The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-03-27
tune, Stone took the sheet. 1t ra

Dear Polly:
The awful shock OF Aunt Lucy's
death leaves me without words to tell
you what l feel for you in your dark
hours. What a I say in the face
of such q horror? l wish I were there
with you to help you bear it all. For
on you comes the brunt OF the pub
licity and all the narrowing details
that must be attended to. II you say
so, I will return to America at once.
But, unless I can be OF definite as.
sistanee or real comfort to you, per.
sonally, l would rather not 60 over
just now. I'm Just starting on a won.
derful piece OF work here. No less
than excavating-but I won't take
time to tell OF 1t now. I'll write you
about il later, IL I don't go to you.
This is q short note to catch the mail,
and reach you as DON as possible.
Remember. al I write, I have only
your first two cables, and know moth.
ing of details. I eagerly await your
letters. Why don't you follow out
your plan Of coming over here in Feb.
ruary? Leave all business matters in
Haviland's hands, and get away from
the Q of the tragedy. OF course,
as l cabled Gray, get the best possible
detective experts on the case. Spare
no expense. and charge all to me.
Surely, we want to find and punish
the slayer Of Aunt Lucy, and l repeat,
IL you, for any reason, want me to, !
will come over at n Cable, and
I will take the next steamer. II you
don't do this, do write me long letters
and tell me everything that is hap
pening. Poor Aunt Lucy. I know
your life with her wasn't all a bed of
roses, but I know how saddened you
are now, and my heart goes out to you.
Dear Polly, command me in any way.
I am entirely at your service here or
there. If you come over here, I advise
Haviland to stay there and look after
things. / know the bulk Of Aunt
Lucy's fortune is divided between you
and me, and I want Gray to see to all
matters connected with my share.
When he gets around to It, he can
send me some money to further this
work I am engaged on here. But let
me know IL you want me to come to
you. With all loving sympathy and
| affection, Carr.
Fleming Stone pondered over
this letter. He had felt a certain
curiosity concerning this absent
cousin who was heir to half the
great fortune, and SO would have
a possible motive for a crime that
would secure his inheritance to
him at once. But there was no
possible way of connecting a man
in Egypt with a deed committed
in the victims boudoir. Vague
thoughts of Loria's employing
somebody to do the deed for him
formed themselves in Stone 8
mind, but were soon dismissed as
untenable. The man Bates could
not be a tool of anybody, and, be-
sides, he didn't kill the lady. The
poison did that. The Count
couldn't be a tool of anyone. He
was too evidently his own mas
ter, and, whether guilty or not,
was entirely on his own initiative.
Oh, the whole idea was absurd.
The letter itself was sufficient ex-
oneration for Loria. He was alb
sorbed in his research work and,
though thoughtful enough of
Pauline wishes, he was appar-
emily not anxious to have his plans
over there interrupted. He.wrote
like a good all round chap, and
Fleming Stone could find no peg
on which to hang a suspicion in
his case.
GA good letter." he comment
ed, returning it to Pauline /;
"what's your cousin likef"
"In looksf A little like me, but
bigger and darker. He's a fine
looking man, and a kind hearted
one. I shall advise him not to
come home, for I know how inter
ested he is in his work, and he can
do no good here. Can he, Mr..
Stone?"
Frankly, Miss Stuart, 1 don't
see how he car. 1 may as well adj
NIT to you, the case seems to me
a most battling one. The assault
with the blackjack is, of course,
accounted for, but we have made
no progress in the matter of dis
towering the poisoner. 1 feel that
the solution of the mystery is
closely connected with that paper
snake. Can You give lie any idea
where the thing could have come
FRONT Do you think Miss Car
irington bought it herseifY"
81 am sure she did not" re-
turned Pauline, but her voice and
information were such that Stone
turned quickly to look at her. She
had gone pale, and her eyes looked