The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-16
THE ACE OF SPADES:

ner Ioot unaWareS on scrap of that STOCK,
lnsidious substance and had fallen heavily.
1t was not we found that she was too feeble
10 rise, but the shock had stunned her. A
little distance away was handsome seal
leather pccketbeek and an ivory handled sun
shade.
Fribleigh and 1, as it CHANGED were the
only two grown-up males within call The
passersby who ran UP at the same time as
we did included two other middle aged women
and one messenger boy, but most of them
were little girls just let out of a school on
the same block.
Don't try to make her stand,' I said to
F'rlbleigh. She may have fractured a leg,
for all we know Pick up that pocketbook
and let's lift her"
Where shall we lift her TOP" said Frib-
leigh, with aggravating. GOODNESS.
That was, indeed, the difficulty AS he put
the question to me Fribleigh had stuffed the
pocketbook inside his overcoat.
There was much chattering among the
school children, much coincidence, and both
the middle-aged ladies offered smelling salts
of some kind. One of them turned to the
uniformed messenger boy and told him in a
peremptory tone, as if it were messenger
boys business to know, the address of all
well-to-do persons to make haste and tell
us at once where the lady lived.
Il don't know where the lady lives,' said
the boy Indignantly; Il wasn't carrying her.
Perhaps it's in the pocketbook," said Frib-
leigh. "I'll look"
He opened the pocketbook and found in it
these different visiting cards. which he read
aloud:
"'Mr. Vance O. wadden, Mrs. James P
Norris Miss Brightie Mortimer HIM. And
no address on any Of them
Just then of the ladies with the SMELL
ing salts exclaimed joyfully, "Shes regaining
consciousness" Then she went on to fire
volley of questions at the unfortunate vic
tim Of banana peel.
Excuse me- madam" said Fribleigh, quiet
ly and sedately. And he knelt down on the
pavement. Can you tell us where you live,
so that we may get a hack and take you
homer" he said very distinctly.
Wait the lady gasped. "Oh-I think
Oh, my ankle!"
Say boys" the messenger boy brusquely
interrupted; don't you want me to go and
call that hack over there See it coming down
the side street,"
YES" said, hurry up and bring it here"
Fribleigh and | lifted her into the hack
and drove with her to a doctors office not
two blocks away. And so the excitement
in the street was abruptly ended without the
Intervention Of either an ambulance or-note
this-of a policeman.
But when we had reached the doctors Of
flee it appeared that our task was not ended
AS to the injury our charge had received in
her fall, that, we soon learned, was a sprain-
ed ankle, and the doctor told US that no Sc
rious consequences need be feared on that
score.
The more serious and pressing problem was
to find the lady's name and address in order:
to communicate with her family. The doctor
could not help us here. She herself was in
such agony that it seemed cruel to trouble
her with questions.
''I must do something to ease that pain"
said the doctor.
What do you think Of banana peel now?"
Fribleigh said to me savagely.
much what thought BEFORE said But
the question is: How are to communicate
with her people? It's getting late, and they
will be in horrible state of mind about her
We must get a directory"
What for?"
"To find the addresses of those people whose
cards you've got there in the pocketbook"
All this time the doctor was busy admins
tering some drug to his patient, while the
doctors female attendant was busy taking
off her shoe and stocking preparatory to the
operation.
Fribleigh and I went into the outer office
to consult the directory. OF those names on
the three visiting car DIS, that of Waddell oc9
CURED only once, ard it's owner was DO
lceman whose first name was Michael-not
likely to. be connected with this neatly en-
graved card. Morris appeared eight times
enc James Patrick and one James Parsons
and Mortimer twice. Then we turned TO tbe
telephone register and found to our sorrow
that not Morris in all the city patronized
this source of civilization But there was a
Mortimer whose residence boosted a tele
phone-Chares A. Mortimer.
Let me do the telephoning" said Frib
leigh -
NO" I said you are too rough and i'm
pulsive, Fribleigh. You might shock The 1aa,,
with some hasty expression about hanans
peel"
I succeeded in getting Charles A. Mortimer,r
number, and gruff voice asked me, well.
what do you want?"
rs Miss Brightie Mortimer there?" I asked
in my blandest manner.
Il don't knew whether she is or not What
do you want with herr"
well. it's rather peculiar" I said, intend
ing to be diplomatic. We want here to come
here. if she can"
who the devil are you. anyhow" the