Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-06
CHAPTER CCXCH.
rConvrigbt 1919 King Feature

copyright. 1918, King Feature
Syndicate, Incl
1t was not the police rappinS at
nv door. 1t was Il private detective
jim had summoned to investigate
the disappearance of my ring
We told him the whole story from
the moment I replaced the ring III
the box until that other moment
when the box fell from Bertha
hands and she picked it up H'teo
the lid to it and returned it TO me-
nmptv. Carefully we went over each
detail, and under the superNls5ioli,
of the detective we searCIle"
the dining-room again. The detec-
tive looked carefully in each urawo'
and bit of silver. Then-as care
fullv-he went over the living-room
Hut the search availed nothing
you've searched the girl ne
said at Mast. with professional I'M
personality. do you want 10 pre-
fer chargcs?" .n-o Tn,
sure Bertha had nothing to DO with
it" ;.,,
"Very we'll, madam; do you wisn M
TO let her go?" asked the detecliNe
--Wadley, was his name
Then Bertha broke lin.
"If Mrs. Harrison does let me 80
! want YOU to examine my room anu
my baggage first, sir: l never ,,noTs ,1tc
.he ring and Mrs. Harrison knows
7 ain't got it by me. But aoh
want them to say afterwards
planted it anywhere. -, .
'Wait a minute, my good GlIi,
broke in Mr.. Wadley, shreWdly'
THAT'S thieves lingo you're using.
How do YOU come to talk that!
And before my unwilling eyes l
saw him torture the story or her
husband from Bertha's white Ups.
Il guess we've enough to hold
YOU on" he sneered.
Mrs. Harrison" sobbed bertha'
II told YOU how it would be- Ee-
fore all the saints and in the name
of NV dead mother, l didn't touch
that ring. Mrs. Harrison, you know
I never was a thief. Don't let them
take me and mark me for life.
Don't let them get my man
Her words trailed off and she
looked at me piteously.
Mr.. Harrison and | decline to
prefer charges against Bertha, L
said firmly. / know she had moth
ing to do with the-disappearance
of the ring. | don't think well need
you any longer. Mr. Wadley."
Know who the thief is?"
The detective turned on me abb
ruptly as he asked the question: l
shook my head, but he smiled
knowingly. I felt almost as if he
might be suspecting Jim-or me.
When a complete search of Ber-
tha's baggage failed to reveal any
trace of the missing pearl. Mr.. Wad-
ley condescended to let her go. But
as she left, he turned to us smiling
triumphantly.
"I got a man outside, with orders
to follow whoever leaves this apart
ment tonight" he said amiably.
He's a human bloodhound and you
can take it from me. he'll know
how many breaths that girl draws
every day. I'll notify the pawn
shops and while I'm doing that,
don't you think you might persuade
those other folks who were alone
with the ring this afternoon to come
back for a nice sociable visit?"
Wadley went into the next room
to telephone, and / turned to Jim
with sudden determination.
"Jim, dearest, that ring was your
present to me-and I loved it. Will
YOU let me have my own way about
it?"
Sure" said Jim. I'm trying to
do all l can for you now don't you
think so? Because If there's any
thing else you can think Of"
"Pll suppose it was my birthday
present sent a month ahead of
time" I said.
Jim looked blank.
Isn't your birthday tomorrow"
he asked.
IT'S the eighteenth" I replied -
but the eighteenth of next month,
but, you dear old simpleton. don't
YOU see? I've had the fun a whole
month ahead of time, and I'll have
it again on my birthday. remember
ing how adorable it was and how
more than adorable you were to get
the beautiful thing for me. And
and that's all, jim"
What do you mean-thats all?"
II mean we'll send the detective
away. And just be happy remem-
bering the ring and that you bought
it for me and I love it,"
What? Are you crazy?" de-
manded Jim.
Dear, 1 want you to do as I ask"
I pleaded. 1T was my ring. IT'S
going to be my birthday. I don't
want people tortured over me. Poor
Beftnd nuSJn De nounueu. NO one
else must suffer. 1t would hurt me
and maybe L wouldn't get the
ring anyway. Please drop it, Jim.
Please"
II will not" began Jim.
But l hobbled to his side, put an
arm about his neck and laid my
face against his.
Jim, I think I know who took it
and why" I whispered. "If you
love me, you'll let me get it back
my own way. It's the only chance
we have of seeing the ring again.
And if you don't do this for me, the
ring wouldn't have any meaning for
me, anyhow. If you love me, you'll
let me have my own way. IF you
love me, Jim-if you love mel"
You know I love you, you little