Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-31
[ He BLUE BUCKLE
BATTLING MYSTERY AND BREATHESS TALE OF ADVENTURE
WILLIAM
o Ctspwn
CHAPTER xxnt-tcontinued).

CHAPTER -(Continued)
you are right" admitted the banker,
that Is the name she assumed to es-
cape the very trouble that has arisen,
But she has gone back-to New York
or elsewhere. ! don't know where she
has brought suit against the bank
Just what we'll have to do" said
Craig
THE president shrugged Ills shoulders.
"As the present representative OF the
bank" he said "all I can say Is that
is tile advisable course for all concerned.
You can have ain early trial-Mr. Le-
clerc can come down here-you can hght
1t out together, and the bank VIII Just
look onto the victor will belong the
spois you see nee,
jerome Leclerc." unused Craig. He
wrote you. didn't he? asked him to-
Dear me-" said the president. Mr.
er-that is Miss Arany, asked him 10
the real Miss Ballantyne--
II didn't ask him to-" said Billie, bel
lirerentlv. land I am the real Miss Bal
lantine'
"Did he writer" demanded Craig.
"Cowen. Covington & Brown wrote Tor
him and he advised IT, SAID tne o~a,lNeL' ~
MAY I see the letter. queried craig
YOU may" said the banker, and he
passed 1t over. n,,
craig studied It for moment. III
doesn't saw which buckle the wrong
woman got" he said.
Again the banker shrugged his shoui-
ders His manner was a far-away man
ner--bo was thinking apparently OF
something else. At times he was inler,
rupted by the cashier who entered ana
whispered to him. .,
"v.u won wire TO Governs nrm,' asked
Craig. land ask which buckle, number
one or number two, the wrong woman
succeeded in obtaining?
NO" said the president curtly' the
bank will obey instructions, nothing else,
We are not oven TO be paid for this
service. Mr.. Rutherford
Wen pay you" ventured Craig.
THAT the bank cannot allow" returned
the other.
~ can show you we're right" went on
Craig, III you will wire"
81 shall not wire" said the president,
Its useless Your course is clear. You
must stand suit"
"Wrl you let me have telegraph
blank?' asked Craig.
The president sent for a telegraph pad
Craig wrote two kilograms, one TO
Governs firm and one TO Leclerc.
Now" he said to the president, taking
n S. dollar bill from his pocket "will you
have these sent, and will you receive the
answers? To say the least, that will
assure YOU of our good faith"
"G'll do that for YOU, Mr.. Rutherford"
replied the president. How long are
you to he in town.
For two days at least" said Craig.
lie left with the banker the name of his
hotel.
Now" he said to the president. can
YOU give me the name of n good lawyer
here in town"
The president gave him name. The
lawyer was not the banks lawyer. It
was not Heldermans lawyer. All during
this interview the banker had been care
full of one thing-he had not mentioned
IIelderman's name. There was no par
tcular reason for this save that Helder-
man had come to Miami incog. And the
president was invariably cautious and
nOn-committal.
So Craig and Billie went to consult their
lawyer-and retained him on the spot.
This lawyer was an old fogy, but he was
honest-Craig made sure of that. What
is more he believed their story.
II heard something about this said
the lawyer. There's been a man and a
woman-stranGers, about town. caught
a glimpse of them myself"
"Can you describe them" queried Craig
The old lawyer described them. As he
did so, Craig glanced significantly at Miss
Ballantyne.
1T looks" he said. as they left the
office, "as though Helderman-or his
counterfeit presentment-were mixed up
in this thing. Wen wait and see"
They went back to their respective
hotels When Craig reached his, he found
two kilograms which had been sent him
by the president of the bank. one was
from Cowen, Covington & Brown.
Craig Rutherford Esq.
care of Peninsula Bank, Miami Fla
we made no memo of II. We think II
was the first buckle. We acted as mere
agents for Leclerc. Ask him.
"Cowen. Covington & Brown"
Craig, disgusted read the other tele-
gram. 1t was short and to the point.
THE buckle delivered was buckle
number two. The wrong woman got it.
JEROME LECLERC."
Craig showed the kilograms later in the
evening TO Billie Ballantyne
"Cowen's firm has mixed 1t up more
than ever" he commented THE bank
probably knows Cowen's firm by reputa-
of Lecerc save his correspondence. We've
got to wait, Let's forget the claim to-
night Look at the moon. Let's stroll
through Miami hand In hand"
Hand in hand" echoed Billie Ballan-
tyne. family.
"Figuratively speaking" apologlzed
rutherford.
"Flguratively speaking" she echoed
Craig hoped ne detected bit of disap-
polntment in her voice.
"Flguratively speaking-except when we
reach a dark spot" he returned.
I'm see to it," she answered, that We