River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-07-24


have the clew to this mystery. but
Mr.. Brotherson may not be in con-
dition to speak for several weeks.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Challoner must suf-
fer from great suspense unless a
pause during which he searched the
doctors face with a perfectly frank
and inquiring unless
some one else can help us out. DR..
Fenton, can your"
The doctor did not need to speak;
his expression conveyed his answer.
mo more than another" said he.
Except for what Doris felt compelled
to tell me, I know as little as your
self. Mr.. Brotherson's delirium took
the form of calling continually upon
one name / did not know this name,
but Doris did, also the danger lurking
in the fact that he had yet to hear of
the tragedy which had robbed him
of this woman to whom he was SO
deeply attached. So she told me just
this much. That the Edith whose
name rung so continuously in our ears
was no other than the Miss Challoner
Of New York of whose death and it's
tragic circumstances the papers have
been full; that their engagement was
secret one unshared so far as she
knew by any one but herself. That
she begged me to preserve this secret
and to give her all the help I could
when the time came for him to ask
questions. Especially did she entreat
me to be with her at the crisis. / was.
but his waking was quite natural. He
did not ask for Miss Challoner; he
only inquired how long he had been
i'll and whether Doris had received a
letter during that time. She had not
received one, a fact which seemed to
disappoint him; but she carried it off
so gaily (she is a wonderful girl, Mr..
Sweetwater-the darling of all our
hearts), saying that he must not be
so egotistical as to think that the
news of his illness had gone beyond
Derby, that he soon recovered his
spirits and became a very promising
convalescent. That is all know about
the matter; little more, l take it, than
you know yourself"
Sweetwater nodded; he had ex-
pected nothing from the doctor, and
was not disappointed at his failure.
There were two strings to his bow,
and the one proving valueless. he pro-
ceeded to test the other
"You have mentioned Miss Scott,
as the confidante ard only confidante
of this unhappy pair" said he. Would
it be possible-can you make 1t pos
sible for me to see herr"
1t was daring proposition; he un-
derstood this at once from the doc
tors expression; and, fearing hasty
rebuff, he proceeded to supplement
his request with few added argu-
ments, urged with such unexpected
address and show of reason that Dr.
Fenton's aspect yisibly softened and
in the end he found himself ready to
promise that he would do what he
could to secure his visitor the inter
view he desired If he would come to
the house the next day at the time
of his own morning visit.
This was as much as the young
detective could expect. and having ex-
pressed his thanks, he took his leave
in anything but discontinued frame
of mind. In the time which must
elapse between that happy hour and
the present, he would circulate and
learn what he could about the pros
pective manager. But he soon found
that he could not enter the Works
without a permit, and this he was
hardly in a position to demand; so
he strolled about the village instead,
and later wandered away into the for
est.
Struck by the inviting aspect of a
narrow and little used road opening
from the highway shortly above the
house where his interests were just