The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-07-16
Honeymoon
Murder
]: ~
CAROLYN
WELLS
Copyright by Carolyn Wells.
- WNU Service.

tent one, but his work was largely
that of research, and seldom had to
do with sorting or fling documents.
Most of the letters before the de-
tective at the moment were those
which had made up tn packet Stone
took from Bob Coles suitcase when
in Scottstown. =
To Stones disappointment they
had not amounted to much, but a
sudden thought had turned his at
tention back to the mass of docu-
ments. Hastily he ran over letters
from friends of Corey Maiden, as
well as small scraps of memoranda
or cold notes written by the same
people, yet no in any way connected
with the matter in hand.
Yet he studied them all with me-
ticulous care, and sorted them into
neat piles of corresponding penman-
ship:
Gas plain as day. No chance or mis-
taking it."
He reached for a good-sized book
from the shelves behind him and
read the marked paragraphs over.
''ThiS is the sign of love of large
sums of money, and its prevalence in
handwriting has to be carefully esti-
, mated To find one or o, which has
this break. would have slight signi-
ficance. One or two, even, might be
accidents, but not when the break is
constantly repeated
He called his secretary from the
next room.
'Plum," he said, as the man ap-
peared, I'm going round to see Miss
Curry, the graphologist Hold the
fort and learn anything you can
from callers, but tell no one where
I've gone"
In less than a half hour he was
earnestly talking with the young
woman whom he considered the best
handwriting expert he knew.
You're right, Mr.. Stone" she said,
after studying the specimens he
showed her. ''That sign is unmistak-
able and undeniable. An opening at
the top of a small or small o,
merely means garrulity or generosi-
ty, but an opening, be it ever so tiny,
at the bottom, is something to pom
der over This formation is well-nigh
impossible to initiate. To show its
full significance it must be universal
in the persons writing.
'This is the sign of that trait of
humanity which makes them tempt
ed, not by small populations, but by
thefts of very large sums.
Moreover, this formation indi-
Gates mathematical talent. And so
these writers frequently attain posi-
tions of trust and at skilled labor. It
is easily recognized and it is impossi-
BILE for the man who uses it to con-
troll his hand so that he shall not
use it"
''This is all most interesting, Miss
Curry. To be sure, have read it in
your book, but it is far more definite
to hear you say it. I'd rather not
show you the writing of this man"
''It is not necessary, Mr.. Stone. The
opening at the bottom of the letter
is, l am sure, always there. 1t may
be almost undiscoverable, even with
a strong lens, but it is there, as you
will find, if you try hard enough.
And your man who wrote it may
seem the soul of honesty, the most
punctilious of financiers. And he is,
in small or medium matters. But
give him a chance at really big
haul, and see him fall for it,"
''Do you often meet this letter for
nation in specimens sent to you to
analyze?"
mo; such people and their friends,
of the friends know about it, prefer
to keep such things hidden. In fact,
I have never seen clearer, more
positive delineation of it than the
one you showed me-"
"All psychologists know of this
fact, of course?"
.sOh, yes; and many laymen."
Stone showed Miss Curry few
letters he wanted to know about,
and then, the interview over, he
went home.
Guess I'll have to study up on it
a Bit" he told himself II can get the
goods from her, all right, but I'll
like to know little more of the art
or science, whichever it is"
He went over his letters and paper
again.
He had told Bob to get all possible
bits of handwriting done by anyone
connected with the case, and he had
also told him to cut off all names or
addresses, which would help to iden-
lily LnGIu.
Moreover, he found that two of
the specimens, by different hands,
both bore that strange broken at
the base.
One of these he knew to be that of
the lawyer, Farman.
It would be plausible enough to
thing that Farman was eager for a
large sum of money, but far from
likely that he stood any chance OF
geeting it. If he proposed to loot the
Maiden Golfers he would have to get
up very early in the morning. The
other one was too ridiculous to think
about. Might as well suspect Perilla
herself Il
He continued his task of reading
over the letters. Tt might be possible,
he thought, that Miss Curry's infor-
nation should add some little light
on the dark outlook.
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