The Springdale news., 1912-08-30
.opyrisnt 1911. The Boobs-Merrll Co
(Continued from last week
 CHAPTER III,
Tho Second Clue.

can QO IL, ffarOlnB. You are asking an possibility"
 was sitting in Inspector Davis room in the post-office building The first thing in the morning I had gone there to enlist his aid i'll clearing up the mystery that hung over the Far rish home. With the confidence based on a friendship that had it's begin. nings in boyhood association l felt sure he would do all he could to help me. I wanted. if possible, to learn through him whence had come the yellow letter.
 Miller Davis, though only year old CT than I. already had become one of the governments most trusted secret agents His rise in the service had been phenomenally rapid. The rob- bery Of the post-office where he was employed had given him his start little later with the merest thread 10 follow, he had run to earth a skilful band of stamp counterfeiters, and three of it's members Were now serv- ing long terms. Only year ago, when all the other inspectors had failed to find the flaw in the registry service that permitted a red.striped sack with two hundred thousand dollars worth of registered mail to disappear. Da. wis, putting his keen. analytical mind on the case. within week had dis. covered the flaw in the system and only few days later had arrested the ex-convict who had protited by It.
 ,L of1 friend I had followed his career and was familiar with most of his brilliant achievements. Even though the scrap which was puzzling me had no en- yelope and bore no postmark, so conf. dent was in his farreaching powers I would hardly have been amazed if he had told me all about 1t as soon as I showed 1t 10 him. Imagine, then. my disappointment at his absolute refusal to take up the matter It all.
 Don't you see how important 1t Is ?" cried This little scrap is the key to the whole mystery"
 He was sitting with his back to the light-a trick most business men have these days. so that they can see your face in full light. while you have ditfi- culty in reading theirs-yet from his tone I felt that he was inwardly amused at my anxiety.
 I'm afraid you oyerrate my detect i've ability and my powers as post office inspector" he said. While I am inclined to agree with you that this bit of paper may have some bearing on bx, Io ,otb bjDn to oh FrOy what post-otfce It came. through whose hands It passed, or by whom It was re- ceived It may not have come through the mail at all More than likely some messenger brought It. Before l could undertake an investigation l would have to know. first. that 1t had come through the mail: second. that there was some evidence that the malls were being used for an unlawful purpose, and third. I would want to be certain before I began the investigation, that l would win out That's the secret. old chap. of my success. of every body's success Don't tackle things you can't do, then you never fail.
 Davis refusal was a greater blow to me than I cared to admit. Louise and l in our final conference the night be fore had decided that there were three steps that would take Us far into the light
 First. was to try at once to find Hugh Crandall was to ask him to explain the rupture with Katharine, the attitude Of General Parrish toward him. his knowledge Of the yellow let- ter, and why he had called Katharine on the telephone the afternoon before.
 Second. failing to find Crandall, 1 was 10 make some preteXt for visiting his rooms. His sudden departure and his eautionng the janitor to admit no one had q suspicious look. While neither Louise nor I had discussed what msht be there to explain the mystery, 1 was thinking that in all probability l would find bundle of letters from Katharine, some of which might furnish a clue.