The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-04-01
A DAUGHTER OF MYSTERY

my boy. But what do you hope to prove
/! by this ind?"
! That the girl killed Frank Barring
{ ton, replied Clayton. eagerly eXauain-
! ing the contents Of the bag. See here,
Peabody, here's a package of diamonds
She must have stolen these. They must
| be worth a small fortune. And here's
! the holster Of that little pearl-handled
| rev0lver-here in her handbag. That
proves that the gun belonged TO her.
| doesn't II? She mus have dropped this
| bag in her hurry to get out of here,
/ after she had shot Frank Darlington.
Can you doubt now that my client IS
| Innocent
! well, III admit that you've MADE a
| very important discovery said the de-
| tective. looking cgestfalIen. But don't
! be too sure that you've established
your clients innocence. my boy. The
fact that you've discovered that the
/ gun belonged 20 the woman doesn'
prove that he didn't shoot Frank Bar
| rington with it. And, besides, even il
he didn't actually do the shooting, there
| is no doubt In my mind that he was
an accessory to the crime
They We're Interrupted by a commo-
ton outside the private office. One OF
! the uniformed policemen was holding
g struggling boy by the coat collar
Here, Peabody" said the man In
uniform as the detective stepped into
the outer office. Here's something that
may interest you. This here kid says
that he works here. Says he's just
| come back from doing an errand for
Mr.. Frank Darlington
| IAN I'm telling the firth, too de-
clared the youngster Indignantly. Me
name is Danny Harrisan and I've been
workin' here for a year. What does this
big stiff of a cop mean by sayin' that
1 can't come into the office"
Where have you been, SOM asked
the detective In a kindly tone.
| Up TO Jordan & Co, Sixtieth street
and Broadway. The boss sent NE up
there with message
How long have you been gomez
"A couple of hours, 1 guess There
was a block on the subway and I got
stuck" explained the boy, APOLOGIZE
caIly.
Where was your employer. Mr..
Frank harrington when you left2 Was
he here in the Officer inquired the de-
tective.
Yes. OF course ne was. Didn't just
tell you that it was him as sent me
uptown with the message
Anybody IN here with himF
| Nobody except Miss Hamilton de
stenographer. What have you done with
her?' inquired the youngster anxiously-
Have you pincaed her? Have you
| locked her W in a cell? If you have
It's q blooming shame, for sLa didn't
steal them diamonds, and that's straight
goods"
.'Ah! Do you know who did steal
them?" inquired the detective quietly
mo. [ don't know who did. I don't
| know who put them in her bag. but
know that she didn't She amt that
kind of a lady declared the boy loyal
| ". Say, where is she? What have
yeuse guys done with her? Has she
been put in cell along with burglars
and bank robbers, or did she consent 10
marry the boss?''
81 perceive that you know whole
lotr' exclaimed the detective. joyfully-
I'm very glad 70 meet you. Mr.. Danny
Harnngan-very glad indeed. Sit right
down in that chair. my son. L want
| TO have a heart-to-heart talk with
you"
Sldllfully the detective proceeded TO
CLEAN from the boy q. detailed account
OF all that had happened in the office
had caught him listening at the key
hole and had sent nim cptos-n on an
errand.
He told how the senior partner of
harrington & Sons had found the dis-
monds in laura Hamilton's leather
handbag; how he had sent Wilbur Leslie
10 police headquarters and how Frank
Darlington had then taken the girl into
his private office and offered to drop the
charge Of larceny on condition that she
consent 10 marry him.
Steve Clayton had stood silently BY
| the detectives size as the boy told his
story. He now turned triumphantly 10
| Pea body.
There you are,' he cried You
can't possibly DOUBT any longer that
Wilbur Leslie Is innocent It is all
perfectly clear now. ; can picture the
scene just as wildly as If I had been
present
THAT girl and her employer were all
alone III the private office. The girl was
| confronted with the alternative Of
! going 20 prison Tor theft or marrying
| Frank harrington. She did not want TO
do either, so she shot Frank Darlington
simple as a sum In addition.
| Instead OF replying TO this the detec-
tive stepped hastily 10 the telephone on
the wall Of the outer office.
! Connect me with police headquarters
as quick as you cam" he ordered.
The Continuation of This story VIII
BE Found I'm Tomorrow
Issue of This Paper.