The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-08-29
ABOUT mis- business.


impossible for any one but Crandall
to have taken the yellow scrap-for
any one else 10 have even a motive
for taking it.
That would be impossible" she
said "All the doors and windows are
protected by burglar alarms and 1
know they are in working order or
would have heard about it,"
, There is or there must have BEEN
SAID slowly, some traitor in the
house, some thief, some one who had
| an ohiec. in getting &c.,. &C thot pa
ptr,"
There has been no one here" said
Louise with a painful effort, mo ono
answering that description"
How did you come to look for -.
paper in your desk?"
81 wanted" she sIopr<
Mr. Kent" sb> 81 short.
manner tor,. y said, her entire
witbdrav ard me stiffening as she
asL.>S her hands from mine, 81
II you last night if you would not
cease your inquiries at once"
"But-but-' l protestingly began.
81 asked you to do what requested
without any questions. You have told
me that you loved me. If that is the
case I know you will do what l ask
without trying to force my confidence
Isn't it enough for you to know that
l wish you to do it?"
Louise, dear" said firmly, "a mys-
FERROUS trail of hidden evil in some
way has crossed your home. 1t has
stricken your sister and your father.
You yourself asked me to try to find
the secret and | vowed that I would.
l don't know what your motive is in
making this strange request, but I
can't believe you are doing it of your
own volition. l am certain that you
are influenced by fear-fear lest some
greater evil will befall, if my efforts
TO unmask the criminal are success
full. Is it not so?"
Don't ask me, Harding" she begged
piteously. 81 can't tell you. 1t is not
my secret. I can tell you nothing.
| Please don't ask me-"
More than ever now I was convinced
that fear of Crandall dominated her.
Quickly following on his telephone
message he had come to the house
and had cast over her the same mys-
FERROUS spell as had fallen on her sis
ter. More than ever was | determined
to follow the trail of mystery to it's
end, no matter where it lay or what it
cost. What was life to me if the wom-
an | loved was to be for ever under
a shadow, in the power Of some hid
den criminal who might prey on her
as he had done on the other members
Of her family? felt it my duty toward
her to go on and, if l could, compel
her to divulge something OF what she
was holding back from me.
why did you want that bit of the
yellow letter? What were you going
to do with it,"
4 can't tell you. Please don't ask
me"
Why do you want me to stop my in
quiries?"
81 can't tell you. Please don't ask"
What was Hugh Crandall doing
here this morning."
The question, direct and blunt as
put it, had almost the same effect as
if | had fired bullet at her. She
caught her breath quickly and her
face turned pale. I thought that she
was going to faint. With great eff
fort she recovered, and looking me
straight in the eye, she answered soft
ly: Mr.. Crandall was not here this
morning. What made you think he
was?"
| did not try to conceal the open
eyed amazement with which | stared
at her as she gave me this unequivo-
cal reply. What could 1t mean?
could not, would not believe that this
high principled honorable girl would
wilfully deceive me, yet l was as sure
as that | was standing there that
Hugh Crandall had been in the house
that morning. Could it have been that
he had entered without her knowl
edge? Was it possible that one OF the
maids in the Parrish home was in
his pay and had permitted him to en-
ter without Louise's knowledge? That
might explain the rifiing Of the locked
desk. The maid might know Of Lou
ise's habit of hiding the key in a vase
1t began to look as If l had a solution
Of this new mystery Yet it could
hardly be possible for Crandall to
have been in the house for fully half
an hour without Louise knowing it.
Furthermore, why had admittance
been denied me when first called?
81 saw Hugh Crandall leaving this
house not ten minutes ago." I said.
Really"
Her tone was cold, hard, forced,
though she tried to make it sound nat
ural.
ut was he who broke open your
desk" l cried. "He wanted to regain
possession Of that scrap of paper and
thus remove all evidence Of his guilt"
Il am afraid" said Louise with the
manner Of offended dignity. that you
are entirely mistaken. was not
aware that you knew Mr. Crandall by
sight"
"lf that wasn't Hugh Crandall who
came out Of your house Just now, who