The Arvada enterprise., 1913-02-20
CHAPTER VI.-(ContInued.

at inc AFuWay
CHAPTER VI.-(ContInued).
I was thoroughly disgusted with the
drivelling way in which the proceed
1ngs were being carried on. | could
see little hope OF any discovery that
would establish connection with the
similar events in New York. | turned
from listening to the witness to study
ing the face Of the man Cook. Could
IT be possible he was Hugh Crandall ?
] saw that he was watching the testi-
mony with eager interest. Against
my will had to confess that his face
was one that attracted rather than
Tepelled me. While there was a
shrewdness about the eyes, the chin
was square and firm and the skull
well-balanced. l tried to read in the
shape Of the mouth or the curve Of
the ears some sign of the criminal,
such as l expected to find written on
the countenance Of Crandall, but 1t
was not there
She was sitting there crying"
sentence of the maids testimony
suddenly thrust itself forward from
my subconsciousness as II demand
ing my attention and l listened in
tently to what she was saying.
That was the way 1t happened that
] didn't make up the room the day be-
fore. When l went in to do 1t she was
sitting there crying and tearing a
letter to bits"
letter! 1t came on me In a fash
that here was the clue, that this was
the connecting link with the other two
cases.
| pushed my way forward into the
room, determined to learn all there
was about this new phase Of the case.
The proceedings stopped abruptly at
the hustle my movement made and
everybody. coroner. jurors and spec
tators. gaped at me.
Il am a lawyer" I said May |
ask the witness one or two questions?"
Still the coroner gaped and wait
ed no longer for his permission
Was it a yellow letter." asked.
Now that you speak of 1t kind Of
remember that It was.T
Has the letter been tound?"
She was tearing 1t In pieces"
Where are the pieces
The eyes Of everybody present be.
gan rowing about the room. as If in
lanswer to my question. 'The con-
stable instituted a hasty search, in
which I myself. the coroner and the
Jurors Joined. ] felt that II we could
only find those pieces. the mystery
might be solved While the room was
being ransacked | kept my eye on
Cook. AS l asked the question about
the letters color | noticed that he
looked startled. ! was amazed now
to see him edging toward the door |
was tempted to demand tina. he be re-
strained and searched. | felt almost
sure that If the pieces Of the yellow
letter were to be found anywhere 1t
would be in his pocket. Yet second
thought advised against such rash ac,
Ition. l had no positive proof that
Cook was Crandall. Until had, sure
Ily Il would be unwise to accuse him
| remembered that there was no train
by which he could leave the town un
til late in the afternoon, 30 there was
little prospect that he could escape
me.
How did you know It was a yellow
letter." the coroner asked me sus
piclously, pausng suddenly In his
search.
1t was an awkward question.
realized that my impetuoslty hat
placed me in a predlcament. wal
by no means ready to tell him th'
whole story, and yet the fact that
knew or suspected the color of tn.
letter that she was tearing up certain
ly indicated that | knew something
about the woman.
"I didn't know It."
We'll. what'd you ask the question
about It fort" he repeated, his sus
picion OF me rapidly increasing.
was thinking quickly what coult
say that would divert his thoughts.
noticed with annoyance that the eyet
OF every one in the room were on m.
and that they were curlously await
ing an answer. | assumed an air o.
mystery and drew the coroner to on,
side.
II am perfectly willing to tell yor
everything" | said. Il am out here
on another matter that Ia something
of a mystery in which a yellow letteI
hgures. The letter has disappeared.
Nsvsr aAv or heard Of this old woman