The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-30

door. Better see if perhaps Mr.. Rip
ley hasn't fallen asleep over his WORK.
Martin. NO-gO ahead; I'll an
swer this"
The doorbell had just rung. AS the
aged negro scufled off toward the IL
brary, Parr turned. opened the front
door, and admitted an urchin wearing
the livery Of a well-known telegraph
company. This last delivered an
envelope addressed to Miss Patr1a
Charming, pOcketed tip, and returned
to the street. Captain Parr cooked an
attentive ear toward the library while
the girl hastily scanned her telegram.
"What nonsense! Captain Parr-will
you please look at this?"
He took the telegram from her quiz
ering hand-and knitted annoyed
brows over 1t.
Newport. June 10. 1916
Miss Patria Claiming.
East Tenth Street. N. 7. City.
Distracted. Why did you run away to.
night without explanation? Rodney fol-
lows by first morning train. Please wire
prompt denial. Rumors current here you
eIopsd with Captain Parr ,
A smile, half-rueful. half Of amuse-
ment. replaced PARIS frOwn. He re-
turned the message. The girl tmpa-
tiently tore it up and committed its
offensive fragments to the floor.
She was startled by cry throaty
with terror. Martin tottered out OF the
library door, his limbs trembling, his
face ashen beneath Its bronze.
"Afiss Patty! o Lawd. my
Lawd!'
PARIS fingers closed imperatively up
on the servants wrist.
"What is it? What's happened? Stop
that bowling and tell us!'
"It's Mistuh Ripley daid In there
Common impulse moved the two
young people toward the rear of the
hallway, but half way to the library
door Parr checked the girl.
"Spare yourself. Miss Claiming. Let
me 60 first and have look around
pleased"
If richly furnished in an outaged mode
and dominated by a massive chimney
piece of marble deliberately carved.
Parr. however, only subconsciously reg
istere.: an impression of its character.
His interest centered upon the body
Of a gentleman Of advanced years that
occupied an armchair ct one end of the
table. And it needed no more than
glance to assure him that the man was
dead beyond dispute.
His head and arms rested upon the
table. One hand still gripped an auto
matte pistol. Near his head rested an
overturned telephone instrument, the
receiver dislodged. He had been muir
dered-shOt down while telephOning.
But he had not died so quickly as to let
his assassin escape; he had lived long
enough to discharge his own weapon
with deadly effect.
Half q dozen feet aside the corpse OF
the assassin law asprawl-in the cast
Of those dead features Parr read IRE
| futable confirmation Of his grimmest
suspicious; the assassin was-had
been-a japanese.
Turning on the servant sharply. Parr
stilled his lamentations with brusque
command.
"Stop that horrible noise, Martin
Do you wish Miss Claiming to hear
your >. Now tell me: where can
we put these bodies out Of her sightr'
The negro designated the drawing
room which communicated with the IL
brary by sliding doors: thither they
bore and there left the bodies. Then
returning, Parr ordered the commune
eating doors closed. and for q moment
hesitated, obviously examining a fat
sealed envelope which he had found
In the pocket Of the dressing-gown
worn BY the ill-starred Mr.. Ripley.
It was superseded in the firm, min
ute writing Of a strong old hand: For
Miss Patria Channing-Private 4 Con-
ddential."
He returned 10 the hallway. At sight
Of his gravely troubled countenance
Patria rose quickly from a chair and
came to him with an imploring ges-
ture.
"Prepare yourself" he said, "your
guardian has been assassinated-by q
japanese. He left you this; perhaps it
explains.
PRIVATE AND coNFIDENTlAL.
Ny Dear Ward: Tomorrow. your
twenty-first birthday, will find you the
last Of The Fighting Channings." On
that day you will legally become your
own mistress and will be relieved Of
the guardianship Of yourself and your
fortune oae of the greatest fortunes
IN the United States Il not in al the
world.
write. rather than wait 10 COM
smu1icate what I have 20 say. because
,Myo IN the shadow cl death I may
not I've b zee you. psrsoAally = 6.
ssune - yea for M steward Nh =
may 1pt live b 80 tomoFfow's dawn.
NJ Ne = strangely msnaced -even a.
yo1r H. my. y wA0 you Aavs tAlbsn
ever Sole control of your inAse1tancs.