Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-27
THE DAILY NOVEZETT
4NATEUR DETECTIVE
BY MARGUERITE 7. BLUE

tered the war. lie had served his time
in the army and had returned few
months previous. Since that time he
had spent most Of his time with Alice.
1t was quite likely that he could have
entered the cellar and left without any
one questioning him
Alice went on further. On a shelf at
one side was stack of old newspapers
which dated back three or four wears
picked it up and looked at it. 1t was
a gold cuff link and looked as if it
might have been there for sine time.
Yet how could it, for Ralph had only
been home a few months and on the
front plate of the link were two initials,
"R. r.?
| 1t could have been no other. In her
heart Alice did not really believe Ralph
| to be wrong, but here were evidences
and she would ask him about them.
/ Hastily she ran up the stairs. crossed
the kitchen and out the back door. As
she passed through the door the pocket
of her dress caught on the handle.
bringing her sharply about. facing the
| door. Her eyes were on n level with
a nail upon which hung long metal
chain. Her vexation was forgotten in
the surprise of finding the chain She
took it down to examine it. but only
too well she knew that it was Ralph' S
leash for his dog.
She waited no longer but ran swiftly
across the lawn through the hedge and
to the back door of Ralph's house.
Ralph answered the door himself to her
imperative rap. His bright sunny smile
changed to good naturcd perplexity and
then slowly. very slowly to wyath. Alice
should have known when she saw the
dull rcd flush spread over his face that
she was crossing the danger mark. But
though her heart knew. her tongue kent
right on accusing. Finally he lifted his
hand for her to stop and then very
quietly said:
II know nothing about what you arr
talking about. y
After locking the cellar door. Alic,
/ spent the afternoon going up and dowr
, the scale of emotions. She was angry
, She was sorry. She regretted what sh
had done and she cried
| Finally. after ages and ages. whel
t the shadows had commenced to ficke
! across the parlor carpet, the automo
Y the supper on the table. for, now tina
her family was here. she could wait
1 little longer before telling them.
: They had been seated about the tabl
for short time when her father locke
. up and saw heart breaking look OF
d Alice's face.
= "Why. what's up?" he inquired. An
d then she told them the whole story
Q sparing nothing. even to what she ha
t said to Ralph. They listened quietly
S and then Bobby snickered. =.
,..Well,' said his father. "out wit
@ it."
t "Wcll, said Bobby. "I was on
g walking with Ralph the other day, an
| had left my handkerchief at home
d and Ralph let me take his. l must hay
d lost it when | was in the cellar tht
d morning. And don't YOU remember, pi
d when you were looking for those Ol
missed his cuff link. Well. he must hay
# lost it down there. AS for the leasl
5 Alice hung it there herself the last tin
is the kitten ran away
q But" exclaimed his mother, ''whf
- about ,Jerry?'
70 why. you see continued Bobb,
If "wevc been playing war lately ar
n Jerry has to be the dead soldiers, so
t. "The poor dog" exclaimed h
id mother, locked in the cellar all day fo
10 Just playing
70 She turned to look at Alice reproach
,t fully. but just the last fash of her ski
was seen disappearing through Il
,0 hedge,
re The next complete novelette-Dani
1 in the Lions Den.