The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-07-30
ASlNGULAR
LETTER
By JOHN Y. LARNED

BY JOHN Y. LARNED
We don't know how many cases have
occurred where minors have been swim
died out Of their inheritances by rela-
tives, guardians or executors, but there
are quite a number of such instances
on record. When we remember what
temptation fortune is and the
number of INSCRIPTIONS persons In the
world it is a wonder that there are not
more such cases.
When l was in the high school l
formed an attachment for a girl nam
ed Hazel Mansfield. She belonged to
a wealthy family, while my parents
were poor. Indeed, when went to
college was obliged to work my way
by teaching and other expedients. l
parted with Hazel Mansfield when We
we're graduated at the high school and
did not meet her again for many
years.
After leaving college studied law
and In time put out my single az an
attorney. l had not 'practiced long be-
fore I received by mail copy Of q
book handsomely. bound and altogether
quite an acceptable gift. After tearing
of the cover, which was much soiled.
I looked eagerly on, the fyleaf for the
name of the donor and was surprised
to find the leaf as blank as the day It
came out of the manufacturers hands.
l ran through the pages, expecting
that a card would appear, but found
none. Then opened the, book and
shook it. There was nothing in 1t.
I examined the writing on the cover,
which was in a woman's hand. but It
was not familiar to me; at least I did
not remember it. was addressed az
m individual, not as lawyer. looked
all over the wrapper, but saw nothing
to give me any clew. The book, con-
sidering the way it came to me, was
a mystery. h
A few days later concluded to read
the book, hoping that there might be
something In the text that would sug-
gest an explanation. It was a book OF
travels and to me very dull I was
about to give up its ,perusal when I
came to a light lead pencil mari, under
the word "my."+. l. noted the fact and
read on. On the next page the word
dear" was similarly underscored. This
began to look as though I was on the
track of something. now ceased to
read, but looked for another marked
word. It was "old." The next twas
SCHOOL" was somewhat disappoint-
ed, for my dear old school" meant
nothing to me. But I turned the leaves
till l came to the word '.mate."
These FIVE words were a revelation.
My mind at once turned back to my
school days, but had number Of
friends among them and could not SET
tie on any one who would be likely to
senC, me any such mysterious commu-
nication. I read on and evolved the
following sentence: II need both q
friend and q lawyer" At this point I
was so eageri to$ learn who was my
correspondent that L turned to the
back of the book and examined It from
the end to the beginning. Here I
found letters, not words, UNDERSIGNED.
The first letter marked was a a.
the next an 'l,"'the next: an e." the
next an a." the next an IT," knew
was noting, the letters backward and
kept trying by reading them in reverse
order. When I came to the If" no
ticed that thus far they spelled field"
-Four letters more read also in reverse.
gave me mans" The two syllables to.
gether gave Mansfield.
Could the communication come from
my old chum Hazel Mansfield? Hooked
eagerly for the next letter, and, sure
enough, it was an a." I ran over the
pages rapidly, coming to e." f." "a, -
H." in sequence.
Having discovered my correspondent,
I was now impatient to know why she
had need Of q friend and a lawyer.
Turning to the forward part Of the
book where I had left of, I began
again reading the message. It inform.
ed me that the writer was held q pris.
oner in country house with no other
near neighbors by the executor. Of her
fathers estate. She was kept there
waiting legal permission to place her
In retreat for feeble minded persons
or to be disposed Of In some other way
that would enable the executor to ap-
propriate her estate. A part of this she
knew and a part she surmised.>. She
begged me to do something to extr1cate
her from her terrible position.
Her reason for sending me the book
was that she was not permitted to
communicate with any one. She had
found the book in the library and at
times when she was MT watchod no 4