The Glenwood post., 1923-09-13


house last night, hunting for the plant,
and the woman tried to get away.
They shot at her. She-she amt ex-
pected to live. There, there,
Car'line, don't get white over danger
that's past. 1t amt likely to happen
again. Probly Thad came In and saw
Bosley take the money, and Bosley
wasn't running any chances of being
told on till he could get out Of town.
Then some of his cronies would have
turned Thad loose again-only we
stopped the plan by calling a halt on
all their doings. Cracky, l got to be
going. 1 want to see If can't land
a job somewhere on the strength of
this"
The doorbell rang sharply. Mrs.
Penfield found knot of her neighbors
in the driveway, discussing the news
paper accounts of the raid and the ar
rest of five suspects. Eagerly they in
vited her into their comparison of ex-
citing events, feeling sure that through
Jerry Winstons intimacy with Frank
Bosley she would have many interest
she merely listened and added nothing,
they We're surprised, !ncredulous, even
resentful.
From hour to hour further items
were unearthed, dragged into the
small community, and shared gener-
ously in an impromptu council of all
the tenants. The Bosleys had not been
hot. = f,I
a satisfying element that lent peculiar
piquancy to everybody's version Blood
was a-tingle with keenest stimulation ;
the air was cloudy with exclamations
Nor was there any perceptible dimin-
ution the next day-or the next And
scarcely had the driveway gossip
thinned trifle when Mrs Penfields
thoughts were given vastly different
turn.
Mr.. Crashaw came to interview her
He had seen Mrs Weatherstone: he
had seen the hangngs. He offered Mrs
Penf1eld hundred dollars In cash and
small block of stock in his laundry
association in exchange for her formu-
la and certain amount of supervision
until its use should be mastered In the
various laundries Of which he had
charge
"It will mean" he told her, "about a
thousand dollars year-more, as the
business grows-but you can be as
sured of that amount"
1t seemed q fortune to Mrs. Pen
field. She had difficulty in tempering
her impetuous delight into a seemly
business attitude. To have steady
income, aside from her usual earnings,
would mean a different life for the
children.
After Mr.. Crashaw had gone, she
began to plan exactly what that life
should be. For one thing, she would
surely be justified in giving up the
management of The Custard Cup,
which was rapidly precluding other
duties. With significant juxtaposition,
the fact that Mrs. Sanders was .leav-
ing her fiat, flashed into her mind.
Mrs. Sanders was going to live with a
cousin in Sonoma county and help
take care of large family of children.
Mrs. Penfield could rent that fiat. 1t
would be the pleasanter because a
friend had lived in it. There would be
cOnvenlences, more satisfactory num-
ber of rooms She would keep up her
laundry work, but under far easier con-
ditions. There would be school books,
clothes, plenty to eat, fund slowly
growing in the bank. Oh, everything
would be different-and safer. Per-
haps Uncle Jerry would
She broached the subject to him as
he came around the house from fly
ing trip to the loft-Uncle Jerry with
the new position with a private de-
tectlve bureau, and with wrinkles
more lively than ever in his kindly
eyes.
I'VE could give you room. Uncle
Jerry. We could take the dining
room for"
The color came up In his bronzed
face. "Well. IL don't know, Car'line,"
he stammefed. ITS bully OF you to
think of it, but-but l hope I can't
that is-wel, We'll talk it over" He
tramped rapidly out of the alley.
"Well. sure wonder what he
MEANS" thought Mrs. Penfelt in sur
prise.
She watched. Uncle Jerry went up
Miss Hapgood's steps.
"Oh-h-h!" she breathed. She ceased
-