New Britain herald., 1929-06-26

taSI NCVh. anu ooliCu lISI houl there and come home. l just got home today. Me and Mama are feeling awful bad about Madge Miss, so hope there ain't going to be no trouble"
 I'm awfully sorry about Macge." Nan said softly. But it was aw- fully nice you had saved up enough money 10 go way out there and stay with her until the end"
 T didn't have enough saved up." Annie Crayfish confessed. II never coulda gone if Mrs. Fleming hadn't sent me. It was funny. too." she added in a burst of confidence. T didn't know she was so kind hearted. And didn't think she liked me very much. One time she scolded me something fierce"
 What for. Annie?" Nan scarcely dared to breathe.
 "Why nothing a-tall" Annie bri- dled, Y went in to clean her roou. you know. lotsa the members keep rooms out there and stay ing at her desk. and said. I nev- CT noticed before you was left week-ends-and I seen her a-wr,t- handed. Mrs. Fleming and |. thought she'd take my head off. And-funny thing,>she wasn't left handed, Miss. I took pains to mo- tice after that"
 'Of course" Nan said casually. to keep from frightening her wit ness, you never happened to mo- tice what it was that Mrs. Fleming was writing with her left hand that day. did you? Just as a mat ter of curiosity such as anyone would have felt?' she suggested subtly.
 Well, yes. Miss. I did" Annie Crayfish flushed. Tt hurt my feel ings the way she carried on just because l made an innocent re- mark like that and so when she was l called to the door to sign for a tele- gram l stopped real quick ana slipped the book off the letter she'd been writing with her left hand she'd covered 1t up soon as I came in-and it was the funniest writ ine-almost lying on it's back and square, like d kids just learning to write"
 : Nan gasped involuntarily. Hand- writing experts. learnedly analyzing the queer script in which the now famous blackmalling letters were indited, had not been half so vivid as Annie Crayfish.
 Did Mrs. Fleming see you look ing at the letter." Nan asked, dizzy with joy
 "Ycs, Miss Annie confessed. And she slapped my face. But the next minute she was apologizins and trying to makeup to me for her hot temper, as she called it. She seemed so awful sorry that couldn't stay mad, and when she offered to send me out to Arizona to stay with Madge-1'd told her all about Madge. long before that why, I was just tickled 70 death of course. I couldn't let false prid, stand in the way of going to my sister, could l. Miss?'
 "Of course not" Nan agreed heartily. "Listen. Annie. do you think Grace Cox is guilty"
 A puzzled look spread over the chambermaids pleasant race "Guilty-of what. Miss? Miss Co, that's the switchboard operator O the club? An awful nice girl. moi a bit stuck up"
 Haven't you been reading tn, papers, Annie?" Nan marvelled Grace Cox is accused of havin, blackmailed several wealthy mem bers of the Country Club, including Mrs. Fleming herself. And the let. ters were in the funny handwriting you've just described 70 me, Annie They're trying to send Grace Co, to the pcnitentiary for writing those letters, Annie!" she empha. sized slowly.
 'But-I don't understand" Annie Crayfish protested dazedly. T aim seen any papers from here ol hardly anywhere else since } Jeff home. I'm not much hand for read. ing and Madge- But I seen Mrs Fleming writing one of them let ters. Miss" The full truth dawnet on the womans slow intellect. | Don't you understand, Annie? 2 Nan exulted. Mrs. Fleming bribef you 10 leave the state. so you could never testify against her. She's | wicked woman. Annie. and the, may send Grace Cox to prison fo' a crime Mrs Fleming committed : if you don't come with me righ now and tell the court exactly wha you've told me. Will you, annie I know you didn't mean to com. init 8 crime yourself in acceptinl bribe. and I know you don't wan poor little Grace Cox 10 suffer fol a crime she didn't do. Come Annie, Hurry"
 (TO BE CONTINUED)