The Washington times., 1919-09-29
The Love
Gambler
By Virginia Terhune Van
de Water.
llthoE - many novels und one Of
TIE countEgaI beEt-EnovTn writ
eEn 81 EhoFt stories.
" AIrUEL LEIGHTON was seated
-- IL --l---A. rn... .-t 49,

C AIrUEL LEIGHTON was seated
in his private Office that morn
ing when his daughter en-
tered. He raised his broWs Ques-
oningly as she followed the clerk
ho announced her.
II understood you were alOne,
9ads" she began as soon as the door
had closed behind her.
II hoped you were resting, my
eear," her parent said, kissing her,
- hardly expected q call from you
4Cwp here How did you conner
In the subway"
1T must hEve been something I'm
nortant 20 make you come in that
49, he tossed do you want
rome money!
She shook her head EmulnEIy.
no, sir, cane 70 tell you have
Believed your instructions and have
questioned Annie about Norah--
dnd Smith"
'Tes7 But you eould have told
ne that tonight"
Perhaps 50" the girl hurried on,
hut Annie proved 30 plainly that
Smith was innocent that 7 thought
you should know about t. This Is
what she told me-"
Then. as nearly ag possible, word
eoF word, she repeated her queries
and her maids answers. Leighton
listened gravely, nodding from time
- time.
''WeIl," he said, when she had
finished. "as the girl had no object
u eIaggerating, we must believe
aeF. 1t is plain that Norah had q
gFudge against Smith"
Because he was not the kind she
E1ought he was, Dad" Desiree in
sisted. Il know this because I saw
that letter she wrote him-as you
may remember"
Then, although her breath came
aast, she explained how she had
read the paper which she thought
- hrst her father had dropped.
DeEiree IL CoufursE.
samuel Leighton GhruEEed his
GhoulderL "It is evident that the
fellow's god looks caused Norab
= make q fool OF herself, that's All
L[y respect for Smith increases
when I hnd that he did not e1eour-
age her. Still, that IS no concern
81 ours. All we care to learn "a
hat the pendant IS safe and that
y was not stolen Do you suppose
smith guesses that We suspected
himT"
'Why. yes, sir-of courss bs
knew it from my surprise when I
found property last might" she
asserted moEically.
what did he sayF"
I-I-don't Just remember-only
fhat it vas all right. or something
- that sort when told him that
when tried TO explain to him
She stopped, confused, when she
remembered how much moved she
had been
7 am afraid" she added lamely.
that I was 50 excited that I said
Something foolish - perhaps II
mean did not eEplain"-
"Of course you did not" her
father interpOsed kindly, Nor was
- your place TO do 90. I win send
Tor Smith and make IL right with
him"
Desiree started uptown in a per-
Nurbed state Of mind She was 40
ogitated BY what had occurred that
she wished there was some further
action that she could take. Her trim
20 her fathers office had been made
because she could not rest until
she had heard his assertion that he
believed in Smiths Innocence. Nov
she longed 70 set the Chauffeur
right In the eyes Of all concerned.
Suddenly she remembered Mr..
Perry, the seWeler. In her over
sensitive state she felt she must
Inform him that the missing prop
erty was safe, thus further exon
eratng smith Stopping at the
FIFTH avenue shop, she went into
the rear OF the store where Mr.,
Perry's office was.
he rose at sight OF her and came
forward. She greeted him eagerly.
Good morning, Mr.. Perry. Just
stopped into tell you that my pend
ant has been found. I will bring
% send it and the chain down to
morrow 70 make sure the stones
and catch are secure"
The man looked surprised. 1T
has been found, has IL, Miss Leigh
ton congratulate you. How did
Tou haTpen 70 locate it?"
"It had been misplaced by N,
maid" Desiree replied. so, yo
see, I was quite right IN insisting
that IL had not been stolen"
"Ah, yes-I see. But how did the
box happen TO be all tied up, yet
omptyT'
An Iutimated Rebuke.
~Oh, It was a foolish mistake"
fhe owner OF the pendant evaded.
eAnd, by the way, I think Il might
serve as q lesson 20 some Of US not
20 be too ready TO suspect others Of
dishonesty, OF which they are quite
Incapable"
BF. Perry flushed, but tried to
laugh.
my dear Miss Leighton" he pro-
tested. "If you saw as much dis
honesty as we do"
Il am glad I do not" she inter-
Fupted. Then, repentant OF her
bFusQueness, she smiled
Il just happened to be passing,
90 stopped in to tell you about the
matter" she said lightly. You
we're very kind to take SO much in
tereBt in my property"
Not at ALL" the man demurred.
FThe pendant is very valuable
wonderfuIly beautiful article. Your
fathe rshoWed Il TO be Just after
g came into your possession. Il
vas an heirloom, IL I am not mis-
taken?"
"It was left me by a friend" she
said briefly. Good morninE!"
She had done all she could to
clear Smiths name OF suspicion.
she had hoped that after doing this
she would feel at peace.
Yet now, ag she went uptown, she
vas wishing that she could do
Something more for him. She had
not sent for the car this morning,
e she felt bashful at meeting him
after what had happened last night.