Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1920-05-20
W. H? :? 9: =
4o ~ W1ll10m Muarutions
80 u " by
~ OOI11lStOn ssE.S Irwin Myers
SYNOPSIS.
Johnston s:S42s

CHATTER circumstances havins
prevented Spaldins Nelson, clerk, 5oinins
the American forces going TO France, he
Is in q respondent mood when he re-
ceives an invitation TO dinner from his
great-uncle, RUNs CASTOR. On his way
10 the house he meets, under peculiar cir
trouble, TO whom he has an opportunit!
10 be of slight service. She lives in the
same apartment building as Rufus Gas
ton, and he accompanies her 10 the house.
Castor and his wife are going TO Maine
for n trip and want TO leave Nelson IN
charge Of the apartment. He accepts.
CASTOR and his wife tell their great.
nephew OF mysterious noises-"whispers
which they hS'e heard in the house
CHAPTER lion his way TO the Gas
ton apartment next Sunday Nelson again
meets his accidental acquaintance Of a
few days before, Barbara Bradford, she
urges him not 70 allow the fact OF Their
being acquainted to be known. Al the
apartment Nelson meets the superintend-
ent, Wick, and insiinctively d!siikes him;
In a wall safe he finds a necklace OF
magnificent pearls, worth a small fortune,
Meeting Barbara in the hallway she
passes him without recognition. Dinins
In a restaurant he is conscious OF the I'M
pleasant scrutiny Of a stranger. but q
RAN whom he had seen before.
CHAPTER III.-Next day Nelson finds
the pearls have disappeared from the
wall safe. His first idea OF informing the
police is not acted upon because or pc
culiar circumstances. He has been dis
charged from his position without ade-
ouate explanation or reason. and feels
himself involved in something of a mys-
terry. He decides 20 conduct an investi-
CATION himself. That night Barbara sig
nails from the window Of her apartment,
which is opposite his, and they arrange
q meeting for next day. In the morning
he finds q note in his room. asking him
why he ha3s-nct informed the police OF
the loss Q. the jewels.
CHAPTER rT.-Barhara tells Nelson
her sister Claire had some years before
made a runaway marriage with an ad-
Venturer. from whom size was soon parted
and the marriage arCGlleG. Claire is en-
gagged 10 be married and someone know
ing of her esCapade has stolen documents
concerning the AFFAIR from the Bradford
apartment and 6eran a large sum OF
money for their return. threatening to
forward them 10 Claire's fance II the de-
mands are not met. Neither Barbara nor
her sister have the money TO satisfy the
demands. She tells Nelson she has also
heard mysterious sound in the fat They
agree to meet frequently.
1--WE thought of that. The notes did
not come from him. They do not read
ss If a Frenchman wrote them
"Who could II be-" l said more to
myself than 70 her.
Then there was another note she
went on. 1T demanded that Claire
wear a red ~carrat!on and meet the
writer in the park and bring ten thou
sand dollars. That was the time |
first met you. Your presence must
have frightened them off. for we had
Nc more demands until night before
last"
did you have ten thousand with
you that night I first net you?"
She shook her head.
"We haven't ten thousand dollars
IN the world. Outside of our furniture
and our Jewels and our motor, we
have very little. If all the bills we
owe were paid. we'd have almost moth
ing at all"
"What did you propose doing when
you met the man-or men,"
81 didn't know. I was going to try
to plead with them TO give me the pa
perS. / would have promised anything
to have gotten them back"
But the mantle mcknight
have harmed you"
She smiled incredulously.
Hardly. There was little danger
Of their attacking me there in the
park so near the avenue. with people
constantly passing, and besides, / car.
ried this"
She reached again into the pocket
of her habit and brought forth q
Notwithstanding automatic.
at was Dud's," she said. "He
taught me TO shoot with ii, though
don't think either of US thought then
there would come a time when | might
need It,"
What did the last note sayT
Here it Is"
This was written and folded as the
others had been, on the most ordinary
kind Of writing paper. 1t read:
Unless We get the money Wednes-
day, Thayer gets the papers Thursday.