Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-13
A TALE OF LOVE, MYSTERY AND

at her significantly. She held her skirts
closely together, and passed throueo n
without looking at him. She stepped
lightly down the ladder and without hes,.
tetlon descended also fight OF unoar.
peted attic stairs. Here, however. upon
the landing she awaited him with Oh
vious reluctance
Are YOU going to send for the poliee?r
she asked without looking at him.
No" ne answered
| why Iot7" -'
IF | had meant to give you away I
should have told Mrs. Fitzgerald at once
that had seen YOU take her bracelet, in
stead OF following you out on to the
roof
DO you mind telling me what YOU do
| propose TO do them" she continued still
without looking at him, still without the
| slightest note OF appeal In her tone
lie withdrew the bracelet from mis-
pocket and balanced It upon his finger.
Il am going to say that took II for a
joke" he declared.
She hesitated. ....
Mrs. Fitzserald's sense of humor is
not elastic" she warned him.
She Will be very angry, Of course"
he assented, but she will not believe
| that meant to steal it."
/ me girl moved slowly a few steps away,
Il suppose that l ought to thank you,"
she said, still with averted face and sui
| D0nn
decent. ] am much obliged
Are you not coming down?' he asked.
Not at present." she answered "I
| am going to my room"
He looked around the landing on which
they stood, at the miserable. uncarpeted
floor the ill-painted doors on which the
| long-forgotten varnish stood out In blis-
| ters, the tumble OF dllapidated hot-water
| cans, mop, and a medley of brooms and
rags all thrown down together in a cor
ner.
But these are the servants quarters,
surely" he remarked.
They are good enough for me; my
room is here" she told him, turning the
handle of one of the doors and disappear
Ing. The prompt turning OF the key
sounded, he thought, a little ungraclous,
With the bracelet in his hand, Tav-
ernake descended three more flights of
stairs and entered the drawng-room of
the private hotel conducted by Mrs.
Raithby Lawrence, whose husband, one
learned from her frequent relteration of
the fact had once occupied a dis
tingushed post in the Merchant Service
of his country. The disturbance following
upon the disappearance of the bracelet
was evidently at its height. There were
at least dozen people in the room
most of whom were standing up. The
central figure of them all was Mrs Fitz-
gerald, large and florid whose yellow
hair with Its varied shades frankly ad-
mitted its Indebtedness to peroXide a
lady of the dashing type, who had once
made her mark in the music-halls, but
was now happily married to a COM
mercial traveller who was seldom visible.
Mrs Fitzgerald was talking.
In respectable boarding-nouses, Mrs.
Lawrence" she declared with great en-
phasis, ''thefts sometimes take place,
will admit, in the servants quarters,
md NNFtt1 oil InAtR
things, it's not so much to be wondered
at. But no such thing as this has ever
happened to me before-to have jewelry
taken almost from my person In the
drawing-room of what should be a we'll
conducted establishment. Not a servant
in the room, remember, from the mo-
ment 1 took 1t off until I got up from
the piano and found 1t missing. It's your
guests you've got to look after. Mrs.
Lawrence, sorry to say 1t though I am"
Mrs. Lawrence managed here, through
sheer loss of breath on the part of her
assailant, to interpose fearful protest
81 am quite sure" she protested feebly,
that there is not a person in this house
who would dream of stealing anything,
however valuable IL was. 1 am most
particular always about references"
valuable, indeedl' Mrs Fitzgerald |
continued with increased volubility. I'D |
nave you understand that 1 am not one |
of those who wear trumpery jewelry. !
Thirty-hve gulneas that bracelet cost me |
IL II cost a penny, and II my husband |
were only at home 1 could show you
the receipt
Then there came an interruption of al
most tragical interest. Mrs. Fitzgerald,
her mouth still open, her stream of elo-
quence suddenly arrested. stood with her
artificially darkened eyes riveted upon
the stolld, self-composed figure in the
doorway. Every one else was gazing In
the same direction. Tavernake was hold
ing the bracelet in the palm OF his hand
'Thirty-five guineasl" he repeated. III
I had known that 1t was worth as much
as that, 1 do not think that should
have dared to touch It,"
"You-you took it!"' Mrs. Fitzgerald
gasped.
81 am afraid" he admitted, 'that it
was rather a clumsy Joke. 1 apologize,
Mrs. Fitzgerald. hope you did not real
ly imagine that 1t had been stolen"
One was conscious of the little thrill
OF emotion which marked the termination
of the episode. Most of the people not
directly concerned were disappointed;
they were being robbed Of their excite
ment, their hopes of a tTagical denoue-
ment were frustrated Mrs Lawrence's
worn face plainly showed her relief. The
lady with the yellow hair. on the other
hand, VINO had now succeeded in work.
ing herself up into towering rage,
snatched the bracelet from the young
mans fingers and with a purple flush in
her cheeks was obviously struggling with
an intense desire TO box his ears,
That's not good enough for tale!"
she exclaimed harshly. II tell you l
don't believe word OF II. Took il for
a joke. indeed only wish my husband
were here; he'd know what to do"
Your husband couldn't do much more
than get your bracelet back, ma'am."
Mrs Lawrence replied with acerblty.
such a fuss and calling every one
too! ia be ashamed to be so
Mrs. Fitzgerald slared haughtily at her
hostess, --
"It's all very well for those that don't
possess any jewelry and don't know the
value OF 1t. to talk" she declared with
her eyes fixed upon a black iet oTnement
whien hung from the other wsman's
neck What I say Is this. and you may
lust as we'll hear It from me now
as later. | don't believe this cock-and-
pull story OF Mr.. Tavernake's. Them as
look my bracelet from that table meant
keeping It, only they hadn't the courage
And I'm not referring 20 you, Mr.. Tay-
arnake." the lady continued vigorously
because / don't believe you took it, for
Al your talk about a Joke. And whom
you may be shielding 1t wouldn't take
ne two guesses TO name, and your mo-
i've must be clear to every one The
common hussyP