The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-05
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
The LOST FISH
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

window Another ones gone, she
said in bewilderEent. "One goldfish
disappeared yesterday, another today.
It's certainly mystery What kind
of place, | wonder, have l moved in
to-"
Outside the window was small iron
balcony Hilda stepped over the low
window sill and found herself on the
tiny shelf, from which she had splen-
did view of the street. She looked
down. Below her for several stories
were little iron balconies similar to
| her own, few Of them gay with green
things that the owners had put out
doors to get the first warm rays of the
| spring sur
On the balcony directly beneath, be.
! tween two Boston ferns, was an i'm
| provised aquarium. and in the water
two goldfish were swimming.
That night she slept without fresh
air from the outside, leaving only the
transom open for ventilation. And in
| the morning another fish was gone,
She almost tainted with the shock.
Someone or something had been in her
room in he night! Then her foot
struck something. She picked it up.
It was a mans cuff link with single
diamond inset She counted her money,
the spoons, and felt of her few bits of
jewelry and her watch. All there!
She locked the aquarium in the bath
room and went to her daily work in
the city library
That afternoon, while she was hand
ing out books to a cosmopolitan pub
lie, young man approached the desk.
| 'Will you tell me where can find
some books on zoology, please?"
Hilda looked at him with interest.
| Athletic of build, good looking, and
fashionabiy dressed, he had the air of
man who might be asking for a
thesis on Sanskrit, or of anything he
knew nothing at all about.
What kind of animals?" she in
quired. Mammals, the carnivora-"
"Oh, something about fish," he an
swered vaguely. Goldfish I've got
some | don't know how to feed"
It's too bad. But l have goldfish
at home ana when | want to know
anything | go to Finney's pet store in
the next square. If you go there you
can get everything you want
Thank you very much. Good after
| noon" He put On his hat to depart
and. as he lifted his hand, IIilda saw
diamond-studded cuff link like the
one she had found in the morning. The
mystery deepened Here was the man
who lad her goldfish, but why would
anyone steal goldfish?
| That night Hida discovered from
the janitcr that her neighbor below
of Hubert Field.
Has he any pets or anything like
that?" she inquired anxiously.
Not that know of. They don't
allow cats and dogs in the building
That evening, as she was trying to
calm her nerves and forget the mys
terry by reading an interesting book
something stirred by the window, then
dropped lightly to the floor behind her
She felt rather than heard it, so faint
was the sound. She was too fright
ened to move at first, then laughed al
| her fear Slowly turning her head, she
saw little brown monkey hopping
toward her on three legs In the other
paw he gripped a dripping, squirmine
goldfish. She sat perfectly still and
the monkey, sitting on Ills hind legs
laid his tribute upon her knee.
The monkey WAS very tame and Hill
da picked him up in her arms. Then
she got the gold link from her dresser
ard descended the stairs.
AS she had expected, Mr. Hubert
Field was her acquaintance of the Ii
brary Good evening" said Hilda
I've come to return two of your pos
sessions, both found in my room. One
explains the other, | think
Thank you very much. was puz
zled about the link, although | blamed
Jocko for losing it. He's worried me
to death since my sister left him here
two days ago. He's stolen things all
over the building. and | have to keeI
his existence secret or they'll put us
both out
The goldfish, | believe, belong tc
me. He was after another when
caught him."
Thank heaven, I've found the own
er of the fish. Fortunately, happened
to be at home when he brought then
or they would have died. But he han
dies them carefully enough, it seems
and | dropped them into water righ
away. think I'll have to put up a no
tice and ask others to claim the vari
Gus articles I've been the recipient of
We comb, lamb chop, letter, {
bunch of grapes, candle shade, a sill
stocking. goldfish, a box of rouge"
Hilda laughed merrily. I'm no
guilty OF the rouge | assure you"
Hubert Field looked at her fair, ros,
skin and softly curling hair That i
obvious. Miss Neighbor," he assure,
her. And now that Jocko has intro
duced us, may hope that our friend
ship will continue?"
Il don't see why it shouldn't sal
Hilda, flushing a tride.
Copyright. 1915. by Mcclure Newspap