The Cairo bulletin., 1914-01-05

asa 80
name MARY She hal told him he
might call her that. Could il be that
il was her real name. and that she
had meant 10 trust him with so much
Of her true story?
lie pondered the delicate writing OF
the note. thinking how like her II
seemed. then he pat the note in all in
ner pocket and thoughtfully lifted cut
the evening clothes. IL was then that
he touched the silken lined cloth of
her dress. and he drew back almost
as II he had ventured roughly upon
something sacred. Startled. awed, he
looked upon it, and then with gentle
fingers lifted il and laid it upon his
knee.
Gradually, as he looked. the gown
it would: how she had been obliged
to put Oh a disguise, and this was the
cnly way TO hide her own dress.
With a sigh, lie carefully folded up
the cloth gown. wrapped IL in folds of
tissue = from the empty hat box,
and placed it in his suitcase. Then
he transferred the hat 10 its original
box. rang the bell, and ordered tho
boy 10 care Tor the box and suitcase
until he called for them.
During the afternoon he tool oc-
CASTOR to run into the judges private
| office about some unimportant detail
of the business they were ~transacting,
and as he was leaving he said:
b the way. Judge. who was your
yuung wCinah who gave YOU such q
light by her Sudden disappearance?
You never told ne her name. Is she
one of my acQuaintances, | wonder?'
Oh, her name is Mary Weston
said the Judge. smiling. Il don't be
lisye YOU know her. for she was from
California, and vas visiting here oaly
for 4 few days. She sailed for Europe
the next day"
That closed the incident, and. so
Tar as the mystery was concerned,
only added perpleXity to it,
Luuh9m ~purposely remained down
town, merely having a clerk telephone
home tor him that lie had gone out Of
the city and would lot lie home until
late, 80 they need not wait up. He
did this because he did not wish 10
have his mother or his sister ask MIN
ans more questions about the missing
hat and coat. Then be took a twenty
mile trolley ride into the suburbs and
back. to make good his word that he
had gone L Of iowa.
\ 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 wakea his mother
or sister.
lie let himself silently iAto the
house with his latch-key, and tip
toed up to his room. The light was
burning low. lie 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.
Ii utter darkness he felt around ana
finally hung the coat on a hook under
another long cloak, then gently 70,
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 a way as to cast no fur
Their suspicion upon the maid?
He took the hat out and held 1t on
his hand, looking at 1t from different
angles and trying to remember just
how the girl had looked out al him
from under it's dropping plumes. Then
with a sigh he laid it carefully In its
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.
Il am afraid / am the criminal, Cor
nelia," he said in his ~pleasantest man
ner. I'm sorry | can't explain just
how this thing got on my closet-shelf.
| must have put it there myself
through some unaccountable mix-up.
It's too bad | couldn't have found it
before and so saved you a lot of wor-
~. But you are one hat the richer for
it, for | paid the bill yesterday. Please
accept it with my compliments"
Cornelia exclaimed with delight over
the recovered hat.
But how in the world could 1t have
got into your closet, Tryon? 1t was
impossible. | left it in my room, /
know | did, for | spoke to Norah about
it before | left. How do you account
for it?"
"Oh, l don't attempt to account for
It," he said, with a gay wave of his
hand. I've been so taken up with
other things this past week, | may
have done almost anything. BY the
way, Mother, I'm sure you'll be glad
to hear that Judge Blackwell has
made me a most generous offer Of
business relations, and that | have de-