The Delta independent., 1910-08-26

ways amusing company: we never
took him seriously. He had business
here. he said; but on the first day of
his arrival he came out to call on us.
The next night our house was entered
by a burglar. Besides the papers, only
. few things were taken"
"Poritol?" exclaimed Orme, incredu-
lcusly
"It happ. ned that Chicago detect
I'VE had been in oar village on busi-
moss during the day" she went He
had recognized on the streets we'll
known thief. named Walsh. When we
reported the burglary the detective
remembered seeing Walsh. and
hunted him out and arrested him. In
his pockets was some jewelry belong
ing to me. and in his room the other
stolen articles were efound-everything
except the papers
Did you tell the police about the
papers,
NO. IT seemed wiser not to. They
were in a sealed envelope with--with
my fathers name on Il. and would
surely have been returned. II found
with the other things. There are rea-
sons why they would have-would try
TO please my father. We did not let
them know that an envelope contain
ing something of value had not been
recovered, and told them to make a
thorough search.
The afternoon after the burglary
the news OF Walsh's arrest was tee
phoned out to us from Chicago l
talked with my father. who was not
well enough to leave the house. and
II seemed best that rome one should
20 TO the county jail and see Walsh
and try to get the papers. My father
had reasons for not wishing the loss
TO become known. Only he and
were acquainted with the contents of
the envelope; 70 insisted on going
TO Chicago and interviewing the
burglar"
She laughed. intercepting orme's
admiring look. "Oh. IL WAS easy
enough. planned to take our law
yer as an escort"
Did you7''
NO. and that is where my troubles
really began. Just as I was preparing
to 10. Mr.. Poritol called. I had for
gotten that We had asked him out for
an afternoon OF golf. He is such a
funny player.
As soon AZ ! told him l was going
10 the Chicago Jail to Interview a
burglar about some stolen goods. he
insisted on acting as escort He was
80 amusingly persistent that finally
agreed. We set out for the city in my
car. not waiting to take a train.
When we reached the jail pre-
sented = letter which my father had
written. and the oficials agreed to let
me have = private interview with
Walsh
Orme opened his eyes. The girls
father must have considerable infiu-
ence.
1T Is a horrid place. the jail. They
took us through a corridor to Walsh's
cell. and called him to the grating. /
made Mr.. Poritol stand back at the
other side of the corridor so that he
couldn't hear us talk.
Il asked the man what he had done
with the papers. He insisted that he
had seen none. Then ! promised to
have him freed. II he would only re-
turn them. He looked meditatively
over my shoulders and after a mo-
ment declined the offer. again insist
ing that he didn't understand what l
was talking about. I took the other
things. miss he said. and | suppose
I'll get time for 1t, But so help me. l
didn't see no papers
The girl paused and looked at
sssThfu La In.
utes when we might be searching"
Orme WAS pleased to hear the we"
Well" she went on, Il knew that
the man was not telling the truth. He
was too hesitant to be convincing So
l began to promise him money. At
every offer he looked past my shoul-
der and then repeated his denials.
The last time he raised his eyes l had
an intuition that something was going
on behind me. turned quickly.
There stood MIR. Poritol. extending his
fingers in the air and forming his
mouth silently into words He was
raising my bids!
ut flashed upon me that the papers
would be of immense value to Mr..
Poritol-for certain reasons. If only
had thought OF II before! I spoke
to him sharply and told him to go out
side. II always seemed natural to
order him about, like n little dog"
However, little dogs have the
sharpest teeth" remarked Orme.
THAT is true. He replied that he
couldn't think OF leaving me alone
in such a place. So there was moth
ing for me to do except to go. ! would
have to return later without Mr..
Poritol. Come along said My err
rand Ia done
"Mr. Poritol smiled Mt me in a way
! didn't like. The burglar, meantime,
had gone to q little table at the back