The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-12

| drawer less than an lncn deep.
Triumphantly, the girl pulled it
out. There was not one orchid
tinted letter, but six of them, with
the last received on top, at the front
of the little drawer.
Don't destroy f1ngerprintsl" Nc
Mann warned Ruth. "Here-let me
handle it." And with infinite eau
ton the detective drew the letter
from its large, square envelope,
touching only one corner of the
sheet as he shook it out and laid it
on the blotter of the dead mans
desk.
MAY I read it?" Ruth begged,
and as the detective grunted assent
their two heads bent over the ex-
hibit which Ruth had brought to
light. There was a single sheet of
notepaper, closely written on both
sides.
HARRY, my darling" the letter
l. Il began, below the two words,
Friday afternoon: "After what hap
pened between us on Christmas Eve
I swore that I would never appeal
to you again. Oh, Harry, to think
that you could strike me and curse
me after al the happiness we have
known tcgetherl But my pride
which was one of the qualities you
admired most in me, you used to
say-has been leveled to the dust.
I would rather Gle than ask you
for anything for myself, Harry, but
where our son is concerned I have
no pride-only love, and CHASTITY
fear of his future. He is your son,
Harry-as much your child as Betty
and Harry Junior. 1t was your
own suggestion that I place him in
boarding school last September, so
that he might have his chance at
normal little boy happiness and
education. You promised then to
pay for his board and tuition,
but"
Finished" McManrl grunted at
Ruth, and, as she nodded mutely,
he turned the sheet over.
Ruth's tear misted eyes resolutely
left the signature to the last; the
money never came. Almost the last
cent I had in the world went to pay
for his first half year, and now
there is nothing left-less than
nothing. I am i'll and broken. If
you continue to refuse to pay for
his second semester-the first ends
the last of January--he will have to
be put in an orphanage, and that
would kill me. You couldn't
couldn't!-let your son-the child of
our love--come to that. Harry!
Please, Harry! I abase myself be-
fore you. I make one last appeal
for him. Create a trust fund for
him-your son. You can arrange
for bank-not me-to be his
guardian, if you hate me as much
as you've said you do. Do this for
him! I ask nothing for myself
nothing! But Harry, in all solem-
ity, I warn you that you will be
sorry if you do not do what 1 ask.
l shall telephone you Saturday
morning. If your answer is still no
but I won't think of that now!
M"
mi" Ruth breathed, Martha!
Martha Manning! Oh, the poor
thing!"
Martha Manning!" the detective
exploded. "You haven't told me
anything about her. Why didn't you
tell me yesterday"
Il didn't know until last night"
Ruth retorted. Then, rapidly,
breathlessly, she related to McNTann
the series of deductions and suppo-
sitions which had led her to an in
evitable conclusion.
Though I didn't, at first, con-
meet the writer of the orchid-tinted
letters with the woman of the con-
tra1to voice." Ruth acknowledged.
"Some voicel" McMann comment
ed dryly. ut seems to have knocked
you, Hayward, Minnie Cassidy and
Frank Ashe was a goal. I'm getting
sorts of curious to hear it myself.
Did Hayward get her address when
she came to him about insurance."
Eyes. The Acropolis hotel-one
of those small, inexpensive residence
hotels" Ruth answered.
n q q
lizard UP-and living at a no
Il L TEL" MeMann commented sar-
castically. Trying to pull Borden's
leg, I guess Blackmail . Well,
we'll have a look at this dame, and
listen to her carol her story in her
beautiful contralto voice"
The detective was striding toward
the door to give an order to Bird
well, who was still on duty in the
outer office, when Ruth stopped
him with a question:
and you'll send for Lefty Miller,