Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-29
TheDaAyNouelette
The Return of the Thief
Rv A, W. Peach.

en- WAS rcrte't's ',''''' ~ '''''"
,..w that. while he had been alb
:, from his summer cottage in which
sen, ,'M forth in full array as n bach
Ne heIu Isuomchody had strolle1 in. note
elor. s",,,,.ritcr on it's convenient stand,
hs Hilrno,tcd with the machine.
ana u'i ir"n.n Of humor had often saved
nj iSrr;ng rough days as frec-lancn
him. u"' hnt If disappeared at the
sr.s,', situat:on. That typewriter. an
eonn,,rndc of many n year. was in
Old dts"" e" honds-calmly taken while he
pIydhr Pr hocr out fer Il swim.
nag horhnrgcd from his wet swim
AZ ,oos into his ilanncls. his wrath
nns,.od nins His cottage was d"tn"h"d
u, nou"tb tbr others at the lake; he seldom
i,om i.,olsd tho door while busy outside,
hc considered his ncighborH re-
lol lol.c,ohlc. although he saw little of
Pem Anyway. he could not 50
,nrml namely about asking them ii they
s.d .,swipcd" his machine. There was
na,bing naVb 10 do but to order another
no.n,rritrr. no.n,"i and wait precious days
Wi, Msr,i, /, reached him.
UNI 80 m,,rntr the order. jumped into his
!" AND rolled along to the little center
h,r, ca,' Tho postotlicc wns located AMI
WV Mn',, yorinrs stores whore supplies were
,n.,hos.L ~. He stopped in the post
pma., pm.o n look, over the bulletin board
o.ni n;., ;ts odd array of notices. and sud-
s,n,v n,I his bump Of humor bumped him
ot,b o'rnb,Iv He wrote n notice and pinned
mo- hoard. The notice read: ''lf
". gm nnrsou who stole my typewriter Will
."i, ngoin, will give them or him or
@ .ar rho stand that goes with II.
prsston Drew. Gray Ledge Cottage
rho next day found him with time
:, bis hands. He went fishing in tre
.u ..nnr,ing. leaving his cottage door open.
When he returned the stand wnH still
,bore I'm the afternoon he started
,;nkering with his canoe, which mad
,nr,,ng Il minor leak.
"As he was busy he glanced acroEs
,hc bay and saw canoe coming III.
/ sharper glance told him that it was
beinr driven by dark haired girl
whose smooth shoulders were sending
,he light canoe along at steady pace
as her arms drove the paddle deep.
Suddenly she swung inward, and it
downcd upon him that she was coming
10 his dock. "l'm not interested in
,;rls hut this spccimen----' he ad.
ssisCd shrSi himself. and promptly began to
romoye some of the CRIME of his toll.
The canoe came closer and he saw
.ho fair face of its owner lifted to
mark landing.
She smiled in slightly embarrassed
rny md said in n voice that was music
to his ears;
II wonder il ! may have the typo
writer table which | understand yUu
Offer
He started to say something, but
only suffered. The faint laughter in
her brown eyes was the last upSetting
factor. There was nothing to do, but
retreat. lie stumbled up the dock to
the cottage, yankrd up the table and
returned. He handed it TO her srrrnely.
at is or was n little dear to mr."
he replied. II hope you will find it
convenient.
She nodded. "I know I shall, and
thank you very much.
"Thc pleasure is all mine" he started
10 say but reversed his words and
said. THE pleasure you will have with
il is worth the trouble to come for it,
! hope.
She turned the canoe with n grace.
ful swirl of the paddle. looked MP ut
him with brown eyes that wcr" bit
puzzled and something else, and de-
parted.
He looked after her long. "Con-
found il, there's II girl could tunbl.
into Low" with. She either had an
immense amount Of gall to swipc that
typewriter and then return for the
table, Orwell, hang it. there's some
mystery in il. At the point, she
turned, looked back. and waved. "Ey
dove. that wave of farewell may mean
anything but that. must look her
up
At Il lc edge of dusk big car stopped
at his door. lie went out and ran in"
MS second shock of the day. The girl
Of the canoe was at the wheel. as pretty
as a white rose in Some twilight garden.
Sh" Sp"k" rapidly. 81 wonder what
you do think Of me? \ man called at
the house, said i" was leaving the lauc
ana dId not want to take his machine.
| wanted one, and | bought it, Then
he sild II would call at your cottage.
Nher" h" had been spending Il week with
you, could get the table. So | Went.
tn"n fath told mo about your notice
ms evening, and he made mo come over
and APOLOGIZE" and try to explain. You
see, You keep So much by yourself. | --
We don't really know you, and | didn't
know but what the other man really
vi. dear l"u see, don ynu:
understand fully. was a bit
daz"d this aft"rnU0n---~-
i thought you acted funny-but -
nut "" want YOU to come over lhiS
fychlng, and let me make" amends
Won N"u rid, over with mc|'
i certainty will ~ he answered with
f"ry"r. When Ii" returned, properly
CARRIED, and climbed into the seat be-
SIDE her, Il" remarked. II am inclined
10 b" grnt"ful to that salesman. lie
wrought O"tt"r thnn he knew
Sh" smiled. and said with some hr'i-
'auon, "Wcll, to be- honest. I'm rath"r
'ad ! h"Dight IN" machinc--and went
after the tuhlr 49,