Evening star., 1923-12-17

; controlled. That was four years ago
last New Years day. I'd sorted the
! his place, and Mrs. Cayley's and Miss
! Mlldred's at the breakfast table.
was serving them, when all at once l
/ heard Mrs. Cayley cry out and ask
him what was the matter. Mr..
! Bernhard laughed and crushed the let
ter in his hand. and said it was moth
| ing. that some crank or practical
| joker had sent him an anon--anony-
i nous threat. noticed. though, that
! he only pretended to eat after that.
! and little later I saw him burning
the letter and envelope in the open
J fire in his study. There was an in
/ formal reception that afternoon and
small dinner party at night-they
! didn't go in for socie,y so much then.
| sir-hut all day Mr.. Bernhard looked
as though he was seeing ghosts
! And when did the second letter
| Gomez"
On the tenth OF October, sir. as
1 Mr.. Dunn says. and it was just the
! same, only Miss Mildred being away
| at boarding school Mrs. Cayley made
a bit of a scene. if you'll excuse me
| for saying SO. wanting to See the let
! ter and demanding to know what it
j was all about. Mr. Bernhard got in
a rage. the worst I ever knew him
! to have. and told her not to NEEDLE
! in his affairs or--or she would regret
would like me to speak of il. cspe-
! cially now. sir. but YOU said she
wanted me to tell al the truth"
! Henry paused. but the doctor reas-
sured him.
! That's right. Henry. Go on"
Let me see. then. sir. That will
/ be three years ago next October. and
| the following New Years day
! looked over the mail right carefully.
you may be sure. but I couldn't see
anything suspicious. nor was there.
| The letter didn't come. All DAY l
! watched Mr.. Bernhard and ] noticed
! that Mrs. Cayley did. too. and We
I we all three waited but nothing hap
pened; Miss Mildred didn't know
anything about it. having forgotten
what happened the previous year. OF
! course. II was the next day when
Mr. Bernhard came home from the
| office and I was helping him or with
! his coat. that ! saw in his face he
must have had the letter down town"
/ He did Dunn affirmed. When l
| reached the office at my usual time |
! found him there before me. burning
some papers in big brass ash tray.
and he was in towering fury. That
/ was the first ! heard about the let
ters. when he burst out and told ma
about the first two: he said just what
! I've told you, Doctor. no more and
1 no less. and he gave me instructions
then about the mail for the next Octo-
ber."
where was the fourth letter
sent?"
ITO the house. sir. and the fifth.
too: in October and then on New
Years day--that was two years ago
last New Years" Henry took up
the recital; He bore II better. bu,
| you could have seen it was wearing
tence: Mrs. Cayley and me. we'd
never spoke of IL. but there was a
kind OF an understanding between
US and we could tell. Different kinds
! each time. for never knew which
| to look for. and Mr. Bernhard always
| burned them directly afterwards. My
| memory isn't what it used to be. but
the next one must have gone to the
| Office
| He looked at tn. secretary. who
nodded without speaking. and Henry
went on:
! 'The last to come TO the house was
on New Years day a year ago. and
Mr.. Bernhard shut himself up in his
study for hours afterward. but when
he came out he was more like his
| old self than he had been for days.
You see, sir, l could tell the strain
, he was under and how he'd begin
| TO wait when il neared time for the
Dunn must have taken notice of it.
| too
Il did. OF course. and although no
one else Il the ofice had an inkling
of the matter think the whole staff
felt that something was in the air
at those times, remarked Dunn.
When the final letter came last
October, / was relieved that he merely
laughed at II instead OF becoming en-
raged. but he was unusually thought
full FOR days thereafter, absent
minded. I might say, and his keen
business acumen seemed to slip a cog.
He pulled himself together. though,
and in a week or two he was plung-