The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-15

seated at his desk waiting for the in
flux.
. ITS ridiculous" he reflected. in
fact, it's absolutely foolish, but it will
bring results
1t did. The would-be actresses stop
ped the elevator service and lined the
stairways all the way down the six
flights to the street. The first girl to
apply had yellow hair and blue eyes.
The second had freckles, red hair and
eyes of no particular shade. And so on
they came, and as fast as they entered
one door Willard politely escorted
them to another and let them out
without ceremony.
The thirteenth applicant put diff
ferent aspect on matters As near as
willard could determine she filled the
bill.
MY name is Minnie Flonton," she
said in a voice tht was SO pleasant it
started a humping in WIZARDS
breast. He suddenly discovered that
there was an organ inside him that
pulsated regularly and could be af-
fected by shocks. Willard was shock
ed, there was no question. Possessing
a nature with only a void where senti-
ment was suppose to have a place and
with a mind that was analytical al
most to the extent of methodical, he
had not dreamed that pretty pair of
eyes and an equally pretty voice could
of his that he had come to believe was
no more animated than the ones found
on valentines.
Mime Flonton was from Sparks
burg, she said, and she was seeking a
position back of the feotiishts only
because every other thing she had at
tempted as a means of providing food
and shelter had failed. She was des-
perately in need of some kind of
job, she said, with tears yelling in
her eyes, and il she didn't get one soon
she would Just starve, that was ALL
She certainly has the making of
an actress" Willard was forced to
confess to himself Her story rings
so true l am almost inclined to believe
it, in spite of my contrary knowl-
edge" Then he added: II almost
wish it was true. / believe l could
learn-but no, not a rich mans daugh-
ter Impossible
''rn try you out for the place." he
told her, and he obtained a room for
her in a nearby hotel and started
| campaign to break down her story $50
he could take her home to Papa Wit
ticonb and earn his fee, which was
not going to be frugal, what with Of
flee rent, newspaper advertisements,
etc. All his traps failed, however She
chung to the Sparksburg- out ofla Job
tale. He quizzed her over dinner ta-
bles and during theatrical perform
that some strange spell which she
seemed to have woven about him tight
ened its talons,
At last the detective gave it up and
decided the only plan was to bring
Papa Witticomb' to his daughter. He
would rather have delivered the miss
ing daughter to her paternal abode in
a taxicab. That would have been
| more business-like and detectified; but
it couldn't be done. So he went back
| to his regular office and called Mr.
Witticomb ON the phone.
''Oh, that's Mr.. Holmes, is it?" said
the voice on the other end of the wire.
| well that reminds me, I intended
calling you up>to tell you all about it.
but it slipped my mind. Ny daughter
! came homo the same evening L en-
\ ployed you on the case. You see, she
changed her mind, and instead of
| going to see Matte Haskell she went
4 to Jean Spragues home. She tried
to get us on the phone to tell us she
was going to stay all night, but the
! phone didn't work, so she decided to
stay anyhow. I hope 1 didn't put you
to any inconvenience, Mr.. Holmes. If
did l want to thank you for your
trouble"
ooh. not at ALL" said Willard, dryIy.
| hanging up the receiver. He sat there
before the phone, scowlfng darkly I'M
til picture of that little girl down
at the hotel took form in his mind
With it came an idea that made him
bounce from the office and into a
taxicab that whisked him to the hotel
In few seconds he knocked at Minnie
F'lonton's door, and that pleasant, tink-
ling little voice told him to come
| in"
So, you see. this is not a regular de-
tective story, because in the regular
kind the hero is not permitted to fall
in love and get married. 1t interferes
| with the plot or the technique, or
something.
Copyright, 1919. by the Mcclure News
| paper Syndicate.)