Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-10

and except when It rained he kc,. a.
top of the car down. The min W.. M
shining with unusual intensity ~ %
late in the day. and he offered n ~ ~.
the top for Clara's benefit. W ''N
ITS not necessary" she snid ~
can use the parasol. I'm afraid I vii
get blistered If I don't have som.
shade" '''
She opened the object IN oues,io,
end as she did 10 something flutte,si
from it to the floor of the car. Roh
picked 1t up and handed It to her wiki
sinking heart. 1t was piece oi
lace.
"Why, where did that come fromr
Clara exclaimed in evident surprise
Looks like some of Elston's gooj,
commented Bob, stepping on Tie
starter.
"I'm sure I didn't buy it." declard
Clara. 1T must have dropped in when
I was at the store today"
But Bob wns convinced, and MI
night he tossed and tumbled in his bed
his brain in turmoil. lie loved
Clara and they were to be married
in the fall, but this horrifying discoy.
cry was enough to daunt any man on
the matrimonial brink.
He wns in n trance all the next day,
caught between conflicting emotions.
Love was arrayed against duty-to
himself and to his employer. He must
reveal the shorlifter: it was what he
was paid for. and surely he could not
marry the girl in the face Of such
publicity. Still, he loved her.
That night he came to decision.
He would marry Clara, regardless H.
loved her and he would take her for bis
wife, shoplifter though she was. Per.
haps she was kleptomaniac and not
responsible for her thieving ways. II
she persisted in the habit he would
try to reform her, but his bride she
would be at all costs. He would re.
sign his position rather than inform on
her, and they would live in some other
city.
Two days later Clara came to N,
store again with Hazel. and Bob lin.
gered by them. determined to watch,
her father TO the golf links. and the
girls engaged in conversation ut ths
silk counter. Presently Mr.. Elston ap'
peared and his daughter left with him,
There goes the biggest cut.up IN
college" commented Hazel. "She keep.
the faculty in hot water all the time
The following morning Mr.. Elston
again summoned Bob to his office.
"The shoplifter is continuing opera.
TONS" he announced, "and the week
you gave yourself is nearly up Silks
were stolen Yesterday and laces the
day before. Have you n clueT
81 have" Bob declared. II believe
I have the shoplifter spotted. but a"
sure you l dislike revealing her iden.
tity."
What" exploded the boss. "fm
mean to say you know the guilty party
and yet want to shield her? What %
I pay you for, young man? ! demand
that you solve this mystery. =,
Very well. | shall do so before the
day is over
lie waited until Miss Elston arrived
md entered her fathers office. Ihen %
Bob tapped at the door and was '0'a
to enter.
Mr.. Elston, 7 am about to reve,l
the identity of the shoplifter. she
standing beside you now. :. :,
The proprietor's face turned IVY,
and he seemed about to make an attacA
on Bob, but Miss Elston stepped fof'
ward. smiling swectly.
Father, your astute detective na
solved the mystery. When came home
from school and learned you had hlren
detective saw an opportunity 10,
some fun--to match my wits agalh's
the smart sleuth. So have been taE,ns nMls
things from the store for month la''
is such a prosaic establishment; hos.
ing ever happens, and | Thought II "ss
up to me to create some excitement u
well as puzzle this bright young maI,
Clara Summers had talked so ingel
about her detective lover that l decu..
to show her he wasn't so much wa
terribly brazcn about it; even weht y
far as to give Clara n rag doll ! 10.
taken; and the other day droppea
piece of stolen lace in her parasoi' rsS,
under Mr.. Detectives cycs--ahd ,ous,
/ got away with some silk Wnl'e Nv
was talking to his sister and hahe,.S;
I've had the whole store guessing, a.
it was n lot of fun--and now I'm reaus os
for the penitentiary, father II wv
wish It,. .,.a
"You had me guessing coniesiS,'ii cosi, I
Bob. II thought it was Clara-Iun'"
saw you take that silk today