Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1920-08-19

lit btiltNe UNI i was ku''s '" '">
murder NJ Daisy Lutanf How had he
learned " my arrestl What WAS his
purpose IN coming TO see me! But
his~eNpreSsiou WAS u~nfathomable, 70
far as l WAS concerned. "
He was the first 10 speak.
"So-you didn't do II. did your
"Of course not" l retorted indig>
nantly. Did you suspect that was
a murderer?"
He shook his head disparagingly,
smiling an %inscrutable smile.
The evidence against you certainly
looks convincing"
Il don't care" l exclaimed with
heat. Pm as Innocent Of the killing
" Daisy Lutnn as"-l hesitated-'as
YOU are
He nodded his head approvingly.
There, there. boy, don't get excited.
pf course l know you are innocent.
You're of the CASTOR blood. and there
never WAS "A CASTOR that vas a muir
derer or a lswbreaker, never sus-
pectei You for n single second. was
nf in the Maine woods twenty miles
from a railroad. l didn't see a news
paper until day before yesterday eve
ming. My eye just happened 10 catch
a paragraph about the G~randdeck. 1t
was about your trial for the murder
of Miss Lutan being set for next week.
That was the first | had heard about
II. l travelled all night TO get to YOU
My feelings toward him underwent
a sudden revulsion. There was every
evidence OF sincerity in his manner
The knowledge that he believed In me
was the most welcome news | had
heard since my incarceration.
Well soon have You out OF here
he Went on, now that | am here to
help YOU. | got you into this, and
I'll get you out Of il If il takes every
cent l possess. There's more than
one fight left in old Rufus yet. Now
start ar the very beginning and tell
me everything that has Happened
since | have been away
What a relief II was to talk freely
W IN NY tillu oh'N II ~ NiN"'
ed of all suspicion toward my old
great-uncle, | began my story. Some
how the tie Of blood is strong in time
Of trouble. | found it vastly easier
TO talk with my aged relative than 1t
had been with either German or my
lawyer.
| began with my chance meeting
with Barbara Bradford in the park
as the b~lackmailers awaited her there.
l told everything that had followed
with the utmost detail, even to such
small matters as my first meeting
with Wick and the undue curiosity
he had exhibited as TO my acquaint-
ance with the B%radfords. l recited
the story of my unaccoutable dis
charge in disgrace from my position
and told Of Germans unavailing ef-
forts 10 learn the reason.
The day | was discharged" went
on. Il had drawn out from the savings
bank all my money with the purpose
of sending it TO my mother to whom l
was in debt. | still had 1t with me
wien | arrived home at the apartment
and | decided to put 1t in the wall
safe, TO which, you recall, you had
given me the combination. out Of
mere cu~riosity''--I made this confess
sion with a blush of Shame-"1 had in
spected the contents Of the safe the
day Of my arrival and had examined
,l. tu-, rnsl-afg Tho fninnfn nnAnni
the safe this second time | saw that it
had been looted"
What" exclaimed my great-uncle,
starting from his seat, mot the
pearls"
] nodded.
"Everything. The casket with the
pearls was gone. The other with the
trlukets was undisturbed."
Good heavens :" he exclaimed. "My
wlfe's pearls stolen! Why, boy, I paid
a hundred and fifty thousand dollars
for that string. Tell me everything
about it-~everything, at once"
/ could only repeat what ] had told
him already. When | had opened the
safe on Sunday the pearls were there.
When ! had opened it again on the fol
lowing Saturday the pearls Were gone.
"Of course you told the police at
once"
| explained to him why ] had not
done So. and my reason seemed to
satisfy him.
eco on with your story" he calmly
directed. He seemed to have himself
well in hand again. After the first
shock at hearing Of the loss Of the
pearls he showed no sign Of emotion
or displeasure.
He listened iDtently as ! told him Of
my second meeting with Barbara
Bradford when ] had learned that the
Bradford wall safe had been looted.
too, and the papers distracted con-
corning the annullment of Claire's
first marriage. He nodded his head
slightly when ! told him Of the anony-
nous notes found on the floor In
both apartments.
Did you hear the whispers, tooT'
he questioned.
yes" ! answered, 81 heard them
several times. Barbara has heard
them. and the l%aundress, too"
A look Of ~mspeakable relief came
Over his face.
"Im glad TO know that others have
heard them besides myself. When a
man gets old his nerves sometimes
play him strange prapks. The whis
pers seemed 30 unreal and incredible
that I feared that ! was suffering from
the ha%llucinatiOns Of old age. Now
that ! know that the whispers are real
there is nothing to fear"
"And," observed, ~ believe, ] ar