The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1920-05-15
AMATEUR sLEu1H
sy MARGUERITE !. slvG.

Alice Cain stood on the front stops
and waved laughing farewell to her
father and mother and little brother.
Bobby. They were going on an ail-tAy
trip to the harvest fair In the next
county.
When they had turned the last
corner which hid them from sight. she
turned hack into the house with sigh.
She stood for . moment with arms
akimbo. ;i
"Now. what rhaIi have for dInner9"
I have Just had breakfast. hut might
Just ~ well get dinner ready now aud
then Will not have to bother about Il
later. and l can read or do something
interesting" she said to herself.
Aiics went into the winter cellar.
where the potatoes. preserves and dry
vegetables were kpt. She had been
bending over the potato barrel for mo
ments before size Strengthened up to
rest her back. She was halfway up
when she caught her breath. "What
was that1" From behind her; no. II
was over her head. came a distinct
sound A. of q sigh. She waited. Per
haps II would cotne again. There
could not possibly be anyone In the
cellar. And II there was, what would
she dor She did mot move for several
moments. Then just as distinctly. as
II someone was beside her, the nofke
came again. II was Z sigh. Someone
was IN that cellar.
She picked up the dish Of potatoes.
and after waiting again for several
more moments. she stepped. out Into
the main cellar. Nothing was here,
surely. She went on--her heart stood
still. What was that under the staIrs1
She peered Into the darkness. Some
thing was lying prone upon the hOor.
SonefhIng long and black. Fear seem.
ed to have fed. but courage had not
come. She went nearer. In the dusk
nothing was distinct. She knelt and
pat her hand out. Why. It was Jerry.
Jerry! Jerry!" she called; but he
did not move. She touched his nose.
II was ley. Surely he wasn't dead!
She called again. but he did not an
swer.
"Who had done this?" 1t was all
that she asked. There should be some
signs. no criminal can completely Gov
er his tracks. She went slowly hack.
looking on the floor quite closely NO
that nothing could escape her. In front
Of the furnace lay white square of
cloth. II vac q handkerchief. She
picked It up and. looking carefully.
saw that IN one corner were two hand
embroidered initials, q double "R."
How did Ralph Riders handkerchief
come to be In the celiarf Surely he
could not have done the decd. but here
was proof that he had been In the Gel.
lar.
Ralph Rider lived next door to the
Gains. His family had moved there
about a year before America had en-.
tered the war. He had served his time
In the army and had returned = few
months previous.
Alice went on further. On a shelf
at one side was q stack Of old news
papers which dated back three or four
years. She bent over and felt around.
Suddenly her hand struck something.
She picked 1t up and looked at II. II
was a gold cuff link and looked ~ II
II might have been there for some time.
Her eyes were on q level with nail
upon which hung a long metal chain.
Her vexation was forgotten In the sur
prise Of finding the chain. She took
1t down to examine It. hut only too well
she knew that II was Ralph's leash for
his dog.
She waited no longer but ran swift.
" across the lawn through the hedge
and to the back door Of Ralph's house.
Ralph answered the door himself to
her Imperative rap. His bright sunny
smile changed to good natured perplex-
ity and then slowly. very slowly 10
wrath. Finally he lifted his hand for
her to stop and then very quietly said:
II know nothing about whit you are
talking nbout."
Finally. after ages and ages. when
the shadows had commenced to flicker
across the parior carpet. the automo.
bile drove into the yard. Alice plnced
the supper on the table for now tina,
her family was here. she could walt
little longer before telling them.
They had been seated about the
table for short time when her father
looked up and saw 4 heart-breakInr
look on Alice's face.
"why. what's upi" he Inquired. And
then she told them tire whole story
sparins nothing. even to what she had
said TO Ralph. They listened quietl,
and then Bobby snickered:
"WclI." said his father. "out Witt
H."
"Well." sid Bobby, II was out walk
ing with itaIph the other day and had
left my handkerchief at home ard
Ralph let me take his must have lost
It when was In the cellar this moro
ing. And don't you remember. sn,
when you were looking for those old