The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-09-12
The "Creyice"

Poor little Agnes Olson was dis
| sort OF creature, you know, without
much self-assurance, or initiative, and
believe she had quite a scene with
Mr.. Carlis before she left. She was
| on the switchboard, If you remember,
and as well as I am able to under
stand from her, he caught her listen
Ing in on his private connection. She
| reached the club in an hysterical con-
ditiOn, and / told them to put her to
| bed and care for her l ought to be
there myself now, at work, for | have
lost my best helper, but l am too dis
traught over Ramon to think of any
thing else. My secretary-the girl you
saw there at the club and asked me
| about, do you remember?-did not ap-
pear yesterday. but telephoned her
| resignation, saying she was leaving
town. l cannot understand it, for
| would have counted on her faithful
ness before any of the rest. but so
many things have happened lately
which can't comprehend, so many
| mysteries and disappointments and
anx1eties, that can scarcely think or
feel any more. 1t seems as if l were
really dead, as if my emotions were
all used up. l can't cry, even when
| / think of Ramon can only suffer"
II know. l can imagine what you
must be trying to endure just now,
Mss Lawton, but please believe that
1t will not last much longer. And
don't worry about your secretary;
Emily Brunell will be with you again
soon, think"
Emily Brunell!" repeated Anita, in
surprise. "You know, them"
Eyes. And, strange as it may seem,
she is indirectly concerned in the
conspiracy against you, but innocently
SO. You will understand everything
some day. What about the Irish girl,
Loretta Murfree?"
president Mallowe's filing clerk?
He dismissed her only this morning,
on a trumped-up charge of incompe-
tence. He has been Systematically
finding fault with her for several
days, as If trying to discover a pre-
text for discharging her, so she wasn't
unprepared. She's here now, having
some lunch, up in my dressing-room.
Would you like to talk with herr"
Il would, indeed" he assented, nod.
ding as Anita pressed the bell "She
seemed the brightest and most wide
awake young woman of the lot. If
anyone could have obtained informa-
ton of value to us, fancy she could.
Did she have anything to say to you
about Mr.. Mallowe?"
ct u,o,,JA ro+y,op 81, &~1J x,a,, ~,
SELF" Anita replied. hesitatingly, with
the ghost Of smile. whatever she
said about him was strictly personal,
and of distinctly uncomplimentary
nature. There is nothing spineless
about Loretta!"
When the Young Irish girl appeared
in response to Anita's summons, her
eyes and mouth opened wide in
amazement at sight of the detective.
ooh, sir. it's you!" she exclaimed.
Il was going down to your office this
afternoon. to tell you that ! had been
discharged. Mr.. Marlowe himself
turned me off this morning. I'm not
saying this to excuse myself, but it
honestly is through no fault of mine.
The old man-gentleman-has been
trying for days to get rid of me. l
knew it, so I've been especially care
full in my work, and cheerful and
smiling whenever he appeared on the
scene-like this!"
She favored them with a grimace
which was more like the impishly de-
risive grin of street urchin than
respectful smile, and continued:
'This morning l caught him mixing
up the letters in the files with his own
hands, and when he blamed me for
it later. I saw that it was no use. He
was bound to get rid Of me In some
way or another, SO l didn't tell him
what thought Of him, but came away
peaceably-which is a lot to ask of
anybody with a drop of Irish blood in
their veins, in a case like that! How.
ever, l learned enough while I was in
that office, of his manipulations of the
street railway stock, to make me glad
I've got a profession and am not sit
ting around waiting for dividends to
be paid. If the people ever wake up,
and the District Attorney indicts him,
/ hope to goodness they put me on the
stand, that's all