The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-06-05
CHAPTER viii.
A Note, Some Fancies and an Expedi-
tion in Quest Of Facts.

A Note, Some Fancies and an Expedi-
tion in Quest Of Facts.
He started upstairs, his mind full of
the events and cOnjectures Of the day.
AS he entered the room his eyes fell
upon q white envelope ut his feet. 1t
had been slipped under the door since
he left the room an hour before.
'Terse reminder from the prudent Mr..
Jones! His bill for the day He picked
1t up, glanced at the inscription, and
at once altered his oninion. His full
name was there in the handwriting
of a woman. For moment he was
puzzled then he thought of Miss
Thackeray. A note Of thanks, no doubt,
unpleasantly fulsome! Vaguely an
noyed, he ripped open the envelope and
read:
"In case do not have the oppor-
tunity to speak with you tonight. this
is to let you know that the little man
who says he is q book agent was in
your room for three-Quarters of an
hour while you were away this after
noon. You'd better see il anything is
missing. NJ. t."
He made hasty but careful exami-
nation of his effects. There was not
the slightest evidence that his pack
had been opened or even disturbed. If
the little book agent spent Ihree-quar-
ters of hour in the room he man.
aged most effectually to cover up all
traces of his visit.
Barnes lid not go to sleep until long
after midnight. He now regarded him
self as definitely committee to a COM
binaton of sinister and piquant enter
prises, moi The least OF which was TO
know about the mysterious young
woman at Green Fancy.
The next day he, with other lodgers
in the Tavern, was put through an ex-
animation by the police and county
officials from ST. Elizabeth, and noti-
fed that, while he was not under sus-
picion or surveillance, it would be nec-
wick" until detectives. already on the
way, were satisfied that he possessed
no knowledge that would be useful to
them IN clearing up what had now as
sumed the dignity Of national prob
lem."
O'Dowd rode down from Green
Fancy and created quite a sensation
among the officials by announcing that
they had a perfect right to extend
their search for clues to all parts of
his estate, and that he was deeply in
terested in the outcome Of their in
vestigations.
The sheriff said he would like to
"run over the ground a bit' that very
afternoon if it was agreeable to Mr..
O'Dowd.
O'DOwd stayed to dinner. DINNER
was served in the middle of the day
at Hart's Tavern.l He made a great
impression upon Lyndon Rushcroft,
who, with his daughter, joined the two
men. Indeed, the palavering Irishman
extended himself in the effort to make
himself agreeable. He was vastly in
terested in the stage, he declared AS
a matter of fact he had been told a
thousand times that he ought to go
on the stage.
The little book agent came in while
they were at table. He sat down in
ccrner of the dining room and busted
himself with his subscription lists
while waiting for the meal to be
served. He was still porting over them,
frowning intently, when Barnes and
the others left the room.
Barnes walked out beside Miss
Thackeray.
''The tailor-made gown is an i'm
provement." he SAL to her. He was
thinking that she was a very pretty
girl, after all.
'The frock usually makes the wom-
an" she said slowly, "but not always
the lady"
He thought of that remark more
than once during the course of an aft
ernoon spent in the woods about
Green Fancy.