Copyright, 1923, 1924, by The Constructive Publishing Corporation

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TO
HARRIET BROWNSON HUSSEY
The Thirteenth Letter is affectionately
inscribed in memory of many happy
hours together

The author desires to express to
ALAIN CAMPBELL WHITE
of Litchfield, Connecticut,
her sincere appreciation of his
cleverly devised stamp code utilized
in The Thirteenth Letter.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I.The Events of a Night[1]
II.Caught in the Web[13]
III.Complications[23]
IV.The Black Crest[38]
V.Sheriff Trenholm Asks
Questions		[55]
VI.The Third Hand[68]
VII.Curious Questions and Evasive
Answers		[81]
VIII.Blackmail[95]
IX.The Denial[106]
X.Skirmishing[119]
XI.The Folded Note[132]
XII.The Human Eye[146]
XIII.The Spider and the Fly[160]
XIV.The Will of Hate[175]
XV.Three Beehives[188]
XVI.The Thirteenth Letter[205]
XVII.Cherchez la Femme[221]
XVIII.The Death Clutch[234]
XIX.Which?[252]
XX.The Ruling Passion[271]

The
THIRTEENTH LETTER

CHAPTER I
THE EVENTS OF A NIGHT

The white-capped nurse dropped the curtains in place so that they completely shut out the night and equally prevented any ray of artificial light penetrating the outer darkness. Her eyes, blinded by her steadfast gaze into the whirling snow storm, were slow in adjusting themselves to the lamp lighted room and for some minutes she saw as in a blur the spare form of the physician standing by her patient’s bed. Doctor Roberts turned at her approach and removed his finger from about the man’s wrist. He met her glance with a negative shake of his head as he replaced his watch.

“Abbott!” he called softly, bending over the patient: “Rouse yourself and take some nourishment. You will never get your strength back if you don’t eat.”

Slowly, languidly Abbott’s dark eyes opened and regarded the two figures by his bedside. They lingered in some curiosity on the trim figure of the trained nurse and then passed on to the physician.