Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-05-19
sEARcHFOR THE NEEDLE
BY A. w. PEACH.

the week he had spent In the small
village he had happened to come fo
MS mail Mt regular time each day
and each time he had heard the won
an ask If there was mail for her. Il
was her manner as she asked tina
aroused Marshals interest.
Marshal stepped to the window. A.
the clerk ran through the mail, Mar
shal said In Q casual way. II have seer
disappointed people, but that little lady
VINO Jast left here acts as II she had
been sentenced when you tell her she
has no mail. Anything peculiar about
herr
The clerk nodded his head. Eyes, she
mas been coming to this window for
twenty-five years. She expects letter
from chap who left here, so they tell
me, to make his fortune In the West.
He vanished and no letter has come
from him. She Is little of, guess,
but she's harmless"
Gathering up his mail, Marshal went
TO the country hotel. The white
headed proprietor was perfectly will
ing to talk the matter over. "Sure,"
said he, II know the whole thing. She
was as pretty little thing as you ever
see, and she was dead In love with
Clarke Sherman and he with her-as
far as we could tell. Then he got the
Idea that the place was too small for
him-you know how the young fellows
often iceland away he went. I guess
she heard from him for three years !;
he was doing fine-so he said. Then
came silence. All sorts Of yarns went
around, you know; but she held her
head right up, I tell you. Then she
got clipping from some cheap news
paper out West telling about an acci-
dent he had been In, and with the clip
ping was letter from a friend Of his.
saying that he had died since the &C
cident. 1t threw her Off her head,
guess, for since then she's been going
to the post office just the same"
1t was like searching for needle In
haystack, Marshal knew, to seek out
q man by the name of Clarke Sher-
man, for there were many In the world;
but Marshal made up his mind to look
up the man II his business brought him
near the town. The opportunity came
4 few months later. Marshal planned
to make sure that II Clarke Sherman
we're living he. would know what one
man thought Of him
His first question after arriving in
Nevada town was asked Of the hotel
clerk, but the latter shook his head.
Never heard of anybody round here
by that name-hold on. perhaps some
Of the old fellows know"
An "old fellow" called from the
'ront Of the hotel, smoked slowly.
'Why-er-yes, there was sech a chap
lived out Butte way. but I guess he's
zen dead an gone for twenty years."
Marshal was In despair, and was
bout to give up the foolish search,
'hen the man who had been speaking
ointed to a thin individual across the
treet. There goes a fellow named Il
ecker from out that way-p'rhaps he
hoWs oouetning ABOUT him..
Crossing over, Marshal hailed him
nd made known his desire. The mans
yes were keen and crafty, and
larshal did not like them, nor did he
Ike the mans answer.
mo, sir, there's no one out there
ow by that name. Clarke Sherman
as killed In an accident"
Afterward as he thought the matter
Fer, the antagonism In the mans atti-
lde made Marshal suspicious. IT be-
eve, Just for the deuce Of It, I'll motor
1t that way"
Early In the afternoon Of the next
~ he reached a rundown, ram
tackle place which his guide told him
as Seekers home. Marshal raped
the door. There was no sound. He
epped Inland stopped.
On shabby couch lay a man, so
naciated he seemed in the last stages :
existence. His eyes were closed.
Does Clarke Sherman live hereT
arshal asked.
lie bent to catch the faint whisper.
am-Clarke Sherman I
s."
did you ever know a Martha b
ne?"
Martha Lane of Reedsboro?' the
lisper asked. "Yes-she dIed-twen-
or more years ago."
NO, she didn't" Marshal said blunt
"She's living now and waiting for -,
i. I've seen her. / know" d
The shrek of the automobile horn a
wv his attention. He turned to face
) raging Seeker.
What are you doing here? Get out
you'll get thrown out !"
With an oath, Seeker jumped at
4, and Marshal met him half way.
'nce more in his hotel room, In spite IL
a throbbing head, Marshal wrote a
.er to a business friend in the New
gland village; and in 1t was this