The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-26
IN The DARK
ANONYM

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 little poorer, every time
! taking rooms little cheaper; and the
only work she seemed to have even a
: 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
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 ill
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
streets to the Office that had become
so familiar to her now. She pushed
open the swing doors.
is there anything for me this morn
ing?' she asked
On the answer depended the life OF
her little child.
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?"
She's 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.
We'll, sit down We've a little thing
here that you may able to undertake
for us. Anyhow. you can try. Here
are the facts: A client of ours. Geof.
frey Horner, merchant in the city.
has lost diamond ring valued at
$l25. He left 1t lying on his desk,
and while 1t was there it was stolen.
The only person who had access to
his room was young man, son of a
friend of his, whose name he will NOT
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 can
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 the
cashier: here's memo for S., for
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. Five
dollars in her pocket meant food and
medicine for her little Dickie.
AT five o'clock she put on a slack
skirt and blouse, which had been too
shabby to pawn, and over an old black
hat she put thick veil.
Ten minutes later she was on her
way to Godfrey Horner's house.
Just as she rounded the corner
the door of the house opened and
someone came down the steps. She
followed him breathlessly. waiting
an instant as he stood at the bot.
tom OF the steps to take out his latch.
key and then followed boldly.
In moment she was standing level
with him upon the top step. and Gag
erly she looked at his face
1t was thin and white; It looked
drawn and sad-it-good heavens! He
turned. and the key dropped from his
fingers and rang sharply, springing
from step to step to the pavement be.
meath them
He uttered one word brokenly:
Ethel
She put out her hand wildly and
then reeled into his arms
1t was Jack-Jack returned from the
-alive-and thief,
In his room they faced each other.
Jack. they say you are thief. I've
been set to watch you. followed you
tonight and that is why | am here
to watch YOU
He looked startled for an instant.
Then he gave laugh
Darling. the thief confessed and re.
turned it tonight just before came
away. 1t was one of his servants"
He took her in his arms. and looked
down into her face.
I've had CHASTITY time" he said.
and you, too. Darling. you look thin
and i'll. tried to find you when I got
back-but-it was months after the
wreck. We had drifted for weeks
we were half mad and half dead when
we were picked up, and then was
helpless.
1T was weeks after that before I
anne to my senses and remembered.
went straight to my fathers old
riend, Godfrey Horner, and he has
'een helping me, First I tried to find
'ou and failed. Then my mothers
I'D housekeeper-she was a fraud. She
lot all the goods by false pretences
md had humbugged my poor old
mother. and the lawyer thinks we
liant get much of it; but | shan't
are for that. now that have got you.
ethel! Ethel is it really you?- II
5 like a dream,"-Casselrs Saturday ,
ournal. ,