The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-10-29

to show me how shockin' it was-me
bein' there alone
"Cut it!' l says. Then 1 gets an
idea. fYou see," 1 says, lowerin' my
voice, "you see, I'm lady detective"
says, like thought lady detective
would say it. Anyhow, it worked.
ooh, yes'm," he says, real respect
full. What can 1 do for your"
There's guy here-George Rut-
LEDGE l says.
| He looks blank-or tries to! he
couldn't improve much on nature. 81
don't know" he says.
well, 1 do,' 1 says. 81 know he's
here-'qause I tracked him here!"
("Tracked"-some word, heb? Pm
some little detective!.
"Er-yes'm he's here!" he says.
LEAD me to him!" / orders.
Pardon" he says. "Mr. Rutledge
is not TO be disturbed"
opened my purse, real careless,
and slipped him nice, crackly paper
bill. Where did you say Mr.. Rut-
ledge was?" l asks sweet.
"Er-er- Right this way, miss"
he says, as nice, and leads me across
the room to closed docs, He's in
there" he private dinin"
room!"
Il see," says. Mice young lady
with him." l says, lookin' straight at
him.
He hesitates, kind O. feelin' O. my
nice, cracky bill. Yes'm." he says.
"Thanks!" says. "Oh, by the way"
says, when wild-eyed young man
blows in, askni for Miss Bronson, an
wailin' about Maggie-show him in
here. Get me?"
"Y-yes'm!" he says, just as nice.
It's amazin' how much obedience you
can buy for IS, now, when everything's
so high.
The waiter person does a quick
fade away, and without stoppin' to
knock, I opens the door O. that pri-
vate dinin' room and walks right in.
Say-speakin' of your third act situa-
| ton!
Maggie was sittin' all huddled down
in a chair on one side of the table,
and Rutledge was tryin' to get her
to "be a good sport, little girl" an
introduce her insides to cocktail.
And Maggie, all limp and scared,
was mumblin', ooh, pleased" All the
| shine was gone out of her eyes, too,
and she looked at you like your pet
dog does when you strike him.
They hadn't noticed me, so now
takes my action cue. "How do you
| dol" l says most awful sweet. "Are
the contracts finished-Mr. Rutledge?"
1 says. Take it from me, / held the
stage. $780,.
"O-o-oh, Lillian" Maggie yells, and
begins cryin', now as there's no need
of it. Rutledge springs up like
jack-in-the-box when you let loose O.
the lid; and he says one word, real
loud; but that was enough.
l let the silence make noise for
a while. Then 1 says to Maggie,
Don't blubber-your nose will be all
red when Jack comes!"
| "J-J-Jack!" she gasps, lettin' it out
loud, like the air goin out O. your
back tires when you got company in
the Car.
YEAH" 1 says, cuttin in on some
more of Rutledge's remarks. He's
comm to take you home!"
ooh, I'm so glad!" she sobs. 'This
amt like 1 thought it'd be-"
at is" 1 says, "It most always
amt" i-
Then turns to Rutledge. 81 think
you'd better beat it," 1 says. "And
you'll need another stenographer-als
bookkeeper! and l think possibly
there's better towns than this is for
you to migrate to-
My, he went right up! "You can't
bulldoze me! he says, bluffin'. "Not
any more'n you could before. You
can't drive me out O. here!'
"Oh, I wouldn't think of such
thing" l says. But you won't be
very popular in these parts when tell
some things know about contracts"
WELL" he says, gettin' nasty, 81
can tell a few things about you-an'
| what YOU"
"Why don't you?" says real quick.
"Why didn't you tell all about me
when you first came "