The Springdale news., 1912-09-06

No, no It was impossible. too ab- surd. Yet certainly the yellow letter seemed link between her and Elser. It was she who for a long time had been Crandalls closest associate. That association apparently had been re- gently renewed in secret Was 1t pos. sible that back of the mystery there was some crime and that Katharine was guilty?
 For moment l was tempted to or der the chauffeur to stop. It seemed almost desecration to take this heart less analyzer of crime into the home where death stalked so close. Sup post Katharine was-No,I had pledged my word to Louise that I would solve the mystery and I would keep my promise, no matter where 1t led me. After all, the important thins was my beloved ones peace of mind. AS long a s the shadow hung over hef father and sister. her happiness mus, be marred Better the knowledge of evil than the terror of mystery.
 Davis wasted little time in cere- mony. As soon as I had introduced him to Louise, he said abruptly
 I'd like to see the room where 1t happened-alone
 As Louise called one Of the sery- ants to escort him upstairs I was re- joicing at the opportunity to be alone with her. The cold formalitY of her greeting would have troubled ne had 1 not attributed il to the inspectors presence. As soon as he had left us. with the memories of the evenil 2 be- fore glowing in my mind. turned to embrace her.
 Don't, please don't" she said cold ly.
 Why, dearest,e stammered in amazement.
 She offered no explanation but said in the most matter=of=faet tones-too matter-of-fact to be natural, thought Tell me, Mr Kent, what you learned at the place where MT. Elser lived"
 was dumfounded. What had come over her? What could have happened to make this sudden change in her attitude toward me? Could this cool, distant young woman be the same girl who only a few hours before had clung so desperately to me and had wept out her sorrows in my arms? Had she overnight forgotten the kiss with which We pledged our joint ef- forts to solve the mystery?
 Tell me, MT. Kent" she persisted quietly, "is there yellow letter in that case. too? Do you believe there can be any connection between MT. Elser and-and what Katharine did?"
 Greatly perturbed, yet trying to con- vince myself that her attitude was only girls natural reaction as she reeollected the events of the evening before, was just beginning to rehearse what little We had learned in the Clearinghouse when Davis came run hing down the stairs.
 Tell me-" he said abruptly to Lou ise, what color are Mr Crandall's eyes?"
 Blue" said Louise. "gray-blue."
 .'Humph,"
 could see she was as much puzzled at his question as I had been, but he offered no explanation and made no comment.
 Was Crandall left.handed ?" he snapped.
 T don't think so." said Louise after a minutes thought. T never noticed that he was"
 .Humph" he repeated, his eyes rov- ing about the room Take me In to see General Parrish"
 The young doctor whom Doctor Will COX had left in charge happened to be passing through the hall, and stopped as he heard the request.
 Tt can do no harm" he said, In re- ply to Louise's look of inquiry.
 The four of us-the doctor, Davis. Louise and myself, In the order named, tiptoed into the generals room. I was prepared for great change in him, but his appearance was really terrify- ing. Perceptibly thinner. aged as by many years, all shriyeled and shrunk- en- he lay chained to his bed by his aaiction, unable to lift leg or arm, his lips fallen neryelessly apart. his tongue lolling uncontrollably-de dead, dead, save his eyes.
 As Louise and I approached the bed side it appeared to me that he recog- nized us both and l could detect the same pleading look l had noted the night before. He seemed to me strug- gling with his deadened senses to ask us something While did not know whether or not his hearing had been impaired thought he might be worry ing about Katharine's condition. and carefully and slowly began to enun- ciate something about her, hoping that I had guessed what it was lie wished to ask. But even as l spoke I saw that his eyes had left my face. Into them returned the same acute terror he had exhibited at the sight of the yellow letter. If those eyes could have spoken, their shrieks would have filled the room. l followed the direction of their glance. He was staring in ter TOT at the one strange face in the IA Ar-te