
/ flirt of his hand.
/ ITO RE CONTINUED