The Forrest City times., 1912-11-01

blackmail, you will find two persons equally guilty, always the pair. Some times it is the man and the woman. sometimes the strong man and the weak man, sometimes two women, though seldom, for women have little Of the inventive or creative faculty. even in crime. Notorious women crim- inals, just like all other feminine ee- lebrities in literature or art, have much of the masculine in their make up.
 The third kind of evil idea. that of the group, is responsible for the strike, the mob. the conspiracy It is the contagion of crime. The Black Hand Is typical example The mem- pers or this notorious organization, while they profit financially by their misdeeds. care little about that end or It. Their greatest pleasure is in the torture of their victims. in the agony they suffer from the time the nameless dread of the Black Hand hrst seizes them until finally they are put 10 death for refusing the society's exactons. It Is this evil spirit that Kills kings, burns witches, destroys property and lynches negroes. The Parrish mystery, however. is of the second class-the crime of the pair. l am certain of it"
 The important thing then for us to do," said I. trying to bring him from the abstract to the concrete. lis 10 hnd Hugh Crandall and also to dis cover who was his closest associate man or woman"
 Do you think so?" he asked en;g- matically, adding second later. Cant you take me to see Miss Far risE?"
 hardly another word passed be- tween us as the taxicab whfrled us m Madison avenue to the generals home. l was thinking about Davis strange theories Of crime and his opinion that this was crime of the pair. felt sure that he, as well as l, must be convinced Of Crandalls connection With the matter and surely his flight did not argue innocence. But if this was crime Of the pair, who was the other guilty person? Whom did Davis suspect! He had said that it might be either two men or man and a wom. an. A woman? Could it be that he suspected Katharine Parrish of sbar- ing Crandalls guilt?
 NO, no 1t 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 Crandalfs closest associate That association apparently had been re- gently renewed in secret. Was ii nos- slble that back of the mystery there was some crime and that Katharine was guilty?
 TOT a moment l was tempted to or der the chauffeur to stop. It seemed almost desecration 10 take this heart less analyzer of crime into the home where death stalked so close. Sup post Katharine was-No, had pledged my word to Louise that 1 would solve the mystery and I would keen my promise, no matter where it led me After all the important thing was my beloved ones peace of mind. As long as the shadow hung over her father and sister, her happiness must be marned. Better the knowledge of evil than the terror of mystery.
 Davis wasted little time in cere- mony. As soon as 1 had introduced him to Louise, he said abruptly:
 I'd like to see the room where fl happened-alone."
 As Louise called one of the serv- ants to escort him upstairs I was re. toicing at the opportunity to be alone with her. The cold formality of her greeting would have troubled me had not attributed it to the inspector's presence. As soon IS he had left us. with the memories of the evening be- fore glowing i'll my mind turned to embrace her
 Don't, please don't" she said cold ly.
 Why, dearest!" stammered in amazement
 She offered no explanation but said In the most matter-of-fact tones-too matter-offact to be natural, thought Tell me. Mir. 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 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, Mir. Kent" she persisted quietly. lis 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 a girls natural reaction as she