Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-02-03
book of an Old Detective

establishment like his without ample
means.
Now. to be entirely frank. uncle in
many respects was-Well, queer, &C.
centric. Practically nothing was
known of his past life, and he always
avoided talking about it. He used to
rail at banks, a firm belief OF his being
that their chief aim was to defraud
their depositors.
so where was his money?
"The sequel showed that his bank
balance was omparatively small.
"The rest can tell you in few
words. Four days before he died he
summoned Edward and me together TO
his room He haMded each Of us
sealed envelope, instructlng US that
they were not to be opened until he
was dead. There are your leeacles,
said he, in effect l have converted
everything into money and negotiable
securities there's no use paying heaVy
probate and inheritance fees and be-
ing mulcted by INSCRIPTIONS lawyers.
ferred to you, Crystal, and the deed
recorded
We'll, after uncle was buried Ed
ward and | opened our envelopes-and
might add that it was only shame at
nv contempt of his greed that made
my cousin keep his envelope intact
that long. His contained check Tor
$4,000, and mne-what would you
guess?-a check for $6S6.50! Nothing
else.
"As | say, | make a fair living; but
here | am saddled with huge man.
sion and acres of ground that require
an army of servants to keep it up,
something that is utterly beyond my
means. At the same time the idea OF
parting with It is too repugnant to be
thought of. My grandfather built 1t;
my father was born and lived there till
he died; it is the only rome l ever
knew And, oh, it is paradise!
"IIowever, | would have accepted the
situation, bitter as was the disappoint
ment. and been resigned to make the
best of il, had it not been for the con
duct of Edward Gray. On one preteM
and another he has remained at Gray
Gables since uncle's death, ! don't
object to that, because under present
conditions | can't be there much my
self: but whenever | have day or
two | run down to Unaminee, and at
such times am being confronted on
every hand by evidences Of Edwards
prying inquisitiveness.
This unpleasant trait first manifest
ed itself when he revealed desire for
the cancelled check which my uncle
had given me. Why in the world
should he want that? Purely out OF
sentiment, he assured me; he wished
to keen it as memento of his dead
uncle.
ITO be perfectly candid, | dislike
Edward; | don't trust him. | believe
him to be sly and tricky; so doubted
his motives. told him that for the
same reason / might want to keep the
check myself, and reminded him that
he had one of his own that would
serve the same purpose. day or
two later he again asked me for the
check, this time declaring that he
wished to have both of them framed
and hung in the library. When |
again refused to give it to him he be-
gan making love to me and finally
proposed marriage.
"But the climax revealed itself
about ten days ago AT that time l
missed my check from the desk drawer
where | kept it, Edward was sup
posed to be in Chicago, so l couldn't
speak about it to him. Yesterday
went unexpectedly to Gray Gables
and found the check back in its proper
place"
Have you the check with you"
Hazard inquired
Miss Gray opened her handbag ana
produced it; it was precisely like any
other check that has been properly
drawn, indorsed and presented Tor
payment. 1t appeared thus:
ITO the Unaminee State Bank OF
Unaminee, Illinois.
June 9, 1918.
"Pay to the order of Crystal Gray
$6S6.55 (Six Hundred Eighty-six and
55-100 dollars).
II. SYDENOR GRAY"
Conspicuous upon the face OF the
instrument was the banks cancella
ton stamp, which showed that the
check had been paid June 21, 1913. AS
it stood it represented nothing but
record of the transaction; it was worth
just so much waste-paper, and no
more.
The detective, however, subjected
the slip to a careful examination. On
the back appeared merely the indorse
ment, Crystal Gray" but this side OF
the paper he scrutinized for several
minutes through a magnifying lens.
BY and by he laid it aside and regard
ed the girl curiously.
We'll" he said at last, what do you
think about it?"
II don't know what to think-un'
less it is that Edward suspects hid
den horde and is moving heaven and
earth to find it."
That's obvious enough. But
Hazards eyes narrowed" did
Edward learn that your check-this
slip of paper-bore the secret of the
treasures hiding placer"
The expression of bewilderment and
uncomprehension that overspread