Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-07
YELLOW LETTER.
A Fascinating Mystery Story
ByWlLLlAM JOHNSTON
coPvR,cnr lell-rnE eoeBs-reRRL CO.

s-nERRILL co. sEs9S 94S 81 s7SsS
significant. How could Davis posi-
bly, know that this was the address
from which the yellow letters eman
ated? b. F
"It is a simple problem in addition
and subtraction" said Davis. "The
yellow letter connects the Parrish and
Elser cases. Many things connect
Crandall with the Parrish case. "A
criminal using the mails for illegal pur'
poses naturally locates, if possible, in
another .tate from the scene of his
operations, forseeing the better chance
of legal delays and possible escape. A
criminal working in New York natur.
ally seeks New Jersey as headquarters,
If Crandall was cognizant Of the vel
low letters, whether his connection was
innocent or guilty, he natu' ally would
have known or would have tried to
find out whence they came. I went
into his rooms with one question in my
mind and soon found the answer
In Crandall'sv address book will there
not be some address in New Jersey
that may give clue?' Almost the
first thing I turned to was this one
of Lock Box II. Now in the postal
business one of the first things we
learn is that the criminal always tries
to get post-office box. For that rea
son two references are always q re-
quired. In spite of that precautton,
many Of the boxes are constantly be-
ing used for fraudulent purposes
When we find out who rented Lock Box
II at Ardway, we shall be close on the
trail of the yellow letter" @
"Were there any letters Of Katherine
Farrish's in the desk?" I asked.
81 guess so,' said Davis unconcern,
eddy. 81 saw bundle of letters in a
woman's handwriting, but didn't even
look to see whose they were" ~.
I was disappointed thus far with the
inspectors handling of the case. His
disregard of what appeared to me to
be vital evidence and the decision he
had made about this address being
that of the sender of the yellow let
tiers seemed to me wholly illogical.
"You'll grant, of course, that Gran
dali is a morphine user" ventured
"A pair of swords in mans room
don't make him a fencer Excuse me
for a minute while telephone my of.
fee"
While he was telephoning reviewed
the case in my mind. l was strongly
tempted to break with him and con-
tinue the investigation my own way
and yet what had to gain by It? After
all, We had learned very little except
that Crandall was connected with the
mystery. Where were we likely to
find Crandall? Davis had had much
more experience in tracing men. He
was resourceful, as the method In
which he had effected entrance into
Crandalls 4 apartments showed. Just
as made up my mind that would be
wise to continue to follow his lead
lacking one Of my own, Davis returned
and expression Of annoyance on his
face. .s
.Kent," he said abruptly, you've got
to slant at once for Ardway. I had
planned to go out there, but as have
to appear in court tomorrow there is
no use in my going tonight" .s.
"I'll 20 the first thing in the morn.
ing" said I, determined to see Louise
again and have talk with her.
There's train out there at four
o'clock this afternoon" he said, look.
ing up from schedule he had picked
up in the lobby. 1T takes nearly three
hours to get there. Never let a trail
get cold if you can help it,"
"But-" l protested. w..
"You can telephone her." he said
'Tt is for her sake that you will be
going, and she will appreciate your
energy in the matter more than any.
thing else .... -.
I had not looked at it in that light,
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. l would go to
Ardway that evening. I stopped only
long enough to telephone Louise of my
intention and to go to my rooms for a
bag.
eff you have a revolver you'd better
take it with you," said Davis.
II never owned one in my life"
replied. DIS. a..
He drew out his own and handed 1t
to me. It was Of the hammerless
variety, fiat and almost square.
"Be careful how you use it," he
warned me. "It's a magazine gun and
goes off with a very light touch"
What do you expect me to find out
in Ardway?" I asked him as a taxi.
cab hurried us to the Hudson tunnel.
"There are two things. First: find
out if Hugh Crandall is there, when
he arrived and what he has been do.
ing. Probably if he is at the hotel he
will be registered under an assumed
name. Second: find out who has Lock
Box II. There is list of boxowners
kept in every office, with the names of
the two references. Find out all you
can without arousing suspicition. III
be out and join you there tomorrow
evening. I'll come out on this same
train. I'll leave it to you to find a
plausible pretext for questioning he
postmaster"
Tedious as the trip to Ardway would
ordinarily have been, so absorbed was
in puzzling over the mystery hardly
noted the passage of time and was
startled to hear the brakeman calling
my station. I had learned from the
conductor that it was village, of less
;,,1,