Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-07-30

WAS maze by II Hoo Hdttef who USED
the startling bit OF information TO Sc
cure an entrance into the apartments
and n welcome along with it-of those
whose husbands could 90 her husband
SO Il month better in the matter of
rent.
"Scandalous: they're not married."
said Mrs. Broderick. What will Mrs.
de Courcey sayy"
"The landlord must know this at
once" said Mrs. Reynolds, and all the
halls of the building rang, Yes, he
must
Nobody moved In the matter. They
must await developments. The heavy
shades of fiat No. were always down.
Charles l.. Jeffreys and Miss Isabelle
Leavenworth came and went through
the day. They left in the late after
noon every day, and no one knew at
what hour they returned. The excite
ment throughout the building was way
above fever heat. While the shades
were drawn all day in No. Z, through
the cracks at the side, when the occu.
pants were at home, could always be
seen the glare of Il white artificial
light. Charles l.. Jeffreys and Isabelle
Leavenworth carried strange bundles
into the apartment. At one time the
maid of the $40 fatter. who lived above
No. Z. called her mistress from her
post at the window for consultation on
household matter. They stood near
the air-shaft. with which all apartment
buildings are cursed. The mistress dis
missed the maid peremptorlly 10 the,
kitchen and shut the door. Her ear
was at the air-shaft. This is what she
heard: Charlie, this is beauty. It's
absolutely perfect. 1t hasn't that dead
finish that made the others so poor.
This one will be sure to GO See how
glossy it is We won't have TO try
any more Of that acid
An odor of chemicals mingled with
the faint smell of something burning
came up the air-shaft and assailed the
listeners noStrls She had the secret
now. Those drawn shades with the
white artificial light showing at the
edges. the mysterious boxes and bun
dies and the lack of furniture and the
smell of chemicals Were all explained.
The select apartment building was har-
boring gang of cOunterfeiters. There
was more conversation from below
about gloss and finish, acids, tests and
prints. The ianitor was summoned.
He listened after hearing voiced the
tenants suspicious and was convinced.
The news went through the building
like wildfre. Mrs. jenkins, the $40
fiatter, was heroine. With a deputa-
ton composed in part by a special act
of grace, of the humble $50 renters,
the landlord was waited upon. lie had
left town for two weeks.
This villainy must be stopped. even
If the landlord is away said Mrs
Broderick. 'Janitor you must do your
duty. l never can face my cousin,
Mrs. de Courcey again"
John. the jantop. was Il tribe dense,
bu the knew his duty He got his pass
key and plain clothes man from
the East Chicago avenue station. They
went to No. Z. John slipped in his
key, opened the door ANA strobe in fol-
lowed by the officer. There was
bright white light in the parlor opposite
the doorway. There was curious
odor in the place There standing Oh
chair in the parlor was as pretty
girl as man cares TO look on. She
was holding a little frame up within
few inches of the glaring white light
of the patent gas burner She turned
at the noise of the intrusion. what
do you want" she said. just n trife
sharply. Then, turning she exclaimed:
There, you've made me overprint this
picture. This is the last sheet of this
kind of paper l have in the house"
The officer grinned a little and whis-
pered I'm the janitorS ears: You're a
fool. Get us out Of this some way"
John was not too dense to get a
CLEAN of light into his brain that
showed him a way out of the difficulty.
Excuse me-" he said, "but I've
brought up the plumber to look at the
water pipes, and as your curtains were
down l thought you were out"
"All right no harm done: I'll get
some more paper and as she spoke
a door in the rear of the fiat opened
and Jeffreys appeared. saying: Belle,
this last plate developed beautifully.
It's prize winner. you bet"
Three days later a morning paper an.
nounced the fact that Miss Isabelle
Leavenworth and her half-brother.
Charles L. Jeffreys. had taken the prize
of $500 offered by the Cloudy Day
Camera Company of New York for the
best series of amateur photographs.
The paper went ON To state that tho
brother and sister had taken a North
Side apartment for temporary use as
gallery. The $500 money prize which
had been won would be given to St
Barnabas' Hospital. for the young peo
pie were wealthy and followed pho.
Biography only for the love of 1t. Miss
Leavenworth, II continued. SIS tho
daughter of General Joseph Leaven.
worth. of the Lake Shore drive. Mr.
Jeffreys is the son Of Mrs. Leayen.
worth by former marriage"
Flat No. Z is vacant again. Tho
landlord had let the amateur photog.
raphers have ii for month on the pay.
ment of double rent. The $40 and $50