The Forrest City times., 1914-02-13

 had meant to trust him with so much of her true story?
 He pondered the delicate writing Of the note. thinking how like her 1t seemed. then he put the note in an in her pocket and thoughtfully lifted out the evening clothes. It was then that he touched the silken lined cloth of her dress and he drew back almost as if he had ventured roughly upon something sacred. Startled awed. he looked upon 1t, and then with gentle fingers lifted it and laid 1t upon his knee
 Gradually, as he looked, the gown told It's own story, as she had thought 1t would: how she had been obliged to put on a disguise, and this was the onl" way to hide her own dress.
 With a sigh, he carefully folded up the cloth gown. wrapped it in folds of tissue paper from the empty hatbox. and placed 1t In his suitcase Then he transferred the hat to its original box, rang the bell, and ordered the boy to care for the box and suitcase until he called for them
 During the afternoon he took 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 acquantances, l wonder"
 "Oh. her name is Mary Weston" :" said the Judge. smiling T don't be- lieve you know her, for she vas from California. and was visiting here only for few days She sailed for Europe the next day"
 That closed the incident, and, so far as the mystery was concerned only added perplexity to 1t
 Durham purposely remained down town, merely having 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 he took a twenty mile trolley ride into the suburbs and back, to make good his word that he had gone out of town
 A little after midnight he arrived at the club house, secured his suit case and the hat-box, and took a cab to his l To i<ft l, lest the sound of it waken his mother or sister.
 He let himself silently into the house with his latchk 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 a problem which he had not yet been able to solve. How should he dispose of the hat so that it would be discov- cred in such way as to cast To fur ther suspicion upon the maid?
 He took the hat out and held it on his hand, looking at it from different angles and trying to remember just how the girl had looked out at him from under it's dropping plumes Then with sigh he laid it carefully in it's box again and went to bed
 The morning brought clearer thought and when the summons to breakfast pealed through the hall he took the box boldly in his hand and descended to the dining-room. where he presented the hat to his astonished sister
 "I am afraid am the criminal. Cor nelia." he said in his pleasantest man. her. I'm sorry l cant explain just how this thing got on my closet-shelf l must have put it there myself through some unacCountable mix-up It's too bad couldn't have found 1t before and SO saved you lot of wor ry. But you are one hat the richer for 1t, for l paid the bill yesterday Please accept it with my compliments Cornelia exclaimed with delight over the recovered hat
 But how in the world could it have got into your closet. Tryon? It was Impossible. left it in my room l know did, for spoke to Norah about it before I left. How do you account for it?"
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