Putnam patriot., 1913-10-03

tissue paper from the empty hat.box and placed it in his suitcase Then he transferred the hat to it's original box, rang the bell. and ordered the boy to care for the box and suitcase until he called for them.
 During the afternoon he took oc- casion to run into the Judges private office about some unimportant detail of the business they were transactins and as he was leaving he said:
 By the way, Judge, who was your young woman who gave you such a fright by her sudden disappearance? You never told me her name. Is she one of my acQuaintances, I wonder?"
 'Oh, her name is Mary Weston" said the Judge, smiling T don't be- lieve you know her, for she was from California, and was visiting here only for few days. She sailed for Europe the next day"
 That closed the incident, and, so far as the mystery was concerned, only added perplexity to it.
 Durham purposely remained down. town, merely hayRg a clerk telephone home for him th@ he had gone out of the city and would not be home until late, so they need not wait up He did this because he did not wish to have his mother or his sister ask him any more questions about the missing hat and coat. Then he took a twenty mile trolley ride into the suburbs and back, to make good his word that he had gone out of town.
 A little after midnight he arrived at the clubhouse, secured his suitcase and the hat-box. and took a cab to his home. He left the vehicle at the cor lest the sound of it waken his mother or sister
 He let himself silently into the house with his latehkey and tip toed up to his room. The light was burning low He put the hat-box in the farthest corner of his closet, then he took out the rain-coat, and slipping off his shoes, went softly down to the hall closet
 In utter darkness he felt around and
 
 another long cloak, then gently re- leased the hanging loop and let the garment slip softly down in an incon- spicuous heap on the floor. He stole upstairs as guiltily as if he had been a naughty boy stealing sugar When he reached his room, he turned up his light, and. pulling out the hat-box,
 
 problem which he had not yet been able to solve. How should he dispose Of the hat so that it would be discov- cred in such way as to cast no fur ther suspicion upon the maid?
 He took the hat out and held it on his hand. looking at it from different angles and trying to remember just how the girl had looked out at him from under it's dropping plumes. Then with a sigh he laid it carefully in it's box again and went to bed.
 The morning brought clearer thought, and when the summons to breakfast pealed through the hall he took the box boldly in his hand and descended to the diningroom, where he presented the hat to his astonished sister.
 q am afraid am the criminal, Cor nelia," he said in his pleasantest man ner. I'm sorry I cant explain just how this thing got on my closet-shelf. l must have put it there myself through some unaccountable mix-up. It's too bad I couldn't have found it before and so saved you lot of wor- ry. But you are one hat the richer for it, for l paid the bill yesterday. Please accept it with my compliments
 Cornelia exclaimed with delight over the recovered hat
 But how in the world could it have got into your closet, Tryon? It was impossible. I left it in my room, know did, for I spoke to Norah about it before l left. How do you account for it?"
 "Oh, I don't attempt to account for it." he said, with gay wave of his hand. I've been so taken up with other things this past week, l may have done almost anything. By the way. Mother, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that Judge Blackwell has made me a most generous offer or business relations. and that have de7 cided to accept it."
 Amid the exclamations of delight over this bit of news, the hat was forgotten for a time, and when the mother and sister finally reverted to 1t and began to discuss how 1t could have gotten on the closet shelf, he broke in upon their questions with suggestion.
 T should advise, Mother, that you make a thorough search for your rain coat. I am sure now that you must have overlooked it. Such things often happen. We were so excited the morning Cornelia missed the hat that I suppose no one looked thoroughly
 But that is impossible. Tryon. said his mother, with dignity. T had that closet searched most carefully.
 Nevertheless, Mother, please me by looking again. That closet IS dark' ana l would suggest light.
 He beat a hasty retreat, for he did not care to be present at the finding of the rain-coat.
 There is something strange about this.H said Mrs. Dunham, as with ruf- fled dignity she emerged from the nall closet, holding her lost rain-coat al arms length. You don't suppose your brother could be playing some kind of a joke on us. do you. CornieE never did understand jokes.
 "Of course not" said practical Cor nelia, with a sniff. Its my opinion that Norah knows all about the mat ter and Tryon has been helping her