The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-11-28

in here. thinking shs might be uuttJ.
but she talks straight enough. Secr<
tive a. the devil. though. Calls hers
self Swain. Guess she's got q good
education. didn't get anything out
Of her." n
Billy knew the lieutenant well
enough to be sure that he was keep.
Ing nothing up his sleeve. 1t was prob
ably merely case Of a well-brought-
up but incapable girl fallen on Ill
times, who had lost her nerve but not
her pride. Young as he was the boy
had run across more than one such
case In his police station experience.
But as he hoped q car for the
fourth precinct Billy was still thinking
about that girl and the haunting re-
semblance. Ten seconds after that he
had hoped on the car again In the
middle of the block and was on his
way to Grove street on a run. Billy
had remembered Something news
paper photograph Of many weeks ago.
Mrs. Shanahan's was easy to find,
and the persuasive Billy induced that
reluctant lady to take him up to her
dodgers room and Introduce him to her
In his correct character as a represent
alive Of the Herald. The ledger, whom
they found sitting at the window Of
her stuffy room. hadn't q chance to
escape the interview. Billy opened up
the instant Mrs. Shanahan was gone. =
you are Beatrice Orton." It was q
statement, not aQuestion.
The girl looked at Billy stonily.
For three months the police Of the
country have been hunting for you, and
your stiff-necked father has given you
up as dead. Meantime you have been
hiding under q disguise that not one
woman In ten thousand of your class
could successfully assume-that of an
ordinary working girl. You could, be-
cause you worked In the settlements
and know them"
Still there was no reply. The girl
looked out Of the window.
II know what none Of the rest of
them know-that you didn't even see
At to let your father know--that your
disappearance Is due to revulsIon over
what you thought you had found out
about Chester Alling."
The girl rose from her chair. II
shall ask you to leave-"she began.
Presently" interrupted Billy. but
Chef Alling happens to have been my
best friend on earth, and have duty
to perform toward him."
"As a newspaper reporterT There
was Icy sarcasm In the girls tone.
Newspapers be blowed. AS a man
and as friend. Listen. Alling's ia
ther, as you know, was legal adviser
of the American peace conferees. He
had possession of certain knowledge
on the treaty, documentary stuff; II
would have been of untold value to
political clique In Washington. It was
known that the one person who could
steal that information was Chester.
They knew he was beyond approach.
So they plotted to compromise him
with that Baroness Coigney, with three
or four of her clique of crooked adven-
turers as witnesses. Then they ped
died the news to you, through two
hands, secretly. Also they let Chester
know that II he would get the docu-
ments for them they would swear that
the whole business was a rotten lie
as 1t was. OF course Chester refused
and then you beat 1t without giving
him chance to talk"
The girl had gone white. "But why
didn't somebOdy-how do l know you
are not the liar? You are newspa-
per man. are you not7 Why didn't you
print this story-why didn't anybody?"
Because 1t couldn't be proved
legally. They could outswear Alling
five or six to one. And besides the
newspapers don't know 1t. Haven't
you any faith at all? Do you know
that Chester Alling has done absolute
ly nothing for three months but hunt
for you while you have been eating
your heart out and running your health
in this mad escapade of the sulks?"
"What-what snail dor"
"Stay here for one day and let me
wire to Chef. VIII you do that?"
Eyes; oh, oh, yes! 1t has been aw.'
full! Awfuli"
Billy sent the wire and then he went
back to the office and justified his nick
name. He itched-itched all over to
write the best scoop that ever came
into the Herald Office. But he didn't.
Chacfor AJItpU htc ho.< e.t~~l