Charlevoix county herald., 1920-03-12

here with Miss Kelly"
"Oh. she told you that was her
name, did she?"
81 know it's her name. She's the
telephone girl in the apartment where
I live-the Granddeck."
I could see his manner toward me
change at the mention Of my abode,
but he was still insistent about the
identity of my companion.
SLOW well do you know herr" he
asked.
"Well"-I am afraid ! cOlOred. as
realized that my acquaintance with
the girl was limited-"Tve been living
there for a week or so, and I've talk.
ed with her two or three times and
81 thought So" said my inquisitor
There's nothing 10 it. She's Lefty
MOore's woman all right. If I'd seen
you come In with her. you'd never
have got a table in this place"
"What is the matter with her? Who
is Lefty Moore?"
into the mans face.
did you never hear tell Of Lefty
Moore, the cleverest three-time bur-
glar there is in or out of Sing Sing?
Fourteen years he got the last time,
and it was quite write-up the papers
gave me for catching him."
1t began to dawn on me then who
the man was. He must be an expo
liceman employed as the restaurant
bouncer or house detective.
you're sure Miss Kelly and Lefty
Moore's wife are the same person.
"I've reasons for not forgetting her.
She was with him that time when !
took him. I've got the marks Of her
nails in my face yet. It's her all
right. even if she has gone TO work
as Miss Kelly while Lefty's doing his
stretch. She's a bad one. she is"
as she crook, too?" l asked ex-
citedly. l was trying to measure up
the Importance Of this astounding bit
Of information. Already my deduc-
tons had convinced me that some
band of criminals was In collusion
with someone in the apartment who
was carrying out their plots against
the Bradfords and me. had been
thinking Of an apartment surreptl-
tiously tenanted by a criminal gang.
How much more likely that an en-
ployee Of the place was in the pay
Of the plotters! And now to learn
that the telephone girl was, If not q
criminal herself, at least the associ-
ate of criminals.
"She's got no record that l know
Of" the detective admitted, "but she
couldn't be Lefty Moore's wife with
out being a crook herself"
THAT helps explain things" said
more to myself than to him.
Explains what2" he asked SUSPECT
ously.
Look here" l said with a new de-
termination. There have been some
mysterious happenings in the Grand
deck, and | brought this girl here to
try to pump her, asked her ques-
ton or two, and she became much
embarrassed and confused. She jump
ed up and said she was going to the
telephone. Do you suppose that she
saw you and recognized YOU"
mot a chance" said the detective.
"Weil, I'd like to find out to whom
she teiepboped. Can you find out for
mer
"Sure I can. but you got to get her
out of here"
GAIL right" / replied. "As soon as
she returns to my table, I'll pay my
check and we'll leave. I'll be back
by and by and see if you've learned
anything"
"Here she comes s6w." said the de-
tectiYe. hastily taking his departure,
but I noticed that he had stationed
himself behind some palms where he
could watch the girl without being
seen.
"Wbo was the fellow talking to you
as i came upr asked Miss Kelly
curiously.
She was cool and collected now.
Her telephone message-if she had
been really phoning-seemed 10 some
way TO have fortified her.
"Oh. that fellow" replied with as
sumed careiessness, shat was the
manager of the place"
"What'd he want?'
''NOthing In particular. He Inst
asked IL everything was all right.
WhyT
"He looked to me like bull-like a
detective used to know" she hastily
corrected herself.
Her slip Ia using the thieves slang
phrase served to aid Ia convincing me
that my informant had been correct In
his Identification. ] was as anxious
now as the house detective to get her
out OF the restaurant, end summoning
the waiter FASTENED to pay my check.
Lets stey for a couple Of dances"
she suggested.