Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-27

tendant. | remember keSplHE ''""
summer, and-will you believe me "a
common, ordinary, everyday 50 straw ld
set me back 1920 in tips. But nope
I'm not boring your
oh how can you?" she protested lips
tremulous with indignation.
Don't latter; | bore even myself at
times"
II don't mean that, and you know |
don't How can you sit there joking
when you--when you've just
Come off the Iob?" he caught her up
as she faltered But why not? l feel
anything but sad about it, II was
good job, wasn't IL? clean maui q
clear getaway Thanks, OF course 10
you"
She responded not without some diffl-
Guilty: please! l wouldn't have dared
if he hadn't tried to get at that sword.
Just like him, tool Blue serge OBJ
served with a flash of indignationi MS
kind, I mean-less burglars than bunglers
with no professional pride, no decent
instincts no human consideration. Ihey
never stop to think it's tough enough
for householder to come home to
cracked crib without finding total
stranger to boot-a man he's never even
seen before, like as not-ah-welterins
on the premises"
"Oh. do be seriousl'
Must II IT you Wish,
The man composed his features TO
mask of Whimsical attention.
"What-what did you do with him? the
girl stammered after a pause, during
which consciousness of her disadvantage
became only more acute.
our active little friend. the yegg?
Why, l didn't do anything with him.
You didn't leave him there?'
"Oh. no. he went away, considerably
enough-upstairs and out through the
scuttle-the way he broke in, you know.
Surprisingly spry on his feet for man
of his weight and age-had all l could
do to keep up. He did stop once true,
as II he'd forgotten something, but the
sword ran into him-I happened thought
lessly to be carrying it-only quarter
of an inch or so, and he changed his
mind, and by the time 1 got my head
through the scuttle he was gone-van-
ished completely from human ken.
He had broken the scuttle open, you
say?"
"Pried 1t open with a jimmy"
"And you left 1t so? He'll go back"
NO he won't. I found hammer and
nails and made all fast before left.
But" she demanded wide eyed with
wonder, why did you take that trouble"
MY silly conceit, | presume 1 couldn't
bear the thought of having that rough
neck return and muss up one of my
neatest Jobs
~ don't understand you at ALL" she
murmured, utterly confounded.
Nor l you. II it matters. Still, I'm
sure you won't keep me much longer In
suspense, considering how open-faced I've
been. But here's that animal of a waiter
again"
She was willingly silent though she
exerted herself to seem at ease with in
different success The voice of her COM
panion was like distinct, hollow echo
in her hearing; her wits we're all awhirl,
her nerves as taut and vibrant as banjo
str1hgs; before her vision the face of
Bib Serge swan, a fesh-tlnted moon
now and again traversed by a fash of
white when he smiled,
"Come! the man rallied her sharply,
IL in an undertone: this will never do.
You're as white as a sheet, trembling and
staring, Is If l were leper or relation
by marriage or something repusive"
She sat forward mechanically and mus
tered an uncertain smile. Forgive me.
I'm a little ovSrwrought-the heat and
everything
Not another word, then, till you've
finished. I'll do the talking, if it's all
the same to you. But you needn't an
swer-needn't listen, for that matter. I've
no pride in my conversational powers,
and you mustn't risk losing your appe-
tite."
He seemed to find 1t easy enough to
make talk, but Sally spared him little at
tention, being at first exclusively preoc-
cupied with the demands of her hunger;
and latter, as the meal progressed. renew
ing her physical strength and turning the
ebbing tide of her spirits. now thoroughly
engaged with the problem of how to eX-
tricate herself from this embarrassing as
ISOLATION or. IL eXtricatlon proved impos-
sible, how to turn II to her own advan-
tage For If the affair went on this way
his way-she were a sorry adverturess
indeed.
Small cups of black coffee stood before
them, steaming, when a question reused
her, and she shook herself together and
faced her burglar across the cloth. once
more full mistress of her faculties.
You're feeling better?"
Very much" she smiled, land thank
you""
Don't make me uncomfortable; re-
member, this is all your fault"
what"
THAT I'm here. alive and whole, able
to enjoy a most unique situation. Who
are you?"
But she wasn't TO be caught by any
such simple stratagem as a question
pumped suddenly at her with all the
weight of rightful demand; she smiled
again and shook her head.
"Shan't tell"
but If insist?"
''Why don't you them"
Meaning insistence won't get me any
thing?"
Sensitive TO the hint of hidden trump,
she stiffened slightly.
II haven't asked you to commit your
self. I've got a right to my own pri-
vacy."
There fell a small pause. Lounging, an
elbow on the table, a cigarette fuming
idly between his fingers. the man favored
her with a steady look of speculation
whose challenge was modified only by the
inextinguishabe humor smoldering in his
eyes-a look that Sally met squarely,
assembling her excitement For with
all her fears and perplexity she could
never quite forget that, whatever its