The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-08-26
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ION the collar VI tAc ODe1~~S
in a chance ray of sunlight. He looked
at It reverently, and laid the garment
down carefully. that 1t might not %
disturbed. As he lifted the coat, ne
saw the little note pinned to the lapel
and seized 1t eagerly. Surely this
would tell something!
But no, there was only the message
that she had arrived safely. and her
thanks. Stay, she had signed her
name "Mary." She had told him ne
might call her that. Gould it be that
st was her real name, and that she
had meant to trust him with SO much
of her true story?
He pondered the delicate writing OF
the note, thinking how like her 1t
seemed, then he put the note In an In
,ner pocket and thoughtfully lifted out
the evening clothes. It was then that
he touched the silken lined cloth OF
her dress, and he drew back almost
AZ IL he had veatured roughly upon
something sacred. Startled, awed. he
looked upon it, and then with gentle
fingers lifted It and laid It upon his
knee.
Gradually, as he looked, the gown
told its own story, a. she had thought
It would: how she had been obliged
to put on disguise, and this was the
only way to hide her own dress.
With q sigh, he carefully folded up
the cloth gown, wrapped it in folds Of
tissue paper from the empty hat.box,
and placed it in his suitcase. Then
he transferred the hat to its 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 &C.
casion to run into the Judges private
Office about some unimportant detail
Of the business they were transacting,
and as he was leaving he said:
by the way, Judge, who was your
young woman who gave you such q
fright by her sudden disappearance?
You never told me her name. Is she
one Of my acquaintances. I wonders"
"Oh, her name Is Mary Weston"
said the Judge, smiling. II 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, DO
far as the mystery was concerned.
only added perplexity to 1t.
Durham purposely remained down.
town, merely having clerk telephone
home for him that he had gone out of
the city and would not DO 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 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 latch.key, 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
of his shoes, went softly down to the
hall closet.
In utter darkness he felt around and
finally hung the coat on hook under
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 guilty as if he had been
q naughty boy stealing sugar. When
he reached his room, he turned up his
light. and. pulling out the hat.box,
surveyed 1t thoughtfully. This was a
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.
Their 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 lust
how the girl had looked out at him
from under its dropping plumes. Then
with sigh he laid 1t carefully In its
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 dining.room, where
he presented the hat to his astonished
sister.
Il am afraid l am the criminal Cor.
nelia," he said in his pleasantest man
ner. I'm sorry I can't explain lust
how this thing got on my closet.shelf
must have put 1t there myself
through some unaccountable mix.up.
It's too bad ! couldn't have found II
before and 50 saved you lot Of wor.
~. But you are one hat the richer for
IL Tor paid the bill yesterday. Please
accept It with my Compliments"
Cornelia exclaimed with delight over
the recovered hat.
But how In the world could II have