Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1914-01-16

name MARY" She had told him he
might call her that. Could it be that
1t was her real name, and that she
had meant to trust him with 80 much
of her tru story?
He pondered the delicate writing OF
the note, thinking how like her IL
seemed, then he put the note In an In
ner pocket and thoughtfully lifted out
the evening clothes. 1t was then thai
he touched the silken lined cloth or
her dress, and he drew back almost
as If he had yentured roughly upon
something sacred. Startled, awed, he
looked upon 1t, and then with gentle
fingers lifted it and laid it upon his
knee.
Gradually, as he looked, the gown
told it's own story, as she had thougnt
it would: how she had been obliged
to put on a disguise, and this was the
only way to hide her own dress.
With a sigh, he carefully folded up
the cloth gown, wrapped 1t in folds OF
tissue paper from the empty hat-boX,
and placed it in his suitcase. Then
he transferred the hat to its original
box, rang the bell, and ordered the
boy % care for the box and suitcase
until he called for them.
During the afternoon he too oc-
casion to run into the Judges private
office about some unimportant detail
of the business they were ~transacting,
and as he was leaving he said:
by the way, Judge, who was your
young woman who gave you such a
fright by her sudden disappearance?
You never told me her name. Is she
one of my acquaintances, | wonder?'
ooh, her name is Mary Weston
said the Judge, smiling. Il don't be-
lieve you know her, for she was from
California, and was visiting here only
for a few days. She sailed for Europe
the next day"
That closed the incident, and, SO
far as the mystery was concerned,
only added pefplexity to it.
Durham purposely remained down
town, merely having d clerk telephone
home for him that he had gone out OF
the city and would not be home until
late, so they need not wait up. He
did this because he did not wish to
have his mother or his sister ask him
any more questions about the missing
hat and coat. Then III took d twenty
mile trolley ride into the suburbs and
back, to make good his word hat he
had gone out of town.
A little after midnight he arrived at
the clubhouse. secured his suitcase
and the hat-box, and took a cab to his
home. He left the vehicle at the cor
lest the sound of it waken his mother
or sister.
He let himself silently into the
house with his iatch-key, and tip
'toed up to his room. The light was
burning low. He put the hat-box in
the farthest corner of his closet, then
he took out the rain-coat, and, slipping
off his shoes, went softly down to the
hall closet.
In utter darkness he felt around and
finally hung the coat on a hook under
another long cloak, then gently re
leased the hanging loop and let the
garment slip softly down in an incon
%spicuous heap on the floor. He stole
upstairs as guiltily as If he had been
a naughty boy stealing sugar. When
he reached his room, he turned up his
light, and, pulling out the hat-box
surveyed it thoughtfully. This was
problem which he had not yet beer
able to solve. How should he dispose
Of the hat so that it would be discov
cred In such a way as to cast no fur
Their suspicion upon the maid?
He took the hat out and held 1T or
his hand, looking at it from different