Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-17

( COPYRIGHT 1919, by Robert NJ. Mcbride q &C
copyright, 1919. by the Public Ledger &c
THIS STARTS THE STORY
A dinner party held at the home Of
Colonel and Mrs. Ledyard was at
tended by their daughter, Beatrice,
her friend, Bebe Cowles; Cornelius
Swarthmore. Wendle Braddock and
Mrs. Harthshorne. Under the pre-
tense of a severe headache Mrs.
Hartshorne suddenly leaves after a
discussion relating to Zenas Prall,
the former president of bank. who
was sent to prison for conversion of
the banks funds. A few days later,
following a dance at Mrs. Ledyard' $,
she is found dead in her home. Brad
dock and Swarthmore, who had been
in love with her, are exonerated by
1.-THE authorities. Beatrice Ledyard also
. denies responsibility for the crime,
but admits the woman was murdered
in her mothers home and that she
had her servants removed the body in
the middle of the night to the woman s
own home. Swarthmore is arrested by
the federal authorities after confess
ing to having defrauded the govern
ment in the matter of war contracts.
Paul Harvey, q detective, takes a
room at the house Of Mrs. McNab,
Prall's former housekeeper, in Riv-
erton, the town where Prall wrecked
his bank. He becomes suspicious Of
an Italian lurking near the house.
Harvey follows Mrs. McNab to n
lonely house in the night after. There
he discovers Prall, who admitting that
1t was Mrs. Hartshorne who caused
his ruin, but denying responsibility
for the murder, dies. Harvey Confers
with Fred Sammis. comedian, and
asks for information concerning Amy
Howard. "When did you run up
against herr asks Sammis,
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
GIN CHICAGO, a couple of year.
ago" Paul lied glibly. 81 hat
written one act dramatic sketch tha
was bound to be n sure fire hit, bu
nobody could seem to sec the great stuff
] had in it. 1t was about"
Never mind the sketch :" inter
rupted the comedian apprehensively
Get on with the plot. Where doe!
the dame come in?"
"All right" agreed Paul with in
ward gratitude. ~ was willing tc
produce it myself, but l couldn't gel
even try out. Then | met this Amy
Howard and she convinced me that she
had the talent and experience and in =
fuence TO put it over if | furnished
the capital. I gave her my play and
$1,000, borrowed another $1,000 for her
and I've never seen her since or heard
of my play ~
'.'You're lucky, if it's the same dame
as the one l knew" the other re-
marked, evidently satisfied of the
dramatist's sincerity. Were you
stuck on herr"
''Well, I-she did have me going.
but ! didn't exactly fall for her" Paul
hedged. II say, have you got a date?
viii you come out and have bite
with me and talk it over?'
You said something :" The come
dian agreed graphically as he flung down
the make-up towel and reached for his
clothes. 'I'll be with you in second
] can't tell you where to locate your
Amy Howard, but l knew an Annie
Halsey once who fits your description.
That little game that was put over on
you is right in her line"
: I. Paul's face expressed disappointment.
but a. thrill of elation tingled through
his veins. Could he be at last upon
the track of Mrs. Hartshorne' past?
He waited, volubly lamenting his lost
money and play the while, until they
were seated in a nearby chop house
with two frothy stems before them.
Then he asked:
How long ago did you know this
Annie Halsey?"
Seven years." Sammis's face dark
ened. IF it's the same girl. you got
off cheap; you've got your self respect
lefts-and your nerve and n chance for
future. She took all that away from
friend of mine-the whitest fellow
that ever lived for all he was quick
tempered. He hit the toboggan right !!
I'd like to know where she is. my
self; / owe her a few on my own ac-
count for breaking up the team and
putting the best partner / ever had on
the bum -
He added the last observation with
grim earnestness and fash of enraged
retrospection in his eyes.
''Who was he?" Paul asked. How
did she do it,
"How do any of 'em get a fellow
crazy about 'cm and drag him down in
the dust?' retorted the other. Jack
Bennett his name was, and we were
topliners on the Big Time for three sea >
sons solid comedy rough and tumble
stuff, but we worked up a speciality
YOU couldn't beat in the business, Ben e,
nett and Sanmis it used to be, and
fs,would be Bennett and Sammis now,
feaAHred in the 'Maytime Maid, if it
hadn't been for that little she devil
get hot under the collar just to men
tion her, for Jack and ! were like
brothers until she came along. 1t hurts
to think that I'm on top now. while
he had TO 60 down the line because of
her! He was the last fellow in the
world that you'd think would fall for
quiet, pale faced little thing like she
was. but she did for him
How" repeated Paul.
married him. We were pulling
down eight hundred week then and
Jack never dissipated in those days.
Handsome. too, and didn't seem to
know it; that was the best part of il.