Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-20

to the lady who had lost Il. and Robert
connding the detective story TO one or
two close friends.
But ali day Gilbert had not failed 20
notice the lifted eyebrows, the failures
10 shake hands, hurry-up engagements
when he came around, and the general
afr Of distrust that had followed him.
But the worst OF it was Nellie. Nellie
was In the house She was his sisters
guest and he loved her. He had thought
for the last few days that she might care
| for him. She had been very kind. But
he had not said anything, as yet, about
his love.
Now he Couldn't He grosned. Even
II she did believe him Innocent, II cir
cumstances proved him guilty he could
never ask her to share a shadowed name.
i II was dreadful
The hand on the clock moved slowly
around to three, and he was no nearer
a solution Of the mystery.
Finally, he switched of the light and
| made his way up the broad stairway to
the second floor. His feet made no sound
| on the thick rugs as he went along the
corridor to his rooms. At the door he
reached for the electric button of his
| sittlug-room light. But before he found
Il, a figure moved near him. The moon
light outside made the silhouette very
PLAIN.
| OupeTI 3 arm Ieil ana ne stOOd motiOn-
less. IL was Nellie de Kyne. Evidently
she had not heard him. She seemed to
be trying to decide something. once she
crossed the floor rapidly to the desk,
tried II impatiently and found Il locked.
She stopped an instant. listening at the
closed door Of his bedroom. then re-
turned to the desk. In a few minutes she
passed him, her dress touching his arm.
Then she went rapidly down the hall
toward her own apartments.
Gilbert quickly closed the door, locked
II and flashed on the light. He had only
one idea now. That was to save the
girl he loved. Nellie a theft Poor little
Nellie!
What could he do? Soon some one
would be sure to find out all about It,
and then-what would they do with her
1t was daylight before he went to bed.
He had determined on a course of action,
the only way he could see out of the
difficulty
At 10 o'clock Jenkins came to shave
him, and a little later Robert Lafayette
, dropped in. Gilbert was dressed and
had his coffee, when he pulled out his
handkerchief. Something dropped to the
floor He stopped and picked It up In
: confusion. Rather pretty ring, Bobby
isn't It? I'm going to give this to you
to turn in for me. The jigs up, any.
way. AS you must have been suspect.
ing for some time. Bobby. 1 am It, Don't
ask me why did It? Just give me two
hours start before you squeal, will you
I'll promise to be good and never com,
back"
Robert Lafayette seemed startled, anC
darted wondering glance at the i'm
pressive Jenkins. There was something
here he did not understand. He shrugged
his shoulders with scarcely perceptibl
smile. After all he could not hav,
planned things better himself.
A few minutes later Gilbert, with coat
hat and handbag already packed, SAT
good-by to his mother and sister, sayin,
he would be gone for a few days in
business trip. He found Nellie in tn
music room, alone. He wondered wha
she would think in a few hours, whe
she knew what he had done. She woul
surely know that he did it to save her.
where are you going, Gilbert?" sh
asked abruptly.
Away"
= "Where?"
= "I don't know exactly"
A when will you be homer"
a. 81 don't know that either
ID She looked puzzled. "But-but I-yo
see there is something, Gilbert. 1 migl
need you
lg mo. you won't need me, Nellie kno
As all about everything and am-well, can
talk about it. Good-by." He held OF
u his hand.
But you don't know-you can't know
lu that Bob Lafayette is stealing the vel
u eyes of peoples heads and he's weavir
o. a net around you, hiding things in yoI
D. room-for circumstantial evidence-aI
at limiting things to people. and-oh, ever,
Mt thing 1 know, for I've several litt
things he's put in your rooms. Jenkil
ut is in his pay I wasn't going to tell yc
a Just yet-but I've been watching the
.lf both for a week and"
e. great light was breaking over Gilber
ed It was all so very plain now.
o. "You darling girl!" he cried, selling H.
re J in his arms and kissing her. And Nell
ed seemed neither surprised nor angry. L
he deed, she was very much pleased. '1
y. think of you taking all this trouble f
rs me. 1 certainly won't go away now, III
n less"
IL Unless what?" shyly.
g. UNLESS you'll marry me and go along
ne Copvright. 1914 bv the Mcclure Newspap
er Syndicate.