The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-30
IN The DARK
ANONYMOUS.

of the life of her child-just as last
summer had robbed her of Jack.
Nothing had been heard Of him. No
news had come to her, and bad luck
had logged her all the time. She had
had to move lodgings again and again,
every time a little poorer. every time
taking rooms little cheaper; and the
only work she seemed to have even
chance of getting was in the Office Of
private detective agency.
She had applied there on an impulse
and had been told that work was some
times given to outsiders, and that If
she cared to call every morning at
nine o'clock there might some day be |
a chance for her
So she had called-day after day.
week after week, and no chance had
ever come; and day after day her
money dwindled. and she went from
bad to worse until now Dickie was i'll |
and she had reached her last penny.
She would make one more effort
she would try once again before she !
gave up. She hurried through the
StACCtS W tut tldl UtCOIhe
so familiar to her now. She pushed
open the swing doors.
rs there anything for me this morn
ing?" she asked
On the answer depended the life Of
her little child.
A clerk, busy over some letters,
looked up and began to shake his
head. At that moment someone came
out from an inner office. He was
talking to another man.
"A woman?" he said Its a woman
we want for this job. Who's that yon-
DER"
shes a Mrs Mayce,' the other an
swered. but she's never had any
work from us yet
Send her in to me. I'll see what
she is made Of" He stepped back
and Ethel turned with beating heart
Work at last
The man who had spoken, whom
she knew as the manager, looked at
her sharply.
You're Mrs. Mayce?" he said.
well. sit down. We've little thing
here that you may able to undertake
: for us. Anyhow, you can try. Here
are the facts: client of ours, Geof
frey Horner, merchant in the city
has lost a diamond ring valued al
: $125. He left it lying on his desk
and while it was there 1t was stolen
The only person who had access tC
his room was a young man, son of a
friend of his whose name he will moi
give and whom he refuses to believe
{ guilty. The young man leaves the
house nightly at about six o'clock
We want you to get his name and
: address and any information you car
about him. Here is his description
. furnished by our detective. You will
have to follow him, of course. You
can get your days expenses from thu
: cashier; here's a memo for IS, fo
which you will account to us later
and OF course. any reliable informa
tion you bring we'll pay for"
:. She went out treading on air. Fiv'
: dollars in her pocket meant food ant
medicine for her little Dickie.
At five o'clock she put on a blacl
', skirt and blouse, which had been to-
:, shabby to pawn. and over an old blacl
hat she put a thick veil.
Ten minutes later she was on he
y way to Godfrey Horners house.
l. Just as she rounded the corne
O the door of the house opened ant
someone came down the steps. Sh
r followed him breathlessly, waitinl
d an instant as he stood at the bot
d tom OF the steps to take out his latch
h | key and then followed boldly.
e In a moment she was standing leve
|, with him upon the top step, and cas-
It erly she looked at his face.
e It was thin and white; il looke
lr drawn and sad-it-good heavens. II
d turned, and the key dropped from hi
fingers and rang sharply, springin
It from step to step to the pavement be
meath them
h He uttered one word brokenly:
Ethel"
It She put out her hand wildly an
If then reeled into his arms.
s II was Jack-Jack returned from tn
e. alive and thief,
is In his room they faced each other.
e Jack. they say you are thief Nv
d been set to watch you. ! followed 20
n tonight and that is why I am here
to watch you.
o He looked startled for an instant
e Then he gave a laugh.
Darling, the thief confessed and re
J.; turned il tonight just before cam
s. away II was one of his servants"
Is He took her in his arms and locke
uown into her face.
e 1--WE had a CHASTITY time he said
and you, too. Darling. you look thil
n and ill., tried to find you when ! go
is back-but-it was months after tn
a. wreck. We had drifted for weeks
d we were half mad and half dead whei
It we we're picked up, and then | wa
II helpless
1T was weeks after that before
I came to my senses and remembered
II u went straight to my fathers oil
friend. Godfrey Horner. and he ha
D been helping me. First tried TO flint
Is YOU and failed Then my mother
T. old housekeeper she was fraud. Sh
II got all the goods by false pretence
y and had humbugged my poor oil
r mother, and the lawyer thinks WI
shant get much of it; but ! shan
8 care for that, now that have got you
Ethel Ethel, Is il really YOU
Is like a dream !"-Cassell Saturda,
Journal