Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-05
Jack added caustically. through an
.4a. 4.lo-N

uAQn l Tic hCJs the fill CApidAi-
ed. Cynthia had given it TO me. but
then there was a mistake. and-and l
had to get in." she went on excitedly.
Il simply had to. 1t was night. and
there was no place else to go. ! don't
know a living soul In this town, and
I'd lost my money, all of it. or. rather.
Cynthia had taken my money and my
watch and rings and everything"
Anger died out of Jack Hayden's
face. and pity took its place as be
listened to the girls confused and i'm
probable tale. But the h%atpin?" he
asked dryly. You're rather expert at
that trick. aren't you?"
1--WE often got in that way" she re-
piled. ITS quite simple with a GER
tain sort of window catch. The outer
shutters were locked In the Tower part
of the house. That's why | had to
climb up by way of the tree"
"And your name?' Jack inquired
tersely.
The girl flashed her white teeth at
him. Celia Celtone." she said.
To him the name sounded as fanciful
as her story. He recalled none like It
among his sisters acquaintance.
You might" he suggested hopefully,
shave some means of Identification. a
card. perhaps. in your purse?"
His prisoner raised her brows. "Cyn-
thia has my purse, too" she said. Then
with a sudden, graceful. beseeching
gesture, she put out her hands to him.
Pity died out of Hayden's heart.
"You consummate actresst' he ex-
claimed.
The girl turned from him quietly.
We'll" she asked, what are you go
ing to do about it?"
Through the silent house came the
long and imperative summons of a
bell. Jack swung about impatiently.
you'll have to come with me-" he
said.s "It's the front door"
Deliberately Miss Celia Celtone set
tied herself in a great chair. her hands
firmly grasping its sides. 81 won't go
a STEP. she affirmed.
Every we'll" Jack answered shortly.
and advanced to the open window. II
am here he called. mo. this way;
round to the right. That's it. Now,
who is there?"
Messenger" answered a concise
voice from below. Come down and
sign for d package"
Jack muttered an imprecation as his
sleeve caught upon a nail. "You will
have TO come with me now" he stern
ly told bis prisoner; but. as he released
his sleeve and turned about. no rebei.
lious young woman awaited in the
great chair. The room was empty.
Headlong he rushed down the stair.
The street door stood open. (Which
way?' he wildly inquired of the mes
but as that person was just
rounding the path information could
not be gained from that source.
Mechanically Jack signed the book
held out to him. Tuning silently that
this hooking, reckless maid should
have so outwitted him. Still absorbed,
be drew the ~wrappings from the bum
de delivered at so late an hour. fail
Ing to notice In his abstraction that
he name of the address was not his
,wn. A woman's dainty purse pre-
iented itself to his view. while from
is violet interior he brought forth a
lote. The handwriting was unmts-
his sisters. He read perplex-
dly:
Dearest Celia-We are rushing on to-
Buffalo. and from there l will for
yard your purse with its valuables and
cry n~ecessaries. l have scandalized the
by laughing continually. since
,ur hasty parting at the station. l can't
'orget the nanic-stricken expression OF
,o,Ir face as my train moved off SO I'M
,xpectedly-you reaching after your de-
parting purse. ! waving 1t franticaly In
,our direction / declare | should have
brown it at you had 1t not been for your
watch Inside. Why. oh. why, dear girl.
ould you not have been satisfied with my
assurance that l had dropped the house
xey into your purse. without handing II
through the car window that / might
show you just where l had placed 1t? l
only hope that you. poor, penniless
child in an unknown town. will at least
nave the courage to wait upon my door
step until the messenger brings this to
you. Remember / shall not rest until
you telegraph tomorrow. Lovingly,
CYNTHIA.
Helplessly big Jack Hayden col
lapsed into a chair. Rcmorse and
shame and regret settled deeply upon
him. And he had held this plucky. re
sourceful little woman at the muzzle
of a six shooter. had sneered at he:
unfortunately truthful tale, had driven
her from her only possible shelter
alone into the night. Her little white
blouse was very thin. he remembered,
and her jacket still chung to the porch
palings where she had relieved herself
Of 1t. Ye gods and little fishes, but
he had been an ass and several kinds
of fooll Where could she go at this
hour of the night?
Desperately Jack wandered among
the flowers of the garden. Something
moving at its farther end attracted his
attention. but it was only the ham,
mock swayed by a breeze. Closer in
spection revealed a white object In the
danth Of tho ommock and-VpS-it