The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-08-22

ter that drove It's recipients TO death?
Here was one fragment. Perhaps
could find other scraps-perhaps the
whole letter | ran down to the bank
of the lake and began a systematic
search of the water along shore. Foot
by foot studied it carefully. For ten
minutes ! searched unavailingly and
then l caught glimpse of something
yellow half hidden by an oYerhanging
tree. Carefully parted the branches.
Sure enough, submerged in six inches
Of water, were more OF the yellow
scraps. l Waded in and, scooping
them up carefully in my hands, laid
them on the grass to dry, for they
We're all but falling apart and | hardly
dared handle them. Meanwhile | con-
tinued my search for other yellow
scraps-this time without avail. If she
had carried a torn-up letter with her
as she sprang to death, the other
pieces had fioated away.
At last, convinced that there was
no possibility Of recovering more Of
them, | gave up my search and re-
turned to where / had spread the re-
covered scraps on the grass. One by
one | studied them. They were evil
IDENTIFY part of typewriter letter,
but the ink had run so that it was
impossible to read a single word on
them. From their shape, too, it ap-
peared that they were not consecutive,
so there was little hope of learning
anything from them.
Just two of the inky smears seemed
to have a possible meaning.
On one Of them | was almost posi-
tive that / could trace the word
youth" On another scrap was a
word that a little stretch of the imagi-
nation might decipher as her"
Youth" and her
They might mean much or nothing.
They might have some bearing on
the great mystery l was trying to
solve. They might have none. Per-
haps they were, after all, merely
phrases from letter that had brought
disappointment to a loving woman.
In all likelihood this suicide had no
connection with the others. But why,
then, the yellow paper?
So intent was | on my thoughts that
I did not observe the return of the
policeman until heard his voice.
What have you got there?"
There was suspicion in his tone
the natural suspicion of the represen'
tative of the law. 1t was on the tip
of my tongue to say: Another yellow
letter"
For once prudence restrained me
recalled how my too hasty speech
at the coroners inquest had led me
into trouble. l could hardly expect
a twelve-hundred-do policeman to
assist in solving the mystery that was
still perplexing Davis
Just some scraps of paper" I said
carelessly. After you had gone l no
titced that she was clutching bit OF
paper in one hand. l searched around
the lake to see if l could find more
/ found these. 1t is evidently part OF
a letter, but the ink has run so you
! can make nothing out Of them"
Let's see them"
l handed him all Of them.
This" l explained, Il found in her
hand and the others We're over there
under those bushes"
One by one the policeman examined
them, turning them carefully over and
over.
There's nothing to them" he final
/ ly announced The wagon will be
here in a minute. l don't suppose
| you'll want to be claiming any credit
for finding the body?"
| | had feared that he would insist
on my accompanying him to testify
| TO its finding 1t was quite relief
to hear him take this view of it.
"Of course not" l answered hastily
Then" said he with utmost can
| DOR you might as we'll beat it. II
| don't do a cop no good to have other
| people finding things on his post II
you amt here when the wagon comes
there amt nobody to say it wasn't me
| that found the body. / want to thank
you, though, for coming and telling
me about it. There's a lot of fools
would have gone and telephoned the
! arsenal and then I'd been on the car
| pet for not covering my post properly
was glad indeed of the opportunity
| to get away. 1t was nearing ten
| o'clock. My trousers and shoes were
! in such condition that | wanted to get
to my apartments for a change before
seeing Louise. l FASTENED to the
| park entrance and hailed a taxi. BY
the time | left my rooms and reached
the Parrish home 1t was ten minutes
after ten.
AS my taxi turned into the street
saw another one stop before the Far
IRISH door At first l thought it must
be the doctor or one of his assistants
| but as the front door closed behind
the tall figure of man who had been
admitted to the house l realized that
it was some one l had seen before
There was something reminiscent in
the broad shoulders, in the walk. II
was some one l knew, or ought to
have recognized, yet who it was OF
where I had seen him l could not al
the moment recall.
I was not three minutes behind him
in reaching the door. Though the other
visitor had been admitted at once
there was no Immediate response tc
my ring. | waited a while and rang