//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4, letter 1,202 
// Story: The Masquerade 
// by Uncle Knot 
//------------------------------//

To my courageous and majestic Princess Celestia, in the 99th YR, my 1,202nd letter

My investigation of Holly the Magnificent’s residence revealed plenty of tricks but no clues. There is no reason to suspect she was planning to leave town.  What did strike me odd, was the claim of some of her neighbors to have seen her walking about the city after she disappeared.  When pressed none of these fellow citizens were uncertain of what they had seen; only that they had seen her at a distance walking through town, and those who had tried to catch her reported disappointment.  I begin to suspect that more than just Holly and Sharp Spear may have disappeared.  Doing a census in the middle of the Gala would be useful, but practically impossible.  So instead of making my work easier, I think I have a plan to make my work harder.

The streets of Canterlot are bright and cheerful.  Banners hang along the streets, over stores and doorways.  The ponies are enthusiastic about the upcoming Gala.  Making this a community event is most heartening.  Ponies express a jovial and jaunty facade.  The pallid that plagued this pale city is guardedly pocketed.  I am most anxious.  I think I will visit the smithy…
Walking through town, I chanced to meet up with Sgt Snow Stone; he was checking the new guard details and supervising the search of warehouses and empty buildings.  He suggested expanding the search to apartments and homes not in use, and I concurred.  At the moment I was struck with a flash of inspiration.  Something in my memory about Canterlot being founded on an old crystal mine, made me issue orders to expand the search there too.

…tis a good thing I did visit the smithy.  There I found the normally busy metal works quiet.  Lying upon the floor in the back I discovered a near unconscious Am Dodger, with a left (or port side) broken horn.  I heard a noise behind me and spotted Iron Hoof exiting the forge.  I rush after him crashing through the door, readying my whistle when my eyes beheld Iron Hoof running toward me.  I steadied myself for a fight only to have Iron Hoof exclaim confusion at why I would be treating his establishment so poorly.  The smell of onion was strong on his breath.  It struck me as odd that I had not smelled it before when I entered the smithy.  I followed my instincts and hurried Iron Hoof into the forge.  Am Dodger was still upon the floor and Iron Hoof’s countenance turned ashen.  He rushed to her side offering aid and was most conciliatory.  I charged him to explain his recent whereabouts.  He recounted that he had taken his normal lunch break and upon returning viewed me crashing out through the door.  

Am Dodger, recovering now, stood up and confirmed Hoof’s alibi.  She had been working alone, when an officer of the guard had stepped in to demand what device she was working on.  He had not introduced himself, (either out of pompous self-importance, or because he didn’t want to be identified).  Dodger had turn to show her work to him, when she had been knock down.  Iron Hood and I found what remained of her work in the slag pit.  Dodger was a bit distressed, it was going to be the traditional head and face piece used to ward off evil spirits and doppelgangers, in the land she came from.  Her broken horn did not represent any real danger.  They fall off seasonally among her people.  And I be thinking that without that horn to protect her head, the damage she had received would have been worse.  

I left them with orders not to leave the iron works, until I had returned with guards.  But first I need to put in a huge requisition with the hat makers; Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.