The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-10-07
SMITH OF THE CID. By z! r.! NJ SCOTT


There was not one red-haired man
among the 12G who had been dis
porting themselves In and near the
roped Enclosure and. in addition,
there was not a single all red bath
Ing suit. Needless to relate. nobody
with green goggles came out or the
sea at the request Of the police. The
thing was n mystery. The lifeguards
thought the man was drowned and
the Chief hoped so.
Inwardly consumed with anger the
Fairview Chief Of Police walked up
and down tho shore gazing helpless
~ at the rolling waters void Of all
swimmers by his orders. Behind
him. and adding nothing to his COM
fort. the crowd waited for further
developments-hoping that at least
a corpse would be dragged up for
their edification. But the tide was
too high and the water too rough to
do much in the way Of dragging the
ocean bed. The Chief realized this
as he scowled back at the people
where they stood behind police
line.
Suddenly the green figure of the
| Princess Zerentelle bent under the
restraining cord and tripped lightly
down the beach TO the Chief. No
body raised a finger to stop her and
most of them preferred that vision
| In praao IN n pIIr,,pra of tho ph1 CT v
corpse which had previously been in
their minds. All eyes were fixed
upon the Princess and nobody paid
any attention to n tall. gray-clao
man who snuntered indolenty
around one end of the line and made
his way also toward the CHIEF OF
Police.
Princess, I don't know what &c
say" began the Chief in disma
voice as the girl approached.
1T Is nothing" returned the Prin'
cess as If she were referring to
rain drop. They are beautiful greer
things gone into re beautiful greer
sea. Forgive me. mon ami. II | have
cause you &c great trouble. May
swim?"
! Perhaps 1t would be better il tht
bathing started again" interrupted
the tall man who arrived at tina
moment.
"Oh, yes! Let re people coma too
Please!" pleaded the Princess.
The chief NODDED permission ant
waved a hand to the crowd. In
stantly the Princess Zerentell'
dropped her bathrobe and stood lik'
a willowy green tongue of fame
She poised for moment before
great roller. while the people gasped
before diving into the green wall a.
silently as one flame joins another
Behind her rushed the crowd. heller
SHELTER. tragedy forgotten and cage
for the comedy Of life.
Side by side, through the crowd
walked the Chief of Police and hi
tall companion.
Smith" said the Chief, his hea'
sunk forward, this means my resig
nation"
Nonsense. man." returnedSmith
You have the thief In the palm o
your hand"
Impossible! exclaimed the Chief
clenching his first as if he wished
TINT the statement were literally
true. Then with depth Of feeling
For heavens sake. II you know
anything. tell me. IL you can solve
this problem I will believe the news
paper reports Of your work IN for
eign lands"
"Of course I may be wrong" re
turned Smith. but ! think that ii ]:
very simple You might easily hav,
seen through the trick and | Nigh
have missed it. Another time ma,
come to you for help
The Chief halted and mopped hi!
brow about fifteen yards from where
the lifeline left the water.
II am waiting" he said.
I'm the first place" continued
Smith, this theft looked like Il bun
Cling, clumsy affair. In reality {
Twas planned with wonderful exacu