The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-02-15
Johnston.

feared that his visit to the house
BODIED i'll for Louise. Undoubtedly his
malign influence had persuaded her
to bid me drop my efforts to solve the
mystery. He must have realized that |
was close on his trail, 30 danger
ously close that with the effrontery OF
the daring criminal he had ventured to
come to the house in one last effort |
to thwart my plans for his exposure.
AS became calmer / resolved on a
course of action. Louise's strange re-
quest to me over the telephone must
have been made because she was DOM
mated by the fear Of this villain who
had brought disaster on her father and
sister. Perhaps she feared that some
evil might befall me II persisted In
trying to run him to earth. Possibly
she was afraid that still greater evil
might come to those she loved. felt
that for her own happiness 1t was nee
essary that / should continue my
course. l would go on with my inves-
tigation and once for all free her from
the crushing thrall of this hidden evil.
/ would wait where was until Gran
dali had left the house, then l would
insist on seeing her and telling ner
my resolve, nor would ! permit her
to dissuade me from 1t.
On the corner was a drugstore.
Sheltered by its awning / took my
stand to wait until Crandall left the
house. / could see the Parrish door,
yet my presence there under the avn
ing would hardly be noticed. had
not long to wait. In about five min
utes the. door opened and the caller
emerged This time had an opportu-
nifty to get a good look at him. was
right. His face was that of the man
who had been registered in the Ard
way hotel as Henry Cook, who had so
abruptly left the room when the In
quest was being held as had begun
to ask questions about the yellow let
ter, who had driven from the town be-
hind the fastest horse obtainable.
He came swinging down the street
past where stood. AS he came closer
l was amazed to note that his face
was not the unnatural color OF the
i morphine users that l expected, but
ruddy with health. His eyes, however,
wore strained expression and his
brow was knotted with wrinkles. /
was strongly tempted to spring out
from where / stood as he passed. to
seize him by the throat and to make
him tell me all wished to know about
the hideous mystery. Yet better judg-
ment withheld my hand. After all,
the evidence l had against him was
not of the tangible sort that would
convict. Even though / knew Of his
telephoning Katharine just before she
shot herself, even though General
Parrish had learned something about
him that barred him from the house
even though we had found in his
rooms a hypodermic syringe and the
address in New Jersey where the third
suicide had taken place, even though
, myself had noted his suspicious &C
lions there, there was nothing definite
enough to warrant seizing him as yet
,, watched him as far down the ave
nue. as my eye could follow and theI
, turned toward the Parrish house. Thi,
4 time was admitted without delay
|. Apparently the maid had new instruc
|. lions.
. I'm tell Miss Louise you are here.
she said as she showed me into tn
! reception-room.
As / waited l tried to think how
> should greet Louise. While there wa
|. much that l might reproach her fol
: l felt that surely it had not been he
: fault. knew she must be acting VI
der compulsion. was determined
!. though, to let her know that kne'
: that Hugh Crandall had been in th
a house.
Suddenly / heard a smothere
:. scream upstairs and second late
= Louise burst into the room. TheI
: was terror In her face as she ran
!. me.
= "Oh, Harding" she gasped. at
gone-stolen!"
what do you mean? What's st
len?" cried. Selling her hands tight
In my own.
She was trembling all over and h
breath came in quick, short jerh
Il, She was dressed In an automobile b
Of and coat, but even through the thi'
re folds of her coat could feel the p'
,e plating Of her heart. The new my
III terry, whatever 1t was, had been t
10 much for her already overstrain'
40 nerves. She was In condition clol
it. " bordering on hysteria.
% Tell me about 1t. what was it?''
&c said.
IS The yellow letter-it's gone. 8
tn le0!"
tn Where was II
at I had taken It with me the moi