Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02

eide and for her poor fathers plight,
/ feared that his visit to the house
boded 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, so 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 I became ca1mer resolved on
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 if I persisted in
trying TO run him to earth Possibly
She was afraid that still greater evil
might come to those she loved. I felt
that for her own happiness it was nee
essary that l should continue my
course. | would go on with my inves-
tigation and once for all free her from
the crushing thrau Of this hidden evil.
/ would wait where I was until Gran.
dali had left the house, then l would
insist on seeing her and telling her
my resolve, nor would I permit her
to dissuade me from it.
On the corner was a drugstore.
Sheltered by its awning l took my
stand to wait until Crandall left the
hnI1Cn I .iCl,
yet my presence there under the avn
ing would hardly be noticed. l had
not long to wait In about five min
utes the door opened and the caller
emerged. This time I had an opportu-
nifty to get a good look at him I 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 l had begun
to ask questions about the yellow let
ter, who had driven from the town be-
hind the fastest horse obtainabIe
He came swinging down the street
past where I stood. AS he came closer
| was amazed to note that his face
was not the unnatural color of the
morphine users that l expected, but
rudy 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 | had against him was
not of the tangible sort that would
convict. Even though l 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 hypodermic syringe and the
address in New Jersey where the third
suicide had taken place, even though
/ myself had noted his suspicious ac-
tons there, there was nothing definite
enough to warrant Selling him as yet
l watched him as far down the ave
nue. as my eye could follow and then
turned toward the Parrish house. This
time l was admitted without delay
Apparently the maid had new instruc-
tons.
'I'll tell Miss Louise you are here"
she said as she showed me into the
reception-room.
AS l waited l tried to think how /
should greet Louise. While there was
much that l might reproach her for,
l felt that surely it had not been her
fault. | knew she must be acting I'M
der compulsion. l was determined,
though, to let her know that | knew
that Hugh Crandall had been in the
house
Suddenly l heard smothered
scream upstairs and a second later
Louise burst into the room. There
was terror in her face as she ran to
me-
"Ch. Harding" she gasped, its
gone-stolen!"
What do you mean? What's sto-
len?' l cried, Selling her hands tightly
in my own.
She was trembling all over and her
breath came in quick, short jerks.
She was dressed in an automobile hat
and coat, but even through the thick
folds of her coat l could feel the pal
pitating of her heart. The new mys-
terry, whatever it was, had been too
much for her already overstrained
nerves. She was in q condition close
ly bordering on hysteria.
Tell me about it, what was it?" I
said.
sThe yellow letter-it's gone, sto-
LEM"
Where was t."
I had taken it with NE the morn
ing l went down to Inspector Davis
office, but after he had compared it
with the Eiser fragment he had re-
turned il to me. l had restored it to
Louise when Davis and ! called on her
after cur visit to Mrs. Trasks board
ing-house. l had not seen it since
then. My last recollection Of ii was
placing it in her hand as Davis and
left the house.
Let me think" she said, trying
hard to regain her composure. When