Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-01-18
Paul'S
|, Christmas Gift
With Some Clever Detec- (
tive Work
By MACKIE

tune he sailed home again with the
fortune q certainty in a phosphate
mine. He arrived in New York on
Christmas eve, and as 500 as he had
secured quarters at a hotel and made
a careful toilet he took a taxicab and
glided to the Bartram's home on Fifth
avenue.
He had promised Linda Bartram that
he would come to her at Christmas
this year-with the fortune that her ia
ther insisted he must possess before he
could hope to win lovely Linda, who
would some day be mistress of much
money. SO Paul had taken Linda's
promise, had given MI. Bartram his
word not to communicate with the girl
Of his heart and had gone away. He
was without close family relations
himself, and, although he occasionally
saw the New York papers, he had not
read any news that prepared him for
the blow he was about to receive.
The avenue was its gayest and
brightest on this cold afternoon. The
shop windows were brilliant, the side
| walks We're crowded with Christmas
shoppers, and there was q steady
stream of vehicles passing to and fro.
Paul continually glanced from the
| window, hoping for a sight Of Linda's
glowing face, but his wish was I'M
| gratitied. He leaped up the steps Of
the stately home and pushed the but
ton i~mpetuously.
A japanese opened the door.
Mrs. Bartram?" asked Paul eagerly.
The butler shook his head. NO such
name, sir" he said.
Paul looked again at the number.
Surely this is Mr.. Rartram's house.
lie repeated.
1T may perhaps have been so, sir
replied the ut is now the resi-
dence of Dedrick Jones'
is there any Il here who can tell
me about the people who lived here be
fore:"
There is q ~housekccper who has
been In the house many years. If YOU
| will colne inside ! will question her,
sir"
Paul entered Il reception hall that
| was entirely unfamiliar. In q few min-
| utes a graz haired woman attired in a
dark silk gown approached:
MI. Wakcly!" she exclaimed.
''NVell, Mrs. Smith! 1 am glad to see
some one who can give me news of the
family" he said warmly.
Haven't you heard, Nj. Wakely"'
"Nothing at ALL hope there isn't
bad news,' he said quickly.
Not very good news. Mr.. Bartram
| died six months ago. and all the money
vanished into nothing. sir. Mrs. Bar
tram and Miss Linda We're left penni-
less. Mrs. Bartram lived only three
| months, and then Miss Linda was left
alone. Some of the relatives offered
her a homo, but she was too independ-
ent for that. Although she had never
been trained for any special business,
she has found work of some Kind. She
has written me that she is earning a
living, and this very day she sent me 4
| Christmas gift-this pretty brooch. l
am afraid that she needed the money
for other things. Mr.. Wakely, vet she
| vas always so generous"
Paul was thoughtful. "Was her let
| ter dated from New York; he asked.
eyes, sir"
"Then I shall find her i'll some way.
| Will you lend me your brooch, Mrs.
| Smith?'
Certainly, Mr.. Wakely. Perhaps it
was bought in one of the department
could %patroniZe the jewelers. nowadays.
1t was dear of her to remember that
the amethyst was my birthstone too.
But she was always sc thoughtful"
II will bring the brooch back to you,
| Mrs. Smith, and tell you all I hear
from Miss Linda he said as he shook
hands with her before leaving.
"She must eat Christmas dinner with
me-" he said to himself firmly.
First he went into a jewelers. and
submitted the amethyst brooch for the
examination of a supercilious clerk,
who smiled and returned it to him.
"No indeed: we do not carry that
class of goods at all he said in q
shocked tone. 1T looks as though it
might have been bought III Il depart
mont store"
Thank you. That is what 1 wanted
to know said Paul gravely. Then he
proceeded to shock the clerk still fur
thor by purchasing a diamond ring OF
great value and paying for it from q
roll Of crisp bills Of large denomination.
department store. BY Jove. a long
search and may be q blind one, but Ill
do it. First III try Labler's."
Paul tried Labler's and many others
before he found Il shop that identified
the amethyst brooch as coming from
it's stock. There We're other amethyst
brooches just like that one, and Paul
bought II of the exact pattern as the
one the h~ousekeepcr had loaned him.
lie asked the clerk at the jewelry
counter if they numbered a Miss Bar
tram among their customers.
She smiled and said She did not
know. He could find ont at the Office,