The herald., 1921-10-27
The Black Faced
"Sleuths"
BY HAROLD SINCLAIRE
20. 1921, Western Newspaper Union)

81 tell you, Dave, that fellow, Ralph
Tilden, isn't worthy of your sister"
said Mart Woods.
"All you've got to do is to convince
me of the fact replied Dave Briefly,
brother of Rose Briefly, the prettiest
girl in BramptOn.
81 can do that" asserted his COM
panion positively. "Tll convince you,
all right" asserted Mart. THE only
thing is to convince Rose"
Hell get his walking papers mighty
quick if he Is the wolf in sleeps cloth
ing you say he is" observed Dave,
smartly.
VERY well, I'll have some news for
you in a day or two" promised Mart.
"I'n show the rascal up In his true
cOlOrs."
Rose had never given the least en-
enlargement to Mart's advances. In
fact, she had never known what love
meant until Ralph Tilden had come
into her life.
The latter was a manly young fell
low, whom every girl might be proud
to attract. He had been recently adj
mitted TO the bar; his first case in
court had been the defense Of q poor
woman whose suit other lawyers had
declined because she could not pay
a fee. Ralph had won the case, Its
details got into the public prints, and
he had earned golden opinions as TO
his professional ability and his phil
anthrOpic unselfishness.
All unconscious Of the deft plots
being woven to disturb their happi-
ness, Rose and Ralph passed some
pleasant hours. Mart came to Dave
Briefly one day, elated and confident.
"Well. I've got the goods on that
Tilden," he announced. Twice a week
he leaves his office at about eight
o'clock In the evening. He never gets
home until two in the morning. A
fellow who does that regularly Is up
to something, isn't he?"
AS what, nOw?" challenged Dave.
swell, Carousing around. Let us be
on hand tonight to take up the trail
when he leaves his office"
"rm agreeable, provided we can do
II. I don't want TO blunder myself
into laughing stock"
"Say," advanced Mart with spirit
"T've arranged a great plan. Wen
disguise ourselves"
"HOw?" questioned Dave. obviously.
II took a long time for Mart TO in
duce his companion to join forces with
him. His plan was simple one.
They were to blacken their hands and
faces.
At length Dave agreed to the propo-
sition. About eight o'clock that
evening the young lawyer, Ralph
Tilden. left his Office.
A drizzle changed into a dreary
pelting rain In a short time. Dave
was glad when at last Tilden reached
q two-story building on one Of the
lower strata streets of the city.
do you seer cried Mart, exulting-
ly, grasping the arm of his companion.
what did l tell you"
"Why, what do you mean?" inquired
Dave, staring blankly.
"That place-downstairs, saloon,
upstairs the most notorious gambling
house In the city"
"How do you know It ISL" submitted
Mart polntedly.
"Why-er-that is, heard so-some
one told me-" explained Mart stun
blingly.
In his excitement the speaker wiped
his face with his handkerchief. Some
people passing by stared strangely.
Then a policeman came up, regarded
them with a suspicious glare, and
caught each by the collar.
"Ahr" he remarked-"disguisin
yourselves, chr You'll explain this to
the sergeant, my hearties."
Remonstrances were in vain. A
hooting crowd followed the two seek
ers after 'local color" clear to the sta
ton. No wonderl Where the rain
had trickled and their careless hands
had wandered, the faces Of the IN
happy captives were streaked In lu-
dicrous patches Of lamp black.
Somehow. they managed to get out
Of their trouble; somehow, too, the
story got out
There seems to be something to
explain" remarked Rose to Ralph the
next evening.
ma chere, c'es que je t aIme," re-
piled Ralph, gmatically-"which
means, how much I love you. In other
words, poor teacher of languages,
too poor to select his preferable resi-
dence, lives In the building where our
good friends located me. He has been
teaching me French"
Which explained the seeming mys-
tery and made fair, trustful Rose
Briefly love him more than ever.