Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-09-06
NINE. STARE'S
WONDERFUL
GIFT
Observation-Disclosures
20 by d. J. Walsh.l

1 the scrap of paper from where
. 1t fiuttered In front of his
broom. He had raked It out
from underneath the doctors desk,
crumpled. tightly folded. torn at one
end. He spread II out clumsily. II
there were words on It he would save
1t. he knew enough for that. at least
1t seemed to be puzzle of some
kind; not prescription, nor a bill.
nor receipt-nothing of Importance
just chlld's scribbling. He regarded
1t DULY. 1t might be puzzle. In his
youth he had been fond of puzzles and
sums and so on. but this was beyond
him.
dot one-half. Pug 10000; Carrie
one-elghth of remainder, which equals
$4,000. Balance to Knight. Grand
Rapids. Michigan"
Balance to Knight After all. this
might be important. He looked at the
date at the top Of the scrap of paper
Fl June 1. And this was July II. No,
this account must have been balanced
long ago.
Mangleson put the paper into his
vest pocket. Later. when he had fin
lshed with the sweeping. he would sit
out In the alley by the garbage cans
and figure 1t out.
The doctor arrived in great hurry.
He did not speak to Mangleson, but
that was nothing new. He was In
cllned to tempers. especially in the
morning. He went straight to his
desk. unlocked and pulled out the low
er drawer. drew 1t out completely and
rested It on the floor. He fumbled
among the loose papers in the drawer,
then turned suspicious eyes upon
Mangleson.
"You been monkeying In my desk?"
he demanded.
Mangleson leaned trembling on his
broom. "Mei No. sir. For what
should be monkeying in your deskf"
"Well. get out. you make me nerv-
ous You should have had your work
In here finished long ago. Get on out"
Not until he was In the hall outside
the office did old Mangleson connect
the doctors temper with the scrap Of
paper In his own pocket. At Mrs.
Schultz where he roomed, It came to
his mind strongly that the doctor had
lost something It was even possible
that the scrap in his own pocket had
squeezed out at the back of the lower
drawer, as valuable papers have a way
of doing. He drew 1t forth and stared
at It lntently:
dot one-half, Pug 10000, Carrie
one -eighth of remainder, which equals
-"
Oh, fractions He never had been
good at fractions. He would ask Lena.
Mrs Schultz daughter. to figure 1t out.
Lena worked In a 1O-cent store down.
town. She ought to be good at frac'
TONS
He found Lena sitting In her moth
er's Kitchen with her shoes off, resting
her overworked feet.
"Here, Lena. do this sum once" he
Invited. dot one-half, Pug 10000,
carry one-elghth of remainder, which
equals $4,000. How much is the sum
of the whole answer"
"Wha' deyah mean-dOt an pug?"
demanded Lena, and held out skin
ny hand for the scrap Of paper from
which Mangleson had read the for
muIa. He gave It to her. She studied
It carelessly and returned 1t to him.
at amt no sum-" she decided.
IA puzzle, them" he suggested.
Lena looked at the paper again and
again handed It back.
at aln't no puzzle It amt nOthln'
lust a memorandum somebody has
scrlbbled."
Mangleson was relieved. "Oh," he
grunted. "The doctor was mad In the
Office this morning because he had lost
something. was afraid It was this
here. But | couldn't let him see me
take It out of my own pocket"
"What made you put 1t in your
pocketY demanded Lena sourly. She
was tired and had no patience With
the old fool Mangleson.
Mrs. Schultz came and leaned over
for a glance at the paper. Mangle-
sons last statement had caught her
attention.
ale was mad. was he7 Maybe II
is something. I will take 1t with me
tonight and show 1t to Nine. Stare.
She knows everything. For dollar
she will tell you where to find your
bead bag or the name Of the woman
who Is getting your man away from
you. Maybe she will write your boss
letter and say, You have lost pa.
per. For dollar I will tell you where
It is"
"No," said MangIeson, ut might lose
me my job. I'll take 1t tomorrow
morning and put 1t in under the desk,
and let him find It himself"
Don't bother" advised Lena, "That
paper is nothing. 1t must have been
something else he lost"
"well 1t may be the paper he lost
and was mad about" persisted Mrs.
Schultz. Better let me take 1t to
Nine. Stare and let her find 1t for him.
You would let poor woman like Nine.
Stare earn an honest dollar on a rich
man like your boss, wouldn't your"
To this class argument Mangleson
yielded reluctantly.
Thus 1t happened that two weeks
later Doctor Rebas received an omni-
GUS command from Nine. Stare, the
claIryoyant, to call at once at her Of
fee for an interview, or prepare to
take the consequences.
Old Mangleson happened to be in
the doctors office when he received
the summons, but he did not connect
the doctors fit Of frightened rage with