South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-03
Phihnthrothy

ed the hall gave the signal for Betty
" hich / knew meant AT home TO
no one Must not be disturbed"
She bolted the heavy library door
after us. looked, as she always did
when entering the room. at the fas-
Jennings OF the closet door. beyond
which was the secret entrance 10
the house next door. a headquarters
for the secret service in which Lii
liam held such a high place. and
drew chairs for us all around the
massive library table
These things have corae every
day. Madge." Lillian said gravely,
taking a bundle OF the envelopes
from the wall safe concealed be-
hind a built-in bookcase where she
kept documents Of lesser value. dis
covery of which would not mean
danger 20 the cause in which she
was enlisted. Are YOU sure YOU
wont TO see them? They are much
like the first two which came %
you at Marvin. and I'm afraid they
will only give YOU pain.
Her voice betrayed the pity I had
read in her face before. That she
was trying TO spare me some knowl-
edge I was sure. Before I could an
swer her Katherine interposed:
1T is far better for her 10 see
them. Lillian" she said quietly.
Lillian nodded. as II Katherine
words had confirmed her own bet
ter judgment and handed me the
bundle of envelopes.
Better look these over II -st be-
fore we open the two that came to-
day As you requested. Katherine
and have opened these together
as they came. and | have arranged
them i'm the order of the sending
dates The envelopes are in the
hands of trusted me who are al
work upon the task of finding the
evil sender.
Fingers That Tremhle
Her voice held the raucous. un-
even tone (which always denotes
strong Indignation with Lillian. |
knew that the sender Of the mis-
sive. be she Grace Draper or some
other would have short shrift with
Lillian when her identity should be
esta blished.
took the streets Of paper she
handed me with fingers that trem-
bled. I felt as If I were handling
some unclean thing. some venomous
reptile with power mortally 10 in
jure me. There was something to
sinister about these anonymous
clippings coming day after day that
the mere confronting Of them made
me feel physically i'll
Each was similar in appearance
10 the first two had received
through the postofice at Marvin
and which had aroused the curios-
ity of Cousin Agatha. The same
cheap note paper the same red ink
undertakings of the headlines and
contents Of the clippings pasted on
them-these saw before reading
the clippings carefully.
The Purpose Clear.
could not but pay tribute TO the
thoroughness of the unknown per
son who had sent the clippings. and
who must have combed the files OF
the daily newspapers. both present
and for weeks past, 10 get the pc
culiar kind that lay before me.
For the underlying theme of al
was the same. the mysterious muir
der or disappearance OF some man
while in several cases the motive for
the murder was declared by the au-
thorities 10 be the revenge of some
secret political society for betrayal
of its secrets.
did not need any further inter.
probation of Lillians plying look
when I had finished reading the last
one. The purpose of the sender
was only too clear TO me She
for ] was certain it was Grace
Diapers diabolically clever hand
behind the clippings-meant tc
harrow my feelings TO the utmost
with fear that my father. OF whose
political activities in South America
she and Harry Underwood had had
some knowledge. was to be dis
posed of in a manner similar to
those described i'm the clippings.