Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-08

Copyrisht. 1919. by the Public Ledger Co.
THIS STARTS THE STORY
A dinner party is being held at the
homo of Colonel and Mrs. Lcdyard.
Among those present are their daugh -
ter, Trixy; her friend Bcbc Cowles
Cornelius Swarthmore. Weudle Brad
dock and Mrs. Allison Hartshornc.
Mrs. 1Iartshorncs past history is
clothed in mystery. She suddenly
leaves under the pretensc of severe
headache She is accompanied by
Swarthmore, who expresses his love
for her and obtains her promise of
marriage. She is found dead on the
floor in the morning by her suspi-
ciously acting French maid, Matilde.
Detective Paul Harvey asks Rose
Adare. social secretary to Mrs.
Hartshornc and her friends. to assist
him in unravcling the mystery. Brad
dock admits il was he who sent Mrs,
Hartshorne the valuable pearl neck
lace which was found on her dead
body, that she had promised to be his
wife and that an antagonism exists
between him and Swarthmore TriXy
Lcdyard is accused by Harvey of the
murder because of jealousy. She dc
mics the accusation, but admits that
Mrs. Hartshornc was killed at her
mothers home and that she and her
servants removed the body in the mid
die of the night to the woman : own
home. Bebe Cowles ConfesSes to flar.
vey that she overheard n quarrel be-
tween Mrs. Hartshorue and Swarth
more in which she retracted her prom
Use of marriage and threatened to
expose his dishonest business deal
ings with the government. Swarth-
more admits the quarrel and his dis
honesty to Harvey, but denies re
sponsibility for the woman's death;
The federal authorities are notified OF
Swarthmore' frauds. Harvey be
licvcs both Swarthmorc and TriXy in
,noceut He examines the conserva-
tory in the Lcdyard home. the room
where the murder was committed.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES.
AS SHE vanished to give the order
APaul glanced again 1t the sealed door
If Mrs. Hartshorne had been impelled to
whirl and face it, the shot which entered
her heart might have come from any one
Of that row Of windows before him.
When Hickson appeared with the lad
uct raul lHuuut'h ~ ~" P"'''"'''
scanned each inch of the wood paneling
between the windows, starting at the
farther end and working toward spot
opposite the orchid bed.
Watching him. Beatrice Ledyard tenn
rorarily forgot her dread, and slipping
down the narrow aisle seated herself
on n bench beneath an orange tree, her
ewes following his every move.
paul had reached the tenth window
from the end and directly across from
the orchid bed where he gave low cry
Of triumph. Pulling a pen-knite from
his pocket he hacked at the woodwork
a distance of approximately htteen feet
from the floor.
"Oh. what is it," Miss Ledyard rose.
" What have you foundE'
This" He ran down the ladder
md held small, round object out upon
lis palm for her inspection.
Miss Ledyard gave one horriied
Lauce and then shrank away.
"A bullet she cried.
Paul nodded
The bullet from her pistol, he an
nounced. "Her shot went wild, you
see, and it is imbedded in the wood
work the miracle of it is that it struck
there instead of shattering one of the
windows. 1t was not only the result
of murder which you came upon. Miss
Ledyard. but of n duel as well
Excuse me. sir. You are wanted on
the telephone. Hickson head ap-
pearcd in the doorway. THE gentle
man won't give his name, sir, and he
he seems urgent,
"Say. what are you doing anyway :!
The Chiefs eXasperated voice reached
Pauls ears over the wire. I've tried
TO get YOU everywhere else in this town
DO YOU know Cornelius Swarthmore has
skipped?'
CHATS all right laughed Paul.
We don't want him. The federal au-
fhorities are on his trail and he can.
yet far: they'll attend to his case.
"Federal-u' The Chief was evl-
IDENTIFY having difficulty with his speech.
"For defrauding the government
Paul explained. He had nothing to
10 with our case. and neither had the
the person we suspected The trouble
with us. sir, is that we've been playing
he favorites, but we've got to PICK
lark horse now. 10 win.