The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-10-28
The Strange
CHAPTER Iv.--continued.

thai was the name In that La Rue
girls letter. got II we're In the
desk It's torn some, an don't mean
nothin' TO me sounds kinder nutty."
He threw open a drawer, rummaging
withiu. bat without pausing In speech.
''Then a fellow blew In yere this
norma Off the Limited, asking about
you, Jim. an DANCED IL l don't be-
Iieve he said his name was Cavendish.
The register was full so he didn't
write II down. but that was the name
all right. And 10Y you tote In an
other oae. What Is this. anyhow
family reunion? ?"
you say a man by that name was
h~ere-asking for me?"
"Yep; / reckon he's asleep up
stairs, for he never showed up at sup
per-"
In what room. Peter"
mime"
. Westcott, with a swift word OF ex-
cuse TO Stella, dashed into the hall,
and disappeared up the stairway, TAX
ing three steps at a time. A moment
later those below heard him pounding
at a door; then his voice sounded
This is Jim Westcott; open up"
Timmons stood gazing blankly at
the empty staircase. mopplng his face
with a bandanna handkerchief. Then
he removed his horn-rimmed specta-
Giles. and polished them, as though what
mind he possessed had become COM
pleteiy dazed.
He turned around and noticed Miss
Donovan, the sight of her standing
there bringing back a reminder of his
duty.
"He was a sayin' as how likely yer
wanted to so to bed, miss"
mot now I'll wait until Mr.. West
colt ZONES down. What is that paper
In your hand2 Is that the letter Miss
La Rue leftf"
He held IL up in surprise, gazing at
1T through his glasses.
"Why, Lord bless melt is, isn't iti
Must have took 1t out o. Their drawer
an never thought of the darned thing
agin."
MAY | see lit"
"Sure; faint o. no consequence ter
me I reckon the woman sorter packed
In a hurry, and this got lost. The
Chink found IL under the bed"
She took IL In her hand, and
crossed the room. finding a seat be-
meath one OF the bracket-lamps. but
with her face turned toward the hall.
III was Just a single sheet Of folded
and had been torn across. so that the
TWO parts barely held together. She
fet that here was the key which was
TO unlock the secret Of this strange
crime. Whoever the man upstairs
might prove to be-the real Caven-
dish or some impostor-thls paper she
held In her hands was destined to be
a link In the chain. She unfolded IL
slowly and her eyes traced the written
words within. II was a hasty scrawl,
written on the cheap paper of some
obscure hotel In Jersey City, extreme
ly difficult to decipher, the hand Of
the man who wrote exhibiting plainly
the excitement under which he la
bored.
1t was a message of warning; he
was leaving New York, and would sail
that evening for some place In South
America where he did not say. Love
only caused him to tell her what had
occurred. A strange word puzzled
her. and before she could decipher II,
voices broke the silence. followed by
steps on the stairs. She glanced up
quickly: II was westcott returning.
accompanied by a tall. rather slender
man with a closely trimmed beard.
The two crossed the room, and she
met them standing. the opened letter
still In her hand.
: Miss Donovan, this Is Frederick
Cnvenuish-the real Frederick Cav
eudlsh. 1 have told him something Of
tie trouble he has been to us ALL"
4 The real Frederick Cavendish
smiled down into her eyes. while he
held her fingers tightly clasped In his
own. She believed In him. liked him
instantly.
"A trouble which ! regret very
much" nc said humbly. "Westcott
has told me a little. a very little, OF
what has occurred since ] left New
York 80 hurrIediy two months ago.
This Is the frst | knew about II, aud
the mystery Of the whole affair IL as
puxxiing as ever"
Her eyes widened wonderpgly.
"You cannon explain7 Not ever
who the dead man was found muir
dered In your apartnaentsT"
II haven't the least idea"
sIrred has told me all he knows"
broke Ii Westcott. ''but II only ex-
tends 10 midnight when be left the
city. ne was In his apartments less
fhan ten minutes after his waller re-
tjred. he supposed he left everything
IN eood ortler. with q note on the
~rifiprsfabi6 IpetrnctIng valols what
- ID durlnx IN absence. and incios-
~ ! SUM ~ money. Atterward, in
~ train. he discovered thar he had
mlrlald she ~ 80 his safe. hut thIs
-oecassnsd oo worry. g. he had taken