Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-05
CHAPTER XV.-Continued.

CHAPTER XV.-Continued.
| I thanked my stars that 1 had been
thoughtful enough to obtain the card be-
| fore leaving West Sedgwick, and taking
| it from my pocketbook ! gave 1t to her.
"Oh, that one!' she said; perhaps l
can help you little, Mr.. Burroughs.
| That is an eId-fashioned card, one of
| few left over from an old lot. / have
| been using them only lately, because my
others gave out. l have really gone much
more into society in New York than l had
\ anticipated, and my cards seemed fairly
| to melt away. I ordered some new ones
here, but before they were sent to me l
was obliged to use few Of these old
| fashioned ones. I don't know that this
would help you. but l think | can tell
pretty nearly to whom 1 gave those
cards.
1t seemed a precarious sort of chance,
but as / talked with Mrs. Purvis l felt
more and more positive that she herself
was not implicated in the Crawford case
However, it was just as well to make
certain. She had gone to her writing
desk and seemed to be looking over a
diary or engagement book.
| Mrs. Purvis,'' said, will you tell me
where you were on Tuesday evening Of
Certainly and she turned back the
| leaves of the book Il went to a theater
party with my friends the Hepworths
and afterward we went to a little supper
at restaurant. I returned here about
midnight. Must 1 prove this?'' she added,
smiling: "for can probably do so by the
hotel clerk and by my maid. And. of
course. by my friends who gave the
party.
mo. you needn't prove it," I answered,
certain now that she knew nothing of the
Crawford matter; but l hope you can
| give me more Information about your
card
"Why I remember that very night
gave my cards to two ladies who were at
| the theater with us: and l remember now
that at that time I had only these old
fashioned cards. / was rather ashamed
| Of them, for Americans are puqctilious In
| such matters: and, now that I think of
it, one of the ladies was carrying a gold
| mesh bag"
| "Who was she?" I asked hardly daring
| to hope that had really struck the trail.
| Il can't seem to remember her name.
| but perhaps it will come to me. 1t was
rather an English type OF name, some
thing like Coningsby.''
Where did she live?"
"I haven't the slightest idea. You see;
| I meet these ladies so casually and real
| ly never expect to see any of them again.
! OVr exchange Of cards is mere bit OF
formal courtesy. No. / can't remember
| her name or where she was from. But
l don't think she was New Yorker"
Truly it was hard to come SO near get
ting what might be vital information and
| yet have it beyond my grasp! 1t was
quite evident that Mrs. PurvtS was hon
estIy trying to remember the lady's name,
but could not do so.
And then 1 had what seemed to me an
inspiration. Didn't she give you her
card2" / asked
A light broke over Mrs. Purvis face.
'FWhy, yes, OF course she did. And I'm
sure I can find it,
She turned to a card tray and. rapidly
running over the bits of pasteboard, she
selected three or four.
Here they are she exclaimed, ''all
here together. l mean all the cards that
were given me on that particular even
ing. And here is the name l couldn't
think of. 1t is Mrs. Cunningham. l re-
member distinctly that she carried a gold
bag, and no one else in the party did, for
we were admiring it. And here is her adj
dress on the card-Marathon Park. n. j.
1 almost. tainted myself with the sud
denness of the discovery. Had 1 really
found the name and address Of the owner
of the gold bag? OF course there might
be slip yet, but the evidence seemed
clear that Mrs. Cunningham Of Marathon
Park owned the bag that had been the
subject of SO much speculation!
/ had no idea where Marathon Park
might be, but that was mere detail
thanked Mrs. Purvis sincerely for the
help she had given me- and l was glad
ance was perhaps implicated in a muir
der mystery
I made my adieux and returned at once
to West Sedgwick.
at the station. and I told him the whole
story. for 1 thought him entitled to the
information at once.
why, man alive" he exclaimed. MARA
thon Park is the very next station to
West Sedgwick!''
$50 it ISL said; 81 knew I had hazy
idea Of having seen the name, but the
trains I have taken tO and from New
stop there and I paid no attention to it.
Its small park" went on Parmalee
"of swagger residences; very exclusive
and reserved, you know. You've certain
ly unearthed startling news. but 1 can't
help thinking that it will be wild goose
chase that leads us to look for our crimi-
nal in Marathon Park"
What do you think we'd better do?"
said /. go to see Mrs. Cunningham
mo. 1 wouldn't do that" said Parma
lee. who had a sort Of plebeian hesitancy
at the thought OF intruding upon aristo-
cratic strangers. Suppose you write her
letter and just ask her If she has lost
her bag
"All right conceded. for truth to tell.
I greatly preferred to stay in West Sedg
wick than to go out of it. for I had al
ways the underlined hope of seeing Flor
ence Lloyd.
| So / wrote a letter, not exactly curt,
| but strictly formal, asking Mrs. Cunning
ham If she had recently lost gold-mesh
bag, containing her gloves and handker-
chief.
Then Parmalee and agreed to keep the
matter a secret until We should get
reply to this. for We concluded there was
| no use in stirring up public curiosity on
the matter until we knew ourselves that
we were on the right trail.
CHAPTER XVII