The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-04-30

must be surrounded with some potent
i evil forces working to accomplish our
/ ruin. The motive In the anonymous
letters that Miss Bradford had been
receiving had plainly been blackmail.
| But what was the motive In my own
case7 Why had someone stolen the
/ CASTOR pearls and then In an anony-
nous letter to me spoken of the theft?
/ wondered, too, IL the successful at
tempt to discredit me at my place Of
business had not originated from the
same mysterious source.
Was my great-unele Rufus to blamef
The suspicion of him rose In my
i mind and would not be downed. re-
/ called the unusual pretext on which
he had sent for me after having paid
no attention to my existence for near
/ ly year Irecalled his curious warn
ing and that of his aged wife. i re-
membered that they had insisted on
leaving the jewels behind against my
urgings, and that they had been in
sistent on my having the combination
Of the safe. Could 1t be possible that
they also had some grudge against the
Bradfords, their neighbors, and In
some way had got hold Of Claire Brad
ford's secret2
Il think you said" / asked Miss
Bradford, "that your family and the
Gastons were not acquainted In any
way"
NO" she replied, I'VE don't know
them ut ALL Why do you ask that?"
II was wondering IL 1t could be pos
sible that my great-uncIe Rufus could
have had any hand in all this. He's
a queer, secretiye old chap"
TITS probable that he and my father
might have known each other. Both
We're in business here in the city for
many years never remember,
though, of hearing Dad speak of him
wait, yes, | did once"
"When was that?"
ut must have been six or eight
years ago. There was something in
the papers about Mr.. CASTOR retiring
from business"
"What was 1t he said?" / asked
eagerly, wondering If some old feud
between the two men might not give
us clue to unravel the web of mys-
terry.
"As nearly ash can recall his words
were, 4 see that old pirate CASTOR has
retired with his ill-gotten gains.'
ITO whom was he talking?"
II don't remember that, probably
some man who was visiting at the
house, Dad always used to have a
lot of men about"
did he say anything else"
That's all l remember, but don't
think the Gastons could have anything
to do with 1t. This threatening my
sister is more the sort of thing a dis
! charged servant would do"
'tYes," admitted, "but find, the dis
charged servant. Yours have been
with you for years."
"oh, what are we going to do?" she
cried in desperation. IF don't get
those papers back, Wen all be ruined.
/, They'll give them to my sisters fiance.
Her engagement will be broken. My
mother will die of disgrace and
shame"
Don't be discouraged" I cried, try
ing to inspire in her confidence was
far from feeling myself. 'This is only
Sunday. We have until Wednesday
, evening. I'll find some way of trap
ping those rascals and making them
surrender those papers. Leave it to
me-"
In spite of my reassuring words, dis
. tress was still written on her counte-
nance. As / debated how best to COM
fort her, she glanced at her wrist
! watch and exclaimed:
Il must be going. They'll be alarm
ed about me IL l stay longer" .
when am to see you again?"
II don't know. That's hard to ar
range. My sister and l are so much
together"
Can't l telephone your"
mo, that wouldn't do at all. Moth
er and Claire would both want to know
all about it and besides"
Besides whatq"
II don't trust that girl at the switch.
board. I think she listens to every
thing that Is said"
They are prying lot" I admitted,
fnclnding Mr.. Wick, the superintend-
emit"
81 don't like him bit"
e "Nor !, but we must communicate
with each other somehow. If you find
out anything more you must let me
a know at once. If l learn anything,
e I'll let you know, and I'm going to dis
I cover lot"
There's always our windows" she
7 suggested, "they are close together.
] can signal you when Tn alone, and
e we can talk"
/ 'Tn be there in my room every eve.