Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-11-29
The Anonymous
Wiggle
By ELLIS PARKER BUTLER
Author Of ..Pigs Is Pigs"
ropyright by the Red Book Cor
poration.

tiles.
~ don't see nothing much into
,bam." said Mr.. Gubb when he had
-aad them all. IL don't see much of a
aoteckative case into them. Ii / was
n GET letters like these l wouldn't worry
much about them. I'd let them come"
"You may say that" said Miss Petu-
MIA, because you are a man and big
and strong and ~bravelike. A detective
has TO be brave, | reckon. But when
. person is a woman and lives alone
and has some money laid by that some
folks would be glad enough to get, let
tors coming right along from she don't
know who scare her. If l was bright
like YOU are, Mr.. Cub, maybe / could
nee threats in them; but, being just q
plain woman like l am, l imagine
threats in them. Every time / get an
other of those Anonymous Wiggle let
ters I get more and more If
thew said. Give me 5000 or | will
kill you,' | would know what to do,
but when a letter comes that says, like
that one does, Swedish iron is largely
nsed in the manufacture Of upholstery
tacks,' I don't know what to think or
what to do. If you get a real threat
you can get ready for what might hap
pen, but how can you get ready for a
threat that don't say nothing but that
the temperature is going to rise to-
morrow
81 can see to understand that 1t
might worry you some" said Mr.. Gubb
alphabetically. what do you want
should dor
a want you should find out who
wrote the letters and tell me-" said
Miss Scroggs. "If law car stop it law
shall; If not. I'll see what a poor lone
woman creature can do. How much
do you want to take the job as a job?"
Mr.. Gubb looked at the pile Of let
tiers.
Its going to be a hard job" he said.
If the letters told you to put money
under a stone l could go to the stone
and wait, but these letters don't say to
do anything. I've got to snoop and
shadow until | see somebody put a let.
ter In a letter box. I've got to try to
guess out a cryptogram In these letters.
It's going to be quite a job. | ought to
have S1OO."
Its a good deal, but II. pay it.
said Miss Petunia. Il amt rich, but
I've got quite a little money In the
bank, and | w the house l live in
and a farm | rent. Pa left me money
and property worth about $4,000. and
haven't wasted 1t so | guess | can
afford 500. SO 20 ahead
I'll so do" said Philo Gubb. 'and
first off I'll ask yon who your neigh
bors are
my netghbors!" exclaimed Miss Pc
tuna.
"On both Sides said Mr.. Gubb. "and
who comes TO your house most?"
We'll, declare" said Miss Petunia.
1 know what you are getting at.
out on one side | have no nciGhbors n
all, and on the other side Is Mrs. Can
terby. | guess she comes to my house
oftener than anybody else. and ] to her
mousse as often as | go anywhere"
i am acquainted with Mrs. Center
oy,' said Mr.. Gubb. Il did a job OF
paper hanging there only laSt week.
Did you indeed said Miss Scroggs
politely. She's a real nice lady
i don't give opinions ON detcckatiye
matters until I'm sure" said Mr.. Gubb.
sne seems nice enough to the naked
eye don't want to get YOU to suspi,
cion her or nobody, Miss Scroggs, but
scout the only clew ! can grab hold of
u mat first letter you got. 1t said to
LOOK on page IA, and all the pages by
tnat number was torn out of your
books
Except my cookbook" said Miss
Petunia.
ana a person naturally wouldn't go
10 think of a cookbook as a real book,
maybe 1t was hid behind a -four can
auu she didn't see it." said Mr.. Gubb.
Il you Stop to think out something
you'll see that whoever wrote thai let
.f must have beforehand tore out all
.ne page 14's from the books in your
'ouse Tor some reason"
why, yes" exclaimed Miss Scroggs,
.spplng her hands together. How
"se you are! Now. | wouldn't have
Nuought OF that in a year"
D~eteckative work fetches detecka.
~'e WISDOM said Mr.. Gubb modestly.
1, uoht want to throw suspicion at
As oanterby, but Letter No. / points
ner hrst of all. She's the IL that
OMes to your house ~oftenest, SO she
ou,a nave the easiest work getting at
'V "o DOCKS to rip out them pages IA"
o'n, yes! oh, my! And / never
\. thought Of that!' cried Miss Petu-
MA a~dmiringly.
Us deteckatives have to think of
with ss' said Phil2 Gubb. "And so we
say Just for codlike, that some
aou S, not meaning Mrs. Canterby par
on. u.ar' got at your books and ripped
tb,. Tue pages. Then what? She didn't
O., oud have a cookbook tn 90 To.