Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-06

ConyriEht. 1919. BY Robert NJ. Mcbride g. @
THIS STARTS THE STORY
A dinner party is being held at the
home of Colonel and Mrs. Ledyard.
( Among those present are their daugh-
ter, Trixy her friend, Bebe Cowles ;
Cornelius Swarthmore, Wendle Brad
dock and Mrs. Allison Hartshorne.
Mrs. Hartshorne's past history is
clothed in mystery. In her presence
mention is made of the release from
prison of the president of the River
ton Bank after serving four years of
twenty year sentence for conver-
sion of the banks funds Mrs. Hart
shorne suddenly leaves under the pre-
tense of a severe headache. She is
accompanied by Swarthmore. who ex-
presses his love for her and obtains
her promise of marriage. She sees
a face at the window which nils her
with terror, the significance of which
Is not revealed. She is found dead on
the floor in the morning by her sus-
piciously acting French maid Ma,
tide. Detective Paul Harvey ana
other officers arrive on the scene. Inc
officers believe Matilde is conceaing
information from them. Harvey
brings out various facts by the qucs-
tioning of servants and other wit
nesses-Mrs. Hartshorne $ pecullarlty
in keeping large sums of money loose
about the house; her carelcssness WIN
her Jewels. Harvey asks Rose Adare,
= social secretary, in close touch Win
Mrs. Hartshornes friends, to assist
him in unraveling the mystery. bra9-
dock admits to Harvey that 1t Wo was ne
who sent Mrs. Hartshorne the S3Z'
OoO nearl necklace. that she promised
To he his wife and that an antagon-
ism exists between him and SWARM
more. whom he accuses OF unscrupu-
lous business methods.
Miss Ledyard is accused by Harvey
of the murder because of Jealousy. She
denies the accusation, but admits thuC
Mrs. Hartshorne was killed at her
mothers home and that she had tne
body removed in the middle OF the
night to the woman.s own nome.
Harvey hears from Miss Adare what
happened at the funeral.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
saTHn coffin was down " the center inter
L aisle, in front of the altar, with
n few big set-looking floral pieces
grouped around it. The service had
started and the choir was chanting
when an old man tottered down the
aisle past me toward the altar. lie
looked almost seventy, tall and stoop-
ing, with scant white hair and the
palest face l ever saw; like wax, ana
deeply lined. ! shouldn't have noticed
him particularly but for the way his
watery eyes were fixed on the CONN
with stare as if he were walking IN
his sleep. He kept right on until ne
stood beside the casket and laid his
trembling old hand on it. An usher
came from behind me and led him back
and he looked rather bewildered.
doctor Perrine was eloquent in her
praise, but you could see he WASH
any too pleased to be conducting the
service. I'll wager he was shaking IN
his boots to think of what the woman
he was eulogizing might turn out to
have been or done before ever she set
foot in his aristocratic parish. l fancy
others were thinking the same thing,
for once somebody in the pew just be-
hind me laughed right out; not loudly
but a sort of scornful, derisive chuckle.
ST looked around quickly to see who
it could have been. There were two fat
women in the pew, an old man with his
mouth open and his hand cupped be-
hind his ear, a girl scribbling away in a
note book, an old lady shifting and eat
ing peppermints, a dark, thin, young
man with a smooth face and bold
black eyes. He gave me a sharp look
and / turned around again; but it was
easy to see they were all just there from
curiosity.
''After the service was over ] went
out and waited in the vestibule as you
told me to do. Jenny and the cook
came out together, talking so busily
they never noticed me, and though |
stood there until everybody had gone, I
didn't see a thing more that would have
Interested you, Mr.. Harvey. The people
all seemed solemn, but there wasn't
One who looked as if that death meant
to them, one way or the
other"
e''It was good of you to have fol-
lowed my instructions so exactly, Miss
Adare." Paul paused and glanced at
her. II wonder il you would be willing
TO help me still further? There is
something that only you can accomplish
for me"
"Oh, what is it?" She halted and
turned sparkling eyes upon him. "I'll
do anything in the world that l cam"
Don't promise rashly," he warned.
''Wbat if should ask you to renounce
for the time being the principle on
which you have built up your business;
to carry, not to seek information, and
to do it blindly without even knowing
why? Would you be willing TO do that
In order to help me get at the TRUTH"
She eyed him uneasily. "Just what
Is it you want me to do, Mr.. Harvey"
"Gossipn' he replied briefly. II
want you to gossip most outrageously;
to carry such a tale as will make the
cannot tell you my reasons. but it is
vitality important that a certain bit of
news should reach Mrs, Cowles without
delay. You would not be telling any
absolute falsehood, for the story you
would repeat has a solid basis of fact.
IL will not make any trouble for you
IL Mrs. Cowles is discreet, and / think
/ can promise that she will be- she will
have the best OF reasons for not per-
mitting what you tell her to go any
farther. VIII you do this, Miss Adare?'
She drew deep breath.
Its asking a good deal, Mr.. Har-
vey, for | vowed that I'd never let
tattling word pass my lips in business,
l.