The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-03-21
ssThe Case of
Jennie briCe''

| oPohS W oonCpbuy III tnt FOuH.
I'VE can go into the back
ROOM" heard him say. and he
closed the door. When he open
ed II again, the room was empty.
called in Terry. the Irishman
who does odd jobs for me now
and then, and we both got to
work ut the tacks In the carpet.
Terry working by the window
and I by the door into the back
parlor. which the Ladleys used as
a bedroom.
That was how I happened to
hear what | afterwards told the
police.
Some one-a man, but not Mr..
Ladley-was talking. Mrs. Lad
ley broken In: II won't do it,"
she said flatly. ''Why should I
help him? He doesn't help me
He loafs here all day, smoking
and sleeping. and sits up all night,
drinking and keeping me awake"
The voice went on again, as II
In reply to this, and heard a rat
tie of glasses. as II they were
pouring drinks. They always har
whisky, even when they were be.
hind with their board.
That's all very WE'LL" Mrs.
Ladley said. could always hear
her. she having a theatrical sort
of voice--one that carries. But
what about the prying she-devil
that runs the house?"
Hush, for Gods sake!" broke
In Mr.. Ladley. and after that they
spoke In whispers. Even with my
ear against the panel. | could not
catch a word.
The men came Just then to
move the piano, and by the time
we had taken It and the furniture
upstairs, the water was over the
kitchen floor, and creeping for
ward into the hall. l had never
seen the river come up so fast. BY
noon the yard was full of floating
ice, and at three that afternoon
the police skiff was on the front
street, and | was wading around
in rubber boots. taking the pic
lures off the walls.
l was too busy to see who the
Ladley's visitor was, and he had
gone when remembered him
again. The Ladleys took the sec
ond-story front, which was empty,
and Mr.. Reynolds, who was in the
silk department in store across
the river, had the room just be-
hind.
l put up a coal stove in a back
room next the bathroom, and
managed to cook the dinner there.
was washing up the dishes when
Mr.. Reynolds came In. As 1t was
Sunday, he was In his slippers and
had the colored supplement of a
morning paper in his hand.
whats the matter with the
Ladleys?" he asked. II can't
read for their quarreling."
Booze, probably" / said.
when you've lived in a flood dis
trict as long as / have, Mr.. Rey-
nolds, you'll know that the rising
of the river Is a signal for every
man In the vicinity to stop work
and get full. The fuller the river,
the fuller the male population"
Then this flood will likely
make 'em drink themselves to
DEATH" he said. TITS a lulu"
! TITS the neighborhood's annual
debauch. The women are busy
keeping the babies from getting
drowned In the cellars, or they'd
get full. too. hope, since It's
come this far, 1t will come far
Their, so the landlord will have to
paper the parlor."
That was at three o'clock. At
four Mr.. Ladley went down the
stairs, and / heard him getting in
to a skiff in the lower hall. There
were boats going back and forth
all the time, carrying crowds of
curious people, and taking the
flood sufferers to the corner gro
Gerry, where they were lowering
groceries in basket on a rope
from an upper window.
| / had been making tea when /
heard Mr.. Ladley 60 out. / fixed
a tray with a cup of 1t and some
crackers, and took 1t to their
door. / had never liked Mrs.
Ladley, but 1t was chilly in the
house with the gas shut off and
the lower floor full of ice-water.
And 1t is hard enough to keep
boarders in the floor district.
| She did not answer to my
knock, SO I opened the door and
went In. She was at the window,
looking after him, and the brown
valise, that figured In the case
later, was opened on the floor.
Over the foot of the bed was the
black and white dress, with the
red collar.
| When l spoke to her, she turn
ed around quickly. She was a tall
woman, about twenty-eight, with
very white teeth and yellow hair,
which she parted little to one
side and drew down over her ears.
She had a sullen face and large
well-shaped hands, with her nails
long and very pointed.
THE 'she-devi' has brought
you some tea" said. where
shall she put it?"
"She-devil'! she repeated,
raising her eyebrows. Its a
very thoughtful she-devil. Who
called you that?"
But, with the sight OF the
valise and the fear that they
night be leaving, I thought IL best