The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-26
Her OlUn
Detective
A Girl Suspect Clears
Herself
By ELMOR MARSH
By ELMOR MARSH

seventeen years. we were young
enough to get up parties on the prin-
ciple Of Dutch treat and not old
enough for a boy to feel that If he
asked one Of the girls to go to all
amusement he must hire a carriage
for the purpose of taking her. We had
informal dances in each others houses
and each boy was detailed. as they sa.
In the army, to escort particular g.i'l
to the dance. In this way all the girls
were transported without doubling up
All went well, and We were having
merry time when Roy Stivers, one OF
the boys who had gone sweet ON girl
outside the set, insisted on introducing
her among us. We girls were no.
pleased at the introduction oi one we
knew nothing about, but We ,io.i .
gracefully, and ! consented 10
bringing her to dance that was tG
come off at my house.
1t is marvellous how a nice, well bred
boy will go daft on girl entirely out
Of his sphere and in every way be
meath him. The moment we girls saw
Roy's friend, Sarah Stearns, we knew
that firebrand had been introduced
among us. But it is easier to let per.
son into social clique than to get him
or her out. Roy was one of our incest
fellows, and we did not wish to offend
him. Sarah Stearns was not invited
again to any Of our little dances, but
Roy asked her to go with him on eX-
cursions, theater parties and the like
He was the only son of widow who
gave him all the money he wished and,
among other luXuries, splendid mo-
tOrcar. He was accustomed to take us
all out in 1t between dances, when ",
were holding our informal parties. and
also took us on longer rides. OF course
we could not object to his inviting
Sarah to go on excursions in his car,
and while SO engaged we endeavored
to treat her civilly.
Just before the spring opened Roy in.
vited us all to go to his mothers coun.
try place for a week end. OF course
Sarah Stearns would be of the party.
Roy being at liberty to invite whom he
| pleased to his own home. Two-thrds
| Of our "bunch" accepted, and Roy took
US to our destination in his car. The
others would not go on account of
Sarah Stearns being Of the party.
| wished very much to enjoy the fun,
but Eleanor Trevor was my particular
| girl chum. and she was one who in-
| to go, however. since my pleasure de-
pended on her doing so.
Roy's mother acted as chaperon and
did all In her power to make our stay
in her house enjoyable. One evening
we were dancing when all of sudden
the electric lights ceased to glow, and
we were left in total darkness. My
friend Eleanor was dancing with
Charlie Hunt at the time. Charlie, like
Roy, was given everything he wanted,
and among other things he possessed
was valuable gold watch. Soon after
the lights were extinguished there was
a tug at his watch chain and, feeling
for 1t, he found it broken. His watch
was gone. He was dancing will
Eleanor when the darkness came, and
of course they ceased to whir and dis
engaged themselves. Five minutes
later, when the lights continued t.
glow, they were still standing near
each other.
Charlie. not wishing TO mar our fcS
tivities, said nothing at the time about
the loss of the watch. but the matter
soon leaked out. An unpleasant fea
ture Of the matter was that he wa,
dancing with Eleanor when the light.
went out. and the logical inference wa:
that she had relieved him of 1t. Never
theless, none of US believed anythin,
OF the Kind.
III Our host was very much troubled. |
was evident that there was a THE
among us. So far as circumstantia
evidence was concerned it pointed Il
| Eleanor Trevor. She knew nothin'
| about Charles loss or the position II
which she stood until | told her. Sh
was not person 10 cringe under sucl
circumstances. With woman's intui
tion she at once spotted Sarah Stearn
az being at the bottom of the trouble
She did not believe that Sarah ha
stolen the watch for the watch itself
but that she might inculpate Eleanor
Eleanor's theory was that Sarah ha
seen her dancing with Charlie whe
the lights had gone out and an oppol
tunity had appeared to her of punisf
ing the girl who she knew was in fl
vor Of ostracizing her from our set.
But Eleanor told no one except me G
her suspicion, and confess 1t SCENE
to me rather farfetched. though l di
not say this to Eleanor.
I've got a detective problem on m
p hands," said Eleanor to me, land Il
especially interested in working it ou
y I wish you would give me the col
shoulder and ask the other girls to
the same"
"Why so?" l asked. There's NJ
one of us that believes for momeI
that you are a thief"
1T will put Sarah Stearns off ht
guard and give me better chance.
she took the watch-and am sure 81
did-she must get rid of it. I'll tai
4 III 49, 4