The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1917-05-31
the others noticed II, but It is my busi-

the others noticed II, but II ID my puS1'
ness to take in even inconsiderable de-
tails The pen was still between MS
fingers. His hand was CONSTRUCTED and
the pen had not dropped out-in fact-
myself took 1t out and laid It on
the desk"
His last conscious act was to write
something, therefore|
yes: for confirmation l ascertalneo
that there were ink-stains on MS M
gers"
What did he write and to whomT
~ don't know. I can only guess.
"What do you guess?"
1.-THE assumption OF entire RESPONSE
bility and the exculpatlon Of his son,
probably to some paper"
"From the same motives that
prompted Bert?"
mo, because 1t was true. But thar
is only an assumption, although not a.
together without further evidence
"And what is that7" asked the WON
an eagerly.
She had sat down opposite Rodney
ut the table and was leaning toward
him. Her color came and went, her
breathing was rapid and strained un-
der the wild beating of her heart.
"The blotter on the desk. exam
ined 1t at my leisure. 1t had been
used some time. l went over it with a
magnlfying glass. Meade, Sr had evil
IDENTIFY written a letter. found the
words fault Is mine I have the blot
ter in my desk. The word fault Is
barely decipherable, is can be made
out with difficulty, but mine Is quite
plain. l am familiar with the older
Meade's handwriting, and though this
is weaker and feebler and more irregu-
lar than was his custom-Ordlnarily
he wrote bold, free hand-this Is up
mistakably his. OF course no one can
say that he wrote any letter. This Is
pling assumption upon assumption.
and, furthermore, there Is no evidence
Of any signature having been written
beneath it."
as that all7"
"There is one more bit Of evidence
The sheet Of paper on which the de-
sign computations for the compression
chord members appear was not with
the other plans and tracings Of the
BRIDGE
"HOw do you know"
"These plans were taken over BY
the Martlet company after Meade's
death, and Mr.. Curtiss and examined
them. We found that sheet missing"
'Its wonderful!' cried the girl, her
eyes shining. II was convinced be-
fore, but, IL l had not been, you would
have persuaded me beyond doubt
81 have persuaded myself, too" said
Rodney. But there is not single
thing here that would Justify any pub
llcity, even If we were prepared to go
against Meade's obvious desire. AS
say. 1t is all assumption. No one could
prove It,"
you are wrong" said the girl.
"Shurtlin."
II wondered II that would occur to
you"
"Of course. You think that Meade,
ST., wrote u letter assuming the blame
because it was his. have no doubt
In the world now that Bertram Meade
had made his protest in writing. Per-
haps he indorsed II on the missing
sheet" continued the woman making
bold and brilliant guesses. "Or maybe
he wrote letter that was attache,.
to the sheet that we lack, and Mr.
Meade got it out of the safe and
wrote his letter and attached It with
Bertram's protest to the missing draw
ing and gave them to ShurtlifY and told
him to take them to the papers. You
know Shurtlifr said that Meade de-
clnred he would assume the blame and
he told the reporters so. ShurtlifY has.
or he knows who has, the missing pa
per-"
But what motive would the secre-
tary have for such concealment?"
ale idoliZed the older Meade. Mr..
CurtISS tpl1 me nhouf him 4 yoiIp.>