The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-03-30
Solved by Woman's
Curiosity
Ey FRANK H. WILLIAMS

able to work for days. Now she was
| slowly recovering, though there was
/ q sad, wistful look in her eyes that
hadn't been there before her illness
| and dull ache at her heart that
seemed as though 1t would never leave
her
The trouble was that-young John
Hammond, the cashier In the Office
where she had been employed and to
whom she had been engaged had
disappeared, his accounts had been
short and there had been but brief
word of explanation to Susie for his
conduct. II was this brief word which
had brought on Susie's illness.
The only message from John since
his disappearance had come to her on
postal card on the day after he
failed to come to work. IT had been
mailed from nearby town and 1t
bore these words In Johns unmistak-
able handwriting:
"Dear Susie: I've treated you pretty
roughly. Please forgive me. l was
married here today. Forget me. John"
OF course Susie hadn't believed that
John was thief-she didn't yet, even
these many weeks after his disappear
ance when the shortage still stood un-
explained against his record. 1t was
not because of the charge of theft
against John that her illness came, it
was because Of those words on the
postcard. IL was married here today"
She had loved him so deeply, de-
votedly, whole-heartedly. There had
never been any man in her life save
John. Everything had looked so rosy
for them too. The little bungalow In
which they were to have lived was
nearing completion and they were just
In the midst of happily buying furni-
ture for it when the blow fell.
No wonder there. was a wistful look
In Susie's eyes, and droop to her
young lips, and an unfading ache in
her heart.
Small wonder, too, that now, two
weeks after Johns disappearance, as
Susie was getting her normal strength
back, there should be deep and abid-
Ing curiosity in her soul.
Who was It that John had married? =?
1t was because this curiosity de-
manded an immediate answer that
Susie, as soon as she was able, went to
the neighboring town of Brampton.
where the fatal postal card had been
mailed, and bravely mounted the steps
In the courthouse to the Office of the
county clerk.
81 want to look at the marriage
license book, please" she said to the
clerk.
The clerk, looking at her curiously,
showed big book across the counter
to her.
Susie covertly referred again to the
postal card to make sure she had the
right date when IL was mailed In mind.
Then quickly she thumbed through the
pages until the proper date was found
and then went over the licenses issued
on that day, one by one.
When, some moments later. Susie
left the courthouse there was new
light in her eyes and new resolution In
her step. Her curiosity was satisfied,
but in satisfying her curiosity she had
found something that she must do-a
task which she must put through as
| quickly as possible.
In furtherance Of this task she did
some telephoning to several different
people at a public booth. Then, late
In the afternoon, she boarded the train
for home.
In the train she examined her postal
card from John with new interest. She
beld 1t to the light; she viewed It from
different angles, all with a new pur-
| pose In mind.
At last, as she caught the light on
the card from a new angle, she gave a
little gasp. She had discovered some
thing-something very much worth
while.
Susie returned to work the next day.
OF course there were many express
sions OF sympathy from fellow en-
ployees and from the executives, for
her story had become known In the
Office on the day when she had re
ceived the postal. (Susie had promptly
tainted upon receiving 1t, and the card
had then been read by the lsrs in
the ofIice.)
But now Susie showed little Of the
effects of her illness.
At the noon hour she ate lunch
with one of her firm friends. Anna
Habecker.
whats new at the Office, Anna p
Susie asked. "what are they doing
about John? Who's doing his work? p
They've been trying to trace John
everywhere, but haven't got a single
hint where he Is" said Anna. "Otto
Duemling is doing his work"
Duemling had been Johns assistant
before Johns disappearance, and upon
returning to the Office Susie viewed
Otto with great interest. Never before
had she paid much attention to him,
but now she looked at him carefully
and thoughtfully.
She saw In DeumIing a sleek young
man of not very prepossessing appear
ance and no outstanding character
istics. There was nothing about him
that marked his personality. He was