The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21

said Chalmers. 1.-The record was made
Claiming is sure of that He gave it to me
so he thought. l put it in my safe-so l
thought. Three months later l discovered
he had given me another record-record No.
33 for the French language-and had put
that record in my safe. Now the natural
conclusion is that the records were substi-
tuted for each other. Why? Because if
there had been no record No. 33 with one
of those French machines, don't you know
a complaint to that effect would have come
in? But there was no complaint So the
natural conclusion is that the correct num-
Der of records went out, and that in the
place of the record which had in my safe,
and which should have gone out with one
of those machines, that record holding
Channing's secret was sent out. Who
among the 1T people who ordered and re-
ceived machines about this time got the
record that was supposed to be in my safe!
First, Lawrence writes and asks every one
of these 1T persons to return record No.
33. Only one out of this entire number
fails to do so. The returned records are all
right-just as they should be. But this one
who does not comply with this request
what of that one?"
The professor was silent Chalmers went
"That one, professor was none other than
Miss Trent. And what did she do? Law
renee, please read her letter." Mr.. Lawrence
brought out Amelie's first letter and hand
ed it to the professor, who read and reread
it carefully.
'Did you notice the wording of that let
ter?" Chalmers asked significantly "Does
she say the record corresponds with lesson
No. SO in the manual? I should say not.
She only says it is satisfactory that "it is
the clearest and best record she has. Ger
tainly it is satisfactory since it contains
a secret worth hundreds of thousands of
dollars! Certainly it is the 'clearest and
best since it is made by Channing's new
process"
The professor was still contemplating the
letter.
"Well,. go on" he said. "What happened
what happened next?" repeated Chal-
mers. 1--WE offered a reward of $4,000 for
any information leading to the recovery of
that record. We were supposed to send that
letter out to all of the 1T persons as we'll
as to the employees of both Lawrence's es-
Enlistment and mine. But we didn't do it.
We saw no reason to excite further curl
osity of the 116 persons who returned rec
ord No. 33, as we requested. We sent it
only to the one who wrote this evasive let
ter That letter to Miss Trent, the letter in
which the reward was offered, was mailed
in New York on Wednesday. On investiga-
ton we find that it should have reached
Merryvllle, KY, on the following Saturday.
II letter had been mailed from there next
day, Sunday or say Monday, it would have
ANC" 4Olh 1uuTSudy. NOW pear
these facts in mind. Did any letter come on
that Thursday? No! But on that very day
little Miss Innocence herself appears on the
scenew <
But, if she did have the record, why
should she conceal it? Why did she not
claim the reward?" asked the professor.
"That's just it, whispered Mr.. Chalmers
hoarsely. "Why didn't she? That, pro
fessor, is just the point Now, we are all
satisfied that she has the record What we
now want to find out is, what is she going
to do with it?''
Here Mr.. Lawrence took up the nara
tive, explaining how and why they con-
ceived the idea of having Miss Warren en-
terrain and flatter Miss Trent with the view
of ascertaining her secret.
"We are very anxious for your opinion,
professor" said Mr.. Lawrence after all three
men had kept silent for some time.
II repeat that I think Miss Trent is
wholly innocent. If she did have the record
she would have returned it and claimed the
reward" he said. "She is not the type of
woman one could suspect of duplicity and
chicanery. l do not believe it. l believe
every word she says. Furthermore, think
you gentlemen are very inconsistent. If
Miss Trent is as cunning and astute as you
think her, why should you imagine that Miss
Warren, person whom she knows to be in
your employ, could induce her to divulge
her secret?"