New Britain herald., 1927-05-27

are not the expsnave kind like
these. You know. they make imtta-
lions that are quite dear. but moth
Ing Of this sort IL made over here.
These are all French dolls. or I'm
ported ones, anyway"
AZ Myrtle talked. she caressed
and played with the dolls, and stone
watched her curiously.
Yet 1t was only the admiration Of
. child who loved dolls, mingled
with the natural feminen delight In
exquisite fabrics and harmonious
colors.
"Pelton gave you one Of these
doll. I hear" he said. WAS 1t as
pretty az thsse?"
Beautiful" Myrtle turned rapt
eyes to him. 1T was the one Mr..
Folsom loved best. Mr.. Pelton let
mo take my choice and 80 ! took
that one. Oh. SIS beautiful"
will you lot mo see 1t, Myrtle j?
Where Is IT."
I'm my room. Yes. sir. I'll get t."
She went away and returned with
the doll.
This Is my hour off," she ex-
planned. 'Mr. Peiton said he didn't
mind II came In here and played
with the dolls, 10 long as don't
touch anything else. This Is the one
he gave me. Isn't she lovely?"
Fleming Stone took the doll In his
hand and stared at 1t.
For moment he was speeches.
Then he said:
Did you tell me this was Mr..
Folsom's favorite?"
Eyes. sir. I think 1t reminded him
Of somebody he loved. For he talk.
ed to it and said: You're mine
you shall be mine again-and for
ever!' or some such words as that.
Oh. yes. he loved this one best"
And Stone saw that the doll was
the very image Of Madeline Barron.
Go away now. Myrtle" Stone
said. speaking. as she said after
ward, like a man in a dream. Go
away. Myrtle. Here. take your doll.
daresay Mr.. Pelton will give you
another. II he doesn't / will. But
so away now"
Myrtle glanced at him sharply.
What had happened? This man
was not the sort to have sudden
fits of illness, nor did he look Ill.
But there was no choice for her.
Stone said 60. and she went. Then
Fleming Stone began to piece things
together.
Carrot Folsom had dolls who
looked like the women he had loved.
The one he had declared he loved
best was the exact image OF Made
line Barron.
Moreover, Folsom had declared
that this doll. the one that looked
like Mrs. Barron. was his best love.
and that he would yet have her for
his own again.
This implied that he had tor
merly loved her and
Where was 1t all leading?
Clearly, Myrtle had never con-
nected the appearance of this doll
with the beautiful Mrs. Barron.
But then. Myrtle doubtless did not
know Madeline. The Barrons' rooms
were not on Myrtle's floor, and the
girl had no way OF seeing her, as
her duties never took her to the
lounge or dining room.
Tubby might perceive the re.
semblance, but boy would not
notice such things.
For moment Stone was sc
shocked, so upset by the vistas
opening before his troubled imagi.
nation, that he was tempted to cal
Myrtle back, buy the doll from hel
and burn 1t up.
Yet he could not. In honesty, sup.
press such a definite lead.
He sharnk from the job Of piecins
things together, but 1t had to b.
done.
First he thought up everything III
knew about Madeline Barron. /
wasn't much. but It was definite.
To begin with. he remembered
her unwillingness to talk on The
subject OF Folsom's DEATH When h,
had asked her few simple ques
tons about it. she had become 81
nervously excited as to be almos
hysterical.
Then. when he had taxed her Will
this, she had declared 1t was be-
cause she was sympathetic with Fol
SONS sister and nephew. But furth
er probing had brought out an as
sertion that her unrest was becaus,
Of worry lest Croydon Sears be sus
pected of the crime.
Then. too. she had stated tha
she had absolutely no acquaintanc,
with Garrett Folsom, and knew
nothing Of him save what she hat
heard since his tragic death. Sh'
had deeply resented his queries, 8,
deeply tat 1t began now to seen
she could scarcely have been 8,
annoyed at inquiries about a rea
stranger.
Well. none Of this meant much
but 1t all went to prove that Made
line Barron had secret trouble
that was not shared by her HUSBAND
or her nearest friends.
Anyway, 1t had to be looked into
and perhaps-and Stone hoped
would turn out to mean nothing
and the dolls resemblance to tn
lady be the merest chance.
"A brisk hike on the boardwall
seemed to be indicated. and with |
sigh Stone went out to take 1t
As he passed the squad Of empt,
chairs at the great hotel entranc
sudden thought struck him.
He turned to the group Of i'd
but alertly watchful ir.pushers
and said:
Listen sharp here. boys. Did an.