Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-02-05
DO you recognize it?''

is hers"
81 can. You see this little gold work
at the top? Well, l have an eye for
such things and / noticed this comb
in her hair last night There were
two of them just alike
Instinctively the two men sat with
their eyes fixed for minute on this
comb, then, equally instinctively, they
both looked up and gazed at each
other long and hard. 1t was the law
yer who first spoke
81 think that we should have no
further secrets between u.s." said he.
Here is Mrs. Ransom's will. There
is name mentioned in it which I do
not know. Perhaps you do" Here
he laid the document on the table.
Mr. Ransom eyed it but did not
Lake it up. Instead, he drew crump-
led paper from his own pocket and,
handing it to the lawyer, said: First,
should like you to read the letter
which she left behind for me. My
feelings as a husband would lead me
to hold it as a sacred legacy from all
eyes but my own; but there is mys-
terry hidden in it, a mystery which l
must penetrate, and you are the only
man who can assist me in doing So"
The lawyer, lowering his eyes to
hide their own suspicious gl1nJ, OPEN
ed the paper, and carefully read these
lines:
Forgive. My troubles are too
much for me. I'm going to place
Of rest, the only place and the
only rest possible to one in my
position. l don't blame anybody.
Least of all do l blame Anitra. 1t
was not her fault that she was
brought up rudely, or that she
knows no restraint in love or in
hate. Be kind to her for my sake,
and if any one else claims her Or
offers to take her from you, resist
them. give her entirely to you.
It's a more priceless gift than
you think; much more priceless
than the one which I take from
you by my death. could never
have been happy with you; you
could never have been happy with
me. Fate stood between us; a
darker and more inexorable Ease
than you, in your kindly expert
ence of life, could imagine. Else,
why do I plunge to my death with
your ring on my finger and your
love in my heart?
GEORGIAN"
"Ravings?" questioned Ransom
hoarsely, as Mr.. Harper's eyes rose
again to his face.
ct would seem So" assented the
lawyer. '.Yet there is intelligence in
all the lines. And the will-read the
will. There is no lack Of intelligent
purpose there; little as it accords
with the feeling she exhibits here for
her sister. She leaves her nothing;
and does not even mention her name.
Her personal belongings she be-
Queaths to you; but her realty, which
comprises the bulk Of her property l
believe, somewhat uneQually I own,
between you and a man named Auch-
incloss. It is he I want to ask you
about. Have you ever heard her
speak of him?'
Josiah Auchincloss of st. Louis,
Missouri" read Mr.. Ransom. mo-"
the pane is new to me. Didn't she
tell you anything about him when she
gave you her instructions?
''Not a word. She said, You will
hear from him if ever this will is
published. He has a right to the
money and l entreat you to show your
respect for me by seeing that he gets
it without any unnecessary trouble
That was all she said or would say.
Your wife was woman of powerful
character, Mr.. Ransom. My little arts
counted for nothing in any difference
Of opinion between u.s."
"Auchincloss!" repeated Ransom.
"Another unknown quantity in the
problem of my poor girls life. What
a tangle! Do you wonder that I am
overcome by it? Anitra-the so-called
brother-and now this Auchincloss!"
Fright, Ransom, I share your con-
fusion"
"Do your" The words came very
slowly, penetratingly. Haven't you
some idea-some strange, possibly
half-formed notion or secret intuition
which might afford some cleW to this
labyrinth? I have been told that
lawyers have a knack of getting at
the bottom of human conduct and af-
fairs. You have had a wide expert
ence; does it not suggest some an
swer to this problem which will har-
monte all its discordant elements and
make clear its various complications? ?"
Mr.. Harper shook his head, but
there was a restrained excitement in
his manner which was not altogether
the reflection of that which dominated
Ransom, and the latter, observing it,
leaned across the table till their faces
almost touched