The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-02-27
MHAaNM5AN1uu5

eide and for her poor fathers plight.
l feared that his visit to the houss
boded Ill for Louise. Undoubtedly his
malign influence had persuaded her
to bid me drop my efforts to solve the
mystery. He must have realized that
l was close on bis trail. so danger
ously close that with the eifrontery 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 calmer resolved on .
course of action. Louise's strange ne
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 mo II l persisted In
trying to run him to earth. Possibly
she was afraid that still greater evil
might come to those she loved. l felt
that for her own happiness It was nec-
essary that l should continue my
course. l would 90 on with my inves-
tigation and once for all free her from
the crushing thrall Of this hidden evil.
would wait where was until Gran
dali had left the house. then l would
insist on seeing her and telling her
my resolve. nor would l permit her
to dissuade me from 1t.
On the corner was Q drug store.
Sheltered by its awning I took my
stand to wait until Crandall left tho
house. could nee the Parrish door.
yet my presence there under the avn.
ing would hardly be noticed. had
not long to wait. In about five min
utes the door opened and the caller
emerged. This time had an opportu-
nifty to get 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 90
abruptly left the room when the In
quest was being held as had begun
to ask questions about the yellow let
ter. who had driven from the town be-
hind the fastest horse obtainable.
He came swinging down the street
past where stood. As he came closer
l was amazed to note that his face
was not the unnatural color of the
morphine users that expected, but
ruddy with health. His eyes, however,
wore strained expression and his
brow was knotted with wrinkles. l
was strongly tempted to spring out
from where l 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 l 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 mis-
rooms a hypodermic syringe and the
address in New Jersey where the third
suicide had taken place. even though
l myself had noted his suspicious &C.
tions there, there was nothing definite
enough to warrant seizing him az 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.
tions.
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 I might reproach her for
felt that surely 1t had not been her
fault. l knew she must be acting un.
der cQmpulsion. was determined
though. to let her know that l knew
that Hugh Crandall had been in the
house.
Suddenly l heard smothered
scream upstairs and a second late,
Louise burst into the room. There
was terror In her face as she ran to
me.
"Oh. Harding" she gasped, 'it's
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 heI
breath came in quick. short Jerks
She was dressed In an automobile ha,
and coat. but even through the thicl
-olds of her coat l could feel the pal
pitating Of her heart The new mys
terry. whatever 1t was. had been tos
much for her already overstrained
nerves. She was in = condition close
ly bordering on hysteria.
Tell me about 1t, what was III"
said.
THE yellow letter-its gone, sto
len!"
Where was IT."
had taken 1t with me the morn
ing I went down to Inspector Davis
office. but after he had compared n
with the Elser fragment he had re
turned 1t to me. ! had restored It t.
Louise when Davis and called on he,
after our visit to Mrs. Trask's board
ing-house. l had not seen it sinc.
then. My last recollection of II VA,