The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-11

This was Adrian Noble, and he had
set himself to attempt to win the re-
ward offered for the oblong blue
wallet. Noble was not detective,
but an accidental acquaintance with
one of the officers who had pursued
Flynn had put him in full possession
of all the circumstances of the case.
So impressed was he with the convic-
ton that in some mysterious manner
the thief had secreted his booty be-
tween the point of robbery and Sign
81, that he had scanned every hole in
the sidewalk, had probed under 1t. and
had peered into areas and past drain
age gratings, hoping to find clue.
Its like looking for needle in a
haystack!" he sighed rather disap-
pointedly. as, for the fiftieth time per-
haps, he came to a halt in front of
Sign 81.
It was large framework of smooth
boards covering the front Of fifty
foot lot between two brick buildings.
1t was about twenty feet high.
I've got an ideal" suddenly ex-
claimed the young man. Suppose the
thief threw the wallet over the top
Of the sign into the vacant lot be-
yond-why not? All! little door.
This may be worth investigatingr
Way down at one corner end of the
big sign, sure enough, narrow door
showed. The poster sheets covering
it had been cut so the door would
swing inwards. Noble pushed it open.
He supposed this was convenience
for the owners of the signboard, so
they could get behind the sign to re-
pair it or strengthen it's supports when
necessary. What was his surprise
however, to find steps leading down
into the vacant lot, about its middle a
wandering tool shed, made over into
quite presentable living structure.
And what the further surprise of
the young viclinist struggling for a
living, to observe neat attractive flow
er beds in front of the little house,
and seated in its doorway charming
young girl, sewing She looked
startled as the young man somewhat
embarrassed came towards her, his hat
in his hand an apology for intruding
upon his lips.
/ Naturally Adrian Noble explained
to the young lady his mission. She
was imp. eGiately interested and heard
of the case for the first time. She was
drawn irresistbly towards her hand
some, bright-faced visitor. She even
joined him in the search for the blue
wallet, but the quest was fruitless.
Gradually Noble learned her strange
history. Her father owned the lot
{ 1t was valuable, but he had spent all
he had in litigating with a claimant
All the time in their humble abode
however. he had kept in posse ssion
/! Mr.. Warren worked in a factory near
by. Zelia helped by keeping house
and sewing for a department store
They had managed to clear the lot
between them, but the taxes were be
hind. Another thousand dollars saved
and they could borrow enough to built
store structure and receive goo(
income from the investment.
After that Adrian Noble forgot al
about the blue wallet in becoming {
regular visitor to the place. Those
two innocent spirits seemed made ont
for the other and John Warren die
not object to their new friend.
One evening Noble arrived at tn,
lot to find the sign in ruins, severe
windstorm had blown it down. Thu
sign owners had given it to Warner
for kindling wood and were going t,
build an entirely new one. Noble as
sisted in pulling the mass apart ant
piling up the loose board. Suddenl,
he uttered wild cry.
THE blue Wallet he shouted.
Yes, there it was-pasted under tn
poster sheet as hiding place by tn
dead thief and come to light at last.
And so the reward was gained, gi,
ing to John Warren the means of re
trieving his adverse fortune, to Adria
Noble enough to marry on and b
happy.