Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-01


information from them. Harvey
brings out various facts by the ques
tioning Of servants and other wit
nesses-Mrs. Hartshorne's popularity
in keeping large sums of money loose
about the house her carelessness with
her Jewels. Harvey asks Rose Adare,
a social secretary, in close touch with
Mrs. Hartshorne's friends, to assist
him in unraveling the mystery. Brad
dock admits to Harvey that it was he
who sent Mrs. Hartshorne the S32.-
600 pearl necklace, that she promised
to be his wife and that an antagon-
- ism exists between him and Swarth-
more, whom he accuses of unscrupu
lous business methods. Harvey ques
tions Louise, servant of the Led
yards.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
CIT THOUGHT It was stolen, sir"
= Louise faltered. 'I hung it with
the rest in the wardrobe of the corner
guest room that was being used as a
dressing room. I'd been told to stay
there, but it got late and nobody else
arrived, and the music just drove me
crazy, sir! When they were all at
supper I stole down the backstairs and
peeped in the big empty ballroom,
: listening; I couldn't have been gone
more than five minutes. After the
supper some. Of the ladies came up for a
BIT of powder, and one of them-Mrs.
Cowles, 1t was-wanted her cigarette
case, that was in the pocket of her
cloak. 1 had hung Mrs. H6rtshorne' S
cloak right next to it, but it was gone
Mrs. Hartshorne's I mean. My heart
was up in my mouth, but Mrs. Cowles
was going on so about the conservatory
door"
''what about the conservatory door,
Paul interposed swiftly.
saIt wouldn't open. She thought
Colonel Ledyard had ordered it locked
just sfter supper to prevent strangers
from picking his orchids for souvenirs,
and she was put out about it. l didn't
let on before the ladies how frightened
was, but when they had all gone back
to the ballroom flew down to Mary,
who was in charge Of the other cloak
room, and asked her il the cloak had
been brought down there. She said mo-
and went back, so sick with fear I
could hardly get up stairs, for with
hundreds Of strangers in the house l
was sure It had been stolen and I would
be to blame, of course, for leaving my
post. don't know how I ever got
through the night, expecting every min =
ute that Mrs. Hartshorne would come to
claim her cloak and I would have to
say that it had been taken.
: s'But she didn't come, though every
sspne else did. When they had all gone,
II finally came over me that she must
have taken the cloak herself and gone
home while I was downstairs that time
during supper. 1t served me right for
I disobeying my orders, but l won't for :
vet the worry of it to my dying day -
She paused for breath, and Paul
beamed upon her.
You are sure the cloak was taken
during the supper hour not just mis-
laid and removed later, when you went
down to speak to Mary, perhaps?'
s'No, SIR" she responded doggedly.
Tt was gone when I came back that
frst time, for I hunted high and low
for it."
Thank you, Louise; that is all I
wante' to know. You may Co."
I'll lie maid needed no second per-
miss As she slipped from the room
Paul turned to Miss Ledyard. The
tapping of her foot had ceased and she
sat tense and immovable.
"Will you ring for the butler now,
please, or shall I?''
She motioned toward the bell, and he
pressed it.
"You did not see Mrs. Hartshorne,
yourself, after the supper hour?' he
asked.
She shook her head and they waited
In silence for the coming of Hickson.
When he appeared, wearing a con-
sciously virtuous expression, Paul be-
gan without preamble.
"What is the rest of your name,
Hickson?''
t'Alfred George, SIR"
English" ?"
'Yes, sir. Twenty eight years in
this country, sir, and twenty of them
In service here at Colonel Ledyard's."
He spoke with pride.
Married, Hickson?"
sWidower, sir. Two sons at the
front and the third, William, who is
chauffeur now for Mrs Led yard, has
shattered knee from Ypres, SIR"
What were your duties at the Red
Cross dance here on Thursday"
II took the tickets at the door, sir,
, and then generally overlooked the wait :
\ mrs from the caterer, and kept an eye
7 on things"
How long were you posted at the
doos?'
'sDntil eleven, sir, or a bit after.
No one arrived later than that"
'Ycu remember Mrs. Hartshorne's s
arrival with the Gaylors?''
Perfectly, sir. That was about half :
past teu..'
ibid you observe when she left?"
mo, sir. / did not see Mrs. Harts
horre again after she entered"
t1icksou, did you lock the conserva
tory doorf"
There was a pause during which
Hichson glanced at his young mistress
Ia surprise.
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