Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-04

move down the hill. i've maze a
mistake" he told his companion. II
told James I was comm here TO-DAY.
He lot Jack know, an he's beat us to
"what harm will that do?' asked
Rose. "The information will be there
for us. too. won't it!" ;.
"NIebbe 1t will. Mebbe 1t WON'T
Wen soon find out.
Rose caught his friends arm as they
were passing through the hall 'klrpy,
do ro,, suppose your cousins really
Lnow Esther was marriedt to your
uncle? DO you think they can be try.
Ing to. keep it quiet so she cant claim
the estate?"
He stopped in his stride. James had
denrecated the idea of his coming. to
Golden and had ridiculed the possibility
Of his unearthing any Information OF
value, Yet he must have called up
Jack MS soon as he had lett the once.
And Jack had hurried to the Town
within the hour. 1t might be thatttosc
had hit on the reason for the hostility
he felt on the part ~ uosh cousins to
his activities. There was something
thew did not want brought to the light
of day. What more potent reason
could there be for concealment than
their desire TO keep the fortune of the
millionaire In their own hands!
~ shouldn't wonder If You haven't t
runr the bullseye, pardncr,' he told
her. 1--WE ought to know right soon
now"
The clerk in the recorders Office
smiled when Kirby said he wanted to
| look through the license register. He
swung the book round toward them:
"Iielp yourself. What's the big
|
lookin' at the licenses only n minute
ago
The clerk moved over to another desk
where he was typewriting; His back
was turned toward them. Kirby turned
the pages of the book. lie and Rose
looked them over together. They
covered the record for three months
without finding anything of interest
Patiently they went over the leaves
again. .-
Kirby stepped over to the clerk. "Dc
you happen to remember whether. you
made oIt any license application for
the last two months?" he asked.
For a marriage license"
YES"
Don't think ] have. Don't remem
Der the name. / was on my vacation
two weeks. Maybe it was then. Can
you find it in the book:'
"Know the datc?"
Kirby shook his head.
The voice of Rose, high with excite
ment. came from across the room
"Looky here"
Her finger ran down the book clos
to the binding. A page had been Gu
out with sharp penknifc. so deftl
4 that they had passed it twice withou
I noticing.
l "Who did that?' demanded the cler
e angriy.
Probably the young man. who wa
t Just in here. His name is Jack Gun
: r.ingham," Lane answered.
n What in time did he want to d
= that for? If he wanted it why didn
: he take q copy? The boss'll give II
t Hail Columbia. That's what fello
gets for being accommodating.
}, "IIe did it so that we wouldn sc
. 1t. Is there any other record kept
= the marriages?'
Sure there is. The preachers an
the judges who perform marriages ma!
e to turn back to us the certificate with
II thirty days and we make record
t EN-
le "Can I see that book?'
" "I'rl do the lookin',' the clerk sa.
: shortly. "Whose marriage is it? Ar
1. what date?'
ID Lane gave such information as
a could. The clerk mellowed when Ro
lc told him it was very important to he
I'd as officials have a way of doing wn'
charming women smile at them. Is
" he found no record of any marriage
T. which they knew either of the col
IN tracing parties.
le "Once in while some preacher 10
gets to turn in his certificate. the Gle
he said as he closed the book. 'Old Ran
he in is the worst that way. lie forget
to You might look him up
?. Kirby slipped the cle.k n dollar a.
le turned away. Rankin was II forlo
n hope, but he and Rose walked to II 1T
he house in the suburbs where the preach
lis lived.
" He was a friendly. white haired
,is gentleman, ond he made them very m,l
% 20, at home under the impression they h
hc come 10 get married. A slight deafnt
ve was in part responsible for this hi
take.
~, May see the license?' he ,ask
~ after Kirby had introduced himself Il
Rose.
For h moment the cattcman was .pu
zled. His eye went to Rose, seekl