Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-14
Nopyrixht, 1919 by Robert NJ. Mcbride Co.
TCopyrisht, 1919 by the Public Ledger Co..
THIS STARTS THE STORY

THIS
A dinner party is being held at the
home of Colonel and Mrs. Ledyard.
IT Is attended by their daughter,
Beatrice; her friend, Bebe Cowles;
Cornelius Swarthmore, Wendle Brad
dock and Mrs. Hartshorne. Mrs;
lHartshorne's past history is clothed
in mystery. Under the pretonse of
severe headache she 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 Mr.. Ledyard' $,
she is found dead in her home. Brad
dack and Swarthmorc, who had been
in love with her and were rivals, are
exonerated by the authorities. Bea-
trice Jedyard also denies responsible
ity for the crime but admits that the
woman was murdered in her mothers
home and that she had her servants
remove the body in the middle OF the
night TO the woman's own home.
Syvarthmore is arrested by the federal
authorities after confessing TO having
u defrauded the government IN the mat
Ter of war contracts. Paul Harvey
detective, takes room at the mouse
Of Mrs. McNab, Prall's former house
keeper, in Riverton, the town where
Prall wrecked his bank. He becomes
suspicious of an Italian lurking near
rhe house, and continues his lnvestl~
cations. Harvey follows Mrs. MCNub
10 lonely house in the night after
rendering unconscious the Itallan'
who had followed her. he there tells
her that he has come to ask Zenas
Prall how Mrs. Hartshcrue met her
death.
aNn HERE IT CONTINUES
MFRS. MacNAB gave n sohbing gasp
Nl and backed against the couch, her
thin, angular arms outspread protect
ingly. but waxen, ghastly face sur
mounted by lock of struggling white
hair rose wrath like from amid the
blankets. and a broken, husky voice
cried:
sgt wasn't |. She fell before my
ewes. but l didn't kill her! Good God,
NV last hope died with her! My last
hope 80
''Your last hope of what, Mr.. Prall:
You had better make clean breast OF
Il now Paul spoke not urgently. for
the wreck of man before him seemed
lowering upon the verge of dissolution
A grayish pallor had ovcrsprcad his
deeply lined face and he sank back
rasping, with one clawalike hand tear
Ing at his side.
you re killing him" moaned Mrs
NEacNab fiercely. Couldn't you give
him the last few days in peace? Don
try to answer him. Mr.. Prall! Inc
law can't touch you now
ssI-I must The man upon the
couch struggled to sit upright. Get
off--mind. Margaret Nothing else
matters, now
s.Then wait - she few to the table
where a brandy flask stood and with
shaking hands poured measure into a
cup and brought it to the couch. Zcnas
prall drank it in strangling gulps and
fen back upon his improvised pillows,
but as the potent stimulant surged
x through his veins tinge OF faint color
crept into his palid face.
ssyou say you came from Eastopolis
70 find mc?' he asked.
Z ,Psul nodded. d..
f,sLm special investigator under The
chief of police; the Hartshorne case is
in my hands.
s''I might have known" Mrs.
MacNab began hotly, but the sick man
motioned her to silence and she seated
herself by the table with her head in her
hands.
s.Hartshorne Zenas Prall's pale
lips twisted in grim derision. She
was Alma Horton when I met her
curse her u
"Just minute Paul interposed,
fearful lest the others false strength
fail before he had elected the para
mount facts from him ''Mrs. Hart
shorne-or Horton-fell before your
eyes. Who killed her, if you did not?'
II don't know. I didn't see where
the shot came from didn't even know
that she was shot until read it in the
papers, nor how it happened that her
hody was found later in her own home.
( DO you know where she died?'
..In the conservatory at the residence
OF Colonel Amasa Ledysrd," Paul re-
sppnded.
ssYes.'' The other nodded eagerly
81 was gazing in at the window wher
she raised her eyes and met mine. Al
4 knew after that was that she recoilet
as il she had seen ghost whipped {
pistol from her gown and leveled it a
ne. The next instant her hands wer
flung up as if jerked by string, he
shot went Wild and she toppled owe
into bank OF some brown and purpl
flowers, and lay still.
''But you had better let me tell m
story as it concerns her in my owl
way, young man; 1 don't think ther
will be any too much time. They sa,
wild oats are like distemper: If your
young you get over them, but if the
come on you late in life, it is hopeless
There's kind of health resort a fey
miles back in the hills here calle
Greenbrier Springs. with hotel an
sanitarium combined where gainblin
used to be wide open, ! went ther
now and again for the baths and III
2 gambling fever got me. ] was alway
careful, SO careful that not a hint c
it came out at my trial, but there wa
many a quiet little game there benin
closed doors when the sky was the limit
DOROTHY DARNIT-4