Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-09-02


Barbara Bradford, arriving on the dot
OF one. She was there awaiting me
and we quickly found secluded nble
in one Of the less conspicuous rooms.
"Tve told Claire everything she
said as soon as we were seated. i
hope you're not angry with me-
"0f course not You had TO tell
her. am sorry TO have frightened
her"
"She shouldn't have gone to your
room. That's just like her, though.
She always acts on the spur Of the
moment. She's awfulIy worried, too
poor girl"
"We can save her" said.
"why," she asked quickly, what
have you learned?"
II was convinced that they must
have someone in the house aiding
them. I've found out who it Is. It's
the telephone girl-Nellie Kelly is the
name she goes by"
81 can't believe it," cried tine girl.
shocked at my statement. "She's only
a girl like myself. | have talked TO
her lots of times. I'm certain there's
nothing wicked or wrong about her."
"Tm afraid there is | explained.
II took her out to dinner last night to
the White Room. The house detective,
while she was off telephoning, prac-
tically ordered me out of the place be-
cause l was with her. She's notorious.
Her husband is Lefty Moore, a well.
known burglar. He's in Sing Sing
now Detective German arrested him.
He ought to know"
"Oh, the poor girl" exclaimed Miss
Bradford, tears yelling up in her eyes.
I'm so sorry for her."
'But think of your sister. Think
what they are trying TO do with Miss
Kelly's aid"
'But how do you know she's aiding
them?
81 don't know it. But do know that
nobody could pull off all the things
that have been happening in the
Granddeck without some one there
helping them. We've found someone
used to helping criminals-a criminals
wife. Isn't that enough? All we need
to do now is to watch her closely
and fasten the thing on her"
How are you going to do that|'
THAT'S why insisted on your COM
ing here today. am to meet Detective
German at three feel that he could
aid us, and l think we ought to tell
him everything"
"Tell the police!' Her face grew
white at tie thought. Wouldn't that
mean a scandal-the newspapers and
all that sort Of thing?"
shook my head decisively.
"Gorman's not with the police now.
He is employed as hotel detective.
But he Is just the man we need to help
us. He knows all about criminals and
how to track them. With his aid we
can quickly clear the whole thing up"
"Will you have to tell him every.
th;ng--aDoutl Claire's marriage?"
"Weve either got to tell him every.
thing or nothing"
"Oh, how wish we did not have to.
The more people there are who know
about things the more likely they are
to become public"
"Yet you trusted me with your sis-
ters secret"
She gave me quick glance of con-
fidence.
you're different"
I'm afraid most people would lot
agree with you. They would regard
me as worthless, discredited young
fellow out of a job"
"But it's nor your fault"
1.-THE point Is" went on, that we
have reached a place where we need
expert advice. German has fOrtuitous-
" turned up to give it. The only way
is to tell him everything"
For a moment she debated the mat
ter silently, her pretty forehead puck
cred In thought.
"Yes," she said at last, 81 suppose
1t is the only way. But won't he want
a lot of money for his services?"
an attend to that" I answered.
"Tll make my great-uncle reward him
handsomely for recovering the CASTOR
jewels"
IF he does"
HE must We've got to get them
back"
From her handbag she produced
the anonymous letters che had re-
ceived and handed them ~ me.
"Will you want to show the detective
thesep
Eyes, l think I had better. The
whole tale sounds so preposterous that
l need every bit of corroborative evil
dence we can muster"
For half an hour we fingered over
the table, discussing all the aspects OF
the case. Eventually / think l per-
suaded Miss Bradford that the evil
dence pointed most damDingly to the
telephone girl as one of the conspira-
tors or at least one of their aides. She
was eager to know what plan of action
German would advise and as we part
ed we arranged TO be at our adjoining
windows at ten that evening In order
that we might have another chat.