Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-29

theory such as this, followed as it was
in the next line with the word dis
grace"
For moment felt that was on
| the track of the solution of the mys-
| terry. Some specter from the generals
past had risen to haunt his declining
years, to threaten his good name, to
worry him into his grave. His elder
daughter had discovered 1t and had
beer unable to carry the burden of
shame. Could this have been the
secret that these two shared and kept
Louise in ignorance Of? A word from
Louise all at once upset my theory.
| 81 wonder" she said, If this isn't
pare of letter about Hugh Crandall."
! Both she and were convinced that
in some way Crandall was involved.
My theory would not account for his
connection with the case and at once
abandoned it, listening intently to one
1 Louise advanced.
There must have been some con-
nection between his having tele-
phoned her and what she did this
afternoon. Before she shot herself she
! burned this letter, or most of It.
Father must have known about the
letter, so I am certain that 1t con-
cerned Crandall."
! HAS Crandall a sister,
81 do not know" said Louise. Il
know nothing about his family. 1t
seems strange, too, when for months
and months we saw so much Of him.
l do not recollect his ever having men
| toned any of his relatives"
My brain recorded victory for
woman's intuition over mans logic.
Her theory seemed infinitely better
than mine. After all 1t was absurd to
suspect skeleton in the life Of man
like General Parrish, who had been
constantly under public scrutiny for
many years. 1t was much more prob
able that the letter referred to some
incident in the life of Crandall, some
thing so discreditabie that the gem
eral had been forced to forbid Rather
inc having anything to do with him.
This theory would account for the
quarrel between father and daughter,
for CrandalPs reticence about his fam
lily, for Katherine's distress, and
naturally the sight of the letter that
had caused all the trouble would upset
the general began to see plan for
action.
Louise, dear" How quickly adj
versity strips off conventionaltty ana
puts us where our hearts would nave
us! Louise, dear" l said. 1T Will
probably be days before either your
father or Katherine will be able TO
give us any assistance, yet the knoW'-
edge that everything has been cleared
up, that the specter has been driven
away, undoubtedly would hasten the
recovery of both. So l feel that We
must 60 ahead"
ooh, Harding" she breathed. Her
hand stole out and sought mine.
'What a comfort you are to me! What
would have done this afternoon with
out you! You're right, dear, we must
solve this awful mystery at once.
We must"
1.-THE first thing for me to do" l
went on, "is to find Hugh Crandall.
He can probably tell US all about this
> letter. Even il he can't, he can say
why He telephoned Katharine and
where she went this afternoon. When
4 we have learned this much we shall at
least have made good start. The
next thing will be to trace the letter.
IF Crandall does not know about 1t.
we will try to learn from whom it
came"
THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE objected
Louise. Haven't we looked every
where in Katharine's room for the en-
velop in which it came. ] am positive
that she burned it. Without the en-
velop yon can never discover where IL
was mailed or to whom it was adj
dressed"
! "I'm not so sure about that. The
postoffice has wonderful ways of trac-
| ing mail One of the inspectors is a
friend of mine and we will enlist his
help But first must find Crandall.
Probably he can tell us everything II
he will. Do you know where he lives?"
''He has bachelor apartments some
where along the avenue, | don't know
Just where. know his place OF bust
ness" g." .s
81 know that, too, but 1t is useless to
try to find him there tonight"
! "Katharine used to send all her
notes to one of his clubs where he re-
ceived his MALL think 1t was the
University"
| "Come into the library" said I, 'we
can quickly locate him.
I stopped in the hall to examine the
telephone book. hoping 1t might give
his home address, but it contained
only the office of his firm However,
had no difficulty in finding in the
library the volume I sought-the club
directory-and turning to his name |
saw that he was a member at both the
University and the Harvard.
AS I was a member Of the Univer.
sity myself had no difficulty In get
ting Crandall's address over the tele.
phone. Loath as was to leave Louise
alone, felt that prompt action was
demanded, so took my departure at
once.
eff find Crandall I will bring him
back with me SO that you may hear all
he has to say. Whether or not Isuc-
coed, will return within an hour. My
| friend, the postoffice inspector, lives
somewhere out in Jersey, but I will
| o.< 1i,o &bo tbipo in tho mnrp.