The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-07-05
Copyright, 1907, by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.

IIodgman & Petit whose office was
| on the third floor, and 1t was Culbcrts
habit to drop off at their offices on his
way out TO lunch and pick up the girl.
| He had obtained the position for her,
and 1t was understood shat they were
engaged, though no golden band an
nounced that fact
Then there came the day when Jack
noticed that Miss Mcqueen had been
crying when she came in. Culbert did
not arrive until late and his face was
| drawn and very white. lie did not
even smile when he nodded to Jack.
When he went out to lunch, he stayed
twice as long as usual, and when be
did return it seemed to Jack that he
had had more than the one cocktail he
usually allowed himself.
| Miss Mcqueen did not go out to
lunch at all, and when her employers
had ridden down to lunch together,
Jack slipped into the office to ask if
| he could bring her in something There
he found her with her head upon her
arms. Her eyes glistencd with tears
as she raised her face Mt the sound Of
| his entrance
Don't you want cup O tea, Miss
| Quecnie!" he pleaded It's sho' good
for the headache"
She shook her head with wan little
smile and Jack slipped out again. That
night the car passed Culhcrt's floor
tW ice before it stopped for him. \ king
had been deposed.
/ Rnt hn po' ~
Of his evident suffering. After that
first day lie did not repeat the cocktail
| episode; indeed he seemed oblvious to
lunch time and never Gy any chance
] used the elevator when Miss Mcqueen
might happen to be .oing out or in.
Jack pond@r2d the situation. but there
was only one conclusion possible in his
| limited experience. There had been Il
| quarrel and both were too proud to
| speak first
| 1t griPvei him because they were
| gJol friends Of his, these two, and
| sEer quarrel hurt him as much as it
seemed t. Lurt them. More than once
| he Wa; tcIntel 10 speak t. one or the
| other and tell ho" the other suffered,
| 5Et certain delicacv held linn back.
aud h. co;:ll only miserahy wait the
| turn OF events.
| Then came Jacks scare. 1t was Il
| dull afternoon, and lie let the elevator
| drop slowly Gown. At the ground floor
| he threw OPEN the Goor to look up at
I huge polio man; not Charlie, who had
the beat and who sometimes came in to
| get warm. hut an other man, Il stranger
Though he had never had direct deal
| ln%s with the police, Jack was afraid
of them. To him they were not guard
| lanS of the peace. They were men
| who arrested people. When the big
man demanded to know which office
| Miss Mcqueen was In, refreshing his
memory as to the name from for
| midable looking document Jacks heart
| sank.
Il want to see her about stolen
watch" he added. and Jacks misery
was complete. The little chateainc
| she had worn had been replaced lately
| by more elaborate affair of gold with
| long chain. 1t must be this one that
| was wanted.
There was only one thing to be done.
Hadn't Mr.. Culbert got the janitor
out of jail that time he had trouble
with his wife? Jack ran the car up
TO the sixth floor and with Il vague TO
the left shut the door and dropped
down to the third.
He burst in upon Miss Mcqueen with
face gray with horror and excite
meat She rose uncertainty at his cali
and came into the hall
He fairly dragged her into the car
and shot up to the top floor. Through
the lattice guard he could see the Off
Ger descending the stairs. Some one
had told him where the girl worked,
and he was going after her.
Painting with fear, he stopped at the
seventh floor and pushed Miss Nc
Queen into Culbcrts office closing and
locking the door after him. Culbert
looked up YEARLY from the desk.
whats the matter, Jack?' he de-
manded. with n formal bow to the
girl.
Oars a policeman after her" he cx-
planned. she done stole a watch, and
he's after her"
What are you talking about!" Cul- |
bert cried. Miss Mcqueen a thief. |
Impossible"
HE done say he want to see her
about watch that was STOLE" insisted |
Jack. "Ah done hear him"
"A policeman wishes to see me-" |
asked the girl About watch?"
Jack nodded. Il think can explain"
she went on, turning to Culbert. |
"When-when it happened l stopped
wearing your watch and used mothers, |
! left yours on the bureau, and when l |
came home 1t was gone made q
complaint 10 the police, and suppose
they have caught the thief and wish
me to Identify my property"
but what have l to do with it? he
asked
II don't know" she replied. Jack
just came after me, his face livd with
fear. l supposed that something ter
rlble had happened, that perhaps
Il was In trouble" Culbcrt suggest
ed, supplying the break Il have been
tempted to, but it seemed c0wardly to
kill myself. What / cannot understand
Is Jacks chain of reasoning"
Amt lawyers for to keep people
trum Soin' to jail!" the boy demanded
And atn't you the hes lawyerT'
you cannot expect me to answer
no to that" laughed Culbert.
Oats it," explained Jack Il brung
her up here TO save her"
The two throw back their heads and
laughed, and in that laugh the misun-
derstnndings We're forgotten. gilbert
tucked her under his arm in the old
familiar way and unlocked the door.
Il guess I'll go down with you and
see the officer" lie said. 1T looks i'm
portant TO have your attorney"
He threw open the door, and Jack
Slipped out There was Il soft but sig
nificant sound that brought grin to
Jacks face. and then the two followed
him Into the car.
The big policeman grinncd ut Jack
In most friendly fashion when the iu-
terview concluded, and he stepped into | =
the car. On the up trip Culbert Slip
mad a hill intn 10 |