The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-06-13
A Mystery
Unraveled
BY MARY C. COLBY


anything about my affairs or why Miss
Meade assumed the position she occu-
pied. She was not an agreeable per-
son, as | remember her In those days,
but she was all | had in the world to
love, and | tried to love her.
She gave me to understand that she
had promised my mother at her death
she would take care of me and bring
me up.
The only person who ever to my
knowledge came to see her was a
smooth faced professional looking
man. who used to have long converse
tons with her. After awhile | learn
that he was an attorney. There was
something repellent about him, and
| whenever he came to the house took
pains to keep out of his way.
One thing did not coincide with Miss
Meade's statement that she was sup
porting me. This was that while she
was misery with regard to herself she
was liberal with regard to me. l had
| all the expensive clothing | wished
| and was never denied anything needed
or coveted. | was educated at the best
schools and at sixteen was sent to a
finishing school. One thing Miss
Meade positively forbade was not
allowed to visit any of my schoolmates.
The day before was eighteen years
old Mr.. Cheatham called to see Miss
Meade, and they had a discussion,
which. judging from their earnestness.
must have been a very important one.
heard Mr.. Cheatham say, IF you'll
leave 1t to me | can bring 1t out all
right without any great risk; IL you
manage it as you propose you'll wreck
yourself and me too"
The words made no impression on
me at the time, for supposed they re.
ferred to some private matter between
the lawyer and Miss Meade that did
not concern me. Afterward | thought
great deal about them. When / came
of age. and especially after this inter.
view, | noticed that Miss Meade was
very much absorbed about something
and appeared worried. To be worried
was unusual with her. she being one
OF the most composed persons / ever
met
was now old enough to wonder
where the money that was spent on
me and ! was spending came from. Il
put few leading questions TO Miss
Meade, which she parted. | began tc
think there was some mystery in ouI
relations, but was not prepared to in
sist on knowing anything she did moi
tell me Of her own free will. Having
been brought up with the idea that !
owed everything to her. l did not care
to risk killing the goose that laid the
golden egg"
One day when she was not at homG
wished for something from the store
room. She always kept the room lock
ed. and no one knew where the key
was except herself. In box contain.
ing metal odds and ends was a bunch
Of keys. | tried them one by one till
l found one that would unlock the
door | wished to pass. Protrudlng
from desk was paper, which | pos.
sessed myself of. and found it to be a
letter written by my father to my
mother before they were married de
elaring that he had given her up, since |
he was poor and she possessed
princely fortune.
This was astonishing news to me I
How could 1t be that / was dependent /
upon one who had been my mothers
household manager and must have aft /
er my fathers death taken a part In
the management of his affairs. be
gan to surmise an explanation. | had
not heard either that my mother had
been rich or had lost her property. II
looked to me that the money | was
spending must be derived from that
fortune my father referred TO. The
more | thought about the matter the
further went in my differences till /
began to suspect that Miss Meade had
taken advantage of my having fallen
into her hands when a child TO get het
clutches on my mothers fortune.
/ confess did not know how to
move in the matter. Had been a
man it would have been easier, but
for girl not far past eighteen could
see no way of uncoverlng the mys-
terry,
Keeping my suspicious from Miss
Meade. i resolved to secure advice.
The father of one of my schoolmates I
was lawyer, and through her 1 Sc
cured an interview with him. He got
NIL the information ] could give him
about my father and mother and prom
sed to look the matter up, 1t was not
long before through his daughter he
asked me to call upon him. and when
| did so be told me that my mother
had died leaving a great deal of IN.
productive property. which was now
yielding fine income.
And this was the money on which
was living and procuring all | wished
'or. But what was Miss Meade's OBJ
ect in telling me that was depend
mt upon her?
My lawyer cautioned me to concenl
he fact that had this knowledge and
vent to work to investigate my prop
,rty. He found that for years Miss
Meade, whom my mother had left my
guardian. aided by Cheatham, had
,een endeavoring to involve the estate
n debt to her, In time they would alb
orb the whole property.
NV lawyer put n ston to this and by q