The Coconino sun., 1919-06-06
Finding Out
eospnsAs ISIS. ss w.st.rs Newspaper u.,sa.,
Dy EVELYN LEE


 "You make me laugh [" spoke up Ac- ton Brill. a cousin of Luella Morse. "Why are you going to dig up dead Issue that Is shelved?"
 "It has been crying matter to me-" answered the young girl seriously. Tt worried my father nearly to death: 1t has been on my mind ever since he died. do not know what dreadful secret was involved, but while deliri. ous father referred to 1t. feel It my duty to look into the matter. He was a good man, was father. as both of us know, but there might have been a misstep, temptation In the past placing him under the power of an en- emy. a blackmailer. No, cannot rest until I know the worst. and am de termined to get the facts concerning this mystery, which certainly darkened my fathers life"
 "But If your father was unable to free himself from what you believe to be the extortion of a person having some hold upon him, how gan you hope to succeedT'
 "I have my pIan." replied Luella, the spirit of resolve and confidence In her steadfast eyes. 'I know the name of the man whom he has visited year after year. have found some letters he wrote to father. They are terse, sharp, demanding payments mutually agreed on. If I made no move. and even if this Anson Ladd never trou- bled us again. should be living un- der a constant dread. Seemingly l shall go to the city and earn my own living, but all I am thinking of Is probing the mystery of fathers deal ings with Anson Ladd, lawyer, Brooks building. Springfield"
 So Lucia Morse left her pretty na- tive town with no confidante as to her real purpose except Acton Brill, whom she knew she could trust. She was sensible girl, and lovely, too, and she found board and lodging with re- spectacle old lady just on the edge of the business section of the city. Then she located the office of Anson Ladd. Several times she passed its door, reading his name upon its panels. She found it's sole occupant to be a young man whom she took for clerk. Then she summoned her courage to attempt the plan she had formed in her mind.
 "Can I see Mir. Anson Ladd?" she inquired, being now near enough to the supposed clerk to observe that he was a very handsome and pleasant faced young man.
 "I am his son, Robert Ladd," came the explanation. My father died sew eral weeks since. Did you have some business with him?"
 "Why, not exactly" answered Lu- ella, q had heard of him and wonder ed If he needed my help in the office. But of course"
 "what can you do?" inquired young Mir. Ladd, with token of friendly in- terest in his face.
 T understand the typewriter and can take some dictation," said Lu- ella.
 IHe yOuHS Indu sccineu to pohucis He asked her name. She gave it as Verona Tresham, feeling the decep- tion excusable.
 ''Tell you, Miss Tresham." spoke Robert Ladd, after a pause, "there Is not much to do here, but was think ing of advertising for some one to take charge of the office when I am away and type few letters occasion- ally. You see. about all I have had to do was to go over my fathers pa- pers, and sort them out and clean up . lot of useless rubbish. What's left Is In his old desk yonder," and Luella's eyes glowed as they rested on the battered old receptacle pointed out by the speaker. My father owned great deal of city property and my main enn-