The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1920-08-26

Bile to dine and dance. obseyyed the
CLEAN Of satisfaction that came into
her eyes a. sNhe heard me mention our
destination.
At first we talked, in Broadway
fashion, Of the theaters and restau-
rants, Of the place we were in, Of the
people at the fables about rs. but
gradually led the conversations 10
Miss Kelly herself and to her work.
In the apartment. f.
"It was funny wasn't IT,. / said,
about Mr.. Wick insisting on your
coming with met I had notion he
didn't like mesn
Hitherto my companion had beef
most vivacions chatting merrily, fash
ing back at my sallles with clever bits
of that slnngy repartee of which most
Of the metropolitan business girls are
such clever mistresses. At my last re-
mark a quick change came esoS6r her
face. II was as IL mask had been
set up between us behind which she
was hiding from me.
II guess he likes you," she answer
ed guardedly. II never heard him say
one way or the other"
while we're talking about the
apartment" went on, "did my great
uncle happen to leave forwarding
address with your There are some
things want to send him-scme
pearls they left behind-and he has
not written me yet where his address
will be-"
had not Intended to mention the
CASTOR pearls. I had slipped that
phrase in on the spur of the moment.
but little was l prepared for the as
founding effect my words had upon
her.
1.-THE pearisfr she gasped. turning
white. You're going to send him the
CASTOR pearlsfr
There was note Of amazement Of
incredulity In her tone.
Excuse me-" she said, rising IN.
expectedly, II gottn telephone"
BeforenT could sgather nay wits to-
getherr she had vanished, leaving me
sitting there. staring after her in dis
may. What did she--the telephone
girl-know about the CASTOR pearlsf
How could she possibly know that
they were mlssingf had told no one
no one except Barbara Bradford
about the rihed wall safe. How could
her excitement and perturbation be
accounted for except by the fact that
she knew Of their lossf Twas sitting
there. puzzllng over her mysterious
conduct, when I became awgSg that
a man was standing beside my table.
| glarlng down at me. looked up, ex-
pecting to see the waiter. or head
waiter. Instead Il was man in a
dinner Jacket stocky, broad-shoul.
dered chap with close-cropped gray
mustache.
"You're got your nerve" he sneered
at me. Bringing a woman OF that
sort here"
"a woman Of what sortf" 1 asked
eagerly, surprised to find someone in
a place of this sort who knew the
Granddeck's telephone girl.
"Why Lefty Moore's wife. Of
course"
81 don't understand" / replied, 'rm
here with Miss Kelly"
"oh, she told you that vas her
name. did shef"
II know It's her name. She's tile
telephone girl IN the apartment where
live-ths Granddeck."
l could see his hammer toward me
change at the mention Of my abode
but he was stiil insistent about the
identity Of my companion
"How well do you know herr he
asked.
"Well"-I am afraid l colOred, as
: realized that my acquaintance with
the girl was limlted-"Pve been livlna
there for week or 90, and I've talk
ed with her two or three times and
, Il thought so.v said my inquisitor
, There's nothing to It. She's Left
Moore's woman all right II I'd seer
you come In with her. you'd nevel
have got table In this place"
: "What is the matter with herf Wh,
! is Lefty MOoreT'
: An expression Of amaSement cam
: into the mans face
t did you never hear tell Of Left,
: Moore, the cleverest three-time bur
. glar there is In or out Of Sing Sing
I Fourteen years he got the last time
! and 1t was quite a write-up the paper
. gave me for catching him."
. 1t began to dawn on me then VIII
: the man was. He must be an expo
liceman employed as the restauran
bouncer or house detective.
ii you're sure Miss Kelly and Left
= Moore's wife are the same personf