Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-09
o YELLOW LETTER
A Fascinating Mystery Story
ByWlLLlAM JOHNSTON
COPYRIGHT ler-THE eoees- MERRILL co.
CHAPTER VI Continued.

0Vcly lulllS, i SdAu.at Gill OuI uSAo
on another matter that is something
Of mystery in which a yellow letter
figures. The letter has disappeared.
! never saw or heard of this old wom-
an before, but when the witness NEIL
toned that she was tearing up let
ter sudden notion came to me that it
might be the one of which was in
search. A detective who is working
on the case will be out here this even
ing and then can tell you more about
it,
I spoke the last sentence in a whis-
per so low that it reached only the cor
oner's ear. He pondered over my
statement and then abruptly announc-
edtthat the inquest was adjourned until
nine o'clock the next day. would
have escaped him if could, but saw
that he was determined to worm out
everything l knew or suspected.
decided that activity would be the best
remedy for his curiosity. According
ly l invited the coroner and the con-
stable to come up to my rooms where,
without waiting for them to question
me, began firing questions hot-shot
at them, suggesting things for them to
do, simple things that would have been
the first thought of the police Of New
York or any other large city, but which
they had not thought Of Had they
telephoned description of the woman
to the Bridgeport police with. her name
to see if she could be identified as any
one who was missing from that city?
Had they examined her clothing to see
if there was any mark in it that might
identify her? Had they studied her
writing on the register to see if it
gave any indication of being assumed
or disguised? Had they examined her
pocketbook to see if it contained any
clue to motive? Had they considers
whom she might have come to this
town to see?
sThat idea of calling up the Bridge
port police amt such bad one" said
the coroner. Suppose you do>it now"
he said, turning to the constable.
"I'd like to know who's going to pay
for it If 1 do" the constable objected
'There amt enough fees in this Office
for me to be spending my money that
way"
"You go ahead and do it and I'll see
that you get the. money back.
"If you're going to pay 1t out OF
your own pocket I'll do 1t, but II you
expect me to wait till you put 1t
through as a lawful expense | amt
taking no chances"
Their petty wranglfng over such a
trifling amount exasperated me not q
little.
Here said I, pulling fve-dollar
bill from my pocket, take this and pay
for it and tell them to telephone you
as soon as they can what they have
found out. This ought to cover both
messages and the answer and II there
is anything left get yourself some
cigers with it,
The constable needed no second
bidding. AS soon as he had disap.
peared I turned to the coroner:
did you notice that man Cook at
the inquest? Who is he?"
81 don't know who you mean," he
replied. 1.-THE only Cook know here
in the town is Bob Cook, and he's laid
up with broken leg" J
Didn't you notice tall. smooth
shaven fellow who stood right close
beside where you were sitting? He
listened closely to the testimony and
the minute we began looking for the
scraps Of the letter, didn't you see him
slip out Of the room?"
"Come to think Of it," said the cor
oner, 81 believe did notice him, but
I can't say as I seen him going out.
Maybe twas one of the guests Of the
hotel" - 80, ..r
IT think he is, and I'm pretty sure
he's registered In the hotel as Mr..
Cook, too, but I'd like to know more
about him" i.-s
LETS 60 down and ask Mahlon. If
there's anybody staying in his hotel
he don't know about it's something
unusual"
We found Mahlon Williams in the
little boxed-off corner behind the hotel
desk that was labeled Private Of
fice.' The curious crowd was still
gaping at the door of the room where
the suicide had taken place, at least
such of them as had not adjourned to
the bar to talk 1t over, so that we were
alone in the Office.
"Mr. Williams" / said, what do
you know about this man Cook, who
is stopping here in the hotel?"
''No more than I know about you,"
said he, "and not as much, in fact,
for he didn't ask no peculiar questions
at the inquest. Speaking about that
letter."
''How long has this man Cook been
in the house?" interrupted, deter
mined not to let either him or the cor
oner annoy me with questions.
The hotelkeeper, plainly provoked
at my attitude, stared thoughtfully at
me for minute and finally decided to
answer my question as the only hope
of getting me to answer his.
"He came just the night before you
did-got in on the seven-two train"
His answer settled everything in my
mind. Cook was Crandall. The ar
rival Of Cook in the village conceded
with the departure Of Crandall from
New York The haste in which he had
departed was applicable by the arrival
of the old woman on that train. Evil
IDENTIFY he wanted for some reason to
arrive in the village at the same time
that she did What had been his mo-
tive was still mystery to me. It
flashed across my mind that perhaps,