The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-08-10

DeiuS StTuck IRON the cOppeTpiaie ,
she must have realized that, with
everybody thinking the table was a
dummy, the copperplate would almost
certainly never be disturbed, especially
If she hid the key. too. tried the
sewing table yesterday after I'd tried
Julia's boxes. and given her the chance
she wanted to talk to you and Peter.
And there was this copperplate. all
carefully packed into the little drawer.
so 1t would never rattle. with this
paper!"
Dramatically she produced an old.
stained, yellow sheet Bending our
heads over 1t, the captain and | de-
ciphered the following legend:
ITO DR.. Charles Grosvenor
"from
"Hugh Colfax,
this bookplate, in profound gratitude.
"In his peaceful home, may he recall
the great days of the Macedonian
and the Esmeralda."
This was pure Greek to me. but the
captain started back in amazed recol-
lection.
"The Esmeralda?" he cried. "Why,
that ships one of the most famous
prizes in England'S nava- historyl She
was captured off Callao by the British
fleet that went to the aid of the revo-
lutionists of Chile in 1920. We've got
it at last, | believed Colfax's son must
have been there"
HE was" | cried Never mind
how know; that can wait But after
ward he fell victim to yellow fever.
and his life was saved by Doctor eros
venor, then an American naval sur.
geon. Though just how he happened
to be on the spot | don't know"
81 dot" broke in Nancy, determined.
ly. Julia told me. That ship on the
bookplate is the Macedonian, the doc.
tors ship, which was on voyage and
lying off Callao at the time of the ac-
ton between the Esmeralda and the
British fleet"
But" | objected had been ex.
aiming the copperplate closely again
1.-THE Macedonian was a very famous
American ship, Nancy, and Captain
Ashland says this is a British-bcilt
frigate- Oh. my gosh"
Just too late | perceived that my
wonderful memory had not been quite
wonderful enough. The sincerity of
my contritiOn was such that the inele-
gance of its expression was overlooked
by Nancy, who saw that she must
quickly forestall questions lowering on
the wholly perplexed captains lips.
Speaking of priZes," she said
lightly. "the Macedonian was one too !:
| il was captured in the War of 1912.
Oh, you remember now. dc
you, Constance? | guess you didn't
take many prizes in history, did your
That nice Captain Ashland smiled
his sweetest smile; in fact, he laughed
aloud
"Then the last of the bookplate mys-
tery's solved" he declared, thanks to
Miss Burton!"
"How?" i demanded. recovering
speech.
"Since the Macedonian was a prize
captured by America in the War of
1912, that accounts for it's being Brit
] ish built"
"Oh. dearI Then we've finished with
the bOokplate" sighed Nancy, pick
ing up the copper plaque regretfully.
Il haven't" said the captain.
"How sO?" she asked
Because I've really just began ON
account of it. 1t had great influence,
you see, in forming my decision to
stay here"
"Here?"
"Yes, Pm staying indefinitely. My
uncle always urged me to come, but
my first morning here | wasn't very
/ keen on it, l must admit. | felt put
| off bit; safer in the war, what? But
then you-and Miss Fuller, of course
drew my attention to-the book.
plate, and so I've decided to stay and
help in the business on this side.
telephoned my uncle my decision last
night and | must be off now to see
him, for he said he'd be here early to
welcome me. | believe I'll have time
to learn the business and do some
other things l want to, now that Almy
says he's through with me-"
mir. Almy is through with you'll"
CALCULATED "Why, what do you mean
Captain Ashland? You weren't helping
solve the Grosvenor mystery, all this
time? And | never knew It'll"
Helping?" repeated the captain
dazedly. 81 say, were you in it, too
had no idea %
"Oh, didn't do much" | demurred
feebly.
"See here" said |, severely; "how
long has Mr.. Almy known, anyhow
that that book was an object of inter
est to the Grosvenor Connection"
The captain chuckled delightedly.
Good joke on all of us, what? Why
you know, his interest in the case
started when he heard Professor Har-
ringtOn was among those present; OF
course, he knew about him personally
but he also remembered that the police
had been called in WHEEL Harrington
library was robbed, some years back
SO he reads that case over, to refresh
his mind; and then, when he walks
into my uncle's Office, last Monday
noon, there's one of the very books
that was stolen, lying on the desk
And then, with all the GrOsvenor clan
! rushing hither and yon for Virginiana
the rest was easy"
"Oh, was it?" said l.
'Of course II was, when he had sc
much help from experts
'Mr. Almy," observed Nancy, ir
relevantly, "told me one day to take
| care of my fine brother. So ! did"
ave were puppets in his hands !"