The Chinese Parrot (Charlie Chan Detective Series) — page 274: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

————_ .: = on They looked, and saw in the detective's pudgy hand a large sheet of paper, partly filled with writing. Chan perused the missive carefully, and handed it to Eden. The letter was written in a man’s strong hand. "It's dated last Wednesday night," Eden remarked to Holley. He read: "DEAR EVELYN: "IT want you to know of certain developments here at the ranch. As I've told you before, Martin Thorn and I have been on very bad terms for the past year. This afternoon the big blow-off finally arrived, and I dismissed him from my service. Tomorrow morning I'm going with him to Pasadena, and when we get there, we part for all time. Of course he knows a lot of things I wish he didn't— otherwise I'd have scrapped him a year ago. He may make trouble, and I am warning you in case he shows up in Denver. I'm going to take this letter in town myself and mail it tonight, as I don't want Thorn to know anything about it—" The letter stopped abruptly at that point. "Better and better,” said Holley. "Another sidelight on what happened here last Wednesday night. We can picture the scene for ourselves. Madden is sitting at his desk, writing that letter to his daughter. The door opens —some one comes in. Say it's Delaney—Delaney, the man P.J.'s feared for years. Madden hastily slips the letter between the leaves of the blotter. He gets to his feet, knowing that he's in for it now. A quarrel ensues, 274 comiicboeoe S CO