The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-06-15

as Charles he saw ME. dear one.
he saw me, If did do disappear
ing act-l knew he was her cousin
who had been after Peters book. and
had tricked me, and gone around
under a assumed name. And | fell
sure he was after II then and there
So | hoped upstairs and took care
of 1t. Now. do you see why. as you
say?"
Even Nancy finally paused. breath
less. said:
81 don't see why you took the book
out OF my desk. You didn't know al
noon yestel day that Charles MacIvor
was Brandon Tower, or that he
wanted the book at all"
81 knew Brandon Tower would be
liable to come after that book any
time, though" interrupted Nancy. i'm
placably. Before Peter went to
Raynes Foreside. he told me thai
handsome polite young man had come
into the shop on Monday, and slid oui
again when be found him there Peter
wanted to warn me, you see, especial
ly since he was to be away"
"And you didn't think should be
equal to taking care of the book?"
"Not when Wilkey was after IT,
too and maybe other people"
"'Other people were after the
book? To whom do you allude.
Nancy?"
"Maybe other people, she said
Maybe Mr.. Case"
"Mr. Case?" | repeated feebly. "Why
Mr.. Case? He's been with the firm
for years and years he's a
gentleman be Is absolutely eX-
cellent and entirely commonplace
why should you think he had designs
on that bOok?"
Because" insisted Nancy, stub
bornly. "he was hanging round all the
time you and | were working together
on that catalogue late Thursday after.
noon, when everybody else had left
the building"
"HOw do you know?
81 saw him. You said you were go
ing to put the books which had been
listed back on the shelves. He took
that in. So, when took my new
work, | snatched that book up with
the rest. He was looking In the law
book section to see If II had been re
placed there, by any chance"
what time did you see him doing
that?" ] asked thoughtfully.
Shortly before | left at six o'clock"
"Then." ! thought to myself, "Mr
Case explored those law-boOk shelves
at time he thought himself alone !:
and not finding what he wanted there
made an attempt on my desk later !
He couldn't have known which drawer
1t was in, of course. He must have
just started to search the largest one
when Charles MacIvor made his ap
pearance. What was he doing there ?
Looking for the book. of course"
$50 Sou see. Constance" concluded
Nancy, accepting my silence as per
sonal tribute. 81 saw you really had
too much to do. with that catalogue
and everything, so took charge of
the book temporarily TO help you. And.
of course, had to help Peter"
But exegesis of this obscure remark.
as well as satisfactory conclusions for
my own wOnderings. had TO be post
poned. We had reached Darrow's.
FASTENED forth to my desk. to find
it already occupied. by Captain Ash.
land.
you said could bother you any
timeI" he greeted me-
81 always mean what | say. So
you've come down from Westchester
to learn more about the index?"
Gracious business during the
weekend? I've come on pleasure
You know that boOkplate we were
talking about the other day."
did not associate the COlfax book
plate with pleasure, but ] nodded-in
diligently. trusted.
"You know that forgery rather took
hold of me-" cOnfided the captain. ~
wondered If | could find an original
for the counterfeit"
"Ohl" said | Ian expression I dis
approve of, but | was struck all of q
heap by the suddenness of the ideal
"Why?"
Because Colfax might have drawn
pictorial bookplate, even If he sci
dom did so. and ! think the manner
of execution of that drawing yen
showed me indicates that 1t must have
been copied from a model. The con
ception of the design is mastery, bu,
the copying is just faint shade toe
careful; and whoever made the draw
ing was mol quite craftsman enongl
to avoid chat small slip In the sigma
ture. So I've decided to amuse m,
self trying to discover an original
You'll help me, won't your begged
the captain. Don't say you will il
you can"
81 will because can, then"
"Goodl | spent yesterday unpack
ing. | brought nineteen boxes O1
books with me- My reference library
you know. Now. the reason un
packed them was that book
PLATED say you haven't II around
anywhere, supposeY'
plucked it out of the law book In
such way as not to "eveal the key
for Captain Ashland was, of course
not interested in the Grosvenor mys
tery-indeed. disliked 1T, felt sure
''T'll tell you what I've done so far >
he said. 18th ugh it's not much. | be
lieve my library has as good work,
about English engravers as can b,
found; yet | can't discover mu.l
about COlfaS himself. But | found thu
exact dates of his birth and dealt,
1850 and 1881. Then found DE-
z..;.~t;,o t;ct If oil hio