Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-28
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Sso~y OF, Woman's Transturmatioa.
~ MARION RUBlNCAM.
MORE HAPPENINGS. YIN

Chapter NClI.
I followed Francis into the building
Without saving word IL WAS one of
The downtown police headquarters, the
first had ever been in. We went through
hong corridors, with vaultcd ceilings of
redllsh hrlck that made our footsteps echo
oddly. We went up an elevator and through
more corridors, and saw no one but oc-
eas,onal men IN the regulation police blue.
Aud finally We entered an enormous
raom, brightly lighted at one end where
there werc desks ON platform. A number
ol policemen were standing about, ana
moe hooking young man with stenog-
raphcrs note book and an array oil
pnnted pencils. Below the desks were rows
ul ,,mptv hanchcs, which ran back INTO
the shadows of the unlighted part oi the
room. The whole effect was curious ana
unreal especially when | realized that
this WAS Christmas night. :.
e~t here" Francis said, indicating
one OF the front benches 49,,
sat down and stared about me- Nhere
was Rud9 And who we're all these other
men ont of uniformY There were perhaps
30 of ~ in the room.
Ir,ncis had walked over to one OF the
men. tall. rather handsome man IN
h,r coat lie had huge nose and chm
that stood far out, and the ColdeSt gray
ewes ! had ever seen IN anyones lace.
The two came towards me
mir Mills, my lawyer, tranGis
said "Ceorpe. my hancee, Miss Haines.
I held out my hand. A little wave OF
warmth and pleasure went through me;
was Francis hancco' lie did love me-
turned o. smile at him lttle, and the
sense of depression which had come over
me when / entered the place, began
o. wear of.
R,t Francis had again forgotten me-
lie did not even see my snile' A,,ei ,
the conventionaly polite greeting, MT
Nlus turned away and the two men
began going over some notes together,
gradually walking away from noe. 90
1 sat quite alone IN front OF the vast
array al ,mptV desolate, benches, ana
watchcd the little drama work its2t
out
n was quite as though n play were
lo,ry staged for me alone, SINCE every
ON, els, IN the room s,oned To play some
part al II Even the uniformed men that
Thought did nothing but guard doors,
we're kent busy running crrands.
A door hchind the platform opened,
and an eldorly man entered. Everyone
stood at attention, so to speak, ana TURN
"a to him as he look his scat at the desk,
~ | Judged the curtain was up ana the
FIRST net had begun.
I examined him closely He, too, wore
the pohcc uniform, hut a very We u tailor
"a one. with much impressive gold braid
On IL Tie had great pornpadour OF gray
white hair and clear, curt voice that was
usually pleasant
The circumstances ARE unusual, gen
tlemen,' be- began. "But IN view OF
some new evidence, | felt justified IN
calling the hearing thus evening. lie
went through what seemed Co be some
routine court business, then someone
eot up and summarized the case. All
thus / WAS familiar with, but ! listened
eagerly aud tried 20 understand every
word
rroscntly another door opened. and
with a policeman on each side OF nm
bud came inl
i shsl never forget the shock | felt
M the sight II the lad under such con-
shtiour- practicN"- n prisoner, really
criminal in the ,-ss Of the law untll
F.anc,s and tho man with tho hard gray
ewes cnuhi provo HIM innocent
Drawn hv my gaze. Bud turned and
saw me | tried 90 smile IN a reassur-
inc manner AZ him, but Of the two, !
think | was more frightened Bud turned
a. look capcrv AZ Francis, but Francis
hack Vas turned and he did not see Bud
until the bov was sent 10 the witness char
Rut first a police officer was pat on
the stand
n saw a cnnmotion and lot OF peo-
pie, be SAID, after answering few pre-
hminarv questions. 80 | went up, and
there, IN the middle Of the crowd, looking
sort of dazed, was this lad. he swung
around and regarded Bud with a friendly
eye
Was he hurt" . lawyer asked.
His eyes was shut, and he had mark
On his forehead, but he opened has eyes
about A. soon A. got there, and then he
elapred his hand 90 his side. and said
something about a wallet and money.
slpid YOU notice any cabs. or auto
hurryinr away from the place? the lawyer
asked.
AS soon as | saw il was a robbery
case. | looked up. but there are always
cars huTrylug IN those streets, and by
the time the hoy opened hIs ewes and began
A. taIk. there must have been two minutes
PASSED You know how confusing IT rs
Yourself. sir in that jam on the street"
Never mind that Then what did YOU
do
Obviously the policeman who made
the arres, was trying 20 cover up any
possible negligence on his part. And
even / rcalixed how easily one car might
lose itself IN the dense trafii OF lower New
York IN the middle Of the day.
Call the prisoner, someone sand. j
jumped a little Prisoner-what a ter
rlhc name Bud, his face ohalky white,
walked up 10 the witness chair, and took
thc oath.
Iomorow-His Evidence.