The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1920-10-14

With my mind once and FOR all clear
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 It
had been with either German or my
lawyer.
began with my chance meeting
with Barbara Bradford IN the park
as the blackmailers awaited her there.
I told everything that had followed
with the utmost detnil, even to such
small matters as my hrst meeting
with Wick and the undue curiosity
he had exhibited MS to my acqualnt-
ance with the Bradfords. j recited
the story Of my unaocoutabie dis
charge In disgrace from my position
and told of Germans unavailing ef-
forts TO learn the reason.
''The day l was discharged" went
on, II had drawn out from the savings
bank all my money with the purpose
of sending II to M mother to whom l
was in debt. / still had 1t with me
when arrived home at the apartment
and / decided to put II In the wall
safe, to which, you recall, you had
giveA me the combination. Out OF
mere curiosity"-I made this confess
sion with blush of shame--'I had in
spected the contents Of the safe the
day Of my arrival and had examined
the two caskets, The minute opened
the safe this second time saw that II
had been looted"
"What," exclaimed my great-uncle.
starting from his seat mot the
pearls I"
nodded.
Everything. The casket with the
pearls was gone. The other with the
trinkets was undlsturbed."
"Good heavens |" he exclaimed. my
wife's pearls stoleni Why, boy, ! paid
a hundred and fifty thousand dollars
Tor 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 II again on the fol-
lowing Saturday the pearls were gone.
"Of course you told the police at
once"
l explained to him why had not
done so. and my reason seemed to
satisfy him.
go 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. rt
He listened intently 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-
! cerning 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, toO1"
he questioned.
"Yes." l answered. 81 heard them
several times. Barbara has heard
them. and the laundress, too"
A look of unspeakable relief came
over his face.
'I'm glad TO know that others have
heard them besides myself. When a
man gets old his nerves sometimes
play him strange pranks. The whls.
pers seemed so unreal and Incredible
that feared that was suffering from
the hallucinations OF old age. Now
that know that the whispers are real
there Is nothing to fear"
And" observed, 81 believe. am
, almost positive. can explain the
origin of the whispers"
Tell me-" he cried, his manner nov
entirely changed. He seemed elated
at discovering that his brain was still
dependable. 1t was as II burden haC
suddenly been lifted from him.
Here was my opportunity. Gormar
had utterly refused to credit my story
= of a secret passage and had ridiculet
1t. There had been no way athat
could prove II, nor was II possible fol
German to have, Investigated the walli
J of the Granddeck, even If he hat
placed any credence In my story. witt
my great-uncle II was different. Al
the occupant of the apartment b,
: would have every right and oppor
: tunity to explore and verify my state
ments. told him how, while specu
lating as to the origin OF the whispers
I 1 had observed the discrepancy in tn
! measurements of the apartment ant
? had verified my deduction that Their
; was enace enough for passaQewa,