Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-26
THE MYSTERY GIRL
Fascinating Of Ba@ns Plot and Thob5ns Love Interest
'' BY CAROLYN WELLS
-.uont ,sss B. Syndicate
Have you funds?"


"Of whom? Perhaps no one can ad.
wise you better than I can."
What is your advice, Mr.. CrayY"
The sweet face looked at him hope.
fully, the curved red lips quivered
little as the speaker added. II am very
Again Miss Bascom shifted. Unat.
tractive herself. she resented with a
sort Of angry. jealousy the appealing ef-
feet this girl had on men. She knew
intuitively that Cray would sympathize
with and pity the lonely girl.
| my advice IL, Miss Austin, first,
that you dispel this mystery that seems
to surround you. Tell frankly who you
are, what Is your errand in Corinth,
now you came into possession Of DR..
warnings ruby. and why you bid your
stiletto, If 1t is merely one of your
sewing Implements
Miss Mystery hesitated a moment,
and then said. quietly:
Your advice Is good, Mr.. Cray.
But. unfortunately. I cannot follow It.
However. ! am willing to state. upon
with that stiletto."
"Tm afraid your oath will be
doubted Miss Bascom interycned
sharply. And, too, Mr.. Cray, even
If this girl did not strike the fatal blow
she well knows who did! She is In
l am sure OIL"
,,Nogi!' exclaimed Anita.
Yes, Nogi: Miss Bascom went on.
positively. You came here only a day
or two after he did. You have q Japa.
nese kimono and several japanese or
naments adorn your room. You went
TO the Warlng house that night. Nogi
lI al al
Japanese doubtless committed the mur.
der, you stole the money and the ruby,
and then, your partner In crime de-
parted for parts unknown"
MISS Bascom sat back in her chair
with a look of triumph on her plain,
saunt face.
Clearly, she was rejoiced at her de-
nunciation of the girl before her, and
pleased at the irrefutablc theory she
had promulgated.
And how did Miss Austin or the
Jap, either; leave the room locked on
the inside!' propounded Cray. his own
opinions already swayed by the arraign-
ment.
THAT" said Miss Bascom, with an
| air of finality, II can't explain def
| nitcly, but l am sure 1t was an example
Of Japanese jugglery. When you re-
member the les Of how the japanese
can do seemingly impossible tricks, can
swallow swords and get out of locked
Iandcuffs, it Is quite within the realm
f possibility that one could lock door
~ehind him. and give it the appearance
of having been locked from the inside.
1.-THE Nerve of Her"
Now, Cray had already concluded
that the door had been cleverly locked
hpt bn IA hpf
thought Of the clcvcrncss of the Japa
neSe.
He rose almost abruptly, and said.
II must look into some Of these mat.
Lters. Miss Austin. you need not attempt
to leave town, for you will not be able
to do so."
II most certainly shall not attempt
to leave-as you express it.--n l am
! asked not to. But. may say. that
when I am entirely at liberty to do 80.
/ propose to go away from Corinth.'
Her dignity gave no effect of person
'fraid or alarmed for her own safety.
| merely q courteous recognition Of Cray's
attitude and frank statement Of her
WI Intentions.
Miss Bascom shifted and said:
Don't worry. Mr.. Cray. I'll see
to 1t, that this young woman does not
succeed in evadins justice, if she tries
| to do So
At which Miss Mystery gave hcr n
smile that was so patroniz!ng, even
| amused, that the spinstcr was more
iratc than ever.
And. now Miss Austin.' the attor-
ney said. I'm take your finger prints,
lease as they may be useful in prov
ing what you did not do
lie smiled little us the girl readily
enough gave her consent to the procc-
dure. %,
will ask you for one OF your shoes
one that you wore on Sunday
SURPRISED into glance of dismay.
Miss Mystery rose without word and
went upstairs for the shoe.
She returned with the dainty. pretty
thing. and merely observed. I'D lik"
to have it back, when you are through
with it,"
Putting the shoe in his overcoat
pocket. Cray went away.
Miss Bascom," Anita said. turning
to her enemy. may YOU never want IL
friend as much as / do now.
"The nerve of her!" Liza Bascom
muttered to herself, as Miss Mystery
went upstairs to her own room.
There's very deep mystery here y
Cray solloquized. as he returned to the
War;ns house. but I'm getting light
on it,
Cray was far from lacking In in
vcnuitv, and he proceeded at once to
comDare the finger prints he had nf
Anita Austin with the prints on the
snail black framed chair that had been
found drawn up to the desk OF John
Waring.
They were identical and Cray unused
over the fact.
."Trat girl was here that night" he
decided "there's no gainsaying that
lie called the butler to him.
"Ito " he began. "did YOU let tn any
one late Sunday night-after You came
home?'
"No. sir" the imrerturhab'e Jap de-
clarcd, thinking the question foolish, as
all the inquirers knew the details Of his
SUNDAY movements.
"Do you remember seeing this chair,
"DIstlnctly. saw Mr.. Lockwood
smoothing its back
"S~oothing its back! Whn: do you
mcan?"
II looked through from the dining
room window to see IL Mr.. Lockwood
was coming to breakfast, and / per.
ceivcd him carefully smoothing the
plush of the little chair. sir"
Crav meditated. Here was point
of evidence. Lockwood was not the
sort to absent -minded'y paw over
chairback. He was doing It on pur-
pose. For what reason? What reason
could be, save to erase some evidence?
Cray examined the chair. 1t had a
frame Of shiny black wood. while seat
and back were covered with dark
plush Of fine soft quality.
Croy drew his fingers across the back.