Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-04-09
CHAPTER II.-continued.

"Quite a proper precaution," 1 ad-
mitted.
"The elevator boy reported your ar
rival" he continued, "but he wasn't
quite sure 1t was you. The fact that
you were chatting with the young
lady bothered him, and me. too. Mr..
CASTOR told me you were a stranger
in the city, and l didn't expect to find
you knowing one of the Bradfords."
1t was on the tip of my tongue to
say, "Well, you see l do know her."
when recalled her request that I
would not recognize her until we had
been introduced in some fashion. 1
contented myself with saying merely:
"well, l hope you are satisfied now."
''Of course, Mr.. Nelson, of course"
he answered, though his looks belied
his words. Manifestly he was still
puzzled over my acquaintance with
Miss Bradford.
81 hope you viii find it comfortable
here" he said, plainly trying to con-
tlnue the conversation. IF there's
ever anything the matter. just call me
on the house phone; Mr.. Wick, the
name Is"
II wili." said, and he unwillingly
withdrew.
IF there's ever anything the mat
ter Was there something
sinister In the superintendent's part
ing remark7 Once more the warn
ings Of my relatives flashed into my
mind. What was wrong in the house?
Why did he anticipate that might be
calling him up? Why did he exhibit
such an interest In me aEd in my
acquaintance with the girl acrois the
hall7 Somehow the mans VIII ole as
pect had impressed me unfavorably.
/ carried my bag back to my bed
room and unpacked 1t. The various
attachments in the bath looked so in
vlting that stripped and amused my
self for half an hour testing the va
riety Of showers and sprays provided.
Donning my bathrobe / leisurely
smoked an excellent cigar from a box
old Rufus had thoughtfully-or per-
haps thoughtlessly-left open on his
desk, and then returned to the inspec-
tion of my new quarters.
As 1t was Sunday, had a whole
day Of leisure before me, and felt
that II 1 was to clear up the mystery
that had driven the old couple out, 1t
was incumbent on me to make mi
mute study of my surroundings. Only
in the little rear sitting room was
there any atmosphere of nominees. All
the rest of the place was done in the
best department store style, even to
the richly bound sets Of standard au-
thors which lined the walls Of the liv.
ing room, most of which found had
their pages uncut.
My search of the place-and 1t was
thorough, extending even to the empty
canisters in the pantry and kitchen
revealed nothing whatever that gave
any hint as to the cause or explains
tion of old Rufus fears. The place
seemed the least likely of all places
in the world to hide any mystery, Just
a great, modern, luxurious apartment
equipped with every possible device fol
the comfort and convenience of its oc
cupants. 1t would have to be an up
to-date ghost to find itself at home
here.
But waitl Perhaps the safe helt
some clue to the problem they wanted
me to solve. But where was the safe
/ had not noticed It anywhere in IN,
repeated journeys through the rooms
60.
More than likely it had been locate,
in. some inconspicuous place purposely
But where? At last / located it, be
hind a faded G Won portrait of Mrs
Gaston, in the h.1e sitting room.
lifted the picture to the floor an
stood hesitant before the safe. Shoul
!, or should l not, open It? The fac
that they had given the the combine
tion seemed to imply that l had
perfect right to inspect its contents.
"Slx to the right, four to the Ief
two to the right, eight to the left"
AS / turned the knob repeated tn
combination to myself. There was
little click, and the steel door cam
open. Reaching in l drew forth /tv
old-fashloned jewel cases of leathe
both securely locked. took from IN
pocket the keys my great-uncle ha
given me and toyed with them though
fully. Among them were two tin
keys that undoubtedly belonged to Il
Jewel cases. Had 1 the right to us
them7 1 decided that l had.
The first case / opened contained, s
far as my limited knowledge of pre-
ious stones enabled me to judge, not
ing but q bunch of cheap junk, bi
of finery from another century, cor
earrings that Mrs. CASTOR may ha,
worn when she was q little girl, coml
Of Jet. amber beads, quaint hoop en-
rings and a ring or two, merely Il
trinkets of vain old woman, trea
ured from the time when the mon,
10 buy them was scarce. There w
nothing in the lot that any self-r
specting thief would take, precious
they may have been to their ownt
/ locked up that case and returned
to the safe and opened the other.
AS ] raised the lid an involunta
exclamation of amazement and adr
ration escaped me. There, nesting
the center of a velvet-lined tray, |
cleaning the most wonderful mass
i-idescent pearls | ever had laid ey
on. surely worth vast fortune. Tul
Ing them over and over admiringly