The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1920-08-12

TO plead with them to give me the pa
pers. l would have promised anything
to have gotten them back"
''But the man-the men-might
have harmed you"
She smiled incredulously.
"Hardly. There was little danger
of their attacking me there in the
pnrk so near the avenue, with people
constantly passing, and besides, I car
ried this"
She reached again into the pocket
of her habit and brought forth a
vicious-looklng automatic.
"It was Dads" she said. "He
taught me to shoot with It, though l
don't think either Of us thought then
there would come a time when might
need It."
"what did the last note sayf"
Here It is."
This was written and folded as the.
others had been, on the most ordinary
kind of writing paper. It read:
sunless we get the money Wednes-
day, Thayer gets the papers Thursday.
No wedding then for yours. Same
bench at six-thlrty."
"What can do about it7"
-'Tn go in your place." suggested.
"Oh, no, couldn't permit that"
LET me explain" hastened to say.
I'm in this mystery as deep as you
are. Only last night discovered thai
all the CASTOR Jewels which had been
left in my custody are gone"
mot stolen" she cried. 'The Gas
ton pearlsv'
"Yes," 1 replied, "the pearls, too
"Why, they are worth two hundred
thousand dollars, at least. What have
you done about itH Have you notified
the police?"
mo, as yet have told no one Of the
robbery but yourself"
"Why not7 You must notify the po-
lice at once"
1 hesitated. 1t was hard to explain
my actions without telling her the
whole miserable story, without admit
ting to this girl on whom was most
eager to make the best of impressions
that l was a young man out of a po-
sitiOn, discharged In disgrace. Yet
she had given me her confidence. 1t
was only fair to her and to myself
that there should be no secrets be-
tween u.s., began at the beginning.
told her of my coming to New York
and how l had seen my great-uncle
Rufus only once or twice. ] related
the departure of Roller and Birge for
the war front and told her how eager
l had been to 90 with them. l even
went into detail as to the reason hac
not gone with them. my debt to the
mother.
She did not seem greatly interested
In the first part Of my narrative but
when ! began telling of the PROPOSE
tion the Gastons had made to me and
of the mysterious warnings each Of
them had separately given me, could
see her interest kindling.
There is something wrong In that
apartment house." she explained. "We
have had nothing but trouble ever
since we lived there. wonder II
there Is anything in the theory that
evil deeds make bad karma, which
spreads Its effects all about. 1 know
/ feel there Is a sinister atmosphere
about the whole place."
"rm beginning to feel 1t, too," said
bitterly.
told her then Of my unexpected
and unwarranted discharge without
explanation the day before.
"How do you account for TT" she
. asked perplexedly.
!, you must have some enemy, some
malicious person, who has spread
some terrible tale about you."
II haven't any enemy In the world,
I replied, yet even as spoke there
flashed across my mind the malevolent
glance the scar-faced man had giver
! me In the restaurant a few evenings
before.
; 81 wonder" said Miss Bradford
! thoughtfully, "if the same people whC
r are trying to blackmall us are not try
j ing to involve you with Us In some
p way1"
:, "Why should theyf"
e "They may have been watching anC
e have seen you enter the house witt
s me twice. They may think that yoV
!" and / are friends and that you wer'
e there in the park purposely that -nrs
r time"
n "Even So" l replied, "that doesn'
explain this"
d l pulled from my pocket the not
d / had found on the floor Of my bed
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