The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-02-08

l had not expected to find such de-
velopment Of intuition regarding world
ly matters in one SO young, and SO
fresh from conventual seclusion. And
then her judgment seemed to keep
pace with her auguries; for when l
spoke OF inviting the aid Of detectives
and the newspapers, she begged me
to consider.
Il am afraid for him." she pursued
gravely. Publicity might mean death.
II they discover they are being sought,
they may murder him. Somehow, I
feel he is still alive; and SO we must
do nothing that will incite them to
further violence"
But" l returned, conscious Of the
force Of her argument, yet failing to
see how this caution could very we'll
be exercised, I'VE can't find him with
out seeking"
mo, but We can seek him in Sc
| cret. The newspapers must not tell
the world"
THE police would of course toll the
| newspapers" l added.
! I'VE can do some things. without
the police" was her next assertion.
and there are more that you can do"
She was thoughtful for moment. and
then: Il am SO sorry about Peter
Johnson! You should never have lost
sight Of him."
I'VE gave him money and God
speed" | reminded her.
Captain Macleod must go back
there, where you left him. Where
was 1t? Siasconset? He must trace
him. His trail won't lead to Glouces-
ter, I'm sure of that"
MY self-esteem was not being vigor-
ously stimulated by the young lady
at this juncture. Indeed, l was being
made to feel more and more my stra-
tegical inferiority.
And l." she continued, with the
methodical expediency of command
er-in-chief, SO curiously ,inapposte in
one SO young and inexperienced as
She "and l shall find out about those
letters"
Find out what?" l asked in aston
ishment.
Find out what manner of man
} wrote them" she amplified.
But how can you" I inquired.
THAT seems pretty big undertaking
of itself, for one so small"
Il have thought OF way" she de-
clared. noncommittally
And what am l to do?" was my
next question, feeling miserably small
beside this efficient child.
"You must give me the letter you
have, and help me look for. the 9TH
ers."
The first part of the command was
easy enough OF obedience; for the
letter was in my pocket at the mo-
ment. But my assistance in searching
for the first two communications was
more energetic than successful. To
gether we ransacked desks, bureaus,
tables, closets, trunks, clothes. In
deed, every possible hiding place both
at Cragholt and on the Sibylla was
carefully and Systematically delved
into and exhausted without reward.
Either Cameron had destroyed the let
ters. or he had them on his person
when he vanished from the yacht.
At Evelyn's request, however
wrote copies OF those two strangely
couched, malevolent epistles, as near
ly as / could remember them; and
save, perhaps, for possibly two or
three verbal errors they were, | think,
quite accurate.
"And now" asked again, what am
to do?"
1t was nearly midnight, and l was
leaving her, my car waiting In the
sopping driveway to carry me home.
You are not to worry any more
than you possibly can help" she told
me, with brave little smile, for we
are going to succeed. And tomorrow
YOU must go to your office, and keep
very very silent about what has hap
pened. And then you are to come to
me again in the evening, and l will
tell YOU all l have learned
With which she gave me her hand
to kiss, in the odd little French way
she had-a way that could scarcely
have been part of her convent teach
ing.
As come to review these matters
now. 1t seems singular that ! should
have so readily consented to be guid-
ed by this girls will in case of such
grave importance; yet | cannot but
believe there was something providen.
tial both in her assumption Of leader
ship and in my own unquestioning ac
| ouiescence. For the day Of office
work and silence. which she enjoined,
was exactly what l needed to restore
nv nerves to their normal tension. 1t
was, in fact, a sort of counter-irritant.
which brought me up standing, with
revived self-conidence and recuperat-
ed energy.
So when, a little before five O'Clock
that afternoon, just as I was making
ready to run for my train. l heard
Evelyn's voice over the telephone.
was fairly tingling with ardor for the
game; and he. request to call on Pro
fessor Griffin. the expert In Oriental