The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-16


aunt.
Miss Cornelia unwrapped the paper
and smoothed out the sheet.
Two lines of coarse, round hand
writing sprawled across it:
"Take warning! Leave this house
at once! 1t is threatened with dis
aster which will involve you if you
remain !"
There was no signature.
"Who do you think wrote IT." said
Dale, breathlessly.
Miss Cornelia Strengthened up like
a ramrod-indomitab
"a fool-that's who! If anything
was calculated to make me stay here
forever, this sort of thing would do it! J"
She twitched the sheet of paper
angrily. a
But something may happen. dar-
lingw
st hope so! That's the reason T.
She stopped. The doorbell was ring
ing again-thrilling, insistent. Her
niece started at the sound.
"Oh, don't let anybody H." she be-
sought Miss Cornelia, as Billy came
in from the hall with his usual air Of
walking on velvet.
"Key, front door please-bell ring"
he explained tersely, taking the key
from the table.
Miss Cornelia issued instructions.
"See that the chain is on the door,
Billy. Don't open it all the way. Aud
get the visitors name before you let
him i'm
She lowered her voice.
eff he says he is Mr.. Anderson, let
him in and take him to the library"
Billy nodded and disappeared. Dale
turned to her aunt, the color out Of
her cheeks.
Anderson? Who is Mr."
Miss Cornelia did not answer. She
thought for a moment. Then she put
her hand on Dale's shoulder in
gesture of protective affection.
"The man in the library is detec-
tive from police headquarters" she
said.
She had expected Dale to show sur
se-excitement-but the white mask
of horror which the girl turned toward
her appalled, her.
"Not-the police!" breathed Dale in
tones of utter CONSERVATION. Miss
Cornelia could not understand why
the news had stirred her niece so
deeply. But there was no time to
puzzle it out-she heard crunching
steps on the terrace-the doctor was
returning.
"Ssh!" she whispered. ut isn't nee
essary to tell the doctor. think he's
a sort of perambulating bedside gossip
and once it's known the police are
here we'll never catch the criminals J"
When the doctor entered from the
terrace, brushing drops Of rain from
his no longer immaculate evening
clothes, Dale was back on her favorite
settee and Miss Cornelia was porting
over the mysterious missive that had
been wrapped about the stone
"He got away in the shrubbery,"
said the doctor, disgustedly, taking
out a handkerchief to fleck the spots
of mud from his shoes.
Miss Cornelia gave. him the letter
of warning. "Read this" she said.
The doctor adjusted pair of pince-
nez-read the two crude sentences
over-once-twice. Then he looked
shrewdly at Miss Cornelia.
"Were the others like this" he
queried.
She nodded. practically"
He hesitated for moment like a
man with an unpleasant social duty
to face.
"Miss Van Gorder, may I speak
frankly?"
Generally speaking, detest frank
ness" said the lady, grimly. But
go on!"
The doctor tapped the letter. His
face was wholly serious.
IT think you ought to leave this
house." he said bluntly.
Because of that letter? Humph!"
His very seriousness, perversely
enough, made her suddenly wish to
treat the whole matter as lightly as
possible.
"There is some deviltry afoot," he
persisted. "You are not safe here,
Miss Van Gorder."
But If he was persistent in his atti-
tude, so was she in hers.
"rve been safe in all kinds of
houses for sixty-odd years." she said
lightly. "It's time I had bit Of a
change. Besides" she gestured to-
wards her defenses, "this house is as
nearly impregnable as I can make it.
The window locks are sound enough
the doors are locked and the keys
are there" she pointed to the keys
lying on the table. "As for the ter
race door you just used" she went
on, ST had Billy put an extra bolt on
it today. By the way, did you bolt
that door again?' She moved toward
the alcove.
(To BE CONTINUED.)