Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-27

parlor, exactly like a thousand OF it's
prototypes. Mrs. Tate sat uneasily. her
hands folded in her lap.
How long has Lucien been here %
Mr.. Jameson asked
Since a week ago last Friday. Ills
mother paid one weeks board I'm ad-
vance. the other has not been paid"
Was he i'll when he came?"
No. sir not what you'd call sick
He was getting better OF typhoid. she
said. and he's picking up fine"
VIII you tell me his mothers name
and address,"
That's the trouble" the young
woman said, knitting her brows. She
gave her name as Mrs. Wallace. and
said she had no address She was
looking for a boarding house in town.
She said she worked in a department
store, and couldn't take care OF the
child properly. and he needed fresh
air and milk | had three children of
my own, and one more didn't make
much difference in the work, butt
wish she would pay this weeks
board"
Did she say what store il was?"
No, sir. but all the boys clothes
came from Kings. He has far too fine
clothes for the country"
There was a chorus of shouts and
shrill yells from the front door. fol.
lowed by the loud stamping of chill.
drens feet and throaty whoa.
whoa Into the room came tan
dem team of two chubby youngsters, a
boy and a girl, harnessed with a
c.othcs-line. and driven by laughing
boy OF about seven in tan oyeralls
and brass buttons. The small driver
caught my attention at once: he was
4 beautiful child. and, although he
showed traces OF recent severe Illness.
his skin had now the clear transpar.
ency of health.
Whoa, Flinders" he shouted.
You're going to smash the trap"
Mr.. Jameson coaxed him over by
holding out lead pencil, striped blue
and yellow.
Now, then" he said, when the boy
had taken the lead pencil and was
testing its usefulness on the detect.
ives cum, now then, I'll bet you don't
know what your name isl"
II do" said the boy. "Lucien Wal.
lace"
Great! And what's your mothers
name?"
Mother, of course. What's your
mothers nance"
And he pointed to met l am going
to stop wearing black; 1t doubles a
woman's age.
And where did you live before you
came here?" The detective was polite
enough not to smile.
'Grossmutter." he said. And I saw
Mr. Jamieson's eyebrows go up
German" he commented. We'll.
young man, you don't seem to know
much about yourself"
I'VE tried it all the week" Mrs
rate broke in. THE boys knows a
word or two of German, but he doesn't
know where he lived, or anything
about himself"
Mr.. Jameson wrote something on a
card ana gave II to her.
Mrs. Tate" he said, at want Won
to do something. Here is some money
Tor the telephone call. The instant
the boys mother appears here, call up
that number and ask for the person
whose name is there You can run
across to the drug store on an errand
and do it quietly. Just say, The lady
has come"
THE lady has come" repeated
MRS. Tate. Very well, sir, and hope
II Will be soon. The milk bill alone
Is almost double what it was"
How much is the child's board?" I
asked
Three dollars a week, including his
washing
Very well" I said. Now, Mrs
rate. l am going to pay last weeks
board and week in advance. If the
mother comes she is to know nothing
OF this visit-absolutely not a word
ana, iii return for your silence. you
may use this money for--something
for your own children"
Her tired, faded face lighted up. and
] saw hcr glance at the little Tates
small feet. Shoes, | divined-the feet
OIL the genteel poor being almost as ex-
pensive as their stomachs.
AS we went back Mr.. Jameson
made only one remark; think he
was laboring under the weight of q
great disappointment.
is Kings childrens Quitting
place. ne asked.
Not especially. Il is a general de.
partment store"
lie was silent after that. but he
went to the telephone as soon as we
got home, and called up King & Co. in
the city
After a time he got the general
manager. and they talked for some
time. When Mr. Jameson hung IN
the receiver he turned to me.
The plot thickens,' he said with
hts ready smile There are four
women named Wallace ct Kings, none
Of them married, and none over 20. /
think ] shall go up to the city tonight.
| want TO 20 20 the Children's hospital
Hut before go. Miss lines. / wish YOU
would Doe more frank with me than
you have been yet / want you to
show me the revolver you picked up
Boo the tulip bod"
So be had known all along,