Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-01
~Ur DAILY NOVELETTE,
The Key to Hnppins's
I. MARTHA McCULLocH. WILL

rnsd She walked II WIN oen'
Dig sres intent on the ground. Thus
pe'' ,,isbt have collided with him had
SUI ,0t said pleasantly, drawing shsnt'y
p' "a. "You have lost something May
help find itT .-,od "1t,
.otebouse key, and all things
'a 'a,h,s were dumped inside in the hurry
.s,s morning. And now there's no
u. AZ tbem-with a half-starved
% s,,r inst an hour away. Ravenous
iam,.y o,most-to eat me II they find
n0 .Th.t mustn't happen-better COM
.,d.er food" he laughed. Tell me
-. vou lost the key--and II yqu are
sr,te sure you did lose it!' 49,.
q .Y,u, sure of nothing earthly since
.,,. moving began" she flung back at
,in, M burrying on. 81 suppose you are
p . mart landlord. George Graham
", you've possibly heard OF me
EN. Hale<-llsualy l stand for the
ia%,lIls, a,I:sScky family" Graham, comment
.'pmt about the key
ed,.,.,. e,tber here in this road, or at
Il, hot,om of the well. or inside the
tne ne.bonse-there's a spring lock, just
,lt'e ant on. Serves us right for med
o''nf was wondering little how you
,.a managed to lose the key remem,
Ssred. @ It weighed nearly "A pound
said Graham. 49,. .,..,ar Tn
-,,ns n trade you out Of II before We
sophs Lettice said. We're daffy
~ .s sntIoues-all OF as. Be warned
Wv, ,,me' Nail down tight every old
i,ss ~ latch. or doorknob you own.
WaSr. " reasonably honest, but play
safety first. ,..s .,a
An, more food, il you are trustwor. :.
tsTi ttr" I" Graham said judicially. I'D
W., n break in for you, only ! know
,bs door. Nothing short of dynamite or
@ .r earthquake would affect It.. sup
aO.e W instead Of searching further in
XII blazing sunshine. you go to my
tomse It is just beyond the. turn there.
phone for locksmith. and when your
family arrives give me the pleasure OF
feeding it the best lone 0'ene'0'
INV preserver!" Lettice calculated
n,.tend,pe to gasp. Then with a smile
sIt sby half sly: Accepted with
thanks @ Mr.. Graham, II you are sure
rour PARTNER, in the crime of bachelor
hood will not be too angry
"H.m.m! What do you know OF
bimY" Graham asked.
nOnly what Phoebe Ann does. !
can't believe she forgot anything" Let
tcs answered with dancing eyes. "She
rave me Monday grudgingly. helping
sisan. what time she could spare from
tpeech. Never tell me again men can I
be heroes to their valets-a laundress Is
even harder to live up to-
'What did you learn specifically|'
Graham demanded.
aTbat Mr.. Joe Bullits thousand vir-
tues were linked with single crime
tbe heipous one Of hating women-nli
except the narrator was the demurc
reply.
zoe win revel in that" Graham
commented laughing. "Did you by any
chance hear the root Of his mysogony?'
"Heredity-and improved by cultiva
ton, was the thesis" Lettice re-
turned. Graham looked relieved. He
had not thought Joe could be silly
enough to confide IN Phoebe -Ann-but
7 tuttlt ultS llht ike
thistedown, filament Of It would
spring up In her mind hardy peren :
nial. They had reached the house.
Lettice darted to the phone, called a
number almost as she sat down-a
minute later was telling her plight
cearly-and in another minute sighed
relief, saying over her shoulder pray
that the locksmith keeps faith-says
he'll be here In the shake of a lambs
ml-so you have a chance not to rescue
the perishing."
There was no answer-Graham had
vanished. She caught voices outside to
rearward-tn two minutes he was back
smiling down at her to say: 1--WE are
going to-the house over yonder-to
make sure Of my guests"
Lettice stepped in front Of him.
spread her skirt, stamped her foot. and
= Raid. "Shoo! Shoe o." cnergetically.
waving him back but he only laughed
end walked outside. waiting for her.
towever. upon the lowest step As she
I joined him she began to run. saying
4 breathlessly: 'Babs is blowing ar
II rval-Td know our horn among a
u million. must be there when they
come"
A family Of degree clambercd down
from the big touring car-Madaml
Hale, huddle Of grandchildren Of as
sorted sizes, and their purse. the pat
trrn of family retainer. Babs in
fnakl, at the wheel called plaintivcly
shelter and food. Lead us to them. '
ihis way Graham answered
shaking hands right and left. In a
vmE he had marshaled the Hales com
par,y-with Lettice shephcrding bc
Tln1 N No tr;, ta
" luncheon five minutes later, all talk =
ing at once, exclaiming ioyously oycr
The wonderful hill country. FormaI
presentations were unthought of-how
was he to know that Babs. who was
only less adorable than I.ettice, was
smcially Miss Barbara Sellers, his
'ogsemate's sometime fiance2
.Soe Bullitt stopped dead Mt s,pbt a,
ms. ms teeding family, rubbed his ewes
mauered Am I seeing things;', tbor
n'et oo 70 slip away. In vain-hc wa,
sas'urcd ingloriously. dragged hack
@na Gnu made to understand that 0IJ
S~tnee expected every man TO do his
bV worse still, room was made 70,
omm ",n az borbara's elbow, but Iettic,
rs,,s s,P,oslte helped out in her role of conf
r,sh r,Il. lheir cross fire of tests maJe
s.aaI aaam fairly murdcrous. but he was
or,,sa Ia nom breaking out by Madame 8
N. catechism, which ranged from,
noI,.a H water and milk supply To town
A EsIntiss, E., the minister's age, and JuJv,
Y nSmblin's pedigree. 'uus'
,,r,rn %nat with talk and eating. the lin
ssITf'ng iocksmith finally surprised tbem
cn,sS oan: a dead lambs tail. ;" he eY .
ianS. nIIhSelf naively to Lettice. as all
or mus troon"d across the road. Graham
Inner ner other hand, wished he baG
nr,Sed longer-it would have river
eor eI Shance to add supper to lunch :.
IN lnly he grinned deriSion