Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1920-04-29

CHATTER I.-Circumstances having
prevented Spalding Nelson. clerk, joining
the American forces going to France, he
~ In a respondent moo when he re.
CelNes an invitation to dinner from his
sreat-unCle.' Rufus CASTOR. On his way
10 the mouse lie meets, under peculiar cir
cuHStahces. a young girl, apparently in
trouble, TO whom he has an opportunity
" pe OF SiIEht service. She lives in the
same apartment building as Rufus Gas
ION, ana he accompanies her to the house.
Gaston and his wife are going to Maine
lor a trip and want to leave Nelson in
charge of the apartment. He accepts.
Gaston and his wife tell their great
nephew of mysterious noises-"whispers"
which they have heard in the house.
ton apartment next Sunday Nelson again
meets his accidental acquaintance of a
few days before, Barbara Bradford. She
urges him not TO allow the fact Of their
being acquainted to be known. At the
apartment Nelson meets the SUperintend-
ent. Wick, and instinctively dislikes him..
In a wall safe he finds Il necklace of
masnificent pearls, worth a small fortune.
Meeting Barbara in the hallway she
passes him without recognition. Dining
In a restaurant he is conscious of the I'M
pleasant scrutiny Of a stranger, but a
man whom he had seen before.
CHAPTER uI.-Next day Nelson finds
N'N 49, % a. 'IsiIDthl gu llblll lllt
wall safe. His first idea of informing the
police is not acted upon because of pc
culiar circumstances. He has been dis
charged from his position without ade-
quate explanation or reason. and feels
himself involved in something OF a mys-
terry. He decides to conduct an investi-
cation himself. HI night Barbara sig
nails from the window of her apartment.
which is opposite his, and they arrange
a meeting for next day. In the morning
he finds "A note in his ROOM. asking him
why he had not informed the police of
the loss of the jewels.
Perhaps it was the echo of someone
pounding in another apartment, the
noise being carried along by n water
pipe. The thought that it might be
the cracking of some hidden steam or
refrigerating pipe suggested itself.
Both these theories / rejected. The
sound, whatever it was, had originated
close at hand.
1t came again. This time I was cer-
tain that it was not due to footballs
as ! had at first ~cOnjecturcd. ] was
able, too, to locate more closely the
direction from which it came. The
window at the foot of the bed stood
open, and the sound seemed to float
In from somewhere outside. I hurried
over to the window and thrust my
out. At first ! could see moth
Ing, but even as I looked a white arm
thrust forth from nm adjacent window
on the same floor. 1t held a riding
crop and reaching out as far as was
possible 1t raped three times on the
sill Of my window.
1t dawned on me at once that the
window next must belong to the Brad
o apartment. II must be Miss
Bradford trying to signal to me.
"IieIlo," 7 called out softly.
"Oh, is that you, Mr.. Nelsonf" a re-
lieved voice whispered. 81 thought
you would never hear. ! must see
"Why didn't you phone me"
II couldn't. Someone might hear ,
me-"
whats the mattcr?"
"fve had another letter"
From those men In the park"
~ suppose So"
"Tell me about It,"
u can't now. Can you meet me
somewhere tomorrow"
wherever you say"
$40 you rider"
"Yes, indeed"
I'll b." In the cross lane that leads