davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

lend you her 46O--do you think
I'm deaf? I heard your
RanTiy was spechless. Peggy
gave one look at his white face
and ran to him. She knelt down
beside his chair and drew his
head down to her breast.
Aunt Agony" she gaid, looking
up at the tall, gaunt woman who
was the only mother she had
ever had. Aunt Agony, II
you're going to say things like
this 10 Ranny-I must ask you
not to- come here to this house
any more. cant let-you, or
anybody talk to him the way
YOU iust talked to him."
Aunt Agony's old face seerned
To grow wears older az she stood
there. trying to take in the mean
ing OF what Peggy had just said
to her. There was q look on i
) that the girl never forgot--a look
be surprise mingled with irbear-
able pain.
III slowly cleared away like q
storm passing over q town, ana
Aunt Agony was once more ner
alert, keen self.
she started for the door, ana
on her way she picked up Peggy q
little embroidered handbag ana
took the $50 bill out of 1t.
"Antl / Won't Come Back"
..very weliF' she said. I'll 60
-and I'll not come back! But III
take this money with mel I'd
rather throw IL away than give i
* that creaellre.n She pointed to
Ranny.
And even in her fury and her
grief she did not forget her prov
erb. .sThe Russians have q say
ing that goes like this: 7 taught
vou to swim, and now you'd
drown nne!' Think II over, Peggyl
Think over what you've done 70
me after all the years Of love
and sacrifice I've given you! she
said, and slammed the door Pc.
hind her. -,
little flat for q few minutes AFTER
Then Ranny got up. lit . cigar
cite and walked over TO the VIM
dows that faced the street.
ssThe boys are still down there
xvaiffnp for me-" he remarked
careIasalv. ''Sound your dough,
Peggy and see il you nave
enough to stake me for this after
noon. Twenty dollars viii do, !
guess. -.
into the Kitchen where he house
Ixeaninr money still lay on the
table and peeld off a $50 Dill.
She took it back to Ranny, VINO
WAS standing at the window,
where the yellow silk curtains
sw,,np in the hot breeze.
"Colly. the old bird certainly
has ! tongue in her head. hasn't
she2's he asked, nodding his head
in the direction that Auat Agony
had taken. ..
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

which he paraded the halls en-
tered. swinging his cane, and slip
ped into a seat at the back. He
saw DIR. Cressy and bowed, CIV
ing his yelled companion, at the
same time curious glance as II
to say; "Ha! Another oner" Be:
sides the persons more or less
directly interested in the case,
the room was filled with a cur
ious throng Of outsiders, among
whom DIR. Cressy recognized
many of his women patients from
the hotel.
The clerk raped for order. The
Jury arranged itself. The cor
oner's investigation of the murder
of Kentwood Glendenning, subject
of His Majesty, King George v,
killed in a taxicab in front of the
Fairview Hotel, San Francisco,
California, u. s.. A, on June
10, was begun.
The first witness called after
the medical witness, a DIR. Hum
phrey, who testified death was
caused by q bullet wound, was
Kelly, the taxi-starter. The old
man sat in the witness chair.
nervous and depressed, picking
the nail of one finger, then
another. His testimony, taken
the night of the murder in the
managers office. by Mr.. Nc
Arthur, was read to him by the
clerk. In it. he had told of the
finding of Glendenning in the
taxi, his head propped on his hand
as il he were looking out the
window. He stated that he had
seen Glendenning alive after
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

looking older and more worn than
ever. His son Bert was on the
other side of the room, looking a
little scared and very sober. The
son glanced at the father from
time to time but the old man
never so much as raised his eyes
in his direction. Toward the
front Hazel sat. A light veil
obscured her face slightly. Be-
side her was Loren Echard. His
face was intensely pale, sbut DIR.
Cressy thought he looked calmer
than he had seen him at any
time since the murder. Marie he
didn't see anywhere. Gus Wer-
neke, the driver of the green"
taxi in which Glendenning had
been found dead, also was at the
front Of the room. Anita, the
little milliner of Polk Street and
DR.. Steritt sat together. Beside
them Mr., Aimes. the manager of
the Fairview. DR.. Cressy recog-
nized also the district attorney,
the chief of police, Mr.. Nc.
Arthur and Mr.. Montana, the
two detectives who had first
questioned him and the others
in the managers office the night
of the murder, and reporters
from all the newspapers. The
British consul sat near the
coroner, for Kent Glendenning
was a British subject.
The Nervous Man
Just as proceedings were about
to open, Jonathan Emmons, the
nervous man Of the eighth floor,
muffled up in a Hopping over
coat which did not look so diff
ferent from the dressing gown in
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

die and the silver initials, +. =.
c." showed up clearly.
rs this the revolver?
eft is" The old man bowed
his head. ~
keep silent on the important
matter of finding this revolver:
and hide 1t away in your nome
The old man jerked up his nead
and looked his uuestioner 1uA IN
the eyes: - "a.
whose revolver it was could not
have committed the crlme-puI y
il was found, the crime Wouiu
be put upon her."
f'You knew to whom the re-
SOLVER belonged. Them
Eyes"
"To whom?"
The old man hesitated a mo-
naent: again his eyes met those
OF DR.. Cressy, who again noooe0
almost imperceptibly. NO use IN
keeping back information Wnlen
could be so easily established.
Miss Kathleen Crittenden.
IA last question, Mr.. Kelly:
Did YOU see Mr.. Glendinning alive
after Miss Crittenden left the
taxicab?"
mo, sir"
"That wiz be all. Mr.. Kelly"
The next person called was
young Bert Kelly, the son.
With q hangdog air, looking at
no one and muttering his replies,
he told how his father had told
him of the hidden revolver that
belonged to Kathleen Crittenden.
how he thought 1t his duty" to
reveal this information to the
authorities, and to bring them the
revolver.
After him, came Gus Werneker,
the taxi driver, who testified as
before. He had driven Kent Glen
denning to the Palace OF Fine
Arts, stopping at the little MILL
ner's on Polk Street and at the
house on Bush and Laguna. He
knew nothing of the death Of his
fare until told by Kelly.
He was followed by the little
milliner. Anita Coglin.
Lowering her long lashes until
they swept her cheek, and very
nervous at finding herself in
these unusual circumstances, she
answered the Coroner's solicitous-
~ put questions in low, fright
ened voice.
In Her Shop
Yes, Mr.. Glendening had come to
her shop on the afternoon of the
day he was murdered. Miss Hazel
Crittenden had ordered a hat
from her a couple of days before.
Miss Hazel had heen told about
her shop by DR. Steritt. friend
of hers, who had been ships doc
tor on the acound.the-world
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
THE BLUE BEETLE

let Lecay have them, / believe.
She offered him money. 1 think.
but it was. OF course, useless. O,
l was almost mad! I knew If
Marie killed herself: Loren. also
would kill himself"
She raised her pale face to DR..
Cressy. and seeing there the
brooding sympathy and love he
felt for her. she whispered:
20, Ralph, dear L
thought had undergone humilia.
tion and sorrow on the Sumatra
when / learned all this, and my
and my sister but l
an infatuation born Of romantic
surroundings than real love I'd
felt for Kent
She was silent a moment. after
speaking of the dead man she
was accused Of killing.
But when all this later horror
came down upon me l
knew the other had been nothing.
seemed to be standing in the
middle Of a pit whose stone walls
were slowly. slowly drawing in
on me to crush me and
now" she gave a little laugh
mroe despairin9 than a cry" they
have drawn in on me-"
He gripped her hand across the
table so tightly that 1t must have
hurt.
Don't say that. Kathleen,
Don't say that. my darling. i
won't let you say that! / will
hold the walls away"
But I'm accused of murder. /
can't prove my innocence!
don't know how my revolver got
in that cab. The Blue Scarab,
with which / might have bought
back the letters, Is gone. Lecay
will publish them for revenge.
Besides, he can get a great deal
of money for them from some
paper. At this moment, they'll
be the sensation Of the time
A newsboy came to the door of
the candy and ice cream parlor
and looked tentatively in.
Last edition - Evening Record
Kathleen Crittenden still at
large! Coroner's jury going to
convene in taxicab murder case!
Her Yelled Face
A shiver passed over Kathleen;
she drew her veil closer.
But DIR. Cressy half Ieaped out
of his chair.
by Jove! The coroner's Jury
does convene today" He took our
his watch. Good Lord It's
about going into session now. |
must be there, I was subpoenaed. +"
He turned to Kathleen and spoke
rapidly:
Kathleen; l know I've made q
bungle Of the Blue Scarab and the
letters. / know this is the darkest
hour Of all. But will you let me
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
Tense Situations Thrilling Clmaxes and the AmOurs q
HOt-Headed Youth Feature This Expressing
and Exciting Serial Novel

bibs and tiny nightgOwns ana
az We had q baly. Ranry
might want to stay at Nome more
tlsnn IL does now. she told heI-
80 nSten a. the dark-bAaze SUM
,eAy rirl1ta when she eat. pale
vrfth Yaa heat, beside the open
window 81 the living NOON.
ssT,hav saw that nothing tEes
man down like q child OF Ms
RAINY was away from TIE
Nest two Or three nights week.
ana Peggy took II for grants.I
that he was playing poker VIII
EDDIE Carter and Eddie's crowd.
Every Friday night he ana
Peggy went out batting -
,,snss SI with ray and Eddie.
scrnn9imea. when II was very
Raj. thew drove for miles ana
miles into the country Often
thew went Co. the Blue Parrot
Inn, mt a. the Jerico turnpike
q dance and drink gin-GingeE
ar That il FAy and Ranney
Danced "Tf,s too warm for laI
,nsr ~ exert himself, Eddie
would say bluntly 70 Iesg sa. q
they sat ct their 1870
table and watched the coupls1
On the smooth yellow fioor.
Hard 10 Forget
ray and Fanny would float past
them. locked in each others arms
singing dreamily with the Orcnes-
a4
ira: 5.
.sDo what you 90.
Love when you love.
ssThen, I'll be hApp-ee-
And Perry would try not 70 -
4aa1oua a. she watched them
- slaa listened to the words Df
fhe song that seemed to nave
such deep meaning when FAY
aang them to Hanny ana Wnen
he sang them to her!
.TaIl me somethingi she said
one night to Ranny. when they
had come home from one OF these
expeditions and were having q
9Iaaa az water In the kitchen. She
came close to him and put MS
free arm around her and laid her
cheek against his c0at-sleeve, wlLl
you promise to tell me the truth
honest-to-Joh and cross-your-
heart p
Ranny said he would.
ssWeli, then, don't you still have
just the least bit q crush on
Fsay?''
onIv one Girl in the world for
me-, ne said, and that's YOU
mi be honest with you. don't
like married life. It gets my
GOAT to Be tied down to g woman,
but IL rye rot to be tied to one
I'M glad les you.
AID with that .she had to b.
satisfied.
no Be continued MOnday.l
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

kathleen had left the cab. He
had made no mention of weapon
found in the cab.
Now, Mr.. Kelly" said the
Coroner when the reading was
finished, this testimony was not
taken under oath. Do you, under
oath, wish to hold to it, or do You
wish to change It in any par
ticular. Let me remind you that
TO falsify now makes you guilty
Of perjury punishable by from
one to ten years Imprisonment"
The old man twisted in his
chair. He glanced at his son,
who would not meet his eye.
Then his wandering glance caught
DIR. Cressy and he looked at him
appealingly, as If begging MS
advice. The doctor gave a slight
nod. What would be the use OF
the taxi-starter committing USE
less perjury against the irrefu-
table testimony of his son?
I-I-wish to change it,
faltered the old man.
I'm what Particular"
He Found the Pistol
IT wish to add that-I-I-
found a revolver, with Maxim
silencer on it, in the bottom OF
the cab"
The coroner made a gesture to
the clerk:
Show him Exhibit A."
The clerk brought over to Kelly
a small, pearl-handled revolver
with a Maxim silencer attached
to 1t. The light caught the han
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

soaping and palavering, because
YOU can't do it! I'm on to you
and your tricks.
She took clean white square
handkerchief from her handbag
and rubbed her lips with il.
Ranny had always pkidded"
Aunt Agony, and that was one OF
the reasons why she hated him
as she did and Ranny knew it.
His blue eyes twinkled now as
he looked at her. Wont you
give me just q little love, q little
kiss?'' he asked. Come on, now,
be big hearted for once"
But Aunt Agony pushed him
away from her.
What She Thinks Of Him.
"You sit down, your she cried,
you with your one-way pockets!
Borrowing money from your
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

advise your viii you do what
saw. child?'
Why not?" asked the young
girl YEARLY. What cou.d do
that would make my situation
worse?"
DR.. Greasy spoke with force and
decision:
You also, received a subponea.
want you to come with me to
the coroner's inquest-now. /
want you to give yourself up"
A vivid splash Of red dyed for
a moment the girls pale cheeks;
But I'll be at once arrested for
murder-and I'll be convicted,
though innocent"
Nevertheless, I want you to do
what say. We will go together.
We've just time to get there. VIII
you?
Yes" whispered the girl look.
ing into his eyes, "I will go."
DR.. Greasy telephoned from the
candy and ice cream pa-lor for q
taxi.
When, seven minutes later, DR..
Cressy entered the jury room OF
the coroner's jury with a deeply
yelled woman on his arm, all the
others who had been subponeaed
in the case of the murder of Kent
Glendenning already were seated
The coroner was on the bench,
seated in his judicial capacity to
take evidence.
DR.. Greasy and Kathleen slip.
ped into a back seat. A heavy
coat muffled the girl and her
black, crepe veil was impenetrable.
The physician gave a swift glance
around. the court room. There
was Kelly. the old taxi.starter,
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
By STELLA WYNNE

steamer sumatra. The hat was
not quite ready: she told Mr..
Glendenning she would bring i
to the Fairview that night. While
he was there she had received .
telephone call that q lady, VINO
had been looking at q gold lace
evening hat that morning, would
take it IL she could herself bring
II over and adjust 1t on her. She
wanted to sell the expensive nat.
but had no one to leave in~charge
OF the shop while she was gone.
The customer was in an apart
ment quite near, and Mr.. Glen
denning had volunteered to stay
for a few minutes while she ran
over. He had STAYED about ten
minutes until she returned. This
was all she knew.
She said no word Of the rifling
Of Amon-Ka and the disappear
ar1ce of the blue scarab from her
side while Glendenning had
tended store for her. It APP
pesred merely arr act Of kind
ness. done on the impulse OF the
moment. by a man for q very
pretty girl. Yet. Yet all the
time was flashing through DR..
Cressy's mind the radiogram:
"Arnon.Ka swallowed Bug
Bug saIlowed SUM-" Whatever
that sun was. it was still
shrouded in clouds of mystery.
After the little milliner, the
clerk called:
.Suke."
The calling out OF the name Of
the dead man came as something
OF a shock to DIR. Greasy. APP
parently he was known by no
other name than this single word.
The physician arose.
May l speak?" he asked.
Your testimony viii be heard
in few minutes, in due order,
Doctor"
1T is only in reference to tho
calling of the last witness.
Very we'll, you may speak"
This young man, whose true
name was Ibrahim Abu Saeed.
died Monday night In q fisher
mans hut, some miles from San
Geronimo. / attended him at his
death. have not yet, owing to
the pressure o. events, officially
filed the death certificate. This
is why I'm making this state
ment.
Very well, Doctor. The fact
OF his death will be accepted,
later to be verified by the certiff.
cate. OF what did he lie?"
He died as a r. = of a com.
plication of injl sustained
through q fall froa.. 1 high cliff
above the ocean beach at q point
along the coast south Of San
Geronimo"
no be continued MOndayl
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
By Stella Wynne
whose Stories Of Mystery and
Love Are Causing Wide.
spread Comment

1T the mention Of the young
AEgyptian's death, DR.. Greasy felt
IN his pocket where he had trans
ferred the little white box and
The folded wrapping paper which
guke. dying, had given him, and
whfeh perhaps would be the most
important link In the whole taxi
cab murder mystery. Yes; it was
etill there. This, at least, he had
MANAGED not to lose. Kathleen
was continuing.
$50 when he suggested that
send for the Blue Scarab-which
We both believed you had-and
that he would give me the letters
in exchange. consented, because
sul<e was dead"
IT see."
.I cared nothing for keeping
the Blue Scarab myself. only
held IL because I was afraid to
give It either to Suke or Lecay
Tor fear Of what I knew the other
would do"
Twill you tell me what these
Ill hardly feel as If {
could"
''I think know. They were
love letters written by your sis
ter Marie to your fiance, Kent
G1endenning, while he was going
overland through North Africa to
5ofn the 'Sumatra' at Gibraltar"
Kathleen bowed her head.
HIS THREAT
And Lecay, of course, threat
ened to publish them IL you didn't
give him the Blue Scarab?"
Yes: and Suke said he would
Kill little Hazel II gave It to
Lecay-and / knew that his fan.
atheism was such that he would
try to do IL. He, also, had one
letter in my sisters handwriting
which she had given him to post
At certain port and which he
had kept and one letter like
that would be as damning as Is.
Besides, / felt the Blue Scarab
was morally his. He explained
everything to me; what 1t meant
20 him and his country-and
knew that Kent had stolen 1t
from Egypt. 1t seemed only
right TO return it-yet / dared
mott Marie swore shed kill her
self II she were publicly dis.
kraced, and / knew she meant
II. One night Suke sent for her
60 20 to q place on Third Street.
II saw her coming out"
He wanted her TO try to in.
3iuence me to give him the let
nors. and she tried to make him
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
You VIII Want to Know Beautiful Peggy Starr, Heroine OF
tie Most Interesting Story of Young Love Ever
Penned By Beatrice Burton.

to your house to ask you to help
me make up q budget when on
came in. / don't seem to know
how to handle money very well;
and then Ranny phOned
Aunt Agony's mouth ciebed like
4 finger.trap. Now, see hereF
she said, and every word clicked
out like the sound Of machinery.
you are not going to spend =
penny OF THAI money on Ranrly
Phelps He ought TO be ashamed
to use your money! II he has
parties in his house he can pay
for them himself
.'It was my party Peggy
broke in. FL wanted to give 1t
for Ranny. He'd been sc- glum
and gloomy and unhappy, and ]
thought it would cheer him up!'
Cheer him up, bahiY snOrted
Aunt Agony. what does he need
Cheering up for, I'd like to know!
He's married q beautiful, accom-
plished girl who's far too good
Tor him. and he hasn't sense
enough to appreciate herl What
are you planning to do with the
rest Of the money?-with the
other $50?"
Before she had time to answer,
Peggy heard the grating OF key
in the hall door, and Ranny came
in. Hello, Sweetnessr' he called
to her. II stopped in for that
half-century you were going to
lend me The boys are out In
the car waiting for me. Care Il
/ go and play q bit OF poker to-
night?"
Aunt Agony got up from her
chair and stepped stiffly out into
the center Of the room where
Rannv could see her.
Come in here, Randall" she
said; II want to talk to ycu!''
Peggy knew that there was
no earthly use in trying to stop
Aunt Agony now. No use to say
n word.
And besides, her voice seemed
to have left her-seemed to have
been carried away by the hot
waves of air that drifted up from
the sun.baked street below the
open windows of The Nest.
She watched Ranny come in
jauntily from the hall, his hat in
his hand and ring OF perspira-
ton around the dark gold OF his
hair How wonderful to look at
he was, she thought-llke some
Greek god brought down into
this twentieth century and
dressed in paIe.gray suit and a
blue necktie.
He came over to her and kissed
her once on the mouth before he
swung around to Aunt Agony.
Yes, Aunt7" he asked, and i'm
pudently planted the same kind
of salute on her col0rle9s lips.
Aunt Agony flushed. Don't
you kiss me. you young devilr'
she said sharply. Don't you try
to get around me with your soft
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
NOu Continue

; it right now and then there'll be
no ifs-and-ands about itr'
Peggy biushed violently.
Aunt she began. and
stopped.
It took all her courage to go
on. Aunt Agony, that hundred
dollars IL gomez she said.
Her aunt looked all around the
living room, her eyes searching
for something new that Peggy
might have bought with her wed
ding present of money.
What did you buy with it?"
she asked.
It didn't occur to Peggy to re-
fuse to answer her aunt's ques-
ton. Ever since she could re-
member she had been obeying
Aunt Agony's orders. The only
time she had ever defied her
wishes was when she had mar
ried Ranny Phelps. And the
in her that she answered now,
almost without thinking:
Il spent part OF II on that
party the other night"
How much OF tip
Fifty dollars" her niece an
swered promptly.
And where's the rest Of it?"
In my bag over there on the
chair" the girl answered, her
deep violet eyes serious and
troubled. II was going to use It
to pay some of my household
bills. They were q BIT heavy this
month--in fact, I was on my FAY
The Washington times., 1926-05-22

= a & = Is ! H!
wife money that I gave herr
words failed her and she gave
that snort Of hers that meant so
much more than any words.
The twinkle died out OF Ranny's
ewes and his face was as hard
as flint as he turned it toward
Peggy. $50 you've been boo.
hooing to your aunt because I
wanted to borrow little money
from you, just to tide me over
till tomorrow he said to her
and he was scornful.
''She's been doing nothing of
the kindr snapped Aunt Agony.
You gave yourself away when
you opened that door She
pointed dramatically to the door
Of The Nest and then went on:
You gave yourself away when
you came in and asked Peggy to
The Washington times., 1926-05-22
pear n her gray.vIolet eyea.

pear in her gray.viClet eyes.
Don't talk about her, Fan,
dear" she said, her voice husky
with the tears she was keeping
In check. After all, she's mother
and father to me all my life.
Ranny jerked away. Don't be
silly for the love Of mud,
Peggyg There was disgust in
his voice. You've turned her
out OF your house now don't
have mysteries over it! Forget
itg'
A minute later he was on the
stairs, whistling Then I'll Be
{ Happy as he ran down them.
It was dawn of the next morn
ing before he came home from
his card game.
The three months of the sum
mer dragged by slowly for
Peggy.
But she learned q great many
things IN them that she had
never known before. She learned
how to cook d pot roast which
can be bought cheap, 30 thor
oughly that II II almost az de-
Iicious as pOrterhouse steak,
which comes high.
Learning 20 Keep House
She learned how to iron Ranny's
shirts az well as the laundry
could do it. she dry-cIeansd
his neckties and did up her.
own silk undertakings.
BY the end Of August she had
cut down her housekeeping bills
to less than half Of what they
had been in June!
There was little green silk
bar in her dressing table where
she put every dime that came
her way. she had decided that
that was one way Of saving up
some money for fall clothes that
she would presently need. There
was almost $40 In the little bag
now. Not much. but q good
start.
Two or three times week
she was tempted to empty out
those dimes to pay some bill or
other. But she never did. For
in the back Of her mind was an
other tl1ought--that she might
need that money, not for fail
clothes for herself. but Tor tiny
white things - little socks ana