Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-12-11
! cHAprER v.-(contInued).

had not looked at TIN tnat hent'
vet I felt that he was right. There
could not be moment Of happiness
for the girl I loved until the black
shadow that menaced her home and
those she loved had been dispelled.
Yes. Davis. was right. I would go to
Ardway that evening. stopped only
long enough to telephone Louise OF
my intention and to go to my rooms
for bag. - s.
III you have revolver you'd better
take it with you" said Davis.
II never owned one in my life." l
replied. 81 e.
He drew out his own and handed
1t to me. 1t was of the hammerless
variety, fat and almost square.
BE careful how you use It," ne
warned me. ITS magazine gun and
goes OF with very. light touch"
what do you expect me to find IN
Ardway?" asked him as a taxicab
hurried US, to the Hudson tunnel.
4, There are two things. First: find
out II Hugh Crandall Is there. when
he arrived and what he has been do
ing. Probably II he Is at the hotel
he will be registered under an as
sumed name. Second: find out who
has Lock Box II. There is . list OF
box-owners kept III every office. with
the names Of the two references. Find
out all you can without arousing sus-
picion. Ill be out and join you there
tomorrow evening. I'll come out on
this same train. III leave 1t to you
to find a plausible .pretext for ques'
tioning the postmaster"
Tedious as the trip to Ardway would
ordinarily have been. SO absorbed was
I In puzzling over the mystery hard
" noted the passage Of time and was
startled to hear the brakeman calling
my station. / had learned from the
conductor that 1t was village OF less
than two thousand Inhabitants and
that there was only one hotel, about
block from the station. It proved
!. Ia, be a country. hotel Of the better
sort. doing a thriving business in feed
ing motor-car folk who passed through
and in taking care Of trayeling-men
and farmers supply agents who Wis
tied the neighborhood. ,s.s.z{
AS l signed the register scanned
the names, hoping to-, see that OF
Crandall, but It did not appear. Yet
registered the night before was
name Henry Cook" that caught my
eye, Something about the writing
made it as distinctively that Of city
man as his clothes would have distin-
p,,ished him from the country boy be-
hind the desk.
Where will find the post-ofice? !
asked the clerk. Il want to get q spe-
cial delivery letter off tonight
fits a couple of blocks up Main
street." he told me, but you'd better
60 in and get supper. The dining
room closes at half.past seven and the
post-office stays open until eight"
i took his. advice and, after an ex-
cellent meal, lighted my cigar and
| walked In the direction he had indi-
Gated. The streets were lighted after
| q manner by oil lamps at the corners.
There was no moon and the villagers
for the most part seemed to live in the
rear part, Of their homes Few OF the
struggling stores had their windows
lighted, SO it was with difficulty ! read
the signs on the buildings passed,
| yet had little trouble finding the
post-office. It was one-story build
ing that stood on q vacant lot In the
middle OF the block. It evidently had
been built by some local politician for
the purpose, as it was not quartered
| in the corner of q cigar or grocery
store. as most country offices are.
Peering into the darkness read the
| sign post Office" and noted with
some surprise that the windows were
without lights. drew out my watch
and striking a match looked at the
time. 1t was half-past Nseven. For
lack OF something better to do l
walked round the building. To my
amazement when / reached the end
away from the street found the rear
door standing wide open. Thinking
perhaps that the postmaster might
merely have gone to supper, relying
on the honesty Of his neighbors to
leave things undisturbed,S L loitered IN
the vicinity for full half-hour. At
last, growing impatient. entered the
rear door and striking another match
looked about me. As far as the uncer-
taiti II eht permitted me to see, the
place looked as II the postmaster had
!