The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-06-12
81 don't believe YOU can decipher

served in the heat or the discussion
II tell you plainly to leave this store
and TO keep away. Good day. sir!"
Mr.. Brandt, discouraged with thii
second undoing of their work, was fol
gether. yet did not wish TO make such
a change I'm his business system.
You see," he said. IL can very
we'll close my door against the whole
McGeary family. In a town OF this
size any such trouble is unpleasant
to say the least. And as sure as we
change TO another word. they will be
here reading the tags inside the store
| and Harold will take in those in the
window. See IL he doesn't. It's no
use"
Still, | wish we could try just once
more" urged John. I'VE can fool
them, believe, If we plan II right"
His employer agreed. John did
some hard thinking. and the next
day handed Mr.. Brandt slip OF
paper.
He'll guess that. I'm afraid. It's
too easy"
That's Just where he will miss It,"
argued John. "He expects something
hard and artificial. Besides-" And
he explained something further which
made Mr.. Brandt laugh.
"We'll try It," he said.
When they opened on Monday
morning, there began a comedy OF
curiosity. For the McGeary family
could not relinquish the Joys OF read
ing price tags and speculating on the
ins and outs Of the furniture bust
ness. Maintaining the appearance OF
the friendliest feelings for Mr..
Brandt, they shopped without ceas-
ing.
Evadne, evidently having arisen
with the lark. came in early, bent on
the purchase OF five cents worth Of
carpet tacks. With sweet Indifference
she examined the cards on a sewing
machine and a carpet sweeper. and
duly reported at home, yg and u.nu.
At half past nine Endora bought two
yards Of picture wire. and Incl
dentally memorized rpm on the green
upholstered Morris-chair, c.ue on the
golden oak one, and bu.nc on an oak
dining table.
At quarter past ten Bryan courte-
ously begged to be favored with the
gift of yardstiCk-he had seven at
home-and stored his memory with
ip on the maple bedroom set. and b.cr
on a patent ironing board. At twenty
minutes past eleven Mrs. McGeary
sought portieres Of a peculiar sh a6e
to match a mythical color scheme for
an imaginary room, located in the
limbo of her dreams. Portieres were
marked y.pc, i.un and lee. Also the
handsome leather fire screen was
yb.gc.
Harold pondered throughout the
lunch hour with the painful gravity
Of a seer confronted with mystic
cabala. To tell the truth. Evadne
and Bryan had one or two letters mis-
placed. and Mrs. McGeary was not alb
solutely certain whether that fire
screen was yb.gc or gy.cb. These
facts were falteringly confessed after
the shrewd detective had made Nor
ris-chairs cost one dollar and seventy
five cents and fire screens ninety ight
dollars.
Hang 1t ALL" he snapped. "How
could anybody make sense out of an
important problem like this without
accurate figures? III have to make
sure myself"
So on his way to the clothing store
where he now worked. he fingered
in front Of the prescribed windows,
twisting and craning to get a view of
the forbidden fruit. The fine Mis-
sion couch was cg.pr. the smaller Mis-
sion chair CRIB, and the larger one
c.gy. Now he would find that buying
price.
In the afternoon Mrs. McGeary
came again to ascertain the price OF
fixtures in case she should find the
portieres of the elusive shade. She
studied wicker rocking chairs and
iron bedsteads. Della McGeary &C
companied her friend. Miss Kitty
Hendricks, and while the latter
looked at curtain rods for her moth
er's parlor, Della studied carpets.
And all the while. Mr.. Brandt and
John Walters INDUCED In hearty
laughter as they congratulated each
other, and at home Harold settled
himself with dogged determination
TO work out the solution. That Mis-
sion couch should be somewhere in
the range of twenty or thirty dollars
Well, suppose is >. and = is 4 p is
probably 5; should be 0. But that
would make the small chair cost only
two dollars and forty something. To
it again. Suppose the larger chair
cost about nine dollars. Let e be 9,
9 and 0-nine dollars and fifty
cents. Horrors! That makes the
couch cost ninety-fiye dollars. What
in the world was the buying price?
Again and again in the succeeding
days did the McGeary family sally
forth for prey, and Harold. outlawed,
craned his neck TO read the marks