Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-29

| crush Win colonel Ledyeru ana W.
went to his den for quiet smoke. Mr.
Harvey, 1 did not see Mrs. Hartshorn'
again"
He added the last sentence will
marked impressiveness. ..
| What did you do when you discov.
cred her disappearance from the Led
yards?"
'I came directly home here. myself
and cndeavorcd to telephone her, but
her house number would not answer.
supposed, of course, that her maids
had long since retired and that she her
self was asleep. and | made no further
effort to disturb her. I was wretched
in the morning attack of lie.
and had to send for the doctor. 1t was
afternoon before | was able to sit up
| was on the point of calling her up
once more when-when extras were
shouted upon the streets"
what time was it when you re
turned to your home from the Led
ynrds?"
after O'Clock in the morning "
BraddoCk moved uneasily in his chair.
at was an inexcusable hour to have
tclephoned, but l was anxious; | could
not understand Mrs. Hartshorne having
left without making an effort to find
me, unless she were ill. In the light
Of what did happen | understand it less
than ever. What could have sent her
home to her death? Who killed herr"
81 hope to be able to answer those
questions some day, Mr.. Braddock. "
l'aul smiled slightly, and then his face
grew grave. Did your butler or valet
wait up for your return from the Led =
yards or did you let yourself into the
house,"
George is both valet and butler to
me, for | have not entertained at home
since my sister died. He always waits
up for me, no matter at what hour |
| return"
lie did so on Thursday EVENING"
Paul insisted
"Of course" Braddock's tone was
sharp with surprise.
Did you retire Immediately after
attempting to get Mrs. Hartshorne on
the wire or did you go out again."
AT that hour? Certainly not,
| SIR The pasty hue of the banker S
countenance had turned dull notified
purple. ''lf you are trying to connect
ME with that hideOus affair, your in =
ference is an outrage, What with nv
! touch of liver coming on and NV anx-
iety over Mrs. HartshOrne, | had very
bad night.
Mr.. Braddock, Paul paid no
heed to the others indignation-''d
any one learn of Mrs. Hartshorne's en-
gagoment to you? Could any one have
obtained an inkling of it,"
Not unless Mrs. Hartshorne herself
told them. and | am sure she would on
no account mention it. 1t was she. not
:, who wished to keep it secret" He
paused and then added with greater en-
phasls, as though to reassure himself
NO one could have even suspected it.
mad been most guarded, most dis
erect in my attentions to her up to the
moment of my proposal. There could
have been nothing in the demeanor of
either of us during the dance to sug-
gest that the status of our relations
had changed from the cordial friendship
we had previously maintained"
Paul leaned forward and gazed
straight into his hosts shrinking ewes.
MIR. BraddOck, it has come to my
attention through several sources that
bad blood exists between you and Mr..
Cornelius Swarthmorc. Is this true?''
II shouldn't 60 so far as to say
that" Braddock replied cautiously
He is of younger generation, more
pushing and progressive, and his tinan
clal methods are INSCRIPTIONS, accord
/ ing to my more conservative point o
view. ! have blocked more than onC
of his schemes which ! am convinced
were not strictly on the level. But
could have proved nothing against him
he is too wary. Naturally we are 4
swords points in a business way, bu
as we are constantly enCountering eacl
other socially we have not permitted
our antagonism to come TO an OpeI
breach. | should call it merely a mu
tual, tacitly understood dislike
do you cecall coliding with him il
the ballroom doorway at the Ledyard
during the early part of the evening"
"Yes. 1t was when | had come fror
the den to look for Mrs. Hartshornc.
, , had not succeeded in finding her, an
was on my way to the smoking roor
\ as told you, when ! thought, / woul
take a last glance about the ballroom
Mr.. Swarthmore seemed to be rather i
7 hurry" he paused.
"He was rude, was he not? Almos
!. insulting in his manner" Paul pur
I sued.
The other waved a magnanimou
hand.
II ignored it. Swarthmore and hi
moods are of no moment to me.
' was not in n frame of mind to be an
noyed by trihes."
You were aware, of course-yo
Il must have becn-of his attentions t
y Mrs. Hartshorne?"
. Braddock's weak eyes snapped ar
y grily.
= They we're no more than the at
', tentiOns of others in our set. l shoul
have warned her of what manner
;, man he was, and his reputation wit
" women, had there been need, but cou
= see that she was not encouraging hir
= She was discretion itself. And h,
" nature seemed so simple, so open! Ho
could / have been SO taken in?"
'' THE fact that she has been foul
murdered by some person as yet un
known does not necessarily suggest thu
Mrs. Hartshorne was the designing nd